I have a problem. I enjoy building cars/things, so much that whenever it reaches a certain stage of completeness, I find an area to improve. Not because I need to, but because I want to. And if you are reading this, chances are that you do too. This is me reflecting on the journey so far, and how that led to ONI Garage!

First and foremost; I want to make clear that I also love driving. In the years that my Roadster has been on the road since I first swapped it back in ‘13 it has clocked 30k km, which is pretty respectable for a weekend car. It’s a lot of fun to drive, I get to brighten a lot of peoples days, and revving the engine to 9000 gives a hit of exhilaration-meets-anxiety that very few things in life can.

But if you ask me what I like most, it has to be the building process. Creating something I’ve envisioned, even if it takes years of unwavering dedication, and allowing the project to become what it was meant to be is extremely rewarding to me. Even if that means total escalation, as Phil from Driftworks calls it.

Because in the process you learn new skills, gather new tools, meet new people, and build a lot of character. Without my car projects, I know for a fact that I would not be where I am today. 

Working on cars teaches you that, if something is worthwhile, every problem can be solved with enough patience, energy, and self reflection. Because let’s face it, sometimes the problem is you, and you need to level up before the project can.

It also teaches you the importance of maintenance; putting the right amount of energy into the right thing at the right moment, to prevent catastrophe further down the road.

And finally, it teaches a great lesson in authenticity. Modern life is full of systems and algorithms that try to get you to conform, to mold you into the most “convenient” version of yourself, with as little creativity and wonder as possible.

But building something by yourself, for yourself, to your own vision, and then enjoy it? Priceless.

Don’t get me wrong; working on cars can be pretty sh*t too. Metal always wins from your knuckle, a small mistake can cost an eye-watering amount of money, and all the fuzzy life-lessons I talk about take an often unreasonable amount of determination to learn. Which brings me to why ONI Garage was started.

The core purpose of ONI Garage is supporting people in the enjoyment of their cars and this hobby. Providing value to the community, and helping like-minded people get the most out of their project, as for many of us cars are our method of escape.

How we want to turn this into action is two-fold;

Developing and providing parts and services for Japanese sports cars, that are in line with our vision and our area of expertise. We believe that true performance comes from balance; the right combination of modifications to maximize potential, without upsetting the vehicle’s original spirit. And that is how we develop our solutions, with a focus centered on the Mazda MX-5 (NA/NB) and RX-7, extending to the S-chassis and AE86 in the future.

Focusing on these platforms is a conscious decision, that goes back to our purpose; the JDM world is massive, and creating solutions that actually have a positive impact on the balance and performance requires one to live and breathe that specific platform. Understanding what works and what doesn’t, and being able to try out concepts and ideas before sending something out into the world.

Paying forward knowledge that helped us get started in this hobby, in line with our vision and expertise. With the demise of forums and everything being algorithm-driven, it is getting harder to find the kind of detailed, hands-on advice that defined the car scene for our generation. Whether you are looking for specific guidance on a 13B Miata swap, or just digging into a more general problem you are running into, we want to become one of the first places you look for answers.

This section is also an outlet for the lessons we’ve learned in the garage; offering technical (and sometimes emotional) breakdowns, tips, and product features that help you skip some of the growing pains and get your car on the road, faster.

If you’ve made it this far, and you vibe with what we’re about, then welcome to ONI Garage!

The dream is to one day have a shop with a café attached to it that enables good conversations, but until then: feel free to drop me an email or DM if you have any specific questions. I’m happy to help where I can! And make sure to check back here, as the site is ever growing.

Happy motoring,

Bop – Founder of ONI Garage