It just isn't the car hobby that is in a downturn, I feel that every market is slow right now. New car dealers can't give them away almost, home sales are down significantly to the point where some people are offering a new car free if you buy a home, construction is down, boat sales are horrible, etc, etc.

I know someone is going to come on and say the economy is in great shape, and maybe it is where they live, but not in SW Florida. The complex where my shop is located normally is bustling during the week. Now when I pull in on any weekday it looks like a Sunday. Half of the shops have closed up, even the Deli next door to me. He relied on the construction guys and other business people coming in for lunch, but he said that has dried up. He is now just doing catering to make it through. I stopped at the auto repair shop down the way last week, and they were playing cards........no work, and they are normally booked solid.

I wanted to go back into the marina business part time now that I have retired, but my friend who had been offering me a job now says he has so little business he can't afford me right now. Good thing I am not solely depending on that job for survival.

I just dumped a bunch of stuff on Ebay to clean out some of my unneeded parts and help cover the cost of getting my T painted, and the bids were much lower than I would have gotten and have gotten in the past.

What is the old saying? " A recession is when YOU are out of work, and a depression is when I am out of work."


Don