Would a fixed price 'extras' business be viable?
Discussion
Ok half-hearted idea but give me some thoughts?
Would a mobile (I come to you) service whereby there is a fixed-price plugs + air filter + cabin filter + drive belt + brake fluid change only be a viable business? ie all the expensive add-ons that dealers use to ramp up the costs, not the actual service itself.
Thereby still allowing owners to have the minor and major services done at OPC but the items above done at say half OPC price. I imagine two things: a) even if I was rich I wouldn't want to pay large amounts of money if not necessary, and b) the official Porsche service history is intact, but those parts could now be affordabley changed every two years.
I'm in London so large market within reach.
It's only a pie-in-the-sky musing but interested in your thoughts. (as it happens I did a ford main dealer vehicle apprenticeship when I was younger so I know my way around a spanner).
Right, flame suit on
Would a mobile (I come to you) service whereby there is a fixed-price plugs + air filter + cabin filter + drive belt + brake fluid change only be a viable business? ie all the expensive add-ons that dealers use to ramp up the costs, not the actual service itself.
Thereby still allowing owners to have the minor and major services done at OPC but the items above done at say half OPC price. I imagine two things: a) even if I was rich I wouldn't want to pay large amounts of money if not necessary, and b) the official Porsche service history is intact, but those parts could now be affordabley changed every two years.
I'm in London so large market within reach.
It's only a pie-in-the-sky musing but interested in your thoughts. (as it happens I did a ford main dealer vehicle apprenticeship when I was younger so I know my way around a spanner).
Right, flame suit on
I think the majority of people using OPC to get the stamps either can't be bothered to use 2 services, or wouldn't trust a non OPC to touch their car for right or wrong
I can't see the cost savings being that great anyway for the hassle
For newer more valuable cars a lot of the value is connected to the service history and OPC stamps plus further servicing from an unknown third party wouldn't go down well, especially come trade in time when dealers look for any reason to chip owners, also OPCs would not want to retail such a car and many people using OPC for servicing would be buying / selling via OPC as they have more money than sense
Plus the warranty issues
A travelling mechanic doesn't work on many levels but mainly people want well established business with premises and reputation, and also if anything unexpected happens during the work, the infrastructure to store the car securely whilst it may be partially dismantled or use industrial processes such as welding that are not easily transported to fix things
I just can't see this being a feasible business so .... ahm oot
I can't see the cost savings being that great anyway for the hassle
For newer more valuable cars a lot of the value is connected to the service history and OPC stamps plus further servicing from an unknown third party wouldn't go down well, especially come trade in time when dealers look for any reason to chip owners, also OPCs would not want to retail such a car and many people using OPC for servicing would be buying / selling via OPC as they have more money than sense
Plus the warranty issues
A travelling mechanic doesn't work on many levels but mainly people want well established business with premises and reputation, and also if anything unexpected happens during the work, the infrastructure to store the car securely whilst it may be partially dismantled or use industrial processes such as welding that are not easily transported to fix things
I just can't see this being a feasible business so .... ahm oot
I did similar about 30 years ago, worked a treat then.
Doubt it would now.
Trends change mobile mechanic doesn't sit right with a lot of people.
Unless your working on a 10 year Ford for peanuts.
A better idea might be a mobile code reader, following up with repairs.....
Like Egr valves, air bag sensors, Abs etc etc. As long as you know what your doing.
Just my thoughts on it.
HTH
Dave
Doubt it would now.
Trends change mobile mechanic doesn't sit right with a lot of people.
Unless your working on a 10 year Ford for peanuts.
A better idea might be a mobile code reader, following up with repairs.....
Like Egr valves, air bag sensors, Abs etc etc. As long as you know what your doing.
Just my thoughts on it.
HTH
Dave
Hi I'm managing to cross-post which is messing things up. How about this from my other thread?:
Edit: (This one here)
So possibly there would be potential for a travelling fault-diagnosis service and minor repairs eg if the fault was o2 sensor / fault clearing / reading over-revs etc
http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&a...
CoolHands said:
ooid said:
If you were an independent Porsche Road Assistance, I see a major potential for your business 
Most of our cars are covered by break down, but I've never met a road assistance yet equipped or knowledgable to open or basic check mid or rear engine porsches. They are clueless and quite scared to touch anything -obviously- so even for a small repair, they can just tow it to the garage.
That's quite interesting, I don't know if you saw my other thread?Most of our cars are covered by break down, but I've never met a road assistance yet equipped or knowledgable to open or basic check mid or rear engine porsches. They are clueless and quite scared to touch anything -obviously- so even for a small repair, they can just tow it to the garage.
Edit: (This one here)
So possibly there would be potential for a travelling fault-diagnosis service and minor repairs eg if the fault was o2 sensor / fault clearing / reading over-revs etc
Edited by CoolHands on Thursday 11th August 22:21
CoolHands said:
Hi I'm managing to cross-post which is messing things up. How about this from my other thread?:
Edit: (This one here)
So possibly there would be potential for a travelling fault-diagnosis service and minor repairs eg if the fault was o2 sensor / fault clearing / reading over-revs etc
http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&a...
Not sure how that would work - you read the codes, tell them the problem they then still have to get the car recovered or drive to a local indy. Why would they just not go straight to the indy who can do the diagnosis and repair?CoolHands said:
ooid said:
If you were an independent Porsche Road Assistance, I see a major potential for your business
Most of our cars are covered by break down, but I've never met a road assistance yet equipped or knowledgable to open or basic check mid or rear engine porsches. They are clueless and quite scared to touch anything -obviously- so even for a small repair, they can just tow it to the garage.
That's quite interesting, I don't know if you saw my other thread?Most of our cars are covered by break down, but I've never met a road assistance yet equipped or knowledgable to open or basic check mid or rear engine porsches. They are clueless and quite scared to touch anything -obviously- so even for a small repair, they can just tow it to the garage.
Edit: (This one here)
So possibly there would be potential for a travelling fault-diagnosis service and minor repairs eg if the fault was o2 sensor / fault clearing / reading over-revs etc
Edited by CoolHands on Thursday 11th August 22:21
Fault diagnosis alone is a niche area. Sure most people want to know what is wrong with the car but the most important thing is a cost effective repair. Restricting this to just Porsche is obviously very limiting. With a laptop and a durametric you can plug in and diagnose most things and you'd only have to invest a few hundred.
CoolHands said:
Ok half-hearted idea but give me some thoughts?
Would a mobile (I come to you) service whereby there is a fixed-price plugs + air filter + cabin filter + drive belt + brake fluid change only be a viable business? ie all the expensive add-ons that dealers use to ramp up the costs, not the actual service itself.
Thereby still allowing owners to have the minor and major services done at OPC but the items above done at say half OPC price. I imagine two things: a) even if I was rich I wouldn't want to pay large amounts of money if not necessary, and b) the official Porsche service history is intact, but those parts could now be affordabley changed every two years.
I'm in London so large market within reach.
It's only a pie-in-the-sky musing but interested in your thoughts. (as it happens I did a ford main dealer vehicle apprenticeship when I was younger so I know my way around a spanner).
Right, flame suit on
I think it's a great idea, but I think it's the 5-10 year old cars you'd mostly be picking up. For whatever reason, some people keep up the opc history, are prepared to get other stuff done outside the network, but don't do it themselves. But in my admittedly limited experience of servicing at opc's, the customer has to tell them what "extras" need doing, remind them and then insist on it. For example when asking for quotes for the 96k mile service for my 996 (and the 4 year service on my Boxster Spyder before it) I had to point out that the service schedule required the plugs changing. Did the quote for the service include the plugs? (And the transmission oil on the 996)? No. If it's specified in the service schedule and I ask for a quote for that service, I expect the quote to include those items. It seems sometimes the customer has to be more diligent than the servicing garage so I can see the attraction of letting the garage do their thing, paying less for it, and then getting someone like you to do the rest. Would a mobile (I come to you) service whereby there is a fixed-price plugs + air filter + cabin filter + drive belt + brake fluid change only be a viable business? ie all the expensive add-ons that dealers use to ramp up the costs, not the actual service itself.
Thereby still allowing owners to have the minor and major services done at OPC but the items above done at say half OPC price. I imagine two things: a) even if I was rich I wouldn't want to pay large amounts of money if not necessary, and b) the official Porsche service history is intact, but those parts could now be affordabley changed every two years.
I'm in London so large market within reach.
It's only a pie-in-the-sky musing but interested in your thoughts. (as it happens I did a ford main dealer vehicle apprenticeship when I was younger so I know my way around a spanner).
Right, flame suit on
Wow thanks for positive feedback!
The reason I also thought the ecu reader could be a goer (in conjunction with the physical extras such as plugs) is because I could offer all the option choices that can be enabled / disabled too eg daytime running lights on or off, seat belt chime etc; which OPCs might not be willing to do. Can anyone tell me if they are aware if OPCs will do things like that, or are they resistant?
Sometimes you want all your codes read / reset for various reasons but don't want to go to an main dealer to have it done. I know I did on occasion in the past when I had a vw.
I could also use vcds for vw / Audi group for the same purposes to try and ensure a big enough market to make it viable ie try and get a full order book. I could also look into Mercedes to see if there is anything similar there which I don't know about.
Cheers
The reason I also thought the ecu reader could be a goer (in conjunction with the physical extras such as plugs) is because I could offer all the option choices that can be enabled / disabled too eg daytime running lights on or off, seat belt chime etc; which OPCs might not be willing to do. Can anyone tell me if they are aware if OPCs will do things like that, or are they resistant?
Sometimes you want all your codes read / reset for various reasons but don't want to go to an main dealer to have it done. I know I did on occasion in the past when I had a vw.
I could also use vcds for vw / Audi group for the same purposes to try and ensure a big enough market to make it viable ie try and get a full order book. I could also look into Mercedes to see if there is anything similar there which I don't know about.
Cheers
For Merc there is STAR. Your biggest competition is the specialist and enthusiast forums. There are hundreds of users there with the same software and most will do this sort of thing for free. You will have to think about pricing and how you will cover costs especially if you are mobile around slow London traffic. Half an hour appointment but 1.5 hr round travel time means barely 5 appointments a day.
And yes OPC and Indys will do all the obd drl etc things.
And yes OPC and Indys will do all the obd drl etc things.
Edited by edc on Friday 12th August 22:03
For what it's worth I'm such an owner suggested above with 2 cars at 10 years old. My preferred route is a good relationship with a trusted local Indy. I have this for my Porsche and I get favourable labour rates and the odd small jobs done for free when the car is in for a service or mods. Similarly my mobile Merc mechanic who does my C55 is relatively so cheap there's no need to engage a service like yours and then do the rest of the work with him as the tiny saving if any will be wiped out by the time hassle. Both will also fit parts I source.
CoolHands said:
Wow thanks for positive feedback!
The reason I also thought the ecu reader could be a goer (in conjunction with the physical extras such as plugs) is because I could offer all the option choices that can be enabled / disabled too eg daytime running lights on or off, seat belt chime etc; which OPCs might not be willing to do. Can anyone tell me if they are aware if OPCs will do things like that, or are they resistant?
Sometimes you want all your codes read / reset for various reasons but don't want to go to an main dealer to have it done. I know I did on occasion in the past when I had a vw.
I could also use vcds for vw / Audi group for the same purposes to try and ensure a big enough market to make it viable ie try and get a full order book. I could also look into Mercedes to see if there is anything similar there which I don't know about.
Cheers
Could you also offer PPIs?The reason I also thought the ecu reader could be a goer (in conjunction with the physical extras such as plugs) is because I could offer all the option choices that can be enabled / disabled too eg daytime running lights on or off, seat belt chime etc; which OPCs might not be willing to do. Can anyone tell me if they are aware if OPCs will do things like that, or are they resistant?
Sometimes you want all your codes read / reset for various reasons but don't want to go to an main dealer to have it done. I know I did on occasion in the past when I had a vw.
I could also use vcds for vw / Audi group for the same purposes to try and ensure a big enough market to make it viable ie try and get a full order book. I could also look into Mercedes to see if there is anything similar there which I don't know about.
Cheers
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