Always sad to see a member of the classing Porsche support chain close. I don’t personally know this shop, but can imagine if I had a project there how much this would suck. Hopefully, us vendors and shops can help out with the newly derelict projects.

https://www.rswerks.com/

Didn't someone here work there?

Oh that sucks. I think they were a well respected shop.

Zach

the guys get old and there is no young talent to follow in their footsteps, not the way it used to be but the sad truth these days. I am 71 so should be retiring, and DOUBT if anyone would be interested in this place

Perhaps Rich at HPH is in the same situation.

Should have had more kids, I got them working all summer!

I worked there for two years and currently work with the former owner. I’m not going to comment on things because it would probably come back to bite me.

Porsche restoration/modification is not an easy business.

I'll comment!

Bad shit happened with customers. Same old story with mismanaged shops where money rolls in, but no work gets done. It happened to two shops here in MD. Actually my recent 914-6 conversion was at one with the PO. Anyway, they are opening under a new name "Sanctuary" or something like that. I don't know if the new mgmt/owners are different so just proceed with care.

That happens, but don’t forget how crazy customers can be. Sky high expectations and drama queens when a restoration doesn’t go their way.

“It’s just a little surface rust - won’t take much to fix it”

Can't comment on RSWerks doing this, but the 2 shops in MD were making commitments, taking money, but showing no progress. They were also "robbing peter to pay paul" by getting certain customers off their back by taking parts off other customers cars.

There always seems to be a reluctance to call out bad actors but the fact is there are many. Partly because as stated, it’s not easy. So many guys get caught up in racing or the sport and lose focus, or are just poor business men. When employment or other taxes don’t get paid it’s a downhill spiral. There is a well known shop in No Carolina….great history, great experience BUT too many stories……..and y’all know the rest of that story.We all want to give people benefit of the doubt but you are letting bad actors escape punishment….The biggest obstacle for any shop is everyone wants to talk to the “boss” and he can’t earn money on the phone, but that’s where it starts so customers get indulged to existing work that doesnt get done. Sadly young people are trained in high tech new cars where the $$ is.
Probably a jillion variations of this tale but getting shafted sucks and it is all too common.
I have always said if you hear negative undercurrent but the same guy seems nice to you…..your time just hasn’t come yet…..it will.

Self employment is not for everyone, I have been so and reasonably lucky over the years but these days my 70 y/o cranky self has been known to fire a customer from time to time, but generally I bend over backwards to please the customer.

Too bad to see these small business owners fall by the wayside when there is nobody to take the reins. Statistically less than 30% make it to the second generation.

I've been thru all sorts of sagas with auto shops and vendors as well as non-automotive over the years, though none of the shops mentioned herein. It's definitely not easy keeping a small operation alive and competitive, and when you're small you are extra susceptible to risks and setbacks - health issues, divorces, lawsuits, theft, fire, landlords, etc etc. I can relate as my company (I'm 2nd gen) is 52 years old and has almost folded several times, has ranged from 3 employees to nearly 30, but we're still here.

I hope this situation works out fairly for everyone involved and no customers, employees or vendors/subs get the shaft!

Oh god please don't, at least not until mine is finished

As some have said people get old and want to slow down (retire). I have just done that after 20+ years. The parts and repair business has changed over the years and the youngsters aren't coming forward. I would love to sell what's left of my two parts businesses but there is no interest. You can check out my liquidation efforts here.
Great deals on stuff. Search for Truechoice Motorsports

https://www.truechoice.com/

Google RS-Werks and lawsuits pop up. Very typical... Repair shop gets sued, shop goes bankrupt, registers new business with new name.

That's why I don't have customers, we buy and sell. Yes, we work on some of the cars but when they are presented honestly at time of sale there is rarely any blowback or surprises.

Good homework, many unscrupulous shops are out there, but it always catches up with them. Best advice is referral business

Rich did a lot of work on a car I have for the previous owner. Would hire him anytime for future work.

I am in the same boat, just a bit smaller scale. We have 6 employees. For me the big question is "how much do you enjoy your job?". If the number is 70 or 80% why not stay?

After all, there is only one doctor of 914's

many of us are counting on the service AA provides daily

I would love to have my own business, but am lacking the skills, experience and resources to do it.

Same here, yet I have my own business

Some of you may know Jack Morris who used to run Wolfsburg Motorwerks in Seattle. He is now near Spokane working solo in a shop behind his house. Most of his work is 356 and 911, but he takes on the occasional 914 related project. He redid the weber's on my 6 race car conversion. Last time I was out there he had a legit sub 30k mile 73 2.0 in his shop. His 14 year old son is a whiz already. Removing engines, rebuilding distributors, you name it. There is some hope for the next generation of specialists. It is fun to go out there just to see what he is up to.

Good technicians used to be 10 out of 100
Now it is 2 out of 1000...

I need two technicians BAD!!!

By the time you're good enough to work for me you are a lead tech (A-class) at a dealership OR you own your own shop.

My 32-year-old son Bryan is an AWESOME tech!
He's got 20 hours left on a Mechanical engineering degree.

He DESTROYS projects in his classes.
All of his projects set new records which will not be broken soon.
His instructors often confiscate his projects to use as class tools.

He built a bridge that spanned 3 feet out of cardboard.
These are tested to destruction.
In 14 years of destructive testing Bryan's bridge is the ONLY one they could not destroy.
Ended up with 900 lbs and two big male students jumping on it before the instructor said "enough, someone's going to get hurt".

His was the last one tested and by the time it came up the entire school was watching the circus in the quad, Deans and all.

We had to use a chain saw to put it in the dumpster.

The GOOD technicians are heading into better jobs than a normal "technician" jobs.

Bryan works for Level 3 simulator company as a facilities guy.
He's one of their most relied on employees.
He constantly tells the "real" engineers why their shit doesn't work and how to fix it so it does...

He will kick ass as long as he's allowed to actively put engineering ideas to work.
He's a shop dog.
Stuck behind a computer screen he will shrivel and die...

The best "technicians" I know are not in the car fixing world.
Engineers that can wrench are usually better than 99.5% of the automotive techs out there.
They will not be as fast but their work will be of better quality and last longer...

Interesting! I am a Mechanical Engineer and hold PE licenses ( or did before I retired) in New York and New Jersey and spent 25 years in the Chemical and Pharmaceutical Industries Managing plant maintenance departments and ultimately Facility Manager. I left that life 23 years ago and for 10.5 of those years, owned my own shop. Frankly, I loved the business and the challenges. I found that fixing cars and solving problems is basically the same thought process as engineering problems. Customers would ask what certifications I had and would point to my degree a licenses on the office wall and the general reaction was OH! I was lucky and found a buyer as I owned both the business and the property. A bout of Cancer sparked my thoughts of selling and I’m glad I did as none of my kids were interested enough in picking it up. It was the favorite of all of my jobs as I had great customers and found it a challenge every day. Now retired, I can work on my own stuff.

Charlie