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Hi My name is Byron. I am a new subscriber to Auto shop owner forum, Just stumbled across here as I am putting together a business model to get a shop up and running. I have spent hours reading through the threads and found a wealth of information here. I have to admit the thrill of opening a shop and being in control of your own future is quite exciting. But also full of anxieties and stress putting everything together.

 

I actually have 2 questions, the first being a shop name. I would like to hear how you chose a shop name and the whys of doing it. For me personally I think the name says a lot about a shop and will help attract prospective clients that are willing to spend there hard earned money for diagnostics and repairs. What say you shop owners.

 

My second question is about scan tools. I would like to know what scan tools you like and why. I have always been a user of OTC and looking at there new Genisys touch as a shop scanner.

 

 

 

 

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Incfile.com


Incfile.com


Incfile.com

Originally I was going to name my shop "The GAS Co." "Gonzo's Auto Service Co. " But after talking to a guy who runs a multimillion dollar company (Over many beers) He said, "Are you Superior?!" Me, (too many beers) I said, "HELL YES!" thus the name... Superior Auto Electric ... the hangover has lasted better than 30 years.

 

Scanners... good question.

After going through Snap On, Genysis, and a few others I find the best thing .. if you are after a very detailed scanner, well...that's manufacturer scanners. Tech II, DRB, Consult, IDS, etc...

A mastertech is a good overall tool. Does a lot

I also use a DOL scanner for basic code reading. (It's wireless and will code both OBD II and manufacturer specific codes.)

 

Nothing wrong with Snap On and the others... I just have my own preferences. I have a Genysis, makes a good door stop. (slow) BUT, nothing beats manufacturer scanners.

 

Buy a GOOD scope. Mastertech and the Snap On tools have scope capabilities. I also use a Bosch scope and a PICO. (PICO is probably the best.)

 

ya can never have enough. and.... you'll always be buying more.

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I agree there is nothing like a manufacturers scanner. Having worked for ford with there NGS then world bay diagnostics computer it was nice to be able to have that in your arsenal of tools. But going out on my own it just is not feasible to purchase all the scanners. Just trying to see what you guys like using and the best bang for the buck.

My first scanner was a OTC 4000e yeah I am old, then came the Genisys and now the new release Genisys touch has peeked my interest with all of its features from blue tooth to wiresless and not having to leave the car to look up data or information. Its platform is a tablet computer loaded with identafix as well as other features to help in repair. A good scope is for sure a tool that is needed. I have 2 Tektronix 465 scopes and been valuable to me over the years, they are considered boat anchors by todays standards.

The snap on verus pro is a really nice machine but at 10k puts it out of my financial ability to buy one. With doing all the research I can now with hopes of being as prepared as I can be once the service bay door rolls up, knowledge is the key for me to learn from you guys that have been there and done that.

Thanks for the input

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I decided on autoDR for 3 reasons. 1 - "A" puts you at the top of the list in the book. 2 - DR are my initials so it works both ways. and 3 - wanted something that we could use to market that we are the ones who tackle all the issues that others cant figure out. The idea of a Doctor helps with many of our marketing programs.

 

As for scanners you need to remember that the scanner/scope is only as good as the tech holding it. I have seen many shops in our area shell out the 5-10k for scanner only to use it like a $20 code reader. We have a few that we use. We have the OTC Genisys that we use for light stuff, quick code reads, and light live data readouts. We have the Snapon verus pro that we use on most everything for advance diagnostic, scope, data etc.... and lastly we have a shop laptop with most OE's software for anything that requires flashing or OE specific info, this also requires yearly subscriptions to the OE sites so it can be costly.

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I decided on autoDR for 3 reasons. 1 - "A" puts you at the top of the list in the book. 2 - DR are my initials so it works both ways. and 3 - wanted something that we could use to market that we are the ones who tackle all the issues that others cant figure out. The idea of a Doctor helps with many of our marketing programs.

 

As for scanners you need to remember that the scanner/scope is only as good as the tech holding it. I have seen many shops in our area shell out the 5-10k for scanner only to use it like a $20 code reader. We have a few that we use. We have the OTC Genisys that we use for light stuff, quick code reads, and light live data readouts. We have the Snapon verus pro that we use on most everything for advance diagnostic, scope, data etc.... and lastly we have a shop laptop with most OE's software for anything that requires flashing or OE specific info, this also requires yearly subscriptions to the OE sites so it can be costly.

I did a poll on a forum I frequented to help choose a name and one of the choices was The Brake Doctor. (I have a brake repair shop as well as hitch and trailer shop) Well that name won. My wife like it, but I thought it was dorky to be honest, but man has that name worked for me. I get more brake work than any other shop in town, including Midas I'm willing to bet. And people around town call me Dr, or The Dr, or Brake Doctor, it's quite funny really. I still think it's dorky, but people like it I guess.

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  • Have you checked out Joe's Latest Blog?

         0 comments
      Auto shop owners are always looking for ways to improve production levels. They focus their attention on their technicians and require certain expectations of performance in billable labor hours. While technicians must know what is expected of them, they have a limited amount of control over production levels. When all factors are considered, the only thing a well-trained technician has control over is his or her actual efficiency.
      As a review, technician efficiency is the amount of labor time it takes a technician to complete a job compared to the labor time being billed to the customer. Productivity is the time the technician is billing labor hours compared to the time the technician is physically at the shop. The reality is that a technician can be very efficient, but not productive if the technician has a lot of downtime waiting for parts, waiting too long between jobs, or poor workflow systems.
      But let’s go deeper into what affects production in the typical auto repair shop. As a business coach, one of the biggest reasons for low shop production is not charging the correct labor time. Labor for extensive jobs is often not being billed accurately. Rust, seized bolts, and wrong published labor times are just a few reasons for lost labor dollars.
      Another common problem is not understanding how to bill for jobs that require extensive diagnostic testing, and complicated procedures to arrive at the root cause for an onboard computer problem, electrical issue, or drivability issue. These jobs usually take time to analyze, using sophisticated tools, and by the shop’s top technician. Typically, these jobs are billed at a standard menu labor charge, instead of at a higher labor rate. This results in less billed labor hours than the actual labor time spent. The amount of lost labor hours here can cripple a shop’s overall profit.
      Many shop owners do a great job at calculating their labor rate but may not understand what their true effective labor is, which is their labor sales divided by the total labor hours sold. In many cases, I have seen a shop that has a shop labor rate of over $150.00 per hour, but the actual effective labor rate is around $100. Not good.
      Lastly, technician production can suffer when the service advisors are too busy or not motivated to build relationships with customers, which results in a low sales closing ratio. And let’s not forget that to be productive, a shop needs to have the right systems, the right tools and equipment, an extensive information system, and of course, great leadership.
      The bottom line is this; many factors need to be considered when looking to increase production levels. While it does start with the technician, it doesn’t end there. Consider all the factors above when looking for ways to improve your shop’s labor production.
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