Tips For Opening An Automotive Service Shop
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- Опубліковано 17 лис 2016
- Ryan went from Audi dealer tech to owning his own shop. He did what many mechanics dream of. He took his knowledge as a tech, and started his own shop!
Check out Blair Automotive ~ www.blairautomotive.com/
Blair Automotive on FB ~ / blairautomotive
Join us today as we talk:
~Struggles as a dealer tech
~Opening the doors of your own shop
~The hardest parts of being a shop owner
~Is it really worth it?
~and more
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This is by far my favorite Humble Mechanic Video
I have worked with 15 techs in my 22 years as a tech who either
owned a shop of currently own an Independent shop. This sounds
about right based on the feedback I got from my friends who took the leap.
It's the hard road. You are risking your own money and will work longer
and harder for a long time before your business will be to a point where
you can walk away and go to SEMA for a week.
It's not for everybody,
I"m a Nissan Master Tech who flags big hours, have a lot of 410k money socked away
and have decided that is is not for me and have accepted being a small part of a big machine. Just because you are an awesome tech don't mean that starting a shop is the answer.
Thanks for the kind words. I am sure that Ryan will love hearing that too.
You really nailed it when you said it's not for everyone. I think it's important to understand who you are, and where you want to be. Neither of the choices are wrong, as long as you are doing what is the best for you, your family, and your heart!
Wrench on man!!!
If you want to open an automotive shop I found these guys who help find funding onlinefundingsolution.com Check them out!
My Son is 2 years into Apprenticeship to be a tech. His goal is to own his own shop. Good insights.
AWESOME. Best of wish to him
Owning your own shop is awesome. I would recommend anyone thinking about it should do it ! There has never been a better time to be an independent. There are no limitations on the tooling and information available today. I feel more challenged and my skills have improved greatly since breaking away from the dealership. You need to stay current and challenge yourself daily.
Hey Charles! I think this was a great video. I just started working at a Subaru specialist shop. we are cutting heads and doing all oem parts unless asked for NAPA parts per customer. we have maybe 1 come back in 3 month span. people love the shop and I also love my shop and working for us. it is only a 4 person shop with a alignment rack. thabks for this video- i hated the dealer life and really like the fact that people can see and talk to the person touching their vehicle.
Great content. Great Friday desk work viewing.
thank for bring tht to us, charles.
thumbs up for u.- keep strong wooki wooki 💪😎
well there isn't often instant success, unless you have a million bucks for all the shop needs and advertising. as a previous dealer tech where most might be under apreciated, I can say it is much better to work in the after market. If you specialize on a specific brand, then you may be limiting yourself. I really love working on just about everything, there might be struggles but it makes me look forward to getting things done quickly so I can move onto the next car. electric system diagnosis is huge in this field. i feel there is so much diversity in this field but almost all systems are going electrical. best thing for anyone wanting to build their business is to test the waters, so to speak. take on a few side jobs. get referrals and just use word of mouth. This may make for a slightly smoother transition.
Awesome video, highly inspirational. Man I'd like to be same far at one point, even though I'd be more interested in restoration. Should finally finish the school in spring, then the jouney can really begin.
Love it ! Great insight.
I needed that. Thanks so much
this is great charles im thinking about making the move from my dealership to having my own shop. this really brings a lot of things to light. thanks#ToyotaMan
+ToyTech816 awesome man. Let me know if I can help in any way.
More of these!
Good info!
I totally identify with him when he said that he lost the enthusiast mindset. I got into the business as an enthusiast but the dealer hustle and politics beat it out of me. You turn around one day and you've become the old grumpy tech telling the new guys to get into a more lucrative field. That's what I eventually did but will always be a gearhead at heart.
Great information for anyone thinking about making the jump. My local guy is a good tech but he's terrible at dealing with customers. You have to be "everything". Great stuff guys!
If you can't do the accounting, don't do your own business. There is a different mentality between successful business owners and job people. Do you know how, where, and even IF to advertise? Can you afford a brick and mortar place? What do you do if your building lease changes and your rent goes up 20%? 30%? 50%? Moving costs money.
Time is another factor. You can work on cars 8 hours per day if have to clientele. And clients don't come at your schedule, there are feast/famine periods, and it always happens.
As a business owner, you will be targeted by the IRS. You are much more likely to be audited.
Are you good at budgeting? You have to budget EVERY DOLLAR that comes in. Accounting is at least as important as wrenching, probably more so. Brick and mortar business expenses are incredibly high, especially insurance. Several types of insurance for yourself and employees (you may be forced to insure employees).
It is better to own, but the responsibilities go up exponentially.
One of the most important thing I learned in Business is that you have to be at the shop to work. I know it's a no brainer, but a guy I know is an Awesome and smart Tech that owns his own two bay shop but is hardly there.
He is always taking time off or is being with his girlfriend. When you work with the public, You better serve the public.
Great video guys, really nice to see this kind of videos telling it how it is. Hi Ryan, Do you advertise that you are a vw/audi expert? if yes, did you request vw/audi for authorization to use their name. thank you.
It is a lot more hassle to work for yourself , But you make a lot more money. I've been self employed for 8 and a half years now. Even the first year I made a little more money than I did when I worked for someone else.
Heh... I used to have my shop less than a block from Blair... they moved in about a month after I left :)
So, Do your homework & be prepared because it isn't easy!
D@mn fine subject, guys!
Got any tips for the track wiring diagrams VW uses?
not to rag on dealer guys but independant shops are an entire different world, with a slightly different customer base and as for technicians at indy shops there are some of the most expierenced tecs in the business working on a multitude of brands ages and types of vehicles, problems and stuff that may rarely come into a dealership but not to say there arent some extremely hack lousy sloppy ripoff indy shops out there but that in it of itself is a different issue.
I don't consider that ragging. That is pretty accurate in a lot of ways.
3 months into running my 1 man shop.. only dream to get there someday
Keep at it man!
I am 1.5 years in
I am trying to start my own shop, which may be a 1 or 2 man initially, do you have any advice so far?
Focus on your strengths and hire for your weaknesses.
Also do right by the customers.
3months in also
Adding smog check to it also 🙏
Marketing is the hardest part regarding of the business. I can open any small business with minimum money but it takes double the cash to market and bring in clients.
I am also in the process of doing these same thing. I look forward too more small business info?
AWESOME man. Good luck.
I want to open my own shop the problem is I want to own the property not lease it and any day if stuff hits the fan i can be evicted from the property with my money sitting out of reach. Also money is a problem, all these shops by me for sale are very low end low ceiling dark and run down shops that need a lot of work to get going which i don't mind doing but they're for sale for a lot of money! Not to mention I'm finishing up tech school and trying to get promoted to continue to save more money once i switch hourly to hourly + sale bonus
Doesn’t matter what business you pick nothing is easy, if it was easy then everyone would do it. Once you figure it out and have systems in place then it becomes easier. If you really want it bad enough you can do it.
Dude I think I saw you today in cary. I think it was you but I was waiting on parts so I could not chase you down.
+tazbig haha that was most likely me. :)
+tazbig are you from NC?
does blair automotive have youtube channel?
I'm going to uti soon and they give a $1000 voucher for snap on which tools do you recommend I get with that voucher. thanks
I highly
hand tools. Ratchets, wrenches
HumbleMechanic Thanks, love your videos btw
PandaMonium if you can use that voucher on the tool truck, hit up the trade in bins, if that truck has it, snap on makes damn fine tools, but they are expensive and before you know it you'll have spent that 1k up only to find that you got 1/2 sockets but no ratchet to go with it.
PandaMonium
I went to UTI back in 87/88. There was no $1000 voucher back then, but that it matters as it's still your own money. Snap On makes great tools. But you get more bang for your buck buying used!!!. I got out of the business about 5 years ago. I was offered a job being the Maintenance Supervisor at a food factory. It's a completely different job. Dealing with electrical up to 480 volts. Steam fire cooking. Nitrogen for freezing. I install and remove industrial machines. I working on pulling out one of the 2 long tunnel Freezers we have, for a new type of freezing unit using nitrogen. It's always something new and different. I'm the one unseating these things and figuring out how I'm going to connect it all up. None of it just plugs in. I also have to think of safely and making things as idiot proof as I can.
I did think many times about opening up my own auto repair shop. The place I used to work at got sold to a new person who I really didn't like. He was a jerk to everyone including customers. I had worked there for 18 years. So it was a big jump to take in this completely new job. If/when something breaks down, it's on me to fix it fast, or figure out a work around, as there's thousands of dollars of product on the line and people are stranding around watching you as you try and figure out what's going on. That can be nerve wracking. So I'm removing these large tunnel Freezers while trying to finish a new packaging line in a back room pretty much by myself. They need that soon. The clock is ticking on everything.
I'm glad I did make the change. I do have thousands of dollars in tools I rarely use now sitting in my garage. I still work on my own cars. Having worked in the industry and seeing a lot of dumb things, even from the techs at the dealerships, I'd never let anyone work on my cars if I don't have to. I let a shop replace a tire on my truck. Before I did ask the work, they screwed up the cable crank for the spare tire and they're clueless how to operate one and not do that. I don't have access to a tire machine or balancer anymore. I also miss access to a rack. Doing things on the ground these days suck.
Starting up any business these days on your own it's very hard to do. It's almost impossible. I give props to anyone that gives it a shot.
4-Post lifts (if you have the room) are fairly inexpensive, same with tire machines (especially used). Always a thought! As soon as I have a taller garage that is not being used as storage picking these up myself for convenience.
www.blairautomotive.com @blairauto on instagram if you have any questions!
Build up your side business first work under the table and build your clientele before ever considering a brick and mortar location
hey humble mechanic should I open a shop in the philppines let me know thank
If you want to, make it happen!!!!
old boy pretty much just described south main auto.
yer good one LOL !
SWEET!
Got to have money to make money
What's the booth called? * corner?
HAHA, it was on the side of the booth. It is the angle we are staying at that makes it look odd
HumbleMechanic But, what was the booth next to yours. It mentions something about educational videos. I wanted to see if they're on UA-cam. Thanks
what college do you reccomend or know alot of good techs go to ? im planning in going to houston community college or lonestar college and get my AAS degree in automotive tech staying away from uti i keep hearing its a rip off . what do you think ? what are other good automotive colleges i can attend ? btw i would love to work in a japanese preferably thanks man
Lud Pilo Me too, but here in California. Semester starts soon, and I'm looking forward to it. God bless
Or if you're mexican you just do it and not worry about all the government extortion aka licenses. I hear all of this advice and like 99% of the businesses where I live don't run that way, the just do it, there's no licenses or permits or solvent traps.
All I hear from these guys is "can't, can't, can't".
Sounds like an opportunity to prove some people wrong.