The number of cars on the streets of our cities not only does not decrease every year, but steadily increases. In this regard, your own car service as a business can be quite promising. Investments in it cannot be called small, although their amount depends on the chosen direction of repair and the brand of cars that the station will service.

• Which car service center is better to open?
• Step-by-step opening plan
• How much can you earn
• How much money do you need to start a business?
• What equipment to choose for a car service?
• What is OKVED for business?
• What documents are needed to open
• Which tax system to choose
• Do I need permission to open?
• Technology for selling auto services
• How to open a self-service station?

The domestic auto industry today produces budget cars. They are cheaper and easier to maintain. Service station equipment is also cheaper. However, most car enthusiasts still choose car brands from Western manufacturers. Although they are more reliable, they still have to be repaired, especially if the mileage on the speedometer is decent. In addition, regular maintenance must be carried out. This is best handled by specialists at a car service center.

Which car service center is better to open?

A car service center from scratch can be opened in several directions. Launching a full-fledged station is a huge investment not only in equipment. You will need a large premises and staff. Without an established client base, it will be difficult to recoup even current expenses. Therefore, they usually first choose one of these directions:

These are the main types of repair work that are in demand among the population. In general, there are about a hundred directions. Which business is better to open, you need to choose based on your knowledge and financial capabilities.

The convenience of location for customers largely determines the popularity of the service. And here you need to take into account the specifics of repair work. So, it is most convenient to open a tire shop near the highway. The painting workshop is closer to the industrial zone. It is also more convenient to do metalworking and welding work there. A location near gas stations and car washes will always be advantageous. In addition, the sanitary and epidemiological inspection will never give permission to open a service near residential buildings and near bodies of water.

Auto service on the highway.

Even the simplest workshop cannot be less than 30 sq.m. This is the minimum area on which equipment, tools and repair items can be located. Workers should be able to move comfortably inside. You also need to take care of the waiting room for clients. A small room with a comfortable sofa and a coffee machine will add significance to the service. Customers will definitely appreciate the comfort. The premises must be supplied with utilities: water supply, sewerage, electricity.

Step-by-step opening plan

You need to start a business by finding a suitable place for a car service center. Near garage complexes, busy highways, where advertising billboards can be placed, near gas stations, etc. Then the following steps are carried out:

1. Building: either ready-made or self-constructed modular.
2. Service list.
3. Purchase of equipment according to the list of services.
4. Preliminarily establish contacts with spare parts suppliers.
5. Selection of qualified personnel.
6. Advertising.

How much can you earn

Authorized licensed auto repair shops can generate benefits starting from $10,000 per month. Provided that they are located in large populated areas where big number new foreign cars. One auto repair shop, from a network of auto services, on average can bring in from 4 to 7 thousand dollars per month. Single unauthorized auto repair shops, providing the same list of services, but at a price up to 30% lower, consistently bring in up to 2 thousand dollars, and in a year up to 12,000 dollars. Providing customized auto repair services in a personal garage or on call to a customer can generate monthly benefits of $900-$1,200.

How much money do you need to start a business?

On average, opening a car service center will require an investment of about 130–150 thousand dollars. Although a less expensive solution is acceptable: a small auto repair shop will cost 35-50 thousand dollars, and a tire service will cost 8-12 thousand dollars. If you provide some repair services in your garage, this will significantly reduce the cost of starting out.

What equipment to choose for a car service?

When thinking about how to open your own, even a small car service, you need to know about the difficulties that you will have to face. Special equipment will need to be installed in the room. It requires a certain ceiling height, width and area. Finding the right building in the right area is not easy. In the table we have described the main equipment that must be present at the service station:

Slipways

They always take up a lot of space in the workshop. Slipways are needed to move a car without an engine or with a broken chassis. They are laid on the floor and filled with concrete flush with the floor. They are often not installed in rented premises because they think that dismantling the stocks is impossible. However, it is not. Using a jackhammer and grinder, the frame can be easily removed from the floor.

Lifts

Any lifting equipment is simply necessary for the service. To install them, a ceiling height of at least 4 meters is required. Otherwise, mechanics will be disturbed by the synchronizer located below when working. 2 post lifts take up too much space. The useful area of ​​the room is “eaten up”. For low buildings it is better to use scissor and plunger structures. They save about 15% of workshop space.

Before you go shopping for equipment, you need to figure out how it will be installed. In this case, not only the dimensions of machines and devices are taken into account, but also repair technology, the turning radius of the machine, and the features of operation and maintenance of the diagnostic equipment itself. There can be no trifles in this. Every detail can be significant and fundamental.

Often companies that sell equipment offer services for selecting equipment, installing it, and designing the arrangement, taking into account the characteristics of the workshop space. Specialists take into account the supply of communications, the location of the foundation and other features.

What is OKVED for business?

The main code for the provision of auto services is 50.2, which is responsible for the maintenance and repair of vehicles. Its subparagraphs: 50.20.1 regulates the maintenance and repair of passenger cars, 50.20.2 - maintenance and repair of other vehicles and 50.20.3 - is responsible for other types of vehicle maintenance services. To open a service, for example, a car wash, you will need code 74.70.2, corresponding to the provision of cleaning and cleaning services for vehicles.

What documents are needed to open

For registration individual activities You need a passport, an application for state registration, a receipt for payment of the state duty, a copy of the TIN certificate. If you plan to register an LLC, you will need: an application, the Charter in 2 copies, a decision on establishment (if there is one participant). Protocol of founders' meetings and agreement on the foundation of the company, if founded by several members of the company. Then a receipt for payment of the state duty.

Which tax system to choose

The following taxation systems are possible here: UTII, simplified tax system and patent.

Do I need permission to open?

Licensing of activities is mandatory for a car service center and a number of permits are required. To obtain a license, you must provide a package of documents to the Transport Inspectorate:

• Application and list (where there is a diagram of posts);
• Legal information form of doing business (indicating a bank account);
• Charter of the enterprise;
• Lease agreement for land (building) or joint activity;
• Conclusion from sanitary and epidemiological inspection;
• Permission to carry out welding and painting work from the fire inspectorate;
• Orders on the appointment of those responsible: for maintenance and repair work (MRO), and for equipment and safety points (H&S);
• Justification of professionalism (scanned copy of diploma or work record book);
• Certificates for the list of works in accordance with state standards;
• Confirmation from the tax office.

It is necessary to obtain certificates in accordance with GOST standards. All types of work (about 60) that require licensing are subject to certification. Here are some of them: lubrication and refueling, repair - separately for each system, unit, vehicle equipment, for control and diagnostics, tire fitting and balancing, electrical engineering, installation/dismantling, painting work and so on.

Certification of the list of services and works for individual entrepreneurs is optional and voluntary.

Technology for selling auto services

One of the first and important aspects For the successful operation of a car service center - an established and reliable supply of auto parts. If possible, it is better to purchase components in reserve, taking into account the seasonal demand for certain types of services. An advertising company is effective at the beginning of work in order to make itself known. In the future, word of mouth and recommendations from client to client work better. Therefore, spending money on large advertising campaigns every month is unprofitable. Banners or large signs indicating the location of the car service and contact information are enough.

How to open a self-service station?

As an alternative to the usual service stations, you can open your own car service center from scratch with a small investment. Its meaning is that the car enthusiast repairs the car himself, using the tools and equipment available at the service station. This type of business has long been common in Europe.

The service station is a building consisting of several boxes. Usually there are no more than ten. Each has an area of ​​about 20 sq.m. There is a separate ordering table. The service must have specialists ready to help the car enthusiast with repairs.

To open your own car repair service with your own hands, you need to equip three areas:

Do-it-yourself car repair service has a profitability of 30-50%. You can achieve full payback no earlier than in two years. All these figures will be achieved with stable demand for services. To do this, you need to think about ways to attract customers in advance.

In conclusion, I would like to give you one more piece of advice. There is no need to be afraid of your competitors, you just need to be one step higher. Make your business better than theirs, stand out from the rest. If you listen to our advice, your business will flourish and bring you stable income.

For most beginning entrepreneurs, opening a full-fledged car service center is an expensive undertaking, so they have to give preference to a more “compact” business.

In particular, the so-called mini-car services, designed to service several cars (with 2-3 stations), have gained great popularity. The most interesting thing is that the prospects for this market once again emphasizes the incredible turnover, which amounts to more than 500 million dollars a year (and this is only in Moscow). What can we say about the benefits on a state scale?

Due to incorrect policies, many car services cease their activities after just a few years of operation; the profile of the business or its owner often changes. To prevent this from happening, it is advisable to plan all the steps in advance and know how and in what sequence to act.

Particular attention should be paid to choosing a location for a future car service. Practice shows that the most attractive land from a profit standpoint is land directly next to highways. If you can find such a point, then this is 70-80% success. It is very important that cars can move off the road without hindrance, and this may require additional signs, road surfaces, markings, and so on.

The minimum area of ​​a car service where only one car can be accepted is 20-25 square meters(but this is only the technical part). Premises should also be allocated for receiving people, storing spare parts, and so on.

If you organize a waiting room, then this is only a plus for business. An excellent option is to open a metal hangar, in which you can place everything you need without committing yourself to searching for the necessary premises.

No business can do without solving bureaucratic issues. For example, to open your own business in Moscow you will need a certificate giving the right to perform auto renovation work. Several organizations deal with these issues - Rostest, NAMI, and so on. It is worth considering that the validity of such a certificate is limited - three years.

How to get documents to open your own car service?

• Firstly, all equipment must be brought into compliance with all technical requirements. The inspection is carried out by a representative of the selected organization, who personally visits the site.
• Secondly, the mini-car service personnel must have the appropriate qualifications (at least specialized secondary education).
• Thirdly, all equipment for car diagnostics must be taken to metrological services to undergo the appropriate check (in Moscow, Rostest deals with these issues).

Where can I get money to start my own business? This is exactly the problem that 95% of new entrepreneurs face! In the article, we revealed the most relevant ways to obtain start-up capital for an entrepreneur. We also recommend that you carefully study the results of our experiment in exchange earnings:

The more equipment there is in a car service center and the bigger business, the more expensive it will cost to obtain a certificate. Most often, the costs are about 80-100 thousand rubles (this is far from the only expense item). It is also necessary to conclude agreements for the disposal of automobile waste, garbage removal, and so on.

Car service equipment

Many businessmen start their business with purchasing necessary equipment. At the same time, it is important to decide in which direction the car service will work - engine repair, tin work, diagnostics. The volume of equipment purchased directly depends on this.

In addition, many masters work only with certain brands of cars, which limits the number of potential visitors. But don't despair. It is better to find your own specific activity, occupy a free niche and begin to provide truly high-quality services in a specific direction. In this case, you can always get regular customers.

Whatever the field of activity, it is difficult to do without high-quality diagnostic equipment. At a minimum, you will need a laptop with the appropriate software and a diagnostic stand.

The cost of such pleasure is from 10-12 thousand dollars. You will need a body repair stand at a car service center (from 7 thousand dollars) and a high-quality lift (from 3 thousand dollars).

Car service income

What kind of income can you expect? Practice shows that it is much more profitable to service foreign cars and it is on them that a newly created business should be targeted. Of course, domestic cars break down more often, but the cost of repairing a foreign car is several times higher. In addition, to increase revenue, you can provide tire fitting services, painting work, and so on.

To organize a tire service, you need to spend from 2 thousand dollars, but such a business will pay off very quickly.

Another popular car service business is the sale of consumables, spare parts and accessories for cars. To begin with, it could be a small store. Over time, the business can be expanded.

Thus, opening a mini-car service is a profitable and promising type of business.

Its main advantages are stability and practically guaranteed benefits. As proof, we can cite a lot of examples when people converted their own garage into a car repair shop and did not regret it one bit.

We present to your attention a small step by step instructions opening your own car service from a real entrepreneur from Izhevsk, Konstantin Ivanovich Petrenko. Konstantin Ivanovich has successfully owned a car service center for ten years now and kindly shares the secrets of his success with readers of the Russian Startup website.

How to open a car service center correctly and inexpensively?

Car service as a business idea

For many people, repairing their own car is a big problem. Most car enthusiasts are willing to pay any money so as not to have to repair the engine or gearbox.

Needless to say, if 7 out of 10 car owners go to a service station to change their oil. And this despite the fact that such work takes no more than 20-30 minutes.

Why not take advantage of this? You can open your own car service business and make great money. The main thing is to have a car service business plan at hand and have a good understanding of this area.

But where to start? How to open a car service center? Which aspects should you pay special attention to? Let's talk about everything in order.

Initial investment or turnkey car service

Opening a car service promises the following income and expenses:

• initial investment – ​​from 5 million rubles;
• annual turnover – from 2 million rubles;
• rate of return – 30-40%;
• payback period is five years.

Development options

You must clearly understand in which direction you will develop your new car service. There are several options here:

1. Conservative. You open a single car service and provide a certain range of services (depending on the specialists who are available).

This option is the most effective from an investment standpoint, but in the long term you can’t expect a quick payback. As practice shows, it is very difficult for a single service station to cope with huge competition(this is especially true if you open in a big city).

Competition creates the need for additional costs (for quality equipment, for wages good craftsmen and so on).

Table No. 1. Potential of consumers of auto repair services in Russia

2. Small network of service stations. To “promote” such a service station business plan, it is worth preparing for significant capital investments. The main funds will be spent on advertising, promoting a new brand, attracting new clients, and so on.

At the same time, it is much more promising to “unwind” in big cities, where there are no well-known “network” brands yet.

3. Independent car service by franchising. It is believed that with this type of activity the costs will be minimal. Not at all - you must be prepared for certain investments.

At the same time, it is far from a fact that the owner of a well-known network will cooperate with you.

As a rule, franchisee services are very popular in state-populated cities. There are two reasons for this: firstly, there is not yet much competition in this field.

Secondly, the income level of most people allows them to repair their car at a service station, rather than doing it directly in the garage or asking “Uncle Vasya for a bottle” for help.

List of standard car service services

At the initial stage, it is worth deciding what kind of services your car service will provide.

The choice here is very wide:

• aggregate work - overhaul of the main components of the car (gearbox, engine);
• computer diagnostics;
• electrical repair;
• plumbing work (repair work of transmission, power unit, suspension, wheel alignment, and so on);
• body work;
• painting;
• tire fitting and so on.

Can be done Additional services(as a rule, they bring the bulk of the profit) - installation of acoustics, alarms, airbrushing, installation of gas equipment, power unit tuning, interior reupholstery, noise and vibration insulation, vinyl application, chip tuning, and so on.

Table No. 2. Average prices for car painting in Russia

Room

A special discussion is the service station room. There are three main options here:

1. Buy a ready-made premises. As the practice and experience of a large number of successful entrepreneurs shows, the most correct, economical and least labor-intensive option is to take a ready-made prefabricated sandwich car service kit panels according to a standard project.

2. Construction. If you decide to build your own car service center, then immediately prepare to provide the maximum range of services (otherwise you will burn out).

You will need a high-quality car service project, which must be approved by the local administration. If you order work from a specialist, the average cost will be about 500-600 thousand rubles.

After this, the project will require approval by several commissions, and then the purchase of the right to lease the land plot.

On average, renting 5-7 acres of land somewhere in the central part of the city will cost about 150-170 thousand rubles (these are annual costs). Once the lease expires, it can be renewed for another 49 years. In this case, costs can reach several million rubles.

When drawing up a project, it is important to take into account that the service station has its own metalwork, body and painting shop. In addition, you will need a site for electrical work and tire fitting. As a result, the construction and arrangement of the service costs from 5 million rubles.

3. Rent. In this case, the costs will be much lower. But! Finding a good room can be very difficult, because best option already busy.

Sometimes you have to spend more than one month choosing a decent place. If you manage to find a good area, then make sure that it complies with the rules of the SES, labor and fire inspections. Rental price – from 150-200 thousand rubles per month.

Equipment for service station

A good car service center needs high-quality equipment so that it inspires the respect and trust of customers.

On average, you will have to spend about 80-100 thousand rubles on the purchase of a lift, from 80 to 100 thousand rubles on diagnostic equipment, from 100 thousand rubles on the purchase of tools, and from 10 thousand rubles on workbenches.

In addition, you will need a lot of small tools - hacksaws, hammers, pliers, vices, repair kits, side cutters, and so on.

As a rule, you should select equipment taking into account the specialization of the service.

In this case, the total cost of equipment can exceed one million rubles.

Staff

Buying high-quality equipment from a service station is one thing, but choosing truly qualified personnel to work on it is a more difficult task. Of course, people can be trained, but it takes time and money.

I would like to immediately find a ready-made master who will master the equipment within a few days and get to work. There are such masters, but their wages will be appropriate.

Average good specialist requires a salary of 30 thousand rubles. But talented craftsmen, as a rule, are already employed at other service stations.

You can lure specialists not only with good wages, but also an additional bonus, the opportunity to “have fun” in the workplace, and so on.

At the same time, do not forget to “slip” new workers to the foreman for training (of course, for additional payment). Every employee should feel that they are needed and have prospects for growth.

On average, the number of personnel at a service station can reach 10-12 people (again, depending on the areas of activity).

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A high-quality selection of franchises for aspiring entrepreneurs, collected by us

From this article you can find out how a simple driver from Samara created a taxi service and earned a million dollars:

Occupational Safety and Health

We must not forget that a car service is a place of increased danger for personnel. There is always a risk of serious injury (even death).

To avoid serious problems, you, as a manager, must ensure a high level of labor protection.

To do this, it is necessary to strictly comply with fire safety requirements, store flammable liquids in the bleaching room, and provide workers with everything necessary - goggles, gloves, safety shoes and special clothing.

Once every 6 or 12 months, an employee must pass labor safety rules. To monitor compliance with all regulations, you can hire an OT engineer or perform these functions yourself.

Advertising

One of the main secrets to the success of a car service is high-quality promotion. On average, the monthly advertising budget should be from 200 thousand rubles.

This should be enough for outdoor advertising (placing signs with the name of your service station, posters at intersections, banners, etc.), advertising in newspapers and on the Internet, creating and promoting your website, designing stands in stores with spare parts for cars, and so on.

Profitability

As a rule, a car service business can pay for itself very quickly. On average, one specialist is able to service 3-5 cars per day ( average duration one restoration work – about 2-3 hours).

The average wage (for one repair) is about 2-4 thousand rubles. Consequently, one master brings about 120-200 thousand rubles a month. The salary of a specialist is from 30-40 thousand rubles per month.

Excellent profitability. To increase your income level, you can work 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

How to open a successful car service?

Download a car service business plan for free or create it yourself?

The first thing that all aspiring entrepreneurs need to understand is that having a working business plan at the start is a must!

Starting a business from scratch, especially for a not very experienced entrepreneur, without your own, well-developed business plan is the height of imprudence and even stupidity.

A car service business plan can be downloaded for free from the Internet, but I advise everyone to buy a template and, based on it, create an inexpensive business plan of their own:

Key secrets

To always be on top of your game, consider a few useful tips:

• Firstly, immediately find a reliable supplier and work only with him. At the same time, make requests several months in advance, taking into account the potential demand for certain types of work. Do not skimp on spare parts - try to select them with a little reserve. This is especially true when operating network service stations, where you can exchange parts between individual “divisions”;
• secondly, from the very beginning, concentrate your attention on the most cost-effective services that are most popular - car wash, painting, tire fitting, body repair, and so on;
• thirdly, do not forget to increase the range of services from time to time. This will increase your overall profit and earn more repeat customers.

Results or how much it costs to open a car service:

Initial costs:

• Purchase of equipment, installation, installation – from 1 million rubles;
• Advertising expenses – from 200,000 rubles;
• Approvals – from 50 thousand rubles.

Monthly expenses:

• Rent of premises – from 150 thousand rubles;
• Purchase of consumables – from 80 thousand rubles;
• Salary – from 300 thousand rubles.

Profitability:

• Total profit – from 700 thousand rubles;
• Net income – from 100 thousand rubles.

Conclusion:

Opening your own car service- This is a profitable direction. The main thing is to choose a good premises, find qualified personnel and constantly improve the quality of the services provided. Good luck.

On this page you can download or read a car service business plan for free. Using the proposed sample business plan as a ready-made template, you can easily create your own car service business plan to suit your specific conditions.

Car service business plan

Car service: state and structure of the market

The situation in the car servicing market directly depends on the development trends of the domestic vehicle fleet. Over the past 10 years, it has increased 2.5 times and currently consists of more than 30 million cars. Every year this figure increases by 8–8.5%.

At the same time, there are only 170 cars per thousand Russians, which is almost four times lower than the level of developed countries. That is, the Russian vehicle fleet is only expected to grow in the near future, and quite actively at that. So, a favorable environment has developed for car services - a steady and significant increase in the number of potential consumers of these services. As for the car services themselves, their number is steadily growing, and the predominance of networks is still not visible.

The structure of the maintenance market is not yet clearly defined. Of course, there is a certain specialization in it; we can talk about several vertical levels. At the same time, there are very few recognizable brands: the same car service can work with both Mercedes and VAZ products. Currently there are four market levels.

• Authorized services. The work is carried out in clear cooperation with official dealers and foreign car manufacturers. As a rule, a company specializes in servicing one specific brand. Entering this business is very difficult: vendors are demanding when choosing contractors. The maximum profit - from 10 thousand dollars per month - can be brought by services located in major cities, where many new foreign cars are sold.
• Network car services. This segment in Russia is still underdeveloped: there is not a single technical service network that would develop on a national scale (most often it covers no more than five regions). Western networks on Russian market are poorly represented (the only exception is Bosch service stations, but there are not many of them yet). In addition, in our country there are “pseudo-networks” that are formed when Western companies, wanting to increase sales of their products, allow their name to be used. But there is no control over the quality of services provided on their part. The average profit of one car service center with several bays included in the network is 5–7 thousand dollars per month.
• Single service points. They do not have accreditation, which, however, does not prevent them from competing with authorized companies: the services are the same, but you have to pay 20–30% less for them. The profit of such a car service rarely falls below 2 thousand dollars per month, but almost never exceeds 12 thousand dollars.
• Individual provision of services Maintenance. This type of activity can only be called a business with a large degree of convention - it is, rather, self-employment. However, the services of individuals who repair cars in their own garages or on call are in steady demand, bringing in $800–1,200 in net profit per month.

Four stages of organizing a car service

The first one is choice of location. At the initial stage, you should evaluate the surrounding area for outdoor advertising. The best option car service location - near highways, gas stations, garage complexes.

It must be taken into account that, in accordance with SES requirements You cannot organize a car service near residential buildings (the distance must be at least 50 m) and near bodies of water. The selected premises must have a centralized water supply and sewerage system. It is necessary to provide for the presence of a pit, otherwise you will have to spend additional funds for the purchase of lifting equipment. It is advisable that the area of ​​the room be at least 25–30 square meters. m (per worker there should be 5 sq. m, and this does not include equipment), but at the first stage 15 “squares” may be enough. Although at the moment the area of ​​the average Moscow car service exceeds 200 square meters. m.

And don't forget about package of documents. So the second stage in creating a car service center is sorting out bureaucratic formalities. And the first thing you have to do here is project documentation. In order for it to be approved by the state sanitary and epidemiological inspection authorities, you will have to work hard, because there are a lot of requirements: from the presence of natural lighting to the installation of a “double-leaf locker for work clothes.” In addition to this, you will need to submit a package of documents to the transport inspection and resolve issues with the rental agreement.

Third stage - personnel selection. In modern conditions, it is the opportunity to attract qualified specialists of one or another profile to the company that determines the choice of work that will be performed by a car service center. But in any case, you need to try to select experienced professionals for the most popular types of services. And first of all, these include tire fitting and body repair. It’s a good idea to include a car wash in your business. A number of works, for example, selection of enamels and engine repairs, can be carried out in specialized companies - a fairly common practice in Moscow. There are about 100 types of services provided by car repair shops. The most common types of work:

• lubricants and filling stations;
• control and diagnostic;
• electrical;
• tire fitting and balancing;
• installation and dismantling;
• tin welding;
• steering repair;
• steering system repair;
• engine repair;
• battery repair and charging;
• painting.

Having resolved the issue with the staff and decided on what services the car service will provide, you can begin purchasing equipment. This is the fourth stage. Here you will have a choice - more expensive and high-quality imported or affordable domestic. It should be noted that the presence of imported equipment can help attract customers; it is also a good idea to use it for advertising purposes.

If you intend to work with foreign cars, you will have to concentrate on the products of one or several manufacturers: each brand has its own computer diagnostic system.

Car service: initial investment

And now the enterprise is ready to open. To attract customers, it is worth spending $500–1000 on advertising. In addition to outdoor advertising, it is useful to place advertisements in specialized newspapers and magazines and post them in garages. It is also worth distributing leaflets.

On average, creating a car service center will cost $130–150 thousand. Although a cheaper solution is possible: a small car service center will cost $35–50 thousand, and tire service will cost $8–12 thousand.

A car service providing a wide range of services brings its owner an income of 4 thousand dollars a month, tire service - from 0.7 thousand dollars.

Until now we have been talking about a stationary car service. There is another model for organizing a business - an individual call to the car owner’s garage. This reduces the cost of renting premises and purchasing expensive equipment, but increases advertising costs. In this case, you can get by with a small office space with a telephone, several cars (or better yet, hire mechanics with personal vehicles). A warehouse of spare parts is not required: purchase them for a specific order using the services of one of the many delivery services.

If we talk about an auto parts store, the main thing here is to choose a premises located in a place that has good entrances and can provide a flow of customers. It is also necessary to resolve the issue of purchasing goods and the possibility of providing trade credit.

Car service: secrets of the business process

One of the main issues that the owner of both a car service center and a car shop decides is the acquisition of spare parts, which means establishing relationships with suppliers. Catalogs of auto parts can be found, for example, on the Internet on the websites of manufacturers and dealers.

It is better to submit a delivery request in advance, taking into account seasonal fluctuations in demand. Any experienced worker in this field can describe them (for tire fitting, for example, peaks of activity occur at the end of autumn and beginning of spring, when it is time to change tires).

Auto parts are either purchased from Russian dealers or imported independently, collaborating with suppliers from Asian countries. Large companies usually deliver parts from abroad by charter flight. As for small car services, importing spare parts for them on your own is quite risky, because parts have to be purchased for the future. What if they are not needed at all? In addition, when it comes to small batches, you can’t count on discounts from the manufacturer. So small companies should visit specialized exhibitions and get acquainted with the range and prices of the main Russian dealers. It is important to accurately take into account the seasonality and timeliness of purchases: having goods in stock will not only reduce the time it takes to serve each client, but will also speed up the turnover of funds.

For specialized car services, where the list of required parts is clearly defined by the standards of car manufacturers, the problem of delivery of spare parts is not very relevant. But in the practice of general-purpose car services, there are two most common models.

• Purchasing spare parts. Requires significant costs, but it eliminates the issue of lack of necessary spare parts at the right time. This scheme is most effective for network car services, in whose work, sooner or later, almost any part turns out to be in demand.
• Working with delivery services. All parts are ordered as needed from some online store. But then their cost turns out to be significantly higher.

The investor should concentrate on promoting the most profitable types services. As a rule, this includes body repair, car straightening and painting, tire fitting, and car washing. It is worth considering the most effective combination of them. Combining a body repair shop and a laboratory for selecting car enamels gives a good return: the client who bought the enamel is often interested in high-quality repairs and painting of the car, and car owners who have already made repairs usually order painting of their car.

The profitability of the company can be increased by increasing the flow of customers and reducing costs. To do this, take the following steps:

• expand the range of services provided by the company;
• minimize the cost of purchasing equipment (by placing orders for certain works in specialized companies);
• they reduce rental payments (you can refuse the box and limit yourself to an ordinary trailer, but this will negatively affect the image of the enterprise);
• They use advertising only in the short term, and then switch to “creeping marketing” - a new client comes on the recommendation of an old one.

Another popular option to reduce costs is to attract labor from the CIS countries. With the same level of training as the Russians, the labor of teams from Armenia or Moldova costs much less. At the same time, migrant workers are distinguished by high discipline, ability to work, and a lower tendency to drunkenness. In Moscow, it is currently common practice for a mechanic to receive from 30 to 50% of the cost of the service he provides. Fixed part wages is small and rarely exceeds $200 per month. On average, a mechanic earns $600–1000 per month.

For comprehensive automation of document flow, warehouse and financial accounting, car services purchase specialized software. It is produced in Russia by at least five companies, some of which include catalogs of auto parts for foreign and domestic cars in the software package (cost: 40–70 dollars). The disks with the programs themselves will cost $120–200. And another $700–1200 will have to be paid for the communication module with the accounting program.

What if you buy a car service?

Car services are among the businesses in greatest demand. In the first half of 2003, for every company of this profile put up for sale, there were several dozen potential buyers. This significantly reduces the time it takes to sell a car service; it does not exceed 1.5 months. The high interest is explained, firstly, by the fact that non-core investors view such companies as simple and easy to manage, and secondly, by the impressive profitability of these enterprises: the return on investment period usually does not exceed 6–10 months. The average cost of a car service center is $60 thousand. Most of them operate in rented space on the basis of a one-year lease agreement.

As for authorized car repair shops, only one has been put up for sale so far. It had the status of an official service center of a famous German automaker and, naturally, was engaged in servicing new foreign cars of this brand. The service quickly found its buyer, although it cost 20% more than its “unauthorized” counterparts. We can say that this difference was made up by goodwill. IN Lately The supply of existing car repair shops has increased, and the same applies to auto parts stores. At the same time, the demand for such businesses is satisfied by no more than 10–15%.

Car service buyers need to pay attention to the following points:

Duration of the lease agreement.
Even with a contract for 364 days, it is desirable to have the right to extend. The best option is if, when the owner changes, a new lease agreement is concluded. There is a known case where a car service center worked in areas to which it had absolutely no rights. The premises were municipally owned, and its use was based on informal relationships: the company occasionally repaired personal cars of government officials, but no one touched entrepreneurs. A business in this state becomes fundamentally unsaleable.

Saving the team.
This issue should be discussed with the seller in advance: it would be nice if he signs an undertaking not to take any actions aimed at “removing” key employees. But, as a rule, a verbal agreement is enough.

Transparency of business processes.
Carefully review contracts with auto parts suppliers and major supply channels. It is better for the new owner if these relations are formalized.

Ease of entry into business.
It is advisable for a non-core investor to agree that the old owner advise him on the issue of running a business for 1–2 months.

Other factors affecting the price.
When planning to invest in the purchase of a car service center, pay attention to its location, the availability of convenient access, previously carried out promotional events, equipment quality. All these factors must be taken into account during price negotiations.

But if you still want to do it yourself, we offer you step-by-step instructions from Vilgud company expert Barno Tursunova.

Barno Tursunova

co-founder of the Vilgud network

We started work with an unprofitable car service center. Having studied all the pitfalls and reasons for the unprofitability of a service station, we developed an IT platform WILGOOD IS based on cloud technologies, which completely technologized and automated the processes within the service station and established work with clients. This is how we were able to develop a single unprofitable service station into a rapidly growing federal network.

Before you start opening a car service center, you need to decide what cars you will repair. The Vilgud car service network works with foreign cars no older than 10 years. It's all about statistics and the target audience of car services.

As a rule, clients of independent (non-dealer) service stations are owners of foreign cars aged 2-10 years or Russian cars. About 70% of them are men with average income.

It would also be a good idea for beginners to study which car brands are the most popular. In general, in Russia the leaders are Toyota, Nissan, Chevrolet, Renault, Ford, Kia, Hyundai; in Moscow - Nissan, Hyundai, Kia, Ford, Toyota, Volkswagen, Lada. But in some other regions the situation may be different.

Having decided on the portrait of a potential client and the most popular cars, you need to understand what services you will provide. Our main services are plumbing repairs and maintenance. At the same time, we do not engage in unit repairs or installation of additional equipment. We came to the formation of this concept after many experiments to attract clients.

There are often car services that have a narrow specialization, for example, they deal only with electrical work or perform only body work. Such a service usually provides a higher rate of profit. But you need to take into account that the main thing in it is professionals.

I compare highly specialized car services to gourmet restaurants.

In both cases, mastery is the main condition for success; it must be at the highest level. If you do not have highly qualified craftsmen, it is better to choose a broad specialization. The same path is worth choosing if you do not intend to limit yourself to only one car service. At the start of our business, we immediately knew that we wanted to make a network, and therefore we chose a more mass segment. Working in it, you can easily check compliance with standards.

Investment size

It is believed that a car service can be opened right in the garage by installing a lift and purchasing a basic set of tools. At the same time, the volume of investment will be ridiculous. However, such an enterprise is an establishment of a completely different level in comparison with a professional car service, which brings a stable income and clients, but also costs more at the start.

Barno Tursunova

Co-founder of the Vilgud network

We invested 18 million rubles in our first car service. Then we bought ready business. The opening of the next two service stations cost us approximately 5 million rubles. Over the course of 1.5 years, we had to invest another 4 million rubles in each technical center in order to test and implement the WILGOOD IS IT platform, as well as purchase new equipment and attract customers.

Now the opening of each service station costs the Vilgood company itself and its franchise partners 5.5 million rubles without additional financial investments in the development of information and management systems, since the system has already been created and tested at the first three service stations. Improvements are made every 2 weeks, but this does not require global financial support.

What are the initial costs?

How to cut costs?

Most of the costs (about 40%) are the cost of purchasing spare parts. These costs can be optimized by agreeing with suppliers on discounts and the return of unused parts. Since Vilgood is a network of car service centers, it has large volumes, which means it receives significant discounts on spare parts and gives its car services and franchise car services the opportunity to buy parts at a reduced cost.

In order to spend less on renting premises, Vilgud prefers to be located not on the “first line”. The company does not need high-traffic areas, since customers are attracted via the Internet and they do not need to drive past the service every time to remember the sign.

Step-by-step instruction

When opening a car service, first of all you need to decide on the target audience and the concept of your business. After this, it will become clear to you exactly what equipment you will need for the job. When compiling a list of necessary equipment and tools, you need to not only proceed from the set of services that you plan to provide, but also take into account the required degree of process automation and productivity.

The minimum set of equipment and tools includes:

• Lifting equipment - lifts. They are practical and easy to use. When installing them, there is no need to equip inspection holes;
• Equipment for wheel alignment: stand, four-post lift;
• Tire fitting equipment: balancing stand, tire fitting machine, machine for beading a tire onto a disk, compressor for inflating tires, tanks for washing tires, a movable jack, many consumables (rubber bands, nipples, lubricants, weights);
• Diagnostic equipment: scanners for determining vehicle malfunctions;
• Washing equipment: sinks high pressure, which are used to clean the body from dirt, as well as to clean parts that require repair;
• Refueling equipment: various systems for changing oil, air conditioning systems, pumps for transferring liquids;
• Auto tools: tool carts with holders, including keys, heads, screwdrivers, pullers, etc.

Additional purchase of equipment is expected depending on the expansion of the range of services provided by the car service center.

To the necessary consumables When opening a service station, the following may be included:

• Engine oil;
• Auto parts for maintenance: filters, spark plugs;
• Brake fluid;
• Antifreeze;
• Measuring containers;
• Auto chemicals: washing products, cleaners, lubricants, engine additives;
• Car cosmetics;
• Protective covers for the car;
• Car accessories: useful little things that can come in handy in various situations.

How to choose a supplier?

When selecting potential suppliers, you must be guided by the following criteria:

• The company's experience in the market;
• Cost and quality of products;
• Geographic location of the supplier;
• Well-established and flexible logistics;
• Delivery time;
• Width of assortment;
• Terms of payment;
• Terms of guarantee, return and exchange of low-quality products.

When choosing an equipment supplier, the main selection criterion should be warranty and post-warranty service on its part.

The spare parts supplier, first of all, must be located in sufficient geographical proximity to you, have a wide range of parts and a flexible delivery schedule (pickup). Selecting according to these criteria will allow you to as soon as possible deliver the necessary spare parts for car repairs, and will also allow you to maintain a minimum warehouse.

When choosing suppliers of technical fluids (engine oil, gear oil, antifreeze, etc.), it is better to give preference to distributors. Working with them guarantees the quality of the supplied products and will protect you from possible vehicle malfunctions due to the use of low-quality or counterfeit oils, which, unfortunately, the market is oversaturated with.

The beginning of cooperation should always be accompanied by the signing of a supply agreement, which specifies all the conditions and agreements reached at the time of negotiations.

Staff

Since searching for new employees is labor-intensive and costly, Vilgood has developed its own personnel search system. At the first stage, it simply weeds out unsuitable people.

Barno Tursunova

Co-founder of the Vilgud network

To become part of our team, a master must fill out a long form on the Internet that lasts several pages. If he fills it out to the end, we see that the person is interested in working with us.

Additionally, a person needs to follow clear instructions to fill out this form. So we see that the candidate can work within the given algorithm, and this criterion is one of the main ones for us. If the candidate has completed the form completely, following all instructions, we invite him for an interview.

Vilgood does not hire car service managers from outside, but develops its own. A leader must be systematic, progressive, ready to learn, full of desire to develop and committed to long-term results.

Personnel are one of the main pillars of business. It is important not only to select employees wisely, but also to be able to monitor their work and give them motivation.

The lack of an effective accounting system allows unscrupulous employees to serve customers “bypass the cash register.”

Service station employees often steal new parts, install old ones, use low-quality oil when replacing them, and often do not meet the stated deadlines for car repairs. In this case, the client is not satisfied, and the owner loses profit.

Barno Tursunova

Co-founder of the Vilgud network

After analyzing the situation, we realized that two main components will help us put things “on a new footing”: complete digitization and automation of all business processes and new system staff motivation.

Based on cloud technologies, the WILGOOD IS IT platform was specially developed, in which algorithms for all employee actions were prescribed, as well as a system for responding to them. In other words, a reward point system was introduced that takes into account every employee action within the work process. Employees receive points for following the algorithm, and lose points for deviating from it.

Points are a kind of internal currency of Vilgood, and the work process in the company resembles an exciting business game, where each move brings the player a profit or loss, which stimulates him to play better. Points are awarded immediately in real time, and the employee can easily track performance own actions. Based on the results of the month, the points form a significant bonus. Also based on them, ratings of staff performance are compiled.

Many people try to open a service station in a visible place in order to generate traffic from passing motorists who pay attention to the bright sign and sooner or later stop by for repairs. But practice shows that location in the first line near the highway is not a necessary condition. If you focus on online promotion, only “ready” clients will come to you, and you won’t need to be located in a prominent place. This will also save on costs.

If the requirements for the location may not be so strict, then with the car service center itself, things are different. Remember that placing such objects in residential buildings is strictly prohibited, so you will have to find a separate building. It should be modern and well-appointed.

Important Requirement-the height of the repair area, which must be at least 4.5 meters. This makes it possible to install from 3 to 6 lifts.

The area depends on the type of work performed and the dimensions of the vehicles that will be repaired. In general, the standard is as follows - at least 5 sq.m per employee, excluding equipment.

According to the standards, the room must be equipped with ventilation, heated in winter and have a natural source of light. The walls must be finished with moisture- and oil- and petrol-resistant materials.

A car service center is also required to have a client area where motorists can calmly resolve matters with the administrator, draw up documents, etc. The area of ​​such a zone is at least 10 sq.m. In addition, there must be parking for at least three cars.

From the documents, the owner of the car service must have a rental agreement for the premises with seals from the SES and fire supervision.

Documentation

In order to open a car service, you do not need any licenses, although you can find other information on the Internet. But in accordance with the current Federal Law “On Licensing of Certain Types of Activities,” car repairs are not subject to licensing. Therefore, you only need to register your business.

You can register your business both as an individual entrepreneur and as an LLC. Which option to choose depends on the personal preferences of the owner.

It is better to use the simplified tax system as a type of taxation if you are going to open in Moscow. For other cities, a large UTII is suitable. According to OKVED, car service is classified as “Repair and maintenance of motor vehicles” (50.2).