Meet Todd Farley of TMJ Bimmers in Northwest Houston

Today we’d like to introduce you to Todd Farley.

Todd, let’s start with your story. We’d love to hear how you got started and how the journey has been so far.
I have a former boss to thank. On December 10, 2010 at 11:40 p.m., I was let go from my position as a Snap-On Tools dealer. A friend and I had started the shop (hobby) 7 months prior. It was by no means a decent source of income. After enjoying an extended Christmas vacation with family, the reality of starting 2011 without a job hit me harshly. Single-parenting to a 7 and 9-year-old, I was desperate and took a night job as a repo man. The day job was to sit at the shop and wait for work to literally roll in, that didn’t happen often in the beginning. After my partner left, I soldiered through by myself and 8 months later hired my first employee in 2012. Since then I’ve slowly yet steadily grown the business. This BMW focused niche that others thought was crazy has blossomed very well.

We’re always bombarded by how great it is to pursue your passion, etc. – but we’ve spoken with enough people to know that it’s not always easy. Overall, would you say things have been easy for you?
Taking a business that started as a hobby to a higher level has been difficult financially. Where it was once additional income, it is now my sole income. Coming up with the capital to buy new equipment and expand has been the biggest challenge. Time management and having time for my family has been the second biggest difficulty. The number of hats that an entrepreneur/business owner has to wear can be daunting, In the last 7 years, I’ve have found it all too easy to consume myself with the business and not make time for the family.

We’d love to hear more about your business.
We are an enthusiast based BMW shop that also repairs Mercedes and Porsches. Our specialty and where we’ve made a name for ourselves is the custom work and unorthodox conversions that other European shops will not or cannot attempt. From oil changes and brake jobs to fabricating a roll cage for your race car, we do it all.

What were you like growing up?
From the earliest of ages, I preferred wheels over feet. The standard fair for mechanically inclined kids, I took things apart to understand how they functioned but I was not content unless I could improve them or upgrade them. That led me through bicycles, remote control cars, motorcycles, ATVs, and finally cars (and later motorcycles again). At the age of 15, my first car was a 1967 Nova that I bought in pieces. Unfortunately, it never made it out of the driveway on its own power. Instead, I opted to trade it and some cash for a running 1966 Chevy truck. Job wise, my first automotive work experience was working for the Fincher Family at one of their salvage yards. That was in 1993. Fast forward 24 years later and 96% of my jobs have been automotive related. From parts, car sales, repair shop, Snap-on Tools to repo man. In parallel, my automotive tastes have evolved as well. From muscle cars and drag racing, to BMWs and road racing. But it all comes back to my core love for anything with wheels.

Pricing:

• $85 Diagnostic Fee
• $107 per hour Labor Rate
• 24 month part/labor warranty

Contact Info:

• Address: 5211 Kleinbrook Dr.
  Houston, TX 77066
• Website: www.tmjbimmers.com
• Phone: 713 384 2273
• Email: todd@tmjbimmers.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tmjbimmers/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TMJ-Bimmers-216732761702606/
• Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/tmj-bimmers-houston

Getting in touch: VoyageHouston is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you know someone who deserves recognition please let us know here.