UM? SLC/UT AND ROCK CRAWLING/OFF ROAD SHOPS DONT MIX!?

[BCGPER]

I heard Matt was opening a new and improved Rocklogic........



Been a long time since I've seen that Vandal name around....

 

[nrspence]

Speaking of old school builders has anyone talked to Lee Mattingly lately? I lost his phone number. I want to get ahold of him. Thanks

 

[lewis]

Speaking of old school builders has anyone talked to Lee Mattingly lately? I lost his phone number. I want to get ahold of him. Thanks

I know how to get ahold of him. He kinda fell off the face of the earth though.

 

[BenHanksRacing1]

Dear Chad How are you fool? Long time no see
Stop stirring the shi# we all know how crappy this industry has been! And don't need another ***** post on shops. If you are looking I believe that there is a list on here of
broke ass shops. Come by sometime and chat. Ben

 

[STAG]

I'm too young to understand this thread I suppose. Also, the Geese thing made me laugh loud enough for everyone in the restaurant to look at me.

 

[benjy]

Dear Chad How are you fool? Long time no see
Stop stirring the shi# we all know how crappy this industry has been! And don't need another ***** post on shops. If you are looking I believe that there is a list on here of
broke ass shops. Come by sometime and chat. Ben

Ben, sounds like all is well at the shop, that's great news! Do you have cash to pay me back for those coils you installed on a customer's rig yet? I still have both receipts from ORW if you need a refresher

 

[Nate R]

Speaking of old school builders has anyone talked to Lee Mattingly lately? I lost his phone number. I want to get ahold of him. Thanks

Send Lee a PM, he check in here once in a while http://www.rme4x4.com/member.php?u=2475

 

[Jessem]

Speaking of old school builders has anyone talked to Lee Mattingly lately? I lost his phone number. I want to get ahold of him. Thanks

Lee is still around... I've had Lee do some stuff for me here and there.

 

[pfinder]

yeah i must be too young, plus i dont have the money to throw into shops to custom build parts. im told if i buy anything to go to a shop like rustys offroad.. i do have a fun project coming up someday.. convert my 200 dollar 2wd jeep chereokee into a 4wd offroad machine..

 

[Bart]

Curious thread for sure. Since I was involved with most of the companies in question I'll just sit back and see what happens.

 

[nrspence]

Bart yes you have.

 

[Cody]

I'll tell you this, I miss the old days wheelin with Vandall...and Lee Mattingly for that matter.

I remember on Upper Proving Grounds one time..

Vandall: Hit it harder!
me: I don't want to break again
V: If you break, I'll fix it
me: full throttle--boom!
V: Awesome!

and he did fix it lol. Sheared both stub shafts at the same time right at the flange.

I believe it was this day...

 

[rockdog]

Oh, upper proving grounds!! RIP!

 

[Navigator]

So it appears if you don't let Bart in your shop just might make it.

I have been associated with a lot of these shops as well; there is just not enough money to keep them open regardless of how well they were run or by whom. Everyone wants something for nothing.

 

[nrspence]

So it appears if you don't let Bart in your shop just might make it.

I have been associated with a lot of these shops as well; there is just not enough money to keep them open regardless of how well they were run or by whom. Everyone wants something for nothing.

Ya very true, everyone is your buddy and all your buddys want great deals on work.

 

[toyota crawlin]

I'll tell you this, I miss the old days wheelin with Vandall...and Lee Mattingly for that matter.

I remember on Upper Proving Grounds one time..

Vandall: Hit it harder!
me: I don't want to break again
V: If you break, I'll fix it
me: full throttle--boom!
V: Awesome!

and he did fix it lol. Sheared both stub shafts at the same time right at the flange.

I believe it was this day...

We need a time machine!

 

[Bart]

All kidding aside, I have been personally involved with 3 great shops and have seen them go from a thriving shop to a struggling enterprise. I see the failure of 4x4/off road shops as an industry wide problem, then you add the Utah “cheap” factor and it makes it worse.


A great fabricator starts a shop and spends 12 hours a day putting out a great product. Word gets out and he starts getting more business, so he has to hire another fabricator. More word gets out and more “friends” drop by and call taking hours out of the day. Pretty soon you get people that have seen the product and want to know how a certain thing is done, expecting full explanations and free advice/consultation. Customers usually want a custom build for an assembly line price.



Pretty soon the owner is pulled out of the shop and into the front and needs to hire another fabricator to keep up. More space and tools are needed. Overhead increases. Add supporting a comp rig or team and cash flow drops dramatically.



Eventually the owner (and family) gets tired of working 12 hours a day, 6 days a week and not making much money. They are also dealing with payroll, payroll taxes, unemployment insurance, property taxes... the list goes on and on. It’s a vicious cycle.

 

[ID Bronco]

I have never owned a shop or anything like it. I see a problem from being a "cheap" kind of guy. I am looking for deals all the time. I respect someones ability but most times I don't or cannot pay for it. I see this group of enthusiasts as pretty do it yourself kind of folks. Will it turn out professional, normally no but this mentality is what I think makes this industry difficult to succeed in. Just my observation. Is the DIY mentality really the root of the problem?

 

[sixstringsteve]

I see the failure of 4x4/off road shops as an industry wide problem, then you add the Utah “cheap” factor and it makes it worse.

Wait, are you implying that Utahn's are cheap?

I can't think of a worse place to try and sell any "custom" services. If Utahns can't get a custom job at a walmart price, then they won't have any of it. There's a difference between being frugal and being cheap. I see far more cheap people here than anywhere else I've lived. I'm not trying to disrespect anyone, I'm just saying that would definitely affect a business' ability to keep it in the black.

 

[rockdog]

Wait, are you implying that Utahn's are cheap?

I can't think of a worse place to try and sell any "custom" services. If Utahns can't get a custom job at a walmart price, then they won't have any of it. There's a difference between being frugal and being cheap. I see far more cheap people here than anywhere else I've lived. I'm not trying to disrespect anyone, I'm just saying that would definitely affect a business' ability to keep it in the black.

Having grown up in Utah, I think you have to understand the mindset of the people here. I think Utahans as a whole are a pretty self sufficient. I remember my dad needing something for their concrete business that didn't exist. So he would go into the shop and build it. I inherited that frame of mind from him.
If he needed to do something he didn't know how to do. He went to another old boy who knew how to do it and asked for advice. No money changed hands because the other old boy knew the favor would undoubtedly be returned in the future.
I have more time than money and enjoy learning new things. So I do as much of my own stuff as possible.
If that's cheap. Hell I guess I'm cheap! Also growing up in a self employed family. I totally agree with Bart. Unemployment insurance, taxes, overhead, employee wages. There just isn't enough money to cover all of this in a offroad fab shop. I don't care how good the fabricators are. There just isn't enough to make it viable long term.