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New Salvage and Tuning Shop Looking at NC, we need your input!!

traxxas1982

New member
Location
Danbury, CT
Just wanted to say hello to the VW/Audi community. We are a group of six VW/Audi enthusiasts in Danbury, CT and Kingston, NY that are looking to open a salvage parts and tuning shop in the NC area. Currently we have done a little research that is pointing us to the Greenville, NC region. We have already visited Greenville looking at prime real estate to build our proposed 50,000 sqft facility which will house our showroom, inventory and garage bays. We currently have one 15 year certified VW/Audi tech. We will be selling salvage parts along with a bunch of name brand parts(Vendor list is still being compiled). Also we will offer general maintance(oil changes, tune ups, etc) along with installation of aftermarket parts. When we were in Greenville, we didnt see many Euro's running around and we are starting to rethink our location. But before we abandon Greenville, NC altogether, we want to hear from all of you there so we don't leave you behind. Please give a shout out with your exact city location so we can get out process moving more efficiently!! Thank you for your time and hope to see you all soon!!
 

EOD_ron

Wanting to drive again
Location
NC/Mosul
Car(s)
'07 BMP GTI
Try looking into the Fayetteville/ Ft. Bragg area. There is quite alot of VW/Audi action here. Haven't seen too much on the MK V side, but all others are present.
 

kondor

New member
Location
WNC
Just wanted to say hello to the VW/Audi community. We are a group of six VW/Audi enthusiasts in Danbury, CT and Kingston, NY that are looking to open a salvage parts and tuning shop in the NC area. Currently we have done a little research that is pointing us to the Greenville, NC region. We have already visited Greenville looking at prime real estate to build our proposed 50,000 sqft facility which will house our showroom, inventory and garage bays. We currently have one 15 year certified VW/Audi tech. We will be selling salvage parts along with a bunch of name brand parts(Vendor list is still being compiled). Also we will offer general maintance(oil changes, tune ups, etc) along with installation of aftermarket parts. When we were in Greenville, we didnt see many Euro's running around and we are starting to rethink our location. But before we abandon Greenville, NC altogether, we want to hear from all of you there so we don't leave you behind. Please give a shout out with your exact city location so we can get out process moving more efficiently!! Thank you for your time and hope to see you all soon!!

Greetings:

Have your people get county by county registration lists and you can see actual Euro statistics. Greenville is a bit "east" of the action, I think. The concentration of Universities and population is from Raleigh west in a triangle on the south to Charlotte and on the north to Winston

You also need to simultaneously check the competition in that region. Salvage-wise, I have no idea. However, there is at least one VW dealer, for instance, that offers at least minimal "tuning" by way of chipping, Keefer in Huntersville. Since you will have a large warehouse, you might also consider net sales, particularly of specialty oils and filters. Motul, Elf, Lubra-Moly, Pento - all mailorder here. One or two shops in the State may have one of the brands.

The salvage business is a "shipping" proposition and can be located anywhere. A tuning business has different parameters and needs a central location right in the middle of the market, I would think. Naturally, as you come further west, land acquisition rates will increase, with
Asheville topping the cost list.

So, tuning locations - Raleigh would likely be eastern edge for the Euro market. You could come out a bit east of Raleigh (NOT Durham) and nail it, I think. Think Burlington - Mebane on I40 and something south of that on I-85. Access to Raleigh-Durham, Charlotte-Statesville, Greensboro-Winston. I-77 is the western edge.

The Chapter 11 club in Charlotte has perhaps 20 members. You should have some method of gauging the tuner potential other than just Euro registrations simply because most don't tune. Under 30 demographics - 17 to perhaps 25 even.

You might also do the Greenville thing and if it flies, you could do another tuning shop farther west, say Raleigh, then Greensboro, then Statesville, then Charlotte, then Asheville.

The "money" is in the Triangle region where the people live. That's where the Euro cars are also.

You might also think about "tuning" diesel pickups. Big throughout the State and especially big on the Ag side East. Lotsa diesel pickups around. Chips, 5 or 6" exhaust, ranchos, bumper guards, big wheels, - all that junk. Salvage Cummins B engines, 7.3 powerjokes, etc. Sell bombproof transmissions. Clutches. That's eastern NC. If you know Geno's in Cumming GA, then you know there is a huge market for that stuff. I don't know the markups, so might be competition already.

Keep us posted and perhaps I can come see you guys when you are up and running.

And, good luck and welcome to the Tar Heel! :w00t:

If you want to chat about it, PM me and I'll give you a phone number.
 
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