Becoming a mobile auto mechanic

[2011GT]

I was just wanting to step in this for part time work. I'm talking easy stuff at first. Oil changes, tire rotations, belts, brakes etc. What I'm concerned about is lawsuits. Say I change oil on somebody's car and a month down the road they develop an oil leak or there engine blows up... Anyway to get around this. Some kind of waiver? Or would I need to carry insurance? With as little as I would be charging insurance would break me...

[DON SVO]

With as little as I would be charging insurance would break me...

... Hence the reason the big guys stick around and don't do mobile mechanical work.

[Dawkins]

I don't even do sidework anymore due to concerns about a wheel off or a blown motor in this lawsuit world we live in. No way would I try and make a living off of it.

[YALE]

Dude, you're doing it wrong. Mobile mechanics should charge more. Your costs are waaay higher than you think. Don't forget to price in wear and tear, fuel, maintenance, and depreciation on the service vehicle you're using. The customers that use mobile mechanics are big truck and equipment operators, because it's worth it to pay the premium to get that service.

[2011GT]

Ok thanks guys. I was just planning on doing this on my days off. To risky though. Thanks!!!

[SEB]

I think its a great idea! Why not

[SEB]

Dude, you're doing it wrong. Mobile mechanics should charge more. Your costs are waaay higher than you think. Don't forget to price in wear and tear, fuel, maintenance, and depreciation on the service vehicle you're using. The customers that use mobile mechanics are big truck and equipment operators, because it's worth it to pay the premium to get that service.

This is a good point!

[Sleeper]

About the only mobile I'd do is muffler and ac work.

[Chili]

TheHead's dad used to do that, and he still knows a guy that does.. But yeah, if you are going to, you're going to want insurance.

[talisman]

There are WAY more downsides to upsides in that racket.

[stephen4785]

I started doing mobile mechanic work for board members years ago. Then I got a good enough reputation that people would bring stuff to me to work on from all over the metroplex. Iv done a ton of side work for various different board members and haven't been burned yet. I was always skeptical of advertising it on cl or the newspaper. To get things rolling cut people some insane deals on parts/labor to get your name out there and then charge normal side job prices later. I just charge labor and Iv never marked up parts. No over head allows you to cut some good deals. If I were you I wouldnt bother with oil changes unless there was other work to be done. You wont make very much money on oil changes and then you have to haul off the oil/filter some where.
Good luck

[03mustangdude]

When I used to work at oreillys we had a mobile mechanic hang around, later found out 1 of the customers he did a job on he broke a 300 dollar part on while working a seperate issue and would not pay up.
Turns out customers dad or something was a big time lawyer sued the mobile mechanic for time labor and billed him for his own time. In the end mechanic was no more.

[fordracing19]

Have Wrench Will Travel. Buddy use to do mobile work in the Denton area. Not sure if he still does.

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[Fatass]

Have Wrench Will Travel. Buddy use to do mobile work in the Denton area. Not sure if he still does.

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He's working out of a shop on fort worth drive these days.

[fordracing19]

He's working out of a shop on fort worth drive these days.

He still do mobile work?

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