Good interior equipment gives the driver and passengers a pleasant feeling of comfort. In addition, with reasonable execution, it contributes to an increase in the passive safety of the cabin. Therefore, the interior equipment of the cabin should be thought out and tastefully decorated.
To ensure that safety requirements are met, certain statutory provisions are imposed on the main internal parts. These regulations are aimed at reducing injuries when hitting the interior of the cabin. Without going into details, the regulations specify impact zones that must have a certain ability to dissipate energy (for example, the instrument panel). In addition, for protruding parts (for example, armrests, handles), minimum overall dimensions and radii of curvature are specified.
The interior fittings include the following key details:
- upholstery of doors and sidewalls, armrests;
- upholstery of racks of doors and a roof;
- ceiling upholstery;
- instrument panel, glove boxes;
- control devices, switches and buttons;
- internal handles for doors, power windows, seat adjustment mechanisms, gear lever, control knobs on the instrument panel, sun visors, rear-view mirrors, etc.;
- floor coverings (rugs), insulation.
Proposals for the shape of almost all of these details are pre-made by designers. It is not worth fighting in vain with their attempts at general stylization and improvement of the interior until they eliminate stylistic flaws and take into account the requirements for the functionality of the parts, as well as those set out in the aforementioned prescriptions. The close cooperation between designers and body engineers brings fruitful results in this. Below are the most important data on the design of the above components and parts.
Upholstery of doors and sidewalls, armrests
Door upholstery not only covers the inner frame and mechanisms of locks and power windows, but is also functionally necessary for noise and heat insulation; in side collisions, it can contribute to a better distribution of impact energy. Typically, the upholstery consists of a panel molded from weatherproof cardboard or synthetic material, on top of which is placed a polyurethane pad covered with artificial leather, decorated with embossed patterns or metal mouldings. For these materials, moisture resistance is extremely important, as it often accumulates inside the doors and sidewalls. wet air and sometimes even water (condensate). Through the upholstery, an armrest is attached to the inner panel of the door or frame (if it is not made in the upholstery itself) and drive parts of various mechanisms (door opening handle, lock button, window handle); the upholstery itself is fastened with staples or plastic spring clips and a few screws that are easily unscrewed. Currently, armrests are injection-molded from rigid-framed foam and topped with an artificial skin-like material. hallmark future doors will be that the inner upholstery (lining) of the door, thanks to the built-in armrest and side impact protection elements, will be the load-bearing part of the door structure.
Facing of racks of doors and a roof
The cladding of the pillars serves not only to hide welds and joints, but also in order to contribute to a better distribution of impact energy in case of accidents with its softness. The cladding cannot absorb a large amount of energy, so it is absorbed by the deformation of the steel parts located under the cladding. The cladding most often consists of 3-5 mm foam strips covered with imitation leather, which are glued to steel parts. Particular care should be taken to design the upholstery of the roof cross members, as they are visible from the inside. This applies, for example, to the cross member above the windshield, whose large cross-sectional area is required to support various internal parts (sun visors, interior rear-view mirror), as well as to ensure sufficient body rigidity in the event of a rollover of the vehicle onto the roof.
The upholstery of the roof should not only cover the bare roof or the roof pasted over with soundproofing gaskets, together with frames, amplifiers and transverse roll bars, but also protect the interior from exposure to heat rays and contribute to the absorption of reflected sound waves. In order for the roof lining to have the properties of an absorbent filter, it is most often made of a perforated material, usually a synthetic or textile fabric. In order to obtain an aesthetic interior, preference should be given to light colors of upholstery. In the presence of a sunroof, when the roof structure includes an inwardly protruding guide frame, often with sharp edges, the lining of the roof under it must be done very carefully to prevent getting a license in the event of a traffic accident.
Stretching the upholstery of the ceiling, which has a complex spatial surface, with the help of tension arches made of steel wire is a kind of art. It is necessary to ensure reliable fastening of the roof upholstery, especially in the presence of a sunroof, since due to air currents that create a pressure difference, forces arise that tend to tear the upholstery material.
Dashboard (“passenger crossbar”), glove boxes, handles and levers
The instrument panel, or it would be more correct to call it the cross member of the cabin, in its structure is an important element of the supporting frame of the body. Therefore, at present, there is a separation of the load-bearing function of the panel from the function of the instrument holder, etc. The instrument panel is most often made in the form of a large plastic part, which is either glued or fastened with spring clips or in another way to a steel frame. The panel includes a shield of priors and other details (for example, a glove box). The cladding is formed by a part made of polyurethane with a hard coating, on which embossing and patterns are made, as well as other necessary elements. Plastically deformable plastic is best suited to reduce the peak loads that occur during a collision. It is generally accepted and advisable to recess and protect the devices with a visor so that glare does not form on the glass surface. Matte, most often dark, surface prevents the appearance of glare and specular reflections on the windshield. Devices and the most important handles and levers of control mechanisms must be located in the zone of visibility and reach of the driver.
The wiper and washer switch, and possibly the horn button, may be part of the steering column switch.
A large stowage box or pocket should be located on the right side of the instrument panel (unless a mash box is provided for accessories). In the center of the panel are the control levers for the heating and ventilation system, the radio knobs and the central fresh air deflector, as well as other devices (for example, a clock) that can be used both from the driver’s seat and from the seat of a passenger sitting next to it.
When designing the glove box lid, special care is required, since it is necessary to exclude the possibility of the lid opening itself in an accident, since this can lead to severe damage to the knee joints. For this reason, a twist lock should be used for the lid, which does not open due to inertial forces arising from a collision.
Many of today's conventional instruments, as well as manual controls, which require a lot of space, encourage designers to look for other solutions than the modern instrument panel, so that the passenger cross member is more functional, serves as both a load-bearing element and a passive safety element. The search for such a solution involves a significant reduction in scale instruments or their combination.
Until recently, a voluminous instrument panel with numerous switches and buttons was a special pride of manufacturers and car owners; It seems that this time may return again. And at present, the placement and design of these interior elements is a favorite field of activity for "stylists". Of course, the richly equipped instrument panel creates a pleasant impression, but it is necessary to stop in time in increasing the number of control devices. In order not to overload the driver's attention, it is necessary to provide for the minimum possible number of instruments and manual controls, then they will be easier to use. Which pointing and control devices are required to have, and which ones can be installed optionally?
To control the operating modes of movement, it is necessary to have the following devices:
- speedometer with total and daily mileage counters;
- control lamp for direction indicators (turn signals);
- headlight control lamp - distant or parking;
- fuel gauge, preferably with a control light, preferably with a fuel gauge.
- a radio receiver-machine transmitting information about the traffic situation (radio decoder);
- ambient temperature indicator;
- a warning signal about a decrease in the minimum allowable distance to objects on the roadway.
To monitor the performance of the car, you must have the following devices:
- a device that controls the temperature in the engine cooling system;
- battery charge control light;
- oil pressure indicator light in the engine lubrication system;
- a control lamp signaling the inclusion of the electric heating of the rear window;
- a control light that indicates the inclusion of fog lights;
- warning light for the alarm system.
It is desirable to have the following devices:
- tachometer (only with a mechanical gear shift);
- control lamp for turning on the parking brake (when installing an automatic gearshift - required);
- hours, preferably with a time stamp (timer);
- oil pressure indicator, voltmeter;
- brake circuit failure indicator light, brake fluid minimum level indicator light, brake lining wear indicator.
You must have the following elements of manual control of the car:
- switches for outdoor lighting, instrument lighting, direction indicators, alarms, glass cleaner and washer, high and low beam headlights, fog lights, glass heating, electric seat adjustment mechanism, power window, etc .;
- controls and shutdown of the ventilation and heating system or air conditioning;
- carburetor air damper drive handle (if automatic is not provided).
Most often, manual, like the ignition switch, in a narrow sense, refer to the simplest controls. The shift lever of a manual or automatic transmission does not apply to the above parts, it should be attributed to the complex controls of the control system. Despite minimizing the number of appliances and switches, there are still quite a lot of them on the list. Most control devices are designed for the driver only, so they should be located compactly in the driver's line of sight and reach. The carburetor choke control and the ignition lock should be located in such a place that they can be used simultaneously (right and left hands).
Indicator lamps are used when it is only necessary to control operation or operation, and numerical values \u200b\u200bare not needed (for example, indicator lamps for side lights, handbrake, direction indicators).
Indicators with scales are used when it is necessary to track a change in the mode of operation of the car (for example, speed, coolant temperature, fuel supply). In this case, preference should be given to pointer instruments with better readability.
All measuring devices at night should be illuminated with constant or adjustable brightness. During the day and at night, there should be no glare on the surface of the glasses, which is achieved by tilting the instruments or making the instrument glasses concave.
The obligatory presence of a warning light for a brake circuit failure or a warning light for the minimum level of brake fluid is prescribed in some countries (USA, UNECE Regulations). This requirement is unreasonable, since checking the brake system refers to the mandatory current inspection of the car by the owner (driver), and with periodic monitoring, the onset of failures can be prevented.
Control devices should be placed and grouped according to their purpose, so that the position of the devices does not confuse the driver. The most important measuring instruments, together with control lamps, are currently combined in one housing with electrical connectors, lighting, etc., which is included in the instrument panel as a separate assembly unit (instrument cluster). We know from experience that white numbers on a black background are more visible and less shiny at night than black numbers on a white background. The instrument panel should not have light parts, and due to the matte black color should not be reflected in the windshield.
To compactly accommodate numerous switches, some of them are combined: for example, the wiper and washer switch is built into the direction indicator lever switch, the same lever switches the high and low beams of the headlights and the headlight signaling. However, one should not be too zealous in combining switches, as this increases the likelihood of making a mistake when using them. The position of the turn signal lever should be standardized, it should be located on the left under the steering wheel, and there should not be a second lever near it. The headlight switches (parking, dipped and main beam) and instrument lighting can be combined, but in such a way that the headlights are switched by turning the lever, and not moving it up or down. For alarm systems and glass heating, fog lights, there are separate switches, inside which control lights are often built.
For many controls and indicator lamps, identification symbols have already been standardized (partially in ISO 2575/1976), and the colors of the indicator light filters have also been standardized, with red can only be used for danger or damage indicators, and blue for a driving beam indicator. These unified symbols and colors are prescribed by the UNECE Regulations (the designations used in the US federal standards are mostly preserved). The presence of a large number of control devices, especially with their modern dimensions, creates significant difficulties when placing them in a relatively small volume of the instrument panel. This led to the creation of an additional console, the redundancy of which makes one want to look for new solutions to reduce the number of devices and their overall dimensions, without compromising reading information and reducing the consumer value of the instrument panel. Electronics opens the way to such solutions. In electronic computing devices and watches, information is displayed on extremely compact digital indicator displays (for example, liquid crystal displays). They are suitable for all indicators used in the car, and have one significant advantage: they do not need a mechanical drive and can receive control signals via electrical wires. LED based indicators can also be used to reduce the space occupied by the instruments. Application electronic engineering on semiconductors also leads to new stylistic solutions for devices.
The new indicator technology can be optimized if instruments and control indicators are combined into one complex display, which, on demand, provides information about possible dangerous malfunctions or violations in vehicle systems.
Consideration should be given to the space occupied by the minicomputer supporting the display and the space required to run the multi-wire bundles when placing instruments. In addition, one should take into account the fact that it may be necessary to install devices to control the movement process (for example, a device that signals a decrease in the minimum allowable distance). Over time, it may be mandatory to install them. Although the placement of such devices is somewhat simplified, since the indicator is remote from the sensors and the microprocessor and is connected to them only by an electrical beam, however, given the constant increase in the number of additional electronic devices, one cannot underestimate the importance of the problem of placing them on a car.
Internal mechanisms, sun visors, rear-view mirrors
The design of the internal mechanisms of the door, power window handles, buttons and switches is not only functionally important, it must comply with current US safety standards and European-prepared UNECE Regulations. These parts must be recessed, or to prevent hitting them, the parts must be protected (for example, covered with armrests).
Currently, the handles of controls and power windows are predominantly molded from plastic with a metal frame, they have sufficient strength, elastically deform upon impact and, in contrast to metal parts, do not break. Other manual controls, such as the carburetor air damper control knob, heating and ventilation system control knobs, should be made in the form of rotary levers, and not in the form of rotary knobs, in order to avoid uncontrolled installation in an arbitrary position, since their position must accurately indicate the position of the workers bodies, in addition, they must ensure the transfer of large efforts required to control the mechanisms. Buttons should be made of soft material. The handles of the seat adjustment mechanism must be capable of transmitting the high forces required so that they cannot be snagged and injured. The ignition lock together with the anti-theft device, for functional reasons, should be located next to the steering column, in its upper part. When placing the ignition switch, care should be taken to ensure that it is located outside the zone of a possible knee impact on it.
For the above reasons, the ignition lock must not be located on the instrument panel or in a recess, as this would make it difficult to use it. The currently widely used soft head ignition key does not prevent the risk of injury. Successful is the placement of the lock in the upper part of the steering column with an inclination in the transverse plane.
Particular attention is required when designing the structure of the interior and exterior rear-view mirrors and their placement. The main requirements for visibility, dimensions, places and methods of fastening are summarized in the relevant EEC Directive and in the draft of the relevant UNECE Regulation. According to these regulations, the interior mirror, upon impact with the force specified in the document, must come off the mounting surface. This requirement can be fulfilled in various ways, for example by fixing the mirror with a spring-loaded latch to the top of the windscreen frame, on which the mirror is usually located. The mount should be such that when the car is moving, the mirror does not vibrate, which is not entirely easy to do. To do this, the mirror must be either extremely light or heavy, so that, taking into account the elasticity of the mount, the natural frequency of the mirror does not fall into the resonance region, which depends on the design of the engine mount and on the amplitude-frequency characteristic of the vehicle mount. The mirror must be adjustable ("Day" and "Night"), and in size and shape must be consistent with the position of the rear window and the zone of the possible position of the driver's eyes. Spherical mirrors are unacceptable due to image distortion. Instead of them, it is quite acceptable to use a wide mirror, divided into two parts, the planes of which form a small break in the reflecting surface.
External rear-view mirrors must be designed in such a way that under the influence of a certain force they fold or fall off without injuring people. It is now popular to adjust the position of the mirror from the passenger compartment. Adjusting the position of the mirror with a special electric motor is no longer a luxury. The shape of the mirror does not apply only to stylists, it is determined, first of all, by the required visibility area.
Reclining sun visors, which are now generally accepted, do not always serve their purpose. Careful protection of the driver's eyes from the sun's rays is necessary with large curved and flat windshields. If sun visors are provided on the left and right sides, then they must be designed in such a way that there is no space between the visors that is not covered from the sun's rays. In addition, the visors must be upholstered with soft material so that passengers and the driver are not injured in an accident. The location of a mirror or even a clock in the sun visor is inappropriate. The visors must be able to pivot to the side so that the top of the side windows can be effectively covered without leaving much free space. For this reason, it is advisable to use a ball joint to fasten the visors. It is even better to have separate side sun visors so that you can protect yourself from the sun's rays from the front and side at the same time. And best of all they protect from the sun's rays from all sides of the glass, tinted in the upper part.
Floor covering, front shield insulation, trunk lining
Floor covering in passenger car performs several functions. It serves as a lining of a metal structure, giving comfort to the car interior; thermal insulation, which has a certain degree of moisture absorption; noise and vibration isolation.
The floor covering must be resistant to mechanical damage and decay, it must be easily removed from the car. None of the currently widely used "mats" does not correspond to these tasks.
Dark plastic (or rubber) pads, although quite durable and relatively easy to clean, are always cold, uncomfortable and non-hygroscopic. Noise damping with a properly selected design can be quite satisfactory.
Consideration should be given to silvering the underside of the coating in order to obtain an air cushion that serves as an insulating layer, the coating itself must be profiled, not smooth. Due to the large mass of the coating, floor vibrations are well damped. Plastic coatings, despite the relatively high cost of molding, are quite cheap. Somewhat better than foam (polyurethane) coatings with a hard top layer. Both types of coatings are made in the form of one molded part, which is placed in the car on the floor and fastened along the edges (door sills). However, they can be easily removed. Qualitatively better carpets if they consist of several layers of different damping materials, in particular a bottom layer of foam for sound damping; thick soundproofing layer; fabric covering, which may be tufted.
Such a coating meets the requirements for sound absorption and noise insulation and has a pleasant appearance, has sufficient hygroscopicity. It is best to use such a combination of coatings in the form of a molded part that forms a kind of "sound-absorbing bath", having a sufficient thickness, and in areas of a critical vibration level, appropriate reinforcements. The fabric nylon coverings and mats used so far leave much to be desired in terms of wear resistance (piling, abrasion); more work needs to be done in this direction. Therefore, in the most worn places, for example, under the pedals and in the tunnel area, it is recommended to use protective pads made of plastic or other durable material. Often, to dampen vibrations with a large amplitude, it is necessary to glue an additional noise-absorbing panel to the floor.
The upholstery of the front shield in the case of the engine being located in the front must be heat and noise insulating and, in addition, perform the functions of the interior upholstery. A prerequisite for good noise insulation is a good seal (eg with plastic seals) without exception at all points where the control gears and electrical cable bundles pass through the front panel. These places should be as few as possible. On the passenger side, the upholstery is formed by a molded cardboard (or hard panel) with a soft padding and a corresponding surface embossing. The upholstery can also be made in the form of a molded piece of polyurethane foam with a hard surface layer. The coating must be at least 20 mm thick and extend to the lower edge of the instrument channel so that the front partition of the passenger compartment is completely closed.
The upper part of the upholstery must be removable or at least fold down to allow access to the instruments located under the instrument panel. Sometimes this type of upholstery is not enough. In this case, on the inner side of the wall of the engine compartment, it is advisable to place an insulating gasket made of soft polyvinyl chloride or a similar material with a high attenuation coefficient.
It is acceptable to use a wear-resistant PVC floor covering as a boot floor covering, which must be securely fastened, for example, using buttons. For cars with a station wagon and with a variable trunk volume (due to folding the rear seat), additional insulation from tire rolling noise should be provided by using a combined trunk floor covering (including the rear wheel arches).
Expert opinion agrees that interior tuning is a "gold mine" for entrepreneurs and this is not surprising, since men simply adore their cars. Interior tuning includes: reupholstering seats, steering wheel, ceiling, etc., changing door trim, as well as making floor coverings that are not “fashion”, but are a necessary and sought-after thing. "Salon decor" will forever remain the "most popular" thing, because any car enthusiast will say that there is no limit to perfection.
Every car enthusiast wants a unique car interior and once in this field of activity, you are guaranteed an inexhaustible stream of customers. Few people know that you can change at least 90% in the cabin. Car dealerships cannot maintain leadership in this market, as small studios are preferred. Experts say that investments in the atelier will require at least 20 thousand dollars, but in fact the amount is much less.
With regard to quality, it must be remembered that specialization in several models guarantees high quality, and, therefore, the key to success is guaranteed to you. Broad specialization in this business is fraught with low-quality products, and therefore, dissatisfied customers. In addition, it is worth specializing in premium models, i.e. BMW or Mercedes models. The features of these brands guarantee high pay for work, but, of course, subject to high-quality services provided.
We all remember the “fashion” for tuning, when any car models were subjected to tuning. This tuning did not take place in a specialized studio, but in garages, etc. It is worth remembering that this type of tuning is not competitive and does not bring high income, since the upholstery of the interior of a premium car brings from 5 to 7 thousand dollars. This type of tuning is more of a hobby that brings nothing but pleasure.
It is worth remembering that tuning a car involves disassembling the car and in order to disassemble the car you need to be a professional fitter. This item should not be neglected, as this is fraught with irreparable consequences that can lead to the death of the car owner. Premium cars contain a lot of electronics and that is why car owners will not trust tuning to non-specialized people.
In order to open this business, you need to pay attention to the following details, namely, you need a secure room designed for 4-5 cars with an area of at least 60 sq.m., equipment for dismantling, specialized sewing machines, contact with leather manufacturers for the car dealership, a catalog of samples, as well as the presence of at least two qualified craftsmen.
At the moment, the leather market for car dealerships is filled with only the best offers, including German, Italian and Austrian leather. The best versions of this leather cost from 60 to 120 euros per meter. It is worth remembering that more than half of the cost of the order will go to the necessary material, while giving an average income of $ 1,300, but if you have an exclusive order, feel free to multiply by 5.
Do not forget that you must guarantee the quality of your products, so the skin must be "real". Therefore, do not try to save on the material by replacing it with "artificial". This leather is not designed to work with a car interior, since defects will be revealed in less than a month. By working directly with the supplier, you will ensure quality and reliability. Do not forget that the main specialists in our studio will be a seamstress and fitter. One will disassemble and assemble the car, and the second will do the rest of the work.
The average work rate is 30%, despite the amount of work done, since there is an option that you will have to sheathe one thing and it will cost you about 10 thousand rubles. The operation time will take from 5 to 10 working days, which leads to a rate of 400 cars per year.
In this service market there is a niche that is not occupied by anyone, because it is not so popular, unlike the West. The flock technology abroad is 900 thousand tons, and we have no more than 100 thousand tons. This technology consists in covering with velvet (fleshy) material. This requires a flocator and flock, which give the necessary beauty and color to the panel. This "novelty" is in demand abroad, because it is several times cheaper, since work with this coating does not exceed $ 1,000.
The flock technology has not “taken root” with us due to the lack of information on caring for it, since caring for such a coating does not require much effort and any detergent is enough for it. If you are interested in this technology, then do not forget that advertising campaign should be aimed at changing the opinion about the velvet coating and popularizing it.
When starting this business, the necessary expenses will be 15-20 thousand dollars, since half will go to necessary materials and equipment, as in the first case. The rest of the amount is needed for training masters, renting premises, etc. Do not forget that non-professional equipment only guarantees bankruptcy and loss. That is why high-quality materials and equipment are needed to help bring profitability to a high rate, namely 40%. The advantage of such a business is the smallest financial investment, unlike traditional tuning works.
Also, the least competition will help to become a leader in the car tuning market. The cost of flock training is from 600 rubles. in hour. When starting your own business, it is worth remembering that advertising is the engine of trade, which is why business promotion must begin with a good PR company. Good luck in your endeavors and all the best!
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Sooner or later, a person comes to the idea that one must work not for another, but for oneself. But not everyone has large capital that could be invested in the development of their own business. Is this an obstacle to becoming an entrepreneur? Of course not: in many areas you can start working without investing a lot of money. So how create own business on the constriction of the car interior?
How to create a business from scratch
Creating a business from scratch is quite difficult, but interesting. In this case, you need to accurately calculate your costs. It is important to define the concept. Do not scatter and try to cover different areas of service. We need to focus our efforts on one thing. If there is a question of how to create a business without investments, then you need to pay close attention to this.
Once the concept is defined, you can draw up a business plan and look for the necessary funds. To do this, you can find an investor or take advantage of small business loans.
What kind of business to create
Today, experts on the question of how to create a business from scratch advise paying attention to interior tuning. This concept includes the upholstery of the interior and the manufacture of various inserts. Under the constriction of the cabin can be understood many operations. This is a change of seat upholstery, ceiling, floor coverings; and banner of a covering of a wheel, a transmission, lateral inserts.
The demand for such services is growing. During operation, the car interior experiences heavy loads. As a result, the skin may be damaged and must be replaced. Also, such an operation is often performed before the sale of the car or after its acquisition, because not everyone likes to use objects and sit on the seats on which no one knows who was sitting. In new cars, those who do not like the standard factory equipment change the skin-tight. There are fans who change the interior tuning very often, as soon as the fashion for upholstery changes.
Features to be aware of
Since it is quite difficult to create a business correctly, you need to accurately calculate what to specialize in. Can handle all vehicles. Or you can start to specialize in several brands. This allows you to focus your efforts on one segment and improve services in this area. Both approaches have their advantages. If we are talking about economy class cars, then it is more profitable to focus on universal services. Specialization in 1-2 brands is more correct when it comes to expensive premium cars.
Before you create your own business, you need to resolve the issue of means of production. The car is disassembled before the interior is reupholstered. This work requires space and skill. To do this, you will need a garage for 3-4 cars, equipment for dismantling, sewing machines. It is also worth finding suppliers of textiles and leather for car interiors.
A few words about specialists
If the organization of the business is handled by the alteration master himself, then at first you can save on hiring staff. If there is no relevant work experience, then you will have to hire masters for hauling and parsing. To attract customers, you will have to make catalogs and albums with photographs of work.
In the course of work, there will be a temptation to save on materials, because half of the cost of tuning falls on them. There is leather on the market that is not intended for cars. It is used for tailoring furniture and shoes and is cheaper. If you give in to the temptation and start using it, then after a few months the workshop will have to be closed, as it will have a bad reputation. Considering that interior upholstery is ordered by people who understand this and communicate with each other, then information about high-quality or low-quality service spreads quickly.
Tuning and other approaches
It is worth focusing on new interior tuning options that have already gained popularity in other countries. It is necessary to have time to develop unoccupied niches in order to win market share. These niches include interior flocking - velvet coating, which looks very aesthetically pleasing and original. Flocking requires equipment that costs no more than $1,000. When offering this technology, it is necessary to inform customers in detail about its advantages and possibilities, since few people in our country know about it yet.
Do not forget that promotion is the lion's share of success. In the age of the Internet, it is imperative to make your own website and advertise yourself on specialized sites. You should not refuse traditional advertising with the help of direct mailing, distribution of leaflets, announcements on information stands. And then the business will bear fruit.
Take it, tell your friends!
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According to market experts, interior tuning is the leader among all types of tuning. What does it include?
Padding of seats, steering wheel, ceiling, gear levers;
Change of a covering of doors, floor coverings;
Insert manufacturing.
"Salon decor" - as the market participants themselves call it, is a very popular thing and enjoys a steady and, importantly, ever-increasing demand. Apparently, this is not a whim of momentary fashion. The demand for such services is growing not only in conjunction with the growing demand for cars as such. A person buys a new car or a used one - he will always have arguments why he wants to reupholster the interior.
Many do not like what the factory offers, because they want individuality and comfort. And some, not thinking about aesthetics, are simply forced to turn to the upholstery masters, preparing the car for sale. Others who buy a used car simply disdain to sit on the seats wiped by other people's backs ... This gives a constant influx of tuning service customers.
The most grateful client turns out to be a sort of tuning fanatic - if you attack such a gold mine, then client base secured. The car has something to pull - up to 90% of the interior can be changed! Such people update the interiors of their cars (and the transport itself) no less than a wealthy fashionista their wardrobe. Note that there is also a fashion for this or that upholstery and, like any fashion, it also changes.
Now even large car dealerships are mastering this segment. But experience shows that the natural leader in this format is still a small studio. In the studio, according to immodest estimates, you will have to invest from 10 to 50 thousand dollars. But our people are good because they always fit into the amount much less than that appointed by the experts. It is understandable - they should invest their own funds, and not theorize in specialized media. The main thing is that such a master's approach does not affect the quality of the business being started.
A few words about quality. This is food for thought. What kind of business you, in fact, start up depends on whose position is closer to you.
All players are divided into the so-called "omnivorous" and "exclusive". What does it mean? This means that smaller players undertake to pull the interiors of cars of any brand. And they know how. But more advanced aesthetes believe that such an approach sins with some carelessness. They prefer to master one or two models and specialize only in them. This makes it possible to standardize patterns, that is, at the same time it simplifies the life of the master and improves the quality of his work.
In addition, specialization in one or two regular models implies specialization in one or two models of a particular premium segment. That is, hauling only BMW or Mercedes. Each car brand has its own characteristics and therefore, asking for a lot of money for your work, you must provide the client with the best quality.
Until recently, only such players were in the lead (and indeed there were) on the market - professional aesthetes working for aesthetes-customers who could charge from three to seven thousand dollars for their work. All this is their philosophy. But there came a time when tuning became a boom, reaching the “sevens” and “nines”. When “in the area” they began to tune what was more appropriate to be scrapped, the market “met” those very “omnivorous” players, and they dropped prices so that they fell almost three times.
As a matter of fact, the yard boys who tune their rattles and the rattles of their friends are not your competitors. Because: a) you won’t earn much on this - it’s rather “attraction is a kind of illness”, b) they won’t let you earn money - this is their own party and, finally, c) today the car is stuffed with very complex electronics. And almost everyone who thinks about the lifestyle of a driver already has such cars.
A little more about the third point. To tune the car, it must be disassembled. Disassembly of the machine is carried out by professional fitters. One clumsy move - and the airbag, for example, is broken. A car stuffed with electronics is not your grandfather's Volga. Few people today will entrust the work with their typewriter to a guy of dubious qualifications in dirty sweatpants. But even if you put on clean pants and make a smart face when communicating with a client, this will still not be enough.
- 1. What you need, in detail
- 2. Trash Warning
- 3. and not only skin
- 4. flock studio
1. Guarded premises. It implies a garage for three or four cars, an area of 40-60 square meters.
2. Equipment for dismantling airbags.
3. Professional sewing machines
4. access to direct contacts with leather manufacturers for car dealerships (so that without intermediaries)
5. Drawing up a clear, understandable and attractive catalog of samples.
6. Qualified master (preferably several)
Today the market is filled with the most the best deals from reputable leather suppliers – German, Austrian and Italian. A meter of high-quality "automobile" leather costs from 50 to 120 euros, alcanatra will cost from 90 to 130 euros. Half of the cost of the entire order is the cost of the material. An average order for upholstery in leather will give a businessman money from 1200 to 1500 dollars. If you receive an exclusive order, then multiply by 4.
An uninvited guest “walks” on the auto-tuning market - “fake” skin. This leather is not designed to work with the interior of the car. This is usually furniture or shoe leather. It costs several times cheaper than a car. Because automotive leather should not be prone to stretching, be colorfast and much more. If you re-upholster the interior with the “wrong” skin, then the deception will be revealed in two months. This is another strong argument in favor of working directly with the manufacturer of imported leather without intermediaries.
Your main craftsmen are a seamstress and a fitter. The fitter must dismantle the car and then reassemble it without damage.
The salon margin (an average of 25%) will remain unchanged, even if you meet the needs of the consumer and make semi-tuning, which will cost him only 8 thousand rubles. This is when one thing is sheathed with leather, and the rest is matched to the tone, being made of inexpensive, but wear-resistant materials. Standard work time - from four to ten days. The best (large) volume to strive to reach is 300 cars per year.
There is an economy class tuning option, which is incredibly popular abroad, but for some reason it is barely developing in our country. But this niche is empty only because we are talking about a novelty, and our novelties are slow. However, the offer is worth considering.
Flocking, flock, flocking technology. Came to us from the English-speaking world, translated means "spraying". The turnover of flock in the USA is more than 800 thousand tons, in Russia - 100 tons. What is it? This is the process by which you get a fleecy ("velvet") coating. An electrostatic field source (flocator) and forcing raw materials (flock) are used. This dust, flying out of the sprayer, lays down in an even layer on the surface treated with glue - glass, plastic, metal, wood, leather. The result - a beautiful, aesthetically perfect panel, the desired color. This know-how has taken root best of all in autotuning. The fact is that the prices here are immeasurably lower than when working with leather or alcanatra.
Working with a machine in flock technology is from 500 to 1000 dollars, and never more. Those who order such services in Russia prefer an “upgrade” of the domestic auto industry. They don't think it needs skin. What is it that prevents the Russian consumer from falling in love with this technology “with a human face”, a special anti-crisis move?
It seems to them that the velvet surface is fragile, but it is not. It can be washed with any detergent. That is, people simply do not have enough information. Therefore, when opening a flock atelier, do not forget to lay the costs for a powerful advertising impact. If it was a really bad technology, it probably wouldn't be so popular in the West, where everyone counts their money and doesn't spend on "show-offs"?
To start a business, you will have to pay from 10 to 20 thousand dollars. Half of this money will be spent on the purchase of equipment - a flokator, a drying chamber, etc. The rest of the amount you will spend on the training of craftsmen, the purchase of raw materials and rent. For those who just started this business in a complete vacuum, on non-professional equipment, it took two years to break even and then start making money. Everything should be easier for you. The profitability of such a business is from 20 to 30%.
The main thing is that you invest much less than when working with traditional leather. Moreover, in the market of leather tuning prices are set clear and you can only fight with competitors by providing a unique, exclusive quality of the product. By the way, there are already offers on the market educational services. Some firms train young specialists in flocking techniques for 500 rubles per hour.
What else is important not to forget when starting your own business? Here the advice will be traditional, but no less important for this - the creation and promotion of your site will provide you with fame.
Nazarenko Elena
*The article is over 8 years old. May contain outdated information
Designed to increase the level of comfort of handling and movement, as well as to provide the necessary conditions work.
Depending on the brand of the machine and its model, the list of optional equipment may contain different items. In car dealerships, you can find cars that can additionally be equipped with a refrigerator, radio, cruise control, air conditioning, satellite alarms, and so on.
In today's automotive industry optional equipment includes such items as interior heating systems, windshield washers and wipers, electric headlight tilt correctors, heated seats, windows and mirrors, power windows and many other devices.
We can say that in the basic configuration, which does not involve the installation of additional equipment, the car is "empty". If everything that can be installed is installed on the machine, then it will be fully equipped.
It is worth noting that additional equipment began to be installed on cars not so long ago. Cars classes A-C sold almost at cost, because there was a lot of competition. These were the usual vehicles without raisins. Marketers decided to change the situation and offered to install additional equipment for the car, which was previously available only for the premium or luxury class.
The list of additional equipment included electric heating of the rear window. Drivers of older cars can talk about the inconvenience caused by fogged or frozen rear windows while driving. Some of the motorists even tried to install fans so that they blow warm air over the rear window.
Power windows are also additional equipment of the car, which was installed one of the first. If you look closely, you can do without it
manage, but on the other hand, it is quite funny and interesting thing You don't need to turn the knob, just press the button.
Remembering the first additional equipment, it is worth mentioning the wiper and washer, which began to be installed on the rear doors of cars. It should be noted here that over time, some of the additional equipment became standard equipment.
Thus, the idea of installing additional equipment on cars increased their cost by 30 or even 70 percent, but this did not negatively affect demand, since all less people wanted to buy a car "without anything."
However, such devices do not always find supporters and consumers. There is such additional equipment of the car, which not everyone needs. For example, an enlarged fuel tank is suitable for those who use their car intensively, as this allows them to visit gas stations less frequently. In addition, there is still a lot of equipment that is not at all equally useful for all drivers.
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