Any shop that wants to offer all car service options to their clients should have some available services for all makes and models that come onto the property. As an auto shop, some services are mainstream, and having them available will guarantee you’ll have the clientele you need to succeed. No matter where you live, the services below are essential to sustaining a car service shop.
OEM And Aftermarket Parts
Being able to find accessories and auto parts for a vehicle doesn’t have to be left to the big box auto parts stores. Some don’t always carry the right parts or only aftermarket parts. With some of your clients likely doing a few of the more basic services at home, they need a reliable place they can get original engineered market parts (OEM) or aftermarket parts if they want them.
If you have a lot of clients that have the same vehicle, you will do well to also carry accessories for these vehicles in your shop. Seat covers, emblem accessories, and different kits are some of the most popular for car enthusiasts. Those who want to purchase quality accessories will return to your store and send other clients your way when they need work or purchase something.
Auto Body Repair Services
An auto repair shop should be able to maintain the needs of body work for clients in the area. Whether that vehicle was in an accident, or someone accidentally bumped something, being able to replace doors, bumpers, and other parts of the car should be included in an all car service shop. Sometimes, just getting out the dents from shopping carts and door dings is enough for some clients who want to give their vehicles a fresh look.
If you really want to maximize the services you offer, you’ll offer paint jobs for repainting a vehicle it’s original color, and custom options for the clients who want to make a bold statement. These services may require someone special to hire, and you’ll have to order custom paint, so these would be more of a scheduled service. For those who might want to break up the color, or add stripes to their vehicle, this is a good service to offer, also.
Windshield Replacement
All vehicles need a decent windshield for safety purposes, and windshield replacement services should be something that you have available in an all car service shop. There are some standard windshield sizes that you’ll need to keep in stock so that you can assist those who might have an emergency. Other car owners may be comfortable with you ordering it and then calling them to schedule the service after the fact.
Some insurance companies offer free windshield replacements for their customers, so you may want to reach out to see how you can become a dealer in this industry for glass replacements. This means that you can advertise this and have insurance companies use you as one of their contractors for this service. In addition to front windshields, you’ll also need to be able to replace the backglass of these vehicles and the windows around the car. Just like a windshield can get cracked, so can other areas of the car.
Aligning
Over time, when your clients drive their vehicles over potholes, bad areas in the road, or hit debris, they can cause their car to get out of line. With an alignment, the front or rear of the vehicle can be shifted back so they are driving safer, smoother, and straighter. If your car needs an alignment but you don’t get one, you can cause your tires to wear down easily and need to replace them sooner than you expected. The vehicle should be checked for alignment at least once a year.
Tire Services
If your customers need a new tire service, then an all car service shop should have this available for them. Being able to purchase new tires for their vehicle or trailer wheels can set your shop apart from the competition. When you have tires in stock, you need to make sure you have stock versions of the most common wheel sizes. If you’re in an area where larger wheels for pickup trucks, or racing tires for performance cars are popular, you need to have a spare set around of each and a distributor where you can order these tires quickly.
Tire services also include putting these tires on when they’re brand new. This isn’t something that most people can do at home, so even if they order the tires on their own, you can still offer the service just to put the tires on and charge them for that. Tire services for clients should also include patches and checking for tread so they know how much life they have left on the tires. Each time they have their oil changed, they should be having their tires rotated to keep them from wearing down too fast.
Brake System Repair
Every vehicle, no matter what make or model has a braking system and it needs to be checked regularly. Cars will need to have their brake pads changed, and an all car service shop will at least offer that service at the minimum. In addition to changing the brakes, it is also a good idea to replace the rotors and the brake fluid as it’s needed. These will get around 25,000 to 30,000 miles of life out of them, which means each car owner will likely replace them either once or twice a year. This all depends on how much they drive their car, and if they have highway miles compared to city miles. The difference in this is the frequency of how often they brake.
AC Repair
Most vehicles come equipped with air conditioning now, which means that an all car service shop should have auto AC repair as one of the services that they offer. Air conditioners will periodically just need to be refueled, which is an easy enough process to fix. Other times, it could be the air compressor going out. These parts will need to be original parts and can take at least a part of the day to do. An auto shop that can’t repair this in various vehicles may find that customers will look for options that could be used to impact the reputation of the shop.
Diesel Maintenance Services
A true all car service shop will include diesel repair services for the local diesel trucks in the area. Not all auto shops can work on those vehicles, as diesel mechanics are a specialty service. If you have someone who is a licensed diesel mechanic, you should offer all the same engine repairs that you offer for other vehicles. Diesel engines will have some different parts, and have a bit of a design structure. You can also expect many of these vehicles to be older since diesel vehicles have a longer lifespan than traditional gas engines.
Even the diesel ac parts are different from the truck models that are like those but powered with gas. The way that diesel operates through these systems has to be considered, which is why diesel fuel should always be onsite so that you can start working on these vehicles when they’re dropped off. When you offer these diesel services, you will instantly develop a relationship with another clientele that is different from your average group.
Oil Changes
If you have an all car service shop and you aren’t doing oil changes, then you should shut the doors and find another business. This is the most common vehicle maintenance out there that your clients will need and you should have the oil and filters ready to service them at any time. Oil changes come in a variety of options, including conventional oil, semi-synthetic oil, and full-synthetic oil for a vehicle. As the vehicle starts to get older and generates more miles on it, you want to slowly transition from one to the other.
In addition to offering oil changes for traditional gas engines, you should also have diesel oil changes available so those engines are serviced fully when they bring them by. Keep in mind that traditional oil changes are required between 3,000 and 5,000 miles, while diesel engines can go closer to 10,000 miles between oil changes. You will see some customers more frequently because of the amount of miles they put on their cars each year. This means that your shop inventory should have oil filters and different oil types available.
Transmission Services
One of the most important parts beneath the hood of a vehicle is the transmission. This is responsible for shifting gears, and over 90% of the vehicles you’ll see will have automatic transmissions. After nearly 100,000 miles, you’ll have to change out the transmission fluid so that it can function through the system properly. If a vehicle starts to have issues with shifting gears and stalling, you may need to repair the transmission. Your clients will likely bring it in to be checked first but will give you some indicators that this is the problem with the vehicle. Being able to offer transmission services can set your shop apart from others in the area.
Battery Services
A battery lifespan can be anywhere from 2 or 3 years, or 50,000 miles, depending on which comes first in a vehicle. This means that when someone has had trouble getting their vehicle started, or they’ve had lots of corrosion around the battery, it may be time to change it out. There are several battery sizes that you can keep in stock so that you can assist your customers if they come in and need their batteries changed. As an auto shop, you should have a battery testing machine on site, so you can go out and test the battery, giving them an accurate diagnosis if that is the issue with the vehicle.
Diagnostic Check
If you have clients calling who have started to notice the orange check engine light on their dash, give them the opportunity to come by your auto shop and have a diagnostics test run on the vehicle. With this, you can scan the engine and see what codes are being thrown in the system, so you know what the issue may be. It could be as simple as needing to do a tune-up on the engine with new engine coils and spark plugs. This will be the most common for vehicles that just crossed over that 100,000-mile mark.
The diagnostic test can also let you know if there is something failing with your radiator or the engine that may require a deeper repair. If it’s something with the water pump or the fuel pump, you can give them a quote on the service and then take some time to get into the engine bay and see what that may be. Either way, the diagnostic test is a great way to give your customers some answers on what they may be experiencing in their vehicles.
Build The Right Auto Shop For You
If you’re looking to start an all car service auto shop in the near future, you’ll need to offer all the aforementioned services for your clients so they get access to everything they need, when they need it. Make sure you do inventory on the equipment you have and what you need so that you have everything to do these services when they are requested. You also need to make sure that you have part inventory for the vehicles you work on most frequently at your shop. You can sort your inventory by manufacturer, to make it easier to service these vehicles. Either way, make sure you’re able to get the parts you need if you don’t have them in stock and schedule your services so that you have enough time to properly do them, not double-booking your staff. By offering these services, your auto shop is destined to be a success. We hope this helps you with your goal of improving your business, where your all car service can shine.
