So I've been kicking around this idea for a business lately...

Dirthouse

Bought an X
Location
Murfreesboro, TN
As the title goes, I've been thinking about starting a do-it-yourself garage where the every day person could rent out a stall / lift for a set amount of time to do whatever they needed/ wanted to their vehicle. The shop would have several 9000lb lifts, a full set of professional grade tools ( including air tools)at each stall, a tire mount and balancer, brake lathe, engine hoist, transmission jacks, hydraulic press, access to online factory service manuals, and numerous little thing that I can't remember right now.

The target audience would be car clubs, people who flip cars, and the weekend warrior. Each person would sign a safety waiver and damage agreement if any piece of equipment is damaged or missing. I haven't hammered down a set price on everything, but it would be rated at an hour, 2 hours, half day, full day, and weekend.

So what do y'all think? Am I out of my mind or would this be something that y'all would do if it were available?

Sent via NSA satellite USDOD-1322
 

Diadaga

Suspension Lift
Founding Member
Location
Virginia
They do this on military bases, you are required to take a course (hour long I think) in order to use the shop for even the most basic things like changing oil. They also have the option of having help from an employee for a fee as well. The biggest issue they always had was people breaking things due to abuse or misuse. You also have the potential for people stealing your equipment when you are super busy and can't keep an eye on every little thing.
 

Prime

Shut up Baby, I know it!
Admin
Location
Denver Adjacent
I've always wanted to have one of these around here. I've looked into opening one. Two key components. Insurance. So much insurance. And an AIR TIGHT RELEASE WAIVER.
 

JeffPro4x

Hot Pipe
Super Moderator
Supporting Member
Location
Glenside, PA
I would use this service if it were available here in the philly area. Not everyone has the space to work on their vehicle.
 

metzican

Suspension Lift
Location
Lafaytte, la
I would just supply the lift and maybe have tools or equipment they can check out for a rental fee and have a you break it you buy it policy. The biggest issue I see is during daytime hours 8am-5pm m-f I see it being mainly empty. I think it would be good to have a mechanic shop during the day and DIY shop at night and weekends.
 

Diadaga

Suspension Lift
Founding Member
Location
Virginia
If I you were I would look up the auto repair shop on fort Campbell. Give them a call and see if they will talk to you about their setup. Unless they've closed it since I left they have exactly what you are talking about doing.
 

Prime

Shut up Baby, I know it!
Admin
Location
Denver Adjacent
As the owner of something like that, my biggest fear would be some asshole dropping a car on themselves. It's almost one of those things that you'd have to have staff on site that would verify that all vehicle lifting activities (jack or lift) are done safely and correctly.
 

Diadaga

Suspension Lift
Founding Member
Location
Virginia
If I'm remembering correctly Jay only shop employees were allowed to operate the lift. I could be wrong it's been too long since I've been there.
 

P&P

Need Bigger Tires
Site Sponsor
Location
Middle TN
It's an old, but great idea. People want it for cars, motorcycle, etc. But as has ben pointed out, insurance is going to kill you and people that don't know what they are doing are going to kill themselves.

If I've learned anything in 1 short year of being in business - even after a lifetime of living with parents who owned a small business - is to expect the unexpected.
 

Muadeeb

Nissan al Gaib
Admin
Location
Dallas
There is (was) a place here in Plano that did this called Jack Junkies (www.jackjunkies.com). You rented a bay with or without a lift and it included a decent basic set of hand tools, access to an air hose hookup (provide your own tools), a press, and the option to rent additional tools as needed (air tools, ball joint press, pry bar, specialty sockets, etc).

I stopped by there once (it's quite a bit out of my way) to check it out and it was a decent place. Never had the opportunity to use it, but if I ever needed to do MAJOR work to the X I would've considered it.
 

Nd4SpdSe

First Fill-Up (of many)
Location
Quebec, QC
Ya, there's a few military bases that have them, except here in Quebec, but I know of a few places in town that do exactly that. Seems to work well. I've never used the service, I'm too stubborn and just do it in the driveway/parking lot, even at -20
 

mudchet

Got Mud?<br><img src="http://i164.photobucket.com/
Founding Member
Location
Brentwood, TN
I really like the idea and would use something like it. What I would love to see is two ways to use the shop: One is the "walk up" customer like you described. I would let them bring all their own hand tools. It will be too much effort and trouble to rent out hand tools. The lifts would be operated by staff only and the lift controls have secure access somonly the staff can use the lifts.

The second way would be more of a club. There would be monthly dues that allowed the member to use the shop almost anytime. There would be things available to the club member that the walk-ups cannot use: fabrication tools, pipe benders, maybe a welder. Members wouldmbe required to take appropriate training and pass tests before using danerous equipment.

For an addiional cost members can rent storage or locker space to keep tools and supplies onsite.

Ideally the shop would be available 24x7 to club members.
 

Mirage

<img src="http://i164.photobucket.com/albums/u7/ra
Founding Member
Location
Greenville SC
One of my friends old bosses was very close to doing it, he was just about to buy the building for it when his lawyer told him no way no how. The insurance alone would of killed it but his lawyer told him even a waiver wouldn't provide him enough protection from any incidents that could occur. If our society wasn't so litigious and the 5% didn't ruin it for the rest it would be valuable to so many people. We brainstormed it in depth and he was going to let us run the place, we had many of the same ideas listed here already, he just decided he couldn't financially pull it off and keep it sustainable.
 

robcarync

Sliders
Location
Raleigh, NC
...he just decided he couldn't financially pull it off and keep it sustainable.

As a CONCEPT...it sounds awesome to us being car/truck guys and gals. Problem I see is...being 100% honest with ourselves...how often would we ACTUALLY use the service? As much as I think it is a cool concept, I wouldn't see myself actually using it unless something big came up. Even then, I am probably more likely to spend the money on buying tools so I can get the job done at my house. If it is something completely over my head...I would just pay someone to do it.

As a viable BUSINESS, I think the challenges is simply put: making a profit. Even with the club format, lift bays, real estate, insurance, hand tools, benders, welders, etc are EXPENSIVE. Sure, you can socialize/share that cost around to the rest of the club, but then you also have more competition for access to the tools. Even with a small shop...say a single bay with tools and equipment...My guess is you will need a LOT of club members buying in to make the income greater than the expenses. Probably enough people to make it difficult to share with everyone.

Not to be a downer...I do like the idea. I haven't done any actual math to back up my thoughts. It just seems to be such a huge initial cost to get the thing going, and you will need to have a lot of customers.
 

TheFauxFox

Titan Swapped / SAS'd
Founding Member
Location
Huntsville, AL
Aren't huge initial costs (capital) a big issue with 99% of small businesses anyway?

As for use, consider that it could serve multiple purposes. Most of the use-pitfalls seem to assuming that the shop would ONLY be used for club/walk-in DIYers. Consider that it could also be a standard automotive shop during regular working hours +/- a bay open for the DIYer.

Just a consideration.

And for the record, 4WP offers what I just described in a smaller, less itricate deal, unless something has changed in the past few years.
 

robcarync

Sliders
Location
Raleigh, NC
Aren't huge initial costs (capital) a big issue with 99% of small businesses anyway?

As for use, consider that it could serve multiple purposes. Most of the use-pitfalls seem to assuming that the shop would ONLY be used for club/walk-in DIYers. Consider that it could also be a standard automotive shop during regular working hours +/- a bay open for the DIYer.

Just a consideration.

And for the record, 4WP offers what I just described in a smaller, less itricate deal, unless something has changed in the past few years.

Good point. Those capital costs concerns aren't unique to this concept...but the target market is (IE: having enough customers to turn a profit). A full time garage during the day and weekend/evening hours for DIY may work. Or a normal shop that has 1 bay designated for DIY rental....but would weekend/evening hours for DIY make more money than keeping a normal shop open for weekend/evenings? Would a single DIY bay make more than a full service mechanic bay? Would a DIY bay limit the shops ability to accept other full service appointments?

Firestone here is open 7am - 7PM and on Saturdays and Sundays. The weekend is the busiest time I have seen since most people don't want to take off work to drop a car off at a shop...and their half dozen or more bays are always packed.

Ultimately, you have a full service garage, and you are taking the service part away. Makes sense in a frozen yogurt bar. Most people prefer customizing their frosty treats and are just as capable as the potential server. The market for people like us wanting to have big tools but do the work ourselves is much smaller. Again not saying it is a bad idea...I like it. I would just be concerned about how many customers the DIY aspect will attract.

The concept makes sense on a military base, where many people may not be in a housing situation that allows a typical DIYer to work on their vehicles or have a garage/driveway. Or in areas with extreme weather where it may be too cold or snowy to work in the drive way. I just think that this concept, in the general public, caters more to the DIYer with more experience and taking on bigger projects...and I think that specific market is smaller than 1) people paying a mechanic to fix their vehicles. I also think that the general DIYer that does small-medium sized projects won't need the full equipment of a mechanic shop. I have done quite a bit in an apartment parking lot with a single hand held tool box of hand tools.

Again, as a DIYer, I love the idea. I would consider using it in specific circumstances, but wouldn't see myself using it on a regular basis. Trying to analyze the business case, it would worry me quite a bit. Not saying don't do it. Not saying it is a stupid idea. Not saying it can't be done. Just saying, it seems like a niche market with a high level of risk.
 
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Dirthouse

Bought an X
Location
Murfreesboro, TN
Wow. I thought about responding waaay earlier in the discussion, but after hearing everyone's input it seems like the smart choice would be to open a shop and have special hours available for the DIYer. The clubs and weekend warrior would be the primary user, but I see car flippers being a solid market specifically in my area as well.

Sent via NSA satellite USDOD-1322
 

TheFauxFox

Titan Swapped / SAS'd
Founding Member
Location
Huntsville, AL
A concern I see may be the availability of the bay(s)? For example, if you made a bay for DIY use, what countermeasures are going to be used if someone takes too much time? I expected 2 days on my TS. It took me 3. What would be done in a situation like that?
 
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