Out of hours garage idea
Discussion
Hi everyone Ive been lurking a while and finally registered.
I have an idea to start my own car repair garage. Im a mechanic with Dealer and non dealer experience, Ive found a unit to work from that isn't too badly priced for rent etc.
My question/idea is to potentially focus on the work lost by other garages by being open later in the day/out of hours. And try to capitalise on the people who are at work all day, flat tyres but no one else is open.
Does anyone think this is a viable idea? What anyone use this type of service?
Thanks for your time
I have an idea to start my own car repair garage. Im a mechanic with Dealer and non dealer experience, Ive found a unit to work from that isn't too badly priced for rent etc.
My question/idea is to potentially focus on the work lost by other garages by being open later in the day/out of hours. And try to capitalise on the people who are at work all day, flat tyres but no one else is open.
Does anyone think this is a viable idea? What anyone use this type of service?
Thanks for your time
glasgowrob said:
great idea a 24/7 garage servicing overnight etc longer jobs getting done when you don't need your car etc. things like punctures and minor running repairs(taxi trade will be your best customers )
one problem though, keeping stock.
unless your going to focus on one marque you wont be able to carry stock for any walk in jobs and your suppliers will be shut
yes stock was the only issue I was thinking of. Anyone booking in work would be ok, And I guess sometimes during the day you can't get parts either ha ha. This part I need to research a bit moreone problem though, keeping stock.
unless your going to focus on one marque you wont be able to carry stock for any walk in jobs and your suppliers will be shut
ModernAndy said:
I don't think the OP is suggesting working through the night. I can see the benefit of being there for people after work up until about 8-9pm when they need a quick job like tyres, exhausts or minor servicing.
The big problem with being open late is if you have any residential buildings nearby, they will complain. There might also be insurance issues (although maybe I'm just being overly paranoid)
Yes this is more what I meant open later on a morning maybe and still open till 8/9pm. Funnily enough there is a halfords nearby. Initially I thought that between 5 and 8 would only be booked in work and punctures etc.The big problem with being open late is if you have any residential buildings nearby, they will complain. There might also be insurance issues (although maybe I'm just being overly paranoid)
I understand there are courtesy cars etc but the amount of customers that say doing this is awkward. I guess it's the after work format a mobile mechanic incorporates of going to someones workplace to service a car in the car park
JimmyConwayNW said:
Problem is company's like euro parts etc who you will be reliant on sending out the correct part for the car during the day.
You then start the job at night when they are closed and then find out the parts are incorrect.
You can't then do anything until the following day.
Car sales business and our workshop regularly do late night working. Would not want to run a business around that model.
Yes this is also true, I'm not thinking of solely being open at night, Iam proposing an "ordinary" garage that has a later opening opportunity for customers that are time deprivedYou then start the job at night when they are closed and then find out the parts are incorrect.
You can't then do anything until the following day.
Car sales business and our workshop regularly do late night working. Would not want to run a business around that model.
bearman68 said:
I run a workshop, and live on site. Effectively I'm open from 7am until 10pm, including weekends.
We get the occasional job on the weekend as an emergency, but bitter experience has taught us to try and do a minimum outside normal hours, as parts and other back up is simply not available.
We do a fair bit of electrics - you want to speak to autodata to see if a particular issue needs a software update? Guess what.
Similarly, we have found that if we make a mistake (and god forbid that people do) the 2 main reasons are - working with someone else, where you thought they did the nuts up, and they thought you did, and simply missing things through being tired. Even with a systematic check, this is really hard to get around, as it's simple human error. I would predict this could be a problem if you are constantly working late.
It's really helpful in my experience for people to drop cars off outside office hours - so generally my role at these times is to meet people, take the keys off them, note exactly what work they want done, and to be friendly and chatty. People seem to like this.
We also run 2 courtesy cars in case of difficulties - and for which we make a modest charge.
I'm not saying we are the most profitable business in the entire universe, but we do OK.
wow, thanks for that insight mate, I guess the occasional late booking but only as and when maybe?We get the occasional job on the weekend as an emergency, but bitter experience has taught us to try and do a minimum outside normal hours, as parts and other back up is simply not available.
We do a fair bit of electrics - you want to speak to autodata to see if a particular issue needs a software update? Guess what.
Similarly, we have found that if we make a mistake (and god forbid that people do) the 2 main reasons are - working with someone else, where you thought they did the nuts up, and they thought you did, and simply missing things through being tired. Even with a systematic check, this is really hard to get around, as it's simple human error. I would predict this could be a problem if you are constantly working late.
It's really helpful in my experience for people to drop cars off outside office hours - so generally my role at these times is to meet people, take the keys off them, note exactly what work they want done, and to be friendly and chatty. People seem to like this.
We also run 2 courtesy cars in case of difficulties - and for which we make a modest charge.
I'm not saying we are the most profitable business in the entire universe, but we do OK.
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