Hi Scotty,
I love your channel. I am a 20yr Porsche, BMW and MB tech and need your advice. I would like to start a shop but don’t know if I should do it from home or rent a spot. I don’t live in an HOA and commercial rent is expensive for my area. I have the ability to park 4 cars in my workshop but I am concern about “haters” or nosey neighbors calling Code Enforcement on me. I can apply for a “mobile mechanic” business license in my county. What are your thoughts? Thanks
I had a friend (now deceased) who was a former Ford master mechanic and when he retired from that he ran a shop out of his home garage, which was well-equipped. He did quite well with it. Whether you can do that in your situation really depends on what codes are in force at your location. (Sooner or later they'll come after you if you're in violation.) The mobile mechanic license may be a way around that, but you'd have to carefully check what requirements and limitations are attached to it. Another issue is whether you want to have strangers coming to your home who could be potentially irate customers if they don't understand the nature of the repairs needed and/or the limitations of what is possible. Dealing with the general public can be a touchy proposition especially when any kind technology is involved.
FWIW, the mechanic I took my BMW to worked out if his home garage. He specialized in them, and always had lines of BMW’s in the driveway, and even a bonafide parts car just sitting there. Neighbors seemed fine with it.
