punishment

I've been contemplating moving my business from the upstate NY area to Florida over the last year. I own a turbo parts fabrication shop that's almost 100% web based at this point, and I wouldnt mind moving it somewhere where there is an active car culture and an economy better than what ours has been over the last decade or so.

I know you guys get a million "should I move to florida" posts and I think I've read them all, but I really couldnt find anyone looking to relocate their business. I have friends and family in the Melbourne, Deland and New Smyrna area's but they really arent into the car scene so they havent been able to give me alot of info.

So I guess what I'm looking for is some opinions.

Injected1

iTrader: (4)

the economy is pinching everywhere. My pay isn't solid enough right now to decide how the economy is over here, but if your buisness is webbased, I don't see a real reason to relocate. I think if you are a talented welder/fabricator, you would be well off to get in with a good shop down here as a...you work with them but not for them sort of thing.

punishment

At this point I just want to be somewhere there is a car culture, we do almost all web business because we really don't have much of a local scene. When the average household income is in the $25k a year range it doesnt leave alot left over for hot rods.

Eurospec2

iTrader: (2)

I grew up in Socal, where the car coulture is Huge. After living mutiple other places (in country and out) i would say Florida is a close second to cali, lots of car stuff here, and the weather permits year round participation

Dave 96TA

iTrader: (10)

Central/North FL is probably your best bet. The Carolinas are quite car-centric as well. South Florida is now full of luxo-pimps and rice - nothing you could contribute to.

black01_WS6

iTrader: (13)

with all the prices coming down in the florida/ and the rest of the U.S. now is definatly the time to move.

Tampa, and Miami have good cultures.

If you are just web based look for a good place to call home. As there are cars everywhere.

I sent you a pm.

punishment

Thanks for the input that's kind of what I hoping to hear, coming from someone in the business down there and who has been around a bit thats good to hear!!!

Thats the areas we were leaning towards, I've heard mixed things about southern florida

Thanks for the links and the info I appreciate it.

hyperzone

Central FL (orlando'ish) would be good so your close to all of us. Umm.. what about texas? Thought that its a big hotrod spot. I was in San Diego, CA for a while and there were alot of nice cars but, CA emissions laws are retarded which would keep me from wanting to live there and mod a car out.

punishment

The emissions laws are getting bad enough here in NY, I wouldnt even want think about what the shops in CA must go through.

Texas isnt for me, Florida I've been to a probably 10-12 times and I've always wanted to stay when I've been there, plus I already have friend's and family there which would make the move a little easier.

MikeG

iTrader: (33)

I can only think of a couple turbo-type shops here in Orlando...and they both cater toward imports alot more. I think you could do well.

Injected1

iTrader: (4)

Yeah, I told you SouthFL, If you can get closer to NW, I would be all over some turbo stuff...your welds look like magic.

blacktransam

iTrader: (13)

theres no really big turbo shop in melbourne although we have a decent scene.. but from some one who deals daily with your repair shops in the area if you are gunna do regular repaiurs as a daily thing.. nows not the time..

Caveman

iTrader: (2)

There is alot of turbo outlaw 10.5 and dragradial race teams in FL. If you go to the heads up race series at Immokalee and at Sunshine in Tampa every month you could find some new customers.

phoenix

iTrader: (6)

yea dont do south fla it sucks here :"(

Bowtie4life

iTrader: (7)

I second the orlando area.

punishment

Thanks for all the great responses so far. With this shaky economy it makes things even tougher to figure out. Our area has been in about a 15 year decline so it probably wont affect things here as much.

ERIK@MASPORT

iTrader: (32)

I would shoot for the Carolinas if you are web based. The car culture in the southern states seems strong, and property in the carolinas is relatively inexpensive- great if you are web based! South Florida is too expensive for a primarily web based company in my opinion. Now, if you open up a fabrication style business, I think there is a ton of business in Florida for that kind of thing...

Erik

ls2 bait

iTrader: (11)

there is a ton of buisness for a shop such as w2w that does bad *** fabrication as said above but a web based shop wont matter where u go so move where u want to live.

Mullet

iTrader: (2)

Where in upstate? I came from Bingo, and I remember wrenching in the winter in the heated garage. The car culture seemed full of Street Rods and the likes there, and it would only run from May to Sept. Florida is nice because of the year round weather and has a great cult.

With all the snowbirds and relocates here (yea, me included), you would be right at home.

adam95z28

tampa would prob give you alot of buisness