bluelimos

Andre, that is one amazing post. I almost re-opened my Engineering management books, very energizing. Our repairs are about 30k per year, and 95% repairs are preventive maintenance, rarely there is a total break down and repair on such... I need just one bay and about 15 hours per month. I know a lot of mechanics who only work on Lincoln town cars and I can call them on Sunday and get my work done. My own work wouldn't come in the way of generating revenues for sure. Now going from the idea of going from 2 bays to 6 bays is a struggle for me, I will have to process that and struggle in to it a little bit. Davine, $350 is just for replacing the pads, nothing extra; NOT A THING EXTRA. In a small community, people don't go to court, and they have zero knowledge of mechanical issues, they just believes whatever the shop owner says and that is the problem. Anyways, I touched a sensitive point and may have offended by even using "rip-off", so accept my apology please... I have 40-45k saved, and bank loan is additional. My rent for limousine business is costing $1200, but it is creating parking issues lately so if I get a garage with 12 -20 parking spaces, I will use up 4-5 for myself. At the moment half of my rented office is nothing but tools and parts, having a repair shop will organize my office better. I am finding the limousine business and a repair shop will kind of complement each other in terms of operation and sales.

Thank you for your in put John. I don't have any equipment yet. I have a good senior master technician that likes to work for me when I open the shop; I have known him for 3 years and he has his tools as well. I am not sure how to set up the pay with him. He is very reliable, honest, and always early, this makes me think I want to make him a partner, but I stay away with legal issues on partnership. Should I give him salary base or commission base? Which turns out to be the best for both in your experience ? . As far as alignment set up goes, I am going to skip that for first 2-3 years, just too much investment on start up, may be keep an eye for a used one whenever that happens.. Everything else on your list I am fine with it. . Tire balance machine, I am not going to compromise on that for sure; I hate the slightest imbalance on tires and cheap balancer just don't do the job. I like Hunter's Road Force GSP9700, I also like Bosch WBE 4510.

To open a repair shop in NJ, not much is required, the procedure is easy. I run the limousine business with 8 employees on the side which is going great so far. Management, employment, advertising, accounting, tax matters, permits, insurance all that I am good at. My questions are more on sales side and more less for the X factor that brings in a lot of expenses. And not knowing how the revenues are coming and what the profit levels are, I am a bit concerned. Bank has already approved a loan up-to 100k so money is not a big issue for the moment either... Thank you for your help ~Dave.

Yes, such is the nature of the forum, it goes side ways easily. Well, I know two owners here, they should give full estimates, but they don't, and then tag a lot of labor hours. I had one mechanic that worked at their shop, and he quit, he was hired at my repair shop and the reason he quit is because the owners were dishonest to people and he couldn't take it. My shop owner is very honest, he has saved my skin so many times and I have increased his business a lot by personal referrals. Bottom line is, if I stay honest I have a potential anyway, if I am honest where there are few crooks, I have even better chance. Getting back to my point, is 100k enough budget to start and survive for 2-3 years to try out? I have a dedicated 250 cars as of now that will come to my shop if opened, and easily another 500-600 cars in a year time. On top of that our Limousine industry customers and affiliates will also come, but not counting on them too quickly. Is such volume enough to generate revenue? Once I open, I know for sure that for a few months I will be advertising and putting fliers etc... if not just repairing my own vehicles... ~Dave.

Yes, I know these owners. In 2002, this auto repair shop did a brake pad job and charged my father $500, my uncle bargained with him to help my father and showed old receipts stating he got the job done for $350, so owner reduced it to $400. In 2003, my father had a Subaru, and he had to tow it to this shop called Quality auto repair in Iselin NJ. They gave him an estimate of $1800 to fix some gears, convinced my father to sell it to him and so he did. The owner/manager still is driving that car. Every time I see him driving that car, I feel the pain realizing what happened; especially that time when my father didn't have a job. These folks have now become a chain, owning 4-5 shops within 10 years from one shop. Anyway, they will do what crooks do, I will offer a genuine service based on what I find it should be right. ON top of that, I have some client base and my own cars to repair also. ~Dave

I know one has to charge around $80-90/hour to be profitable, I am not against making any profit. A good service will cost higher and I am all for quality service as I myself provide A1 quality service in my limousine operation. What I am against is, taking a full advantage of senior citizens, veterans, and technically unaware people. For example :: $450 for brake repair ( they would claim they changed brakes, calipers, and hoses where they changed only brakes ) $780 for radiator flush that was not needed $600 for radiator fan assembly (some times only a fuse is needed ) $650 for ac repair ( They would claim they changed compressor, where they put 2 cans of Freon in it ) $350 for trans oil change. You will be surprised the horror that I have seen. Generally, within the same ethnicity one would assume some trust is there; its usually the opposite here. Many of my family members have paid this amount several times, back then I was not aware of the cost and parts. Many people are still paying this price.

Hello to all members, I came across this forum, and I was happy to see a good supporting community here. I am a Mechanical Engineer, own a limousine business for about 10 years with a fleet of 8-10 vehicles here in Edison NJ. I take my vehicles to Newark NJ, to get it fixed at a commercial repair shop that specializes in Lincoln repairs. Our repair bill is about 25-30k per year. I can almost do most repairs my self, but not having the tools, lift, and the time, I give all my work to this commercial repair shop. I can do brakes, rotors, all to do with radiators, catylic converters, (brake-coolant-Tranny-engine-differential) all liquid flush, belt change, ac repairs, and many more. Just keeping up my 10 cars as 100% perfectly work horse for 10 years, I have learnt a lot and now I am burning too much time and money. In my area, there is a huge Indian and Chinese community and there are a lot of Indians who own a repair shop but not a single Chinese owned repair shop. I am kind of second generation Indian, and I see all the Indian repair shop brutally ripping off their own country men, senior citizens and lot more. I would even call them terrorist at repair shop, they are that bad. Since I have my own work to manage, I am kind of leaning to open my own shop, like 2 bay shop. This will save me a lot of time and I will get things done my way, which will also save me more time and money. I talked to a lot of friends and to get numbers, I have a good 250 cars committed to bring me their work, some are retail, some are commercial vehicles. Once I open, I know I can get that number to 600 cars within 3-4 months. I tend to have good friends who have large organizations. Now getting to reality.... I can design a differential but can't repair it, that's two different things...I don't want to work on cars personally, I am good at presentation, explaining and convincing clients and more as a manager. I will have to hire technicians and labors to get the work done. Besides that I will buy bays, wheel balancing and changing equipment and many other things. I want to try this for 2 years to see how it works out and I have spared 100k to try this. Rent goes around 2500-2800 for 2 bays around my area... So I assume the rent, equipment, insurance and some small things will suck up my spared fund for this project. For the technician, I will have to earn or brake even to another 60 per year... I am a very honest and reliable business person, I wouldn't cheat just to make profits like many other shops do. I rather have a good relations with my clients that will go for longer term. I see the community here is open to such business that I plan to establish. My limousine business is profitable, but I am getting tired of it as it is a 7 days/14-16 hour work. I would love to have a 8am-7pm 5 days per week for my remaining life Should I risk this plan, should I go for it or wait....I would love to have your opinion on this... Thanks for reading this long post, brain storming, and possible help. ~Dave.