Welcome to the IHoP v.2

[///M5 2,833]

Saw some neat stuff at Tesla today.  Included an impressive drive.

[///M5 2,833]

May 5th

Awesome, Euclid's birthday.  My son was supposed to be on the 5th, but came on the 6th

[Godsmack 361]

OK, the first of my "budget" for equipment came in today.

 

 

I snagged a CardaqM programmer. It affords me the ability to get a factory Toyota scan tool program and do all Hybrid repairs and diagnostic.

 

 

The TIS program in an 06 Prius today. I now have 100% complete factory service, scanner, and program information at my fingertips. I got my LSID (locksmith ID) so I can do all security and key programming and diagnostics, as well as gathering all security info for many manufacturers.

 

I also ordered the Autel Maxi Sys pro today...

 

http://www.autel.us/Products/ms908p.htm

 

I saw this scanner on my trip to Raleigh NC for training a couple weeks ago. It is massively featured, and very fast. I hammered mt dealer service provider and grabbed one at nearly half of retail.

 

I also bought 3 Hybrid battery chargers, which allow me to charge all the cells in a hybrid battery at the same time. I also grabbed a special tester for hybrid generators at a huge discount.

 

All told I have invested less than 1/4 of my budget in the first year. With additional manufacturer software I am at less than 1/3. We have begun advertising to local shops that we do rebuild hybrid batteries, and we reflash most makes and models. We already have a rebuild scheduled for next week.

 

Quick tease...

 

 

Gen 2 Prius

 

 

Under the inverter hood.

 

 

Inverter out

 

 

Inside the motor/generator/trans of a gen 2 Prius

 

 

MV2, the most common motor/gen failure in a Prius transmission. I have most of the tranny apart on my bench now. I will easily be able to rebuild them, and have a couple interested parties at this point.

 

2 battery rebuilds and 1 trans rebuild will pay for my in shop investment. I should be ahead of my investment within a month. The boss wants to see profit within a year. Should not be a problem. The biggest thing is that we are doing what other shops cannot, and our future margins are what matters. I am happy to be a big part of such a progressive shop.

Got anything to take the speed limiter and maybe up the output on my Tundra?

J

[Godsmack 361]

Saw some neat stuff at Tesla today.  Included an impressive drive.

Are they as great as they are cracked up to be?

J

[nem 2,019]

Wow Seth, that looks like some fun shit to work on.

[nem 2,019]

So it seems I am now committed to doing a 5K with my wife in July at her convention. She must be trying to kill me early.

[nem 2,019]

Hands are hurting like you would not believe and I have to do shoulders today.

 

Time to suck it up and get it done.

[dem beats 1,223]

So it seems I am now committed to doing a 5K with my wife in July at her convention. She must be trying to kill me early.

She probably took out a big life insurance policy on ya.

[dem beats 1,223]

Seth that is some crazy stuff.

I hate those cars, but if you can make good $ fixing them, go for it.

[Aaron Clinton 2,372]

http://imgur.com/a/A3MOI

 

I appreciate the tremendous amount of work, but ouch on the looks.

[Aaron Clinton 2,372]

Hands are hurting like you would not believe and I have to do shoulders today.

 

Time to suck it up and get it done.

 

Kick some ass Neal.

[The enD 467]

Need some help, no idea what's going on.

 

I bought a used cluster from a GT since I sold mine ( a ST ), different engines. As soon as I plug it in the CEL comes on even if the key is not in the ignition. If I prep or start the car, CEL comes off. Turn off the car, CEL and fans come on. Unplug the bulb, fans turn off.

 

http://youtu.be/nvNcW4C_a68

[Julian 641]

Need some help, no idea what's going on.

 

I bought a used cluster from a GT since I sold mine ( a ST ), different engines. As soon as I plug it in the CEL comes on even if the key is not in the ignition. If I prep or start the car, CEL comes off. Turn off the car, CEL and fans come on. Unplug the bulb, fans turn off.

 

http://youtu.be/nvNcW4C_a68

Was it the same year car?

[nem 2,019]

 

Hands are hurting like you would not believe and I have to do shoulders today.

 

Time to suck it up and get it done.

 

Kick some ass Neal.

 

 

Done, just finished T25 beta cardio and off to work I go!

[The enD 467]

 

Need some help, no idea what's going on.

 

I bought a used cluster from a GT since I sold mine ( a ST ), different engines. As soon as I plug it in the CEL comes on even if the key is not in the ignition. If I prep or start the car, CEL comes off. Turn off the car, CEL and fans come on. Unplug the bulb, fans turn off.

 

http://youtu.be/nvNcW4C_a68

Was it the same year car?

 

If everything is correct :

mine - 1997

the other car - 1994

Edited April 11, 2014 by The enD

[Aaron Clinton 2,372]

This gave me the chills.  Happened late last night:

 

 

[///M5 2,833]

 

Saw some neat stuff at Tesla today.  Included an impressive drive.

Are they as great as they are cracked up to be?

J

 

Didn't know they were cracked up to be anything

[///M5 2,833]

 

Saw some neat stuff at Tesla today.  Included an impressive drive.

Are they as great as they are cracked up to be?

J

 

Didn't know they were cracked up to be anything

[dem beats 1,223]

Tesla looked like junk to me.

[dem beats 1,223]

Low rpm TQ is awesome though.

Edited April 11, 2014 by dem beats

[///M5 2,833]

Linear pull is also pretty frickin' sweet.  Can't really tell you about the proto I was in either, but impressive.

[sandt38 448]

J- sorry bro, everything is factory calibration now.

 

Neil, very cool shit. The new scanner will be in tomorrow. I am paying $1K less than anyone else offered, plus as a bonus, we get bonus cash from the company that we are buying it from so I got a $1,700 discount. Worked out well. Plus I am dropping Interstate Batteries and going Delco. We are paying the same money for Interjunk batteries as Delcos, plus I have to pay a $30 a month lease fee for the Interjunk tester. If I go Delco, I pay cash for the tester, but I get $2 back for every test with a receipt, and an additional $5 for every battery sold. We do a battery test at every oil service, so I should have the machine paid off in a few months and be making money on top of the battery sale.

 

I think I am making wise decisions from the shop end. The shop has had foremen that worked as a foreman (mechanic who knows shit and helps others). But I have managed a dealership shop, so I have a lot of contacts and understand how to make money. My service manager is very open to my input, as is the owner which is beneficial. The owner expects a $400,000 increase in gross revenue this year, but will accept $200,000. I think $400,000 is a bit high, but I can help do a quarter mill in a year. I am hoping to move up more in the company (My boss owns a few motorcycle shops including Triumph) and a couple other auto shops, so I am hoping to step out of the greaseball game and into a manager's position.

Seth that is some crazy stuff.

I hate those cars, but if you can make good $ fixing them, go for it.

 

I hate them too. But NOBODY here except the dealer works on them. I'll jump on it. We are a progressive shop, we have a couple very smart, eager techs... so we are training, and where they are hesitant I will jump in and do it, which gives them confidence. I taught 2 guys how to rebuild rear ends, so now instead of putting in differentials we are rebuilding. There are only a few shops in town who know how to set up gears (it seems simple, but it is challenging), and now we are one of the few. Very few guys who reflash outside a dealership, but I have considerable experience, and our shop is taking advantage of it at this point. We have a few factory scan tools, as we specialize in Nissans, and Jeeps, and Vag Com (VW/Audi scanner) is very easy to get into and we have a guy who knows VW/Audi very well. Now with the Hybrids, I have a Tech2 (GM factory tool) which also works on Honda, older Toyotas, etc giving us those abilities, plus the Cardaq gives us manufacturers scan tools for BMW, and Toyota among others. So the shop is extremely capable. 

 

I am really stoked at this point.

[///M5 2,833]

Sweet news mang

[dem beats 1,223]

That is truely awesome Seth. I hope it works out so well for you!

[dem beats 1,223]

13 + 3 or 4 amuse bouche snacks at La Belle Vie.

Was awesome!.