Garages to work on your own car?

I'm sure this has been covered before, but for someone that lives in the depths of the big city (NYC/Brooklyn), I thought I would ask. How come there aren't more garage spaces that allow folks to rent out space or lifts to work on their cars? Or maybe something more along the lines of a club where that gives you access to tools, the lifts, maybe even storage. My big thought here is that it's probably a liability thing. But honestly, especially in this area, I feel like it would do well and I can't fathom why anyone hasn't done it yet. I live in the Red Hook part of Brooklyn and there is endless amounts of warehouse and industrial space where I feel like this could be done. Though, property and rent isn't cheap for either commercial or residential.

I think the Car Talk guys ran something like that for a while in Cambridge. I believe the reason cited for its failure was a lack of economic viability. My guess is, by the time you factor in tool costs, space, and insurance, you're probably looking at per-hour costs similar to hiring a mechanic.

Edit: Ray's bio, paragraph titled "How I Saved Thomas from a Life of Indolence and Vagrancy"

Basically they ended up just fixing the DIY'ers cars themselves.

The insurance is a KILLER, too.

Yep, liability. It's why there are hackerspaces but not wrencherspaces.

Join the military. Most bases have auto shops with lifts and some have paint booths you can use for dirty cheap.

they are out there in other states....i think its a great idea to start one...hmmmm

http://www.diyautorepairshops.com/

http://blog.nwautos.com/2011/10/fixes_by_you_self-serve_car-repair_shop_lets_you_be_the_mechanic.html

http://www.mybayauto.com/

http://www.wrench-it.com/

I would totally be down to start one around here if I could find the backing, partners, etc. There are all sorts of car clubs and facilities around NYC. Gotham motors comes to mind. But I don't think I would do something as high end as that since I can't imagine many exotic owners tinker with their rides (GRM types of folks notwithstanding), but also something slightly more nicer than the scene that is an autozone parking lot in Brooklyn on a Saturday.

DuctTape&Bondo wrote: Join the military. Most bases have auto shops with lifts and some have paint booths you can use for dirty cheap.

Private, why did your sorry ass join the military?
"Sir, to work on my Challenge car, sir!"

SnowMongoose wrote:

DuctTape&Bondo wrote: Join the military. Most bases have auto shops with lifts and some have paint booths you can use for dirty cheap.

Private, why did your sorry ass join the military? "Sir, to work on my Challenge car, sir!"

Hey, when you gotta wrench you gotta wrench.

But you could also get a job that grants you access to the base and that would allow you to use those facilities too, iirc. I'm a civilian and I've used their facilities a couple times.

redhookfern wrote: I would totally be down to start one around here if I could find the backing, partners, etc. There are all sorts of car clubs and facilities around NYC. Gotham motors comes to mind. But I don't think I would do something as high end as that since I can't imagine many exotic owners tinker with their rides (GRM types of folks notwithstanding), but also something slightly more nicer than the scene that is an autozone parking lot in Brooklyn on a Saturday.

I live near the Manhattan Car Club and wandered into their space a while back. I bull-E36 M3ted with someone, either a member or one of their reps for a while and was amazed to find out that some members stored their track cars there, they had a LeMons team, and seemed to have a contingent that actually turned their own wrenches.

Now, I could never make a club membership a justifiable expense, even at the unadvertised discounts that exist. But it sounds like a group I'd have fun hanging out with.

My solution? I made friends with a guy out in the 'burbs who has a garage-mahal and a relaxed attitude towards visitors. So far I've replaced a WRX engine and am almost done with a Miata engine swap there. The commute is killer, but since my parents are in the neighborhood, it's not insurmountable.

Yes, the "Auto Skills Center" on base was a great thing, but I did not envy the folks who worked there. There was a lot of idiocy going around which they had to endure or correct. I wasn't perfect (especially with the mop. my lack of skills immediately identified me as a civilian), but I was able to learn from them and exercise some "common" sense. There were plenty of boxes of rocks who attempted repairs that were way out of their league, unnecessary, or simply il-advised. I can't imagine making that place work without the minimum level of discipline/responsibility created by the military environment. And really, I suspect it was not a profitable enterprise.

DuctTape&Bondo wrote:

SnowMongoose wrote:

DuctTape&Bondo wrote: Join the military. Most bases have auto shops with lifts and some have paint booths you can use for dirty cheap.

Private, why did your sorry ass join the military? "Sir, to work on my Challenge car, sir!"

Hey, when you gotta wrench you gotta wrench. But you could also get a job that grants you access to the base and that would allow you to use those facilities too, iirc. I'm a civilian and I've used their facilities a couple times.

There were definitely civilians using the auto skills shop at the base I was at in Germany. Of course, no way to tell who was a dependent vs. a civilian employee.

Paging SingleSlammer...

I believe you'll have relevant info for this thread...

I good friend of mine started one about a year and a half ago.

http://thetuningspot.com/

It is slow going and he got too big of a place to start with. Once he finds a smaller place, he will actually be able to draw a small (working at McDs small). He couldn't be happier though. He hates the internet so if you want to talk with him about this, call. Tell him that I (Jordan W) sent you and that you were thinking about starting a DIY shop.

Wow awesome, thank you. Where about a did he open his?

Disregard, just saw the link with info lol. Looks really cool.