People drive a lot. Some people see vehicles as tools that they can use to get from point A to point B. Others view cars as status symbols, while hobby enthusiasts collect vehicles for their personal satisfaction. Cars are used in a variety of business fields and are essential for many industries. Without big rig trucks, our logistics industry would be dead. Without passenger vehicles, Uber wouldn’t exist.
As of September of this year, almost 1.4 million motor vehicles were sold to customers in the United States. In light of the coronavirus outbreak, auto sales declined in the spring of 2020, but sales began to pick back up in May of the same year. The demand for automobiles is there, so why not tap into the lucrative field? Starting a business with a focus on the automotive field is a good investment. Some profitable automotive business ideas include starting an auto repair business, a car wash business, a headlight restoration business, a car battery restoration business, and a car accessories store. Before starting any automotive business, here’s a selection of equipment that you’ll need.
Call Center Software
Whether you’re running an auto shop or an auto dealership, you’re going to need to have call center software set up. In the case of an auto garage, your business will begin to receive a lot of phone calls from customers, supply distributors, potential employees, and a host of other people who is looking to you for servicing their automobiles.
In the case of auto dealerships, having functioning call center software can help on a variety of fronts. A phone system like this can be used for customer service, to set up new customer appointments, provide a live customer experience, and even to set up repair appointments for those cars which are covered by your dealership’s warranty. In most dealerships, you’ll see a customer care area located onsite. This is where helpline representatives are utilizing call center technology like interactive voice recognition software, interactive voice response, CRM integration, and speech recognition software to provide quality customer service.
Vertical Automobile Lift
For any repair shop, you’ll need a lifting machine to help with, well, the heavy lifting. Until you’re employing someone with Hulk-like strength, then a machine lift will always be needed. A lifting machine helps with inspections and diagnostics which are done on the underside of a vehicle. You’ll need to invest in a lift that can handle the weight of not just regular vehicles, but heavy vehicles.
A vehicle automobile lift is one of the most essential pieces of an auto repair business and should be handled by only a well-qualified individual. This means finding an employee who has earned their automotive technology degree from an Automotive and Diesel Technology program which provides training on how to handle this equipment. Try to only purchase a lift that is name brand, and is of the highest quality.
Brake Lathe
Having your own brake lathe on hand can make work more efficient and profitable. A lathe is a tool that’s used for curing noise and vibration problems that are associated with a vehicle’s braking mechanism. This device can also prolong the life of a car’s braking system.
If you don’t purchase a brake lathe you’ll be forced to take rotors or drums to another business for resurfacing. This is costly in the long run and will cut into your profits in a huge way. Being able to repair brakes on site is much more productive, and a brake lathe can help maintain a high level of productivity. Purchasing your brand name brake lathe is a bit more efficient and profitable for your auto business in the long run.
Battery Charger and Jumper
At an auto dealership or repair shop, you’ll often deal with automobiles that just won’t drive. In order to begin repairs in most cases, it helps to be able to jump a car. This is why a battery charger and jumper are essential pieces of equipment when running an automotive business.
For example, you have a customer that needs a radiator repair. After they do a search for “radiator repair near me” they will have their vehicle towed to your location. At the repair shop, you’ll see that the car needs a jump for you to be able to start a proper inspection and repairs.
In other cases, you’ll have customers who feel that there is something majorly wrong with their vehicle. After having the car brought to your location, in many cases, it’s just a matter of the vehicle’s battery being dead. It helps to have at least three battery chargers and jumpers at your shop. As your shop grows, you’ll have more staff/ mechanics, which will lead to more customers.
If you obtain high-end batteries, though they have better quality, they are going to be heavier. You’ll want storage space for your battery starters, and try to find those models which are built with wheels attached. Your jumper cables on these battery units should be long enough to reach battery terminals in vehicles.
Air Compressor
You’ll want to invest in an air compressor for your auto repair location. An air compressor is a device that increases the pressure of a gas by reducing its volume. This is usually done through the use of an electric motor, diesel, or gasoline engine. Air compressors are a type of pneumatic tool that’s regularly used in the repair garage.
In a garage, air compressors can be used for a variety of tasks. They can be used to allow the usage of air-powered tools like air wrenches, air saws, and muffler cutters. Air compressors can also be used to help repair air conditioning in a vehicle. If the air conditioning is not functioning or is just damaged repairs on the unit can be expensive.
The air compressor places the refrigerant in the air conditioning unit. This refrigerant carries heat, under pressure and then sends it into condensing coils. This is where the air compressor comes in. The tool will make the gas very hot and it is within the air condenser that the extra heat is transferred to the air outside the vehicle.
Oil Caddy
Oil changes are a large part of services that are offered by vehicle businesses. When changing oil, you’ll need an oil caddy for catching the oil which will drain from the vehicle. You want the caddy to be big enough to hold the largest volume of oil from the vehicle.
Also, consider investing in standing oil caddies which can be used to drain oil from vehicles on lifts. Since you don’t have to lower the vehicle to the ground to drain the oil, this makes it easier for you to perform other repairs while the oil is still draining.
Engine Hoists
Rather than lifting the entire vehicle for assessment, sometimes you just need to remove one part of the vehicle. This is where having a quality set of hoists comes in. You can use a hoist and rigging system to pull engines for repairs and inspections. Since this piece of the automobile is too heavy for you to lift yourself, hoists are a piece of equipment that an automotive business needs.
When you’re working with larger vehicles, the engines tend to become even bigger. These can include trucks and construction devices. Since you’ll be working with a wide range of engine types, and vehicle sizes, it’s best to invest in an engine hoist that has a larger capacity so it can work with all types of engine sizes.