ricoexport

just saw the name come up a couple times in the forum but couldn't find a thread explaining it

i went on their site and didnt understand fully as im currently in the shop and dont want to call and get answers and more info now

but i dont want to wait to get home either lol

so is it a tech help hotline?

is it a monthly subscription? or per call cost

currently using all data but i read some of you guys have both?

any more info on explaining this would be great!

thanks in advance!

thanks guys really appreciate the advice, especially yours bobby

i actually had 7 interviews today, thanks to good ol' craigslist

i think i found my new tech, hes very promising and i liked the way he talked and i hope hes a man of his word and can really do what he says he can

some guys out there can talk the talk but very few can actually walk it, i hope i used that expression correctly lol

any who bobby like you said, customer's notice and mine sure as hell did, thats why i called it quits, enough was enough and slowly but surely ill know that it was for the best

thanks

im charging $24.95 up to 4 quarts with standard filter

$3.99 each additional quart

call me crazy but i dont charge shop supplies/ disposal fees / etc

there are some local shops charging "$15.99" for oil changes and after there obnoxious fees and taxes the customer leaves with a $30 bill

maybe i should charge "$10" for oil change plus fees and make it come out to $25 lol maybe ill get more traffic around here

Fyi in court it means nothing. As I said before we have first hand experience in this.

agreed but most customers dont know this

i personally have 2 signs inside my shop that reads in big bold letters :

NOT RESPONSIBLE FOR THEFT, DAMAGE OR ANY VALUABLES LEFT IN VEHICLE ON PREMISES

also when i start a repair order i ask all of my customers to read and sign a disclaimer that states the same message

saves me a headache or two

I just recently switched to drums after using quarts for 20 years. All i can say is I should have convinced my father to do this sooner. I did not want to make a large investment in equipment (tanks & dispensers) to find out that it wasn't what we wanted so what I did was purchase a drum cradle that you can lay the barrel on its side and use like a beer tap. This gave me a way to move the barrel and dispense it, and it only cost $135.00 from Granger. You can see the product here My link.

 

I first only purchased one cradle and one drum of 5/30 oil and found it to fit my needs perfectly and now i am going to switch all of my oil to drums

 

Hope this helps.

that is excellent!

exactly what im looking or like you said to start with, i will definitely look into this

but my main question is how much am i cutting my costs by?

for example how much is that drum of 5/30? what brand is it? and where can i buy them?

thanks again for the info jon

David,

 

I'm sorry for the loss of your father I too work with mine and could not imagine losing him. In some ways I am in the same situation, I have not lost my father but have taken the shop over at 26 and understand the challenges a young shop owner/manager faces. I'd urge you to find someway to keep your business classes going you'll need them in the road ahead, I know that the college classes I have had has made it easier for me. Like you I came to this site to gain more knowledge and wisdom and so far it has been very helpful.

thanks for the advice jon, appreciate it

i definitely plan on returning to school next year, this year i just had to focus on the business

glad to have made a friend, cheers

just wanted to say hello, tell my story, make new friends and ultimately, get help.

well my name is David, i have recently took over my father's auto repair shop this year after he passed on December of last year, its been the toughest year of my life. my old man was not only my father but my best friend, i grew up turning wrenches here at his shop since i was 16 during my summer vacations. i am not a master tech or anything but i am way past an entry level. the trouble ive run into is finding good help we are a small 4 bay shop and we have only had 3 techs, my father, my self and another tech. eventually the other tech we had for 4 years now, lost respect for me..well he stopped taking me serious and took advantage of me, sometimes saying to himself im 42 years old i dont have to listen to a 20year old. i am young, and i do admit i may not know how to manage a business yet, but at the end of the day i am the boss so after 4 years of working for us i had to let him go. now i cant seem to find a mechanic like him, it bite me in the ass. he obviously knew more than me and had more experience. im blessed that my father was a great and honest man and for that he left me a large and loyal customer base that watched me grow up around the shop over the years. but i need help from a more experienced mechanic.

im currently in business school at the university of central florida but have put that on hold because im at the shop 50hours a week

so in a nutshell thats my story of my tough life haha. its not easy but i enjoy it, i love the field and plan to expand my father's business one day

joined the forum to grab help and ideas

thanks

hey guys and gals need your help

long story short, we currently use, buy and stock quarts of oil for our oil changes, im paying $2.29 a quart and $1.59 per common filter

im looking to convert to a quick lube shop, a in-and-out 10 minute center, so im looking to cut my parts price if possible

we have never bought oil drums so have no idea how much they cost, what we need as far as pumps etc/ and where can i buy it?

looking to cut my cost so i can ultimately lower my prices to complete with near by companies

not looking for high name brand oil just your basic oil in different weights

we have stocked autozone brand oil, wolf's head, parts plus and other no name oil's just looking for something cheap and reliable

also if anyone else is getting a better price on filters or quarts of oil let me know where i can purschade them

i understand that states prices may vary, im in central florida

thanks for help in advance