Car related Businesses that are in demand?

ifeelabreeze

I'm a recent grad working in an unrelated field that's paying reasonably well but is also not what I want to do indefinitely.

I've always wanted to start my own business and I've always loved cars.. So I'm essentially looking towards car related business ideas.

I've heard it's very hard to find someone to do paint work. Paintless dent removal is supposedly hard to learn/get into.

Lots of guys starting valeting, so I'd be somewhat tempted to start a business supplying the essentials for that - but I certainly wouldn't be the first to have considered it.

Sandblasting is an option.

Wheel refurbishment would probably cost a lot to get set up in, especially diamond cutting.

Would there be much demand for key reprogramming?

Remapping - hard to develop a name, rather than being some chancer with a laptop.

What else is out there and more importantly, what's in demand?

Buddy Bubs

The guys adding android head units to older cars seem to do well. Mobile valeting is something I've used before too. It's all about marketing yourself these days too..

Not sure how big the market is for any of the above and what kind of competition you'll face. Need to find your niche

chiefwiggum

Personally I'd be looking at something EV/Hybrid related as they are they are getting very popular and more abundant on the roads

pgj2015

Auto electricians are hard to find these days.

banie01

Given the amount of "What job should I do" posts the OP has made?

Perhaps sitting down with a career coach and assessing where their strengths and talents lie, then pursuing a plan that gets maximum benefit might be an idea?

Rather than near weekly threads on what potential career should I pick next or what entrepreneureal or original business can I dabble in.

Not to be dismissive or condescending OP. I don't know you, know nothing about you other than your posting history. That would seem to illustrate a young man, newly graduated who has no real goals other than success. You don't know what in or how, and that's normal. You need to put some time in on yourself. Identify what you want and make a plan to get it.

French Toast

I had a fella out doing a mobile valet. Said he was up the walls and doing fairly well but his knees and back were wrecked from it, constantly kneeling, crouching, bending etc.

mikeecho

EV battery reconditioning / replacement.

It'll be the next up and coming

ifeelabreeze

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121119657#Comment_121119657

Thank you, I do want to preface this by saying that what I post online isn't a distilled version of my deepest desires - it's harmless spitballing, everyone else seems to think that I'm maniacally jumping from one thing to the next when in reality, I'm bored and posting online in a way that is at least somewhat productive - it gives me ideas and input.

The thing is I like so many others don't have a single or narrow focus of strengths that tie in directly with a career - 'oh well I'm really really good at sales, insanely good' - have you I don't know, considered sales?

Or 'I programme night and day, next Aaron Swartz, maybe become a SWE.

I excelled in English at school. I also did exceedingly well in Biology and Geography because I retain information quite easily.

I'm analytical - a very blue personality, I really enjoy understanding models and processes.

I went to a career guidance counsellor once, got suggested Social Care - A career that is woefully underpaid, incredibly taxing and under-appreciated. I'm not a people person, I'm not an old people person nor do I have the patience or passion to work with the disabled, she somehow still deducted that I should go into social care.. I had a career guidance counsellor in school who thought I should study art, because I was doodled. I sh*t you not.

I don't have a great deal of respect for the career guidance profession, similar vein to life coaches in my view.

I love cars, I'd love to start a business - why not look at options combining the two.. that was the sum total before posting this question

mondeo

If I was going to start a car related business, I would probably start a car cleaning business. That's something that is always in demand. Start on your own and then find another lad to do some work alongside you.

bazz26

If you have a passion for something then the last thing you want to do is make it a profession. It won't be too long before you will feel you are just taking your work home with you and end up hating all aspects of it. Best keep your professional life or career completely different to your hobbies/passions.

bucketybuck

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/2058314085/car-related-businesses-that-are-in-demand

Do you actually know anything about these things?

Body repair or painting, have you ever actually done it in any way whatsoever? Have you ever sandblasted something? Have you ever remapped an ECU, programmed a key or switched off an immobiliser? Have you ever physically taken an alloy wheel off a car and refurbished it?

Because I know I'm not sending work to a lad whose background is that he loved cars so decided one day to call himself a painter.

Hellrazer

Posted this in your other thread.

Im not going to quote every post so far but here goes. Ive been in the trade for 30 years now and my advice to the OP - stay away from it.

1.Valeting - you can get your car valeted in a shopping centre now - too many around to make a decent living out of it

2.Wheel refurbishment - I can get wheels refurbed incl diamond for €40 + vat per wheel - you`d want to be doing a lot of wheels per week to make a living from it.

3.Remapping - Too specialised - Ive probably gotten 5 cars remapped / reprogrammed in my 30 years in the trade.

4.Key cutting / replacement keys - Most of this work has moved to main dealers - the locksmiths Ive used for years are all getting out of the business because the dealers / manufacturers make it too difficult to reprogram newer models.

5.Paintless dent removal - all sounds good and all that but it would take a few years of practice to get really good at it and even then the money would be fairly crap - probably 70-80 euros per dent. Again you would need to get a name for yourself before you made decent money.Theres plenty of established companies out there that have it well tied up.

Now if you really have your mind set on it heres the ones I struggle to find decent people to do the job.

Upholstery repairs - theres very few doing seat repairs , dash panel repairs, trim repairs out there.

.Someone mentioned tyres - you would need to find a big-ish town with no tyre company in it and try tie up the market there.

Auto electrician - thats actually GOOD - theres probably only 2 decent people in Dublin that have Id recommend customers to and these have been around for 30 years. Im not talking about throwing in a set of fog lights / alarms etc but one who can diagnose electrical issues and repair them.

Automotive welding - as in exhausts, NCT minor repairs etc. When I started in the trade there was no replacing exhausts - they were nearly always weld repairs. As for NCT repairs - welder to do the likes of sill rust failures, minor chassis fails - that type of stuff. Anyone thats out there is very , very busy and can have waiting lists to get minor repairs done.

And probably the big one - reconditioning EV batteries - this market will be huge once warranties are up. Theres 2 companies that I can think of in the country but these will be swamped in the next few years - maybe time to get in now before the rush?? However the reconditioning will need to be done correctly and offer a decent warranty - 12 months wont cut it when an EV comes with 8 years usually - would need 24 months warranty at a minimum.

Im sure Ill think of a few more pros and cons and Ill post back as I think of them.

bucketybuck

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121122252#Comment_121122252

The issue for the OP is that all those possible avenues assume a base level of industry knowledge.

When it comes to the likes of auto electricians or welders, the people working for themselves generally all served their time and then specialised. But the OP sounds like he wants to skip apprenticeship and go straight to the part where he fixes batteries. I've seen his other threads, I doubt very much he wants to spend a few years sweeping floors for 6.65 an hour.

ifeelabreeze

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121122318#Comment_121122318

Realistically I'm not going to become a welder, auto electrician or mechanic, but there are plenty of businesses started by people who didn't go that route.

I could quite easily teach myself car seat re-upholstery.

I know a guy who has a successful valeting business, started it from his parents garden with no experience other than teaching himself online on his own car.

I also know a guy who runs a business selling parts online, just started buying and selling alloys.

There's a fella on YouTube, The Hamilton Collection - he started at 19 with an alloy wheel and tyre package business, he now also owns Fitment Industries, he's obviously a statistical outlier.

Some of my previous posts have been about the fact that I haven't got any real skills that would lead to starting a business - I'm not a digital marketing whiz with a track record in the industry, nor am I a qualified plumber. I'm well aware of those realities, I tried the apprenticeship route - hated being an electrician, so I don't see myself going back at that.. but it still doesn't detract from the fact that I'd like to one day start a business of my own.

kanuseeme

Maybe examples of what people need,

At the moment I need, a service, a 2nd key for a bmw225xe, I also need a software fix to change the radio frequencies and maps for western Europe, as the car is Japanese,

My own thoughts are EV repairs, although it looks like Tesla cars will be next to impossible to repair.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TI_377odrFY

plenty of other makes.

Japanese cars, next year or the year after duty will be 0% on Japanese cars,

95% of used imported cars were sourced from the UK pre-Brexit. Dealers continue to import used vehicles where value is present, however rising residual values in the UK and tighter supply there have significantly impacted volumes imported to Ireland.

In 2022, used car imports declined by circa 27% year on year compounding a shortage of used cars in the market. The volume of used cars imported from the UK declined 58% last year (-82% from peak year) representing just 43% of overall used imports. Dealers sought alternative sources to maintain supply and imports from Japan have increased notably. The share of Japanese used imports has increased to circa 40% of used car imports in 2022 and higher demand is likely in 2023.

Japanese cars have some disadvantages, language, maps, joy riders, parts, nothing that a few bob cannot fix.

John_Rambo

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121120385#Comment_121120385

& extended mileage battery packs for older plug ins.

Casati

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121124044#Comment_121124044

The way the battery pack is sealed in on that Model Y makes it clear that its going to be some pain to replace a bad cell. I cant imagine how dissolving that pink cement is going to work and then it will have to be reapplied again, doesnt look like something a solo trader could do on a driveway. Are all ev's like this?

For the OP I would think car key reprogramming would be a good line of work- dont need a formal trade plus its a job that will always be required as people are always losing keys or breaking them. Its also clean work and will also get you exposure to a lot of different cars. Can imagine that its very well paid too. Obviously you'd need to competent at loading software etc.

kdevitt

Dry ice cleaning!

kanuseeme

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121124666#Comment_121124666

I think its the model 3 pack also, I was always under the impression it was a simple operation, open it, find it, replace it and close it up, off you go.

Other makes like the VW ID4, seem easier, but it could change, why repair when you have to buy new.

I have another idea for the OP, a battery testing service, most people know nothing about a EV, I see one Tesla 3.5 years old and it was at 91%, it was sold as a bonus, a point was being made that it was better % than other model 3 cars.

If buying an electric car, I think most people would love to know the condition of the battery, even dealers, I am sure they would love to know the condition before buying it, a proper value could be then placed on the car.

No way you'll make enough to survive as a car detailer in my opinion. The reason why the lads in shopping centres can make a living from is they have 4/5 people doing one car, even if it's manky they are spending 2 hours on it max. Potentially you could create a Youtube channel detailing cars and make money from it that way, but you'd be hard pressed to make 15 quid an hour doing the inside and out of cars.

Honestly, if your passionate about cars, why not learn some detailing skills and flip a few cars? No harm in buying a car that needs a bit of TLC that you can do yourself and relist it. It would be a tough market, and you'd need to have a few grand to get you going but if you can service/paint correct and valet yourself, most of your cost is covered.

bladespin

Automotive electrician, hen's teeth, it's a bit of a black art from what I've seen.

zg3409

Why do you want to run a business? To get rich?

There is very little big money in auto trade,.

You should think permanent, pensionable getting double the average industrial wage. Mortgage possible. You can walk away each day with no stress.

Most of these gig type jobs are hard work, intermittent work, anyone can open up a similar business next door, undercut you. It's very high risk and you would need massive amounts of cash to start off and set up in an in demand location.

Sure it may be hard to get someone to do the work, but that may be because it's skilled, others have 20 years experience, and built up the trade from nothing. Others may not be getting in the trade ad there is no real money. You may make more money as an office assistant or a plumber or a carpenter.

You need business skills to run a business. You need cash, customers, contacts, experience, training. Ideally in an area others find it hard to compete and where people are willing to pay double the usual rate as they are stuck. Proper businesses do market research, check for viability, create business plans etc.

As suggested getting into a growth area may he a good idea. For working on EVs you may need to be mechanic and an electrician, and a software wizard and an electronic component repair specialist all in one. Even then the amount people are willing to pay to get an old car fixed will limit your fees. If you say went heavy vehicle busses etc. people may be willing to pay more to get it fixed and quickly.

Personally I prefer to work in permanent, pensionable day work 9-5 in an area where there is a shortage of skilled staff so you can get paid over the odds. Think multi national, medical, regulated industries. It's work, not fun.

JP 1800

For a lot of the mechanical or electrical work you will need an accredited qualification and liability insurance. Also the initial outlay will be significant enough. For EV work you will need specialist tools, a lift and a premises. The specialist tools are extremely expensive. The vde class tools are mad money, a couple of hundred alone for a set of spanners. What is your academic background, this may help in determining in what avenues are open to you.