Indipendents closing down.

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Tue 16 Feb 2010 07:36
Indipendents closing down. - piston power
Up here in wet cold Leeds in my little town over the years there have been a number of indis closed i can think of four they made room for new houses one still exists but is shut down and empty is this happening all over the country?

The local garage i take mine to for the mot is busy you have to book sometimes 10 days in advance which is just great for him well done, where have all the mechanics gone to?

Have they retrained or working in some shiney dealers?

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Tue 16 Feb 2010 09:03
Indipendents closing down. - Bill Payer
Interesting - I would have thought indie's would be doing well.

I suppose the ones that have been built over, like filling stations in city centres, could have been sold a great profit and the owner retired.
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Tue 16 Feb 2010 09:08
Indipendents closing down. - piston power
Yes owners may have retired sold on the land there is a few of these fast fit places but your small indies just seem few and far between, poor wages over the years won't help maybe the mechanics retrained.
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Tue 16 Feb 2010 09:34
Indipendents closing down. - 832ark
We've got a fantastic indie here in Wolverhampton, they've been having to turn work away as their so busy, I'd think that its a good time for indies with people keeping cars for longer or not wanting to pay main dealer prices
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Tue 16 Feb 2010 09:41
Indipendents closing down. - Falkirk Bairn
The local Indy I use used to have 4/5 mechanics but he cannot maintain this number due to lots of cars needing "specialist equipment".

He has diversified and supplies mini-buses+drivers - handicapped kids on school runs, old folks home excursions + normal hires in the evening.

Fewer mechanics but still a great level of service - 1 return for remedial work in 15 years.
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Tue 16 Feb 2010 09:55
Indipendents closing down. - Armstrong Sid
He has diversified and supplies mini-buses+drivers - handicapped kids on school runs old folks home excursions + normal hires in the evening.


Even that's not straight forward these days. To be a driver/operator on those jobs you have to go through all the performance of CRB checks. Almost easier to stick with being a mechanic
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