ScottyP

Theft of Service. This is why we always park vehicles inside the shop.

Yes, and they haven't returned my calls. I've been patient so far but they're obviously ignoring me. Have a good buddy who is captain of the local PD, going to run it by him. I have their name, address, and car keys.

I don't have extra room in my shop to store cars. They have to get locked and stored on the lot.

So I did front brakes on a Toyota 4 Runner, needed calipers too so not a cheap brake job. The husband stopped by the next day and paid half the bill with a credit card and the wife said she'd stop by and pay the balance in cash. She didn't show up that day but they took the car that night after hours with extra keys they had. She left a message on my machine that they took the car and she would stop in to pay, but it's been almost 2 weeks and no show. I left a message for them that they need to stop in and pay and pick up their keys but haven't heard back. Is this a potential legal issue for them, like theft? IMO they stole from me when they took the car without my knowledge after hours without paying. Btw she said the brakes work awesome and was very happy with the work.

We had a brutal winter, weather wise, but business was good. From March forward we have been slammed, and April has been nuts! We did 165% of our projected sales!

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.

I just had this truck back in the shop for a different issue. Previously I had flushed the power steering fluid and after a quick test drive yesterday found the brakes to be working correctly, no more instant lockup so the flush did the trick.

I bought a Coats tire machine and a Snap on balancer used and in very good condition, both for $1000. Found them on Craigslist. I don't sell tires but the equipment comes in handy from time to time.

I hope you meant inches and not 3-4 FEET of snow! Little bit different for us down here. January and February were good months. I don't know if our area really had that loss of work like you guys did up east.

Oh yeah I did mean 3 - 4' of snow on the ground! Nothing unusual for our area, we've had over 200" of snow so far this year and will likely get another 50 - 60" before it's over. Snowing right now in fact supposed to get 8 - 10".

Here's pic from snowmobiling at my camp last weekend. Snow is bottomless, can't even walk in it without snowshoes.

We are already seeing a surge in business. Temps are barely reaching normal highs and there's still 3 - 4' of snow on the ground but the suns been out and it's been getting above 20 degrees, which after this winter feels nice.

I like the higher quality and oem brands that worldpac offers and the speed of service and professionalism offered by advance. My issue with advance isn't part quality, it's the manner in which they operate. That may be the private store factor.

 

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Our Advance goes above and beyond and they have the best people of any store in town. Napa does well for us too but they have some grumpy people there and I hate dealing with grumpy people especially when I'm paying. Rarely have to deal with them though since all orders are done online, but thinking about it now the grumpy seems to slide down to the delivery people, and one girl in particular leaves my lobby door wide open the whole time she's in my shop dropping off parts. Ticks me off when it's -10f!

-27f this morning, actual temp not windchill, and the whole winter has been brutally cold. We broke a long standing record for most days below freezing, which doesn't seem like much for as far north as we are but there are always days every month that break 32. Not this winter we had 78 in a row, 1 day popped above freezing then right back to the deep freeze. We are also over 200" of snowfall so far which again is not unusual for us, we often break 300" of snowfall.

Business wise it seems to follow the weather to a certain degree. Warmer weeks bring more customers and times like this week where we really didn't even get above zero are slow, although my week was not half bad. People just don't want to do anything they don't have to do when it's -20f outside and -40f windchills. When warmer weather comes we will be very busy.

http://www.chonday.com/Videos/chopersteelrope2

What was that idiot thinking when he swung the cable right into the rotor?

A few years ago we had a really crappy old Ford Explorer that the tech did not want to work. Consequently during the inspection he picked it apart and came up with a big list of needed repairs. This was his way of flushing it out of the shop. We priced it out at over $1,200 and presented it to the customer and he bought it all. Our tech wound up having to fix everything he found.

This made me laugh out loud!

Yep I use natural gas too. Have a high efficiency furnace that heats my lobby and office area with 2 ducts that blow into the shop. For the shop itself have a very large modine type unit heater that can bring the temp up very quickly. I'm also well insulated. My gas bill last two months has been $155/mo and that's in a record cold winter. Pretty ecstatic about that!

Thinset tile mortar to go with the box of tile next to it. In the two days the car sat in my lot he stopped by twice and took stuff out of the car. Dropped off another truck yesterday too. Never stopped in so don't know if it needs work or if he's strategically placing it for the next snow storm. Like I said he pays good and normally throws me good tips so I take the good with the bad I guess. Super nice guy and believe it or not he has a lot of money but you'd never know it.

I have a customer that runs a small fleet of plow trucks, old ratty plow trucks. He brings me 1 to 2 jobs every week since he's always breaking down. I even let him keep a truck on my lot so he can swap trucks when he breaks down, he leaves the broken truck and takes the truck I just fixed. His trucks are filthy and full of junk but I like the guy and he pays good, always cash.

Anyways he brought me his car for a front wheel bearing, rear shocks and a sway bar end link. The car sat on my lot for a couple days before I could get to it, and yesterday I went out to bring it in. Here's what I found, brace yourselves!

Btw this caddy was riding so low from bad rear shocks and being overloaded with crap I had to jack it up to get my lift arms underneath it.

I advertise Saturdays open 9 - 1, but I dont turn off the open sign until I'm done and I often get slammed and work till 5. I'm slammed today, Saturday, and won't get home until late. Saturdays have typically been real good.

The EMyth!

 

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Great book! Definitely pick up a copy and read it.

All 4 brakes lock up, they are very touchy and lock up with little pedal pressure. If you're not careful it will put you through the windshield!

Rears are drums and brakes front and rear are in very good condition. I did flush the power steering fluid as it was very old.

I am not a tech but I can never remember us ever having that type of issue from a hydro boost unit. Have you checked for contaminated fluid?

Is this a response to my question in repair/diagnostic help? I did flush the fluid out just this morning. Fluid was very old and dark, flushed till clean fluid ran, put a gallon through it.

I've got a customer that has a 99 GMC K3500, 5.7, auto, with the hydro boost brake booster. His brakes are extremely touchy and lockup with very little pedal pressure. Brakes are almost new on all 4 corners. Before I replace the hydro boost unit just want to see if anything else could cause this problem. Power steering works fine, if anything it is also a bit sensitive.

We have a scrap man that comes to our shop and pays cash for metal scrap. Found him on Craigslist.

I just bought out a failing garage in December....slowly turning it around...

 

Been working on getting it cleaned up, new signage, paint, some cheap advertising, flyers, etc.

 

January Started slow. New years week was bad. The week after new years we were did ok. Last we we were slammed. This week has been slow again. Its a little unnerving, but I know it will pick up in Febuary.

 

What are your shops doing in January? Just paying the bills or turning a profit?

 

Any tips on what to do when its slow? Whats a good way to get some people in the door? My advertising budget is next to nothing. I could do some mailers or flyers. Thats about it.

I am in nearly the exact same boat as you. I moved into an old shop that had been closed for 4 years, renovated it and moved in beginning of December. It's been up and down, some weeks slammed for several days others twiddling my thumbs. It is nervewracking and I wonder sometimes if I did the right thing. I know come warmer weather it will be busy, it's always been that way. For now though have to financially make it through this brutal winter. Nobody wants to do anything when it's -15 with -35 windchills, which seems like this whole winter. Good luck man, hope you do well, wish I had advice but I'm new here too.

Yes, in the 2 years I ran my brake shop at home I would get slammed come springtime and be very busy through November. Same thing with contracting, which I finally quit after I moved into my new shop. Nice thing now is I've got dealerships and other local businesses, including Lowes, Tractor Supply and other stores sending people to me for hitches and trailer repair. Word around town is the trailer shop has finally reopened. That work is keeping me afloat during the slow winter months. I have to start marketing the auto repair part of my business though to get those numbers up.

Hello everyone. 2 years ago I opened a brake repair shop at my home and became The Brake Doctor. I have property that allowed me to do this and a large very nice shop with lift and all the toys. After 2 years it was time to move to a better commercial location so I rented a shop on the highway, renovated it and opened just 2 months ago.

I should mention I've been a general contractor for 25 years and while it's been a good business, I simply got tired of the headaches. My first love was always wrenching and I worked in a shop prior to contracting, not to mention all those years drag racing, building cars and engines, complete restorations, etc.

In addition to moving my brake shop I also opened U.P. Trailer and Hitch. The building I moved into was previously a trailer repair and hitch shop but the owner moved away roughly 4 years ago and nobody picked up the trailer work. I've been doing more trailer work and hitch installs than brake work, although I would rather do brakes. So far it's just me working the shop and my schedule is about half full. As we move out of this bitter cold winter I see that changing and most likely hiring help this spring. So anyways I'm here to learn and improve my business and hopefully make a few friends.

Scott