Advice needed for running my own automotive repair garage and doing mots

forgotmyname

£120 a week ish? For the ramp and brake tester etc.

Didnt mention gas tester and other tools required.

Premises maybe the issue depending on area. Years ago i was looking for a workshop and lots said no motortrade of any kind.

arcon5

If it wasn't a profitable industry we wouldn't see the vast number of garages, both chains and local, around. Even if it is becoming a little saturated in areas.

All business' are difficult to setup from scratch. First couple of years very difficult. First 12 months in particular. So be sure to have enough liquid capital but don't be completely put off by all the negativity.

londonTiger

arcon5 wrote: »

If it wasn't a profitable industry we wouldn't see the vast number of garages, both chains and local, around. Even if it is becoming a little saturated in areas.

False logic. I live in an asian area and the high streets are full of takeaway shops. There are a few who have quality and price right. But most are just copycats who think "can't fail, look at all these other stores and they're trading so they must be making money".

You see a few long lasting establised shops but most change hands every 6 months-a year or so. They're just very short sighthted dont realise rates on the high streets are sky high, rent too. Require lots of staff, produce is expensive etc.

It's going to be hard as a new business. Garages are like barbers for us. Once we found someone reasonably priced and trustworthy we don't change. We go back to the same place over and over again.

A new business is going to have to wait it out for the first few years and grab a few car owners on the off chance and then make bank once they're established on year 3.

garages aren't usually located on prime location (like kwik fit and other chains). So word of mouth/flyering is important to grow your customer base.

You have to have passion for it and not just be in it for the money. Passion can drive you through the first few tough years, if you're just in it for the money you won't last. You'll cut corners with cheap parts/tools and when the bills come in you'll panic.

Prothet_of_Doom

Given that you really need 2 people to run a decent ship, why not think about going into partnership with someone?

londonTiger

Prothet_of_Doom wrote: »

Given that you really need 2 people to run a decent ship, why not think about going into partnership with someone?

Partnership is OK to start but if you're ambitious and have plans of growing the business and building a chain then that partnership can be a thorn on your side.

If the partner decides he wants an easily life later on and doesn't have the passion for it any more. You're stuck with dead weight who owns 50% of the business.

partnerships can work (look at john lewis). But it's a risk. There's not a lot of people I'd happily go into partnerships with I scrutinise potential business partners much more than anyone I would get in a intimate relationship with.

AdrianC

Prothet_of_Doom wrote: »

Given that you really need 2 people to run a decent ship

This is actually a big issue. Do you really want to be locking all the doors and securing the yard every time you want to take a car for a quick test drive round the block? Or answering the phone or talking to the potential new customer who's just wandered by, when you're deep in or under a car wrestling with the thing-that'll-go-ping if you let go...?

londonTiger

AdrianC wrote: »

This is actually a big issue. Do you really want to be locking all the doors and securing the yard every time you want to take a car for a quick test drive round the block? Or answering the phone or talking to the potential new customer who's just wandered by, when you're deep in or under a car wrestling with the thing-that'll-go-ping if you let go...?

Can you hire an apprentice/get next door to keep an eye out?

problems your identified is easily solved without giving 50% of your business away.

Though - if I was starting out on my first busienss and I had a good relationship with someone who has the exact same business vision as me and was as motivated as me I would probably go partnership route. I couldn't find someone suitable - the person I was dealing with was up to his eyeballs in personal debt and became a bit of a cowboy in order to claw in as much money as possible.

I dodged a bullet and managed to escape and set up business by myself before I commited anything in writing.