Car Service

[Rstra]

First of all, hey, just joined . My names Rich.

Cut a long story short. I am starting up a mobile car servicing service with the help of my dad (retired mechanic). .... on but I'm looking to do car servicing at peoples homes, obviously cant do as much as a garage due to not having the right equipment, but will be cheaper and easier for some people as they dont have to take the car anywhere.

Just a few questions if anyone knows the answers, do you have to be a qualified mechanic to service someone elses car? I am taking a mechanics course but it is with ICSLearn (I get an IMI Awards Car Operation and Maintenance Certificate) at the end of it and I have about 2 more weeks of studying to do. How would it work with stamping someone's service book etc.? I have done some research as to what companies charge, what they offer etc.

Thanks

 

[lutonmatt]

you dont have to be qualified to work on any ones car i know a lot of mechanics that dont have any paper work and they are some of the best cos its what they wanted to do and learnt doing the job with there hands and not reading

i have a nvq lvl3 in mechanics and have 2 blokes at work that are doing there course now and they are only doing fitting courses cos they dont train them to be mechanics any more due to that side of the job of fixing and repairing not being there much now

as long as you have a stamp with your company name ect you can stamp any ones book

and you should be able to do nearly everything on the side of the road that we do in a workshop
only things you might not be able to do is anything needing a press

 

[herb]

First of all, hey, just joined . My names Rich.

Cut a long story short. I am starting up a mobile car servicing service with the help of my dad (retired mechanic). At the moment I buy cars with faults, fix them and sell them on but I'm looking to do car servicing at peoples homes, obviously cant do as much as a garage due to not having the right equipment, but will be cheaper and easier for some people as they dont have to take the car anywhere.

Just a few questions if anyone knows the answers, do you have to be a qualified mechanic to service someone elses car? I am taking a mechanics course but it is with ICSLearn (I get an IMI Awards Car Operation and Maintenance Certificate) at the end of it and I have about 2 more weeks of studying to do. How would it work with stamping someone's service book etc.? I have done some research as to what companies charge, what they offer etc.

Thanks

hello rich and welcome to torque cars

first of all i wouldnt advertise on forums the fact you buy/fix then sell cars for a living the taxman wont like that

as for the home servicing good luck with this!!! its a hard market to make money in!!! my mate is a mobile mechanic and he does the servicing too. he only makes money on servicing cause he gets a good discount on the materials!!
as for stamping the book i think this only really matters if the car is under warranty cause it has to be an legit garage using manufacturer specified materials to keep the warranty valid

 

[HDi fun]

I think there's a lot of market space for such a service. People are keeping cars for longer now than they were [previously] and dealer servicing labour rates can be high.

Book stamping is fine as long as you are VAT registered, for some reason warranty providers (makers, dealers or private 3rd party insurance ones) generally won't endorse you without VAT registration. You will almost certainly have to use OEM parts.

Even if you can cover basic servicing items initially, oil change and filters (air, oil, fuel, cabin etc.); brake disc/pad changing and simpler stuff (lamps, for example) then you have a viable business in my opinion.

Over time you will need to invest in equipment, diagnostic OBD kit is almost essential.

Working at the roadside can be a problem legally and safety wise. It's something to consider before setting out and getting caught out. Take some legal advice - often this is free for startup businesses.

Let's face it, the RAC and AA are allowed to do this so there must be a workaround.

One thing I do suggest you think about seriously is getting yourself certificated to handle R134a refrigerant and get into the A/C drain, vac, oil and refrigerant recharge market. The equipment cost is coming down massively. It does usually need 240 VAC mains but customers will have this for you, you just need a long extension lead.

 

[Rstra]

hello rich and welcome to torque cars

first of all i wouldnt advertise on forums the fact you buy/fix then sell cars for a living the taxman wont like that

as for the home servicing good luck with this!!! its a hard market to make money in!!! my mate is a mobile mechanic and he does the servicing too. he only makes money on servicing cause he gets a good discount on the materials!!
as for stamping the book i think this only really matters if the car is under warranty cause it has to be an legit garage using manufacturer specified materials to keep the warranty valid

Thanks .
As for the stamping the book, I was more on about service history. gets stamped every time the car is serviced right?

My dad has a friend who is a car dealer, has been for about 40 years, when he started he did not need to register a company... Spoke to him recently and he says its the same, you can just start it up with a company name, just as long as I pay tax... I am looking to "register" myself as a motor mechanic/car sales etc. Do I have to actually register it or can I just make up a name and voilà...

 

[Rstra]

I think there's a lot of market space for such a service. People are keeping cars for longer now than they were [previously] and dealer servicing labour rates can be high.

Book stamping is fine as long as you are VAT registered, for some reason warranty providers (makers, dealers or private 3rd party insurance ones) generally won't endorse you without VAT registration. You will almost certainly have to use OEM parts.

Even if you can cover basic servicing items initially, oil change and filters (air, oil, fuel, cabin etc.); brake disc/pad changing and simpler stuff (lamps, for example) then you have a viable business in my opinion.

Over time you will need to invest in equipment, diagnostic OBD kit is almost essential.

Working at the roadside can be a problem legally and safety wise. It's something to consider before setting out and getting caught out. Take some legal advice - often this is free for startup businesses.

Let's face it, the RAC and AA are allowed to do this so there must be a workaround.

One thing I do suggest you think about seriously is getting yourself certificated to handle R134a refrigerant and get into the A/C drain, vac, oil and refrigerant recharge market. The equipment cost is coming down massively. It does usually need 240 VAC mains but customers will have this for you, you just need a long extension lead.

Excellent, thanks. Thats basically what I am looking to do, start off small and simple, as I get money, get more equipment, hopefully in a few years end up with my own garage.
I will be doing service's in peoples homes so I shouldn't need to be concerned about working roadside as such.. I mean people work on their cars down there street so technically it could be considered the same as me doing a few bits on their car...

I will definitely look into the R134a refrigerant. Anyone know if its hard to get/expensive?

 

[Rstra]

Also one more thing. I am wanting to get a name, RCS Autos. Do I have to register it as a motor company or can I just use the name, as long as I pay tax...?

 

[HDi fun]

Excellent, thanks. Thats basically what I am looking to do, start off small and simple, as I get money, get more equipment, hopefully in a few years end up with my own garage.
I will be doing service's in peoples homes so I shouldn't need to be concerned about working roadside as such.. I mean people work on their cars down there street so technically it could be considered the same as me doing a few bits on their car...

I will definitely look into the R134a refrigerant. Anyone know if its hard to get/expensive?

The course for handling the stuff legally is a one day effort IIRC. I will have a look around for you.

Operating the equipment and working on automotive A/C systems is totally separate but they really are not that complicated unless parts need replacement. If the system has been used regularly then little else is necessary other than drain/deep vac/ recharge. Failed systems are more difficult but, as you say, start small. Rome wasn't built etc etc..

 

[Rstra]

The course for handling the stuff legally is a one day effort IIRC. I will have a look around for you.

Thanks. Course for handling stuff legally? You mean working roadside etc.?

 

[lutonmatt]

name wise just use it as long as you pay the taxes they dont mind

but a lot of people dont like you working on there drives incase you get them dirty
and you can get done working on the side of the road
diy man can do it as its his car but your doing it to make money

we have a few mobile mechanics that have done it for years and never have been done

if i was setting up as a mobile mechanic now i would not put my money in to servicing not many people have it done now just get there cars fixed when it breaks

we are one of the cheapest garages around for a full service yet i have not done a service in weeks is all repairs

need to find a good mot place need to offer that service and make sure you have the insurance to drive the cars is the last thing you want to crash there cars

another must in todays trade is the diagnostic equipment most cars you will have will have a light on somewere most reasons for people to have there cars serviced

 

[lutonmatt]

also the reason the aa.rac get away with it is cos they are a recovery company / break down they will try to fix just to get you going to get to a garage

 

[HDi fun]

Thanks. Course for handling stuff legally? You mean working roadside etc.?

Working anywhere with R134a, including garage premises if you are in the motor repair and maintenance trade, will require a license to handle the stuff.

I know you can buy the top-up kits from Halfords but this isn't covered by legislation as they are bought and used by end users. Incidentally, don't bother with 'em under any circumstances - in the A/C trade they're coloquially known as death kits. I know of one person who overcharged to such a degree that compressor disintegrated and blew the wing off a Honda Civic.

You will have to register the nature of your business (even if you are self employed/sole trader) with HMRC and this is required for self assessment tax etc. If you don't tell them what you do then the allowances that are for your trade won't be admissible.

If you later choose set up a limited company then this is all covered by the articles of association and articles of incorporation for the limited company. Whereupon you can be a bit wider and cover basically any trade at all just in case that limited company does do it one day.

Company law can be quite complex and I don't want to delve into it here - it's not relevant at this point.

There are massive benefits and very few downsides to registering as a motor trader from the get go. One that comes immediately to mind that you will be able to get public liability insurance from all the major commercial insurers to cover everything (including driving ANY car at all for the purposes of your trade - which is essential).

It will also make trade discounts far easier to obtain with suppliers. Membership of trade specific organisations will be much much simpler.

As for trademarking I do suggest that you register a dormant company ASAP - keep it dormant until you actually trade as a limited company otherwise you will become liable for annual returns to Companies House. It also eases the way with internet domain name registration. An internet presence is important now for marketing purposes.

 

[Rstra]

I have tried looking into getting motor trade insurance (allowing me to drive any car) but as I am only 19, I cant get it as most, if not all insurance companies I've found say you have to be at least 21, 23 in most cases..

 

[Yugguy]

Good luck with it mate.

As to warranty/service books, as long as you use OEM quality parts then the warranty has to be upheld by the manufacturer, so you can say this honestly to potential customers.

 

[lutonmatt]

Good luck with it mate.

As to warranty/service books, as long as you use OEM quality parts then the warranty has to be upheld by the manufacturer, so you can say this honestly to potential customers.

only if your a vat registered garage

 

[lutonmatt]

I have tried looking into getting motor trade insurance (allowing me to drive any car) but as I am only 19, I cant get it as most, if not all insurance companies I've found say you have to be at least 21, 23 in most cases..

i had that as well when i looked first time as i was about 23 and most said good like getting it if you do it will be dear
now i am 26 and pay 650 for mine is saving me loads of money as i have 4 of my own cars on there plus others i drive around

try quotemetoday.com thats who i am with they seem a good company helped me out and got it cheaper then the quote online as they will mirror your ncb from your car

 

[Prince]

Sounds like a good idea but needs to be executed correctly. What area are you going to cover? Are you going to charge a call out fee or just for the work done?

A couple of ideas to think about...

Offer a repair service as well servicing.
Home start (call out fee applicable).
Towing service.

How are you planning on advertising?

 

[Rstra]

Sounds like a good idea but needs to be executed correctly. What area are you going to cover? Are you going to charge a call out fee or just for the work done?

A couple of ideas to think about...

Offer a repair service as well servicing.
Home start (call out fee applicable).
Towing service.

How are you planning on advertising?

Well starting off quite small, so just probably East Sussex area. Being only 19 that limits me on towing, think I need to take another license for towing. Would I need to for a recovery truck?
Again, as I'm starting off small then I probably wont charge for call out (or a very small amount), just the work done.
I need to get some more experience under my belt, which is part of the reason I buy cars and fix them.
Well at the moment I've just told friends and family etc and doing free services (cost of parts) so I'm just starting like that. When I get more experience and more confidence I'll start advertising properly. I'm basically working with cars full time now.

 

[Rstra]

i had that as well when i looked first time as i was about 23 and most said good like getting it if you do it will be dear
now i am 26 and pay 650 for mine is saving me loads of money as i have 4 of my own cars on there plus others i drive around

try quotemetoday.com thats who i am with they seem a good company helped me out and got it cheaper then the quote online as they will mirror your ncb from your car

Do you know if they would insurance a 19 year old with 0 years claims?

 

[HDi fun]

Approach them and ask the question. If you have no NCB but no accidents either then someone's likely to make an offer at least.

 

[lutonmatt]

just go on there website and fill in the rubbish and see what it comes up as
is one of the few that do a online quote for trade insurance
so wont loose anything

 

[HDi fun]

Trade insurance is more than just 3rd party cover for road risk. You can set up a ploicy to cover all your public liability, tools, premises etc. My local Peugeot specialist pays about £5000 per annum but this is to cover EVERYTHING his business has to insure with 3rd party road cover included.

 

[pgarner]

you do need a license for towing a trailer, and you would need another test to drive a towtruck due to size

 

[HDi fun]

you do need a license for towing a trailer, and you would need another test to drive a towtruck due to size

If you have held a normal GB car license since before Jan 1997 then you can tow anything that is within the towing weight specs of the car concerned.

After that there is a supplementary test.

I don't know about tow trucks. If they're under 7.5 tonnes GVW (incl. load) then a car license might be adequate. Check with the DVLA.

 

[pgarner]

tow truck will be over 7.5 ton tho - well im thinking flat bed style one. and rasta is only 19 so would need the other licenses - trailer and class 2


again if he was old enough to have had his licence pre 97 he could drive the 7.5 toners without a problem

 

[HDi fun]

It [tow truck] will be over 7.5 ton(nes) if it's a full blown one which tows with all four wheel lifted.

There are some very novel towing dolly systems which can be fitted to the latest FWD Ford Transit vans but I suspect they are pricey to buy and have installed. The RAC uses this type of kit for car recovery operations. And you'll still need the supplementary part of the GB test to tow with one of these.

 

[lutonmatt]

you can drive a transit truck on are licence's as long as the truck and car on the back dont weigh more then 3.5ton

but if you get one that has just the lift on the back the car that you are towing has to be taxed due to at least 2 wheels touching the road
new thing they have bought out

just as well as we used to have a lift truck at work i used all the time must not say it was over weight lol


but used to be if it was a recovery truck and said so on the on the v5 and weighed more then 3.5 ton then it was classed as weight less and any one can drive one
and does not have to have a mot

but now there are new laws anything over 3.5 ton has to have a taco fitted so can only work so many hours this will push prices up soon

 

[lutonmatt]

but good thing about the trade insurace it covers you for a truck and what ever car you have on the back least mine does

 

[HDi fun]

As I said previously, if you are a registered motor trader/garage operator, this cover can be incorporated as an extension of your general business insurance covering premises, contents, tools, public liability etc. in general.

 

[lutonmatt]

ya the trade insurace can cover so much

i have just the road risk on mine as its for just selling cars
my work's insurance covers me for driving anything to do with the garage with all the other cover

but got to phone mine up next week to see if i got to let them know anout employees or not as i want to put my dad on it as when i buy a car he comes with me and drives my car back so want him to be covered to drive anything as well and if i can get him as a employee for free it will be even better

 

[Rstra]

I shall take the required licenses in the future once it kicks off. I shall definitely look around for traders insurance.

As for licenses, what would I need? I've been told by others that I would need a waste license to carry the oil around, I'd need a license (or something similar) to work on the road but for the moment I'm just going to work on cars that are on people's drives (most people have drives anyway). Anything else?
All the driving licenses needed and extra services that go beyond a typical interim service I wont be doing yet due to my age, experience and money.

 

[lutonmatt]

forgot about the oil ones
need to be able to carry it and get rid of it
along with or oil ilter and fuel filters
and normal waste cos as its company waste it cant go in a black sack out side the house

i would get everything in place before i would start
but if you was not to do 1 or2 of them until you have customers and are running it as a company so be it 1st thing you get is a warning and get told to get a license

 

[HDi fun]

Another place to look for information specific to your region is the local Chamber of Commerce. The have some brilliant information sources and some very knowledgeable staff. They also have some good seminars on marketing and advertising strategy which is very helpful for any business.

Best of all, it's free! For now, anyway.

One thing I do suggest, and no matter how small you start, open a separate bank account and use it for everything business related. It makes it so much easier when it comes to tax return time. It's also worth buying a basic business accounting program such as Quickbooks Simple Start or Businessware (circa £100).

 

[Rstra]

At the moment I'm just servicing/repairing friend's cars for free (cost of parts) just to get more experience. Once I start dealing with actual customers I shall look into doing everything people say on here.

I must say this is a very helpful forum with lots of friendly, understanding members. I'll be using this forum alot. Thank you all very much .

 

[Rstra]

Bringing a dying thread back to life again hehe. I do not quite get it about the service book or how the work.. When does the service book get stamped, just an oil change and filter change or is it the proper every 12 months service?

Can I just get a stamp with my company name on and stamp someones service book after a service or is it a bit more complicated than that? Thanks

 

[lutonmatt]

just get a stamp is easy as that
most books have 2 or 3 parts to a service
a is normaly a oil change
b oil and air
c oil air fuel and plugs

if you only do 2k a year there is no point doing a full service every year i do a oil change for them and a full service every other year
and other that do over 10k or dont service it every year gets a full service

 

[Rstra]

Okay thanks. Any idea how I would get hold of a stamp?

 

[lutonmatt]

lot of internet companys do them
might even be able to get one off ebay

dont have to be anything fancy
just has to have your name and number on it really

ares has the full address ect but then it is a garage not a mobile mechanic

 

[Rstra]

Okay thanks. These garages/companies who have the ability to bring up a cars information just with their number plate, is that something you have to pay for to get? Could anyone shed some light on it for me please?

Edit:
And also, how would I get hold of one of those prints they use for printing receipts out?

 

[pgarner]

the internet info is generally dealer only info. ie mines says it belongs to me but hasnt been serviced since 2007. it has been but at an indi specialist so nothing stored on records