Will this take off? - Rent a garage & hoist, tools supplied, fix your own car - New in Vic

[GO FURTHER]

I have no affiliation with this company and I am not trying to promote it.
I just came across this new service being offered in Hoppers Crossing, Vic in an online auto article.

It's a relatively new service that has recently started up which is open seven days a week.

Basically, you can book and rent an auto garage workshop by the hour, complete with hoist , set of 254 piece trade quality tool kit, compressed air line, workbench, and a host of specialist tools such as ODB code reader, cooling system pressure tester, ball joint separators, vacuum brake bleeder, fluid extractors and many more.

I guess for many people wanting to save money on service and repairs, have the skills, but don't have a garage, hoist or proper tools it has merit.

Would be interesting to see if this idea takes off and maybe spreads to other states and suburbs.

I believe its based on an idea that has taken off overseas in the UK.

What do you all think?

http://yourgarage.net.au

[ratter]

Similar ideas have been tried in the past and have not lasted very long for what ever reason

[Yellow_Festiva]

Public liability, personal injury, lack of training by users.

Some workshop tools can cause serious damage or death if not used correctly. Each person will need to be baby sat while there.

My kids are not even allowed to use a 300mm disc sander unless they do pages of theory, observation of safe use, a written safety test which they must get 100% in then a final hands on demonstration to prove proficiency.

If I can't prove they have done that and they get injured I'm in a world of trouble.

Imagine what can go wrong in a workshop!

[GO FURTHER]

Originally Posted by Yellow_Festiva

Public liability, personal injury, lack of training by users.

Some workshop tools can cause serious damage or death if not used correctly. Each person will need to be baby sat while there.

My kids are not even allowed to use a 300mm disc sander unless they do pages of theory, observation of safe use, a written safety test which they must get 100% in then a final hands on demonstration to prove proficiency.

If I can't prove they have done that and they get injured I'm in a world of trouble.

Imagine what can go wrong in a workshop!

The only thing they won't allow the clients to do themselves is put their car up on the hoist or operate it. A staff member must do this. This must be part of their insurance agreement.
The premises is also always manned by staff.
As far as using the tools and equipment on hand, they make you sign a liability waiver.... No different to if you go to a tool hire company, hire a machine or tool you are not qualified at using and take it home to perform a job, they make you sign a waiver.

However, next to rent and wages, I'd say their public liability insurance would still be a high overhead on their overall running costs.

[Itsme]

Originally Posted by Yellow_Festiva

Public liability, personal injury, lack of training by users.

Some workshop tools can cause serious damage or death if not used correctly. Each person will need to be baby sat while there.

My kids are not even allowed to use a 300mm disc sander unless they do pages of theory, observation of safe use, a written safety test which they must get 100% in then a final hands on demonstration to prove proficiency.

If I can't prove they have done that and they get injured I'm in a world of trouble.

Imagine what can go wrong in a workshop!

If equipment is well maintained & in working order there will be no problems, never know any tool that needs a licence to operate.

Of course I would imagine you will be signing the usual terms & conditions that covers liability when hiring the work shop that will put the onus back on you.

These type of workshops have been around for many years, just remains to see if it is viable in making money like any other business.

[Yellow_Festiva]

Originally Posted by trublu

If equipment is well maintained & in working order there will be no problems, never know any tool that needs a licence to operate.

Of course I would imagine you will be signing the usual terms & conditions that covers liability when hiring the work shop that will put the onus back on you.

These type of workshops have been around for many years, just remains to see if it is viable in making money like any other business.

I'm not talking about equipment malfunction, I'm talking about its misuse.

You seen what compressed air does if handled the wrong way? High torque impact / rotation tools? His speed rotation tools?

In the wrong hands they can do a lot of harm. And you may be able to use it properly, what is the guarantee that the amateur that just used and returned it didn't damage or fiddle with it?

Coffee is hot.. right? Yet we still need a warning telling us so. Same with 'hot' apple pie.

I don't agree with the system at all. But you need to plan for the worst case as that will happen - eventually.

Terms and conditions mean squat. I recall several years ago when the whole insurance industry went nuts. Horse riding establishments had to close due to this and no amount of signing your rights away was able to help them.

[Bill M]

There used to be a DIY service place called DIY car hire in McGuire St Cheltenham a long time ago, they were there for a long time as well. They had hoists, sandblasting etc.
Kennards hire out 9" angle grinders so there are others hiring out potentially dangerous tools. I would wonder about the business case.
Bill.

[Itsme]

Originally Posted by Yellow_Festiva

I'm not talking about equipment malfunction, I'm talking about its misuse.

You seen what compressed air does if handled the wrong way? High torque impact / rotation tools? His speed rotation tools?

In the wrong hands they can do a lot of harm. And you may be able to use it properly, what is the guarantee that the amateur that just used and returned it didn't damage or fiddle with it?

Coffee is hot.. right? Yet we still need a warning telling us so. Same with 'hot' apple pie.

I don't agree with the system at all. But you need to plan for the worst case as that will happen - eventually.

Terms and conditions mean squat. I recall several years ago when the whole insurance industry went nuts. Horse riding establishments had to close due to this and no amount of signing your rights away was able to help them.

Misuse can be by any one whether amateur or qualified, the OP has already stated the premises is staffed for good reason & stated this quote below

As far as using the tools and equipment on hand, they make you sign a liability waiver.... No different to if you go to a tool hire company, hire a machine or tool you are not qualified at using and take it home to perform a job, they make you sign a waiver.

[Crazy Dazz]

Originally Posted by trublu

Misuse can be by any one whether amateur or qualified, the OP has already stated the premises is staffed for good reason & stated this quote below

Liability waivers are what lawyers use to wipe their bum, and that is substantially overvaluing them.

Actually staffing the premises, makes it worse, not better.

[GREGL]

Originally Posted by Yellow_Festiva

Public liability, personal injury, lack of training by users.

Some workshop tools can cause serious damage or death if not used correctly. Each person will need to be baby sat while there.

My kids are not even allowed to use a 300mm disc sander unless they do pages of theory, observation of safe use, a written safety test which they must get 100% in then a final hands on demonstration to prove proficiency.

If I can't prove they have done that and they get injured I'm in a world of trouble.

Imagine what can go wrong in a workshop!

Your a qualified and fully licenced sander trainer ? I didn't realise they had a licence requirement. Maybe you have a crystal ball and getting in early, maybe soon the govtment will legislate soon and make it mandatory for all using a sander to pass a test.
Seriously good on you, you have probably put them off sanding for the rest of their lives. Saved them from a world of boredom !

[Yellow_Festiva]

Originally Posted by GREGL

Your a qualified and fully licenced sander trainer ? I didn't realise they had a licence requirement. Maybe you have a crystal ball and getting in early, maybe soon the govtment will legislate soon and make it mandatory for all using a sander to pass a test.
Seriously good on you, you have probably put them off sanding for the rest of their lives. Saved them from a world of boredom !

I'm a high school Design and Technology teacher concentrating on woodwork. When I say my kids I mean my students.

Quite the opposite actually. They are initially scared shizerless of using the various machines in the workshop and once they pass the safety stuff can't wait to get in there and get their hands on the tools.

And have never so much as had a kid have a scrape of skin removed.

Since I've started there is now a demand to offer the subject as an elective in 9 and 10, something that was laughable before my time considering I'm at a a place that concentrates all their efforts on academic book based work.


So I must be doing something right.

Pull your bloody head in.

[wodahs]

I looked in to this as a business venture a few years back with some others

recon it had merit

we were also looking at longer rental times as well like a week or weeks on end with a set up so you can come and go as you please but can only access common areas and your own storage cubical and a like minor parts (repco/supercheap type) facility on site to help with the profits of the venture , based on an american setup we had knowledge about

the killer was the base insurance for if joe idiot (or multiple joe idiots) came and did his repairs on your premises and hurt himself the fact that you were responsible legal wise , and I wonder how soon some one will try and take a claim for as much as possible , so how do you rate what they can of cant do

edit :- you beat my posting Yellow Festiva

[ltd]

The potential for insurance claims will ensure this doesn't last long. All it takes is for some novice to injure themselves at the location and the lawyers will scream a collective "ka-ching". Furthermore, the fact that the owner is inviting people to use tools of which they're not qualified to operate will add to the contributory negligence.
Don't know how you'd even get any kind of insurance if this was your business - unless you plan to be there supervising the whole time.

[ratter]

doesn't liability law suck, why can't people take responsibility for their own actions?

[Xauterus]

It's a shame we live in a time where people can only look at the negatives of an innitative like this. Imagine people's response in 1976.

[GasoLane]

Originally Posted by Xauterus

It's a shame we live in a time where people can only look at the negatives of an innitative like this. Imagine people's response in 1976.

It worked great in Adelaide around that time.

Then Insurance companies and OH&S went mad.

[Qwerty321]

Originally Posted by ratter

doesn't liability law suck, why can't people take responsibility for their own actions?

The business model should still work, as long as the customers are made to sign a liability waiver before using the equipment and whatnot. It's fairly straight forward actually. The only reason this wouldn't work is you have to hire the space on an hourly basis, and I'd say the majority of DIYers would prefer to do the work leisurely at their own time on the weekend. The hiring a hoist would definitely come in handy though, it'd be nice to just chuck the car up on hoists walk under and have a good looksie/inspection and maybe change the oils while at it. Can't see it being a highly profitable business model though...

EDIT : On the note of the liability thing. Signing a waiver would mean the garage is completely safe from claims resulting from customer error and whatnot. But if the equipment fails and hurts someone, then the garage will be liable.

[Work Horse]

Originally Posted by ratter

doesn't liability law suck, why can't people take responsibility for their own actions?

We need to follow the Kiwis on this one they have it right.
http://www.acc.co.nz/

Basically a no fault personal accident system, like we have in Australia for motor vehicles.

In NZ very few people suing other people over silly accidents. Unless there is real negligence.

Not sure what the 12 000 lawyers we train up every year are going to do, many of them can not get work now.

That is why the USA has so many people suing each other, too many lawyers with nothing to do!

[Qwerty321]

Originally Posted by Work Horse

We need to follow the Kiwis on this one they have it right.
http://www.acc.co.nz/

Basically a no fault personal accident system, like we have in Australia for motor vehicles.

In NZ very few people suing other people over silly accidents. Unless there is real negligence.

Not sure what the 12 000 lawyers we train up every year are going to do, many of them can not get work now.

That is why the USA has so many people suing each other, too many lawyers with nothing to do!

There's no suing culture as a result of ACC, but that doesn't mean the businesses are in the clear at all. If there's an ACC claim related to a workplace (not you just tripping over or rolling an ankle etc. which are the majority of ACC claims), the workplace in question can usually expect a follow up investigation and a visit from the ol' Department of Labour or whoever is in charge. So as far as the business is concerned, instead of getting chased up by a fancy lawyer, they're getting chased up by the government instead.

ACC is great for pretty much everyone else though. You could literally get drunk, try parkour, end up on ACC due to your sheer negligence (we've all been there) and end up getting a week off work, free treatment and the whole deal. Oh, and ACC will pay 80% of your wages/salary for however long your unable to work. Truly amazing system if you ask me.

[GT014]

Would be good if buying a second hand car, put it and give it a thorough inspection.

[baboon]

Thanks for heads up

[Stefan]

Ridiculous idea IMO,

What if you roll up, start taking the car apart, the upon putting it together something does nit fit or you have the wrong part, the problem is worse than you expected?

What do you do with an unfinished car sitting on the hoist?

[pottery beige]

Originally Posted by Stefan

Ridiculous idea IMO,

What if you roll up, start taking the car apart, the upon putting it together something does nit fit or you have the wrong part, the problem is worse than you expected?

What do you do with an unfinished car sitting on the hoist?

see below

Originally Posted by thefargo

worked in the Stephen King movie Christine; sort of.

[Express]

Originally Posted by Stefan

Ridiculous idea IMO,

What if you roll up, start taking the car apart, the upon putting it together something does nit fit or you have the wrong part, the problem is worse than you expected?

What do you do with an unfinished car sitting on the hoist?

This would kill it for me.

I’ve had plenty of occasions when nothing was going right and I was starting to lose it where I’d walk away and come back tomorrow with my head screwed back on or armed with a bit more knowledge and try again.

Break a part and have to wait 2 weeks for a replacement would also be the pits.

I can see the need for such a service but for how many people I don’t know.

Most people would pay for the job to be done and the bulk of the DIY crowd would be saving money by finding a way to do it at home.

I could see sense in the occasional use of a hoist for some very basic repairs or just to check the vehicle over but for a DIY oil change all you need is a little forethought, a good jack & stands you should be able to do it at home without needing to pay for a hoist on top.

One thing that I would like is a hoist in a high pressure cleaning bay for those unhappy times when something has let go and the undercarriage is covered with fluids and you have a huge mess to clean up.

[Cobra]

Originally Posted by Stefan

Ridiculous idea IMO,

What if you roll up, start taking the car apart, the upon putting it together something does nit fit or you have the wrong part, the problem is worse than you expected?

What do you do with an unfinished car sitting on the hoist?

Drop it down, roll it off and put it to the side! If the customer has to pay rent for the duration of time that it's stuck on the hoist, I'm sure they'll find creative ways to get it off.

I'm not sure what kind of setup this place is offering, but if there could ideally be a few spots outside of the workshop for a few non-driveable vehicles, it could work. You don't need all the wheels attached, either, just a couple of trolley jacks to roll it off the hoist.

Personally I wouldn't do it myself as I couldn't be bothered mucking around with a car outside of mine, or a mate's house. I've got a decent setup at home, and whilst I don't have a hoist I've still got most of what I need to get most jobs done.

[The Yeti]

Originally Posted by Cobra

Drop it down, roll it off and put it to the side! If the customer has to pay rent for the duration of time that it's stuck on the hoist, I'm sure they'll find creative ways to get it off.

I'm not sure what kind of setup this place is offering, but if there could ideally be a few spots outside of the workshop for a few non-driveable vehicles, it could work. You don't need all the wheels attached, either, just a couple
.

It becomes a massive pain in the **** if the front end, or diff is out of it but it can be done just a time consuming pain.

But yes some storage bays would need to be there

[Spurious]

I had a relative look into this idea in QLD.
IMO owning your own workshop is key to success here.
In my relo's case, he would've needed to make at least $150 / $175 per day just to cover rent (commercial site was fenced, lockup workshop with office, toilet & 2 hoists for about $4K p/m). Then you've got utilities & insurance.
I estimated he'd need to make about $300 to $350 per day just to be viable.

This is wishful thinking though IMO 'cause most people would only use such a self service if was cheap, but obviously you wouldn't bother if it wound up costing you the same as it would've if you had a mechanic do it for you.

Me personally, on average I'd use a professional mechanic about once every 2 years as I can do most things at home.

[thefargo]

worked in the Stephen King movie Christine; sort of.

[Dragoneletra]

Gumtree advert - cheap mechanic for hire. Own workshop.
LOL

I'm with the above. The idea has merit but death by lawyers

[GO FURTHER]

Originally Posted by Dragoneletra

The idea has merit but death by lawyers

So all these businesses below should have died as well then;

- Parachuting schools
- Public hot laps in a V8 supercar
- Scuba diving instruction
- White water rafting tours
- Hot air ballooning
- Roller coaster and fun park rides
- Boat hire
- Uber
- And the local self car wash.... You might slip on the suds and break your neck