The formula for how auto upholstery shops price their convertible tops has always been simple: (Hours the Job Takes x Hourly Labor Rate) + MSRP = Price Quote.
However, in recent years a disturbing trend has thrown a wrench into our formula and aggravated trim shops across the county. Convertible tops are being sold online to retail customers at costs equal to wholesale.
For many auto upholstery shops, winter is a slow season. Cold weather keeps customers away and the added expenses of Christmas limit their ability to splurge on cosmetic fixes to their cars. Still, there are ways to ensure that your auto trim business doesn’t ground to a halt – but you’ll need to plan ahead (like right now!)
While the rest of the world may not take men with ponytails seriously, Buick does. Which is why its 2012 Verano sedan features headrests that provide comfort and support for drivers who rock the dated look.
Useful? My hair is too short to tell. Quirky? Definitely. But it’s no gimmick. Buick says that it invested 1,000 hours into developing new headrests and seats because customers are increasingly prioritizing comfort over aesthetic design.
…a bit of information that, if used correctly, can help us grow our auto trim businesses.
We at The Hog Ring are excited to share with you the first in a series of interviews that we call “10 Questions” – where we pose 10 questions to a master, innovator or business leader in the field of auto upholstery who we believe our community of auto trimmers can learn from or be inspired by.
Master auto trimmer Ron Mangus of Ron Mangus Hot Rod Interiors in Rialto, California has agreed to be our first interview.
We all know that customizing vehicle interiors involves a delicate balance of form and function – especially when constructing solid structures like dashboards, consoles and speaker cabinets. While the go to material for these types of projects is usually wood or fiberglass, both have serious drawbacks that need to be considered.
Wood is easy to work with, but it often adds unwanted weight. Fiberglass, on the other hand, is light, but can be messy and complicated to use. There is, however, a material that combines the best of both: bamboo.
In the past, auto trimmers used self-adhesive trim kits to enhance the look and feel of plain dashboards. But that’s when flat dashes were the norm and suppliers manufactured one-size-fits-all trim kits in a limited range of colors and designs.
Today’s cars feature wrap-around dashboards that are so complex and unique it’s almost impossible for suppliers to mass produce trim kits for them – which probably explains why they’re so hard to find.
That, however, doesn’t mean auto trimmers can’t help customers transform their dashes from bland to beautiful. With hydrographic printing (water-transfer printing), anything is possible.
We’ve all experienced difficult customers before. You know the type – they complain about your prices; drop by everyday to “see how things are coming along”; nitpick on your work before the job is even finished; and – even after you meet all of their requirements – still aren’t satisfied.
Fortunately, there are ways to handle difficult customers. Here are the five best:
Furniture upholsterers interested in taking on more auto trim jobs or making a complete transition into the field of auto upholstery should check out Upholstery Journal‘s latest article “Custom Automotive Upholstery”. It serves as a good introduction into the world of cars.
With Hurricane Irene and Tropical Storm Lee behind us, the auto market will undoubtedly see an increase in the number of flood-damaged cars available for sale. While most private owners and used-car dealers will do the right thing and register the cars’ titles as salvaged or flood-damaged, others will not.
Hoping to make a quick buck, some heartless folks will ship the cars to areas not experienced with floods, hire auto shops to do a few cosmetic fixes and unload them on unsuspecting customers. Of course, it’s illegal. And if your auto trim shop gets caught up in the mix, it could spell some serious legal consequences.
