Yes stung more than once, fortunately not for as much money as I know others have been, but it always hurts. The difficulty is having your ear close enough to the ground so that you are not the last to hear about it. Also been put in the position of having to wait a long time to get paid sometimes. The Late Payment of Commercial Debts Act is a useful tool, but requires weighing up whether it is worth it if you might lose the customer. I envisage using this very shortly with an insurance company who are rapidly approaching an unacceptable delay.
This delayed payment issue is why I had a moderate pruning of customers some years ago to hopefully eliminate the problem. It is always better to sit at home doing nothing than to be busy losing money.
The newest vehicle I (62) maintain currently is nine years old which being on light work, I expect to last out its owner (72) until neither of us are interested in continuing any longer. With retirement age looming I expanded the number of much older vehicles on the books a few years ago seeing a two fold benefit; an increasing scarcity of old school fitters with experience of 50+ year old systems and the willingness to work on them, and the lack of need to invest in the equipment necessary for the latest vehicles.
The engineer in me would love to accept the challenge of the latest developments and to master them, but finances prohibit and I don’t think I will see eye to eye with the average main dealer service manager’s method of hurry up hurry up working.
wrecktech100:
if the OP reads all the post’s above and listens to the advice given he won’t go far wrong.(he also may not proceed with his original idea though).
reading the b-king thread though throws up a point which he is actually correct on,that is that a lot of mechanics only have a limited range of equipment they work on.hence they may be a specialist in one make or type of vehicle,but struggle with other makes or types or ancillary equipment.
as for TEXA,the reason a lot of people just refer faults to the dealer is as you say,we could spend 3,5 or 10 hrs tracing a fault,download the very vague faults off the texa and try this and try that,then end up sending it to the dealer who had this problem on another truck last week,so they find the wiring fault,dodgy ecu or whatever based on their regular experience with that model and the customer only pays the one bill-the dealers.
far better to divert the job there in the first place,and get on with more straight forward work.(and yes i do have and use texa on a laptop).
What you say is correct,though I work in a dealer,at this moment we are doing a lot of mercs for some reason…Due to my time with the coy and experience on our brand ,I am solely kept to our brand ,except for tachos ,and if we are really quiet…Which believe me doesn’t lead to an easy life ,as I get all the problem jobs that x amount of people may have been on before,usually with the" it needs to be fixed this time " And It would probably take me double the time to do an emission fault on a merc than it would a daf …But familiarity and specific brand training
Thanks all. As i said before im really greatful for the advice. I think its worth giving it a go, if it doesnt work i will just have to go back into employment.
With regards to working on things im not used to, there is only 1 way to learn and that is to get hands on. If i need help i know a few main dealer lads i can call on and the internet is a wonderful and under utilised tool.
norb:
wrecktech100:
if the OP reads all the post’s above and listens to the advice given he won’t go far wrong.(he also may not proceed with his original idea though).
reading the b-king thread though throws up a point which he is actually correct on,that is that a lot of mechanics only have a limited range of equipment they work on.hence they may be a specialist in one make or type of vehicle,but struggle with other makes or types or ancillary equipment.
as for TEXA,the reason a lot of people just refer faults to the dealer is as you say,we could spend 3,5 or 10 hrs tracing a fault,download the very vague faults off the texa and try this and try that,then end up sending it to the dealer who had this problem on another truck last week,so they find the wiring fault,dodgy ecu or whatever based on their regular experience with that model and the customer only pays the one bill-the dealers.
far better to divert the job there in the first place,and get on with more straight forward work.(and yes i do have and use texa on a laptop).
What you say is correct,though I work in a dealer,at this moment we are doing a lot of mercs for some reason…Due to my time with the coy and experience on our brand ,I am solely kept to our brand ,except for tachos ,and if we are really quiet…Which believe me doesn’t lead to an easy life ,as I get all the problem jobs that x amount of people may have been on before,usually with the" it needs to be fixed this time " And It would probably take me double the time to do an emission fault on a merc than it would a daf …But familiarity and specific brand training
Thanks all. As i said before im really greatful for the advice. I think its worth giving it a go, if it doesnt work i will just have to go back into employment.
With regards to working on things im not used to, there is only 1 way to learn and that is to get hands on. If i need help i know a few main dealer lads i can call on and the internet is a wonderful and under utilised tool.
rsooty:
Hi all.
I am currently looking into setting up as a mobile mechanic in west yorkshire and i am wondering what people are paying now?
If people could give me an idea of their location, type of mechanic they use (mobile, dealer, private) and the hourly rate they charge. Plus any fixed fee jobs like 6 weekly checks and MOT checks it would be much appreciated.
Hi, I am doing some work in that area. Please send me your phone number. I will give you a call if I will need your service. Thanks,
rsooty:
Hi all.
I am currently looking into setting up as a mobile mechanic in west yorkshire and i am wondering what people are paying now?
If people could give me an idea of their location, type of mechanic they use (mobile, dealer, private) and the hourly rate they charge. Plus any fixed fee jobs like 6 weekly checks and MOT checks it would be much appreciated.
Hi, I am doing some work in that area. Please send me your phone number. I will give you a call if I will need your service. Thanks,
So you know how abs works? and you would let some “army” clown loose on your 50 grand unit.
Fine I will repair it after the “professional” has screwed it up
As I have been hinting all along (I hope), the time for starting off in this business model on limited funds has passed. If I had my time all over again I would not be considering starting off S/E mobile fitting today. Starting now, if I could find enough work on horseboxes, small removals businesses etc, in fact anyone with older vehicles, that is where I would be aiming. The latest vehicles will potentially bankrupt this type of operation. Just consider the implications of getting the diagnosis wrong and being landed with a refusal to pay a £3000 invoice - £2300 of which was for incorrect and unnecessary parts fitted, which cannot be returned and which were for the only vehicle of that model in the list of customers.
More and more the future in maintaining heavy vehicles is going to depend on up to date technical training. The fitters with an existing customer base will survive on their reputation, their customer loyalty and their ability to invest in diagnostic equipment.
As said before one needs to look for a niche market - the one arising rapidly is for those operating euro 4 vehicles currently, but who will be forced to upgrade to the next levels very soon. Their need is for accurate diagnosis of problems more cheaply than currently obtainable from the main dealer network. This raises the opportunity for the mobile diagnostic technician - but the investment in equipment, the level of knowledge and training to interpret the findings is considerable. The first can be bought, the latter two require experience, the cheapest route to which is employment at a main dealer for at least a couple of years. The OP is still young, those two or three years could be very well spent. The business opportunity will still be there at the end of that time.
You get it right first time
That comes with 40 years experience.
You got to remember that the truck is sombodys livelihood and its got to be right.
But they got to pay for your knowledge.
Im good and I get it right first time.
norb:
rsoty burger king is the forums Katie Hopkins …If you ever need a laugh just search his turbo threads ,The man who reckons diesel engines can’t run away ,obviously never saw a 432
I have to agree with cav on a lot of what he says ,I will admit after 12 years in R.E.M.E when I joined a dealership I was like a fish out of water ,mainly as you know adjusting to their way of doing things ,and times being important
I agree with you on the apprentice thing ,ours go to a dedicted college solely learning the product ,and have their normal attitude of “im not paid to clean up”…Like yourself I did Bordon ,from jan to sept 84 ,5 days a week ,with all the other crap that you had to do "after work "…then back again from jan to june for my class 1,always in B coy with old sgt Pritchard ,think he may have retired when you where there ,though he got a civvy job in the stores
I have done the master tech with the manufacturer I work with ,no tick test ,proper written exam
If you enjoy problem solving and are not to bad at it then a cav says that may be a better more profitable route …As said earlier ,anyone can read a fault code ,but understanding what it is telling you ,can be the difficult bit for some…But I dare say I am teaching you how to ■■■■ eggs …
I think at the beginning you need to build a reputation ,and may have to spend a little bit more time occasionally making sure you do a top quality job,not that im saying all jobs shouldn’t be top quality
Make sure you have your hols or else you will suffer burn out
And if it doesn’t work out then get a normal job ,nothing ventured nothing gained
If you go for it I wish you the best of luck ,and as you no doubt have heard before ," the ball is in your court"
And if you ever need DAF help i’m here ,though you can call me corporal
norb:
As you say cav551 finding a niche may be the way to go,as with being in a dealer we get a lot of work from other workshops ,who even though they have texas etc as soon as they get a warning it’s off to the dealer .Wether that is to take the pressure off of them and on to the dealer I don’t know… Also you have the ones who are "too old to deal with all this electronics "…Though as you rightly say nothing on the latest trucks is cheap ,so miss diagnosis isn’t cheap.Sometimes there may be 2 issues causing a fault ,which customers may class the original diagnosis as wrong and you end up having a discussion so you can get paid…I wouldn’t criticise anyone for going it alone ,but it sounds as though it can be very stressful at times …I guess you have a timescale on which to get paid,and is there any penalties for late payment ■■? Have you or anyone else ever been stung with people going into receivership
So these" amatuers" deal with you?
dear me.They cant "figure"the electronics on a DAF!
Try a Merc.
40 years experience against 5 years playing at the job.
So tell me the schedule you run through on a 500,000 klick service.
I have worked for main agents and seen their “service” and been told that such things as priming filters, pads below 5 mill,weeping diff seals dont matter,just get it out the door as we only are here to make money.
Some of us in the job do take a little pride in what we do.
40 years experience against 5 years playing at the job.
So tell me the schedule you run through on a 500,000 klick service.
I have worked for main agents and seen their “service” and been told that such things as priming filters, pads below 5 mill,weeping diff seals dont matter,just get it out the door as we only are here to make money.
Some of us in the job do take a little pride in what we do.
What is it you actually do? I dont understand why all your posts are questioning others capabilities. Surely unless you have seen everyone else work you couldnt comment on how good they are?
40 years experience, yet how much of that is on modern motors? You slated my training and younger experience as it was on old bedfords… The same kind of motors your earlier years will of been on anyway?
500k services will vary dependant on manufacturer. I wont quote you anything as all manufacturers are different, but each year on our fleet we replace all filters, oil, fuel, air, adblue, air dryer, pollen, gearbox… We also do valve clearances each year and a battery drop test. At the end of the day service shedules are recommended and not mandatory, you only do what the customer wants you to. You can advise a customer, but you cannot dictate how their vehicles must be maintained. It is their o licence at the end of the day.
Ahhh nice to see the resident clown is back to his normal Katie Hopkins self …As had been said before burger king ,you have been discredited so many times no one on here would let you near a pedal car never mind the vehicle that is their livelihood…As has also been proven you know nothing about DAF ,or do you want to go down the turbo route again …Oh your stupidity did make me laugh ,and I often read your rambling to give me a laugh…If you where as good as the voices in your head tell you you are ,You wouldn’t be still stuck on your trailers …If I remember correctly WAITROSE knocked you back,and the they got your verbal After speaking to a friend at their HQ they don’t reckon you would have lasted a week …
The day you are half as good a I am is the day when I will retire
rsooty:
Hi all.
I am currently looking into setting up as a mobile mechanic in west yorkshire and i am wondering what people are paying now?
If people could give me an idea of their location, type of mechanic they use (mobile, dealer, private) and the hourly rate they charge. Plus any fixed fee jobs like 6 weekly checks and MOT checks it would be much appreciated.
Hi mate I am a mobile mechanic in Co Durham it’s hard work to set up and you need a few ££££ behind you it takes years to build work up and you won’t make as much money as you think as there is always some one else who will do it cheaper I stick to cars,vans and some plant. But if you really want to do it just stick in and work hard best of luck mate
norb:
Ahhh nice to see the resident clown is back to his normal Katie Hopkins self …As had been said before burger king ,you have been discredited so many times no one on here would let you near a pedal car never mind the vehicle that is their livelihood…As has also been proven you know nothing about DAF ,or do you want to go down the turbo route again …Oh your stupidity did make me laugh ,and I often read your rambling to give me a laugh…If you where as good as the voices in your head tell you you are ,You wouldn’t be still stuck on your trailers …If I remember correctly WAITROSE knocked you back,and the they got your verbal After speaking to a friend at their HQ they don’t reckon you would have lasted a week …
The day you are half as good a I am is the day when I will retire
rsooty:
Hi all.
I am currently looking into setting up as a mobile mechanic in west yorkshire and i am wondering what people are paying now?
If people could give me an idea of their location, type of mechanic they use (mobile, dealer, private) and the hourly rate they charge. Plus any fixed fee jobs like 6 weekly checks and MOT checks it would be much appreciated.
Hi mate I am a mobile mechanic in Co Durham it’s hard work to set up and you need a few ££££ behind you it takes years to build work up and you won’t make as much money as you think as there is always some one else who will do it cheaper I stick to cars,vans and some plant. But if you really want to do it just stick in and work hard best of luck mate
Cheers pal. Have you ever worked on hgv’s? Im not expecting to make stupid money, its more the freedom of being my own boss thats appealing to me. Im hoping to start of subcontracting to places first which should lower my startup costs but also gives me a better way of getting my name around potential customers.
How much do you charge? Any advise you can offer?
Have worked on hgv’s years ago not my cup of tea labour rates are as much as you can get its around £35 to £45 per hour ish depends what you are doing. Only thing I could say is don’t take on to bigger jobs you are mobile and haven’t got as much stuff as a garage for back up if any thing goes wrong and make sure you are going to get paid
taz1972:
Have worked on hgv’s years ago not my cup of tea labour rates are as much as you can get its around £35 to £45 per hour ish depends what you are doing. Only thing I could say is don’t take on to bigger jobs you are mobile and haven’t got as much stuff as a garage for back up if any thing goes wrong and make sure you are going to get paid
Yeah i dont plan on any engine rebuilds in someones yard lol. Sounds like you get fair rates up there.
I much prefer commercial vehicles to work on, much easier to get into everything. Each to their own though.
Some jobs are ok money some not but I have been going a few years now and some times still don’t have work every day so it’s not like you get say £35 per hour for 40 hours I think it’s easier just to give a fixed price some you win some you lose then your cost of running a van and all the tools etc you need
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