[NEWFISHER]

This thread should stay right where its at and get the most exposure. It is a very good topic which directly affects OUR hobby and this forum.

LT1burb and BR3W CITY hit the perverbial nail on the head. As the manager of a large Dealership body shop, restoring cars myself and owning a shop for a few years I can also ad that block sanding sucks and kills the desire to rottessery restore a vehicle for yourself. Now have someone ask how much for you to do thiers and the problem we are experiencing grows. I can also add that after we have stopped doing complete paints and restoration's, only focusing on spot repairs and collision work, we have increased sales by 18% each year over the last 2 years and that has directly increased the employees take home checks. Unless your shop only specializes in completes and restoration's, you either over bid and scare the customer or underbid and kill the proffit or cheat the tech. I am sure demographics play into it too. Shops in LA, Miami, Nebraska and sleepy little NW towns like mine are vastly different, but at the end of the day its still a dirty job that takes great skill and patience, a true craft.