Car Hobby Shop

[jwibbity]

OK i got a business proposition for you guys......ok here it goes.....:D:D

For the veterans on the board, you should be familiar with the auto hobby shops on military bases. For all those who don't know it was basically a place to take your car during the week or on the weekends to work on it. You could chage your oil, change shocks/struts, change tires, use lifts, etc.....

I was thinking of opening my own sorta hobby shop for those who don't have access to military bases or live close to one. It would be kinda like a garage set up, 4-5 lifts, a basic set of tools of tools for each station, tire change machine, wheel balancing machine, drill presses, suspension compression stand thingies :D, trans and engine hoists and stands, pretty much everything you need to do something on your car.

Was also thinking of hiring maybe a licensed mechanic or 2 to actually work in the shop itself to help customers use machines or give guidance for any type of maintenance to be done.

Could also become an Amsoil dealer and have their products and things in the shop for purchase, oil, trans fluid, filters, etc.

I've talked to my wife and various other people from all walks of life and they seem to think its a good idea, but i would like to get some opinions from guys who actually maintain their own cars and junk.

The services that would be chargeable would be using the lift per hour, tire change/balance, overnight storage of car or engine/trans. For example a guy comes in to change his oil. He signs in, waits for a lift to be open, gets in, changes his oil and everything, then when the time comes he would just have to pay for using the lift for however long he was there typically less than an hour.

If you respond to this post I want specifics behind your reasons about anything inlcuding start up costs, how much to charge for services, signing waiver forms before using shop facilities, etc.

This is something I have thought about for a long time and would like honest opinions, no :bs: please.......ok maybe a little bit:P:P

[whitey]

I dont see it working, a lot of overhead, liability, and not much money to be made. Think about it, i can change oil/fluids on the ground, change wheels, tires can be mounted and balanced for $20 a pop. Anybody with the know how of pulling an engine usually already has the equipment to do so, or has access to it. While there are things easier done on a lift, a lot of things can be done with the car on the ground. I dont think youll make money off of it, atleast not until years upon years later. Upkeep on machinery, insurance, payroll, mortgage, electric.....lots of bills to pay with what i assume would be little income. Just my. 02

[slickster]

Also make it a used carlot

[lji372]

Mostly agree with whitey.


I think your title says it all.
Get a group of friends to go in on renting a spot and it could be affordable. Great idea but imagine trying to save people from themselves.

I believe the liability insurance would bankrupt you. Although you could make a killing on the webcams!!

[whitey]

Dont get me wrong, its a great idea to me, id love it, but ask the general population on who changes their oil.....99% of people dont do it themselves.

[L.Mark]

Mostly agree with whitey.


I think your title says it all.
Get a group of friends to go in on renting a spot and it could be affordable. Great idea but imagine trying to save people from themselves.

I believe the liability insurance would bankrupt you. Although you could make a killing on the webcams of me in my back seat!!


fixed it for you...:beer:

[jwibbity]

I dont see it working, a lot of overhead, liability, and not much money to be made. Think about it, i can change oil/fluids on the ground, change wheels, tires can be mounted and balanced for $20 a pop. Anybody with the know how of pulling an engine usually already has the equipment to do so, or has access to it. While there are things easier done on a lift, a lot of things can be done with the car on the ground. I dont think youll make money off of it, atleast not until years upon years later. Upkeep on machinery, insurance, payroll, mortgage, electric.....lots of bills to pay with what i assume would be little income. Just my. 02

Thanks for the input, thats kinda what i thought too but i just thought about how hard or impossible somethings can be to do in your driveway, like any drive train work, trans, rear end, etc... and most services would be able to be done by another shop but sometimes people wonder what really goes on when they go behind that closed door alone with your car, this would give them an opportunity to do it themselves and now its done correctly or to their liking.

Mostly agree with whitey.


I think your title says it all.
Get a group of friends to go in on renting a spot and it could be affordable. Great idea but imagine trying to save people from themselves.

I believe the liability insurance would bankrupt you. Although you could make a killing on the webcams!!

there would be a realease/ liability statement that would be signed upon using any of the shops facilities that i think would cover everything, and yes the place would have security cameras and the complex ewuipment like lifts and tire peeler thingy would be ran only by the mechanics


Dont get me wrong, its a great idea to me, id love it, but ask the general population on who changes their oil.....99% of people dont do it themselves.

I would think like more of a 70/30 split. This would be geared more towards people with cars past their factory warranty, not brand new cars. Like guys who own older car but dont have the facilities to really work on them..

[Mr. Man]

Don't know about your area but used motor oil up here is considered hazardous waste so disposal of said oil and other fluids could be costly as well as dealing with your states DEP.

[jwibbity]

The main reason I started this thread is because i recently changed my oil for the first time without using the on-base hobby shop i was accustomed too. What took me less than 30 minutes and cost $3 bucks now took well over an hour and wasn't enjoyable in the least. I was just thinking, If i had access to a hobby shop this would be so easy.....I'm thinking more on the convenience side than anything else...

[jwibbity]

Don't know about your area but used motor oil up here is considered hazardous waste so disposal of said oil and other fluids could be costly as well as dealing with your states DEP.

You got me on that, didnt even think of fluid disposal.....

[martyo]

You got me on that, didnt even think of fluid disposal.....

If you have enough, you companies will pay you to pick it up.

[justbob]

Been working for this outfit for a few years.
http://www.pitrow-diy.com

Last I checked on leasing an equipment list of my needs (and of course, I am needy :) ), and securing a good location, I stopped counting mid 300's, kept my day job and continued my super hero gig at nights.


Self proclaimed Builder Of Badassery.

Buy it, Break it, Build it BETTER.
"Since 2004"

[ajdereicup]

Like what what's his name was doing in the movie Christine? Garage for rent type thing?

[IwantmyMMnow!]

It's a good concept, but remember....the reason for hobby shops on bases/posts/etc was because we were not allowed to work on our cars at home....don't want military housing to look like 'Al's maniac mechanic shop", plus another way to make us spend money on base...

[Jeffonebuck]

Good Point ^^^^. If I were thinking of opening one up I would do a survey of where these shops are and the size and type of area they are using as a base for revenue and would contact the ones that are not going to be in the area you would pull from to get the good and the bad side of the business .


Sent from my Tapatalk using Morris Code

[Bigdogjim]

They had these around when I was growing up. There all gone now mainly do to liability insurance cost. I missed having them around back then.

[NavySeabee]

They opened one up in my area not long ago. I can't find the local website though. Below link is similar and on topic...

http://selfservegarage.com/about

[cj7chris]

This opened in DFW about a year ago. I stopped in while they were building it and its pretty big, located in the industrial park part of town.

http://jackjunkies.com/index.html

[jimlam56]

A couple of guys tried this in Jacksonville, opened in 2008 closed in 2009.
I thought it was great, used them several times, but the economy tanked and they were OOB.