Business idea?

gibbon75

Would be a good idea/business to open a "DIY" garage?
A place where the customers could rent the space and tools to fix their own cars.Or when you buy a used car you can just pop in with the owner to lift it up...
With own site mechanic who could help and give advices (on used cars too) and manuals and diagnostic tools for popular models.
This is a popular thing in USA and Germany.
Would be this popular in Ireland too?

Bluetonic

I'd imagine the insurance/public liability would make it unviable.

el tel

it would turn into a pick-up joint with dorky car nuts trying it on with clueless women.

"You are not holding that right luv; try my big tool instead"

pedro ferio-vti

@gibbon, I think it is a very good idea and has been proven to work elsewhere. Would be popular with car and enthusiast clubs who are limited by guarantee and have their own insurance for "meets and events". As long as there were 2 club members present it could be constituted as a meet which would be covered by insurance.

Go for it! Shame you're not in Dublin though.

stormin

Oh, I think this would work. I would use it right now. I often wished I had access to a car lift to do the work myself. I know a good few mates who would also use it.

Bluetonic is right though about the insurance. I have a friend who does a bit of servicing and he tried to setup on his own and the insurance costs stopped him.

What if someone doesn't do the brakes right and crash 100 yards down the road?

AB03

Sounds excellent, but Id advise you to keep your business plans off here as someone may steal em
Like moi

Only jokin, have my own little thing in the pipeline (unrelated) but this is the last place Id post the details of it!!

V.V.Good idea tho indeed.

stormin

As AB03 starts searching for sheds in Cork.

gibbon75

Thanks for the replies lads


The problem is I don't know much about the related insurance/law stuff.
But if the owner is wrenching it's own vehicle and causes/suffers an accident because of it's own bad fix,why would be the DIY garage the responsible?
It's like a tool hire company:you hire a jigsaw and you cut off your hand/finger...whose faul is it??
The garage only provides the tools and the space.
How about this:the customer has to fill out a form,that he/she is only responsible for any future accidents etc.

Well,it will take a lot of time and effort to collect all the relevant infos etc.

But I just turned 30 the last week,so it's time to start something

gibbon75

pedro ferio-vti wrote:

Go for it! Shame you're not in Dublin though.

Well,Dublin is a bigger market,who knows...

stormin

Ah yes, 30 is that age when you start to think pedal to the metal. What the hell have I been doing for the past 12 years.

gibbon75

Stormin

Exactly
After highschool I went to study in a technical college as an automotive electrician (being a car geek/freak since I was born).
But during the years "somehow"(..money) I've got very far from this field.
Maybe it's not too late to chase a "dream"

Is everybody a bit sentimental over 30 ?

stormin

30 is a great age. You know who you are, you've got the experience, priorities are clearer, you don't stress as much about things.

Back to subject though: It's well worth doing a business plan and investigating this thoroughly. Your feasibility study and plan will show you whether this will work or not.

I'm always surprised at the labour costs on the garage invoice for simple servicing jobs. I like this idea and it could become a nationwide service.

fletch

Sounds like an excellent idea! I'm pretty certain I would use it cause I dont know how many times me & my dad have been doin work on our cars only to find we don't have one small tool that brings everything to a halt so we gotta hop into a different car & drive to the nearest motor factors/toolshop....also the convenience of working under a roof would be nice....
You wouldn't want to be charging too much though cause I only tend to work on my car cause i can make substantial savings over getting a job done at a dealer.

gibbon75

That would be a major point:
Don't charge too much,just the right amount.
Because you need the customers tomorrow too...

maidhc

How would you stop the gear getting nicked? I presume some sort of a sign in thing for a standard toolbox would be necessary. Just something you need to control. Dont underestimate the cost of good equipment, and the fact you will need lifts, tracking gear, compressors etc

Sadly I fear insurance would be an issue. Lots of unqualified people working in your premises on dangerous things sounds like a recipie for disaster. It isnt hard to loose a finger working on a car. You would have to have your own insurance, for your own sake.

It is a good idea I guess for people who dont have the space or gear at home. However I reckon most people anxious to work on their cars will want their own tools and space (Personally I HATE using other peoples stuff, and only like being in my own workshop with my own tools).

gibbon75

Well,I know that the GOOD tool is VERY epensive
And you need good tools to make a good job.

About tools getting nicked:yes,I'm aware of the fact that some people likes to gather souvenirs
I don't think that a CCD would be enough to avoid this...

But that is why I posted my idea here to see other folks pros and cons.
Every reply here takes me closer for a final conclusion.

el tel

To breathe some reality into the concept...
I'd be worried about the high overheads, the time and cost to develop a workable garage with all the necessary tools and common parts and in quantities where multiple people can use them at the same time. Also consider who would use this facility. Those with the expertise to repair their own cars would most likely have the tools and place to do it already. Those who have no idea how to repair a car are more likely to have it done by a professional. The potential market is a very small and ill-defined one. Furthermore, you'd be likely to have very little custom during week days and (if you are lucky) demand will be high at weekends. The jobs would need to be done in good time so your premises don't become a shed for half-finished projects. Also consider the scale of fees- on what basis would customers be charged? Per hour, tool etc. or all-inclusive. Overall I'd imagine that yields would be low.
A simpler, more profitable idea would be to have a standard vehicle repair workshop. That's why there are so many of these already.

maidhc

el tel wrote:

A simpler, more profitable idea would be to have a standard vehicle repair workshop. That's why there are so many of these already.

I'm inclined to agree, especially when many garages only have one qualified mechanic and an army of teenagers and charge €50/hr for everyones work.

MercMad

I looked into all of this 2 years ago in great detail. I had it worked out regarding the prices the tools etc but NOBODY would touch me for insurance !

I tried our own existing Company Broker, and basically put the gun to his head but he drew a blank. There was one company who spoke with my broker and said they would discuss it but that it would be expensive.

I couldn't make it work..........hope your or somebody else has better luck !