The lowest-frequency choice is 1-3 times a month? Put me down for it sounding like a 1-2 times a year place for me.

 

I thought this would be a good idea one time long ago. I might find myself needing to use something like this maybe 1 or 2 times in a lifetime not on a monthly basis.

But I can see the problem of being an owner of a business like this. Joe Blow comes in with some piece of crap trying to save some money by doing his own engine or tranny work. He pulls the engine/tranny screws something up, now he has parts all over your shop, needs more parts then he thought, has no money to buy the parts he needs. You can not easily move this mess out of the shop. The stall is taken so the next customer can't use it. You move the dudes car, he blows a gasket, he threatens to sue, claims you did damage to his car. I just thought that after a while you'd have broken unclaimed cars and parts all over the place, the real chance that an untrained moron will hurt himself in your shop, and lawsuits.

I'd love a spot to use a lift once in a while, but I would not want to be the business owner of a place like that.

 

Crunch the numbers, in the long run this won't be as lucrative as it seems. as an ASE certified mechanic I'd say leave it to the pros, maybe I'm just biased though.

By the time you factor in insurance and all expenses it may not be worth your time.

 

Me too, I would be at the hobby shop every weekend. I never knew of them having any issues with people using their equipment. I would definately use one of these if it was around my area.

 

I live the idea and I would be there at least once a month. However I don't think your prices are going to bring in enough money. I would be willing to pay as much as $20/hr for a lift.

 

FWIW, there is a "do it yourself shop" here in SLC and from what I hear it does pretty good... Prices are about the same as your suggested prices as well.

 

as an ASE certified mechanic that does side work in my apartment complex parking lot, i chose your lowest option of 1-3 times a month only because you don't have anything lower.
realistically i would use it every other month.
what would suck is people trying to save a few bucks doing work themselves and end up spending 3 days to do a brake job then realizing they spent more on the bay rental then if they just paid someone to do it. and with that they may never return to your shop again.

if you do start this endeavor, i wish you the best of luck. i hate seeing small buisneses fail.

 

It's actually more expensive to do your own oil change with decent oil now, than it is to go to some place that's offering a special. The local ford dealership was like $30 OTD for new oil and filter.

Then on top of that you want to charge hourly for lift/space usage? Turning even a $40 DIY oil change in to a $60+ oil change.

 

your liability insurance alone is either going to be through the roof or you'd better have a damn good lawyer draw you up a liability waiver. Great idea though...I'd use your shop

 

i'm the one to vote i'd practically live there but thats just me, i had a connection at a local meinikie cause the owner was a close friend of mine and the head of the car club i was in i'd spend most of my time in over there either giving him a hand and making a few extra bucks or working on one of my toys, but well business got slow, and he had to close the doors, i ended up buying a two post lift, and an old coats tire change machine for real cheap, now i spend most of my time in MY shop, it's a great idea but you better be willing to pay the ase mechanic, and the other guys are right about insurance regulations, matter fact i doubt an insurance company would cover the operation, not trying to bust you bubble i'm just being honest