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He actually paid quite a lot less than that in the end - but yes, it was a lot of money. He also does MoT's at a good deal less than the £50.34 max. However a steady flow of MoT customers brings a lot of repair business, tyre sales etc etc, and if he can do 2 MoT's per hour then that's not a bad return (VOSA only take about £1 of each MoT fee).
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However a steady flow of MoT customers bringsa lot of repair business, tyre sales etc etc, and if he can do 2 MoT's per hour then that's not a bad return
But don't VOSA, with the computerised system, specify that each MOT should take one hour on average?
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But don't VOSA, with the computerised system, specify that each MOT should take one hour on average?
Hmmmmm.... reading the specs for the ATL it's a windows based program, so it will need at least 2 reboots and a reinstall every day!!
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Only about 700...
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Only about 700...
Assuming the tester gets 100%, which I doubt.
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if the computerised system allows a couple of MOTS an hour then that's 80 a week, with £40 income then that's £3,200 per week.
It doesn't take a mathematical genius to work out that there's a potential for a good business based round one of these. It wouldn't even be necessary to do any more that the most basic of repairs, ie bulb changes etc just to get a car to pass first time
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I read often, only post occasionally
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It doesn't take a mathematical genius to work out that there's a potential for a good business
ok then, spikeyhead. can you please post your figures for:
staff costs: wages, national insurance, sickness, holidays, etc.
overheads: advertising, consumables, rent, rates, bank charges, legal & accountancy costs, public liability insurance, buildings and contents insurance, water, heating, electricity, gas, telephone/internet, building & equipment repairs and maintenance, hse inspections, vosa inspections, etc.
and if you make any profit after that, remeber to take your own pay from it and to pay the tax.
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Yes, it's potentially a good business. Not brilliant but good.
Income 50 weeks @ £3000 is £150k.
Costs: 3 staff @ £25k, call it £30k for NI & employee costs, accountant - £90k
Insurance, tests, maintenance etc - £10k
Premises value £150k, loan £7k pa
Council taxes £5k
MOT equipment £30k over 5 years is £8k
Total cost: £120k
Profit £30k. Not a lot of tax on that and if you are one of the three staff it works OK.
When do I start?
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It's a very nice bit of kit.
If MOT's can now be done on something purpose built like this, as Aprilia suggests, they can now be completed in 25 minutes.
So, isn't it now time that VOSA acknowledged this fact and did away with the "Logged in for 40 minutes" requirement when equipment of this type is installed?!!
Also, why can't having two testers examining a car at the same time, in a conventional garage, allow for a reduced testing time?
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My friend has been in the motor trade (as an owner/technican) for over 20 years, doing MoT's for all of that time. He understands the business pretty well. He would not spend that amount of money without knowing the sort of return he could achieve.
A good MoT facilty (offering discounted tests) is an excellent way to bring in business. A lot of drivers have their MoT and annual service done at the same time - offer a cheap MoT and they book a service.... If a car fails then very often the owner will simply ask to have the faults rectified - often its lucrative brake work (60% mark up on parts alone - and brake jobs are usually quick and straightforward). Bulbs, wipers, tyres are also regular fails and bring very high-margins.
I've known this chap for a long time. When he started out he was living in a pokey terraced house. Now (25 years later) he has a big plot in a nice rural location, had a £30k kitchen fitted for his wife last year, kids want for nothing. There is still good money to be made from a small 'back street' garage if you have a head for business. I'm not saying its easy or comfotable (not at this time of year especially), but its not too bad. A fair number come and go, but you'll find a lot of incompetents try their hand and bascially haven't got the apptitude, or they try to rip off customers - which doesn't work for long in a small town.
I've also noticed how much disinformation has been spread about the 'new' MoT (much of it, I admit, from whinging elements in the trade). There is another garage about 15 miles from us where they also have an ATL and are doing MoT's (properly) in around 20mins. VOSA don't tell you how quickly you can do an MoT.
I think things are going to change in the UK - I can see us going to large test-only facilities with ATL, like they have in Europe. Probably located in a 'shed' in out-of-town retail park. You book your car in, 20 mins later they've done the test and you go and do your shopping.
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I should add that one of the points of having an ATL is that no assistant is required (VTS applies to VOSA for one-man-test status). This frees a technican up, which at, say, £40/hour chargable time means quite a saving.
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We are doing the structural work on big new premises for a car dealership/ workshop at the moment. They are going to install three of these Maha MoT lanes.
The place I get my MoT's done is a small test only place. They are now charging £35 per test (up from £25 last year) and still doing free re-tests AFAIK. I used to think business must be quite tight but I've been going there at least 8 years and they are apparently doing well and took on more staff a few years ago.
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I've had mine tested on one of these. Amazing, like a mini production line with different guys doing different parts of the test. Only had to come off to have the tracking laser tested and then to be weighed.
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I can clearly see that this type of rig is the way forward for MOT's in the future.
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Aprilia - does the "assistant" have to be registered and how does the 'one-man-test-status' work?
I ask as the place I go to uses me as the assistant - it's not at all technical - move the wheel to the left etc, sidelights, horn etc etc. while the guy is proding and poking underneath and running the brake test. And yes, it is around 20 minutes, but what I would call a thorough inspection.
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Unless using approved ATL equipment the tester must have an 'assistant' on hand. AFAIK the assistant does not have to be qualified or certified in any way. Obviously without ATL equipment it is completely impossible to do an MoT without an assistant. Thus if a back street garage is a dad, lad and a dog outfit then if the lad has a bad hangover and stays in bed then dad can't do any MoT's that day. If he's caught trying to do MoT's then he'll be in major trouble.
Using a customer to help do the MoT is obviously one way forward, but there are various liability and insurance issues I would have thought. Are you sitting in car up on the ramps with the engine running? How does he do tests if customer drops car off?
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When I take the 7.5T lorry for its test I am the assistant - and that's at a VOSA centre. From memory I have to operate the lights, brakes, steering and the engine for emissions testing. The VOSA technician only gets in the cab for about one minute out of the 15-20 for the test, so it must be possible. VOSA might self insure for public liability.
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Yes, I'm sure its permitted by VOSA - I was more thinking of the insurance aspects for the VTS. Normally insurers for the motor trade are not keen on customers roaming about in the workshop, and I would imagine even less so on them sitting in cars up on ramps etc! Wouldn't be the first time someone's opened a door and stepped out - forgetting they are 8 feet up in the air!
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The VISA test stations always have pits, so the vehicles never leave the ground. It would be easy enough to design a lift that had soft barriers that raised as it lifted, so that the car doors could not be opened once off the ground.
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.....and then to be weighed....
Dave, were they worried that your bulk was pushing it over its max kerb weight?
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