Roddor

Remember the old saying...You wouldn't bring a steak to the restaurant and ask the chef to cook it up for you? Would you? Now that would be hilarious. I suppose you could tell them I also brought my own silverware to use.

One of the problems I run into is parts pricing. Many of my customers are parts cost savey. Often times they save up for a known cost say for a lift or something then they want to pay the labor to have it shop installed instead of them doing it themsleves. Talking with other specialty shops they say up the labor and run less with parts mark up to not turn away customers. I do see you point as many jeep 4x4 shops come and go. It is hard for them to pull a profit when they usually have more savey customers who do alot of the small work themselves. Is 50-60% mark-up the industry standard so to speak? I have been told by others to try and target around 35%. Do you customer charge MSRP on your parts?

I am starting out new in a specialty Jeep offroad small shop. I am working on a parts markup matrix and am looking for input and experienced info. At past jobs I have mostly done the labor and am not as savy on the price management. After reading posts here I have found several stressing the importance of the bussiness / financial management in ownership and I am needing assistance and opinions. First I am a small based garage that doesn't have a lot of overhead. I do mostly appointment work and revitalize and sell jeeps in between jobs. I have plans to in the next 4 years work up to full time employees shop and I will then step to the full time management. I have put together this parts mark up matrix so far and was looking for input. 1) items that come with list or MSRP price I subtract my cost from list then split the difference and add that to customer price. 2) Regular items with no list or MSRP than have no shipping I add 20%. ---I often get items used or from yards on build-ups. 3) Regular parts that include shipping I add 15% plus customer pays shipping. --- lots of shipping to AK. 4) Supplies and misc parts items without list I add 10% I was also thinking about how to deal with bigger items say + $1000 , $2000 range. I want to get a reliable matrix that others in my business can use and give better more consistant quotes and billing. Thanks Rod

I am interested in learing more about Mitchell. How do I find their website or more info on their system?

Monthly Car counts: 1 Bays: 1 Hours of operation: most weekends some weekdays Number of employees 1/2 + 1/4 this is some slight humor. Good to see what you guys are putting through the doors

I just found this website recently. I have recently started my own small specialty business of Alaska Jeep Rage. I buy, sell and customize Jeeps. I run the part time business out of one bay of my two car garage in Fairbanks Alaska. I am a full time state trooper and am looking to work the Jeep business into a full time business when I retire in five years. I aim for mostly build up modifications, fabrications, repairs for off road jeeping. I have been Jeeping off and on over the years as well as doing most of my own mechanical work. I have been doing light mechanical, welding off and on for over the years and decided to start it as a business. I hoped to start small and without borrowing money during this economic depression and be in regular practice in five years. I currently am assembling a 1982 Jeep CJ that a kid took apart and couldn't get put back together as he lost his help. If I'm not on some customer jobs and I look for Jeeps that I can repair or mildly build up and sell for profit. I'm working on a business plan but not sure how the business will steer as it's a special niche. I'm working on keeping the customers at a steady flow and not overflowing for my current part time status. I have worked in shops but have not done estimates or bid jobs. I need to get info and practice in these areas. I am interested in what shops are doing for mark up on parts. Some auto places seem to have crazy variations for list or retail price. I also need to deal with used parts as well. Really looking for some top notch advice and business interactions from folks down in the states. Rod Alaska Jeep Rage

What kind of noise does it make, squeling sqeaking etc.? Ever seen it on TJ's with automatics?