Business Plan

[BustaRhymes325i]

the good thing about a jiffy lube type place, is that you have to drive your car there, thus it is already warm.

you need to figure in time to bring the car up to proper temp. could cut into your time depending on how many "changes" you plan on doing in a day.

[Emre]

What happens if you forget to tighten the oil plug and tree days later it wiggles out and the owner blows up his engine?

The only way to make this work would be to use one of those vacuum things to suck the old oil out through the dipstick tube. Too messy and slow to use the drain plug on the oil pan (not to mention the possibility of stripping the threads, etc).

You'd have to start the day with a set of filters based on your appointments and have a couple of 5-gallon pails of 5w-30 and 10w-40 on hand. Pump the old oil out, swap the filter, and pump the new oil in. You really don't want an "open system" with old or new oil splashing around all over the place.

[blocke]

Why change the model a bit? Have a centralized shop location that already has the lift, capacity, permits, drainage, etc.. And instead, go get peoples car's, bring them to shop and return them. No worries if they have a driveway or not. Dealerships already do this.
Like an oil valet service. Then people could schedule while they are at work, at the movies, out to dinner..whatever. More flexibility other than having to be home.

[e30evolution]

Transporting hazardous waste...look into that. Permits for transporting any chemicals you might use.

[Shangsta]

I worked for a mobile lube company while i was in school. Similar to what you are thinking except for we worked on commercial fleets. For example we had an account with the biggest power company in houston. They would have 1.5 hour meetings at their various service centers and we would service the trucks(everything from corollas to f350's and then big trucks) while they attended their meetings. If you changed your model from residential to corporate companies I think you could work it better .

[BobombETA]

The detailer that everyone at my work uses comes and picks up your car and drops it off when it's done... Maybe that could be the style of service that you provide.

[Vivek]

Detailing is a large market, sold a full detail today, and talked them into a "classic package" for their integra they picked the vehicle up in

You detail cars? I find it's a kinda hard market to be in. Mainly car washes at people's houses that I make decent money for, but $200+ details are few and far between.

[5Toes]

Detailing is a large market, sold a full detail today, and talked them into a "classic package" for their integra they picked the vehicle up in

[Stephen]

I think the idea has big potential. As a business student, make sure you show the professor a solid chunk of data for target market, "hunches" dont fly, even though they're often right.

Personally, i hate changing oil, and its a hassle to take it somewhere as well.

Consider hooking up with mobile detailing firms that have contracts with law firms/ businesses, and add to the "service your car while you wait" appeal. Those people are less price sensitive, and very time sensitive, which is what your company should target.

[mamzak]

10L too, that's pretty insane! I guess if you buy those cars you aren't too worried about the cost of an oil change though eh?

[5Toes]

$12.50 a liter?? lol Canada is spendy cause that stuff here is $8 a liter

[Raxe]

Don't know...don't really care. I'd never take a good car there and no one else should. For a honda accord, it works perfectly fine, and he's been going there half the car's life without any issues. And wtf are they putting in the engine that makes an oil change worth 400 bucks? How much can you POSSIBLY spend on 5 quarts of oil?

Raxe: you guys charge $400 for some oil changes? wtf? On what?

An example off the top of my head: Porsche 993 Turbo

Mobil 1 0W40 (Porsche recommended) = $12.50 per litre x 10 litres
Oil filters: $30 x 2
Labor (two oil filters, restrictive body panels and extended drain time because dry sump): $125
Tax: $15.50

= $325.50

A few Astons and Lamborghinis are almost at the $500 mark.

Keep in mind our economy is not average.. some of the dealer shop rates here are $160/hr.

[mamzak]

lol @ college.

Hmm...

[mamzak]

Yeah I've seen the dipstick suckers, I'm just not totally convinced they would drain a pan as well as pulling the plug would. I would never use a dipstick sucker on my car personally...but whatever.

Yeah I'm thinking of having say 2 licensed mechanics running their own trucks, and 2 strictly lube guys that will get trained on the job by the mechanics. They don't do any of the other services, just oil. That way if an appointment is strictly oil I'm not paying a mechanic to do it.

good idea?

Raxe: you guys charge $400 for some oil changes? wtf? On what?

[Vivek]

Holy crap, what kind of oil are they using on those $25 oil changes? At our shop a standard oil change ranges from $110 to $400+ depending on the vehicle.

Don't know...don't really care. I'd never take a good car there and no one else should. For a honda accord, it works perfectly fine, and he's been going there half the car's life without any issues. And wtf are they putting in the engine that makes an oil change worth 400 bucks? How much can you POSSIBLY spend on 5 quarts of oil?