need peoples views on self service garages!

[Confused]

I was thinking about this a couple of years ago, and started to knock together some ideas.

Unfortunately, at the time, money wasn't great so would have had absolutely nothing to invest in it, and I couldn't have afforded to give up full-time work to do it.

I may still revisit it soon, depending on how stuff goes, as I may be in a position where the finances would be a bit better, as my current line of work isn't what I would want to be doing for a prolonged period, and I'd get much more enjoyment out of this!

[mercutio]

i would use it matey if it was local even servicing would be so much easier

[4thgenphil]

costs will be prohibitive, Health and saftey an absolute complete knightmare and you will have to workd evening and weekends to make it work.

-Tools, you'd want pretty good ones and a few sets of them,
-tyre changing gear, again not cheap
-ramps and fitting the ramps
-specalitist tools
-air tools
-Compressor, i would suggest you wouldny use the same one as the spray shop
-insurance will cripple you and will ultimaty be the end of the business before you stop, this will be massive as you have jo public using ramps, rotay cutting tools, compressed air, COSHH items to name but a few

realistically if you start with 3 ramps, tyre changing gear, comprehensive but basic tools and all the other bits and bobs that will raise their head you will be looking at 10k new before you open your doors to the public (i looked at these prices as part of a business study) yes you could do it cheaper with second hand ramps etc and crappy tools but you will be onto a loss from there IMO

sorry to be a kill joy but if you were to do it properly with the correct insurance, yearly checks etc you'd have to charge alot which will put most off if you wanted a wage from it!

Just my opinion, good luck if you do go through with it, i hope you prove me wrong if you do. i hope you dont do it!

[Dbo]

the only way i worked down here in south was a local scrappy had a spare storage unit, that they used for doing thier own projects and banger cars in
they got fed up with people asking for parts to be fitted by them so they started hiring out ramps so you could do it yourself, but no tool hire (was bring your own)
1 ramp and a pit soon turned into 3 ramps and now they have 5 ramps
you pay £5 for half hour with own tools, each tool you now hire is extra and if you need their help that too is per hour labour cost.
but loads of people use it eg: their car failed mot and local garage wanted x-amount to do work they come to scrappy for second hand part and fit themself at massive saving and the local motor factors numbers are on the wall and you just ring and they deliver to you

[Shiny]

Shiny, insurnance doesn't work out much more expensive than what is already being paid to cover employees of his spraying company, although we haven't looked into insurance on damaged vehicles yet.

Will you be a partner in his body shop business too? If not, you will need to start a fresh new insurance in the partnership name as it will be a separate business entity.

I honestly can't see insurers bending over backwards on the liability front. Even scrap yards now have restricted access warranties and exclude customers removing their own parts.

Letting out ramps and equipment is a massive issue. If you are teaching them how to use the equipment then there is a potential Professional Indemnity risk, especially if you are charging for the training.

It must be available somewhere as there are a few of these places popping up, but god knows what they pay. Either that or they have misrepresented the risk or even go uninsured. Possibly even a crap broker has misrepresented the risk. Nothing surprises me these days!

[A1ex]

How jobby is it that the 'potential risk' can be so crippling to a business idea. Personally, I think it's a complete con that they charge so much for a 'what if' but what everyone is saying is right too which makes me sad

Can you get people to sige waivers when they come to use the equipment; If I'm a complete tool and cut my finger of with a disc cutter tough jobby! With ramps, it's only ever up or down to certain height, you could have staff running them...

Not sure how the insurance stealers would look at it but may help. I had to sign one similar to play 5 a side at power league, basically is some gentleman's sausage sucking turd burgler thought it would be a good idea to go 2 footed though my ankle I chose to be there so tough.

Sorry, rant over

[Shiny]

Disclaimers mean jobby.

"if" a vehicle comes off a ramp and crushes the users arm, who pays? You'd wish you had insurance.

Don't say it doesn't happen, I'm dealing with a very nasty ramp injury at the moment and the injured person has over 20 years experience in the motor trade.

I see it from the other side of the coin, a lot of H&S is annoying bollocks, but some situations represent a real risk. Insurance is about protecting assets, investment, your business and your livelihood. You may see it as stealers when you pay a premium, but I often get thanked for saving someone's business and livelihood when something goes wrong.

[A1ex]

I'm not saying go w/o insurance at all, it annoys me that the cost is so high and that insurers can essentially charge what they like.

Obviously there is cost outlays from the insurers POV for this sort of thing but they do take the body lemonade.

I used to do risk & COSHH assesments for my old job, it says a lot when you have to write don't drink desiel to avoid getting sued if someone does. It's gone too far.

[Rocky]

I've used SpannerIt in Darlington a few times.

http://www.spannerit.com/

You have to sign a lot of paperwork before you're allowed to use the ramp probably down to insurance and tools are checked back in before you leave.

The guy who runs it is a proper petrol head, he opened it because he wanted somewhere to work on his Lotus Elan and thought why not charge other people to use the space as well.

Last time I was there he was showing me round his built from scratch camper van.

He also said we could get a massive discount if we had club meet there and has said on more than one occasion to use his car park if we ever just want a meet (it spreads/advertises his business)

[littlefeller]

you could just chip the tools (in fact there are loads of real simple ways to keep a track on the tools) to be honest im too tight to use anything like this so i cant really coment, the idea though is kinda intresting. there are loads of ways to make cash easly, but making a living is real hard, keep some kind of income (job), yeh ok i did comment.
is it full time/part time
you like the idea because like me you like cars, does your wife/girlfriend/boyfriend like cars (they may agree to this idea as its your - kind of dream)
if part time, what kinda hours are avalible, are these hours marketable
if your single then hey i wouldnt even be asking everyone elses opinion
if partime how much extra income are you aiming at? say for instance on sunday you have 2 booked in for 1 hour each, but they are there @ the same time, so you only take £40, but then you think well i only did 1 hours work, but when you figure how much could you make on a sunday @ work on overtime just for 1 hour oops with overheads im worse off working for myself:evil:
to be honest, i think the insurance would kill you, what with the ramps (crush injurys), even pits are just as bad (people fall in) not forgetting all these customers are not trained in the use of such equipment and or proper use of tools
although saying that, a mot roller would have been real handy for me last week


the one mentioned in a breakers yard, what a idea im a tight muffin too