Home mechanic

Some large collection owners have a full time person and I have certainly had many ask me to do what you suggest but it makes no sense whatever. The time wasted travelling and never having what I would need makes it extremely inefficient. I have a shop with a couple hundred thousands worth of tools and equipment to fix peoples cars. If I didn't need it I wouldn't have it and it's here, not at your place.

I wouldn't matter if you were 20 or 2000 miles away. It is cheaper to get your car to me than to get me to your car.

 

well I spoke to you on the phone when I was having guide issues . I really think you should set up an account so, people like me can ask questions and you help guide us thru. as time is money. we get the answers so we can do the labor and you get compensated. Not the technical stuff mind you such as engine as I wouldn't have a clue even if you were on the phone. Just a thought. It just seems that some people (understandably) don't want to be to forth coming with answers.

 

Just a little thing called Liability.

 

It is good marketing for a candy store owner to pass out free samples to entice a customer to make a purchase.

 

Ive actually contemplated getting into business as a "mobile mechanic". But, how do you conjure up a strong enough reputation doing *just* exotics?

 

Can you quote me a timing belt service? I'm in Montana.

 

Summer or winter?

 

I have a friend that does this.

Cheers Jim

 

Back in the 70s when i was in college. A person I knew was doing basic tune ups, oil changes and such out of a panel truck. he made decent money, but things were way different then as far as what equipment was needed to perform these tasks.

 

Just a heads up regarding hiring a professional. A reputable specialist whether its Ferrari, or welding, carpentry or what ever has no interest in coming to your house to "help" you or "guide you through" your maint or repairs. Why do so many people incapable of doing their own work seem to think they can "learn" to be a mechanic in a few hours? I do my own work but have also been employed as a licenced helicopter mechanic for over 35 years and still am learning. When people ask me to "help" them with a mechanical repair or "issue" I am not usually interested in wasting my day trying to teach them in a few hours what's taken me decades to learn. Better to say "drop it off and I'll call you when I'm done" Much less frustrating to say the least, JGW

 

I think of it 2 ways. Some owners want to learn how to fix the cars. Some just want it fixed. For the latter the owner takes risks he would not assume if he took the car to a shop while the mechanic makes money with less overhead, less or no insurance, and other fringe activities. Sometimes the cost to the owner is cheaper. Sometimes it is just cheap work and you get what you pay for. There is no advantage to a mechanic that travels if he does everything he is supposed to do with all the right licenses and insurance. RD is dead right about tools and equipment. What a miserable job to work on a car with jackstands and it is even worst to have to drive LA traffic to go get a metric stud.

I was the former wanting to learn how to fix the cars. I hired FNA mechanics at first quietly and discreetly and paid them for the education. They knew what they were getting into. Then I networked and met more mechanics. I worked for one chief mechanic at a famous shop who split off to start his own place. I worked as an apprentice for free except lunches because he could not pay me and I was there for the education. I worked mostly when spring would come and everyone wanted to drive their Ferraris for spring summer and when a concourse deadline would near or cars had to be shipped out for the Mille. Those were some really fun years. It was pure education for the love of Ferraris with never an intention to ever make a living doing cars. To this day I have fixed a lot of Ferraris if an owner wants to get dirty and learn but never accept a dime except a meal or a bottle of wine. When I'm not doing my day job I'm working on a car and I still love the hobby.

 

This discussion reminds me of this sign you often see hanging in many indie shops:
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Fortunately, I have a reliable shop within a mile of the house. They do all my out of warranty work on the cars and they inspect the 575 for me annually. We do each other favors now and then. Normal work on the 575 is done by Richard Garre or Algar depending. Let's say that if I hit the big one, I would not change a thing.

 

This!

 

All three of us wasted our breath here.

 

I service a private collection of about 20 cars of all types. The advantage for me is that we are all located in a industrial condominium so its only a short walk to the next door. I had lifts installed so once inside there the job is much easier. Redundant tools and other shop equipment are already on site and my own shop is fully equipped for what I do.

 

A much different situation from what the OP was suggesting.

 

I have been doing mobile service for many years. I do have a shop, but my space is very limited so I will do work at the owner's house in order to get things taken care of in a reasonable amount of time. It is almost never that the owners are interested in participating, they just want the work done. Often the owner is not even home.

Of course, some jobs can be done this way and others can not, but I have done 3X8 belt changes and 3X8 and 355 clutches this way. I have a separate "mobile" tool box that I take with me. The usual routine is one trip to do the inspection and disassembly. I take all the parts back to the shop for cleaning and repair and then make a second trip for assembly. It is a little inefficient and I take that into account when making up the bill. I usually split the travel time. The owners seem to be happy with the arrangement and I enjoy getting out and seeing new locations.

It is unlikely to ever happen again, but it always makes me smile when I think of pulling a 250 GTE engine out of the car with a chain hoist hooked to a branch of the tree in the owner's front yard.....;>)

 

I have used Sowest's come-to-my-place service before and he is extremely reasonable considering the logistics involved. Not to mention he is a great guy and very knowledgeable, fun to talk with, etc! When you work with a guy like Larry, you get the feeling that he really loves the cars too so that is a great thing on it's own...makes you feel at ease right off the bat.