Here's how I think about it...would you put cheap Chinese parts on a customer's car? No. You install quality parts because they are better for the customer. Same here. Quality equipment doesn't break as frequently, is faster to fix when it does break and often is faster and easier to use due to its superior engineering. You are not just buying equipment. You are buying reliability, service and functionality. How much reliability do you want? Well, it's going to cost more for more reliability. Hope that helps! I know it's served me well thinking about it that way.
Thank you all for your input! It confirms what I already knew to be true. It's just surprising when you look on ebay that they're selling quite a few of these (a few hundred) which got me thinking, who's actually using this stuff? I'm trying to partner with an existing shop so hopefully I won't need to buy any of these machines, just pay a monthly fee for shop use. If things go good i'll have my own shop eventually and at that point i'm going to buy used american machines. I will say however that the Sunex impact sockets I got have been working great, they're from Taiwan and are basically a step up from harbour freight tools. I agree to avoid things with moving parts because they are built with cheap plastic.
I've managed a team in mainland China for a number of years. The Communist culture encourages cheating, especially if it furthers their personal position. Unlike here, cheating is a proud accomplishment that you brag to your friends while at your local bar - to cheat and not get caught or have it matter. I also had Chinese working for me locally that "escaped" and they would tell horror stories and certainly knew who not to trust. They were my cheapest cost center, yet my most ineffective producers (oddly, they had terrific made-up status reports). Lack of production made them the most expensive in the end. We tend to think that quality issues are by mistake, but in fact, these are often by design. There's a huge difference between a Chinese Design and a Reputable Design (NA, Europe, etc). (Also, don't equate Taiwan to mainland China. They are both Chinese, but have different value sets. Taiwan has a better reputation and pretty much hates China).
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In general don't by Chinese crap. Just like bantar said, its cultural. They are unscrupulous capitalists and care nothing about the product or the end user just as long as they can make money. I can make these comments because they are my people.
Some stuff is OK to use but you have to be very particular. I would also not recommend Chinese lifts. They may work fine but service and replacement parts can be problematic.
- 2 months later...
I bought a new Chinese tranny jack because my 30 year old one was finally worn out. Amazon reviews were amazing, but the jack is total garbage in real life. It's really good for nothing, maybe hanging rags on it. So my new jack is costing me $2200 instead of $2000. because I spent $200 on a piece of scrap metal.
I'm not standing under a budget lift. Too much risk. Chinese Firecrackers? Yes, tools, No.
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Yes, lots of good info here, thank you all again! Found a shop that was not being utilized by the owner, his head mechanic quit and he's got a lawn company so he was using the facility for storage and repair of his equipment, so it's a really good fit for both of us and he's already got lifts and a bunch of other equipment, all American made.
- 2 months later...
I am in agreement with most of you on this site when it comes to s Chinese products but I guess you can call me lucky on this Wheel Aligner purchase. I bought a 4 Camera imagining Aligner from a company called Pinnacle Automotive Systems. I have had this Aligner coming up on 4 years and it is bullet proof and very fast. I did do my research on this one and the same Hunter would have cost me double. I’m okay with that but I can’t charge my customer double and it takes that much longer to pay for it.
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Have you checked out Joe's Latest Blog?
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By Joe Marconi in Joe's Blog5 commentsI recently spoke with a friend of mine who owns a large general repair shop in the Midwest. His father founded the business in 1975. He was telling me that although he’s busy, he’s also very frustrated. When I probed him more about his frustrations, he said that it’s hard to find qualified technicians. My friend employs four technicians and is looking to hire two more. I then asked him, “How long does a technician last working for you.” He looked puzzled and replied, “I never really thought about that, but I can tell that except for one tech, most technicians don’t last working for me longer than a few years.”
Judging from personal experience as a shop owner and from what I know about the auto repair industry, I can tell you that other than a few exceptions, the turnover rate for technicians in our industry is too high. This makes me think, do we have a technician shortage or a retention problem? Have we done the best we can over the decades to provide great pay plans, benefits packages, great work environments, and the right culture to ensure that the techs we have stay with us?
Finding and hiring qualified automotive technicians is not a new phenomenon. This problem has been around for as long as I can remember. While we do need to attract people to our industry and provide the necessary training and mentorship, we also need to focus on retention. Having a revolving door and needing to hire techs every few years or so costs your company money. Big money! And that revolving door may be a sign of an even bigger issue: poor leadership, and poor employee management skills.
Here’s one more thing to consider, for the most part, technicians don’t leave one job to start a new career, they leave one shop as a technician to become a technician at another shop. The reasons why they leave can be debated, but there is one fact that we cannot deny, people don’t quit the company they work for, they usually leave because of the boss or manager they work for.
Put yourselves in the shoes of your employees. Do you have a workplace that communicates, “We appreciate you and want you to stay!”
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By Joe Marconi
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By carmcapriotto
The Weekly Blitz is brought to you by our friends over at Shop Marketing Pros. If you want to take your shop to the next level, you need great marketing. Shop Marketing Pros does top-tier marketing for top-tier shops.
Click here to learn more about Top Tier Marketing by Shop Marketing Pros and schedule a demo:https://shopmarketingpros.com/chris/
Check out their podcast here: https://autorepairmarketing.captivate.fm/
If you would like to join their private Facebook group go here: https://www.facebook.com/groups/autorepairmarketingmastermind
The Weekly Blitz is brought to you by our friends over at Shop Marketing Pros. If you want to take your shop to the next level, you need great marketing. Shop Marketing Pros does top-tier marketing for top-tier shops.
Click here to learn more about Top Tier Marketing by Shop Marketing Pros and schedule a demo:https://shopmarketingpros.com/chris/
Check out their podcast here: https://autorepairmarketing.captivate.fm/
If you would like to join their private Facebook group go here: https://www.facebook.com/groups/autorepairmarketingmastermind
In this podcast episode, Coach Chris Cotton from Auto Fix Auto Shop Coaching hosts a conversation with Coach Al and Kevin, a service manager, about the importance of team culture in an auto repair shop. They share their experiences with team-building activities like axe throwing, camping trips, and Christmas parties, emphasizing how these events enhance employee relationships and work dynamics. The discussion also covers their thoughtful approach to hiring and the necessity of appreciating staff. Coach Chris admires their methods and reflects on the value of investing in employees, while Coach Al highlights the inclusion of these practices in their hiring process to attract and retain a committed workforce.
Culture and team building exercises (00:01:00) Discussion about the importance of culture and team building exercises in the auto repair shop industry.
Creating a positive culture (00:02:50) Description of the strong chemistry and positive culture in the shop, emphasizing the importance of mutual support and camaraderie among the employees.
Hiring process and culture fit (00:03:54) Insights into the hiring process, including assessing candidates for their skills and cultural fit through interviews and observations.
Annual Christmas party and other events (00:06:02) Details about the annual Christmas party and other team-building events organized throughout the year, such as axe throwing and other outings.
Christmas party preparations and employee appreciation (00:08:00) Discussion about the process of selecting personalized gifts for employees, the budgeting for the party, and the significance of showing employee appreciation.
Appreciating employees through events (00:11:15) Explanation of the financial investment in employee appreciation events, such as the Christmas party, as a reflection of the shop's commitment to valuing and retaining great employees.
Camping trip tradition (00:16:24) Origins and evolution of the annual camping trip, including the planning process, activities, and the inclusive nature of the event for employees and their families.
Inclusive camping trip and its cost (00:19:07) Inclusion of employees' families in the camping trip and an overview of the costs associated with organizing the event.
Maintaining order during the camping trip (00:20:32) Anecdote about managing noise levels and potential disruptions during the camping trip, highlighting the challenges of organizing a large group event in a campground setting.
Camping Trip Planning (00:21:57) Discussion on the timing and survey process for the annual camping trip organized for employees.
Employee Bonding (00:23:50) Kevin emphasizes the positive impact of team-building events on employee relationships and work dynamics.
Investing in Employees (00:25:27) The importance of investing in employees and showing appreciation for their efforts is highlighted.
Recruitment Strategy (00:26:05) Incorporating team-building events into recruitment discussions to emphasize employee appreciation and engagement.
Connect with Chris:
[email protected]
Phone: 940.400.1008
www.autoshopcoaching.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/
AutoFixAutoShopCoachingYoutube: https://bit.ly/3ClX0ae
#autofixautoshopcoaching #autofixbeautofixing #autoshopprofits #autoshopprofit #autoshopprofitsfirst #autoshopleadership #autoshopmanagement #autorepairshopcoaching #autorepairshopconsulting #autorepairshoptraining #autorepairshop #autorepair #serviceadvisor #serviceadvisorefficiency #autorepairshopmarketing #theweeklyblitz #autofix #shopmarketingpros #autofixautoshopcoachingbook
Click to go to the Podcast on Remarkable Results Radio
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By Joe Marconi
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By Changing The Industry
The Basics of Owning An Auto Repair Shop - Balancing GP per Hour and Productivity
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By Changing The Industry
Episode 162 - Lauralee Schmidt on Repair Shop Economics and Social Media Slips
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I bought a Launch tire balancer a few years ago. Absolute junk. The dealer that I met at the trade show quit being a dealer for them right after I bought it. Hell, maybe before and he was just trying to unload it.
Long story short, it broke 3 months later, and the dealer wouldn't come look at it even though he promised he would time and time again. Launch kept telling me it was the dealer's responsibility to service it. After a solid year of fighting with Launch (and buying a replacement balancer) I finally got them to send me a scanner of equal value to replace it.
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