For many tech-savvy people, it is always a dream to transform passion into something constructive, and that can be a business (the best one, though.) If you are among those who love to know the technicalities of vehicles and want to explore them, an auto repair shop is the best place to use your skills.
Your skills and talent can get the right direction if appropriately utilized. If you’re a mechanic (home-based) or think you can do it, it is best to have your auto repair shop. Reaching that dream might start with a lot of confusion, but it can be sorted out!
You may be worried about the capital, proper repair tools, service pricing, or dealing with customers. Don’t worry; as an auto shop billing software will complete your routine tasks, but what brings money to the table is what you do. Yes, it is about choosing the correct category of repairs for your shop. You can be the jack of all trades, but if your repairs don’t reflect the quality and reliability, the chances are you’ll fail in the long run.
Before jumping into the repairs directly, ask yourself first:
- What do I like to do?
- What I’m best at?
- Which repairs are fun-doing or exciting for me?
- What makes me unbeatable in the repair industry?
Yes, it is all about finding and choosing the right sector in repairs. When you explore the automotive repair industry, it is a considerable vast ground of options. There you have to choose according to your skills and expertise. That’s why here we are, with different options that can be helpful for you when starting your own auto repair shop.
Let’s get started.
To Specialize or Not to Specialize?
Do you want to stay in one section and provide outclass repairs in it? Or do you like to welcome every kind of vehicle and repair at your repair shop? That’s what you have to decide on your own.
For your help, the most popular repair certification, “ASE,” has launched different training sessions for mechanics. These courses are available in:
- Automobile
- Collision Repair
- Medium – Heavy Truck
- School Bus
- Transit Bus
- Truck Equipment
It is up to you what you choose and practice in. You can also prefer to work for particular manufacturers like Toyota only. Here’s to mention that, if you specialize, you can easily get noticed among other repair shops. You’ll be there to be the best garage for brakes. On the other hand, choosing a few manufacturers or repair will lose you out on many other businesses.
Pro-Tip: Before choosing your area of service, you need to know the scope of the services you plan to offer. Look for the market and audience around to ensure enough demand to support your new specialized repair shop.
Engine Mechanics
You can choose to be an engine mechanic and dedicate your shop to it. Such repair shops typically work on engines and their issues. Engine repair technicians are fluent in tearing a motor down piece by piece, replacing the damaged parts, and assembling everything back together precisely. It is no doubt a sensitive thing to step in. A person who specializes in vehicle engines must genuinely enjoy the personal satisfaction of the large task at hand when completed.
If you aren’t that expert in engines, you can always look for proper training, research, and preparation, and you’ll be a pro with practice and time. If you are a student or work for some other company, you can also choose to be an engine mechanic part-time. Depending on the vehicle and model, some of these mechanics can work seasonally or full-time. With different surveys, it is seen that engine mechanics earn up to $35,000 annually.
Vehicle Inspection Shop
If you love to solve complex mysteries, you should give a try to this repair niche. Also, opening up a vehicle inspection shop brings business throughout the year. Why? Because in most countries, there may is a law that requires vehicles to be inspected regularly.
These repair shops are typically run by vehicle inspectors who might also be experienced auto mechanics. They ensure the safety of vehicles by passing them through different tests, making sure that the cars are safe for both commuters and other road users.
Diesel Mechanics
Are you a heavy-vehicle fan and looking for a weightier option? Then this niche is for you. Diesel mechanics diagnose, repair, and troubleshoot diesel vehicles such as railroad trains, automobiles, buses, and tractor-trailers. There are special training sessions to let mechanics try their skills and get expertise before actually getting their hands-on loaded vehicles. Diesel mechanics can also obtain an ASE certification. It is seen that diesel mechanics earn around $48,000/year.
Collision Repair Technicians
It is typically related to the vehicle’s exterior, and most of the time includes basic car repairs. After an accident, a collision repair technician analyzes all the functions for the car to double-check if no other part is damaged. Such repair shops specialize in repairing and refinishing a car after it’s in an accident. It covers reconstructing vehicle frames, body repair, dent repairs, welding, painting the affected parts, and fixing damaged exterior features of the vehicle.
Tire Mechanics
Tires are always in business. From a vehicle that is just launched to a car that is ten years old, tire replacement and alignment is a 24/7 revenue-generating business. If you choose to open a tire-related repair shop, you’ll perform basic repairs. Also, it includes maintenance and replacement of tires on a wide variety of vehicles.
Additionally, tire mechanics perform inspection tests of tires for proper inflation, wear, or other abnormalities. When choosing this area of repairs, you must be proficient at removing tires from the rim and balancing them. Noteworthy that tire technicians should know how to properly install and torque the wheel per manufacturer specifications.
CONCLUSION
When you work on the shop floor with the right repair services in mind and on the floor, you will be unbeatable in that niche. Your specialty will bring you earnings top out at your salary or hourly wages. So, when you plan to start an auto repair shop, never forget about seeking the right direction. Good Luck!