If you’re a seasoned car builder or DIYer, you quickly learn about the potential of parting out cars. A disused car can be a bountiful buffet for those who know.
Patrick says:
I was going to the junkyard often to look for parts for my own sports car. I’d come across things that I knew were valuable but I didn’t personally need, like emblems, engine control units, and wheels. Things like that.
The eBay store he had been running for decades suddenly had a new ready supply of goodies he found while searching for Mazda parts. Its inventory ranged from stylish retro apparel and sports memorabilia to vintage audio equipment and gaming gear.
I remember putting my phone on silent because I was getting nonstop notifications: item sold, item sold, question about an item. So that flipped on the lightbulb about the potential of eBay.
When fate intervenes, the path to fulfilling your goals might differ from what you thought.
I started selling more on eBay after being part of a layoff at a mortgage company. I ended up having a lot of free time on my hands, but it pushed me to add more listings looking for the next opportunity.
Modding the Mazda
To make a go of the auto-parts game, it takes grit, guts, and a place to squirrel away stuff. Patrick’s online shop, which started on a bookshelf, soon expanded to a carport. Two storage spaces followed before moving to a warehouse.
Now I list mostly auto parts, and I love to help people get their builds across the finish line, whether it’s a street car or a race car. I use selling to fuel my own passion for driving.
Patrick’s current rotary obsession, a Mazda RX-8 R3, features a host of modifications for track use. The suspension and drivetrain mods he added to his ride are purposeful: go faster and enhance reliability on the track.
- BennettBuilt coolant tank
- FEAL 441+ coilovers
- JaxFab custom stainless full three-inch exhaust with modified three-inch Black Halo Racing midpipe
- Koyo Racing radiator
- ORC Pro Carbon clutch/ flywheel
- Progress Tech front sway bar
- Racing Beat Rev-i intake system
- SakeBomb Garage IGN-1A ignition kit
- SakeBomb Garage Track Day Big Brake kit with two-piece rotors
- Volk Racing Te37 alloy wheels
An Entrepreneurial Samurai
For Patrick and his store, dubbed Business Bushido, bigger goals are now within reach: a thriving local business and a company-sponsored race car. eBay Motors provides a platform to monetize his passions.
It’s about more than money. He still chases cones on the autocross track and hunts down the auto parts that will bring faster times. But those pursuits as an auto enthusiast now make his life dreams come true.
Shop now for Mazda RX-8The name of my eBay store, Business Bushido stands for Built Upon Superior Hustle, Ingenuity, Dedication, and Originality. I incorporate that into everything I do.
