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How many of you have a pit? ... and how many of you wish you didn't?


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How many of you folks actually find a pit useful nowadays? Do you wish you just had another lift or two in it's place?

 

We have a pit that can comfortably fit 2 cars with room to spare in between. The issue is that it was built/spec'd out in the 40's by a family member who was 5'2" (on a good day), so it was decided to not make the pit very deep.

It's sort of handy/nice for exhaust work and oil changes, but even I (5'8") need to tilt my head and really watch what I'm doing to not catch myself. We had a guy years ago that was 6'3" who absolutely hated it.

 

In the course of making some repairs to the pit .. it looks like the concrete is deteriorating in one section to the point that I may need to weld up a frame and plate to support the concrete or build a concrete block wall.

 

I'm contemplating filling the pit in if it turns out to be a safety issue... but if I ever get a quick lube going in the future I don't want to kick myself for filling it in.

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For how many years have you contemplated having a quick lube Auto74?

I suspect that if you have not done it yet, you may never will. I vote for it been a business and not the height decision :)

If you can financially justify having a pit and have it utilized at least 80%, then just fix what you have, deepen it and enjoy it.

There is a possibility that you never went with the quick lube because it is so shallow... If you can justify filling the pit (still a cost i am guessing) purchase of a new/used lift if you don't want to have just empty space, then do that.

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For how many years have you contemplated having a quick lube Auto74?

I suspect that if you have not done it yet, you may never will. I vote for it been a business and not the height decision :)

If you can financially justify having a pit and have it utilized at least 80%, then just fix what you have, deepen it and enjoy it.

There is a possibility that you never went with the quick lube because it is so shallow... If you can justify filling the pit (still a cost i am guessing) purchase of a new/used lift if you don't want to have just empty space, then do that.

 

For about the last year or two... since partial control of the business was offered to me. There are 5 bays. 1 on one side of an office w/lift. 4 on the other side or the office. 2 w/pit 1 w/lift 1 w/o lift. I've been offered the 1600 sq ft side with 4 bays.

I've been spending my free time doing repairs/improvements to the building. Last year I spent most of my time doing various exterior repairs, mostly to the roof.

 

If I choose to rent/lease that section of the building out once my other building repairs are done I'll still need to address the pit issues.

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  • Have you checked out Joe's Latest Blog?

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      Most shop owners would agree that the independent auto repair industry has been too cheap for too long regarding its pricing and labor rates. However, can we keep raising our labor rates and prices until we achieve the profit we desire and need? Is it that simple?
      The first step in achieving your required gross and net profit is understanding your numbers and establishing the correct labor and part margins. The next step is to find your business's inefficiencies that impact high production levels.
      Here are a few things to consider. First, do you have the workflow processes in place that is conducive to high production? What about your shop layout? Do you have all the right tools and equipment? Do you have a continuous training program in place? Are technicians waiting to use a particular scanner or waiting to access information from the shop's workstation computer?
      And lastly, are all the estimates written correctly? Is the labor correct for each job? Are you allowing extra time for rust, older vehicles, labor jobs with no parts included, and the fact that many published labor times are wrong? Let's not forget that perhaps the most significant labor loss is not charging enough labor time for testing, electrical work, and other complicated repairs.  
      Once you have determined the correct labor rate and pricing, review your entire operation. Then, tighten up on all those labor leaks and inefficiencies. Improving production and paying close attention to the labor on each job will add much-needed dollars to your bottom line.
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