Mobile Oil & Lube Service

[carwreck]

No offense intended, but how can you compete with "Oil Can Henry's" on Easy Street ?
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1999 Olds GLS

 

[84zmyfavorite]

Oil Can Henrys on Easy Street? How did you know? Must have Googled it, huh? That place, when it was actually called "Lube&Latte" is the only place I have ever paid to perform an oil change for any of my vehicles. And it was for my beloved SilverStone Metallic 2001 Jeep Cherokee back in Fall of 2006. I remember the motor having that 10 second or so valvetrain tick from lack of lubrication because they didnt put any oil in the oil filter. I always think of that when I fill new oil filters with oil before spinning them on. Its the little things like checking the tightness of oil fill and drain plugs, wiping dirt off valve covers, checking oil level before and after first start-up with fresh oil&filter, filling oil filter with oil, etc that would hopefully get noticed, that would help me be competitive. At least those "little" things would make myself feel good about doing the best I can.

 

[carwreck]

I understand what you are saying, and also change my own oil. But the average consumer will not know your differences, and they will use Google.

An oil service place named "Oil Can Henry's" located on "Easy" street, with happy guys wearing bow tie uniform while changing oil.

You have to admit, this is great marketing. http://www.oilcanhenrys.com/company/tv_ads

 

[Stewart Fan]

Wenatchee is awfully cold in the winter. I'm not sure I'd be wanting to change oil in someones driveway when its 20° outside.

 

[84zmyfavorite]

Aw, I dont mind the cold, its not so bad, until the single temps come around. This past week, I changed out a clutch in my dads Isuzu Trooper in my driveway, that I spent 3 or 4 hours on each day. Ive been a Residential Plumber new construction around Wenatchee for the past 10 years, so Im used to working in the cold all winter. At least the vehicles Id be working on would have warm exhaust pipes and coolant lines and hoses to warm up the hands, because I believe its good practice to warm-up a vehicles oil before changing it.

 

[Pop_Rivit]

Originally Posted By: 84zmyfavorite
Im figuring each Oil change will only bring maby $20 profit, after all the costs associated with doing this kind of business.


Either your price for an oil change is quite high or you are not figuring many of costs associated with a mobile business (trailer, pickup, fuel, vehicle insurance, business insurance, taxes, permits, etc). If you are a mobile business you also don't have the ability to carry stock on a lot of high profit margin item that quick lube stores have such as air filters, lights, etc.

You will be lucky to be able to do 5-6 oil changes per day, and that assumes there is a demand for the service in your area. Wenatchee is what-less than 50,000 residents? It's a very limited number that will ever use your service and it will take time to build a clientele. All for what-optimistically $50 in profit per day? All the while competing against quick lube shops that are advertising $25 oil changes?

It sounds more like a large investment in a job that isn't even minimum wage. As someone with the skill sets of a plumber, if you want to start your own business you'd be financially much further ahead to start your own residential plumbing repair company. The profit margins would be much higher.

 

[ComfyShorts]

The "profits" from oil changes are hardly worth anything. The oil changes get people in the door and the miscellaneous "services" and filters is what makes the profit. Sorry but that's the way it is. And $20 profit from oil change? There's some places here that will do an oil change for $22...not sure where you're getting $20 profit from. Oil change places get their filters and oil in bulk and that's just one reason you can't compete with large oil chains. And MOST costumers only care about getting it done quick, they don't really appreciate any extras you do with the oil change.