Open Garage

[arseofbox]

If someone were to allow you to use a fully equipped vehicle maintainence workshop with professional consultant support (eg: a mechanic standing by to advise but not actually work), what would you pay in GBP (£)?

And what tools would you expect to be available for such money?

 

[dave]

we used to have one of them, was called u fix, but it had to close down as health n safety didnt like un skilled people in a place with dangerous stuff. it was a lot cheaper than the prices you have above more like £6 an hour, but was about 22 years ago before daryl was born anyway.

it had all tools you would ever need, inc gas welder, and 4 post lifts

 

[Xen]

yeh tbh id expect to pay less than the minimum option. certainly not the higher options as you can pay a mechanic that much to do the work for you. I think a lower price per hr, but cost of consumable on top.

 

[custard]

in real terms i would guess this would only be viable in a fully working garage.
eg like a hairdresser renting out a chair but you have the problem of a fully qualified mechanic who needs to be on hand.
how do you define on hand? as if your mechanic is on hand all the time then he's losing income

 

[Luke M]

think your main problem is insurance. its gonna be sky high!

i went ATS the other week to reseal my exhaust and even though im close mates with them all the lad i was talking to got bollocked for letting me under a lift because i wasnt insured.

 

[mountainmachine]

less than that, after all a back street garage can have labour rates that low, doing a job yourself might take twice as long as it would putting it in. As a)you havent done it loads of times and b)you clean things and are carefull with parts etc etc and see other jobs needing doing.

 

[Luke M]

besides, theres not the need for it anymore. weve noticed in work that the number of people coming in for parts is getting less and less. people will sometimes stretch as far as brake pads but most people just throw it in a garage and pay the bill.

 

[mountainmachine]

Really my local motorfactors say they get busier every month with private customers.

 

[arseofbox]

Mechanic wouldnt be a stakeholder, purely an employee

Consumables (eg: oils, ATF) wouldnt be included, its purely the equipment (although welding gas etc would need careful consideration...)

 

[jug]

id expect to pay less than the minimum option.

a lot less, the minimum option is what it costs to get work done at a local independant garage, insured work carried out by a qualified professional, so why the hell would you pay that much or more to do it yourself? it needs to be significantly cheaper to attract people unless your target market is only the people who prefer to do their own work for the fun of it, and i think you'll find those peope are very few, and they have their own tools already.

 

[jug]

besides, theres not the need for it anymore. weve noticed in work that the number of people coming in for parts is getting less and less. people will sometimes stretch as far as brake pads but most people just throw it in a garage and pay the bill.

yes it is a definite trend, the day of the DIYer is nearly over, these days people dont have the time and they do have the money so a garage is the preferred option.

i know this issue is hitting motorfactors hard these days, which is why i always advise people to go to their local motorfactor and support them with your custom. if we lose them we lose a very valuable resource, and it means you need to visit your dealer or halfords instead. that would be a great loss.

i love working on cars so i'll always DIY even if it means i lose all my spare time and have to put up with the other half complaining every half an hour. its worth it, but i know im in a tiny minority. in the 70's it was normal to service your own car, people dont even do that these days.

 

[Hellcat]

in the 70's it was normal to service your own car, people dont even do that these days.

How old are you? 26 or 46?

 

[sludgeguts]

TBH, you don't need all the gizmos & gadgets. I've done all my own work over the years, engine out & rebuild, gearbox rebuild, complete new brake system etc.
My 'garage' has been a roofrack with scaffold poles attached to allow a large tarp over & the whole car has been up on some meaty home made ramps, lifting the car 24".
I've only lent my tools out to close friends, certainly wouldn't trust them to just anyone.
I think the biggest problem with your suggestion will be insurance. Second biggest problem will be wandering tools.

Problem I'm facing now I've bought a new car is that I have to have a garage service to stamp the book for the warranty. Once out of warranty, I'll need the garage to tell the car its had oil etc.

Might be better if you had an area with inspection pits & people brought their own tools?
The 'on-hand' mechanic could be there to provide welding services (at his/her usual rates) whilst working on cars he/she books in?

 

[jug]

Once out of warranty, I'll need the garage to tell the car its had oil etc.

for most cars there are DIY ways to switch the service light off, but new cars are increasingly designed so that there is no alternative to a dealer's machine. its shocking and should be illegal. things like that influence my buying decisions.

 

[ChrisUK]

Costs me £10 a year . We have a 'Motor Club' for everyone on the station.