€79 too cheap for a car service??

THOMAS TYRRELL

hi all,
im just wondering what you all think bout this... i opened up a garage last year and have been offering a minor car service from €79 and a full service from €139. the minor service consists of an oil and filter change and a 20 point health and safety check(including tyres, brakes, lights, levels, steering, suspension checks, and pretty much a nct check over). the full service is all the above with the addition of an air filter change and spark plug/diesel fuel filter change. the prices are up to 1.6 pet or diesel and after that it goes up by €10 up to 2.0 litre engines(obviously cars with long life spark plugs or oils can be a bit deerer but theyre my ballpark price ranges)

the garage is in drogheda and nobody other than first stop are offering such good offers and from the people ive been talking to who have been to first stop they tell me that they always seem to find some extras to charge you for. so really theyre not as competative(i always stick to the prices i quote-sometimes even end up having to pay over the top on parts and taking the hit myself rather than passing it on to the customer as i find this practice can lead to bad publicity and a lack of customer returns/referrals)

anyway im starting to think after poeple questioning "whats done for that price" that it might be a bit cheap and that people will think that theyre not getting a professional job done on them car??

some people are even suggesting to me that if i bump the prices up by €20 or so that ill actually get more business out of it.

any thoughts.
thanks
tom

n97 mini

Maybe offer a 79, 99 and 139 service. Some people are happier paying more... they feel they're getting more, even if they're not.

Tough one, I reckon your prices are fine, it just takes a while to build up a customer base so you'll need to be patient. Although if you are checking emissions and head light alignment in the €79 service it's looney cheap.

unkel

THOMAS TYRRELL wrote: »

some people are even suggesting to me that if i bump the prices up by €20 or so that ill actually get more business out of it.

I doubt it, Tom. It's a very bad recession and people tried and stopped spending money on anything, including servicing cars. Here's a suggestion though: changing air filters and spark plugs isn't necessary for every service, so why don't you call your €79 serice a full service? And why not have one price fits all cars (up to 2l engine)

Imho €79 for a oil / filter / 20 point check is good value for money. Only those looney groupon / citydeal / boardsdeals special offers have ever been any better than that

THOMAS TYRRELL

n97 mini wrote: »

Maybe offer a 79, 99 and 139 service. Some people are happier paying more... they feel they're getting more, even if they're not.

id have to throw in somethin extra for the €99 service, i suppose i could even throw in a set of wiper blades or something just so people feel theyre getting value for money..

THOMAS TYRRELL

RoverJames wrote: »

Tough one, I reckon your prices are fine, it just takes a while to build up a customer base so you'll need to be patient. Although if you are checking emissions and head light alignment in the €79 service it's looney cheap.

i hevent got the emmissions equiptment but i would check the headlight alignment and if it needs adjustment there would be a charge to do it

That's fair enough

iphone4g

What kind of quality of oil(brand and spec) for that money?

mickob16

I think most people just want a honest mechanic and not leave a garage feeling they've been screwed.€79 for what your providing is value for money but most people are probably going to ask themselves "is this a gimmick".

Unfortunately for you, mechanics in general have a bad name and are regarded as cowboys.Your name is everything and if you offer a quality service and are customer friendly your business will grow on the back of these good principles.

I use a mechanic who is not as cheap as i could find but i trust him and thats priceless.Hope your business is a success:)

Nissan doctor

The prices are good IMO as long as you are using the correct manufacturer spec oils for relevent cars(not just the oil grade) and not just doing generic services, ie oil/filter + check or oil/air/plugs + check on every car.

The likes of pollen filters are due more often then air filters on modern cars for example as is brake fluid.

THOMAS TYRRELL

Nissan doctor wrote: »

The prices are good IMO as long as you are using the correct manufacturer spec oils for relevent cars(not just the oil grade) and not just doing generic services, ie oil/filter + check or oil/air/plugs + check on every car.

The likes of pollen filters are due more often then air filters on modern cars for example as is brake fluid.

the oils i use for these price services are 10w 40 semi(vw spec 505, merc spec among others) and 5w 30 fully synthetic ( bmw/merc longlife spec, and has spec for some of the vw's), and if other oils are specified the price of the service may increase slightly as im paying through the nose for 5 litre cans of oil.
brake flluuid is tested with the service and if required is replaced(obvoiusly at a cost) and with regards to pollen filters i used to work in a volvo/ford dealer and we replaced pollen filters regurarly but more often than not you were replacing nearly new filters so again if people want these extras they come at a price which i think is fair when you get a serviced carried out for this rate

crosshair1

I'd reckon e79 is too cheap to be offering any service, dont know if your vat registered but 70+vat couldnt leave much of a margin.
I suppose it might work if you're pitching against fast fit types and just pushing through service after service if you can get enough of them.
The problem with this is someone setting up across the road at e78 "a service" would take all your price driven customers.
At the minute with dealers offering e99 services it is difficult to advertise close to this and expect a result if people havent had contact with you already.
The other thing I see is that servicing type work is well back at the minute but if your willing to get a bit more involved in the electrical there is a much larger market, and you may have more potential to advertise an area such as this.
Best of luck with it anyways.

THOMAS TYRRELL

THOMAS TYRRELL wrote: »

the oils i use for these price services are 10w 40 semi(vw spec 505, merc spec among others) and 5w 30 fully synthetic ( bmw/merc longlife spec, and has spec for some of the vw's), and if other oils are specified the price of the service may increase slightly as im paying through the nose for 5 litre cans of oil.

You opened a garage and are buying oil in 5L drums and charging €79 for as service? Surely buying at least the 10w40 in 20 or 200L drums would be a better option.

Nissan doctor

THOMAS TYRRELL wrote: »

the oils i use for these price services are 10w 40 semi(vw spec 505, merc spec among others) and 5w 30 fully synthetic ( bmw/merc longlife spec, and has spec for some of the vw's), and if other oils are specified the price of the service may increase slightly as im paying through the nose for 5 litre cans of oil.
brake flluuid is tested with the service and if required is replaced(obvoiusly at a cost) and with regards to pollen filters i used to work in a volvo/ford dealer and we replaced pollen filters regurarly but more often than not you were replacing nearly new filters so again if people want these extras they come at a price which i think is fair when you get a serviced carried out for this rate

There are a number of different 505 spec oils for VAG alone and which one you use depends on the engine and the service scheduals you are following for the car.

Brake fluid should be tested of course but most manufacturers specify a change every 2 years as part of schedualed maintenance. Again with VAG, they have a section of the service book which has to be filled when the brake fluid is changed on schedual for a full service history to be complete.

Do you test coolant and battery electrolyte level etc too?

David09

If you want a ford service schedule, use this link:

http://www.etis.ford.com/fordservice/serviceScheduleForm.do

AgileMyth

RoverJames wrote: »

You opened a garage and are buying oil in 5L drums and charging €79 for as service? Surely buying at least the 10w40 in 20 or 200L drums would be a better option.

Think what he was saying there was the less commonly used oils are bought in 5L cans, thats why the price increases.

gilbert2009

what brand of oil are you using?as in is your 10w40 "mobil 1" or "formula 1"?
when you say you check the brakes,do you actually remove the wheels and check the pads properly(inner and outer) and if the car has rear drum brakes do you remove them and check condition of shoes/wheel cylinders?
its just that ive worked in more than one garage and from what i can see,in most cases,its the ones that charge less are using crap non branded oil and not checking things like brakes properly.
then the guys that use top brand oil,good quality parts and spend more time checking over the car are getting a bad name for being too expensive,even though people cant see the extra quality of work bein done.
if for example if i wanted to get a minor service done on a 2005 diesel car that had a dpf and required 6 litres of fully synthetic low ash oil,i cant see how it can be done for €79 if a quality brand name oil was used along quality filter.on top of that checking brakes properly and a general check over doesnt leave much profit,10 or €20??
i think you should price your servicing based on the vehicle your working on,eg €79 is fine for someone who wants their 12 yr old corolla serviced and a quick check but if its a 08 520d that requires much more expensive oil and parts,and a far more labour intensive service,then you should charge acccordingly..

FGR

Just browsing through your site Thomas - Would you have VAGcom for servicing VW group cars? I'm tempted to head your way for my service which is due soon but as it's a 2010 I need to keep everything oem for warranty purposes.

gilbert2009

gilbert2009 wrote: »

what brand of oil are you using?as in is your 10w40 "mobil 1" or "formula 1"?
when you say you check the brakes,do you actually remove the wheels and check the pads properly(inner and outer) and if the car has rear drum brakes do you remove them and check condition of shoes/wheel cylinders?
its just that ive worked in more than one garage and from what i can see,in most cases,its the ones that charge less are using crap non branded oil and not checking things like brakes properly.
then the guys that use top brand oil,good quality parts and spend more time checking over the car are getting a bad name for being too expensive,even though people cant see the extra quality of work bein done.
if for example if i wanted to get a minor service done on a 2005 diesel car that had a dpf and required 6 litres of fully synthetic low ash oil,i cant see how it can be done for €79 if a quality brand name oil was used along quality filter.on top of that checking brakes properly and a general check over doesnt leave much profit,10 or €20??
i think you should price your servicing based on the vehicle your working on,eg €79 is fine for someone who wants their 12 yr old corolla serviced and a quick check but if its a 08 520d that requires much more expensive oil and parts,and a far more labour intensive service,then you should charge acccordingly..

lol, garages using Mobil 1, yeah

The OP has already clarified that services on cars that require a particular oil, ie the diesel car you speak of will be subject to extra charges that he will inform the customer about.

n97 mini

RoverJames wrote: »

You opened a garage and are buying oil in 5L drums and charging €79 for as service? Surely buying at least the 10w40 in 20 or 200L drums would be a better option.

So many different specs of oil now. The days of using generic 10w40 in everything are gone.

Additionally, some specific oils only come in 1L bottles (the oil for my car for example)

n97 mini

n97 mini wrote: »

So many different specs of oil now. The days of using generic 10w40 in everything are gone.

Additionally, some specific oils only come in 1L bottles (the oil for my car for example)

True but lots and lots of pre 2005 cars still are recommended to run on 10w40. Which is why I said at least buy that in drums

dr.fuzzenstein

David09 wrote: »

If you want a ford service schedule, use this link:

http://www.etis.ford.com/fordservice/serviceScheduleForm.do

Thanks, have a Ford, this is handy.

n97 mini

RoverJames wrote: »

True but lots and lots of pre 2005 cars still are recommended to run on 10w40. Which is why I said at least buy that in drums

Yeah, lots of the older stuff, esp Jap, will do fine on 10w40, and it makes sense to have a drum of it for older Corollas etc.

gilbert2009

RoverJames wrote: »

lol, garages using Mobil 1, yeah

The OP has already clarified that services on cars that require a particular oil, ie the diesel car you speak of will be subject to extra charges that he will inform the customer about.

The garage i work at use mobil 1 oil...and its been that way for years..but they charge the extra few quid for better quality oil,nothing major but if it was me id have the peace of mind that my car is getting a good quality oil and not the cheapest crap around..
There are a lot of garages around these days using no name-"white barrell" 10w40 in the latest diesels with dpfs and charging very little for a service.keeps most people happy at the time but its not proper practice im sure you'll agree..
Im not suggesting in any way that this person runs a garage like this but i think that with a general price of €79 some individuals may see it this way..a general price of €99 and informing people of the branded oil used may be a better approach.

gilbert2009

gilbert2009 wrote: »

The garage i work at use mobil 1 oil...and its been that way for years.

Mobil 1 or the likes of Mobil S ?

purrrfect1

Where is your business? I am unemployed and would be delighted to be charged just €79 for a car service. I would expect a lot more than me would too.
Let me know where you are in the country, may be able to send some business your way!

gilbert2009

RoverJames wrote: »

Mobil 1 or the likes of Mobil S ?

Mobil 1 Super S 10W-40
Mobil 1 0W-30 fully synthetic
Other grade oils are bought in smaller quantities if needed for a specific type of vehicle eg.10W-60

gilbert2009

gilbert2009 wrote: »

Mobil 1 Super S 10W-40

Does that exist? I am aware that a company named Mobil sell a premium product, Mobil 1. The same company sells Mobil Super S 10w40

Autosport

Where abouts is this garage located???

purrrfect1

purrrfect1 wrote: »

Where is your business? I am unemployed and would be delighted to be charged just €79 for a car service. I would expect a lot more than me would too.
Let me know where you are in the country, may be able to send some business your way!

Autosport wrote: »

Where abouts is this garage located???

THOMAS TYRRELL wrote: »

.............

the garage is in drogheda ............

gilbert2009

RoverJames wrote: »

Does that exist? I am aware that a company named Mobil sell a premium product, Mobil 1. The same company sells Mobil Super S 10w40

http://www.mobil-1.co.uk/cms/Home.aspx

Yes it does exist.

gilbert2009

gilbert2009 wrote: »

http://www.mobil-1.co.uk/cms/Home.aspx

Yes it does exist.

Does it ??

Mobil 1 formulation is available in the following viscosity grades in your region:

Mobil 1 New Life 0W-40
Mobil 1 ESP Formula 5W-30
Mobil 1 Turbo Diesel 0W-40
Mobil 1 Extended Life 10W-60
Mobil 1 Fuel Economy 0W-30
Mobil 1 0W-20

Mobil 1 ESP 0W-40 - dexos2™ licensed engine oil


You'll find Mobil S listed here.

http://www.mobil.co.uk/UK-English-LCW/carengineoils_products.aspx

gilbert2009

My mistake,should have left the "1" out...but i think you will find that if you mention you are using mobil oil or any good quality branded oil to the customer and charge slightly more for it that it is more impressive than a no name oil that costs slightly less in most cases which was my original point:)

gilbert2009

gilbert2009 wrote: »

My mistake,should have left the "1" out...but i think you will find that if you mention you are using mobil oil or any good quality branded oil to the customer and charge slightly more for it that it is more impressive than a no name oil that costs slightly less in most cases which was my original point:)

True, however claiming you are putting in Mobil 1 when you are using Mobil S is a huge blunder, Mobil S is nothing special. Mobil 1 is nector like :pac:

gilbert2009

RoverJames wrote: »

True, however claiming you are putting in Mobil 1 when you are using Mobil S is a huge blunder, Mobil S is nothing special. Mobil 1 is nector like :pac:

I made a mistake in saying the super S was mobil 1 instead of mobil,the 0W30 fully synthetic is Mobil 1
Both types are used