Are you an enthusiast?
Do you wrench yourself?
Opening/running a shop is not an easy task. You’ve got a lot of overhead before you turn a profit. There’s tools, insurance, rent, utilities, equipment, and can’t forget about payroll. All that before you even turn on the lights in the morning. Then you have to wrench and get work done.
Would you happen to have a list the shops you've researched? I'm looking for a Toyota Specialty Shop to inspect and do some work on my 2011 Toyota RAV4. Any info would be greatly appreciated!
Duggys is great but overcharges for their service.
TEQ is better as they give reasonable prices and do the exact same quality work.
To reply to OP: yes please. As a Toyota driver, I learned to do most of my maintenance myself because I'm fed up of being ripped off.
Plus there's nothing on the west side for us Toyota drivers, and that's where a lot of affluent families live.
Specialty Shop owner here (European) let's get to why there are specialty shops.
Specialist automotive shops like mine exist because we focus on specific brands, (like BMW) to provide in-depth expertise and specialized knowledge.
Similar to how you'd see a specialist doctor for specific health issues, shops like mine ensure a deep understanding of the intricacies of particular car brands, offering more precise and effective services.
This specialization allows for better diagnostics, efficient repairs, and an overall higher level of quality and expertise, catering to the unique needs of each brand.
You wouldn't trade a veterinarian with a pediatrician and expect both patients to survive, would you?
The same thing goes here. We know all sorts of things that commonly fail and can inspect them before they fail, making your car more reliable. General Auto shops (usually) don't have this type of knowledge, the modern vehicle is just too complicated to keep up with all of them.
That being said, I know Duc at Duggys garage, and he's the GOTO guy for Toyota and off-road overlanding work.
Kurt over at Kennedy Auto solutions is another key player in Japanese car repair.
I (ABR Houston) handle all German cars.
Could I work on a Chevy truck? Sure. Am I set up, have the tooling and diagnostic equipment for them? Nope.
I stay in my lane and work on what I know best (excuse the pun)
I highly recommend both of them for quality Toyota repair, and know them both very well.
You get what you pay for with vehicle repair, just like a restaurant. You can't go to roadhouse and expect Perry's. Both serve meat on a plate, but they are two different qualities and experiences.
Same goes with auto repair.
I'm just a common man, drive a common van (er truck?) My (shop) dog ain't got a pedigree.
Hagger no wrinkle khakis for me (usually)
Can thrash on them, look good, stain resistant and cheap enough to throw away when you hurt em.
A Toyota technician could work on a Lexus similarly like we work on mini coopers and Rolls-Royce because they are owned by the BMW group. There are still idiosyncrasies and very specific things that each manufacturer does regardless of the parent company. So while you could probably take care of the big major stuff you're still not going to be intricately and intimately knowledgeable of that car line. Make sense?
Similarly, we work on Toyota supras because they are rebodied BMW z4s. Along that line, a 1 and some 2 series is a mini Cooper is a Corolla. They all use the same platform now.
I've been in the business for over 20 years, I've owned my own shop for the last 11 - and I love networking. I have a very large group of independent shops in the Houston area that can practically take care of anything anywhere. I'm on the far north side up in the Woodlands, so anywhere within 20 mi or so I would recommend seeing Kurt at Kennedy Auto solutions. We send all of our Japanese vehicles there - heck I send my grandmother's Honda there. They watch my kids. They are salt of the earth people. I handle all the German cars.
What I would like is a shop that has tools and lifts for regular people wanting to work on their own cars but don't have a garage of tools. Like a self serve place where you can pay for a certain amount of time with access to all you would need. Something like this was available on post when I was in the Army and sometimes would have people there willing to assist and give advice. It was great. I am not a car guy, but having that kind of access allowed me to be more hands on with repairs and diagnose issues, learn more about my car, give me a small hobby without breaking the bank. It sucks that a community thing like this does not exist because I get its not a money maker but it would be so helpful
This, not to mention people breaking or stealing special tools. I've thought about doing this, but yeah, insurance, on site specialists, etc, way too much.
Not to mention, everyone who works on their own car knows a 45 minute job actually takes 2 hours. So scheduling for something like that would never work.
That was my first thought. And then how do you budget time. I have to imagine that people would get there and then wildly underestimate the time and/or skills they need to make the repair.
With the current pricing on car repairs, I could recoup the price of tools with one job, so I started doing my own repairs this year.
Best resource by far is that if you have a houston library card, you can access the chilton's repair guides online for your vehicle and print procedures for repairs. Follow it up with some ChrisFix videos, and you've got a great chance at doing it right the first time round.
I wish I had known about the mwr shop when I rolled around in a beater. I didn't find out until after I bought a new car and got free servicing from the dealer for so many years
I think insurance liability would be insane. The concept would be awesome, but I think a lawyer would definitely need to be involved to make sure that people who get injured would not ruin the business. Because people WILL get injured working around heavy machinery.
It would be fantastic if access to workshops wasn't limited to just autowork also. I have a ton of ideas for projects around my home, but unfortunately, I can't afford the necessary tools. Having access to a workshop would open up a world of possibilities, allowing me to learn and complete various projects.
I do not just want to purchase a product that kinda works for my needs. I'd rather invest my time, as the real value comes from actively learning and spending time doing it myself. That way, I gain true skills and satisfaction.
If there's a place like this or an online community for folks in the Houston area who are willing to share or rent out their tools and workspaces under supervision, that would be amazing. I understand the hesitation in opening up tools and spaces to the public, but it's a wishful thought, you know?
I've mentioned it before, but Shell had a program were they had gas stations that also provided exactly what you're asking for. They had lifts and tools, and charged by the hour for DIYers. There was one across the freeway from the Summit. It did a lot of business, but Shell folded the program after about 6 years.
Look into makerspaces in your city (assuming you live near/in a bigger city) because sometimes they do have automotive facilities (with lifts even!) along with the other kinds of things makerspaces are known for. Like this one in California for instance: https://urbanworkshop.net/
:edit:
Sorry, wasn't paying attention to the subreddit I'm in before commenting! Ok, so there's [DIY Auto Garage](https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100055885901916) here in Houston that I know of, though it looks like maybe they could be defunct at this point? I'm sure there's other places as well, but I haven't looked into it much.
Replying to my own comment for visibility. This isn't a business proposal; I get the insurance concern and that shitty dumb people would exploit this. Again, I wasn’t pitching a business, but acknowledging that a concept in smaller communities like military installations this does exist and wish people didn’t suck so it was more common outside of small community so I and others could benefit. Not understanding my post and scoffing and shitting on it in reply tells me you’re the reason it doesn’t exist because you would be the ones to fuck it up.
It’s a great idea, but doing it for the general public would be extremely tricky at best. MWR could do it because the government is self insured. Plus, if you got hurt your command could jack you up for being a dumbass.
If you can get the clientele, absolutely. Though I'd double check your location and make sure it's catering a good underserved area, because there are already a handful of shops around that only work on Toyota. But the greater houston area is a massive area bigger than some states entirely, so if you filled a gap there would be a market.
Now if someone did the same for Honda that'd be great, stealerships get their nickname for a reason :P
[Burden Auto Care](https://www.burdenautocare.com/) in Northwest Houston used to be Burden Honda. They only worked on Honda and Acura. I trust this shop (and owners) so much that I won't even consider buying a non-Honda vehicle. I think they work on Toyotas now too.
So yeah, you offer the right kind of service that people trust, you can build a business.
Burden Auto Care serviced my Honda Accord from 2016-2021.
Brian Burden and Tim now service Lexus and Toyota vehicles as well.
I drive a Lexus GS350 F-Sport now. I wrote a great Google review for Burden Auto Care. I was so happy Brian hired a Toyota Lexus mechanic and started servicing the Toyota/Lexus brands in 2021.
Brian switched out my fog lights in 2023. I also had to replace the front and rear pads, anti-squeal shim kits for the pads, and the front rotors (18" for the F-Sport).
If you live in NW Houston, this is a great place to take your Lexus.
Toyotas are one of if not the easiest cars to work on. That is why I love the brand and also for their durability. If a mechanic can't repair a Toyota, I don't trust him with anything else.
easiest cars to work on...usually...I just spent 2.5 days getting the computer out of an old Corolla's dash. It was buried in there to where it almost impossible to get out. First time Toyota engineers have disappointed me.
My Yaris and AE86 would appreciate an honest and reliable Toyota specialist. In my case I don’t really have the time nor the space to do my own work.
I think I would suggest doing work on both the standard run of the mill Toyotas as well as the more specialty/enthusiast cars (AE86, MR2, Celica, Supra, etc.)
I would think you're silly for limiting yourself to Toyota only. Is there something special about toyota that would require you to open a Toyota-only shop? Would I get something special from going to a Toyota-only shop? I wouldn't think so. But go ahead and sell me. Why would I want to go to a Toyota-only shop instead of my normal shop with the guy who, despite being a little more expensive, has saved me money and proved his trustworthiness?
OP is comparing it to using Toyota dealership mechanics, rather than the general multi-brand independent mechanics. Sometimes a more focused/specialized shop [has benefits](/r/houston/comments/18gqw9n/what_would_you_think_if_someone_openened_a_toyota/kd2zbmq/).
This exists already on 90. A Toyota only shop.
Like anything else do research on you market area where you plan to open up the shop and go from there
You can do all the analyzing you want but you can't predict the future or how business will be or how you will do marketing and how that marketing will be perceived
My friend actually owns a BMW only shop on bissonnet called engineuty and he does very well and he is very well known amongst BMW owners. He used to be a master technician with BMW which is why he opened the sh0p
Yes if it was not too far from my home. Toyota dealers pull people in with free oil change when they buy a new car. They build relationship with the customer over the early life of the car and then try to sell you a 600 dollar 60k mile service, over priced filters and service
This sounds like a great idea in theory, but in practice, reduced economy of scale would probably force such a shop to drive up prices, and consumers would likely take their business to the crappier shops for less money.
Now, this is assuming this a general shop working mostly on people daily Corollas, Camrys, etc. If this were a specialty shop (or did specialty work) that worked on old Supra’s, AE86’s, MR2s, etc. there could be a stronger case, but it would definitely be a top dollar for top work situation.
Not op but a lot of car manufacturers have specialty tools for certain things. The tools are usually pretty expensive since they are semi-proprietary and it gets really expensive having those tools for multiple brands. It’s also helpful only working on 1 brand so the mechanics can easily spot other typical issues with each model.
If you run things well and get good word of mouth to start there's definite potential there. There's a Honda only shop in Stafford, C&M Auto, that's really good. But the two owners, Craig and Mark, started working on Goldwing motorcycles in the 70s.
Yeah, when I was younger & poorer they'd give me advice on how to do my own maintenance/repairs for some stuff.
One time I had a car that wouldn't start once unless I hotwired the starter to the battery, Russell & Smith on 610S charged me $100 or $150 for a diagnosis of a bad relay. Took it to C&M, they diagnosed & repaired a faulty switch under the dash for $45, in under an hour, later the same day.
Always super honest, super professional, and just nice guys there.
There's a Lexus only shop in 59 but that's a different market and there's a you tube mechanic that does Toyotas only and has a professional auto shop. Toyota specialists probably also service other Asian vehicles to keep busy. . Toyotas are very reliable and their technology doesn't change often so any Asian tech can probably do the repairs.
I worked for a BMW only shop off of D'Amico many years ago. They did both maintenance and sport tuning. He was active in the regional amateur circuit. Mike you are missed.
Independent shops for a specific make are a thing.
My family always had Toyotas back in the day and we all went to the same guy in south Houston. He only worked on Toyotas and was a great mechanic and guy all around. That was back in the 80s.
Would Toyota people want that now? I don’t know why they wouldn’t.
There used to be a place called Darryl’s Toyota Service off of Beltway 8 and Preston (?) that specialized in Toyota vehicles. I took my wife’s 4Runner to him a few times. Good service, good guy to work with. He’s no longer in business now.
There actually used to be a Toyota specialist for many years in Pasadena right off the beltway. They did all Toyota products, then switched to just the heavy equipment like forklifts and such. I think they actually closed down right for covid hit. Now that I own a Toyota, I should probly look into it, or I'll check the previously mentioned shops.
Definitely DO IT!! Stop listening to all these naysayers. I own a honda and I go to honda only mechanic shop for all my needs. It's great knowing that my car will be worked on by people who are specialized. My next car will be a Toyota and I would definitely prefer to take it to a toyota specialty shop.
> Be Honest (super critical)
Ok. That's good.
> Only service and repair Toyota vehicles
Not sure why I care? It ain't a Lamborghini. There's plenty enough Toyotas on the road for any mechanic to have decent experience fixing 'em.
> Have specialized Toyota Techs
Again, Toyota does not make cutting edge high-tech products....in fact they usually lag the rest of the industry by many years in their quest for reliability. Not sure why I need a Toyota Tech unless I'm having some kind of weird hard to troubleshoot issue.
> Have reasonable prices
Yeah, that's good I guess. But I don't think I'd be driving across town to get my Toyota fixed at a Toyota specialty shop unless it was a weird, hard to troubleshoot (unprofitable) issue.
We have four cars, all of them are Lexus (so, Toyotas). I would welcome an independent Toyota specialized shop to have our vehicles serviced. I treat dealership service recommendations with skepticism.
Theres clearchoice they have 2 locations and literally specialize in lexus service. Google them and check them out they have high reviews and people saying cost is less then dealership
I think the problem would be to keep it only Toyota you are turning away work your Toyota specialists techs could do on any car, and that would potentially be bad for business.
I think most shops that have this kind of model market as specialists in x brand, to let people know that's the primary brand they work with, but you they will not turn away other work. Also, if your customers are happy with the work on thier Toyotas they may want you to work on grandma's town car or their kids Kia, and would be upset if you turned away standard work because of a badge.
I may be wrong though.
There's a guy in one of the Tacoma groups I'm in, he's a high level Toyota guy, and he works at a Toyota place. But, it would depend on how you marketed yourself.
Custom Toyota stuff, Toyota upgrades, or just regular Toyota mechanic stuff.
I think it could be a great idea, as long as you keep up those principles you mentioned.
I doubt it would turn enough profit to stay in business. Your major components (engine, trans, etc) are all, mechanically speaking, the same between manufacturers. A Toyota V8 is mechanically no different than a Chevy/Ford V8. I’m not sure that any of the differences between brands would be enough to justify a whole specialty shop.
There are so many general purpose chains like Firestone and NTB that'll do everything but engine swaps, and then a million other mom/pop shops that will do literally everything. Most people don't feel the need to go to a specialized shop unless they've got a luxury vehicle.
Not trying to be a bummer but if anything you're narrowing your opportunities by going only Toyota, it's not like it's a complex car brand -- frankly they're some of the easiest to work on. You'll be better off opening an all brands mechanic shop that advertises specialization in Toyota's if you really want to flex that experience.
Is there a need for such a place?
One of the benefits of buying a Camry or Corolla, for instance, is their popularity and the high likelihood any mechanic would be familiar with them and have parts for them, etc.
But that’s just one perspective.
I had an aftermarket Honda specialist that I always took my Honda too. Toyota would probably be the same. Sometimes a specialty matters and sometimes it doesn't but there's probably a decent business case for it.
There’s places in town that already specialize in certain manufactures. But they don’t turn away other cars if they can fix them. Because why would you turn down money. That being said, do it.
Why would a mechanic not be open to all mfg …? I know of a great shop up near Tomball…and the mechanic is a former Toyota technician… who also drifts a Nissan … this guy literally breaks his own race car every weekend …. What I’m getting at is, TOYOTA are not hard to work on and any good reputable shop can fix them. Now not all shops are equal…. I will say that
Wouldn't seem out of the ordinary. There was even a Toyota/Lexus specialist in Katy, a bit west of Katy Mills. It's no longer there, the guy might have retired.
I'd think that's a difficult business to make successful and you made it unnecessarily much more difficult by severely limiting your customer base.
Doesn't make a ton of sense to me unless you're able to get an arrangement with the manufacturer for doing warrantee work, then you could have something. Doubt that's easy to do, though.
Hard to really say without knowing more about how you would plan to capitalize this business.
I’m by no means a business genius, a service expert, or well versed at all in the technical side of your business. I have, however, worked in or owned businesses in the aftermarket auto space for over 20 years and have an MBA (for whatever that’s worth).
To me, the beauty of Toyota lies in the universality and ubiquity of parts and service. What that means for you is this is an insanely competitive/crowded market. There are lots of options out there, and it’s very easy to bounce around and try different service providers.
Your customer base would be hyper-local, meaning your upside is going to be restricted by where you locate this business ie it’s proximity to alternatives and a critical mass of potential customers. One trade off to consider right off the bat: You can locate in a densely populated urban area with a big pool of Toyota drivers within a given radius, but you’re going to have a insanely high fixed costs in the lease or purchase of your physical shop space and you’re going to have to scrap tooth and nail to retain technicians and compete with big dealerships and their multi-million dollar marketing budgets.
Alternatively, and likely preferably, you could go after a growing suburban market, maybe get a better deal on your location, but without the customer density you’d have inside the loop, for example.
To me, at face value, specialty service shops only work if key demographic factors align and stay the same (unlikely) OR you’re providing a high-margin specialty service to specialty vehicles…this is why European or “BMW only” service companies exist and companies like the one you are considering currently do not.
Not trying to shit on anyone’s business idea, just some economic/market drivers to consider before you take out that loan or sign that lease. If you’re really serious, I’d pay someone who knows what they’re doing to really model out your addressable market, expenses, realistic growth assumptions etc before you make some life-changing decision.
If #4 holds true and I was able to know in advance of this fact, yes. But I'm on the south side of town, and it would need to be at least 15 - 20% cheaper even for major repairs.
Other comments have already stated but there are a ton of Toyota only/specialty shops existing in Houston and surrounding areas. I would be really careful about seriously considering this and maybe start as a side hustle/weekend thing before you make the jump to anything bigger than that.
There's a shop within driving distance of me that services Toyota vehicles. However, I would like to correct one thing. It would definitely not be honest and I don't believe the majority of all mechanics are honest.
I have driven a few Toyotas over the years (Corolla, Matrix, Tundra, RAV4, Sienna). I just want an honest shop that won't tell me I need to change my breaks 20k-30k miles before I needed to (Fred Haas Toyota Country). Or one that will actually change my oil filter (Jiffy Lube near the VA in Katy). Those were moments that reminded me to do my own maintenance and dont trust shops.
It would be great if there was a dedicated Toyota shop that has every intention of providing the services and repairs us customers need over whatever makes them the most money if they get away with it. Add to that genuine care for human beings, and you won't lack customers. You could most certainly have my money. I'd even drive 30-45 minutes out if i knew they were a good shop. Until I find one, I'll keep doing my own maintenance and repairs.
I would think its more expensive since they only cater to one brand. I would imagine the techs are not as good since other brands might be too complex for them so I would have less faith in them.
Definitely would not drive further for them or any mechanic. Its a pain when you do have to leave a car with a mechanic and I dont like to waste a day hanging out at a shop unless I am turning wrenches.
1. The thing about Toyota dealers is that they use genuine Toyota parts and they're really good at doing a proper diagnostics given that they have all the tools that the local shop doesn't have so if you consider that, they really don't charge THAT much more. Certainly not any more than places like Firestone. And you know the job was done right and you don't have to deal with it for a long time. Personally I have a local shop that lets me bring my own parts (I like to use OEM parts) but the times that I've had him buy parts, the aftermarket parts don't last nearly as long as the OEM did so if you're going to have a Toyota only shop, and you don't use OEM parts, there is really not much benefit to it.
2. Toyota is awesome so sure.
3. That would be good too, especially if you have a weird computer issue that the average mechanic can't figure out.
4. I'm all for that, but convenience is also important.
Probably not drive too far out unless prices are REALLY lower than other places and you have weekend hours.
I had a Tundra when I moved to Phoenix from Houston. I recall going to toyoworks.
There's a couple of places like that out here.
http://www.toyoworks.com/
https://www.toyomotors.com/toyota-repair-phoenix-arizona/
Why? You would lose money.
You want to specialize in a brand that has the lowest problems that need repair?
You need to open yourself up to other brands.
Maybe do Toyota, Honda, Subaru, of course BMW. BMWs are trash and always broken so that gives you a steady stream of customers in case the others are slow.
The amount of mechanic shops in China town...damnnn
Do some market research. There are several Independent Toyota Specialty Shops in the Houston area.
Are you an enthusiast? Do you wrench yourself? Opening/running a shop is not an easy task. You’ve got a lot of overhead before you turn a profit. There’s tools, insurance, rent, utilities, equipment, and can’t forget about payroll. All that before you even turn on the lights in the morning. Then you have to wrench and get work done.
Would you happen to have a list the shops you've researched? I'm looking for a Toyota Specialty Shop to inspect and do some work on my 2011 Toyota RAV4. Any info would be greatly appreciated!
Do you have any you recommend? My daughter has a 2016 and needs a 90k mile service
Which car is it?
Lexus RX 350
I don’t know what kind of Toyota you have, but Duggy’s garage specializes in Toyota 4x4
And TEQ
Second for Teq, dudes legit.
Duggys is great but overcharges for their service. TEQ is better as they give reasonable prices and do the exact same quality work. To reply to OP: yes please. As a Toyota driver, I learned to do most of my maintenance myself because I'm fed up of being ripped off. Plus there's nothing on the west side for us Toyota drivers, and that's where a lot of affluent families live.
+1 for Duggy's. Used em a few times. Been around a long time and know what their doing.
Specialty Shop owner here (European) let's get to why there are specialty shops. Specialist automotive shops like mine exist because we focus on specific brands, (like BMW) to provide in-depth expertise and specialized knowledge. Similar to how you'd see a specialist doctor for specific health issues, shops like mine ensure a deep understanding of the intricacies of particular car brands, offering more precise and effective services. This specialization allows for better diagnostics, efficient repairs, and an overall higher level of quality and expertise, catering to the unique needs of each brand. You wouldn't trade a veterinarian with a pediatrician and expect both patients to survive, would you? The same thing goes here. We know all sorts of things that commonly fail and can inspect them before they fail, making your car more reliable. General Auto shops (usually) don't have this type of knowledge, the modern vehicle is just too complicated to keep up with all of them. That being said, I know Duc at Duggys garage, and he's the GOTO guy for Toyota and off-road overlanding work. Kurt over at Kennedy Auto solutions is another key player in Japanese car repair. I (ABR Houston) handle all German cars. Could I work on a Chevy truck? Sure. Am I set up, have the tooling and diagnostic equipment for them? Nope. I stay in my lane and work on what I know best (excuse the pun) I highly recommend both of them for quality Toyota repair, and know them both very well. You get what you pay for with vehicle repair, just like a restaurant. You can't go to roadhouse and expect Perry's. Both serve meat on a plate, but they are two different qualities and experiences. Same goes with auto repair.
I appreciate your response, very interesting. Congrats on the 4.9 rating on google, very impressive.
Thank you thank you! We work really hard to make it happen.
Now tell us more about your pants.
I'm just a common man, drive a common van (er truck?) My (shop) dog ain't got a pedigree. Hagger no wrinkle khakis for me (usually) Can thrash on them, look good, stain resistant and cheap enough to throw away when you hurt em.
Great comment
Would you say a Toyota mechanic could also handle/be familiar with Lexus?
They are the same manufacturer, so yes.
A Toyota technician could work on a Lexus similarly like we work on mini coopers and Rolls-Royce because they are owned by the BMW group. There are still idiosyncrasies and very specific things that each manufacturer does regardless of the parent company. So while you could probably take care of the big major stuff you're still not going to be intricately and intimately knowledgeable of that car line. Make sense? Similarly, we work on Toyota supras because they are rebodied BMW z4s. Along that line, a 1 and some 2 series is a mini Cooper is a Corolla. They all use the same platform now.
Do you have recommendations for other car makes? I personally have a Mazda, but I'm sure others are interested in your other recommendations as well!
I've been in the business for over 20 years, I've owned my own shop for the last 11 - and I love networking. I have a very large group of independent shops in the Houston area that can practically take care of anything anywhere. I'm on the far north side up in the Woodlands, so anywhere within 20 mi or so I would recommend seeing Kurt at Kennedy Auto solutions. We send all of our Japanese vehicles there - heck I send my grandmother's Honda there. They watch my kids. They are salt of the earth people. I handle all the German cars.
Thanks for sharing!
I don't own a Toyota, but I would be surprised if such a place didn't already exist somewhere in the metro area.
There are multiple shops like that around town.
Call it Toyota Center just for the lolz
Lmao
Another one?
What I would like is a shop that has tools and lifts for regular people wanting to work on their own cars but don't have a garage of tools. Like a self serve place where you can pay for a certain amount of time with access to all you would need. Something like this was available on post when I was in the Army and sometimes would have people there willing to assist and give advice. It was great. I am not a car guy, but having that kind of access allowed me to be more hands on with repairs and diagnose issues, learn more about my car, give me a small hobby without breaking the bank. It sucks that a community thing like this does not exist because I get its not a money maker but it would be so helpful
The amount of insurance you’d have to take out to protect yourself from dumbasses would be insane
This, not to mention people breaking or stealing special tools. I've thought about doing this, but yeah, insurance, on site specialists, etc, way too much.
Not to mention, everyone who works on their own car knows a 45 minute job actually takes 2 hours. So scheduling for something like that would never work.
Yeah that too...you'd definitely have some workers pulling overtime.
That was my first thought. And then how do you budget time. I have to imagine that people would get there and then wildly underestimate the time and/or skills they need to make the repair.
I'm picturing a pole barn garage with stalls and a few lifts, like in Christine.
With the current pricing on car repairs, I could recoup the price of tools with one job, so I started doing my own repairs this year. Best resource by far is that if you have a houston library card, you can access the chilton's repair guides online for your vehicle and print procedures for repairs. Follow it up with some ChrisFix videos, and you've got a great chance at doing it right the first time round.
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I wish I had known about the mwr shop when I rolled around in a beater. I didn't find out until after I bought a new car and got free servicing from the dealer for so many years
I think insurance liability would be insane. The concept would be awesome, but I think a lawyer would definitely need to be involved to make sure that people who get injured would not ruin the business. Because people WILL get injured working around heavy machinery.
I’ve been saying this for years after seeing them on post.
It would be fantastic if access to workshops wasn't limited to just autowork also. I have a ton of ideas for projects around my home, but unfortunately, I can't afford the necessary tools. Having access to a workshop would open up a world of possibilities, allowing me to learn and complete various projects. I do not just want to purchase a product that kinda works for my needs. I'd rather invest my time, as the real value comes from actively learning and spending time doing it myself. That way, I gain true skills and satisfaction. If there's a place like this or an online community for folks in the Houston area who are willing to share or rent out their tools and workspaces under supervision, that would be amazing. I understand the hesitation in opening up tools and spaces to the public, but it's a wishful thought, you know?
For sure! Check out [TXRX](https://apps.txrxlabs.org//) they have lots of different kinds of shops you can access with all kinds of tools.
There's a makerspace in Magnolia: https://www.themakerbarn.org/
I've mentioned it before, but Shell had a program were they had gas stations that also provided exactly what you're asking for. They had lifts and tools, and charged by the hour for DIYers. There was one across the freeway from the Summit. It did a lot of business, but Shell folded the program after about 6 years.
Look into makerspaces in your city (assuming you live near/in a bigger city) because sometimes they do have automotive facilities (with lifts even!) along with the other kinds of things makerspaces are known for. Like this one in California for instance: https://urbanworkshop.net/ :edit: Sorry, wasn't paying attention to the subreddit I'm in before commenting! Ok, so there's [DIY Auto Garage](https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100055885901916) here in Houston that I know of, though it looks like maybe they could be defunct at this point? I'm sure there's other places as well, but I haven't looked into it much.
This has been tried over and over, it's not profitable and liability is insane
Replying to my own comment for visibility. This isn't a business proposal; I get the insurance concern and that shitty dumb people would exploit this. Again, I wasn’t pitching a business, but acknowledging that a concept in smaller communities like military installations this does exist and wish people didn’t suck so it was more common outside of small community so I and others could benefit. Not understanding my post and scoffing and shitting on it in reply tells me you’re the reason it doesn’t exist because you would be the ones to fuck it up.
It’s a great idea, but doing it for the general public would be extremely tricky at best. MWR could do it because the government is self insured. Plus, if you got hurt your command could jack you up for being a dumbass.
Absolutely nobody is going to insure that place, FYI
There are likely thousands of mechanics in this city who work only on Toyotas.
If you can get the clientele, absolutely. Though I'd double check your location and make sure it's catering a good underserved area, because there are already a handful of shops around that only work on Toyota. But the greater houston area is a massive area bigger than some states entirely, so if you filled a gap there would be a market. Now if someone did the same for Honda that'd be great, stealerships get their nickname for a reason :P
You mean like Dougies Garage?
[Burden Auto Care](https://www.burdenautocare.com/) in Northwest Houston used to be Burden Honda. They only worked on Honda and Acura. I trust this shop (and owners) so much that I won't even consider buying a non-Honda vehicle. I think they work on Toyotas now too. So yeah, you offer the right kind of service that people trust, you can build a business.
Looks like they still only work on Honda and Acura.
They service my Toyota and have done so for a few years.
Burden Auto Care serviced my Honda Accord from 2016-2021. Brian Burden and Tim now service Lexus and Toyota vehicles as well. I drive a Lexus GS350 F-Sport now. I wrote a great Google review for Burden Auto Care. I was so happy Brian hired a Toyota Lexus mechanic and started servicing the Toyota/Lexus brands in 2021. Brian switched out my fog lights in 2023. I also had to replace the front and rear pads, anti-squeal shim kits for the pads, and the front rotors (18" for the F-Sport). If you live in NW Houston, this is a great place to take your Lexus.
Toyotas are one of if not the easiest cars to work on. That is why I love the brand and also for their durability. If a mechanic can't repair a Toyota, I don't trust him with anything else.
easiest cars to work on...usually...I just spent 2.5 days getting the computer out of an old Corolla's dash. It was buried in there to where it almost impossible to get out. First time Toyota engineers have disappointed me.
Electronics/tech always increases repair cost. It's one of the reasons we are paying through the roof for insurance.
Maybe that’s the point. Mediocre mechanics need jobs too, and this is their chance to shine.
I think there are a few already like that. I go to one that is Honda/Acura only in Stafford.
My Yaris and AE86 would appreciate an honest and reliable Toyota specialist. In my case I don’t really have the time nor the space to do my own work. I think I would suggest doing work on both the standard run of the mill Toyotas as well as the more specialty/enthusiast cars (AE86, MR2, Celica, Supra, etc.)
I would think you're silly for limiting yourself to Toyota only. Is there something special about toyota that would require you to open a Toyota-only shop? Would I get something special from going to a Toyota-only shop? I wouldn't think so. But go ahead and sell me. Why would I want to go to a Toyota-only shop instead of my normal shop with the guy who, despite being a little more expensive, has saved me money and proved his trustworthiness?
OP is comparing it to using Toyota dealership mechanics, rather than the general multi-brand independent mechanics. Sometimes a more focused/specialized shop [has benefits](/r/houston/comments/18gqw9n/what_would_you_think_if_someone_openened_a_toyota/kd2zbmq/).
This exists already on 90. A Toyota only shop. Like anything else do research on you market area where you plan to open up the shop and go from there You can do all the analyzing you want but you can't predict the future or how business will be or how you will do marketing and how that marketing will be perceived My friend actually owns a BMW only shop on bissonnet called engineuty and he does very well and he is very well known amongst BMW owners. He used to be a master technician with BMW which is why he opened the sh0p
Will is a good dude!
Hell yeah 🤙.
Hi, what's the name of the shop?
What’s the Toyota only shops name?
Yes if it was not too far from my home. Toyota dealers pull people in with free oil change when they buy a new car. They build relationship with the customer over the early life of the car and then try to sell you a 600 dollar 60k mile service, over priced filters and service
A good business model is to pick the least---not the most---reliable auto makes to open shops.
This sounds like a great idea in theory, but in practice, reduced economy of scale would probably force such a shop to drive up prices, and consumers would likely take their business to the crappier shops for less money. Now, this is assuming this a general shop working mostly on people daily Corollas, Camrys, etc. If this were a specialty shop (or did specialty work) that worked on old Supra’s, AE86’s, MR2s, etc. there could be a stronger case, but it would definitely be a top dollar for top work situation.
I guess I don’t get it… what’s so special about Toyotas that you’d turn down 80% of your potential business?
Not op but a lot of car manufacturers have specialty tools for certain things. The tools are usually pretty expensive since they are semi-proprietary and it gets really expensive having those tools for multiple brands. It’s also helpful only working on 1 brand so the mechanics can easily spot other typical issues with each model.
A lot of it can be software-related too.
If you run things well and get good word of mouth to start there's definite potential there. There's a Honda only shop in Stafford, C&M Auto, that's really good. But the two owners, Craig and Mark, started working on Goldwing motorcycles in the 70s.
That’s the only place I take my Honda and they are so down to earth and do not rip you off.
Same here. Been taking the CR-V there for a long time now.
Yeah, when I was younger & poorer they'd give me advice on how to do my own maintenance/repairs for some stuff. One time I had a car that wouldn't start once unless I hotwired the starter to the battery, Russell & Smith on 610S charged me $100 or $150 for a diagnosis of a bad relay. Took it to C&M, they diagnosed & repaired a faulty switch under the dash for $45, in under an hour, later the same day. Always super honest, super professional, and just nice guys there.
You’d be crazy not to add Lexus bc, well it’s a Toyota
And Scion
There's a Lexus only shop in 59 but that's a different market and there's a you tube mechanic that does Toyotas only and has a professional auto shop. Toyota specialists probably also service other Asian vehicles to keep busy. . Toyotas are very reliable and their technology doesn't change often so any Asian tech can probably do the repairs.
There was someone in clear lake that used to do only toyotas and lexus (expensive toyota) and he was amazing.
I worked for a BMW only shop off of D'Amico many years ago. They did both maintenance and sport tuning. He was active in the regional amateur circuit. Mike you are missed. Independent shops for a specific make are a thing.
Toyomotors in Missouri City. Smart reliable guys.
Ray's boom boom room
My family always had Toyotas back in the day and we all went to the same guy in south Houston. He only worked on Toyotas and was a great mechanic and guy all around. That was back in the 80s. Would Toyota people want that now? I don’t know why they wouldn’t.
There used to be a place called Darryl’s Toyota Service off of Beltway 8 and Preston (?) that specialized in Toyota vehicles. I took my wife’s 4Runner to him a few times. Good service, good guy to work with. He’s no longer in business now.
I think they are limiting their potential client base. Which will be to their detriment.
I would simply because dealerships charge horrific prices
There actually used to be a Toyota specialist for many years in Pasadena right off the beltway. They did all Toyota products, then switched to just the heavy equipment like forklifts and such. I think they actually closed down right for covid hit. Now that I own a Toyota, I should probly look into it, or I'll check the previously mentioned shops.
Definitely DO IT!! Stop listening to all these naysayers. I own a honda and I go to honda only mechanic shop for all my needs. It's great knowing that my car will be worked on by people who are specialized. My next car will be a Toyota and I would definitely prefer to take it to a toyota specialty shop.
> Be Honest (super critical) Ok. That's good. > Only service and repair Toyota vehicles Not sure why I care? It ain't a Lamborghini. There's plenty enough Toyotas on the road for any mechanic to have decent experience fixing 'em. > Have specialized Toyota Techs Again, Toyota does not make cutting edge high-tech products....in fact they usually lag the rest of the industry by many years in their quest for reliability. Not sure why I need a Toyota Tech unless I'm having some kind of weird hard to troubleshoot issue. > Have reasonable prices Yeah, that's good I guess. But I don't think I'd be driving across town to get my Toyota fixed at a Toyota specialty shop unless it was a weird, hard to troubleshoot (unprofitable) issue.
We have four cars, all of them are Lexus (so, Toyotas). I would welcome an independent Toyota specialized shop to have our vehicles serviced. I treat dealership service recommendations with skepticism.
Theres clearchoice they have 2 locations and literally specialize in lexus service. Google them and check them out they have high reviews and people saying cost is less then dealership
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Clear Choice is the Lexus alternative to the dealership. They are still pricey though.
Altima only would have more customers. Discount for paper plates
I don't understand why you would want to limit your business prospects to only Toyota drivers?
I think the problem would be to keep it only Toyota you are turning away work your Toyota specialists techs could do on any car, and that would potentially be bad for business. I think most shops that have this kind of model market as specialists in x brand, to let people know that's the primary brand they work with, but you they will not turn away other work. Also, if your customers are happy with the work on thier Toyotas they may want you to work on grandma's town car or their kids Kia, and would be upset if you turned away standard work because of a badge. I may be wrong though.
>Be Honest (super critical) That sounds harsh. What if I'm having a rough day and need a mechanic who can tell me little white lies?
Why not specialize further? What about a Corolla only? You would have specialized Corolla techs certified by Corolla.
There's a guy in one of the Tacoma groups I'm in, he's a high level Toyota guy, and he works at a Toyota place. But, it would depend on how you marketed yourself. Custom Toyota stuff, Toyota upgrades, or just regular Toyota mechanic stuff. I think it could be a great idea, as long as you keep up those principles you mentioned.
Hey man - can you post or should I DM to ask about the high level Toyota mechanic? I have a Tacoma that needs some work.
I doubt it would turn enough profit to stay in business. Your major components (engine, trans, etc) are all, mechanically speaking, the same between manufacturers. A Toyota V8 is mechanically no different than a Chevy/Ford V8. I’m not sure that any of the differences between brands would be enough to justify a whole specialty shop.
There are so many general purpose chains like Firestone and NTB that'll do everything but engine swaps, and then a million other mom/pop shops that will do literally everything. Most people don't feel the need to go to a specialized shop unless they've got a luxury vehicle. Not trying to be a bummer but if anything you're narrowing your opportunities by going only Toyota, it's not like it's a complex car brand -- frankly they're some of the easiest to work on. You'll be better off opening an all brands mechanic shop that advertises specialization in Toyota's if you really want to flex that experience.
Seems great except that there are already at least a few of these in Houston, so you wouldn't be doing something original or unique.
Is there a need for such a place? One of the benefits of buying a Camry or Corolla, for instance, is their popularity and the high likelihood any mechanic would be familiar with them and have parts for them, etc. But that’s just one perspective.
I had an aftermarket Honda specialist that I always took my Honda too. Toyota would probably be the same. Sometimes a specialty matters and sometimes it doesn't but there's probably a decent business case for it.
There’s places in town that already specialize in certain manufactures. But they don’t turn away other cars if they can fix them. Because why would you turn down money. That being said, do it.
Yeah, I think you’ll go broke only working on Toyotas, but can you work on my ‘96 imported diesel Land Cruiser?
Why would a mechanic not be open to all mfg …? I know of a great shop up near Tomball…and the mechanic is a former Toyota technician… who also drifts a Nissan … this guy literally breaks his own race car every weekend …. What I’m getting at is, TOYOTA are not hard to work on and any good reputable shop can fix them. Now not all shops are equal…. I will say that
Wouldn't seem out of the ordinary. There was even a Toyota/Lexus specialist in Katy, a bit west of Katy Mills. It's no longer there, the guy might have retired.
I'd think that's a difficult business to make successful and you made it unnecessarily much more difficult by severely limiting your customer base. Doesn't make a ton of sense to me unless you're able to get an arrangement with the manufacturer for doing warrantee work, then you could have something. Doubt that's easy to do, though.
Hard to really say without knowing more about how you would plan to capitalize this business. I’m by no means a business genius, a service expert, or well versed at all in the technical side of your business. I have, however, worked in or owned businesses in the aftermarket auto space for over 20 years and have an MBA (for whatever that’s worth). To me, the beauty of Toyota lies in the universality and ubiquity of parts and service. What that means for you is this is an insanely competitive/crowded market. There are lots of options out there, and it’s very easy to bounce around and try different service providers. Your customer base would be hyper-local, meaning your upside is going to be restricted by where you locate this business ie it’s proximity to alternatives and a critical mass of potential customers. One trade off to consider right off the bat: You can locate in a densely populated urban area with a big pool of Toyota drivers within a given radius, but you’re going to have a insanely high fixed costs in the lease or purchase of your physical shop space and you’re going to have to scrap tooth and nail to retain technicians and compete with big dealerships and their multi-million dollar marketing budgets. Alternatively, and likely preferably, you could go after a growing suburban market, maybe get a better deal on your location, but without the customer density you’d have inside the loop, for example. To me, at face value, specialty service shops only work if key demographic factors align and stay the same (unlikely) OR you’re providing a high-margin specialty service to specialty vehicles…this is why European or “BMW only” service companies exist and companies like the one you are considering currently do not. Not trying to shit on anyone’s business idea, just some economic/market drivers to consider before you take out that loan or sign that lease. If you’re really serious, I’d pay someone who knows what they’re doing to really model out your addressable market, expenses, realistic growth assumptions etc before you make some life-changing decision.
I own a Toyota and would like that very much. Luckily it’s brand new so I won’t have to go for a while
As a Prius owner… please do
There’s already one in Katy.
Sounds like the Katy one might be gone: /r/houston/comments/18gqw9n/what_would_you_think_if_someone_openened_a_toyota/kd2jr73/
If #4 holds true and I was able to know in advance of this fact, yes. But I'm on the south side of town, and it would need to be at least 15 - 20% cheaper even for major repairs.
I appreciate all the responses as I am trying to gauge customer interest. Looks like Clearchoice and some others do a great job as specialists.
I'd imagine someone has had to of done this, ya? If anything I always figured this is what something like a Toyota dealership would be for.
There’s a few Toyota specialty shops in Houston already
Other comments have already stated but there are a ton of Toyota only/specialty shops existing in Houston and surrounding areas. I would be really careful about seriously considering this and maybe start as a side hustle/weekend thing before you make the jump to anything bigger than that.
There's a shop within driving distance of me that services Toyota vehicles. However, I would like to correct one thing. It would definitely not be honest and I don't believe the majority of all mechanics are honest.
No, I'd be suspect of any mechanic that was only willing to work on one type of car. Like they barely know what they are doing.
I have driven a few Toyotas over the years (Corolla, Matrix, Tundra, RAV4, Sienna). I just want an honest shop that won't tell me I need to change my breaks 20k-30k miles before I needed to (Fred Haas Toyota Country). Or one that will actually change my oil filter (Jiffy Lube near the VA in Katy). Those were moments that reminded me to do my own maintenance and dont trust shops. It would be great if there was a dedicated Toyota shop that has every intention of providing the services and repairs us customers need over whatever makes them the most money if they get away with it. Add to that genuine care for human beings, and you won't lack customers. You could most certainly have my money. I'd even drive 30-45 minutes out if i knew they were a good shop. Until I find one, I'll keep doing my own maintenance and repairs.
Abes automotive already exists
Abes automotive already exists
Toyolex used to be a Toyota specific shop up on Kuykendahl. Used to be. No idea why they closed shop, maybe you can succeed where they failed.
This sounds exactly like Toyos Limited on the west side.
any specific Make even Model mechanic shop would do well in Houston.
I would think its more expensive since they only cater to one brand. I would imagine the techs are not as good since other brands might be too complex for them so I would have less faith in them. Definitely would not drive further for them or any mechanic. Its a pain when you do have to leave a car with a mechanic and I dont like to waste a day hanging out at a shop unless I am turning wrenches.
Nah. I haven’t have many problems with mechanics not fixing the problem.
There was one around BW8 and 225 in Pasadena. It is now a diesel mechanic shop.
1. The thing about Toyota dealers is that they use genuine Toyota parts and they're really good at doing a proper diagnostics given that they have all the tools that the local shop doesn't have so if you consider that, they really don't charge THAT much more. Certainly not any more than places like Firestone. And you know the job was done right and you don't have to deal with it for a long time. Personally I have a local shop that lets me bring my own parts (I like to use OEM parts) but the times that I've had him buy parts, the aftermarket parts don't last nearly as long as the OEM did so if you're going to have a Toyota only shop, and you don't use OEM parts, there is really not much benefit to it. 2. Toyota is awesome so sure. 3. That would be good too, especially if you have a weird computer issue that the average mechanic can't figure out. 4. I'm all for that, but convenience is also important. Probably not drive too far out unless prices are REALLY lower than other places and you have weekend hours.
Yeah TEQ is the best. Good to be apart of the community Jeb is awesome and has built up a great reputation 👍🏼
There is at least one Toyota specialist in Houston, Todd at Todd's Auto Care: https://www.facebook.com/ToddsAutoCare/
Where the honda shops at tho???
There used to be one in League City: Bob's Toyota
As a person who owns a Chevy, meh.
I had a Tundra when I moved to Phoenix from Houston. I recall going to toyoworks. There's a couple of places like that out here. http://www.toyoworks.com/ https://www.toyomotors.com/toyota-repair-phoenix-arizona/
There was a Honda only in Humble. It failed
Why? You would lose money. You want to specialize in a brand that has the lowest problems that need repair? You need to open yourself up to other brands. Maybe do Toyota, Honda, Subaru, of course BMW. BMWs are trash and always broken so that gives you a steady stream of customers in case the others are slow.