I have made my final decision yesterday to permanently discontinue doing swaps for the public. Trying to do projects like that while running a high end auto repair shop would only allow me to run at 50% efficiency. Since discontinuing swaps last year, my shop increased gross sales by $125,000 so my efforts will obviously be redirected into marketing the business.
We will still repair some Fieros, but the business will be isolated to strictly German cars which is where I started back in 2002 when I opened Autobahn Automotive. I have started to updated the Haus of Guru website to make it a hobby page for my personal cars.
I really enjoyed Fieros, but after doing so many swaps I didn't want to look at my car anymore. I was burned out and I didn't want to start hating working on Fieros, so that was another factor.
After taking a long break from doing swaps, I actually feel that I am enjoying my cars once again and I feel normal again.
First Archie now you Dave , this is truly another great loss for the fiero community . But now its time for you and Joey to start enjoying those fantastic Fieros you guys have, maybe I can talk you guys into a few shows in LI NY. I'll do a Long Island lobster bake BBQ
Swaps are no doubt time costly and challenging jobs at that . Having done several it sometimes seems as though they go on forever. I completely understand your decision to concentrate on your more lucrative primary business. You have built and own many great cars and If you just own and enjoy your Fieros as a hobby the fun aspect will be more evident. Talk about fun; hope to see you to say hello at Carlisle.
------------------ " THE BLACK PARALYZER" -87GT 3800SC Series III engine, custom ZZP /Frozen Boost Intercooler setup, 3.4" Pulley, Powerlog manifold, Northstar TB, LS1 MAF, 3" Flotech Afterburner Exhaust, Autolite 104's, MSD wires, Custom CAI, 4T65eHD w. custom axles, HP Tuners VCM Suite. "THE COLUSSUS" 87GT - ALL OUT 3.4L Turbocharged engine, Garrett Hybrid Turbo, MSD ign., modified TH125H " ON THE LOOSE WITHOUT THE JUICE "
It looks like your plate is full with Autobahn Automotive and a good money maker. No need to burn out doing Fiero work also and have an unenjoyably work life.
Understandable, you have to look out for yourself, and family.
The Fiero can be time consuming to work on, especially modified ones, and you always try to give the customer a break on price so they don't crap their pants too much. I only deal with one shop in my area that I trust to do good work, the bills aren't cheap by any means, but I do have the satisfaction that it's done right and they stand behind their work. There have been times I know they've put in many more hours than the bill reflects, to give me a break once in a while.
Damn --- I just hit the lottery and was about to call you Congrats on the continued success of your business and we all look forward to you enjoying being a continuing part of the FIERO community on a less stressful basis.
Dave, I understand and respect your decision. Please stick around here and keep us posted on your cars. I enjoy reading about your cars and their unique and very through swaps. -Robert
I spent the last year trying to decide if I wanted to keep my Fiero or look into another car for a hobby. The Fiero fits my body type perfectly. I've owned one since I was 18 (I'm going to be 40 in a few months), and I really like the car for what it is and what I can make it. It isn't a Porsche, but it never claimed to be.
I've been spending my weekend mornings getting the VR6 interior redone and I plan to have my Saab swap done soon....once that goal is reached, I plan on just enjoying the cars.
I chose to be a mechanic because I can go to work and work for 12-14 hours and it doesn't feel like work. I then chose to be a shop owner because I could still turn wrenches, I like chatting with people and the money is better.
I've been spending my weekend mornings getting the VR6 interior redone and I plan to have my Saab swap done soon....once that goal is reached, I plan on just enjoying the cars.
Dave
While I understand your decision, I am saddended to see both you and Archie closing shop. You were the first one to be so close to completing a late model GM 4 cam 2.8/3.6 V6 engine swap. I was hoping you might offer a more basic swap kit based on you Saab 2.8 conversion. Perhaps a 3.6 V6 PFI Malibu six speed auto swap. These are now becoming more available in wrecking yards. To me this would have been the best balaced swap engine for the Fiero. I would have loved a 3.6 with a 5 or 6 speed manual in my Mera.
Dave Did you move that front hood with the scoop to your new shop or did that hood end up selling? If not sold, current price picked up?
Jeff
Yup....the hood sold.
quote
Originally posted by BrittB:
That being said, my 2000 328i seldom has issues other than regular maintenance. I am thinking about a 2001 740i, that could be fun!
Don't do it.....you'll be sorry.
quote
Originally posted by Rick 88:
FI V6 While I understand your decision, I am saddended to see both you and Archie closing shop. You were the first one to be so close to completing a late model GM 4 cam 2.8/3.6 V6 engine swap. I was hoping you might offer a more basic swap kit based on you Saab 2.8 conversion. Perhaps a 3.6 V6 PFI Malibu six speed auto swap. These are now becoming more available in wrecking yards. To me this would have been the best balaced swap engine for the Fiero. I would have loved a 3.6 with a 5 or 6 speed manual in my Mera.
quote
Originally posted by Snapperhead:
I hope you get the love back for your own toys soon. Sometimes that's hard to get back but it will come. Been there my friend.
Vince
My 2.8t Saab swap should be on the road in a few months....I'm building it at a slow pace that works for me. I made that car a hobby and not a priority.
I'll give you the list of common issues that I see everyday on all common German cars in my shop. You can put this to Anamaniac's music if you prefer.
Your E46 3 series will need:
Front control arms and bushings, camshaft position sensors, window regulators, crankcase vent valve, DISA valve, water pump and thermostat, the belt tensioner and idler pulley. If the water pump is left unrepaired for too long, you will crack your cylinder head on the exhaust valve seat on cylinder #3 or #4. The blower motor resistor is common too. At 100,000 miles, the rear trailing arm bushings will be sloppy and rear shocks and mounts will be shot. Wheel bearings are all too common to fail and we replace valve cover gaskets, oil pan gaskets and oil filter stand gaskets. If the valve cover gaskets are left for too long, ignition coils gets oil soaked and fail. Always use synthetic oil and never try to go with the 15,400 mile interval. The E46 is probably the best BMW built to date and a good money maker for my shop.
The E38 7 series will need just about every suspension component including front and rear struts because they are hard on the road. We replace valve cover gaskets and intake gaskets with the rear PCV cover at that time. Pull the dash to replace the blower motor which fails all the time and it is all about the brakes, brakes, brakes that always seem to need replacing. The cost of parts and labor is much more than a 3 series, but it is more of a car.
If you happen to want to buy an Audi....pre 2006 plan on replacing the cam seals and just about every gasket that is above the cylinder head gasket (v6). On a 1.8t, the turbos fail, oil pumps and lots and lots of PCV issues. The newer 2.0 motors need BBV replacements and the camshafts were bad in 2006. We still replace a lot of high pressure fuel pumps and it is quite common to see an engine in my shop getting the intake pulled and the valves walnut blasted (2008-).
Back to BMW, the direct injected twin turbo engines (2008 535xi) will need the valve cover replaced and the intake valves walnut blasted.
Onto Mercedes. The 2013 models seem to blow the engines quite frequently. We replaced two a few months ago that had less than 10,000 on the odometer. The 2008ish models have issues with the balance shafts that are 40 labor hours to do the repair....(that is good for me). It is time now to replace all the SBC pumps...they are programmed to fail at 10-12 years for safety reasons. Not too horrible, but $1850 for a maintenance item. I could keep going on about Benz, but I'll be here until next week. Some are decent.....most are in the shop a lot.
Porsche 997. Other than $15,000 for a brake job with the yellow calipers, if you can afford the car, then don't ***** about the repairs. Personally, I am in love with the 997 turbo and almost gave up Fieros for one, but I may hold off another year or two.
MINI Cooper.....Transmissions and clutches. water pumps, power steering pumps. On the R56, timing chains have issues and there is a class action lawsuit against BMW for this. I had a lawyer approach me a year or two ago to be an expert witness against BMW....I told him to kiss my ass.
VW's....The V10 Touareg....."I'll take one of everything and that should fix it". No seriously, All Touaregs and Cayennes need center support bearings replaced. There is now an aftermarket kit that seems to be fixing the issue.
That seems to be a good starting point and the typical makeup of my day.
Dave
[This message has been edited by bmwguru (edited 05-26-2014).]
Oh yes, I do all that maintenance on my E46, it actually very easy to work on and parts cost are way cheaper the M-B or Audi. I have to do my oil change at the first of this month and have everything to do it and the oil filter base seal as well, it's due. Also will replace the fuel filter, air filter and cabin filter at that time. Coming up, the entire cooling system in August as it's about time to do it again, the parts cost are not bad at all, almost Pontiac prices! Shocks and control arms done about a year and a half ago, bearings 3 years ago. The car is solid and I get the whole driving experience BS they put in their ads, it's true at least for me! To me, this car is so easy to work on that I like doing all the work and since I know what's coming up so I buy and stock pile the parts during the year. I sounds like a hassle but it's really not!
Oh yes, I do all that maintenance on my E46, it actually very easy to work on and parts cost are way cheaper the M-B or Audi. I have to do my oil change at the first of this month and have everything to do it and the oil filter base seal as well, it's due. Also will replace the fuel filter, air filter and cabin filter at that time. Coming up, the entire cooling system in August as it's about time to do it again, the parts cost are not bad at all, almost Pontiac prices! Shocks and control arms done about a year and a half ago, bearings 3 years ago. The car is solid and I get the whole driving experience BS they put in their ads, it's true at least for me! To me, this car is so easy to work on that I like doing all the work and since I know what's coming up so I buy and stock pile the parts during the year. I sounds like a hassle but it's really not!
Use Mann, Mahle or Hengst filters. Use Genuine BMW blue coolant. It is an easy car to work on. My favorite job to do in the whole shop is an E46 window regulator....my 2nd favorite is a W210 window regulator. I'd run away from the CL500. It has issues with the suspension, ignition switches, and the rear SAMs fry out from taking on water through the cowel drains being plugged.
Dave
[This message has been edited by bmwguru (edited 05-26-2014).]
Well, Dave. You have scared me away from a E46 BMW M3. LOL! One day I will own a Laguna Seca Blue E46 M3 with a Standard. No SMG for me. My friend is looking at purchasing a Mini, which Mini is the best?
I am glad to hear that your shop is so doing well.
Use Mann, Mahle or Hengst filters. Use Genuine BMW blue coolant. It is an easy car to work on. My favorite job to do in the whole shop is an E46 window regulator....my 2nd favorite is a W210 window regulator. I'd run away from the CL500. It has issues with the suspension, ignition switches, and the rear SAMs fry out from taking on water through the cowel drains being plugged.
Dave
It's the suspension that sent me away from the CL500 but I did find another. It's got the Car Fax on it that's looks interesting, down side is I my have to send the Fiero away because we are limited on space.
Well, Dave. You have scared me away from a E46 BMW M3. LOL! One day I will own a Laguna Seca Blue E46 M3 with a Standard. No SMG for me. My friend is looking at purchasing a Mini, which Mini is the best?
I am glad to hear that your shop is so doing well.
The M3 is decent....you'll have the same suspension issues, but it is a fun car. The valve require adjusting every 60,000 miles and require special tools to do so. I bought the adjust kit from the local BMW dealer. We charge $650 to adjust the valves. We supercharged a 2002 M3 many years ago and that car was an animal.
First Archie now you Dave , this is truly another great loss for the fiero community . But now its time for you and Joey to start enjoying those fantastic Fieros you guys have, maybe I can talk you guys into a few shows in LI NY. I'll do a Long Island lobster bake BBQ
I thought I responded to this earlier, but I guess I did not. Let us know when you are planning a get together and we will try to make it.
Yep the way it is with PFF user names and real faces I may not even know if I ran into you at a show, such as the 30th? But hopefully you will be able to get around to some shows.
Hey Dave, now that you are done with Fiero swaps, I have another swap you can look at. Swapping my 2002 Audi Allroad from my ownership to yours. For the bargain basement price of $4,000, it can be yours. I would even drive it out to you if I trusted the P.O.S. To make it out of Michigan without something breaking on it.
On a serious note, good luck with your business and glad to hear you're still loving your Fieros.
Hey Dave, now that you are done with Fiero swaps, I have another swap you can look at. Swapping my 2002 Audi Allroad from my ownership to yours. For the bargain basement price of $4,000, it can be yours. I would even drive it out to you if I trusted the P.O.S. To make it out of Michigan without something breaking on it.
On a serious note, good luck with your business and glad to hear you're still loving your Fieros.
lol....two months ago I would have had a buyer for it....I assumed you didn't still have the car though.
lol....two months ago I would have had a buyer for it....I assumed you didn't still have the car though.
Hell. I haven't even driven it since January. My cooling fan exploded in January and it took out the radiator, some intercooler parts, the hood latch and anything else within the range of explosion. My mechanic thought he had it fixed, but after I got it home last month, it wouldn't start again. He thinks it has something with some wires that got shredded when the fen went out. He is also installing a new compressor for the air springs and he's having difficulty with the aluminum bolts stripping.
Hey Dave. Sad and happy to hear the news. I know you weren't exactly having a great time with the swaps and I'm sure mine was one of the issues, if not the final straw. Texas is still here if you want to get out of there. Let me know if there's anything I can do. If you're still willing, I'd rather have you do any swap oriented work that comes up if needed.
Your car wasn't the final straw. We relocated the shop to a much nicer location on a main road and our time is being devoted to just German cars. It became an issue when I wanted to work on one of my cars, I either didn't have the space, time or desire to do so. I haven't driven my orange car in years and when I was doing swaps, I did set timelines for myself while trying to run my shop. The stress just got to me and I wound up in the hospital last month. That was when I said "F**k it".
I plan on selling my 3800 gold gt very soon. I haven't driven it since November. I have taken the VR6 out and I enjoy that car and can't wait to get my orange car back on the road. Something about a high revving euro engine makes me happy.
, this is truly another great loss for the fiero community . But now its time for you and Joey to start enjoying those fantastic Fieros you guys have, maybe I can talk you guys into a few shows in LI NY. I'll do a Long Island lobster bake BBQ
Congrats on your hard work. You are definitely "one of the good guys".
