Self Service Auto Repair Shop: thoughts?

[rice_classic]

Basically what I rather do is run a profitable business in the front end and the hobby shop/self serve garage on the side for funzies.

[Tcoat]

Originally Posted by rice_classic

They aren't paying $50/hr. They are paying $40/hr with a lift or $30 with no lift. The $50/hr is ARPU (average revenue per unit). But the median income in this area is quite high so those prices are perfectly reasonable for this area. The parking garages that charge $60-100 per car to park at the Seahawks games are some of the first ones to fill up. People who work downtown commonly pay $300-400/month for parking memberships just so they can park downtown to work. Spending $50 to do something your dealership is going charge $300 for seems pretty reasonable. The standard shop rate for labor is $100/hr in many shops and dealerships it's 110-140/hr. Shit just costs more in the PacNW, almost on par with SanFran.

If I was in Texas or Utah then yes, $20-25/hr makes sense. Also if this was a "bring your own tools" type of shop then I would charge less (less overhead) and more $$ opportunity for tool rental. But one of the target demographics are folks that don't own a bunch of tools (apt dwellers) so I think it's better to be fully outfitted and build that into the cost.


Compare these 2. One's in Kirkland (expensive city) and the other is in Kent (less expensive city). Both seems to be making it work. The one in Kent I believe is planning to open a second location too.

http://stewsgarage.com/ (Kirkland)
http://selfservegarage.com/ (kent)

The reduced rates for the longer periods make more sense and I never factored in that consideration. Pretty hard to tell they are "making it work" from a website though. Those could look so purdy because nobody ever goes there and the guy is loosing his shirt. I don't see his financials posted.
A quick search of them in Canada comes up with nothing. They seem to have completely died out and the little info I could find (forums mostly) all cite the cost of insurance as the reason.
I guess this is a business that is going to work or not based almost entirely upon location.

[why?]

I like the idea, especially with qualified mechanics ready and willing to walk you through and double check your work so you don't absolutely screw something important up.

But those prices seem high. I laugh at the $15 oil change special. Most dealers around here and normal mechanics charge $15 to change your oil just to get you used to coming to there shop, so to pay that and have to pay for the oil/filter/ etc is just funny.

But as you mentioned every area is different, and if it is in a high priced location it might work.

But to make it profitable I think you would need to be talking to every single club in the area, and if you could try to find enough property so you could at least host some type of event as well, like autocross or something. Or maybe a small kart/single car time attack style track. And host meets at all hours. I think it would be a very intensive business to get off the ground, and then if you had cars guys hanging out for meets all the time you could have it be successful as a business. And then you would add side businesses, like car wash, parts shop, fast food restaurant, etc. Basically if you could create a great hangout place for car guys you could make it work.

But if you are affiliated with race clubs and the like it could help jump it off.

[rice_classic]

Oil change at home:
- $4 for a filter, $25 for 5 qts of synthetic
- Jack, Jack stands and a trip to the dump or "other" to dispose of used oil.

Oil change at rent-a-bay:
- $4 for a filter, $25 for 5 qts of synthetic
- $20 not to have to crawl on back and then take 2nd trip to dispose of oil with a dirty oil jug in my trunk.

Let's see here.. I got an extra $20 sittin' around for the luxury of not crawling on my back and having to take my used oil somewhere... I still know it got done right.

[Tcoat]

Originally Posted by rice_classic

Oil change at home:
- $4 for a filter, $25 for 5 qts of synthetic
- Jack, Jack stands and a trip to the dump or "other" to dispose of used oil.

Oil change at rent-a-bay:
- $4 for a filter, $25 for 5 qts of synthetic
- $20 not to have to crawl on back and then take 2nd trip to dispose of oil with a dirty oil jug in my trunk.

Let's see here.. I got an extra $20 sittin' around for the luxury of not crawling on my back and having to take my used oil somewhere... I still know it got done right.

Oil change at a full service shop. $40. Sit and read a magazine and drink coffee for 15 minutes.

[rice_classic]

Originally Posted by Tcoat

Oil change at a full service shop. $40. Sit and read a magazine and drink coffee for 15 minutes.

Sure, where you are.

And is that with Synthetic?

[Tcoat]

Originally Posted by rice_classic

Sure, where you are.

And is that with Synthetic?

Yep. I like it because I am lazy.

[rice_classic]

You literally can't buy 5.5qts of a decent synthetic + decent filter here for under $40.

You can probably get a fram orange can and 6 qts of Walmart brand synthetic for just under $40 after tax.

You goddamn Canadians!

[Tcoat]

Originally Posted by rice_classic

You literally can't buy 5.5qts of a decent synthetic + decent filter here for under $40.

You can probably get a fram orange can and 6 qts of Walmart brand synthetic for just under $40 after tax.

You goddamn Canadians!

Well they are getting it in bulk so they can charge less. Would cost way more to go out and buy the oil here as well. I did visually confirm it is the right stuff before my first change. I put so many miles on that I have to get the oil changed every 8 weeks so I shopped for the least expensive that still met the requirements.