Many people are busy and struggle to find time to service their cars, others like my wife use cars like disposable tissue boxes.
I propose a mobile car service that would travel around servicing cars for their owners. The service guy travels about in a low boy box truck and at a predetermined interval and location(i.e. while you are at work every other Tuesday, or weekly, what ever you want) visits, inspects test drives(to evaluate mechanical condition)and services your car. If it needs fluids he tops them up, if the floor is dirty he vacuums it, time for an oil change, into the truck for the switch, headlight out, replaced, windshield washed in and out, car returned to its space and off he goes to the next car.
At the end of the month you get your statement which details the mileage and maintenance performed, recommends any needed mechanical service(which for an additional fee they will collect your car, perform the work and return it back to you of course)
Also perfect if you will be away so your car will be ready when you get home.-- jhomrighaus, Apr 15 2008 well, it must be a good idea... http://austin.craig.../aos/638287498.html [xandram, Apr 15 2008] here's another http://www.rpowershower.com/ [xandram, Apr 15 2008] Peter's Car Wash http://www.gsb.uct....ASP?intArticleID=71Cars washed while you're at work [Ned_Ludd, Apr 16 2008] Mobile Car Servicing http://www.cartune....hicle_servicing.htm [wagster, Apr 17 2008] Mobile Servicing/Tuning http://www.mastertu...uk/Default.asp?Id=1 [wagster, Apr 17 2008] Mobile Servicing Directory http://www.ukmotori...otoring.php?id=2328Here's a whole pile of them. [wagster, Apr 17 2008] Mobile Car Servicing http://www.yell.com...=Mechanics+-+Mobile841 results found (UK only) [wagster, Apr 17 2008] The only ones I have noticed were more like mobile mechanics than routine service. You would call them and they came and did the repair at your location. This is more like a routine maintenance/cleaning service for your car, kind of like a landscaper does for your yard, weekly mow and trim, check the shrubs, inspect the sprinklers and generally just keep it looking presentable which is different than having major work don to regrade the yard etc.
The other key here is that I am talking about a routine service show up at the scheduled time and do what is needed rather than calling them to come do your oil change cause its due.-- jhomrighaus, Apr 15 2008 [xandram] That was the model I was working from but this is a little more focused towards the general upkeep side of things, keeping your tires inflated and washing the glass, check the oil etc. I'm not thinking this guy is going to detail the car or anything, just do the normal weekly "I own a car and these are the minimum things to keep it running and safe" activities.-- jhomrighaus, Apr 15 2008 throughly baked to a golden brown finish.-- WcW, Apr 15 2008 Provide a link to such a service please [WcW].-- jhomrighaus, Apr 15 2008 This will work very well if the guy comes to one's place of work. We've got a guy here running a car wash facility on that basis, he's forever popping into my office because he reckons my car is dirty [link].
The regular/retainer basis is a very good idea [+].-- Ned_Ludd, Apr 16 2008 Nice idea. I think it might be difficult to get the price down to an acceptable level, but agree that this service would be a godsend to many people.-- FishFinger, Apr 16 2008 I think the client base here is focused toward middle upper class people with high stress jobs(executives for example) who tend to drive higher end cars(which also tend to require more maintenance due to their higher performance pedigree). The point being that this type of person has an hourly opportunity cost that exceeds $40 and hour so paying someone $40 every 2 weeks to keep your car happy and working is a bargin. As for the business case if the driver/service guy spent 5 to 10 minutes per car on average and traveled about 5 minutes to the next car you could see gross revenue per driver of upwards of $400,000 a year. I suspect if your model was right you would see multiple vehicles at a particular stop thus increasing the $s per hour ratio. The key here being the limited scope of the general service(not a full detail or car wash, not a full mechanical service either).-- jhomrighaus, Apr 16 2008 Extremely baked, including the account service. Try google.-- wagster, Apr 17 2008 And then delete.-- theleopard, Apr 17 2008 Well there you go then - I linked to the Yellow Pages website where they all hang out. There are still things in the western world without a web presence, but not many.-- wagster, Apr 17 2008 [wagster] as I stated above my idea is not a mobile mechanic(which almost every one of the linked companies is) This is not someone who fixes your car at your house, this is someone who handles the things that are normally handled by the cars owner. Call it all the little things like airing up the tires, refilling the washer fluid, wiping the inside of the windshield, swaping a blown bulb etc.
I am fully aware of mobile mechanics and mobile car washes and details but noone in the middle.
Perhaps a better comparison would be to say that the mobile mechanics are like Vetrinarians that come to your house and inspect and provide care for your dog, and the wash/detail guys are like a dog groomer that comes to your house to clean your dog. My idea then would be like a dog walker who comes buy walks the dog, throws them a stick, refills the food bowl and scruffs their ears, things that the owner normally takes care of.-- jhomrighaus, Apr 17 2008 Ah. My mechanic does these things anyway because he's great (although stationary). Whenever I give him my car because there's something wrong with it, I get it back clean with *everything* fixed. He knows a few things about customer loyalty.-- wagster, Apr 17 2008 I've had a few mechanics like that. The thought was to take that small aspect of their business and have it come to you on a regular schedule.-- jhomrighaus, Apr 17 2008 I suspect that a lot of mobile mechanics do exactly that but don't advertise it. It's the sort of thing a main dealer network could profit from - national coverage, big marketing budget, huge margins for selling "peace of mind".-- wagster, Apr 17 2008 We call this "Roadside Assistance" in the US.-- Jscotty, Apr 17 2008 uh no this is not roadside assistance. This is routine maintenance and upkeep.-- jhomrighaus, Apr 17 2008 random, halfbakery