do many have mot/service garage along side?

[D7neo 5]

Do many of you guys operate mot stations or general repairs/servicing as well as vehicle sales?

There isn't anything local to me that affordable to justify the cost for doing a few sales a month as the business grows.

I was toying with the idea of getting something big enough to put in an MOT station, with the idea that it would hopefully cover the costs of the unit as opposed to really taking a wage from it.

I know the cost of the equipment is 25-30k, but surely it would pay for its self soon enough?

It also has the benefit of cheap MOT's and a mechanic on site....

[EPV 631]

Justin’s your man 

[trade vet 702]

1 hour ago, D7neo said:

Do many of you guys operate mot stations or general repairs/servicing as well as vehicle sales?

There isn't anything local to me that affordable to justify the cost for doing a few sales a month as the business grows.

I was toying with the idea of getting something big enough to put in an MOT station, with the idea that it would hopefully cover the costs of the unit as opposed to really taking a wage from it.

I know the cost of the equipment is 25-30k, but surely it would pay for its self soon enough?

It also has the benefit of cheap MOT's and a mechanic on site....

Nice theory,however an MOT tester is going to cost north of £35k and a good all rounder reliable mechanic,where do you find them.If you can,that’s another £40k.You might be better off buying an up and running MOT station then add on vehicle sales.

[EPV 631]

Just now, trade vet said:

Nice theory,however an MOT tester is going to cost north of £35k and a good all rounder reliable mechanic,where do you find them.If you can,that’s another £40k.You might be better off buying an up and running MOT station then add on vehicle sales.

Or partnering up formally with someone. All works goes through them for x amount an hour or set rates for everyday items. 

[Stalker 180]

Plus the conflict of interest from VOSA's point of view will be a tough one to negotiate constantly.

Workshops are hard work, some jobs go wrong and take ages, some jobs are very straightforward.

Some of the straightforward ones cost more, we had a mechanic that kept on knocking TMPS sensors off everytime he changed a tyre.

To be honest if you find someone that needs your business and will not rob you stick with them.

21 minutes ago, trade vet said:

Nice theory,however an MOT tester is going to cost north of £35k and a good all rounder reliable mechanic,where do you find them.If you can,that’s another £40k.You might be better off buying an up and running MOT station then add on vehicle sales.

MOT testers are £20k per year in the North East, however with regards to a good mechanic i reckon your right. £30-£40k.

[RHO 15]

We are 2 mechanics, 1 mot tester, and 1 paintshop & valeter. Our sales are a sideline to the workshop but we send all sales vehicles for MOT somewhere else as we think it can look a bit naughty if we do them ourselves. 

Of course they go through the shop first to make sure we have no advisories on the paperwork. 

We also do our own warranty work whatever it may be. Except electrics may I add. For that we use whatever make Indy specialist or auto electrician. 

Works for us very well. Nice team that compliment each other. 

[Frazbomb 3]

We run a busy workshop (3 mechanics / 3 ramps), no MOT's though. We also have our own bodyshop, again busy with three employees. And to really complicate matters we also run a large motorsport team. The car sales runs along side these and has one sales man.

This model works great for us, each business is ran separately but they all help each other for the greater good (profit!!)  Also helps all aspects of the business are on the same ind estate.

[trade vet 702]

1 hour ago, Frazbomb said:

We run a busy workshop (3 mechanics / 3 ramps), no MOT's though. We also have our own bodyshop, again busy with three employees. And to really complicate matters we also run a large motorsport team. The car sales runs along side these and has one sales man.

This model works great for us, each business is ran separately but they all help each other for the greater good (profit!!)  Also helps all aspects of the business are on the same ind estate.

‘Large motorsport team’....that sounds like a drain on resources....Good Luck

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Frazbomb 3]

Just now, trade vet said:

‘Large motorsport team’....that sounds like a drain on resources....Good Luck

 

 

 

 

 

 

Quite the opposite. We make decent money during race season. The team is currently down at Snetterton for the BTCC.

[BHM 994]

15 hours ago, Stalker said:

MOT testers are £20k per year in the North East, however with regards to a good mechanic i reckon your right. £30-£40k.

There’ll be plenty of mechanics in the backwaters of the N.E. working for less than £30K. A local RR dealership’s techs (as they are now called) weren’t on that a couple of years ago - punters charged in the region of £140p.h. and the dealership was trying to hold onto staff with a 20p p.h. pay rise. 

As Trade Vet wrote, where are you going to find a good all rounder AND reliable mechanic? You need (or be one yourself) a knowledgable workshop foreman to crack the whip and even then a small but growing percentage of jobs require dedicated software. I’m oversimplifying here but a lot of mechanical staff seem to be in one camp or the other - either nuts & bolts men OR diagnostic machine men.

[trade vet 702]

10 hours ago, Frazbomb said:

Quite the opposite. We make decent money during race season. The team is currently down at Snetterton for the BTCC.

Wow Frazbomb..........you must be switched on !

[Rory RSC 596]

55 minutes ago, BHM said:

There’ll be plenty of mechanics in the backwaters of the N.E. working for less than £30K. A local RR dealership’s techs (as they are now called) weren’t on that a couple of years ago - punters charged in the region of £140p.h. and the dealership was trying to hold onto staff with a 20p p.h. pay rise. 

As Trade Vet wrote, where are you going to find a good all rounder AND reliable mechanic? You need (or be one yourself) a knowledgable workshop foreman to crack the whip and even then a small but growing percentage of jobs require dedicated software. I’m oversimplifying here but a lot of mechanical staff seem to be in one camp or the other - either nuts & bolts men OR diagnostic machine men.

We run with one full time mechanic. Getting an all rounder is really hard as you say. Recruiting and retaining is  really difficult.

Current one is great, knows his shit and nothing will beat him. Incredibly thorough and cars that come back within the first couple of days for stupid things that should have been picked up are at an all time low.  Trade off, he knows one pace and its slow.

Previous mechanic was a younger likeable lad, fiery temper and used to be incredibly quick fly through work stay late smash the overtime and was earning serious money with us. He was a maverick and used to cut corners couldn't accept ever being wrong and used to clash quite regularly. 

A combination of the 2 would be ideal but never gonna happen. 

Robots are not sounding so bad now.....

[BHM 994]

Hahaha, long term you’re better with the one you’ve currently got. Mechanics cutting corners of their choice will never work out.

[Dave2302 387]

21 hours ago, Rory RSC said:

Trade off, he knows one pace and its slow.

That's because he's thorough !!

I always say to my Customers, I would rather justify to them why a job has taken an extra hour or 2 than cut corners and end up with problems later down the line !!

And as for the guy who kept breaking TPMS Valves, he needs to learn where "8 O'Clock" is, what the wheel well is for, and what the Turntable is for, before even inserting the Tyre Lever !!

There's a hint for those who don't know why they keep getting broken !!

Glad to here he is no longer