An EV/Hybrid Specialist Garage?

[crosseyedlion]

Hi all

Looking at reopening my garage in the next year or 2, but currently working on a business plan.

I'd be daft not to use my electric vehicle safety & functional training gained at a large midlands based OEM.

My question is - are there many garages that specialise in electric cars? Do you seek out/would you seek out a specialist independent? (remember block-exemption rules mean a manufacturers warranty is not invalidated, so perfect for leased cars)

Putting the feelers out atm, I don't have anything to advertise.

[jamoor]

crosseyedlion said:

Hi all

Looking at reopening my garage in the next year or 2, but currently working on a business plan.

I'd be daft not to use my electric vehicle safety & functional training gained at a large midlands based OEM.

My question is - are there many garages that specialise in electric cars? Do you seek out/would you seek out a specialist independent? (remember block-exemption rules mean a manufacturers warranty is not invalidated, so perfect for leased cars)

Putting the feelers out atm, I don't have anything to advertise.

Well, out of interest what maintenance do you have to do that any other trained mechanic cannot?

[crosseyedlion]

jamoor said:

Well, out of interest what maintenance do you have to do that any other trained mechanic cannot?

Its mostly safety in dealing with High Voltage automotive systems. Understanding the different components and diagnosing.

In reality, any garage even servicing an EV shouldn't undertake the work unless all their staff have been correctly trained in HV systems.

They still have cooling systems, brakes, suspension etc...

[otolith]

I suppose the question for the punter is "what will a specialist know that another mechanic won't, which will benefit me" - as opposed to what they know which will stop the mechanics getting electrocuted.

[crosseyedlion]

otolith said:

I suppose the question for the punter is "what will a specialist know that another mechanic won't, which will benefit me" - as opposed to what they know which will stop the mechanics getting electrocuted.

An interesting way to look at it, I'll bare it in mind. Thanks.

[austinsmirk]

having rented a leaf (PCP) I treat it as a throwaway car for the wife. I care not about it repair (obviously)

what strikes me as part of a FB leaf group, is I think the owners of such cars are few and far between, everyone seems to be leasing/PCP - thus yr market for customers might be very very small.

also, nothing actually seems to go wrong with them- i.e financially, sticking with ICE cars would seem to be a better business model.

here and there, there is some moaning about possible battery level, bar dropping- but the default answer is, of course, warranty and get Nissan to pay for it.


on this forum, are there any tales of drivers with EV/hybrid issues- that give you an idea of models, typical defects that would give you a market ?

are you located where there is a good concentration of owners ?

but- it could be a good business to get into, early and establish yourself- certainly I think this is the future of motoring and I wouldn't replace the car for another diesel one !

[98elise]

crosseyedlion said:

Hi all

Looking at reopening my garage in the next year or 2, but currently working on a business plan.

I'd be daft not to use my electric vehicle safety & functional training gained at a large midlands based OEM.

My question is - are there many garages that specialise in electric cars? Do you seek out/would you seek out a specialist independent? (remember block-exemption rules mean a manufacturers warranty is not invalidated, so perfect for leased cars)

Putting the feelers out atm, I don't have anything to advertise.

Look at the servicing for a Tesla, its almost non existent and not even required to maintain the warranty. The service plan is wildly expensive for what it is, so should be easy money

[crosseyedlion]

98elise said:

Look at the servicing for a Tesla, its almost non existent and not even required to maintain the warranty. The service plan is wildly expensive for what it is, so should be easy money

Good call.

Looking at the Tesla site the prices are shockingly expensive:
https://www.tesla.com/en_GB/support/maintenance-pl...

And only 7 service centres serving approx over 10000 cars (1428 per centre!)

The issues being updating the service logs and the fact that I imagine most owners purchase a service pack with the car?! (Maybe some Tesla owners can advise/share thoughts?)

Edited by crosseyedlion on Wednesday 29th March 16:26

[Heres Johnny]

Body shop work is very lucrative, tesla owners get charged stupid money for repairs over the slightest thing. A bottom ball joint or something snapped on a car in the US after hitting a pothole and Tesla official repairer wanted to change the whole front suspension, steering rack, can't recall the full list but ran to 5 figures.

Cars will be coming out of warranty soon (tesla is only 50k miles on everything but battery and motor) but door handles, suspension, (it's a 2.5 ton car), cooling, all sorts will go. There are also after market updates like fitting electric tailgate that Tesla don't offer, uprating headlights etc. I'm sure there's a niche soon for an aftermarket tesla guru. Do t know about other makes.

[98elise]

crosseyedlion said:

98elise said:

Look at the servicing for a Tesla, its almost non existent and not even required to maintain the warranty. The service plan is wildly expensive for what it is, so should be easy money

Good call.

Looking at the Tesla site the prices are shockingly expensive:
https://www.tesla.com/en_GB/support/maintenance-pl...

And only 7 service centres serving approx over 10000 cars (1428 per centre!)

The issues being updating the service logs and the fact that I imagine most owners purchase a service pack with the car?! (Maybe some Tesla owners can advise/share thoughts?)

Edited by crosseyedlion on Wednesday 29th March 16:26

I'm seriously thinking of starting my own indie Tesla servicing. I've serviced and maintained all manner of electronic, electrical, and mechanical systems. Most of them vastly more expensive and complex than an EV. I now work in IT but I'm looking to get out of it in the next few years...and I also have a tesla on order

[Truckosaurus]

I suspect it will be a good niche to get into, especially if you can offer a service that main dealers cannot such as replacing individual cells that have failed rather than replacing the whole battery pack.

There must be plenty of aged hybrids getting serviced outside the dealer network, so someone must know what most backstreet garages think of them (do they just ignore the electric parts during a service and pretend to be busy if someone actually has a problem with the electric parts).

Also, as others have said if main dealers are charging over the odds for 'servicing' an EV which an indie could do much cheaper and quicker then that's another angle to push (Ads saying "EV service/inspection in 30mins while you wait")

Finally. I bet installing a decent (free?) charging point on your forecourt would get you in contact with every electric/plug-in hybrid car owner in town within a few weeks to get your name known.

[peterperkins]

This is exactly what I do, but I only look after two models of car which are rare in the UK.
Honda Insight Mk1 1999-2006 and Honda Civic HCH1 2003-2005. Prob only 1000 altogether.
I only do the hybrid stuff and farm out the oily stuff to my mate who has a garage.
I specialise in the battery and electronics stuff and offer various gadgets.
It's a niche market and very suitable for the enthusiast with the right knowledge.

[Heres Johnny]

DELETED: Comment made by a member who's account has been deleted.

Timing is key plus some detailed research on things like parts availability. It may even be worth buying salvage cars and stripping them both for the understanding and the parts. Tesla I imagine would withstand higher rates but would have lower volume. I'd compare it to a niche Porsche, Aston Martin or Ferrari dealer as the cars are in that price bracket (certainly Porsche).

[crosseyedlion]

Thanks all for your food for thought.

I've been communicating with Tesla's customer service about parts ordering channels for independent workshops and updating service histories. Its a bit like talking to a potato.

"All apologies but Tesla has no official independent network of authorised repairers or sellers of Tesla vehicles in any country.

Tesla doesn’t use an official dealership network either as we rely on wholly owned Sales and Service points so there is no way of becoming a dealership at this time."

This is a: not an answer and b: not supplying parts and access to service history updates would be against EU (soon to be UK) block exemption rules.

I'll keep chipping away at it...

[jamoor]

crosseyedlion said:

Thanks all for your food for thought.

I've been communicating with Tesla's customer service about parts ordering channels for independent workshops and updating service histories. Its a bit like talking to a potato.

"All apologies but Tesla has no official independent network of authorised repairers or sellers of Tesla vehicles in any country.

Tesla doesn’t use an official dealership network either as we rely on wholly owned Sales and Service points so there is no way of becoming a dealership at this time."

This is a: not an answer and b: not supplying parts and access to service history updates would be against EU (soon to be UK) block exemption rules.

I'll keep chipping away at it...

Yes this is, you should report it to trading standards.

At the moment they are too small to be noticed, they are trying to behave like the computer industry except there are laws against doing so.

[Heres Johnny]

You must be able to buy parts of some type as my Tesla was repaired at an independent garage, not approved by Tesla, and they sourced the bits. I can't believe there's an pattern part market either. As others have said, keep chipping away as the barriers may be an advantage. Getting hold of the parts catalogue may be the first step, I'm trying to recall it its ever been published.


edit: Found this

https://service.teslamotors.com/

Edited by Heres Johnny on Friday 31st March 16:30