How much does it cost to open a car service center from scratch? Car service market

The number of cars on the streets of our cities not only does not decrease every year, but steadily increases. In this regard, your own car service as a business can be quite promising. Investments in it cannot be called small, although their amount depends on the chosen direction of repair and the brand of cars that the station will service.

  • Which car service center is better to open?
  • Step-by-step opening plan
  • How much can you earn
  • How much money do you need to start a business?
  • What equipment to choose for a car service?
  • What is OKVED for business?
  • What documents are needed to open
  • Which tax system to choose
  • Do I need permission to open?
  • Technology for selling auto services
  • How to open a self-service station?

The domestic auto industry today produces budget cars. They are cheaper and easier to maintain. Service station equipment is also cheaper. However, most car enthusiasts still choose car brands from Western manufacturers. Although they are more reliable, they still have to be repaired, especially if the mileage on the speedometer is decent. In addition, regular maintenance must be carried out. This is best handled by specialists at a car service center.

Which car service center is better to open?

A car service center from scratch can be opened in several directions. Launching a full-fledged station is a huge investment not only in equipment. You will need a large premises and staff. Without an established client base, it will be difficult to recoup even current expenses. Therefore, they usually first choose one of these directions:

These are the main types of repair work that are in demand among the population. In general, there are about a hundred directions. Which business is better to open, you need to choose based on your knowledge and financial capabilities.

The convenience of location for customers largely determines the popularity of the service. And here you need to take into account the specifics repair work. So, it is most convenient to open a tire shop near the highway. The painting workshop is closer to the industrial zone. It is also more convenient to do metalworking and welding work there. A place near gas stations and car washes. In addition, the sanitary and epidemiological inspection will never give permission to open a service near residential buildings and near bodies of water.

Auto service on the highway.

Even the simplest workshop cannot be less than 30 sq.m. This is the minimum area on which equipment, tools and repair items can be located. Workers should be able to move comfortably inside. You also need to take care of the waiting room for clients. A small room with a comfortable sofa and a coffee machine will add significance to the service. Customers will definitely appreciate the comfort. The premises must be supplied with utilities: water supply, sewerage, electricity.

Step-by-step opening plan

You need to start a business by finding a suitable place for a car service center. Near garage complexes, busy highways, where advertising billboards can be placed, near gas stations, etc. Then the following steps are carried out:

  1. Building: either ready-made or self-constructed modular.
  2. Service list.
  3. Purchase of equipment according to the list of services.
  4. Preliminarily establish contacts with spare parts suppliers.
  5. Selection of qualified personnel.
  6. Advertising.

How much can you earn

Authorized licensed auto repair shops can generate benefits starting from $10,000 per month. Provided that they are located in large populated areas, where there are a large number of new foreign cars. One auto repair shop, from a network of auto services, on average can bring in from 4 to 7 thousand dollars per month. Single unauthorized auto repair shops, providing the same list of services, but at a price up to 30% lower, consistently bring in up to 2 thousand dollars, and in a year up to 12,000 dollars. Providing customized auto repair services in a personal garage or on call to a customer can generate monthly benefits of $900-$1,200.

How much money do you need to start a business?

On average, opening a car service center will require an investment of about 130–150 thousand dollars. Although a less expensive solution is acceptable: a small auto repair shop will cost 35-50 thousand dollars, and a tire service will cost 8-12 thousand dollars. If you provide some repair services in your garage, this will significantly reduce the cost of starting out.

What equipment to choose for a car service?

When thinking about how to open your own, even a small car service, you need to know about the difficulties that you will have to face. Special equipment will need to be installed in the room. It requires certain height ceilings, width and area. Finding the right building in the right area is not easy. In the table we have described the main equipment that must be present at the service station:

SlipwaysThey always take up a lot of space in the workshop. Slipways are needed to move a car without an engine or with a broken chassis. They are laid on the floor and filled with concrete flush with the floor. They are often not installed in rented premises because they think that dismantling the stocks is impossible. However, it is not. Using a jackhammer and grinder, the frame can be easily removed from the floor.
LiftsAny lifting equipment is simply necessary for the service. To install them, a ceiling height of at least 4 meters is required. IN otherwise When working, mechanics will be disturbed by the synchronizer located below. 2 post lifts take up too much space. The useful area of ​​the room is “eaten up”. For low buildings it is better to use scissor and plunger structures. They save about 15% of workshop space.

Before you go shopping for equipment, you need to figure out how it will be installed. In this case, not only the dimensions of machines and devices are taken into account, but also repair technology, the turning radius of the machine, and the features of operation and maintenance of the diagnostic equipment itself. There can be no trifles in this. Every detail can be significant and fundamental.

Often companies that sell equipment offer services for selecting equipment, installing it, and designing an arrangement taking into account the specifics of the workshop space. Specialists take into account the supply of communications, the location of the foundation and other features.

What is OKVED for business?

The main code for the provision of auto services is 50.2, responsible for maintenance and repair Vehicle. Its subparagraphs: 50.20.1 regulates the maintenance and repair of passenger cars, 50.20.2 - maintenance and repair of other vehicles and 50.20.3 - is responsible for other types of vehicle maintenance services. To open a service, for example, a car wash, you will need code 74.70.2, corresponding to the provision of cleaning and cleaning services for vehicles.

What documents are needed to open

For registration individual activities You need a passport, an application for state registration, a receipt for payment of the state duty, a copy of the TIN certificate. If you plan to register an LLC, you will need: an application, the Charter in 2 copies, a decision on establishment (if there is one participant). Protocol of founders' meetings and agreement on the foundation of the company, if founded by several members of the company. Then a receipt for payment of the state duty.

Which tax system to choose

The following taxation systems are possible here: UTII, simplified tax system and patent.

Do I need permission to open?

Licensing of activities is mandatory for a car service center and a number of permits are required. To obtain a license, you must provide a package of documents to the Transport Inspectorate:

  • Application and list (where there is a diagram of posts);
  • Legal information form of doing business (indicating a bank account);
  • Charter of the enterprise;
  • Lease agreement for land (building) or joint activity;
  • Conclusion from sanitary and epidemiological inspection;
  • Permission to carry out welding and painting work from the fire inspectorate;
  • Orders on the appointment of those responsible: for maintenance and repair work (MRO), and for equipment and safety points (H&S);
  • Justification of professionalism (scanned copy of diploma or work record book);
  • Certificates for the list of works in accordance with state standards;
  • Confirmation from the tax office.

It is necessary to obtain certificates in accordance with GOST standards. All types of work (about 60) that require licensing are subject to certification. Here are some of them: lubrication and refueling, repair - separately for each system, unit, vehicle equipment, for control and diagnostics, tire fitting and balancing, electrical engineering, installation/dismantling, painting work and so on.

Certification of the list of services and works for individual entrepreneurs is optional and voluntary.

Technology for selling auto services

One of the first and most important aspects for the successful operation of a car service center is an established and reliable supply of auto parts. If possible, it is better to purchase components in reserve, taking into account the seasonal demand for certain types of services. Advertising company effective at the beginning of work, in order to express yourself. Works better in the future" word of mouth", recommendations from client to client. Therefore, spending money on large advertising campaigns every month is unprofitable. Banners or large signs indicating the location of the car service and contact information are enough.

How to open a self-service station?

As an alternative to the usual service stations, you can open your own car service center from scratch with a small investment. Its meaning is that the car enthusiast repairs the car himself, using the tools and equipment available at the service station. This type of business has long been common in Europe.

The service station is a building consisting of several boxes. Usually there are no more than ten. Each has an area of ​​about 20 sq.m. There is a separate ordering table. The service must have specialists ready to help the car enthusiast with repairs.

To open your own car repair service with your own hands, you need to equip three areas:

Do-it-yourself car repair service has a profitability of 30-50%. You can achieve full payback no earlier than in two years. All these figures will be achieved with stable demand for services. To do this, you need to think about ways to attract customers in advance.

In conclusion, I would like to give you one more piece of advice. There is no need to be afraid of your competitors, you just need to be one step higher. Make your business better than theirs, stand out from the rest. If you listen to our advice, your business will flourish and bring you a stable income.

You will need

  • 1. A plot of land in a location that meets the requirements for private car services.
  • 2. Design of a car service center premises, which provides for connection to utilities.
  • 3. A package of permits (including fire and sanitary passports).
  • 4. A set of equipment for a service station corresponding to the types of work you have chosen.

Instructions

Assess the location where, according to your plans, the car service will operate. Do this as comprehensively as possible, taking into account all the requirements for such establishments. A service station, according to the rules, cannot be located near residential buildings and institutions - it must be located at a distance of about 50 meters from them. But that’s not all - the car service must be connected to all utilities (particular attention is paid to the water supply and sewerage system), and not on any land can such a result be easily achieved.

Create a project for a premises for a car service using the services of appropriate specialists. Then get it approved by your local planning and architecture department before proceeding with the construction of the building. To take the path of least resistance would be to turn to a company that provides turnkey equipment, but this is not within everyone’s means.

Take care of a few more approval procedures when the “box” of the future service station is ready. First of all, you should get a fire and sanitary facility. The premises for a car service center will be put into operation only if local environmental services issue a conclusion, from which it follows that your establishment will not cause too much harm to the environment.

Now think about the finishing details of a car service station, such as floor surfaces (it must be hard and durable - for reliable fastening of lifts), walls in inspection pits (tiled covering is required). Equip the bathroom and install storage cabinets. All these points are specifically specified in the list of requirements for setting up a private car service; neglecting any of them can lead to serious problems during future inspections. The final stage equipping the service station will include the purchase and installation of equipment - after this, your car service is almost ready.

Helpful advice

When creating a design for a service station premises, you need to take into account that without a natural lighting system the facility will not be put into operation - the ratio of natural and artificial lighting in the building for car service is strictly regulated.

An important element of equipping a service station premises is the ventilation system - the presence of powerful exhaust ventilation in a car service building is mandatory.

Sources:

  • Documents required to open a car service center
  • how to build a car service

Station success maintenance almost directly depends on two factors - a good location and the professionalism of the craftsmen working in it. The more clients your establishment provides high-quality service, the faster its fame will spread as a truly cool car service center, of which, as car enthusiasts know very well, there are not so many of them.

You will need

  • - a plot of land of three hectares and a building on it with the possibility of connecting to utilities;
  • - certificate of registration of individual entrepreneurs or formation of a legal entity;
  • - design of the service station building, agreed upon by the SES, traffic police, fire and environmental inspection;
  • - a set of equipment, tools and a supply of components;
  • - staff, the size of which depends on the number of services provided.

Instructions

Find a building that is suitable in all respects for organizing a service station in it. The car service must be located at a distance of at least 50 meters from residential buildings, be located in a separate building, and the adjacent territory must contain at least 3 hectares of land. From a marketing point of view, it is important that the car service is located in close proximity to a busy road, which should also not be forgotten.

Draw up a project for a service station, which must be approved by Rospotrebnadzor (SES), the traffic police, the fire inspectorate and the local environmental service. Compulsory licensing for this type of activity has been abolished, the organizational and legal form is individual entrepreneurship, or entity(LLC, CJSC, OJSC), its registration procedure is standard.

Outline the range of car repair and maintenance services that you will provide. Based on this, purchase a set of equipment (diagnostic and purely technical) and tools. One of the most profitable directions The job of any service station is to repair injection engines; diagnostic equipment for this type of activity is not cheap, but in no case should you skimp on it.

Recruit professionals based solely on recommendations, not on personal interview impressions or candidates' track records. Your establishment will be profitable only if it employs people with “golden” talent, so approach personnel issues with all responsibility. You need to motivate employees by giving them a percentage of the cost of the orders they complete; a fixed salary alone will never be a sufficient basis for hard work.

Sources:

  • Service station business plan in 2019

Station opening Maintenance(STO) is always profitable business, because the number of cars purchased is growing daily. All of them sooner or later require repairs or simply consultation with a car mechanic or electrician.

You will need

  • - initial start-up capital(the amount depends on capabilities and desires);
  • - some knowledge and skills in technical repairs and vehicle installation.

Instructions

When you decide to open a service station, find competent people who understand cars in advance. A car service center should employ diverse specialists, such as: a car chassis repair specialist, an engine repair specialist, and a diagnostic electrician. Car owners turn to professional technicians again and again.

Decide on the location of the station. This could be two or three garages in a cooperative or one large complex, it all depends on financial capabilities. If you yourself own a couple of garages, then the question of the opening location disappears by itself; if not, then you can rent garages or other premises. If you are financially able, you can build a specialized complex yourself (but it will be long and very expensive).

Develop a business plan, calculate all income and expenses. Look on the Internet for approximate prices for services provided by car repair shops.

Stock up building materials for future use You never know what to expect, so try to stock up on everything you can. It is unlikely that anything will fall into disrepair, but in any situation you will be able to calmly and slowly continue construction, because the necessary materials will always be at hand. The guarantee that with this approach you will not overpay is almost one hundred percent.

note

We are building country houses on credit. You can buy a car every year - it gets better and better, but you can choose a house with a plot only once. If you don't have enough money right away good house You can build cheap, low-quality housing and regret it for the rest of your life.

Helpful advice

Loan for building a house. “How to build a turnkey house on credit?” - this question worries many today, and we decided to give a detailed answer to it. The Borrower provides the Bank with an order to transfer loan funds in full or partial payment of the agreement concluded between the Borrower and the Bank's partner (the loan amount cannot exceed the amount of the borrower's obligations under the agreement concluded with the developer).

If your city's budget does not yet have sufficient funds to build stadium for a hundred thousand seats, start with your small suburban stadium A. It is likely that all city residents from time to time will want to run along its elastic paths, play gorodki or cheer for their favorite football team.

Instructions

Study the plan of the area immediately adjacent to the city and choose a place for stadium A. Decide whether you are going to set up a sports ground for only one sport (for example, football) or if you want to build a universal one stadium.

Choose a well-lit area, but so that the sun does not blind your eyes during activities or games. Study the topography of the selected area.

When choosing a direction of entrepreneurial activity, you should focus on promising types of business that can generate income for a long time. Car repair and maintenance is one of the most profitable areas of activity. You can safely invest in this business and expect good profits. We will talk about how to open a car service center from scratch in this article.

Registration

So, what do you need to open a service station? First of all, these are documents and permits. Regardless of which legal form you choose, you must officially register your business and obtain the appropriate license.

To do this, you will have to collect a package of documents:

  1. Application in the prescribed form;
  2. Charter;
  3. Certificate;
  4. Premises rental agreement;
  5. SES permission;
  6. Agreement with the fire inspectorate;
  7. Permission to carry out welding work;
  8. Certificate of compliance with standards.

Additionally, before opening a service station, it is necessary to create conditions for waste disposal in accordance with established rules and requirements. To do this, a number of examinations should be carried out. Organizing a car service center is a difficult and quite labor-intensive task, but it is guaranteed to bring a good income. If you complete all the documents correctly, you will not receive any unpleasant surprises in the future.

Room

We found out where to start opening a service station and how to legalize it. Now you can move on to choosing a room. The minimum distance from your car service center to residential properties should be at least 150 m. Water supply and sewerage must be connected to it. The location of the service station does not play a special role, because if the workshop provides high-quality services at affordable prices, car owners will come to you even across the whole city. The most important thing is convenient access roads leading to the workshop. It is advisable that the premises be located within the city. In this case, you will be able to reach more customers.

If you are constrained in financial resources, but really want to open your own business, you can equip a car repair shop in your own garage. When the business begins to develop, you can rent another premises and expand the list of services. Before you open a car service in your garage, make sure that it meets all established requirements, otherwise you may have problems with regulatory authorities.

Equipment

Once you have settled all the paperwork and selected a suitable premises, you can start purchasing equipment. This is a very important point that requires a serious and responsible approach.

To save your time and roughly calculate how much money you need to open a service station, you need to make a detailed list of equipment and tools. After that, adjust it to suit your financial capabilities, premises, etc.

The most common mistake of many novice entrepreneurs who are just entering this business is saving on equipment and tools. You should not choose this path for yourself, since the payback of the enterprise and your future profit largely depend on the quality of the services provided.

Diagnostic equipment will cost you approximately 60-100 thousand rubles, a lift - 40-120 thousand rubles, a set professional tools– 100 thousand rubles.

Service list

In order for your enterprise to bring good profits, the service station business plan should include a wide range of services. The most common and in demand types of work:

  • Engine repair;
  • Gearbox repair;
  • Clutch replacement, etc.

The most time-consuming and unprofitable process is repairing the brake system, but this service must be on the list. The best option is narrow specialization. It could be:

  • Tinted glass;
  • Installation of xenon;
  • Different types of tuning.

You can also service a specific brand of car.

In any case, your car service should offer the following services:

  1. Sale of spare parts and accessories;
  2. Car repair;
  3. Pre-sale preparation of the vehicle;
  4. Customer service (small cafe).

Any service consists of a set of specific works or technological operations. They need to be described down to the smallest details. This will help you create a list of services.

Staff

For normal operation A car service center will need 5-6 people. Three masters should be included in the staff, and the rest should be worked under a contract. The workshop must have the following specialists: mechanic, electrician, mechanic and body repairman. In addition, the car service center should hire an administrator who will work directly with clients.

Price policy

One of the most important points in organizing the work of a service station is setting prices. Typically, such enterprises use the concept of “standard hour,” that is, a certain amount of time that needs to be spent on performing a certain operation. Well-known well-promoted car services set the cost of one standard hour from 1000 rubles. Small service stations estimate the standard hour at 400 rubles. The more complex the work, the more expensive the repair will cost. Since you offer clients not only services, but also guarantees, you have every right to set your own prices.

Financial investments

  • Purchase and installation of equipment – ​​2 million rubles;
  • Advertising – 30 thousand rubles;
  • Registration of documents and permits – 20 thousand rubles.

In addition, money will be needed for:

  • Renting premises;
  • Current costs;
  • Salary to employees.

To determine exactly how much it costs to open a service station, you need to draw up a business plan and decide on the direction of activity.

If you have about 60 thousand dollars on hand, it is better to buy a ready-made operating business. This is the most affordable option, since you don’t have to look for premises, purchase equipment and attract clients. You can also purchase a franchise business. In this case, you will be provided with full information and marketing support.

Profit

The annual profit of a service station, even according to conservative estimates, is at least 500 thousand rubles. In this case, the enterprise pays for itself within 3-4 years. But if you manage to attract a sufficient number of clients, you can earn several million rubles in one year. This is enough promising business, but in order for it to develop, you need to work hard and invest money.

Advertising

If you want to take your business to a high level, you need to pay special attention to advertising. To do this, you need to properly build advertising campaign so that the car service is provided with a flow of customers.

Types of advertising:

  • Business cards. This is an important attribute of any company, without which it is impossible to do. Give them to all your clients, and also deliver them to the auto stores that your potential clients visit;
  • Advertisements in the media. Try to advertise in all print publications in your city;
  • Posting advertisements;
  • Outdoor advertising. Make a big, bright sign for your workshop. Also don't forget to hang on front door schedule;
  • Internet advertising.

How to open a car service

  1. First of all, you need to find reliable suppliers of spare parts, since the profit of your enterprise largely depends on this. They can be found at various exhibitions. Also, review product catalogs on manufacturers' and dealers' websites. It is best to buy parts “with a reserve”. Of course, in this case you will have to invest a lot of money, but you will always have any necessary spare part in stock;
  2. If you want to immediately reach maximum profits, concentrate on the most cost-effective services - tire fitting, body repair, car wash, painting;
  3. A company's income can be increased in two ways - reducing costs or attracting more customers. To save on the purchase of equipment, order certain operations from specialized companies. You can also reduce advertising and rental costs.

On this page you can download or read a car service business plan for free. Using the proposed sample business plan as ready-made template, you can easily create your own car service business plan to suit your specific conditions.

Car service business plan

Car service: state and structure of the market

The situation in the car servicing market directly depends on the development trends of the domestic vehicle fleet. Over the past 10 years, it has increased 2.5 times and currently consists of more than 30 million cars. Every year this figure increases by 8–8.5%.

At the same time, there are only 170 cars per thousand Russians, which is almost four times lower than the level of developed countries. That is, the Russian vehicle fleet is only expected to grow in the near future, and quite actively at that. So, a favorable environment has developed for car services - a steady and significant increase in the number of potential consumers of these services. As for the car services themselves, their number is steadily growing, and the predominance of networks is still not visible.

The structure of the maintenance market is not yet clearly defined. Of course, there is a certain specialization in it; we can talk about several vertical levels. At the same time, there are very few recognizable brands: the same car service can work with both Mercedes and VAZ products. Currently there are four market levels.

  • Authorized services. The work is carried out in clear cooperation with official dealers and foreign car manufacturers. As a rule, a company specializes in servicing one specific brand. Entering this business is very difficult: vendors are demanding when choosing contractors. The maximum profit - from 10 thousand dollars per month - can be brought by services located in large cities, where many new foreign cars are sold.
  • Network car services. This segment in Russia is still underdeveloped: there is not a single technical service network that would develop on a national scale (most often it covers no more than five regions). Western networks are poorly represented on the Russian market (the only exception is Bosch service stations, but there are not many of them yet). In addition, in our country there are “pseudo-networks” that are formed when Western companies, wanting to increase sales of their products, allow their name to be used. But there is no control over the quality of services provided on their part. The average profit of one car service center with several bays included in the network is 5–7 thousand dollars per month.
  • Single service points. They do not have accreditation, which, however, does not prevent them from competing with authorized companies: the services are the same, but you have to pay 20–30% less for them. The profit of such a car service rarely falls below 2 thousand dollars per month, but almost never exceeds 12 thousand dollars.
  • Individual provision of services Maintenance. This type of activity can only be called a business with a large degree of convention - it is, rather, self-employment. However, the services of individuals who repair cars in their own garages or on call are in steady demand, bringing in $800–1,200 in net profit per month.
Four stages of organizing a car service

The first one is choice of location. On initial stage the surrounding area should be assessed for placement outdoor advertising. The optimal location for a car service center is near highways, gas stations, and garage complexes.

It must be taken into account that, in accordance with SES requirements You cannot organize a car service near residential buildings (the distance must be at least 50 m) and near bodies of water. The selected premises must have a centralized water supply and sewerage system. It is necessary to provide for the presence of a pit, otherwise you will have to spend additional funds for the purchase of lifting equipment. It is advisable that the area of ​​the room be at least 25–30 square meters. m (per worker there should be 5 sq. m, and this does not include equipment), but at the first stage 15 “squares” may be enough. Although in currently The area of ​​the average Moscow car service exceeds 200 square meters. m.

And don't forget about package of documents. So the second stage in creating a car service center is sorting out bureaucratic formalities. And the first thing you have to do here is design documentation. In order for it to be approved by the state sanitary and epidemiological inspection authorities, you will have to work hard, because there are a lot of requirements: from the presence of natural lighting to the installation of a “double-leaf locker for work clothes.” In addition to this, you will need to submit a package of documents to the transport inspection and resolve issues with the rental agreement.

Third stage - personnel selection. IN modern conditions It is the opportunity to attract qualified specialists of one or another profile to the company that determines the choice of work that the car service will perform. But in any case, you need to try to select experienced professionals for the most popular types of services. And first of all, these include tire fitting and body repair. It’s a good idea to include a car wash in your business. A number of works, for example, selection of enamels and engine repairs, can be carried out in specialized companies - a fairly common practice in Moscow. There are about 100 types of services provided by car repair shops. The most common types of work:

  • lubricants and filling stations;
  • control and diagnostic;
  • electrical;
  • tire fitting and balancing;
  • installation and dismantling;
  • tin welding;
  • steering repair;
  • steering system repair;
  • engine repair;
  • battery repair and charging;
  • painting.

Having resolved the issue with the staff and decided on what services the car service will provide, you can begin purchasing equipment. This is the fourth stage. Here you will have a choice - more expensive and high-quality imported or affordable domestic. It should be noted that the presence of imported equipment can help attract customers; it is also a good idea to use it for advertising purposes.

If you intend to work with foreign cars, you will have to concentrate on the products of one or several manufacturers: each brand has its own computer diagnostic system.

Car service: initial investment

And now the enterprise is ready to open. To attract customers, it is worth spending $500–1000 on advertising. In addition to outdoor advertising, it is useful to place advertisements in specialized newspapers and magazines and post them in garages. It is also worth distributing leaflets.

On average, creating a car service center will cost $130–150 thousand. Although a cheaper solution is possible: a small car service center will cost $35–50 thousand, and tire service will cost $8–12 thousand.

A car service providing a wide range of services brings its owner an income of 4 thousand dollars a month, tire service - from 0.7 thousand dollars.

Until now we have been talking about a stationary car service. There is another model for organizing a business - an individual call to the car owner’s garage. This reduces the cost of renting premises and purchasing expensive equipment, but increases advertising costs. In this case, you can get by with a small office space with a telephone, several cars (or better yet, hire mechanics with personal vehicles). A warehouse of spare parts is not required: purchase them for a specific order using the services of one of the many delivery services.

If we talk about an auto parts store, the main thing here is to choose a premises located in a place that has good entrances and can provide a flow of customers. It is also necessary to resolve the issue of purchasing goods and the possibility of providing trade credit.

Car service: secrets of the business process

One of the main issues that the owner of both a car service center and a car shop decides is the acquisition of spare parts, which means establishing relationships with suppliers. Catalogs of auto parts can be found, for example, on the Internet on the websites of manufacturers and dealers.

It is better to submit a delivery request in advance, taking into account seasonal fluctuations in demand. Any experienced worker in this field can describe them (for tire fitting, for example, peaks of activity occur at the end of autumn and beginning of spring, when it is time to change tires).

Auto parts are either purchased from Russian dealers or imported independently, collaborating with suppliers from Asian countries. Large companies parts are usually delivered from abroad by charter flight. As for small car services, importing spare parts for them on your own is quite risky, because parts have to be purchased for the future. What if they are not needed at all? Moreover, when we're talking about For small batches, you can’t count on discounts from the manufacturer. So small companies should visit specialized exhibitions and get acquainted with the range and prices of the main Russian dealers. It is important to accurately take into account the seasonality and timeliness of purchases: having goods in stock will not only reduce the time it takes to serve each client, but will also speed up the turnover of funds.

For specialized car services, where the list of required parts is clearly defined by the standards of car manufacturers, the problem of delivery of spare parts is not very relevant. But in the practice of general-purpose car services, there are two most common models.

  • Purchasing spare parts. Requires significant costs, but it eliminates the issue of lack of necessary spare parts at the right time. This scheme is most effective for network car services, in whose work, sooner or later, almost any part turns out to be in demand.
  • Working with delivery services. All parts are ordered as needed from some online store. But then their cost turns out to be significantly higher.

An investor should concentrate on promoting the most cost-effective types of services. As a rule, this includes body repair, car straightening and painting, tire fitting, and car washing. It is worth considering the most effective combination of them. Combining a body repair shop and a laboratory for selecting car enamels gives a good return: the client who bought the enamel is often interested in high-quality repairs and painting of the car, and car owners who have already made repairs usually order painting of their car.

The profitability of the company can be increased by increasing the flow of customers and reducing costs. To do this, take the following steps:

  • expand the range of services provided by the company;
  • minimize the cost of purchasing equipment (by placing orders for certain works in specialized companies);
  • they reduce rental payments (you can refuse the box and limit yourself to an ordinary trailer, but this will negatively affect the image of the enterprise);
  • They use advertising only in the short term, and then switch to “creeping marketing” - a new client comes on the recommendation of an old one.

Another popular option to reduce costs is to attract labor from the CIS countries. With the same level of training as the Russians, the labor of teams from Armenia or Moldova costs much less. At the same time, migrant workers are distinguished by high discipline, ability to work, and a lower tendency to drunkenness. In Moscow, it is currently common practice for a mechanic to receive from 30 to 50% of the cost of the service he provides. The fixed part of the salary is small and rarely exceeds $200 per month. On average, a mechanic earns $600–1000 per month.

For comprehensive automation of document flow, warehouse and financial accounting, car services purchase specialized software. It is produced in Russia by at least five companies, some of which include catalogs of auto parts for foreign and domestic cars in the software package (cost: 40–70 dollars). The disks with the programs themselves will cost $120–200. And another $700–1200 will have to be paid for the communication module with the accounting program.

What if you buy a car service?

Car services are among the businesses in greatest demand. In the first half of 2003, for every company of this profile put up for sale, there were several dozen potential buyers. This significantly reduces the time it takes to sell a car service; it does not exceed 1.5 months. The high interest is explained, firstly, by the fact that non-core investors view such companies as simple and easy to manage, and secondly, by the impressive profitability of these enterprises: the return on investment period usually does not exceed 6–10 months. The average cost of a car service center is $60 thousand. Most of them operate in rented space on the basis of a one-year lease agreement.

As for authorized car repair shops, only one has been put up for sale so far. It had the status of an official service center of a famous German automaker and, naturally, was engaged in servicing new foreign cars of this brand. The service quickly found its buyer, although it cost 20% more than its “unauthorized” counterparts. We can say that this difference was made up by goodwill. Recently, the supply of existing car service centers has increased, and the same applies to auto parts stores. At the same time, the demand for such businesses is satisfied by no more than 10–15%.

Car service buyers need to pay attention to the following points:

Duration of the lease agreement.
Even with a contract for 364 days, it is desirable to have the right to extend. The best option is if, when the owner changes, a new lease agreement is concluded. There is a known case where a car service center worked in areas to which it had absolutely no rights. The premises were municipally owned and its use was based on informal relationships: the company occasionally repaired the personal cars of government officials, but no one touched the entrepreneurs. A business in this state becomes fundamentally unsaleable.

Saving the team.
This issue should be discussed with the seller in advance: it would be nice if he signs an undertaking not to take any actions aimed at “removing” key employees. But, as a rule, a verbal agreement is enough.

Transparency of business processes.
Carefully review contracts with auto parts suppliers and major supply channels. It is better for the new owner if these relations are formalized.

Ease of entry into business.
It is advisable for a non-core investor to agree that the old owner advise him on the issue of running a business for 1–2 months.

Other factors affecting the price.
When planning to invest in the purchase of a car service center, pay attention to its location, the availability of convenient access, previously held advertising events, and the quality of the equipment. All these factors must be taken into account during price negotiations.

The Russian automobile market has positive potential for development. For the increasing flow of cars, it is necessary to have a developed infrastructure that will allow servicing and repairing transport. Along with new ones, used cars of domestic and foreign production are actively sold and bought.

Old cars need repairs and replacement of spare parts much more often, so there is no way to do without maintenance. But in order to find out how to open a car service, you need to start by studying the market, its participants and features. A plan that contains the main points necessary for opening a service station will help the novice owner with this.

Choosing an idea for a car service

The concept of a car service includes the implementation of a wide variety of car maintenance work.

It will still not be possible to cover all types of services at the initial stage. Therefore, you need to concentrate on those that are either familiar, or do not require too much investment in special tools, or do not require specific knowledge and skills.

Main types of services include:

  • body repair (straightening, painting, restoration, etc.);
  • repair of units (engine, chassis, carburetor, radiator, etc.);
  • electrics (on-board computer, headlights, double-glazed windows, central locking, light bulbs, etc.);
  • maintenance (lubrication, setting up the fuel system, checking the functionality of the ignition system, brakes, clutch, etc.);
  • installation of additional equipment (alarm system, radio, video equipment, speakers, etc.);
  • computer and hardware diagnostics;
  • changing oil, filters, brake fluid, etc.;
  • metalwork;
  • tire fitting, balancing and other types of work.

Before creating your own service station, you need to clearly understand what size and format is needed. And these points depend on what services will be provided and how much funds are needed for this.

Currently, car service centers specialize in specific car brands, for example: Skoda, BMW, Audi or Volkswagen. Such service stations can cover the entire range of services for only one or several brands of cars.

To choose your niche, it is worth considering the option of segmenting the car market by manufacturer. And although there are fewer competitors, there are also potential clients Same. However, given the variety of models and manufacturers, the car service has plenty to choose from.

For work you can select one of the following formats:

  • Separate and independent centers service . They focus on the most popular services, although they try to cover the entire range of work as fully as possible.
  • Authorized centers. Imply cooperation with one or more regional dealers or manufacturers. In order to enter into such an agreement, the service must meet certain requirements.
  • Customized services. This applies to a greater extent to jobs that require high professionalism and extensive work experience. In this case, it is not necessary to have your own service station; it is enough to announce yourself, and clients will come and make an appointment.

Opening a car service in the garage

Some aspiring entrepreneurs want to know how to start an auto repair shop in a garage so that they can start with a small auto repair shop, thereby reducing the operational risk.

In the garage you can carry out minor repairs, simple body work and installation of additional equipment.

If an entrepreneur is well versed in cars and has a couple of reliable assistants, then you can open in this format, which has its advantages:

  • No rent (if the garage is personal property) or minimal cost.
  • Lack of wages for service personnel. In this case, an accountant, cleaner, helpers, and manager are not required.

Taking into account the above factors, prices for services in an auto repair shop in a garage can be significantly lower than competitors in large complexes, and the quality is much higher.

Documents for car service in the garage:

  • individual entrepreneur registration;
  • permission from the cooperative if the garage is located on its territory;
  • lease agreement, if the premises will be rented;
  • certificate of conformity (not necessary for individual entrepreneurs, but will be a motivating demonstration for clients about the reliability of the services provided).

Detailed video review about opening a car service in a garage.

Premises criteria

The size of the room depends on the complexity and number of services. Therefore, this value is determined individually, taking into account needs and capabilities.

To give a novice car service owner something to start from, the average figures are given below.

Four posts require a room of 250-300 m2.

This includes:

  • production room for maintenance 150 m 2 ;
  • space for tire fitting – 30 m2;
  • space for repair of individual units - 15 m2;
  • warehouse – 65 m2;
  • utility rooms (administration, locker room, bathroom, etc.) – 50 m2;
  • parking space – 20-50 m2.

Normally, at least 5 m2 should be allocated per worker.

Location

Location, although it influences the number of customers, is not a fundamental factor if the price-quality ratio is attractive.

To choose a suitable location, you should pay attention to the following points::

  • next to a busy highway or road, from where a car service station is clearly visible;
  • near garages, gas stations, hypermarkets;
  • it should be convenient to get to the place.

Alternatively, you can use your garage.

Before planning how to open a car service in a garage, you should consider what work can be done there. Most often, minor repairs, simple body work and installation of additional equipment are carried out in such a room.

Required documents

First you need to fill out and receive a package of documents.

Scroll necessary documents :

  • Registration certificate. You can choose individual entrepreneur or LLC. It all depends on the format of the future business and its scale.
  • Obtaining a TIN and registering with the tax authorities. Among taxation systems, UTII or a simplified system is most often preferred. Each type of tax payment is limited to the annual turnover and the number of personnel, so this point should be thought through in advance.
  • Concluding a contract for the rental or purchase and sale of premises where services will be provided.
  • Permission to carry out activities by fire services.
  • Obtaining a conclusion from the SES.
  • Obtaining the necessary documents from the services responsible for water supply, electricity, sewerage, waste disposal, paintwork materials and rubber (conclusion of contracts, installation of meters, etc.).

Purchasing the necessary equipment

Once the issue of registering a car service center and the premises in which it will be located has been resolved, you can begin searching and purchasing necessary equipment and tool. Here you will have to choose between imported (more expensive, but also of higher quality) and domestic (cheaper, but less reliable).

Among the most famous and well-proven brands are the following: Nussbaum (Germany), Rotary (USA), OMA (Italy).

The list of required equipment depends on the services and work that the service station will provide, so there are no templates or standards.

It is worth remembering that it is very difficult to do high-quality work with a bad tool. To save money, you can rent the most expensive equipment.

Most often, a car service center needs the following equipment and tools::

  • lifts (best of all are two-stage ones from 4.5 to 5 thousand USD, but foot lifts are also possible from 5.5 to 30 thousand USD);
  • welding machine;
  • diagnostic systems (hardware scanners, motor testers, etc.);
  • equipment for painting and drying;
  • compressor;
  • milling and lathes;
  • stands for checking sensors (power, fuel, exhaust, etc.);
  • electrical equipment;
  • tire changing and balancing machines;
  • additional tools (wrenches, screwdrivers, hammers, bushings, vices, covers, filters, drill, soldering equipment, screwdriver, air hammer, etc.);
  • consumables (rubber, lubricant, wires, soundproofing material, etc.).

Before you start purchasing necessary tools and technology, you need to clearly understand the technology and features production process. It is not enough to know what they will be needed for; you need to study all the nuances and specifics of the work.

Staff

Equipment and personnel are the main indicators of quality.

Finding an experienced and good worker is quite difficult, but it is necessary that the work be done efficiently and quickly. The number and specialization of employees directly depends on the list of services provided.

For successful work Service stations need only experienced personnel:

  • mechanic (engine repair),
  • injector technician (repair and adjustment of the fuel system),
  • chassis (maintenance of chassis, transmission, suspension, etc.),
  • electrician (repair and installation of electrical equipment),
  • tire fitter (tire replacement, wheel repair, wheel straightening, etc.),
  • auxiliary worker (student or support person),
  • supplier (purchases equipment, consumables, tools, etc.)
  • storekeeper (keeps records and issues inventory, materials and equipment)
  • accountant (carries out all financial and economic calculations and payments),
  • manager (controls the work of the entire car service).

Employees' wages make up 40%-50% of the work performed, so these costs are not fixed. And the average monthly payment for office employees (supplier, storekeeper, accountant, etc.) is from 20,000 rubles each.

How much does it cost to open?

To open a car service center from scratch, you need to calculate all costs in detail to assess the possible profit and payback period. At this stage, you will have to use average or minimum values, which, as a rule, will increase further during the procurement and installation process.

Why are approximate and average indicators needed??

They allow you to navigate costs, that is, they show opportunities for savings and help you correctly distribute and control your budget.

Before you start your business, it is advisable to collect information about prices, suppliers and other organizations with which you will have to deal.

Equipment and tools

1 million rub.

Installation and installation of equipment

150 thousand rubles.

Renting premises

100 thousand rubles.

Salary (10 people, 20 thousand rubles each)

200 thousand rubles.

50 thousand rubles.

Registration and obtaining all permits

20 thousand rubles.

Consumables

80 thousand rubles.

Total:

1600 thousand rubles.

To compare the initial investment with the level of income, You can give an example of a simplified scheme for determining monthly income.

For 5 car service workers, you can determine the average revenue and profit per month. If employees repair 3 cars a day, spending 2.5 hours on each car, while working 25 days a month, then the total number of hours worked will be 937.5 man-hours (5 * 3 * 2.5 * 25). An hour of work at a service station costs 600-850 rubles. (on average 700 rubles). Revenue per month is 655,900 rubles. (700*937).

To determine how much of this money the owner will keep, rent must be subtracted. wages, taxes, payment for public utilities, consumables, etc. On average, 100–150 thousand rubles remain.

Why are these calculations needed? They help to clearly see the productivity and efficiency of labor in monetary terms, which determines prospects for further development.

The payback period for a car service is 1-3 years. Profitability level from 20% to 50% depending on prices, equipment and tools used, level of personnel qualifications, number of services, etc.

How to promote your car service

The profitability of a service station depends on the number of clients, so it is necessary to pay special attention:

  • supply (carefully select suppliers and product quality),
  • advertising (billboards, signs, stands, signs, advertisements in newspapers, magazines, advertising on the Internet, etc.),
  • searching for partners (this can be sellers of spare parts and additional equipment for the car, as well as car washes, gas stations and car sales centers),
  • quality and speed of work and services (it is advisable to pay attention not only to high-quality equipment and tools, but also to staff training),
  • take into account the seasonality of various services (for example, in autumn and spring there is a high demand for tire replacement, and in the warm season there are more people willing to paint and tuning).

The right approach to these factors will help you promote your business and increase the influx of clients.

Additional services

In addition to the main list of works, you can add services that will bring additional income.

List of additional services:

  • sale of spare parts, components and accessories (clients will listen to the recommendations of the specialists);
  • preparing cars for sale (diagnosis, repair and replacement of spare parts to make the car more attractive);
  • condition assessment (when buying, selling or pledging a car);
  • opening a car wash (can be an independent service or included in the maintenance package).

Promoting your business

A thorough market study will help you promote your service station. In addition to studying competitors, partners, and price levels, you need to pay attention to the characteristics of the target audience.

The Russian automotive market is characterized by the following features::

  • constant growth and increase;
  • more and more imported and more reliable and durable cars are appearing;
  • development computer technology control of all vehicle systems.
  • transition to innovative technologies closely related to the Internet;
  • increasing demand for tuning and installation of additional equipment (tinting, sound insulation, alarms, DVRs, TVs, etc.)

Video about opening a car service center from scratch.