Car remapping! Honest answers required!!

[Mully]

Well put it this way, im glad i have posted up this thread because it has made me realise a few things that i had overlooked, this certainly is the best forum i have ever been on and i am glad there has been no stupid comments lol cheers for all the replies, you may of just stopped me make a mistake that a dont think anybody could afford to do, especially at my age and im not going to drop the idea completly but with everything the way it is i think i could put the money to better use, just need to start thinking again

 

[Bigbhp18t]

I am incredibly careful about who I use to work on my car. I'll always collect a handful of references, and would want to know that the business has some history so that I can see their work, see their track record of customer service, and know that should they encounter issues they have the facilities an skills to fault diagnose.

I tend to see code as a single entity of the upgrade path. When choosing a tuner I want a company with some reputation, some vision, and a good history of VAG experience. I work my @r$e off to pay for my car, and there is no way I would use code from outside the well established tuners (Revo / GIAC / CC etc.....).

I can see the attraction to you wanting to do it, but I would honestly recommend getting some industry experience under your belt, then if you feel inclined starting up on your own later on when you have track record, but can offer more than just code. I don't care about your age, background or anything else about you personally, the above is based on my personal selection criteria, and I'm sure I won't be alone when it comes to protecting my hard earned investment. Now if you were selling bargain basement coilovers that would be a different matter as some people will prop their cars up with any old $h1t, but that's another story!

there is no way I would use code from outside the well established tuners (Revo / GIAC / CC etc.....)

Not being funny the names are good the remaps are good, but weak point is the franchise/dealer side of things. My mate went to a dealer down south for a remap from one of the names above, the car was parked outside a corner shop on a main road, the remap was flashed to the car then the customer had the option of having his fault codes read after the remap was carried out for an extra £30. The car was remap and not check for fault code prior to the remap. Two days later the car went on a forum rolling road day and made 25bhp less than quoted the RR OP plugged in to there diagnostics tool and came up with 4 fault codes which pointed finger at a boost leak.

Brilliant remap but a very very bad dealer.

Ben

 

[warren_cox]

there is no way I would use code from outside the well established tuners (Revo / GIAC / CC etc.....)

Not being funny the names are good the remaps are good, but weak point is the franchise/dealer side of things.

Brilliant remap but a very very bad dealer.

Ben

Interesting point you raise because this is where the tuners are seriously exposed. They want market penetration, but by selling franchises to garages who have to pass no form of 'entry standards requirement' the franchise can end up in the hands of just about anyone.

Problem is, many punters wont do a 300+ mile trip for a 'bit of code'. Shame there can't be centres of excellence but then your moving your core business away from your speciality and becoming a glorified garage.

A good independent is worth their weight in gold.

 

[Bigbhp18t]

Well put it this way, im glad i have posted up this thread because it has made me realise a few things that i had overlooked, this certainly is the best forum i have ever been on and i am glad there has been no stupid comments lol cheers for all the replies, you may of just stopped me make a mistake that a dont think anybody could afford to do, especially at my age and im not going to drop the idea completly but with everything the way it is i think i could put the money to better use, just need to start thinking again

On the back burner then..but one day we might see you at the topof your game..
Save your money for now enjoy the rest of the teen years, then when you get bored of the pubs and clubs you can start to think about what you really want to do.

Ben

 

[Mully]

Yeah, im 18 but act like im 30 haha, need to liven up a little!

Edit: Oh and a decent paying job in the meantime wouldnt go a miss

 

[Bigbhp18t]

Interesting point you raise because this is where the tuners are seriously exposed. They want market penetration, but by selling franchises to garages who have to pass no form of 'entry standards requirement' the franchise can end up in the hands of just about anyone.

Problem is, many punters wont do a 300+ mile trip for a 'bit of code'. Shame there can't be centres of excellence but then your moving your core business away from your speciality and becoming a glorified garage.

A good independent is worth their weight in gold.

That the best comment I have heard in along time.

There are people willing to take a300 mile trips to get the very best from the product and service.

The comapny I use said they will never branch even after a an five figure offer from a investment firm, because the excellence of the remap are the guys who offer the service and no one else can match there enthusiasim for product and customer satisfaction.

Ben

 

[Bigbhp18t]

Yeah, im 18 but act like im 30 haha, need to liven up a little!

Edit: Oh and a decent paying job in the meantime wouldnt go a miss

Plus a goverment back part time NVQ in motor mechanics to set you on the way...

Ben

 

[Sprog]

I admire your entrepreneurial spirit. But I'd have to say your business plan isn't really feasible IMO.

I went custom code a few years ago - and my bill for my stage 1 cost me 500+. BUT it was worth every penny because I had confidence in their knowledge, experience and there was somewhere culpable if anything ever went wrong.

As mentioned above I'd open an online tuning shop, but your profit margin will need to be next to nothing to be competitive (unless you have some very friendly supplier contacts). but definitely valuable in the long term - it's something you could do in your free time with the only objective being to build a reputation.
You could also think about piggy backing an already established business (which doesn't offer a similar service) and go in with a profit share. i.e. you trade under their name, but you do the work and then split any profit with them! This would definitely help with the sales side, but as for risk (if you screw over a customer’s car) they are culpable and for them - this risk will be difficult to justify given the relatively small return so again, probably not feasible.

However much I hate to say it though - people will discriminate you because of your age and lack of experience/engine knowledge). It would take some very clever selling.

I wanted to open a tuning shop when I was 18 as well. But you need to look at successful businesses in the same field and what attributes make them successful. I would suspect you have little of these attributes. (no offence)

Don't let this put you off starting up - just think carefully and don't commit too early and end up in ALOT of debt. As mentioned - I would make this a long term goal - in the mean time, keep learning.

(Christ - bit of an essay this haha sorry)

 

[Mully]

Yeah, im stepping back from the idea and evaluating my options, im also on the hunt for a job as everyone is at the moment, but like a said in my earlier posts im glad and thankful that i posted this thread up as i could of made a big mistake!

 

[Willie]

If you can afford to invest that £10,000 in training yourself there are opportunities all over the world to explore.
£10,000 will finance you through training courses to get your ass offshore and be earning £25,000+ with 6 months a year off to built up your car skills and create a good name for yourself buying and selling ten one day get into remaps.
there is a market for generic flashed maps but it's not on enthusiasts cars. Most enthusiasts will mill over this for months, research and take word of mouth as important reference.
The people who would buy a generic map would be your non enthusiasts like taxi drivers who want better fuel economy on their diesel taxi or Joe Bloggs who wants a faster car for £200.

 

[Mark300zx]

I would seriously think about maybe about doing motorsports degree, you have the laugh of going to college and believe me you do enjoy yourself. You'll study something you will love and at the end of it you will come with a qualification that only a handful of garages have and can start earnong some wonga?

 

[m0rk]

I would seriously think about maybe about doing motorsports degree, you have the laugh of going to college and believe me you do enjoy yourself. You'll study something you will love and at the end of it you will come with a qualification that only a handful of garages have and can start earnong some wonga?

I wouldn't - it's not like everyone in Motorsport can demand Ross Braun salary's - especially now in an already highly competitive industry

That said, if you have £10k 'cash' and don't have a degree, I'd consider investing in your future with some vocation changing.

There's no money in anything that sells to Joe Public. So look in b2b careers IMO.