Do you love working on and fixing cars? Whether it’s something as simple as changing a tire or complex jobs like restoring cars that have been involved in a serious accident, car mechanics are an essential service in today’s society.
Today, most individuals and households have their own car, and mechanics are needed in every town and city to fix cars that have broken down, carry out bodywork repairs, MOTs, and odd jobs like changing the oil or windscreen wipers for drivers who aren’t confident enough to do it on their own.
If this sounds like a dream lifestyle for you, then you might be considering starting your own business as a car mechanic. Here’s what you need to know.
Get Certified
First of all, you’ll want to make sure that you’re qualified to work as a car mechanic. Sure, you might know your way around a car and are fairly confident in your abilities, but most drivers like to take their car to somebody that they know has the right training.
If you’re already quite knowledgeable about cars, then it shouldn’t be too difficult for you to become a qualified car mechanic; you can find courses at your local college or even sign up for an online course if you’d rather do it from home. And, you’ll also get to learn about many different types of cars and expand your expertise.
Consider Getting Work Experience
Most self-employed car mechanics will start out by getting experience with a reputable garage. You could apply for a job at a local, independent garage once qualified or work for a large national chain like Halfords, ATS or KwikFit.
You might also want to get mobile mechanic experience working for the AA or RAC; these companies will provide you with your own van and tools to visit customers who have broken down on the roads and work on their car to get it going again.
This is ideal if you want as much experience as possible before starting your own business, and can be a stable way to earn an income to buy your own tools and equipment.
What Kind of Business You’ll Run
When it comes to providing a mechanic service, there are two options to choose from; you can start your own garage where customers bring their cars to you, or you can provide a mobile mechanic or breakdown service.
Both have their own advantages, disadvantages, and requirements. If you’ve got the right equipment and are planning to hire mechanics to work for you, you could offer both too.
Make Sure You’re Covered
Finally, whatever type of business you choose to start, make sure that you have the right insurance cover to protect both yourself and your customers and their vehicles.
You should have public liability insurance at the very least and you should get mobile mechanic insurance that will allow you to legally drive your customers’ cars and vans if you need to do a road test.
Car mechanics are always in demand, so it’s a great business idea for anybody with a love and knowledge of motor vehicles to start.
Identity Magazine is all about guiding women to discover their powers of Self-Acceptance, Appreciation, and Personal Achievement. We ask that every contributor and expert answer the Identity questions in keeping with our theme.
Their answers can be random and in the moment or they can be aligned with the current article they have written. In that way, we hope to encourage and motivate each other, thus inspiring you to Get All A’s.
What have you accepted within your life, physically and/or mentally? Additionally, what are you still working on accepting? Now, we’re not talking about resignation, rather stepping into, embraced, and owned.
I have come to accept my failures as well as my strengths in dealing with day to day struggles. I understand that sometimes situations cannot always be controlled and that I should learn to appreciate the good times and accept that whatever happens, happens.
Appreciation is everything. What have you learned to appreciate about yourself and/or within your life, physically and mentally? On the other hand OR in contrast, are there elements of who you are that you’re still working on appreciating?
I have learned to appreciate the people I have that have stuck by me. It’s rare to meet individuals who become an integral part of your life offering support and companionship especially at times when you need it most.
Share with us one of your most rewarding achievements in life? Tell us not only what makes YOU most proud but also share the goals and dreams that you still have.
The biggest achievement in my life would be my 2 children. The goals I have are what I strive to give to my kids for them to have a better life.
Photo by Egor Vikhrev on Unsplash
