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This was done by our local newspaper with artwork we supplied.

How long have you had the CEMB? Anyone else have one?

CPSB558865 Car X Dec. coupons & more (1).PDF

If you look at Bean also consider Hoffman. My understanding is they are the same machines. Bean is sold by Snapon and Hoffman by independent reps. We bought Hunter last year due to Servuce availability for the other machines. We spent about $31k.

Really like the pictures and the colors. Really nice.

Nice website. Big improvement. I think the dog is a really nice touch.

I like your web site. Tell me how Family Service Day works?

Maybe they are cousins!

Did this guy use to live in Indiana. Sounds like a guy I use to have. Man am I glad he is gone.

I agree. Very good decorating!

I agree. The font is also a little too small and hard to read for us old folks.

Welcome! We have something in common. Before I bought a Car-x franchise I had been working in environmental engineering and remediation.

Same here!

Thanks for the info. Is anyone using the RTI VCX-1? One of our Car-x franchisees just put them in 19 shops.

How drunk or high was she or was she just that ignorant?

My coolant exchanger was an old Wynn Machine. Looks like it has bit the dust. Looking for replacement recommendations.

Welcome!

Welcome! Sounds like you are on the right path.

Almost no one in our neck of the woods except for a two or three machine shops rebuild engines anymore. Could we rebuild? Yes! Would we? No. We will not install any engine or transmission with few exceptions without having a third party warranting both parts and labor. Warranty work can be a killer if it all comes out of your own pocket, especially if it is a struggling one man operation shop. Some engines are 20+ hours to pull and reinstall.

With my wife's help our bathroom is also very nice. We have flowers, vases, and paintings. Lotions and a baby changing station. We get more comments on a clean bathroom than anything else.

I will be very interested in seeing the pictures and would like to see your service writer tables. I considered ditching our counter and opening up with stand alone stations like Discount Tire uses. However I couldn't bring myself to run electric and communication cables down out of the ceiling or to put some hideous strip across our tile floor which could also be a trip hazard.

How do you do your time estimates? Do you use Alldata, Mitchell, or what? If you do not think you can raise your hourly rate have you considered adding a percentage to the labor times. You are evidently living in somewhat of a depressed area. You probably see a lot of older vehicles and working on those can require extra time.

The first thing that a consultant from Elite or similar would probably do is have you revisit your labor rate and markup. Last October I attended a meeting sponsored by Jasper Engines and Transmissions with a presentation by the CEO for independent shop owners. Upon registering Jasper asked for the labor rate at every shop and reported the results at the meeting. We are here in the hinder lands in the mostly rural Midwest/southeast. The shops represented were from Southern Indiana, Southern Illinois, and Western Kentucky. The reported labor rates ranged from $48-$109 per hour. The average was $78. If one had excluded the shops from the smaller towns I am sure the average would have been in the low to mid $80's. Our current labor rate is $90.00. Your labor rate is lower than average for this area. Here is a good thread on labor rates: http://www.autoshopowner.com/topic/10160-labor-rates/?hl=jasper#entry26198

I have learned that having free WIFI is much more valuable than having TV. Almost no one watches TV but everyone is on their smart phone. However, the TV does provide noise that covers up phone conversations.

Thanks for sharing good stuff. It is helpful. You see a lot more of these than we do although we have our share.