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Feb 27, 2013 10:50:55 GMT
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id consider using one but like the others say what happens when a bolt snaps or i need some random part and cant finish the job
a secure storage yard thats £cheap for the first few days to allow you to overcome any unseen problems would be a help
maybe offer some kind of loyalty card where regular users get a discount and trade price oils n stuff ?
what would you do about mongs damaging tools or stealing them
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91 golf g60, 89 golf 16v , 88 polo breadvan
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Feb 27, 2013 12:41:38 GMT
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Consider as well the above situation is likely to occur more as often people who are working on their own cars are doing so as they can't afford garage bills. Not always the case, I work on my own because I enjoy doing it myself and the way it all works! ..Which is why I said 'often', rather than always. You have to remember that for every One Of Us, there will almost certainly be a lot more who are running on bangernomics principles solely for economic reasons. I've never done any research, but it would be something I'd look into closely if I was considering this sort of business venture.
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...proper medallion man chest wig motoring.
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Feb 27, 2013 13:26:51 GMT
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When people are rushing to make a deadline, they tend to make mistakes, cut corners, take risks and have accidents. Not an ideal situation in your business premises.
You need to have a system in place where if someone over runs their time, they either pay the full rate for the time their car is on the ramp or it is shoved off into a corner for storage, accruing a reasonable daily charge. You will need to invest in some wheel dollies to move stuff around if you do this.
Also, nobody ever takes care of your equipment and tools as well as you want them to.
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1986 Panda 4x4. 1990 Metro Sport. 1999 Ford Escort estate.
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Feb 27, 2013 16:11:44 GMT
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I didn't say I was looking at it as a business venture, it's just something I've heard about recently and was curious as to how such an outfit would operate, obviously if I walked in to such a place they would tell me very little.
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Feb 27, 2013 19:39:15 GMT
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It wouldn't be for me. Jobs always take longer than you expect, even when you expect them to take longer than you expect.
Sorry if I offend anyone, but if you're serious about carrying out your own maintenance, you have your own gear and facilities (or mates to assist). [Kudos to many on here who persevere in less than ideal conditions.] This has the trappings of attracting unscrupulous vendors who can screw you over when your track-rod end spins in the steering arm.
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Feb 28, 2013 18:23:36 GMT
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Sounds good in principle .... but also share the resevations mentioned ..... maybe a better idea if you could rent a workshop/garage type place for a evening/day/weekend .... (bring your own tools etc)
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AB car pix
Posted a lot
Car mag' snapper
Posts: 1,337
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Feb 28, 2013 18:44:29 GMT
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Self service garage? Exactly the opposite of what I want! ;D
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1979 Chrysler Horizon 1.3 GL 1980 Ford Granada 2.8 Ghia 1985 Ford Sierra 3dr 1985 Ford Escort Mk3 1988 Ford Sierra Sapphire Cosworth 1989 Ford Escort 1.3 Popular 1995 Volvo 960 1996 BMW 525i 1998 BMW 323i 1999 BMW 530d 2003 BMW 530i . www.facebook.com/ABCARPIX
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Feb 28, 2013 19:58:28 GMT
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I think some stuff it could make sense, If you wanted to underseal for example it's going to be easier than axle stands and not much risk of it going bent Thats how I look at it but then again I would probably find a big rusty hole ;D At the moment I need to fit a new back box on the daily and having a lift and being out of the cold would help get my in to gear specially if they had a few proffessional tools I could use and a few spares kicking about as back up
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To make it succeed you'd probably want to have a good range of tools and possibly someone on site at all times who knows how to use them. You might also want to stock a large range of nuts, bolts, screws, clips, generic lengths of brake pipe etc. Then when a customer breaks a bolt or whatever you can sell him the bits he needs and charge him to fix the problem if it is something he's not comfortable doing on his own. In fact offering these services/consumables would be essential as I think you would find that a lot of your custom would be on Sundays and evenings. there is a place set up just like this near me for fixing bicycles. it's great because you still get to work on your own vehicle and learn but there are specialised tools and people around who know stuff they do alright out of brake cables, pads, bolts and various parts too bit easier to move a pushbike even when it's not working properly though
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86mike
Part of things
Posts: 453
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There was one near us that I used once or twice, fantastic for simple things like changing discs and pads. I wouldn't like it for more involved stuff where you might be stranded.
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bigrod
Posted a lot
Posts: 1,654
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Ever since I saw Darnell's yard in 'Christine' I've wanted to open one of these.
It's interesting to read the varying opinions on the subject.
The 'snapped bolt' argument is a very sound one, but you could maybe mitigate against that by carrying a stash of 'common threaded items that could be used as an interim measure. Of course having a scrap yard outside would be perfect!
Still fancy it though, but finding the right premises would be a challenge. (Although there's a disused warehouse kind'a thing in Inverkeithing right next to the scrap yard that I've always thought would be a good prospect.)
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Last Edit: Mar 1, 2013 20:21:51 GMT by bigrod
If I have to explain, you won't understand. Maximum signature image height = 80 pixels
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froggy
Posted a lot
Posts: 1,099
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Doesn't look very profitable to me , by my reckoning you need 3+ ramps and two members of staff to open 7 days a week in order to turn enough money over to make a profit . At £10 per hour its attractive to punters but you need long opening hours including evenings and weekends to get 50+ % capacity . I've seen a couple of places charging £20 p/h which is getting towards some garage rates where a clutch change would only be £30-40 more to have it done without getting dirty .
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Ever since I saw Darnell's yard in 'Christine' I've wanted to open one of these............ Still fancy it though, but finding the right premises would be a challenge. (Although there's a disused warehouse kind'a thing in Inverkeithing right next to the scrap yard that I've always thought would be a good prospect.) I think finding the insurance would be the biggest issue.
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I think finding the insurance would be the biggest issue. I spoke to a couple of insurance brokers about this a few years ago while I had access to a site that would've been suitable, they weren't horrified at the risks and recommended setting it up as a club with daily (or weekly, or monthly) membership. The real problem when I looked at this was keeping it financially viable. There are places it would work well, city centres for example where people don't tend to have garages or space to work, but renting or buying a big enough site is an enormous financial undertaking. Out of the city, you're usually in an are where people who are into cars or bikes have their own places to work, so while it's cheaper to get a big site there may not be the customers.
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Hi!
There have been a couple of these popping up here and there in the last decade - but they never lasted long... And never had a free space, if I asked... So - I don't know if that's a good buiseness plan to open up one.
IF I did so, I would NOT offer any tools. For various reasons; theft & missuse. People can loose & break they'r own tools. And: someone who does work on his own car will certainly have theyr own tools. Though I'd offer welding stuff for a smal charge etc. - but if I was to open up such a place: no tools.
And then there's the problem that even I, after 12 years, can't realy estimate how long a job will take. And if a car's stuck on a ramp, but another one allready booked in - that's bound to cause frictions. I'd very carfully think about this. About how to avoid these frictions and then go from there.
[edit] Oh, I'm way too late with my reply... ;D All has been said before.
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grumpy
Part of things
Posts: 557
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I don't see how one of these places can work from insurance and the dreaded h&s point of view . Even if they sign a complete disclaimer the amount of grief you would get from chavs and disorganised people , knackered tools , deathtrap cars , people blaming you for stuff . Perhaps it would work if people block rented for a contracted time for complete resto's etc it would be fine - i thought doing it myself.
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Darnells yard....just rent out space to long termers and sit in the office drinking whiskey and playing poker
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Old enough to remember when 'Detailing' was called washing your car
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Aug 10, 2014 20:48:45 GMT
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hi all, There is a self service garage opening in bristol called Ramp it up opens on the 17th so this coming sunday. www.ramp-it-up.co.ukthey also do tyres, service/repair and performance parts. pop down and check it out everyone is welcome
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Last Edit: Aug 10, 2014 20:50:36 GMT by rampitup
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Aug 10, 2014 21:28:49 GMT
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I've got mates who have their own garages with lifts who'd let me use them for free over the weekend, but generally I won't ask them because any job big enough to really require a ramp had a good chance of going to bo1locks and running over time massively, through no fault of my own. I'd rather shuffle around under axle stands all weekend than tie a mates ramp up for even a few hours when they need it.
As such the only jobs I would borrow a ramp for are dead easy stuff like brake pipes or exhausts, where I can be sure to be able to roll the car off the ramp and out of the way even if it is immobilised for any reason.
Sadly I think a good percentage of "rent a ramp" customers would be much less cynical about the work they have ahead, for example a customer of my friend who tried to change a clutch in a 2010 Audi A4 at the side of the road with a freshly purchased Halfords 50 piece kit and the factory jack, because someone at VW printed them off the instructions for them.
The only way I can see this working is If there was a good strategy for "dead cars" like a set of dollies and some reasonably priced storage along with a f recovery truck to drop whatever mess people get themselves in back on their drive or over the bridge.
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Aug 10, 2014 22:00:57 GMT
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£50 a day at that ramp it up is cheap
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