Denver--Few would deny the fact that general repair is more profitable than performance work. But finding a niche 
performance sideline in the automotive repair business can be a great way to boost profits. That is exactly what longtime shop Owner Glenn Zoebjeck has done with his Euro and Japanese repair shop, G&G's Import Auto Clinic.
performance sideline in the automotive repair business can be a great way to boost profits. That is exactly what longtime shop Owner Glenn Zoebjeck has done with his Euro and Japanese repair shop, G&G's Import Auto Clinic.When comparing repair work with performance modifications, Zoebjeck said, "Service and repair is more profitable for sure, but you're already paying overhead--you can squeeze more out of it with performance."
Today, the shop's volume is composed of 80 percent general repair and service and 20 percent performance modification work, Zoebjeck said. The volume of performance business is manageable, he said, which wasn't always the case.
In 2000, Zoebjeck said he began to carve out a niche for his shop by becoming a distributor for Neuspeed, a manufacturer of flash reprogramming and performance parts and accessories for German and Japanese vehicles. He said he set up a Web site and began to sell the product online.
At first, the online business gained enough steam to garner about $30,000 a month in VW accessory sales, he said. But he said it got to a point where he couldn't make a profit on any of the parts because of stiff competition.As the online business began to demand more time and resources, Zoebjeck said he decided to shut it down last January and refocus his efforts on general repair and walk-in performance business. He said he has been able to maintain an edge because he's the only Neuspeed distributor in Colorado.
Zoebjeck said he has a vast mix of clientele at his shop, situated in northwest Denver, that includes repair customers that have been using his shop for 20 years and the younger tuner crowd who seek him to do performance modifications and return for routine maintenance and service.
Typically, customers will spend $1,000-$1,500 on performance modifications that include flash programming, tuned suspension, and aftermarket air intake systems and exhaust systems, Zoebjeck said.
Neuspeed's OptiCan Flash Programmer uses software loaded on a laptop to read and copy the software program on the vehicle's electronic control unit (ECU), he said. The program is then e-mailed to Neuspeed, which sends new software to reprogram the ECU. "It's very simple, but it does take time," he said, up to three hours.
Reprogramming the ECU on a VW 2.0-l. Turbo engine takes it from 200 HP to 257 HP, with no other modifications, Zoebjeck said; the cost of the reflash on that engine is $499.
"Neuspeed is very conservative," he said. "I've never had an issue with pushing the horsepower too far."
To perform the reflash, a special battery charger is required because the vehicle's electrical system must maintain at least 13 volts, Zoebjeck said, adding that the engine must use a drive-by-wire throttle or it can't be reflashed.
"The only downside is that if the dealer has an update, they'll reflash the ECU and wipe out the custom programming," he said.
Once the a car is kicking out more horses, Zoebjeck said he recommends other performance products, mainly Neuspeed, that include cone-shaped air intake systems outfitted with a heat shield; Bilstein shocks with Neuspeed springs, sway bars, and upper strut tie bars; and Neuspeed's stainless steel cat-back exhaust.
"The fit is perfect, and the sound is perfect," Zoebjeck said of the exhaust systems. "It has a nice, deep throaty sound."
Zoebjeck said his shop advertises only in the Yellow Pages but gains attention on Web sites such as VWVortex.com, a forum for Volkswagen enthusiasts who share information on parts and performance shops. "All enthusiasts are there," he said of the site. "They compare accessories and repairs."
When it comes to choosing parts suppliers for OE replacement parts, Zoebjeck said he relies on Import Car Parts (ICP), Import Parts Warehouse (IPW), WORLDPAC, and CARQUEST for oil.
"I don't go to the dealer because ICP and WORLDPAC have the OE part," Zoebjeck said. "I choose to do business with these suppliers because of convenience and the quality of their parts," he added. WORLDPAC's online ordering system makes it easy to look up a part with a picture to make sure it's the right one, he said.
As Zoebjeck's 20-year-old shop's surrounding neighborhood changes, so does his clientele. Highland's Village Shopping Center has recently opened, and 24-Hour Fitness and Sunflower Market are bringing people with newer vehicles.
"We've already stopped servicing older cars," Zoebjeck said. "For the most part, we work on '95 or newer."
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