Mobile Oil Change Business

[Denison]

Hello All-

My name is Denison and I am from Brazil and I am looking at the opportunity to build a mobile oil business down here. This kind of business is quite new in the country and I wanted some advice on the equipments that I would need to have to have a first van working around the city that I live.
There are some particular differences to the region that I would like some advice as well. For instance, here people are not used to have the old oil removed with a suction system, we usually take the car to a fixed place and they would open the oil repository on the bottom of the car and let the old oil go away. I saw on some local forums people saying that this method will not take out all the dirty from the motor. Do you face this kind of issue with customers in US?

One other different thing here is that people is used to buy the oil in bottles of liters to put into their car and from what I've seem from the equipment set used in the US, you take the new oil on big gallons and pump it to the car. Is this right?

I would appreciate any input or help you guys can give me.

Many thanks,
Denison

 

[Mobile_Oilguy]

Hey Denison!
This Business is fairly new here in the States also... It is hard to find good information without paying through the nose for it...

I Do NOT recommend sucking it out of the motor if you plan to make a living doing this business... It takes too long and you get paid per the unit and not by the hour... It is too easy to just pull the plug because most of the time you are going to be under the car to change the filter any way. It is good to have a vacuum unit for the occasions you service a boat or truck mounted compressor without easy access to the drain plug but not as you primary mode for draining.

As for Fresh oil >> Check with local suppliers and see what they have to offer ... If you promise to buy exclusively from them they will provide you the bulk of your equipment such as Tank, Reel, Metered Dispensing Gun etc for using bulk materials. Keep in mind that they think primarily about stationary service centers when you talk to them so the equipment that you have in mind and what they have in mind are 2 very different thing >> But they can assist you in acquiring what you need.

If you start out using small containers you are going to find out that they start to pile up rather quickly >> I can't even use 55 gallon drum any more because I run through so much oil that I won't have a place to store the empties without them being in the way or a huge eye sore. However >> when you are starting out it will help you to earn money to eventually upgrade to a nicer setup. Keep in mind >> It is much better to own your equipment than to be using equipment from a supplier >> You can shop you business around much easier that way.

I am in the process of building up a new rig right now and it is going to be very nice... It is going to be based along the same design as Sage Oil Vac's setup... Except much more user friendly and much nicer...

If you have any other questions... I don't mind helping >> Not like we are competing for each others market! LOL

Mobile OilGuy

 

[Denison]

Hi Mobile OilGuy, thanks for the information.

I'm surprised that the Mobile Oil change is done getting under the car. By looking at the equipment set that goes in the van I thought all was done using the suction system.
How to manage to get under the car and remove the oil? Do you have to lift up the car in some way? Or is there a way of connecting the suction system under the car?

Unfortunately, here, since this is very new, there are no setup systems available to buy. I will have to create something from the scratch. (this is the price you pay for being one of the firsts)

Would you have a list of equipments that are necessary to be on a van for making the oil change? If you'd have any pictures or link to pictures that would be nice too.


Thank you in advance,
Denison

 

[Mobile_Oilguy]

Quote:
I'm surprised that the Mobile Oil change is done getting under the car. By looking at the equipment set that goes in the van I thought all was done using the suction system.

There are people that do use the vacuum type systems... I tried it but it was WAY toooo slooowwww... Especially if a vehicle is cold (Under 120*F) >> I'm not saying that it can't be done this way >> I am just saying to not plan on making much money... lol...

Quote:
How to manage to get under the car and remove the oil? Do you have to lift up the car in some way?

For light trucks and up you don't need a jack... For smaller cars I use a racing style aluminum jack and lift it just enough to fit the drain pay and my hand above it... I don't worry about jack stands/ramps or any of that stuff >> I just place the jack in a secure spot on solid ground.... I make my money of speed and volume so the longer I spend on an oil change the less money I can make.
For Instance... This morning I serviced one of my contract fleets and they had 16 units up for servicing... 7 light pickups and 9 heavy trucks or equipment >> It took 2 1/2 hours and I grossed about $1K (not a bad hourly wage)
I have a system that allows me to service 5 units at a time rather than one at a time like a lot of other mobile lubes operate.

Quote:
Unfortunately, here, since this is very new, there are no setup systems available to buy. I will have to create something from the scratch. (this is the price you pay for being one of the firsts)

I had the same situation when I began my business... I spent thousands making mistakes and changes to improve my speed and efficiency.... There is a lot of companies out there now that will sell you a ready to go unit >> but you can design your own for a fraction of what they will charge you!
The new rig that I am building is going to be a pressure/vacuum setup that will allow me to operate without conventional pumps >> However if you buy good quality pumps such as IR Aro, Graco Mini Fireball, Alemite, Lincoln pneumatic stub pumps you will get good service out of them >> Most of my problems are with the waste oil pump which I have been using double diaphram style because of the particulate that falls into the pan while you are draining the oil... Some times trash gets lodged into check valves and stops the pump from working. This is why I am going to a Vac sytem... It is going to be a mega vacuum though!.. 3/4" line pulling 25-27 inches of vacuum....

Quote:
Would you have a list of equipments that are necessary to be on a van for making the oil change? If you'd have any pictures or link to pictures that would be nice too.

I've never really put anything like that together but I will look into it... I kinda have one because I am building a new rig... I will see what I got.

It is a fun and profitable business... I like it because it doesn't matter what the economy does >>> People will still drive! In fact, if the economy is bad >> People are more likely to take better care of their cars because they don't want to have to buy another one!

 

[Denison]

Just out of curiosity, I found one vendor in Brazil that created a vacuum system and they claim that their system will remove all the oil from the engine in less than 3 minutes.

Here is the website link:

http://www.motorvac.com.br/portugues/produtos/prod_1100.html

Unfortunately, it is only in Portuguese, but you can have an idea of the system by looking at the pictures.

Thanks for all the information so far. I'm trying to find some pictures or videos that demonstrate the procedures that are done during an oil change with the mobile equipment.

I'd appreciate if anyone can share any other material.

Many thanks,
Denison

 

[Mobile_Oilguy]

Hey Denison!
If you want to know how to make one of those let me know... they are VERY simple and can be done for less that $25... and that 3 minutes claim would be a 3 quart capacity motor at operating temperature...
Vacuum systems have their place in this industry and I am not going to deny that >> It is that in the "Mobile" changing business you are going to be doing more cars that have been just sitting all day or all night and have not been run right before you show up, so the oil temperature is going to basically be the same as the ambient temperature which is not going to be sucked out as quickly as they claim... I have been in this business for a long time and I have tried pretty much ever method of oil removal >> Pulling the plug the old fashion way is going to be the fastest way to do business. Look at what you have to do to get the filter changed... That is where you are going to get your hands dirty and take extra time...

I am looking at installing a quick connect valve on some of my fleet units so that I can run a 1/2" vacuum line down there and suck them out that way... But I know that if my hose gets more that about 20' it is going to slow me down also.

Quote:
Thanks for all the information so far. I'm trying to find some pictures or videos that demonstrate the procedures that are done during an oil change with the mobile equipment.

Procedures are going to vary depending on whether you are working by your self, employee, partner etc... Whether you are servicing a fleet or a personal client... That actual oil change is simple:
Remove oil
Remove filter
Replace filter
Replace oil...
The rest is up to you and how you want to present and operate your business...
The thing that is going to determine whether or not you business is successful or a failure is not the oil change Or the Price >> It is the "Customer Service" People have many many choices of where to take their vehicle to get it serviced... You have to stand out! Being mobile is a BIG Plus but it is not everything. I have several thousand loyal clients that continually refer my company to friends for ONE Primary reason... I CALL THEM! Yeah... They don't even have to think about it any more... I can figure out after 2 oil changes when their next service will need to be done and I call them to remind them... They are completely blown away by the fact that I pay that much attention to them personally that they will not think of going anywhere else!! In fact,,, I have clients call me and apologize for getting their car service in another state while they are taking a trip!! How messed up is that?!?! LOL
So the point is... cater to them on a personal level... Spoil them so they won't even consider going anywhere else >> Is is more work?? Yeah... But success IS hard work!

Quote:
I'd appreciate if anyone can share any other material.

If you have any other questions... just ask... I don't mind. I wish there was someone I could ask when I started... so as long as you are not in my market I don't mind helping... LOL