Jeff

Depends on the work flow. I generally don't get a lot of biz the week tween CHRISTmas and New Years. Kickin around the idea of being "closed" that week. Got some plans for the office/waiting room. Have stacks of paper work to do to close the year. Also have a few project cars I would like to get wrapped up and out. After Christmas it will usually take off with the "snow birds" coming in. That will depend on the weather up north!

Glad to have ya! Check in often!

Thanks folks for all the input. I have about 5 years to retirement, if I can afford to then. Had always kinda hoped to grow this to a point that I could retire and have a running biz that would support me. I cant say why exactly but I just haven't been able to grow it to that point. Did I start at a bad time, Opened in 04, had a severe hurricane season in 05, economy crashed in 08, went through a break about the same time. I haven't been as sucessful as I would like to have been but I have survived. And by Grace and with the help of folks like ya'all I will carry on! Thanks again!

Sounds like a plan Carbtech. Doing about the same here. Good luck!

Thanks Xrac. Yes it is a challenge some days! I guess I get a bit defensive when I feel others don't consider us one man bands a "real" business. It is a lot of work.

Thanks M-Spec. I appreciate that.

I am curious how many here are one man shops? Several times through out these forums I have seen mention of one man shops not being a "business", or more so just "buying" a job. I have to admit this bothers me a bit. I feel just because I dont hire mechanics or baby sit an office person (and I have done both) I am no less a business or a businessman. Lets hear from the others. Thanks for the input.

Thats Sum Guy's new tow service!

Honesty IS the best policy.

Read Motor Age, Ratchet Wrench, Underhood Service mags every month. Subscribe to Motor Age online. Stay active in the forums. Snap On and one of the local parts companies have training. Any new model I get in if I don't have ant experience on it I will read thriough the entire repair proscess before I put a wrench on it.

I use square. 2.75% funds deposit next day. No contracts, no monthly fees, no problems. What I have found is that my credit cards amount to a small percentage of my business. At the lower processing amounts the fees were some what higher than some mentioned here. I could go a month and not take a card and still get hit with a "processing" fee because I didn't hit the minimums.

I can remeber pulling heads on a '64 Chevy 409 and being able to stand where the radiator was and work. I raced a 67 camaro and my brother and I could pul the engine (327) and trans (4 speed) as a unit, throw in a new clutch, pasti-gauge the bearings, check the valve adjustment and have it back in the car and running and track ready in 2 hours. And that was using hand tools and a bucket loader on a farmall.

Thank's Joe. Happy Thanksgiving to you and all those here in the forum.

In this area we are still "recovering" from the so called recession. The sad part is, if there was a thousand jobs here I dont think they would be filled. The folks have gotten so spoiled to living on the govt teat they don't want to work. A read recently a family of 4 would draw close to 40k a year on govt subsidies. I have a friend that works at a local Wal-Mart distrtibution center. Good pay and benifits. He told me they cant get help. Applicants either cant read and write well enough to fill out an applicaton OR they cant pass the drug screen. Welcome to the New America!

I have the new snap on unit.

And Sum Guy rides off into the sunset (cue cowboy music). The ones that get me are "I paid the other mechanic to fix my (insert componet) and it still dont work. Can you help me out because he got all my money?"

Good find and good fix.

Guy drives in..How much to put an axle in my Rav 4 me..I would guess around 250 Owner..thats kinda high. me..I am guessing, 125 for an axle and 125 to install. owner...you're a crook. I can buy the axle at AZ for 55 and you tube says it takes and hour me..my repair includes warranty and a no charge road service owner...I dont care, you mechanics are all crooks. Me...GET OFF MY LOT NOW!!! Dude looked at me like I had 3 heads. I really believe he thought I was gonna barter with him!

Welcome. Lots of good help here!

I had a young man, 15 or so, that wanted to make a few bucks. My sons girlfriends boy. He was to come in on Saturday mornings and clean the facility. I dont have a large garage so it is about a 4 hour job.Just the basics. Sweep and mop the shop and office. Wipe the greasy prints off the walls, empty trash,etc. Firts week was a learning curve. Second week not so bad. by the 4th week everytime I turned around he was in the office "charging" his phone. When I told him the phone would charge by itself and he had work to fininsh I got a bit of attitude. I gave him the benifit of being young and untrained. The following week I got the same crap. He no longer cleans the shop on weekends! Had another friend whose sons needed to make some money for summer camp. They worked their behinds off, never a problem. A lot of it is being raised to respect your elders/bosses!

Just to be clear,I respect the company policies that you folks have in place. And if I was a tech looking for work, then those policies you have in place would be followed. Would I question them? Maybe. Just trying to put a little perspective on the battery issue.

Not a fan of battery tools myself buuutttttt I do have a Snap on Li-ion battery powered 1/4 ratchet. I have noticed it has plenty of power till the battery goes dead and then it is dead period. No getting one more turn out of it, No slowing down. it just won't work period. Now if the impacts work the same way then it will stop before it wont torque the wheels. That would be my thought.

Looking at the HITS site I only see a management system. What will you use for repair data? I use Mitchell and have for a long time. Its not everything for everybody but it works well for me.

I have the same problem to some degree and I believe we have all been there! My biggest problem is worry! What if's drive me crazy! What if the work slows down, the compressor dies, the lift takes a crap, my computer dies...! Several years ago I quit (all recorded here in the forum). Left town in search of greener pastures. And wound up right back here! It is all a learning process. No one can tell you exactly how to run your business. And when it's all done at the end of the day the only one responsible for you is you. My first move was to stop worrying! Second I began weeding out the cheap customers. Then I slimmed down the overhead. if it dont make me money I get rid of it. And lastly I work alone and schedule accordingly. It's still tough but it is MY tough! I got my leg broke last November and was sure I was gonna loose it all. My son stepped in and took care of biz till I got back to the shop. and guess what! It was all still here! I took a vacation in August. Didn't have a thing on the schedule for the following week when I got back! Wanna take another guess..it was all still here when I got back and the phone rang of the hook for a solid week! And for what it's worth I pray! And my GOD answers prayers! Am I where I want to be? Not by a loooong ways! But I dont wake up in the morning and get sick thinking about the business! There is a reason you started your own business, rediscover that reason, make a plan and stick to it. Make adjustments when you have to, but stick to it!

We are also committed to becoming a resource for business related topics, benchmarking numbers, business forms and much more. This quote dircetly from the ASO about us link. I for one am always intersted in ways to improve my biz! I have spoken to Elon on several ocasions. The first time we ever spoke I informed him right up front that I run a very tight budget and his services may not fit. He was kind enough to take some info and return my call with information that I could use AT NO CHARGE! And he followed up with a few more calls to see if there was any furthur help he could offer. Yes it is for a fee. Are we not all working to make a living? Is it auto related? Got no problem with it. And I appreciate what he offers here. Phynny I find it odd that anyone would contact you with a problem they have here on the ASO site. Why would'nt they post as you have or contact ASO dirctly. I Call BS!