• Thank you for visiting HeavyEquipmentForums.com! Our objective is to provide industry professionals a place to gather to exchange questions, answers and ideas. We welcome you to register using the "Register" icon at the top of the page. We'd appreciate any help you can offer in spreading the word of our new site. The more members that join, the bigger resource for all to enjoy. Thank you!

Question for all the independent mobile mechanics!!!

Mother Deuce

Senior Member
Joined
Jul 17, 2016
Messages
1,603
Location
New England
Sounds kind of like a franchise. How big of a portion does this company take?
Seems like Caterpillar or Deere or any other factory store provides that. Without the low cost lease for the truck. Sounds suspiciously like a hourly gig and you can pay for the truck!
 

Mike L

Senior Member
Joined
Dec 1, 2010
Messages
1,922
Location
Texas
Occupation
Self employed field mechanic
A fully loaded service truck and all my scheduling and paperwork taken care of? Seems legit to me! Now they probably just need my social security number and bank account info to get the ball rolling!
 

crane operator

Senior Member
Joined
Mar 27, 2009
Messages
8,315
Location
sw missouri
Now they probably just need my social security number and bank account info to get the ball rolling!

With only a one time upfront fee. They say snap on franchises are only around $250,000-300,000. You just have to buy a new truck and the inventory. Then there's nothing in your way. The sky is the limit. No one holding you back.

I can teach you to sell real estate, with my proven system. How to always make money in the stock market. Once you have other sellers working for you, just sit back and watch the money roll in.

Make your money work for you. Even better- let other people's money work for you. All your dreams will come true, unicorns and fairy dust and pink rainbows.
 

Rick Stacy

Member
Joined
Jul 16, 2019
Messages
6
Location
Atlanta
It will not be a franchise, but an online platform like Uber. It hasn’t been determined yet how much the platform will make per billing.
 

Rick Stacy

Member
Joined
Jul 16, 2019
Messages
6
Location
Atlanta
A fully loaded service truck and all my scheduling and paperwork taken care of? Seems legit to me! Now they probably just need my social security number and bank account info to get the ball rolling!
For now we just need your feedback and questions.Thanks
 

check

Senior Member
Joined
Apr 1, 2012
Messages
800
Location
in the mail
A lot of "what if's" in a deal like that. The company will want as many mechanics out there as possible, but in reality there are few good ones capable of performing the work. If many of the mechanics bearing that widely recognizable logo are giving poor service, the good ones will be carrying the poor ones on their backs. Reputation is important. Who do you want to be associated with.
A service network like that is a good idea if the tasks are simple, like installing garage doors where most any monkey can memorize all the procedures, but truck/equipment repair is getting more complex daily while humans are getting dumber and lazier.
 

Rick Stacy

Member
Joined
Jul 16, 2019
Messages
6
Location
Atlanta
Of course the screening process will be very, very important - as an example, just for cars on www.yourmechanic.com they only accept 5-10% of applicants. But assuming just 20% of the technicians out there are any good (and I believe it’s much higher than that) there 40,000 good technicians today. We would never go for volume, only quality. And each tech gets rated by the customer, and new customers see all those ratings. The best techs rise to the top and get more business. The worst techs are voted off the island by the customers.

We pay by the job, not by the hour
 

Rick Stacy

Member
Joined
Jul 16, 2019
Messages
6
Location
Atlanta
Seems like Caterpillar or Deere or any other factory store provides that. Without the low cost lease for the truck. Sounds suspiciously like a hourly gig and you can pay for the truck!
The major OEM's do not hire techs,they have dealers for that and that is an hourly gig
 

DMiller

Senior Member
Joined
Feb 21, 2010
Messages
16,559
Location
Hermann, Missouri
Occupation
Cheap "old" Geezer
Worked Independent on top of working at a garage full time. Worked Second shift Lead mechanic then during early hours(3am to noon) would work contractor duties. Had agreements to work on down machines local quarry group, also did welding and custom truck work out of my home by appointment or emergency. Had set up my business through a Legal Beagle to get it as right as possible, he aligned most everything taxes, fees, license, contractual agreements when needed where if a company would not sign a contract for price, hours available and agree to rates then deal was off. Wrote off most everything, he would actually dig thru my receipts at months ends to find what I missed.

In 1982 was working Full time garage tech $12.75/hour with health life and disability insurance as well access to suppliers lists for odd materials. On my Own time, my own truck and extra aligned tooling worked like a zombie, all hours where had to watch did not affect the benefits side. My minimum was two Hours at that point in time $40/hour with mileage if outside a ten mile circle of my house(5mi. radius). Time started as I left the house for emergencies and service calls. Shop I worked in was $35/hour but tagged mileage on for ANY service call and OT was anything after normal hours or if a mechanic was requested to stay longer than end of his shift.

Initially I bought and paid for parts to be reimbursed, as noted a few rubber payments and those get really deep into pockets QUICKLY where I would then give a list of what and where to buy The Client bought or had delivered what I requested and I was only there for labor or job did NOT get done. On first opening of business, State and County licenses in hand, tax number and all the forms required at hand(courtesy Legal beagle) I had THREE MONTHS backup house payment, utilities and food expenses put back, came Close a time or two awaiting some larger companies to pay as they would work 60-120 days receipts. Quarry was quickest pay, trucking firms were the Absolute SLOWEST, gave up on cars and small trucks early on as the clientele was looking for bargains not necessarily speed nor quality, that is where most of the rubber came from. I was actually paid up on house and my junker service trucks when my boon died off. Had a few months ebbed into almost nothing side work then it slid back on until moved to the Utility job and no longer had the taste for all the extra side work nor the time as at the Utility even mechanics got called in on Storm Duty.

Best year was 84, made close to $150k gross, not including working at garage full time, worst year was 86, early on was slow only grossed $34k in 11 months then in 87 got hurt and lost a number of clients from down time, 88 was some better 94 broke $100K again but never returned to high numbers ever again. Did NOT have a vacation for five years, a weekend or day her or there but never a full week, greedy and almost made myself sick doing that. After that warning took at least a week off every year.
 

Mobiltech

Senior Member
Joined
Jan 14, 2014
Messages
1,697
Location
Sask.
Occupation
Self employed Heavy duty mechanic
The customer list I have developed I would not want to give up. I like working for them and they like my work and give me their full trust . Having new customers that I don’t know that picked me because of my “ratings” would frustrate the heck out of me.
sounds like a good deal for mechanics that don’t have customers.
 

Birken Vogt

Charter Member
Joined
Nov 30, 2003
Messages
5,320
Location
Grass Valley, Ca
I've seen this idea floated in a number of industries but never seen it actually go anywhere. Unless you count cookie cutter stuff like HVAC and contractor specialties.

The HE industry is not just for a heavy equipment mechanic. Everybody has different levels of service in engines, hydraulics, electronics, tracks, tires, not to mention the variety of the pieces they work on from mining shovels to construction to snowblowers to generators. And then there are the different brands. Too varied to fit in one envelope.
 

check

Senior Member
Joined
Apr 1, 2012
Messages
800
Location
in the mail
The customer list I have developed I would not want to give up. I like working for them and they like my work and give me their full trust . Having new customers that I don’t know that picked me because of my “ratings” would frustrate the heck out of me.
sounds like a good deal for mechanics that don’t have customers.
Exactly. It seems to cater only to wannabe mobile techs. The established ones will not have any motive to join. That said, customers who already have a contract mobile tech that they like won't have any reason to hire these johnny-come-latelys would they?
 

AzIron

Senior Member
Joined
Jun 14, 2016
Messages
1,547
Location
Az
Sounds like a gig for the want to be guys that are to lazy to do there own leg work it's a decent idea but most people lack the motivation and discipline to be an independent guy

Field guys go for about a 100 an hour around here if this outfit is doing your books providing your insurance and financing you I bet they keep no less than 35 percent off the top probably closer to 50 by the time you figure everything else your not making 2 to 3 times wage your maybe doing 1 and a half of wage and your beholden to a truck lease and over head and you will never be the end all be all decision maker

Dont even talk about specialty tooling costs
 

crane operator

Senior Member
Joined
Mar 27, 2009
Messages
8,315
Location
sw missouri
It will not be a franchise, but an online platform like Uber.
Because uber is only interested in providing the best drivers and transportation, and screens their "partners" (because they aren't employees) for only the best of the very best. They just want a cut. They couldn't care less who hauls you around.

We pay by the job, not by the hour
That's going to work out great. You can easily quote any repair from a online database, and easily dispatch a "technishon" to easily solve a complaint of a "noise when running". Flat rate to the technishon- $250 and all the problems will be solved. Great business plan.
 

92U 3406

Senior Member
Joined
Jan 3, 2017
Messages
3,148
Location
Western Canuckistan
Occupation
Wrench Bender
Because uber is only interested in providing the best drivers and transportation, and screens their "partners" (because they aren't employees) for only the best of the very best. They just want a cut. They couldn't care less who hauls you around.

That's going to work out great. You can easily quote any repair from a online database, and easily dispatch a "technishon" to easily solve a complaint of a "noise when running". Flat rate to the technishon- $250 and all the problems will be solved. Great business plan.

Exactly. So what happens when Murphy rears his head and you run into complications? Is the mechanic working for free because bolts are rusted or stripped?
 
Top