Garage Charges

[colb]

I see there is a Groupon discount for various car servicing and things like ball joint replacement at a garage in Bristol.
https://www.groupon.co.uk/deals/chalkies-auto-centre?p=2&utm_content=brewdog-8&utm_term=deal&nlp=&CID=UK&uu=cd48a08c-d943-11e9-bb83-0242ac120002&tx=0&utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email&sid=841ccb8f-25bf-4fff-8577-c433770a9aea_0_20240702&t_division=cardiff&date=20240207&sender=rm&s=body&c=button&d=deal-page

Its no wonder I do all my own and other members cars at our Zedshed Cymru, owner supplies parts, oils etc and jobs get done between us for whatever donation to the shed they want to make. Buying parts and oils from the usual suspects, Euro Parts, CarParts4less, Autodoc and even BMW for some things makes a considerable saving, any donations to the Shed gets used for consumables, tools and running costs.

 

[pvr]

Sounds like a nice group, is great to get the expertise together

 

[enuff_zed]

Sounds like a nice group, is great to get the expertise together

Rob (Usel) and I did discuss something similar. But for us it would mean renting somewhere and then it becomes a bind as you have to at least do enough to cover the rent every month. So far not feasible, but we keep looking.

 

[pvr]

Overhead is killing, not to mention irritants like liability insurance etc. I already pay £800 for each of the two companies a year in case someone walks into my office.

 

[enuff_zed]

Overhead is killing, not to mention irritants like liability insurance etc. I already pay £800 for each of the two companies a year in case someone walks into my office.

Yes and then it takes all the fun out of what is supposed to be a hobby.

 

[j3nks79]

I see there is a Groupon discount for various car servicing and things like ball joint replacement at a garage in Bristol.
https://www.groupon.co.uk/deals/chalkies-auto-centre?p=2&utm_content=brewdog-8&utm_term=deal&nlp=&CID=UK&uu=cd48a08c-d943-11e9-bb83-0242ac120002&tx=0&utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email&sid=841ccb8f-25bf-4fff-8577-c433770a9aea_0_20240702&t_division=cardiff&date=20240207&sender=rm&s=body&c=button&d=deal-page

Its no wonder I do all my own and other members cars at our Zedshed Cymru, owner supplies parts, oils etc and jobs get done between us for whatever donation to the shed they want to make. Buying parts and oils from the usual suspects, Euro Parts, CarParts4less, Autodoc and even BMW for some things makes a considerable saving, any donations to the Shed gets used for consumables, tools and running costs.

Running a garage/MOT station is a massive outlay.
With the cost of insurance rent/mortgage wages waste disposal consumables paying Tax electricity rates and so on. You can’t knock a business trying to make a profit. Everyone deserves to make a living. Plus employing staff so they can provide for their families. So there is a bigger picture than just the cost of work quoted etc.

It’s great if you can help some people out doing what you’re doing in the Z Shed.

 

[Pondrew]

Running a garage/MOT station is a massive outlay.
With the cost of insurance rent/mortgage wages waste disposal consumables paying Tax electricity rates and so on. You can’t knock a business trying to make a profit. Everyone deserves to make a living. Plus employing staff so they can provide for their families. So there is a bigger picture than just the cost of work quoted etc.

That's the same for any business with 'premises', so that's no excuse for the inflated costs of anything car-related.
Garages' rent/mortgages are generally cheap comparatively, as they only need to be a big 'shed' which are not expensive. Renting offices or manufacturing space is a lot more per m2.

I run a business in a trade which is technically very skilled and specialised (or used to be). One of my customers complains that I charge them £50.00 per hour, yet is happy to go and have her Nissan Qashqai serviced and pay £100.00 per hour plus. We have to travel to sites to do our job, garages have no cost there, as you go to them. I mark up parts by approximately 25%, yet garages mark ups are 100% plus on parts.

We deal with 'controlled waste' and 'substances', so there are costs involved with those aswell.

Anybody can change the oil on a Nissan, but not anyone can do what I charge her less than half for! It's purely down to the accepted costs of different industries.

It has become normal practice to be ripped off with anything car-related as everyone is doing it, because the main dealers set a very high benchmark so all you have to do is be a bit cheaper than them and it's a licence to print money.

 

[j3nks79]

Running a garage/MOT station is a massive outlay.
With the cost of insurance rent/mortgage wages waste disposal consumables paying Tax electricity rates and so on. You can’t knock a business trying to make a profit. Everyone deserves to make a living. Plus employing staff so they can provide for their families. So there is a bigger picture than just the cost of work quoted etc.

Garages' rent/mortgages are generally cheap comparatively, as they only need to be a big 'shed' which are not expensive. Renting offices or manufacturing space is a lot more per m2.

I think you might be out of touch. Lots of commercial premises state “no motor trade use”.
So have a look to find a property workshop that can fit in 5 ramps and an MOT bay. Service reception and parking. Add a good area and not an industrial estate.
Very few available so they command big money.
Especially is my area Kent and SE London.

 

[Pondrew]

I think you might be out of touch. Lots of commercial premises state “no motor trade use”.
So have a look to find a property workshop that can fit in 5 ramps and an MOT bay. Service reception and parking. Add a good area and not an industrial estate.
Very few available so they command big money.
Especially is my area Kent and SE London.

Well if you want a 'quick fit' size garage on a Science Park in London, then it's going to be expensive. That wasn't my point, though.
The 'overheads' of garages don't correlate to the charges levied on the motorist.
The car servicing/ repair industry MUST be the largest in the Country; there are millions of vehicles and thousands of garages. In any other industry that would bring economy of scale and competition which would drive prices down. It doesn't when it comes to cars, everybody charges loads. It seems like one big greedy cartel to me.

I know a chap who has a one ramp 'shed' and is a BMW 'specialist' mechanic, as he was a BMW mechanic before. He charges 10% less than the local BMW dealerships and is ALWAYS absolutely stacked with work. He marks up ALL parts at 100%. He makes so much money he has 'holding' companies in his kids' names to siphon money into. He only now works 3 or 4 days a week and owns (outright) a huge warehouse where he stores classic cars for customers. All from changing oil at £200 a pop. He is 42!

 

[j3nks79]

I think you might be out of touch. Lots of commercial premises state “no motor trade use”.
So have a look to find a property workshop that can fit in 5 ramps and an MOT bay. Service reception and parking. Add a good area and not an industrial estate.
Very few available so they command big money.
Especially is my area Kent and SE London.

Well if you want a 'quick fit' size garage on a Science Park in London, then it's going to be expensive. That wasn't my point, though.
The 'overheads' of garages don't correlate to the charges levied on the motorist.
The car servicing/ repair industry MUST be the largest in the Country; there are millions of vehicles and thousands of garages. In any other industry that would bring economy of scale and competition which would drive prices down. It doesn't when it comes to cars, everybody charges loads. It seems like one big greedy cartel to me.

I know a chap who has a one ramp 'shed' and is a BMW 'specialist' mechanic, as he was a BMW mechanic before. He charges 10% less than the local BMW dealerships and is ALWAYS absolutely stacked with work. He marks up ALL parts at 100%. He makes so much money he has 'holding' companies in his kids' names to siphon money into. He only now works 3 or 4 days a week and owns (outright) a huge warehouse where he stores classic cars for customers. All from changing oil at £200 a pop. He is 42!

Good on him. He’s worked for it so why is that a problem? Typical mentality in this country of people being jealous even though someone has put in the work for it probably over many years. If you think it is easy money perhaps you should do it.
There is more work than hours available because of lack of mechanics/technicians. You are paying for someone to do dirty and hard work. It’s not easy on the tools for 8 hours a day.
I am booking 2 weeks and sometimes 3 weeks in advance and have been for the last few years.
I’ll give you an insight to actually running a garage costs with an MOT bay and 4 other ramps. 4 full time mechanics including the MOT tester. So paying wages rent rates tax insurance etc…. it’s cost roughly £20k a month just to break even.
The public don’t see or even have a clue about these costs. Just see the £90ph charge.
Then you have the big super markets making millions and selling is food. The weekly food shop is expensive but we all have to eat.
But that’s just business and the economy we are living in at the moment.

 

[Pondrew]

Typical mentality in this country of people being jealous even though someone has put in the work for it probably over many years. If you think it is easy money perhaps you should do it.

I am not jealous of anybody. I have worked hard for a decent living all my life and am happy with that.

You are right; £100-200 an hour is an absolute bargain to change some oil and unclip an air filter housing. Keep up the good work lads!

 

[j3nks79]

Strange comment from someone that isn’t jealous.

 

[Pondrew]

I’ll give you an insight to actually running a garage costs with an MOT bay and 4 other ramps. 4 full time mechanics including the MOT tester. So paying wages rent rates tax insurance etc…. it’s cost roughly £20k a month just to break even.
The public don’t see or even have a clue about these costs. Just see the £90ph charge.

Poor you.
So £90 per hour x 4 bays x 8 hours = £2,880 per day. x 5 = £14,400 per week
times 4.3 weeks = £61,920.00 per month less £20,000 costs

EQUALS £41,000 per month gross profit. I don't know how you manage, you should put your prices up!

And I didn't include any MOT revenue, to allow for downtime in the above scenario.

 

[Pondrew]

Strange comment from someone that isn’t jealous.

OK I'm jealous! Happy?

I'm not really

 

[j3nks79]

I’ll give you an insight to actually running a garage costs with an MOT bay and 4 other ramps. 4 full time mechanics including the MOT tester. So paying wages rent rates tax insurance etc…. it’s cost roughly £20k a month just to break even.
The public don’t see or even have a clue about these costs. Just see the £90ph charge.

Poor you.
So £90 per hour x 4 bays x 8 hours = £2,880 per day. x 5 = £14,400 per week
times 4.3 weeks = £61,920.00 per month less £20,000 costs

EQUALS £41,000 per month gross profit. I don't know how you manage, you should put your prices up!

And I didn't include any MOT revenue, to allow for downtime in the above scenario.

Looks good on paper but…
Each ramp doesn’t always make you a full 8 hours a day as you have to wait for parts and parts being wrong etc. so cars get stuck on a ramp so you need to allow for that.
Then don’t forget you need to pay TAX on your profit!
Like any business. Price is based on supply and demand.
You should give it a go or be an accountant
If it was as easy as you make out everyone would be doing it.
But hey, It’s a tough job but someone has to do it.

 

[j3nks79]

Strange comment from someone that isn’t jealous.

OK I'm jealous! Happy?

I'm not really

Don’t be if someone has worked for it.
Save your jealousy for the Silver Spooners!!

 

[Mike6]

When I was young most people did their own basics on a car, taught by our dads as we couldn't afford garage costs. When my lad got a car I insisted on the same approach and we do most maintenance ourselves. It's a real pity that people these days cannot do an oil and filter change or probably even change a tyre. The old skill sets gets lots in today's world of diagnostic machines. No wonder garages charge so much, it's simple supply and demand

 

[pvr]

When I was young most people did their own basics on a car, taught by our dads as we couldn't afford garage costs. When my lad got a car I insisted on the same approach and we do most maintenance ourselves. It's a real pity that people these days cannot do an oil and filter change or probably even change a tyre. The old skill sets gets lots in today's world of diagnostic machines. No wonder garages charge so much, it's simple supply and demand

I know you found my lift too expensive to do the work with, but based on the cost of getting anything done by a garage, I found it easy to justify. My VW dealer quoted me £200 to replace two gear leaver bushes, I bought the parts for £5 for a bag of all of them and will use my lift to do the work from underneath. That is another £200 put against the cost of the lift. Also done the ABS sensor on the Z4, no idea what a garage would charge to replace that, but the sensor was about £15 and a couple of hours of getting the rusty old one out. Not to mention the countless disk pads that I have replaced whilst using the lift.

 

[Pondrew]

You should give it a go or be an accountant

Too old and I was an accountant once. Then I got bored and found a proper job.
We all have to pay tax on profits. We all have overheads and expenses. We all have all the other problems that come with running a business, that's just life.
I'm not having a pop at you, just the whole car servicing industry.
It is VERY VERY expensive, I don't think that can be argued.
I don't quite understand when, or why, the costs became so high across the board. Maybe it was when main dealerships starting building multi-million pound showrooms with marble floors and 20ft high glass? The costs were then maybe passed down to the servicing department to pay the bills? Then of course the rest of the industry followed the dealerships' lead with servicing costs? I dunno.

 

[Huzee4]

I’ve just dug out an old email from 2019 when I queried with a BMW dealership their fees, this is a segment copied and pasted from the reply.

The 1st hours diagnosis is £86.40 incl VAT then our 2nd hour onwards goes up to £163.80 incl VAT

Wonder what it is now ?