I am in the process of opening a new shop in the north east. mainly based around performance parts and tuning, brakes, suspension etc... and vaux engine conversions.
I will be offering a full fitting and servicing facility as well. the one thing that this region needs is a decent rolling road/dyno place and this is something I am also looking into. I am going on 3 training courses over the next few weeks that are hopefully going to help and Im already pretty good with Omex stuff.
just wondered if anyone can offer any advice on the rolling road aspect of things and wether its really worth the initial outlay (approx £25K). Most people from up here either travel down to Noble motorsport in chesterfield (me included) or take a gamble with the 2 places up here that have a pretty bad reputation.
Dave i live in the NE and getting a good rolling road session is difficult last time i went to Middlesbrough and two mates of mine have had theirs done by Boggs with very good results hence mine will be going there.
It is like a good restaurant reputation is everything but that takes a bit time.
Imo thats sounds like you'll be just like every other r/r equiped garage in the north east,you'll have the basic equipment and knowledge and probably shouldnt be messing about with peoples engines.
RS give the lad a chance the people who have their rr set up also had to start somewhere.
The best way to start up IMO is to work on your own car or at mates rates and learn from that then get good money for good work when your more experienced.
As with most things you can do courses but it takes time to learn the "tricks of the trade"
the only 2 places that I know of nearby (within a 60 mile readius) is Turbopacs in Durham that have a very very bad reputation and Andy urwin in newastle that people tend to steer clear of.
I am only doing further training courses as I am only familiar with the Omex systems and i have mapped a few engines now, including mates and my own. I would like to get further training on stuff like emerald, MBE and similar systems.
I already do throttle body conversions and a lot of vaux engine conversions.
a 2 hour drive is nothing if you get such a level of worksmanship though
you gotta ask why the local tuners have a bad name - if its just unhappy pub talk cos they thrashed their cars and didnt look after it or they actually do poor work
just being "another rolling road" isnt a very good business venture.
Slammed gsi, Best bet would be to go and talk to them in person though as iirc you setup aint exactly ideal for turbo mapping(is it yours that doesnt have afm or map?)
There also r&p woods,a19 test n tune,teeside motorfactors,and DBM in our area. Persoanlly i wouldnt go to any but i guess you could run round each of them and see what the say/have to offer.
@ rallycorsa, the people who have there r/r setup had to start somewhere that is correct, however like i said it sound very much like this one will end up like the current r/r's in our area. All of the r/r operators in our area only have the basic understanding of how and engine works and imo shouldnt be working on peoples engines beacuse of this. It takes more than just a basic understanding to be able to map an engine that is going to be reliable and make good power. By no means am i an expert,tbh not even close. Its worrying when you talk to the r/r operators about p2b clearance,ring gaps,pcp,comp. flow rate and inj duty and look at you as if your speaking japanese. I didnt bother mentioning afr,cam or ignition timing...........i just left thinking what a bunch of muppets.
the problem with the places in this area is as follows:
turbopacs: they are a superchips type place that are more interested in fiddling RR figures so that punters walk away with a smile.
A19 test and tune: have to bring someone in to do mapping. you need to supply the leads, software and instruction manual!
Motorscope in northallerton: 1970's RR which is so crap its unbelievable. draws the graphs with a pencil on a bit of paper. need I say more?
Andy urwin: firt impressions were good until he disputed the fact that it was worth fitting TB's to my x16xe corsa. then I went back about 3 months later and asked for a power run and a look at the graphs. He told me to replace my webber FPR with an FSE power boost valve and disputed that I was running any more than 150 bhp as he said it wasnt possible to get more than 100bhp per litre from an N/A engine (im running 180bhp) then told me the best option was to supercharge it.
I admit travelling 2 hours to noble is worth it but a lot of people wont do it or cant do it. And I admit its not just a basic knowledge of engines that you need to map a car. I have only done propper mapping on 3 engines, 2 x16xe's and 1 westfield megabusa on throttle bodies. (both using omex)
The main option to begin with was for RR days, diagnostic usage, I do a lot of engine conversions, this will also be a good tool to have to offer before and after runs when doing a conversion/ fitting performance parts etc... Its not just for mapping initially.
whats your background to the game? history in motorsport?past work?and experience,
as in my eyes these all are vital if you want to become succesful in this game!
there is far to many "average" mechanics in the game and its worth paying more for the reputable names!
Agree with them being a useful tool for diagnostics and you can always make a bit of cash on r/r days to help pay back the initial outlay.
The biggest problem i can see is that you dont have the backround(or do you?) that will have people lining up to use your rollers knowing that there car is in safe hands.
Got any screen shots of the maps on the 16xe's?
The main option to begin with was for RR days, diagnostic usage, I do a lot of engine conversions, this will also be a good tool to have to offer before and after runs when doing a conversion/ fitting performance parts etc... Its not just for mapping initially.
getting money from these things isn't as easy as you think, you need to be able to use it properly to get people to pay.
for example, mr smith has a problem with his 1.8t a3, does he come to you......... who it seems may not have experience with the diagnostics of this car.... or audi.. pay a bit more but get the work done that day as they have had the problem before etc.......
before and after runs are a good idea, but time consuming and people dont want to pay for it for just having an exhaust fitted etc.
you need to use it properly to get the money back on it
whats your background to the game? history in motorsport?past work?and experience,
as in my eyes these all are vital if you want to become succesful in this game!
there is far to many "average" mechanics in the game and its worth paying more for the reputable names!
Im a qualified fitter and auto-electrician. I also work part time for a motorsport team up here in the north east and do the setting up on their cars. I have been on training courses with Omex as well.
what about people that have fitted tb's etc.. and have no base map or even a start-up map. Ive been in this situation a few times! As for people showing interest, theres lots. At the local college they have a RR and recently did a shootout day. Hundreds turned up! I also have a friend with a bodyshop/styling shop nearby. he also sells alloys etc... and is always getting asked if anyone he knows does rolling road tuning.
Initially I will be continuing with the engine conversions and fitting suspension/brakes etc... but Ive got a lot of call for it so Im looking for a new unit to work from. will probably start supplying parts as a shop as well. The RR is just a thought at present.
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