Taking the Bull by the Horns.

So, I've realized that I'm looking at my professional future all wrong.

I've been looking to work for someone in the long term. Why? You can't REALLY make money that way. I wouldn't enjoy it very much (most likely).

Why not, instead of working for someone, own my own business?
I COULD own any number of businesses dealing with the auto industry- from a repair shop to my own marque (this is something I've thought about for a while..). Yes, I would need some experience in the field, which means working for someone else for a while, but in the long run, why not give it a shot? I'm sort of on this kick because we had a recent (1997) PSU grad come and speak at my Professional Development class. He had the same major, emphasis, and minor as I do, similar mindset, and was over all a pretty cool guy. He's 30 and owns a dealership and a parts store. By the time he's 40, they'll both be completely paid off, and making him money for essentially doing very little.

Why couldn't I do the same? I know of marques that have NO dealerships in the Kansas city area, some of which the nearest dealer is St Louis, or even Chicago (ahem, lotus, bentley, etc) and marques that aren't sold in the US, along with models that aren't sold here (VW Lupo, Polo, etc, BMW diesels).

So why should I work under someone else, making them money? Granted, unless I start my own marque, I still would have SOMEONE above me, but not nearly as stifling as if I were working FOR a dealer, etc.

Now, for my plan to start my own Marque.

As outgoing models are discontiniued, many times manufacturers will sell the tools, molds, blueprints, engineering info, etc to private companies, sort of like what innocenti did with the lambretta molds. Why not buy MK2 VW, 914, 968, 928, and 993 tooling and molds, and do essentially what RUF does in germany- make them better? Granted, there would be some re-engineering for safety and emmissions, but overall, you could keep the vehicles the same, but improved. Granted, they wouldn't sell for as much as NEW VW's and porsches, but look at saleen and Shelby- they've made a KILLING using old ford designs. Down the line, I COULD compete on the same level as RUF, Saleen, Shelby, etc, selling late model tuner vehicles for MORE than the original.

Am I crazy to think this? I mean, how many people DONT love the cars I listed? Here's some Gratuitous pictures of each:
Porsche 914


Porsche 968




Porsche 928




Porsche 993




Volkswagen Golf/Jetta MK2






And finally, MK2 VW Scirocco GTX



There, every segment for CARS (no SUV's, Vans, or trucks) filled. You've got your front engine/front drive entry level vehicles, even sportier entry level vehicles with the 914 and scirocco, your mid level front engine, rear drive 968 and slightly higher up 928, and your top end rear drive rear engine 993.

This leaves positions open for a higher mid level mid engine/rear drive roadster (ahem, look out boxter and elise), your sub compact (ahem, VW Lupo, and look out chevy aveo) and your "halo" car (low production, high price point- usually a sports car- similar to a MB/Maclaren SLR, Ferrari Enzo, Porsche Carrera GT, Ford GT, etc).

Not to mention SUV's and Trucks (Porsche, VW, Audi, and Volvo have all made the transition to making SUV's successfully, as have Honda, Mitsubishi, and several other companies that have traditionally been "car" companies).

I mean, come on, who WOULDN"T want one of those? Granted, the scirocco, 914, and Golf/Jetta would weigh a tiny bit more, but who's to say that the suspension, brakes, engine and drivetrain couldn't be updated, too?

I know this is a little "out there", but it's not entirely impossible. An expensive way to get cars that you like, but not impossible .