LynxStarAuto

In or around the Linden, NJ area? My sister is relocating down to Florida. She has a 2009 Hyundai believe an Accent, or an Elantra. It only has 36k miles, but has been barely driven as she lived and worked in NYC for many years. As you can imagine, the car needs a once over to make the trip down to South Florida. She is very naive when it comes to cars, and just takes it to places like Midas, Pep boys, or quick lubes. I do not trust any of these places to perform the necessary repairs to get this car into road worthy shape.

I know there are a lot of shop owners here in the NE area. I would trust any of you to perform a service and repair on her car like if it was me who was doing them. I'm not trying to tell anyone how to do their job, but off the top of my head, I would think the car would need

Brakes refreshed or replaced

fluids flushed

new tires and alignment

belt(s)

transmission serviced

any other miscellaneous repairs which could affect the vehicle reliability and hamper the move down south

If anyone is interested or knows of anyone who is trustworthy, please PM me, and I will pass along her information.

For the record, we are not expecting freebies, or hand offs just because I am a member of this board. You charge your labor, and repair as any standard customer. We, I, specifically am more concerned with her paying for services, and having them performed, and properly performed.

Thanks again guys.

That thing was great! Loved the individual cylinder nomenclature. Wonder how that would look on a scan tool?

Misfire: Vixen, Dancer, and Comet.

My understanding is the used tire business is in jeopardy as new, more stringent regulations are coming forth that will pretty much make it almost illegal to sell a used tires. At least in my market, this is the case.

I never even heard of these guys.

IMO every year should always be that year where your break out. Keeps me motivated, and focused.

Cheapest oil change in my place (two man shop) is 50 bucks. Worldpac has a customer retention program where they mail potential, and current customers a flyer of your shop promoting free oil changes. I did it for 1 week, and quickly cut that **** out. All I got into the bays were self entitled know nothing-alls just looking for a freebie. I tried as hard as I could to upsell, and not a single one bit. Not only that, but one customer brought me his car, asked me to check it out, and when I told him I charge for a diagnosis, he gave me a hard time.

It caused more traffic sure, but no revenue, and more stress and headaches. No thank you. Times change, as do ppl and society. I'm sure when grandpa opened his doors, cheap oil changes probably made sense, like at one point in time, free oil changes to create traffic made sense. They do not any longer. I mean, at 18 bucks an oil change? How do you even cover disposal of said oil?

Can't say I have worked on the Edge, but to answer your question "can a PCM cause issues with the fan". Absolutely. Especially if the system uses a floating ground. The floating ground is provided by the PCM when "certain conditions are met". An internal short of said ground can very much happen. Causing the controlled component to malfunction. I have personally seen this with fuel injectors, cooling fans, and ground side switched fuel pumps.

I have a Matco MJS3500. It has a small motorcycle battery, which is serviceable. Lasted me 2 years, and I replaced it with a lithium equivalent. Been going strong now for 3 yrs with that.

I also have a mini jumper. Works great in a pinch, and very versatile with adapters to charge phones, computers, etc. my only gripe with it, is the included jumper cables are very, very cheap, and will eventually break with the daily grind. Cables are not cheap either 30 bucks. It's a good back up or emergency booster, but not for daily use.

Oh I forgot to add that their info request is a complete joke. Supposedly, what they don't have available right on the website, they can attain through their "archives" and email to you. That's great, the problem is the ppl who fetch you the info are NOT mechanically inclined, or savvy. Identifix claims these are industry professionals, but that is inaccurate. They are just call center CSR.

I once had an oddball job: my associate's sister's car a 00 Rodeo. I needed diagrams of the intake water plumbing. The guy sent me fuel injection diagrams, and transmission cooler diagrams. After going back and forth with the guy, he was only able to fetch me radiator, and radiator hose diagrams, and told me there was nothing under the intake water related. Well I tore it apart, and quite the contrary.

I enjoyed a free 3 month trial of Identifix when I bought my generic scantool. It was pretty good, but there were holes in specific brands/models. Very user friendly interface though, and direct hit is gold.

Once my free trial ended, I went back to my typical stuff. OEM tech sites.

Here is how I see your scenario TC. Personally, I think that when it comes to troublesome customers, we should learn to be more vigilant, but at the same time the rest of your customer base shouldn't suffer because of one bad apple. What I mean is you should not be so quick to change policies and procedures because of one knucklehead. Perhaps, you would be better off managing this particular customer differently should you continue to do business with them in the future, but think about your entire operation in general, and see if these changes will bring improvements, or if they will just cause additional inconvenience, and inefficiencies. Especially for the customer.

If things are going good, why fix what isn't broken? We specialize on European cars. Namely, the German big 3. I'll get into the pros and cons of that in a minute, but first I just want to say that if the system you have in place is working for you, why make such a drastic change like specializing in specific brands? That would be fine if you were a specialty shop to begin with, but if you have been providing general service for a year now, and suddenly want to cut your customer base off and cater to selective ones, I don't know but that just sounds like bad business practice to me. Turning customers away is a bad move IMO.

Specializing has its pros and cons like everything else. For one you are limiting your customer base to a specific demographic. This can stunt your growth some. You will not have as much traffic as a general repair shop, or income potential off the bat. You should do some research of your immediate area, and see what kind of vehicles are predominant in your community, and cater to those. Definitely, you want this choice to sync with your business plan. The other issue is personnel. If you plan to specialize, you may want to hire staff which is knowledgeable in the brands you service. This can limit your hiring options, and may bring up compensation issues as well. Hiring in this industry is tough enough as it stands. Some pros: specializing really allows you the flexibility to expand your coverage and support for the brands you service. You can focus more funds on buying specialty tools and equipment which give you deeper coverage and repair options most other repair centers won't have. This is expensive, but since you will be seeing the same cars everyday, these tools and equipment will pay for themselves fairly quickly, so its justified. For example, with the Star Diagnostic scan tool, I have the ability to replace and reprogram ALL modules, keys, and perform system re-flashes on Mercedes Benz just like the dealership. I also have special manufacturer tools which make repairs more efficient, and less time consuming, and expand my repair coverage. Plus like the saying goes, repetition breeds familiarity. Seeing the same cars everyday will make your operation much more efficient and time saving. For example, I can get a BMW in, and just on the mileage alone, I know exactly what services I need to sell, and what issues to look for because I see these cars every day. In about 15 minutes, I can perform an entire inspection on a vehicle, and have plenty of upsell work ready to present to the customer. It is also easier to sell the work, because you pitch it so many times a day, you learn to perfect it.

Interesting, I have always used a torque wrench to tighten lugs.

Well I don't see too many 5 qt oil changes. Just MINI's and 500's. Smarts take almost 4. I do all of those for $60.00 parts and labor, and use Liqui Moly synthetic oil. With either a Mann filter, or the generic Worldpac brand filter.

That is a customer you never want. Once a customer dictates what needs to be done and how to do it, u have to shut the door on them. The only people who will take on this work are 1 person operations just getting started types.

LOL Not even. I would have sent that guy packing instantly.

Firstly, every customer signs a RO. Period. I also make sure they understand the meaning of the word "quote" and that it is not set in stone. Secondly, 3k to do HG's on a 6.0 Ford? That is at minimum a $4500 job, and at minimum a week's worth of work. Customer is not allowed anywhere near the vehicle until I finish it, and the additional work? You pay me to do it, or you do it yourself at home.

I second the forum warrior who thinks he has it all figured out because he browsed the FAQ section, or because some other member posted a DIY of his project, and claims it all worked out great. Yeah right. Most of those DIY projects produce additional problems after the fact, and most of them are done half assed, and rigged. The forum member just shares the detail he/she deems convenient, and holds back the rest. This happens so many times.

Wow I have never seen a jerry rig of that nature on such an important system of the vehicle. Not even in my area where we don't even have inspections. Out here you see a lot of the compression fittings used as a repair method. Simply because it is quick, easy, and cheap. Which is still very wrong. Nobody wants to invest in flaring tools and such. These jobs are not as common out here as it is up in the NE area.

As long as Mercedes, BMW, and VAG continue to make cars, I will continue to have work. None of these dealer service plans are truly "free". The cost is built into the vehicle price. The coverage is also very lean, and laden with asterisks, and side notes. About the only thing that is covered is oil changes and wiper blades, and inspections. The wear and tear stuff must be paid out of pocket by the consumer. That is where we still hold the edge, when you consider dealer labor times, and parts costs. They just cannot compete in that department.

I agree that we must rethink our marketing. We must show customers that we are just as equipped and prepared as the dealership at half the cost in most cases. We may need to invest in new equipment, maybe do some "spring cleaning" around the shop and clean up the appearance and layout. Maybe the next time you offer to buy that clean vehicle off of your customer that requires a new transmission, instead of reselling it, maybe you can make it a loaner car you give out to customers for repairs that require significant down time. Maybe you can invest in new equipment which will boost your efficiency and productivity. There are many ways to go about it, but the indy shop is not going anywhere. There will always be used cars, and used car customers on the road, and those cars will need service, and that is where we come in.

I'm the same way. Sometimes tho it can get you in trouble, and set you back. Sometimes I look back and say I would have made more money had I just let it go and forget about it, but that is hard for me to do. I'm OCD with my business approach and my repairs. The same way I put back every single nut and bolt, bracket, heat shield, etc. I am very thorough with my diagnosis. My associate once tossed a couple of fasteners into my parts tray while I was doing an involved repair. When I was done, I had an extra 10mm and a T25 torx. It was a Mercedes, and those make up like 90% of the fasteners on said vehicle. I was going crazy looking for where those went. Started to wonder if I missed them inside the engine somewhere. My associate comes over and says hey Gabe, relax it was me. I threw those in there for a laugh, but I'm seeing it's affecting your health. Let it go buddy, you got them all. No worries. Same way no matter the car, or customer, I always go through the car bumper to bumper, and offer services to the customer. If they say no, well at least I tried. That I can deal with, and go to sleep at night. But the what if's would drive me mad.

That is just the way I was brought up. It's how I approach everything. My mom would tell me I don't care if you are splitting atoms or cleaning restrooms. You do it to the best of your ability, and leave a good impression. If you are hired to clean the bathrooms, I want that person to say damn! I have never seen a cleaner bathroom in my life. I guess that stuck with me. So all my endeavors, all the projects I take on, I give my 100%. We see the half assery so much in this industry on all levels and positions. Makes me wonder how those ppl get through life. They cannot see much success.

Super cool. What are you using to power it? Looks like a heat gun.

Have you ever considered where your customers are getting their tires patched if you aren't doing it? We pick up at least one customer a week who's regular mechanic was too busy to fix a flat tire. I agree there's no profit in patching tires unless you charge $50 for it, but I'll take a half hour to keep or gain a customer. Its cheaper than advertising.

I have Alfred, but I just can't meet the demand. I'm basically a one man show at the moment. I'm the only one who knows how to do any kind of work on vehicles. My associate sells work, and helps me with the office stuff in between. When I first opened up, I was trying to get business through the door. Once that happened, I was quickly overwhelmed, and taking time away from say a N54 water pump, to patch a tire (free) for a customer who bought 4 tires from me months ago was killing me. I did away with that, and now charge the typical fee which is $25.00 in my area. That is kind of what sucks about a small operation, it is very easy to find yourself too busy with work. I need to hire help. That has been an adventure on it's own.

I used to get upset when ppl or DIY'ers would come to me and question my approach, or my results. Now, not so much anymore. I'm done proving to myself what I do know. Now that I'm a bit older, my mindset is more like I already know what I can do, how do I exploit that to the fullest? With that said, I have had my fair share of run ins with shade tree rocket scientists. Once I responded to a house call. A no start 1998 Saturn SL1.

The guy heard about me because I had done some service to one of his neighbor's vehicles, and my info was passed on. When I arrived, the owner told me the issue with his car was the fuel pump. He had a gauge hooked up under the hood to the service port and it registered 0 psi. He claims he replaced the pump, and was still in the same predicament. I sat inside opened the ignition switch and instantly heard the pump come on. I told him this pump is working. I tried to start the car and it puttered, and backfired through the intake. The guy told me it registered 0 psi, and he had tried two different gauges. Upon closer inspection I saw that his gauges did not have enough depth to depress the schrader valve in the service port. I hooked up my gauges and boom 48 PSI.

The guy was dumbfounded, and then told me well if it ain't the pump what is it? He looked devastated, and scared. He really thought his issue was the fuel pump. I told him I would find out, and explained my diagnostic fee, and guarantee. Got to testing and quickly found out the valve timing was off. The timing chain was stretched, and the timing was off about 2 teeth. The crank would spin about 8 degrees before the cam would even notice. This was the SOHC engine, so no valves were bent. The vehicle had good compression. Well the guy didn't believe me. Told me that what I proposed made no sense. Told me that timing chains last the life of the vehicle and don't "break". I replied, I didn't say it broke, I said it was stretched, and your timing has been altered. He refused to accept it, and used the analogy of a motorcycle or bicycle chain. Said those never stretch or break as long as you maintain them. How could a timing chain stretch when it has a tensioner and lives in oil? Said I was just trying to sell him an expensive repair. I told him well I'm sorry you feel that way. This is what my knowledge, experience, and testing has concluded. If you would like to pay me to remove the front cover (semi labor intensive on the 1.9's), I can show you point blank. He refused, and it was like pulling teeth to get my diagnostic fee.

Months later, the neighbor had scheduled me to do a service on his vehicle, and when I arrived, I inquired about the neighbor. He told me the guy junked the car. Said he brought a Saturn dealer tech (those still exist?) and the guy called a bad PCM. They installed another PCM, and the car wouldn't even crank anymore (hmm I wonder why?), and so he gave up on the car and junked it. Said he would never own a Saturn again because they have too many electrical problems, and you have to be an engineer to fix them. I laughed really hard at that one.

I now have 2 shops and buying more. I own the properties. I manage from the outside. I hire great people, I pay the deserving people well and get rid of the rest. There is alot of incompetence in this business that will make your life harder. Burn out in my opinion is typically overwhelm, and overwhelm is incompetence in one or more areas of the business or in life. I'm considered "retired" by many because I spend my days having fun, traveling taking classes and "living the good life". If it's a strong business and is productive it would be in your best interest to fill all aspects of the business with competent people and watch the income flow in and then sit back comfortably and enjoy your life. I pop in the shops once in a while but my numbers are the true indicator of success not my opinions. I cannot ever see selling a money making machine to put a lump sum in the bank and watch it dwindle.

That is a great post man, and you serve as inspiration. My goal is to build my shop up to the point where I can step back and feel confident the individuals I have in place will represent my name, and work ethic with the same passion and love I dedicate to this industry. That way I can focus on taking that income and putting it to work.

I must admit though, I don't know how I feel about running a shop(s) well into my 50's. This industry is too fast paced and cutthroat, and I would much rather sell off at that point, take that money, and put it to work in something less hectic. Then again, I'm not in your shoes, and cannot really speak on that experience, because I haven't experienced it yet.

And yes, money in the bank is worthless. You need to put it to work.

All the time man. It's like social media and technology have made people walking, breathing, hollow shells. You don't know how many times I go through the detail of explaining something on a car, and the person is just looking at me blankly, like I'm speaking a foreign language. That's why I brought help onboard, because my mind is technical, and while I'm a very sociable, outgoing person, I struggle to "dumb down" if you will, things for ppl. Things that in my opinion don't need any dumbing down.

What is so hard about understanding that a TPMS has a built in battery that will eventually die? Yet people just can't seem to grasp that. My associate wrote service at the dealership for years. he has this knack of just getting through to people. Sometimes I watch him and laugh because the way he talks to some people, its like he is literally telling them. Look I know you're stupid, let me take care of you. lol

In NY mobile mechanics are regulated as repair facilities. I doubt it will work here, as the only mobil facilities I know do big truck emergency repairs. There definitely is a market for that, price out what it costs to tow a semi and you'll see why they pay the guy $150/hr to swap parts on the highway to get it rolling to the garage.

 

But overall the idea of a mail order mechanic fixing anything in the housing project parking lot is stupid. Who even calls these people? I don't want a stranger dumping oil in my driveway. Got my gator socket and metrinch kit, good to go. Oi!

 

Same here in Miami. If you want to provide mobile service, you need to register a repair business. To do that, you have to have the licenses, and certifications required to do business. After that, you have to have the mobile vehicle inspected so that the county tax collector can sign off, and initialize you. FInally, you have to advertise you services for 30 days either in the newspaper, social media, or sites like Craigslist (that's how I got on CL).

 

 

Eh this is old news guys. I was actually on board with Your Mechanic during my mobile days, back when they first started (circa 2010). It is a legit business, and a good opportunity for those of us who actually want to break out of our current routines, and become independent. From what I could tell, the techs who comprised the YM roster were solid. They do a pretty extensive background check, and ask for references, and check up on them. They also check up on your tools and equipment, and verify you indeed are equipped to do the jobs you mark yes on their form. The biggest complaint from customers was that they could not reserve the same tech who serviced their vehicle the first time. It is always a new mechanic that goes to visit the customer. They don't want you to get comfortable and that is the biggest flaw with YM was that it was just too easy to steal the customer for yourself, and too hard for them to prove it. Many times I would show up, and the customer would ask for a contact number so they could maintain a relationship with me. Eventually, YM didn't do so well in my area, and they dropped the program here, but they still operate in other states. I actually copied their idea for a while, and developed an app where all a customer had to do was schedule an appointment with me via their smart phone. I would get a notification, accept, and all was set. I would show up, do my thing, and the customer could even pay me through the mobile app via paypal.

Mobile service is a real thing, and a major convenience for the customer. So many times I would show up to the customer's house, and they would hand me the keys, and go back to doing their routines. I would finish up, get paid, and be on my way. That is the modern world for you. People want to be less and less involved in the process, and if you can connect with a customer via a smart device, you are set.

I can't talk bad about Your Mechanic, because they really helped boost my customer count, and showed me the ins and outs of the business (Mobile service is it's own animal). I also can not bad mouth CL. I advertised a lot on Craigslist back in the day, and earned a lot of good customers via it. Are there hacks, and parts changers on CL? Sure, but their are also a ton of hacks at repair shops too. The industry is full of crap, at all levels.