lincolnboy
Dedicated LVC Member
Just get a big banner made hang it out front. Save some money till it start getting busier. Heater since it winter time maybe those run off used oil.
Opening a shop, need pros tool advice.
- Thread starter LaserSVT
- Start date
Just get a big banner made hang it out front. Save some money till it start getting busier. Heater since it winter time maybe those run off used oil.
LOL, the oil changes on my wife's car are free from the dealer. I get oil changes for my other cars for $14.99. You guys are getting screwed.
fastmark1993
Dedicated LVC Member
i get royal purple oil changes for free from my work. pretty schweet so all my vehicles run it!
Atuk aluna Lana.
kustomizingkid
Dedicated LVC Member
Good Luck Bill!
All I can say is this:
Business Plan is #1
Insurance is #2
Passion is #3
Not planning is planning to fail... not being prepared for accidents is asking for disaster... and being in it for the love of what you do is the only way to make it when the money isn't flowing.
All I can say is this:
Business Plan is #1
Insurance is #2
Passion is #3
Not planning is planning to fail... not being prepared for accidents is asking for disaster... and being in it for the love of what you do is the only way to make it when the money isn't flowing.
kustomizingkid
Dedicated LVC Member
Thats not a business plan...
Seriously man you are asking to lose your ass if you don't do some serious planning here. Good luck on insurance, I looked into it and in my area getting insurance for auto repair is a long long shot if you aren't ASE certified... there is a ton of red tape to get through with opening a shop.
Have you done any research for regulations?
Waste Disposal Laws?
Waste License?
Tax ID?
Renting or buying?
Insurance?
Money management... cash flow... line of credit?
Advertising and marketing plan?
Target Customers?
You want to make money... fair... how much money?
How much money do you need to make for you to live, Sapper to live?
What do you two expect?
Partners?
How are you paying each other?
I understand that the first thing that comes to mind when opening a shop is TOOLS... in reality tools are the LAST thing that should come to mind about running a business.
Seriously man you are asking to lose your ass if you don't do some serious planning here. Good luck on insurance, I looked into it and in my area getting insurance for auto repair is a long long shot if you aren't ASE certified... there is a ton of red tape to get through with opening a shop.
Have you done any research for regulations?
Waste Disposal Laws?
Waste License?
Tax ID?
Renting or buying?
Insurance?
Money management... cash flow... line of credit?
Advertising and marketing plan?
Target Customers?
You want to make money... fair... how much money?
How much money do you need to make for you to live, Sapper to live?
What do you two expect?
Partners?
How are you paying each other?
I understand that the first thing that comes to mind when opening a shop is TOOLS... in reality tools are the LAST thing that should come to mind about running a business.
jrherald420
Dedicated LVC Member
This is exactly what i was thinking, ive been talking to a buddy whos a dual master ASE certified mechanic in both auto and diesel and has every hybrid ASE certification about starting up a shop and working under him. He looked into it for a couple of years and without 80,000 + for start it up theres no way he could. It would only take 1 EPA violation to bankrupt a new shop....it really sounds like a pipe dream to me. Not trying to sound like a dick, after all i am ASE certified in a couple of areas and am only 2 semesters away from getting my degree in Automotive repair and would one day love to start my own repair shop but it's ALOT of work to be done before you repair the first car. Without the ASE badge on your arm your shop would be just another back yard mechanics shop. I do wish you all luck in this, but i hope you look into it better before you go renting a buliding and buying tools.. Keep in mind im not some young teenager either, im 30......lol
BAD97LSC
Dedicated LVC Member
you will need an occupational license too. thats why my shop is my hobby shop, its for personal use. i am not a real shop even though i do some repair work, my customers know i am just a guy who loves mark VIII's and i can and will fix them for other people if need be but i am not open to the public and because of all the " red tape " i wont ever be open to the public way to hard and way to expensive to try.
94m5
Dmaup's Daddy
#1 money maker in modulars.....
Timesert kit and lots o inserts.
Timesert kit and lots o inserts.
Sapperfire
Dedicated LVC Member
I just did my A5-Brakes...that gets us the sign..I've got tons more tests to do, need to recert in exhaust and continue on
I've got a nice client base built up, the problem is having the time and place to do all the work. Most of the people that want me to work on their car all started just by popping my hood...lol
I always have minor stuff to do just by word of mouth from my friends and clients
I can pay all my bills with about $1200 a month, that includes child support
I've got a nice client base built up, the problem is having the time and place to do all the work. Most of the people that want me to work on their car all started just by popping my hood...lol
I always have minor stuff to do just by word of mouth from my friends and clients
I can pay all my bills with about $1200 a month, that includes child support
I have an ASE badge on my arm with a Gold stripe (Master) and can't find a job that pays over minimum wage lmao. The problem is that these places want cheap labor and expect the technician to bring thousands of dollars of tools and pay less than what it costs to make a living.
I actually made better money washing dishes than working as a mechanic! The guys I was working with at Republic Services (GDS) were intimidated because I went to college and got a degree in diesel repair and a diploma in Business Administration. Just because this company hires guys who are back yard mechanics that lack professionalism and don't know how to fix modern stuff, these guys harassed me until I could no longer work there. I am trained to work in a dealership and not a cheap shop with a junkyard/hillbilly mentality.
Vehicles today are disposable and the days of fixing up cars is nothing more than a hobby and not a reliable occupation. Because of the way vehicles are "Valued" today by insurance and accounting (GAAP) I am looking into expanding my online business and just doing auto repair as a hobby. It is a sick reality that my ASE Certifications are going to waste due to the way things are done today.
Sapperfire
Dedicated LVC Member
I know the feeling. I have over 15 grand in personal tools...ASE certifications, MAP certified and actually the hardest one ever..Just Brakes Safety certified. Yes, the Just Brakes test is 3,067 questions about brakes, not your 45 question ASE test...rofl
After all that, I make 7.75 an hour plus tech bonus (if we have buisiness)
After all that, I make 7.75 an hour plus tech bonus (if we have buisiness)
ford nut
Local nut case
I have to disagree.
I know a few grease monkeys that survived this down turn and make dam good money.
Economy is still in the toilet.
People are driving their cars into the ground, not fixing anything until it gets to the point that it just won't run anymore.
Worried about a job, not a car.
Sooner or later this is going to break free.
All those used cars are going to need repairs.
Its a good time for a start up, its a gamble but worth the gamble.
There is nothing wrong starting out as a back yard mechanics shop.
Its a start.
You two have the tools, and the know how, and the time.
Plus your honest.
Its a dam good start if your willing to work your ass off.
Don't turn away any work.
Word of mouth is important.
Honest shops are hard to find.
Live your dream, make it happen.
Sapperfire
Dedicated LVC Member
"don't turn away work" that's one thing that will be difficult, Bill doesn't like messing with dumb a$$es, tried explaining that 99% of people walking this planet fit that profile
if I ran off every idiot that came into my shop, I would have 0 buisiness
if I ran off every idiot that came into my shop, I would have 0 buisiness
topher5150
Dedicated LVC Member
even if they want you to top off their blinker juice
1meanmark
Active LVC Member
your getting porked bro, come up north i was making 20cents more at wal-mart doing oil changes. that is in the dmv area its a bit expensive here, but a tech at say good year is raking in like $13 doing brake jobs and tires.
ford nut
Local nut case
Imagine the worst post here at lvc.
Be ready to deal with that once a day.
Some Idiot with a used part with a self diagnosed problem wanting you to fix it for next to nothing.
Someone has to deal with it the right way.
I never could. I know it.
GMAN
Dedicated LVC Member
Down here, at the O'Reilley's I deal with. There is a guy that works there that does side jobs in his garage on his days off. I don't know what he's making, but I know he's making a nice little chunk of change. He does AC work, engine swaps, you name it. He's built up a rep for good work, and most of the customers are referred to him when they come in for parts and realize their car needs more work. That the way you guys should start off. Work out of Laser's place. Free rent, no overhead. You would be surprised how far customers would come to save a buck. Get a good reputation, and they will continue to come. This way Jeremy you can continue to do your regular job, and drum up business at the same time when they realize Just Brakes is too high for them.
Sapperfire
Dedicated LVC Member
...I could lone shark the hell out of this place...it floors me how many people actually spend over $1000 for brake work, with added things like hardware and springs and bleeds, balljoints, steering and bouncy stuffs
Very good idea. I used to go to a guy who was a retired mechanic and had a small shop on his property. I went to him because his work was good and he charged less than other local shops. If Laser keeps his property and builds a small garage he would probably be much better off, even being in the sticks. People in the sticks need cars repaired too.
Dont work for what my plans are. I have a nice small customer base and they will only come to me for work. Just did a Cobra that someone else fugged up. The owner has called me several times just to say how much happier he is now and how much better the car is since I worked on it. All my customers give me good referrals but I am way to far out in the boonies and I have a gravel road so that keeps the really nice cars away.
I had a $1200 labor job for a Viper with a blower but he backed out when he discovered I have a gravel road for 2 miles before you hit my property.
Then on super cold days I have no protection from the elements here. I also do not have the cash or credit to be able to build a garrage here. I have looked at it a dozen different ways and fact of the matter is this location sucks. I need someplace with some traffic.
The guy I used to go to was off of a small residential street 5 miles from the nearest town, but he had more business than he knew how to handle. He had a building from these guys:
http://www.us-buildings-direct.com/RepairShops.aspx?gid=16
There is a lot less cost and risk involved running something from your own property. But it is your money and your risk so you have a right to do what you need to do.
Have you thought of looking for investors who don't mind tying up their money for a while? Have you tried for a SBA loan? There are a lot of avenues you can explore to try and do this.
http://www.us-buildings-direct.com/RepairShops.aspx?gid=16
There is a lot less cost and risk involved running something from your own property. But it is your money and your risk so you have a right to do what you need to do.
Have you thought of looking for investors who don't mind tying up their money for a while? Have you tried for a SBA loan? There are a lot of avenues you can explore to try and do this.
Sapperfire
Dedicated LVC Member
I mentioned getting one of those metal buildings, I know a few Mexicans that can lay a slab real cheap. The gravel road may be a problem now Bill, but personally I think it's the safer way, do "side work" until we get alot of clients built up.. Dude my shop advertises on all major radio stations and we have been near dead for a month... Alot of that comes with distrust of my kind of work..but still.. We are on the main road in Waco, so location doesn't mean crap. Keep in mind bro.. OCC started in their BASEMENT
don't get me wrong, I would LOVE to open a shop today, and haul my box right on over, but if we can raise the car port, which I can do personally when we have a welding machine, maybe get a steel shed thing, lay some Crete, it'll raise the value of the property, then you can sell a house with garage. Just ideas...whatever
regardless, when I get the LVC loans paid off, I'm getting an air compressor that can keep up with me, a mig, and a media blaster, maybe even a plasma cutter...I've got a parts washer to pick up when I have the $75 for it
don't get me wrong, I would LOVE to open a shop today, and haul my box right on over, but if we can raise the car port, which I can do personally when we have a welding machine, maybe get a steel shed thing, lay some Crete, it'll raise the value of the property, then you can sell a house with garage. Just ideas...whatever
regardless, when I get the LVC loans paid off, I'm getting an air compressor that can keep up with me, a mig, and a media blaster, maybe even a plasma cutter...I've got a parts washer to pick up when I have the $75 for it