Jax Speed Shop

Jax Speed Shop is a classic car restoration, resto-mod and repair shop in Jacksonville, Florida, founded by Jacksonville Beach resident Joseph Maurer. It is a workshop first and a car seller second: alongside builds, paint and mechanical work, it sells customers' classic cars on consignment from its shop on Lee Road. Buyers should think of it as a specialist garage with a small, changing selection of cars for sale rather than as a dealership with a lot full of stock.

From RM Garage to Jax Speed Shop

The business started out under the name RM Garage. Better Business Bureau records list RM Garage with a business start date of February 25, 2016, with Joseph C. Maurer as president, at an earlier Jacksonville address on Theresa Drive, and the RM Garage website appears in web archives from August 2016. The same phone number now belongs to Jax Speed Shop, which operates from 48 Lee Rd in Jacksonville, and the old RM Garage web pages now carry the Jax Speed Shop name.

The shop describes itself as locally owned and operated, and says its focus is American domestic classics built between 1932 and 1985, along with resto-mods and hot rods.

What the shop does

According to its site and FAQ, Jax Speed Shop offers:

• Builds and restorations, from mechanical refreshes to complete builds and resto-mods.
• Service and repair, from oil changes to engine changes.
• Paint and body work, including custom paint. The shop says it does not take on rust repair at this time.
• Inspections, through what it calls a Full Classic Inspection.
• Secure storage and parts sales.
• Sales and consignments of classic cars.

The company says it completes two to three cars a week but does not give fixed timelines, and it warns that there is usually a waiting list running from weeks to months depending on the job. It gives estimates based on experience but says it does not issue formal quotes, because every classic is different. Work is paid through an upfront deposit for parts, or a 50 percent deposit when few parts are needed, with weekly updates and the balance kept current every two weeks.

Buying a classic through the shop

Cars for sale at Jax Speed Shop are mostly customer cars it has taken on consignment, and the shop says they stay on-site until they sell, so you can see the car in person in Jacksonville. Recent examples on its buy and sell page include a 1956 Chevrolet Bel Air listed at $17,495, a 1972 Chevrolet Chevelle at $39,999, a 1978 Ford F100 at $25,000, a 1940 Ford coupe gasser hot rod at $39,999 and a 1978 Pontiac Firebird Trans Am at $45,900. That mix of muscle cars, trucks and hot rods matches the shop's day-to-day work.

The site does not mention financing or shipping, so buyers from outside the area should plan to arrange both themselves. A useful point in a buyer's favor is that the cars sit at a working restoration shop, and the company says it offers detailed inspections to prospective buyers. Even so, because the shop is acting for the seller, consider a second opinion from an inspector who works only for you. To compare prices and options elsewhere, see more classic cars in Florida.

Selling or consigning your car

Owners can list a classic with the shop, which compares the process to listing a house. The company says it photographs the car, cleans it, markets it, including at local car events, and handles inspections for interested buyers. It charges what it calls "a small listing fee" but does not publish the amount or any commission terms, so get those in writing before you leave the car. If the car needs work before it can sell well, the shop's own service and paint departments are on the premises. For background on terms and fees, read our guide to selling a classic on consignment.

Inspections and storage

The Full Classic Inspection is a front-to-back evaluation of a car, with a deposit starting at $500. The shop says it cannot travel to inspect a car at a customer's location and offers photo review or video chat instead. For storage, the company says any car in its possession is kept indoors overnight under security, and it stores cars that are not being worked on for $250 a month for basic storage or $500 a month for full service, with monthly reports on the car's operation.

Reputation and contact

The BBB lists RM Garage with an A+ rating and no complaints closed in the last three years; the business is not BBB accredited and has no customer reviews on file there. The shop's own site carries seven customer testimonials covering engine rebuilds, suspension and fuel system work, a full restoration and paint and body jobs; like any testimonials a business picks for itself, they are best read alongside independent reviews. We did not see a Google or Yelp rating we could verify.

Jax Speed Shop is at 48 Lee Rd., Jacksonville, FL 32225. The phone number is (904) 469-5472 and the email is [email protected]. The company's contact page does not list opening hours, so call before visiting.