Opening an auto shop? Here’s 3pcs of equipment you can’t go without

Taking the plunge into automotive maintenance and repair can be a rewarding, albeit challenging, undertaking. We’ve heard countless stories from would-be auto shop rock stars who had their plans foiled by a lack of proper equipment and the headaches, loss of business, and inefficiencies that follow. To make sure your auto shop avoids these rocky starts, we’ve put together a short list of auto shop must-haves to ensure your new business begins with solid footing, giving you a foundation for growth and stellar customer service for many years to come!

1. Vehicle lift

It’s no secret that much of the work cars need done requires access to components found underneath the vehicle. Some of this work can be done simply by jacking a vehicle up and crawling underneath, but your customers will typically require more advanced work that they can’t do at home with their own jacks. Rather than wasting time by crawling underneath cars all day and untangling a maze of parts in cramped conditions, invest in a sturdy vehicle lift that will give you easy access to the vehicle. High quality lifts for single cars come in the range of about $3,000 to $7,000, and are capable of paying themselves off with amazing decreases in turnaround time and the more advanced services you can offer with easy access to the undercarriage. We carry an excellent collection of vehicle lifts to meet your needs here!

2. Air compressor

Air tools are a must-have in any shop, and to power them effectively for a long time, you’ll need a durable air compressor that can handle the workload of your shop. There’s innumerable stories of small or poorly-made air compressors giving up the ghost in the middle of a shop’s workday, resulting in frustrating delays, unhappy customers, and added costs to your operations. A good air compressor, which can be found for about $1000 to $3000, will last for so long you might lose track of its service life! An air compressor investment will ensure that your shop is always in working order, preventing interruptions to service and saving you and your customers a lot of hassle in the long run. You can check out our unbeatable selection of quality air compressors here.

3. Brake lathe

Problems with braking systems are one of the top 10 reasons people visit an automotive repair shop according to Autos.com, meaning that you’ll either miss out on a lot of potential business or be forced to eat the cost of third-party brake repairs for your clientele if you do not have a working brake lathe. The capability of in-house brake repairs and the staggering number of potential new customers, or reduction in overhead, makes purchasing your own brake lathe a real no-brainer. Your own brake lathe will run you about $6,000 to $10,000, costs easily recovered from new clients and upselling your existing customer base on the appealing idea of fresh rotors, better ride, and increased road safety. We have a vast selection of lathes at amazing prices you can browse here.

While a thoroughly stocked shop will carry all of these tools and many more, these are some of the most important pieces of equipment that your shop will need in order to thrive. A running start on popular repairs and rapid turnarounds will be your shop’s ticket to even more tools of the trade and growth for the future!