Couple of questions for you tractor owners

According to a reply to my post about the EPA regs I"m a jackleg mechanic with a failed business. That said I just noticed that after I answered him back, and said nothing out of the way I might add, the whole thread got deleted. You got to love it.......LOL
OK, with that said, it got me thinking. If you guys run into a job that goes beyond your ability who do you call? I understand a call to a dealer for a warranty issue, and further that the dealerships have the tens of thousands of dollars worth of computers and software to work on the latest and greatest, so in some cases a dealer is the only call to make. I"ve got to admit, in that respect the "jackleg" post was right, most times the equipment cost goes way beyond what most independents can afford. Unless you work on one particular brand all the time there are just too many different, propriatory, operating systems to get one of each and then update every year on top of that. For most independents I know, we get called on numerous brands all the time and often it"s a year or two before we see a particular brand twice in a row so whether we like it or not the ends just don"t justify the means. For me I"ve got one for my service truck and right now that"s all I need. I figure later on, as the new becomes old, there will be aftermarket hardware and/or software coming out for a fair price and as a result more equipment for us old jacklegs to work on that the dealer"s "techs" don"t want to mess with anymore.

I sorta asked a minute ago but here is is again... For repairs beyond your capabilities, and beyond those that HAVE to be preformed by a dealership, who do you call? Further, and I guess this question partially answers the first one, who do you trust more, the independent mechanic or the dealerships mechanic? By that I mean trusting not just to do a good job and do it right, but also to be fair with you and get you going for the cheapest possible price???

Last question. I"ve always advertised solely by word of mouth and in the past always stayed covered up. Actually when my current customers get back to work a little more I"ve got months of stuff piled up needing to be done but for now they just don"t have the funds as they are slow too. Being slow myself as a result I"m working on some brochures to send out to prospective new customers. If you were to recieve a brochure from an independent what would you want to see on it? I know there needs to be a list of my capabilities, etc but how about pics. I mean my service truck is massive and I"ve had a few people tell me that it"s size means something to them. What I"ve been told is that by their way of thinking you have to be "good" to afford a piece of equipment like that. So, would a pic of a big service truck mean anything at all to you? Beyond that what would you want and/or expect to see on a brochure seeking your repair business???

OK, that was a bit longer than planned and more than a couple of questions but I"d sure appreciate any input you guys can offer.
Thanks, Wayne

I don't know if I would put a pic of a big truck on my brochure because $$ has to have bought that truck and $$ has to keep it going. I would look for more of what the person could do, pics of a rear axle taken apart, a head pulled, pistons pulled etc. A picture of the engine torn apart would lead me to believe that you could rebuild engines.

Just my thoughts.

Wayne,

I have a uncle who has been a mechanic for many many years, working for different ag dealers, as well as farms and construction companies. About 2 years back, he lost his job at the quarry/mine he was working at out west, and moved back here to Michigan, and now works "independently" with another guy. For times the way they are here, they're doing ok.. keeping food on the table at least.. He always tells me when he goes to look at a piece of machinery, he'll tell the client "There's 2 ways we can do this, we can just make it work again, or we can fix it right!" Then the client asks what's the difference he'll reply "A few hundred bucks"

As for the flier, if the service truck is fairly neat and tidy, a picture or 2 of it seem like they'd be a good idea, at least to me.. they can get an idea of what you got going on, and for me, a guy with a "tidy operation" would get the work before a guy that has a "complete disaster" of an operation.. Just seems like if you keep a tidy operation, you'll be more likely to do "tidy" work. A few years back, I was in Florida working, and I bumped into a guy who was working on the road as a mechanic.. Had a beautiful looking outfit. Had pictures of it on a postcard kinda thing.. on the back it had his contact info, and a short story about his truck and operation.. It was a while ago, but I still have the postcard.. Something tells me from the "catchiness" of the truck on the postcard, it brought him in business.. You just don't have something like he had for very long unless you're good at what you're doing.

As for your other question.. If I can't figure out my issues myself, the last place I'd go is usually a dealer. A independent usually works for a fairer price, and usually seem to want to get the job done quicker, but not in such a hurry that things don't get fixed right..

Brad

For car repairs I call the jacklegged guy 4 miles east-SE of me, and for tractor/combine repairs I call on the jacklegged fella 5 miles east-NE of me.

Those jack-legged fellas have saved me a lot of money over the years, and provide pretty good service.

I fear they will retire before I do, and will leave me in the lurch soon.

--->Paul

A good reputation and word of mouth goes a long way around here! A good name for your business like" tired Iron" or "vintage iron" repair would help.

ANOTHER case of typing about 5000 words when 30 or 40 would convey the message!

Don't know what to tell you to put in a brochure but don't put a pic of of a high dollar service truck in there unless youre going after city slickers with a tractor toy. Don't think it would help much there either as they usually hit the dealers anyway. A small drawing is good but no pic. The high dollar service truck pic gives a perception that youre charging too much for your services whether you are or not.

It's been quite some time since anyone other than me has done any repairs around here... On the rare occassion that I get stuck on something I'll call a relevant dealer, ask a question on here or ask some other friends locally.
Some days I spend a LOT of time deep in a service manual.
The only thing I send out anymore is machining work and there's some of that gets done on weekends here with 7018, die grinder and flap disc....

Rod

Really appreciate the input "Bob". As usual you put your best foot forward...and right into your mouth.... I'm really curious, what did I do to tick you off or are you just an a$$hole all of the time to people you know nothing about???? If so then this is fair warning to ya, my wife tells me all the time that I'm the biggest a$$hole out there, so from the word go you've got a long way to go to even begin trying to catch up with me.....LOL......'nuff said.....
Wayne

Tell me about it, time spent in a service manual is invaluable. The number of nights I've spent here on the couch or in a motel room ((not getting paid for my time I might add)) pouring over a wiring diagram or a hydraulic schematic looking for that one hidden part that could cause the problem are countless. The plus to it all is that in the end there is just such an inmense sense of satisfaction when you hear the machine fire up and watch it start moving dirt again it makes it all worth while.

"pouring over a wiring diagram"

WHAT do you POUR over your wiring diagrams???
Poring

Been thinking about that too but just can't come up with anything I really like. I've been working independently since day one but have kept it simple and worked under the name of Dad's company, Harmon's Equipment Repair until recently. While I'd like to continue with the same company name I don't think it's a good idea given the current situation(ie Dad and Mom's bitter divorce, etc, etc). Since I tend to stay up LATE most nights I thought about something like Night Owl Equipment Repair. Thinking about it now, with that name, I could have a catchy logo like, " At Night Owl We Give A Hoot". Yeah, corny I know but what the heck it is kinda catchy....Anyway I do tend to work on alot of the older equipment or odd ball equipment that no one else wants or someone else has already been on and screwed up so something like Vintage Iron or the like wouldn't be a bad idea either...Oh well, I'll get it figured out eventually, until then I'm just Wayne Harmon....the jackleg mechanic...which by the way was a BIG promotion from a plain old shadetree...LOL hey, why not Jackleg Equipment Repair...kinda like calling the tall guy shorty ya know.....I like it..LOL Anyways, Thanks for the reply....

In the field it's usually my sweat, in the room it's the sweat from a tall, glass of iced tea...But your right, maybe I should have said dripping instead of pouring....

Beyond the sweat pouring, or dripping, there is often a stream of explicitives pouring out also. Especially when that elusive part isn't jumping out and saying , "here I am"..........

Here's the definition for that------2. To send forth, produce, express, or utter copiously, as if in a stream or flood: poured money into the project; poured out my inner thoughts.
v.intr
Definitionof POURING

Wayne, I'd like to "do lunch" with you sometime, but only if you promise not to babble to the degree you babble/type on here!

You make a good point given the current state of affairs, and it's one I've thought about too. I'm thinking the post below saying maybe just a drawing, or just a description, or soemthing along that line of thought, would be a better choice.

Didn't know I 'babbled'. I write what I think and do so in a concise manner, even if my spelling/typing isn't always 100% correct. The way I see it there is a right way to do and say things and a wrong way. Personally when I want to get a point across or have something to day I do it in such a way that there should be no misunderstanding of exactly what I mean. It may make my post a word or three longer than some one elses post but I've found that it has served me well for nearly 43 years and has helped more people than it has hurt.

The way I see it it's kind of like watching TV or listening to the radio, if you don't want to look at/read what I say then don't, click to something else and don't waste YOUR time because no one can do that but you.... Too I tend to read fast so what may take some people 5 minutes to read takes me less than a minute. In other words what's long to you probably isn't all that long to me.....Just like this missive...LOL.....Beyond that I'm right outside Concord, NC, if you get in the area sometime then for sure, let's "do lunch"... though to warn you again, in the field mine's usually 6 square meals in one convenient pack....

It sounds like your Uncle is in the same boat with the rest of us, putting food on the table but otherwise just getting by. The slowdown started about two years ago around here too but didn't hit my customers, and then me, really hard until the beginning of 2010. Like I said when things break back loose there will be alot to do and I'm doing my best to keep my head above water and position myself to be ready when it does. I figure if this brochure brings in even one or two customers out of all the potentials I've found I'll be doing alright. Looking back over Dad's invoices from the mid eighties when he started there were about 6 or 8 core customers and then a few one or two timers in between them each year. In his case the core guys were big places like Martin Marietta, etc The problem is alot of the larger places increased their maintenance teams or started buying or leasing NEW equipment that was dealer maintained so they are all but out nowdays. My core customers are smaller outfits averaging about 5 to 10 guys each. Still I've got probably a dozen small companies keeping me going but I'd preffer to get a few more and get back to being really and truely busy again.

Thanks for the input and tell your Uncle I said good luck. He sounds like a pretty good guy.

Hey Bob. seeing you are the tt critic, go below to ACG"s Belted Galloways, the Society is calling them "iconic" hill breed. There is a possible misuse of the word " icon" but everyone today seems to associate it with living things. something for you to work on.
And you missed "recieve"

I trust no one but myself anymore , but there are times that i must go to a dealership to have something done . Case in point here , a couple months ago the War Dept.'s 03 Durango had to have a ft.end aliment , well the one place that you could trust closed it's doors and the other two independent places are a rip off so that left the dealership that we bought it from . Well i know the service manager and have for a long time . know the general manager as he and i use to work together many years ago and i have bought many a cars from him. anyway before i took it over i went to looking everything over to see IF maybe it needed ball joints or tie rod ends before i take it over. I am a old master certified Chrysler and Ford Mechanic , yes i said mechanic NOT TECH as i can do my own rebuilding not just R&R it . Now grant ya i am a little foggy on the computer thing but i can still fix. But anyway i check the ft. end over completely using two dial indicators and BIG pry bars and find no play , ok all it needs is to be set as the way the adjustment are on a Durango they can slip as no shims are used just friction from two bolts on the upper control arm . Bad set up and design . Anyway i take it over and i do not see anybody i know working in the service dept all new socalled mechanic's and oh wait they now have TWO new service writers , Bill now sets in his office . They take the Durango in and put it back in the shop and i stand quietly looking thru the window , the TECH pulls it up on the rack and walks away and is nowhere to be seen for over a half hour Then comes back and get under it and is there for a couple min. and comes walking over to the service writer and i can not hear what he is sayen . The service writer comes over to me and say Ah before we can align it we NEED to put new ball joints and tie rod end in it as they are really bad , OH i say best show me so he takes me out and this IDIOT grabs the tie rod end and TWISTS it and proceeds to tell me that they are not suppose to do that and that the ware on the inside to the tire is due to both ball joints being out . I said OH REALLY and turned and walked into BILL's office and we had strong words and he came out and looked and checked himself and OH there is nothing wrong with anything other then the top control arm slipping . Now IF i had a ft.end rack i would have never taken it in as i would have done it myself . when i did twist wrenches in a dealership we NEVER fleesed a customer . That trend seamed to start about 1974 when i was a parts manager at one of my area's Chrysler Plymouth dealerships with the arrival of the new service manager and the service writers . My parts dept was the second largest between the depot in Pittsburg and Cleveland . The 74's had just come out and we were still tryen to get the stock of new parts all put in the bins and make room for them . THe service manager comes up to me and not one of the contour help and asked me if we had a power steering pump repair pkg.for a new Chrysler, So i look up the part number and check the new parts packing list and yes i had three on the order so i dug one out and it got billed out on a W/O , never gave it a second thought till i was going over a stock order a couple months later and it dawned on me that oh WHY do i have SIX yes SIX of theses pump pkg. on order when there should only be 4 in the bin as it is now a fast moving part let lone a vary fast moving part. I start going over all WRO's and here EVERY NEW Chrysler we have gotten in has ha the P/S pump resealed ??????? . We ran two shifts at the dealership and we were busy all the time but one evening i was working late and that is when i saw what was going on the service manager came back and got a repair pkg for a NEW Chrysler and it was charged out on the WRO and the work order was taken back to the car and placed on the windshield and the repair pkg did not stop at the car but went out the back door into the dumpster . That is when he and i had words and i flat told him that i was not going to jail for fraud with him . And who knows what else he did to the payen customers. And i like you had a repair business and i fixed tractors and combines I tryed to stick with the IH line and Massey combines as much as i could , But work is work and all ya can do is the best ya can and pray for no come backs . As for the special tools i bought as many as i could find and one day i went to a sale of and old I H dealer and i bought 90 % of the special service tools . All i really wanted was the OTC Flow Rater but ended up with everything except the otc sleeve puller and the engine stand and the armature late and some old injection tools . Took two one ton truck loads and two days to get it all out Even got the peg board and all the hooks that has the out line of the tool and the tool number . Then i went to a sale in Indiana and bought some more i should have bought the lap top computer with all the programing for the Magnums . And like you i end up closing the doors for lack of work as being self employeed if your costumer base has no MONEY then they do not spend what they do not have and there for you have no income and i can say that i did good work and had NO comebacks in almost twenty years at it .

I briefly read the responses on here. Some say you shouldn't post pictures of your truck. Why not? That's like telling an excavating contractor not to put a hoe on his business card. When I had a welding truck, I had several very experienced welders tell me that the truck you drive says a lot about the quality of work you do, like a rolling advertisement. It's your signature. You drive a crappy, rusted POS and people will automatically associate that you do crappy, shoddy work. Having a nice well thought out and even expensive truck shouldn't scare customers away. Just the opposite. It shows that you have invested a lot of money in tools and equipment to be able to tackle the widest range of jobs and have been successful. List your training and qualifications, types of specialty equipment you have, like a crane, air compressor, welder, etc. Types of jobs you've done, especially more difficult or unusual ones and that you work on all makes of equipment from small to large. Also that you'll do simple jobs like changing an alternator to big jobs like pulling an engine in the field. I think one of the best things you could have on a brochure is some short testimonials from some of your past customers that would highly recommend your services. Bigger well known companies that potential customers have heard off. Nobody with heavy equipment does their work for peanuts and they shouldn't expect you to either. If they do, you don't want them for a customer anyway. You're in business to make money, just like they are. I know a lot of independent shops have shut down because you need a computer for every different new machine but there's thousands of older machines still at work. There's also nothing wrong with advising a customer that you don't have the right equipment and they need to see a dealer. It shows professionalism. I'd much rather have someone tell me they can't do it than have them fake it at my expense. That happens more than you think. Look at some websites to get some ideas. That's kind of the same as a brochure and you probably want a website too. Hope this helps. Dave

You have to be careful on a slogan. You might get a customer that thinks you don't give a hoot how much it costs them. You also don't want to be working at night all the time although you could say 24 hour service. Even something simple like guaranteed work for a reasonable price or the right price. I know a guy who used to be an auto wrecker and also did service. His company was called Dependable. His slogan was, The right part at the right price, guaranteed for 90 days. Another slogan is, "Get hooked on the experience!" for a hair salon called Fish. Dave

Have,or design a logo and come up with a catchy phrase.Most will be more impressed with your setup when you get on the site.By this I mean they will believe they made the right choice hiring you when you pull up on their site..
By the way I use "jackleg" equipment repair people as often as I can. Most of them can be felt out by asking the right questions.

Best wishes to you as you try to rebuild your customer base.

Vito

We drill water wells here in nw pa. and best advertment We found is to just run a ad in the small town shopping list, called area shopper round here. ran it for 4 weeks, starts out slow, no calls 1st week but by 4th week week had all kinds of calls. we did the flyers, yellow pages,trade shows, passed out buss. cards, none worked as good as that little ad in that area shopper, but you need to run for a longer than a week or so.good luck.

To be honest if I could work at night all the time I'd really preffer it. In fact I actually have a light tower that I need to get operational again when the time and money get right. Granted I don't think my wife would like it, in fact I know she wouldn't as the airport job I did back toward the beginning of last year was a 3rd shift gig, but for me I've always been more inclined to work after dark than I've ever been during the day....and that sucks when you do this kind of work for a living...

As for a logo, I was just fooling around with the "give a hoot" deal. To me something goofy like that tends to tell me the business is more worried about having a catchy saying to get you to think about them when you need something done than they are doing quality work which does the samr thing. Personally I'd rather do good work and get called back because of that than to get business any other way.

I guess I'm one of those jacklegs too, and have been for over 35 years. I own my own business. I work on trucks, all brands of tractors and off road equipment. Do all kinds of fabrication and welding. I have a paint shop and a machine shop, plus a service truck for on road repairs. I stay busy 365 days a year. I have customers that have done business with me since day one and I get new customers all the time.When you are in business for yourself ,you do what you have to take care of your customers, if it means Saturday, Sunday or 18 hr. days. The so called educated ones in the dealerships,work their 8 hours and go the house. The could care less about he customer.What do you do for a living Bob?

A satisfied customer and word of mouth is your best advertising. A small index card with some details would be nice. Use your computer to create 9x12 flyers you can post free around town. A picture of your service truck will help, I assume it shows your tools of the trade , like welder, torch, compressor, crane ect. List what you can do, like "light repairs, major overhauls, field calls, small engines, welding supplies ect. Do you specialize in something? List it. Brian(MN)

What a shame. Normal people having a relevant discussion, and then....a TROLL walkes into the room.

Wayne, to stay back on topic, If I can't fix it myself, I'll turn to the local jackleg mechanic. He can troubleshoot based on symptoms, and can go beyond plugging in a computer to diagnose. I understand that some of the newer vehicles NEED to be plugged in for diagnostics, but I'll start with the local...

Brochures that come my way go to the trash. The best repairmen that I have come in contact with was an old frazzled card somebody dug out of the pick up dash or a number scrawled on scrap paper.

When I was working on the test vehicles for the government we wore a patch on our coveralls with the words "You Make'em, We Break'em. When we were working on a German truck that was being tested the German mechanic spoke very good English and ask where we got those patches. When he left for awhile and went back to Germany we gave him one of those patches. When he came back he said he had that patch on his ski suit and everyone on the slope wanted to know where he had gotten it. Hal
PS: That patch had a picture of Pluto with an Army tank in his mouth. We even had that painted on the side of this Heavy Field Dynamometer that we used for drawbar pull tests and full load cooling tests.

Wayne, a nice, but not over done borchure with matching business cards should work well for you. Post your cards where your potential customers will see them, the local auto parts store, gas station, elevator, etc. and hand out extras to your existing customers to pass out as well. Good luck!

Don't mind the troll, "Bob" sounds so much like tom43 that they could be brothers.

I've always found what I learn in service manuals to be invaluable. Once you learn something like that you seldom ever forget.
Many people believe they've got to be taught by someone else... but I find that going off by myself and reading, then go look at the junk and apply what I've read is best... when you then understand the system and how it works it's not so hard to troubleshoot... and once you find the problem, fixing it is probably only 20% of the work.
Some days I hate electronics too... but when you really get to looking at how simple and logical many of these circuits and devices are... and understand them... life can be a lot easier. Can be an interesting challenge.

Rod

Understanding! That is the key to being good at anything. I actually prefer to muddle through things myself not only because I will remember it better, but because there are other things to be learned along the way. There are only a few things I hire out, I try to do everything myself.

Anyway, back to the original question, I used to go to the dealership for everything. Started finding that they could find problems in areas you hadn't even asked them to check but they would miss some really obvious things.......like the grease nipples that were harder to get at on the front end. Started going to a "jackleg" guy and haven't looked back. Seems that when your own name is on the building you tend to care more about the work you are doing.

As far as advertising, a name that people will remember is a great thing! That's why a catchy or cheesy slogan is not always bad. If someone can't remember your name they won't be calling.

May we assume you've gone to 'options', clicked on 'show poster details'? I'm not defending Bob; he doesn't need my approval or defense, but he didn't start on YT 36 POSTS AGO..........he didn't just walke into the room.

I have never (in my 36 posts) jumped into a discussion with nothing relevant to the topic.

What did Bob's post have to do with the discussion? Some folks come here to read, learn, share and so on.

You may not be defending Bob, but implying I don't have enough posts to have an opinion on trolling isn't really relevant to the discussion either, is it? Too bad that we have taken Wayne's topic so far from the intent. Sorry Wayne, I'll leave the room until I have enough posts to comment.

Interesting discussion. There is not one answer to your questions. Word of mouth and repeat customers is extremely important. Other kinds of advertising is purely trial and error to find out what works. My partner and I opened a repair business two years ago in a very rough economy around here. We have done well and are very thankful. We maintain a budget for advertising every month. Do we need to? Maybe not, but as my partner said, do we want to find out what happens if we don't. The best advise I can give you is always take the long term view of business. Take care of the customer first.
I have a little bit of a rant. I get really tired of the dealership bashers. There are good dealerships and bad dealerships just as there are honest lawyers and crooked lawyers, for example. It is wrong to lump them all together.

So you're saying that since Bob has posted here many times it is OK to act like an idiot?

Yes..............

I know a few guys that do this in my area, and they all have good reps and I would feel more comfortable with them than dealer shops in general. One thing that troubles me though, is the time to chase parts. The road guy has to go to the dealer or parts store on my dime whereas the dealer guy walks over to the parts counter. I think that it could be worth your while to be able to advertise a parts inventory, which while having 80% of what you may need might be prohibitively expensive, 50% may be realistic. When I had a business we had four trucks that stocked parts to get customers out of "down" emergencies, and when we needed something that we didn't have, and it was not an emergency we would usually pick the parts up in a few days and schedule back when in the vicinity. This kept operating and billing costs down significantly.

For my way of thinking, some testimonials from folks who are known in the community, as to your ability and your HONESTY! My local guy is a very good mechanic, and scrupulously honest (he told me one time about learning the Golden Rule in Sunday school, and just "never could quite forget it")! He doesn't advertise at all, and always has as much work as he and his helper can handle. People take stuff to him, some tell him to just go ahead and fix it, others want a phone call to discuss after he diagnoses. He'll work with you any way you want. If its over his head, he'll tell you, and not just throw parts at it until something sticks.

Got a kick out of the comments on dealerships. I don't buy new cars- I like luxury cars, and buy at around 100K miles, sell at around 200K. '95 Lincoln has 216K, time to make the move. I bought a '98 Buick Park Avenue from a dealer just before Christmas. 109K miles, beautiful car- problem was, driver's side power seat and radio did not work. They dropped the price from 4 grand to 3, because they didn't want to spend the shop time to diagnose and fix. I talked to the service manager- he said they check the fuses and connections in their "safety check" when used car comes in, so "it isn't something easy- probably an electronic module of some kind." I knocked them down to 2,500, and took it "as is".

Took it to my local guy- he said he has "pretty good luck" solving those problems (that's an understatement- nothing I have taken in has fooled him yet!).

He called me a little while later- two fuses in the fuse block under the rear seat. Hot shot dealership guys apparently didn't even know that fuse block was there (although it showed it in the owners manual).

I think more than anything, people just don't want to get cheated! Of course, you have to have some ability to go with it, but trust goes a long way. My banker lady uses the same guy, and she summed it up best- "Just too many things to worry about anymore. At least with Donnie, you drop it off, he fixes it, he doesn't hose you, so its one less thing to worry about".

I try to be fair with my customers when it comes to running parts as keeping any kind of inventory beyond the typical bolts and nuts is cost prohibitive when you work on alot of different brands. I've only got one customer I keep parts on hand for an dhe buys them so I'll have them ready when he breaks down. Since he does drilling and blasting for a living having parts ready to get a machine off a live shot when it dies is a safety issue more so than anything else.

Typically when running parts though I've got several projects going at once and just try tp get things timed out so I can take one day and make the rounds getting parts for everybody. Doing it this way I can charge each customer for say an hour or so to cover labor time as well as my gas and everybody comes out to the good in the end.

A picture of your service truck would be good, providing it is not majorly pimped out. We have a contracter in these parts that has Two new F-350 crewcabs that are lifted big 20 inch wheels all the way around, chrome ladder racks,etc,etc. That tells me that he is spending way to much on equipment and probably overcharging the customer to cover the bling.
I think one of the best things you could do is have some of those flexible refridgerator magnets made up with your info and stick one on each piece of equipment you work on, and maybe leave a pile of them at your local suppliers to be handed out.

I would have thought better coming from you.

It really depends on the person, I have a really good friend that is an on the road mechanic who never advertised his repairs and is pretty busy 90% of the time. He has made a very good living for himself and is definitely one of the better mechanics in my area, He owns a couple corvettes etc ... not because he over charges his customers, But because he provides an excellent service with a fair price he is constantly busy.

I would advertise to local lumber business, If there are any, they often have huge amounts of equipment that need maintenance often, someplace that cuts and process's the wood.

For the brochure, I would have one that advertises your line of work list things that you would maintain/repair such as

Compact Tractors
Tractor Attachments
Farm Tractors
Garden Tractors
Skid Steer's
All Farm implements

List how long you have been in business and that you have experience in electrical repair and engine/ drivetrain repair.

You can also say something about no job being to small or write something about "free repair advice"

From my time in a dealership, Often when you start to explain the repair customers will decide the repair is to complicated or they see that you know what your doing by your description and will trust the repair to you

Thaks, those are some good ideas. I've been looking all over the internet and am locked out of the BBB site by their "spybot" deterent program for looking at it too many times but I hadn't even thought about the local lumber places. Too I tend to offer alot of free advice and I know that alone makes alot of differnce for my current customers so it's a good idea to have that on the brochure. The way most see it is if your willing to help them out on something minor they can fix themselves they don't mind the bill so much on the really major stuff because they figure it all averages out in the end. Thanks for the ideas, they will definately be included.

Sorry to disappoint you. Many of us have been 'here' for 10 or 12 years and tend to be curmudgeonly at times. Count me among them. We also cut each other some slack when needed, especially those whose broad range of knowledge have helped so many people so many times........

Not much of an excuse. I've been here since '98, and don't really think that I own much more of this site than anyone else. Wait a minute, I guess neither one of us owns it do we? Kinda separates the keyboard warriors from the rest I guess. You go ahead and be bad, if you feel that you have earned the right -

Wayne I have been on this site for a few years and during that time you can learn much about the people who post and the answers they provide. My only regret is that I don't live close to you cause you would have all of my repair business. Lot of people can "talk the talk" but cant "walk the walk." I guess if you do much posting on this site you have to have a tough hide cause there are always cheap shots coming from someone who's greatest claim to fame is that he can put his gas into his own tank and get it right most of the time. Hang in there and good luck to you and keep turning those wrenches.

Wayne,
Here is a little humor for you.

If that truck was my pride and joy it would b on it... You can not tool up to do every thing, you will loose your arse trying to fix everything just for self satisfaction. When I had a partner in crime either of us could get tied up and satisfy our self that we could fix it. I am a one man show now, if I am not making money no one is . The only thing I miss not having a partner is if one of us got tied up at least the other was making money.

I have a 2 hour rule,,, if in 2 hours i am not getting a handle on it I call the customer and put the ball in his corner.... 2 hours is all I can afford to lose... I have no problem shipping it to the dealer... With the 2 hour rule you can usually salvage at the least happy meal money out of it.

That's a good one. The only thing missing is 'Ray' in the rocking chair with a cold one.....

Hey Denny, thanks for the compliments. Growing up I was always taught that the minute you start to think you know everything you become the dumbest man in the world. Because of that I view each day as a new learning experience and as a result long ago discovered just how much I don't know. That's what I enjoy most about my job, it keeps me thinking and keeps me learning, two things enjoy almost as much as the satisfaction of hearing a newly built engine fire off for the first time (((especially an old Detroit))), watching the machine take it's first bite of dirt, and knowing your work is the reason it's happening........ Now that's true job satisfaction.........

Other than the trucks I'm right there with you. Too I know what you mean about having to work for everything and above all take care of the customer no matter what it takes. That work ethic has kept my core customers with me since day one....at least the ones that are still around after this economic mess that is..... and what I am hoping will get me a few more when this whole mess is over and things pick back up again around here. I'm seeing a glimmer of hope out there right now and that is the very reason I'm looking into some advertising. The way I see it there are alot of guys out there that haven't made it and as a result there are gonna be companies needing someone to work on their equipment....not to mention alot of equipment that has been let go and is gonna need work before being put back into service.

Not a problem, Glad to be a help!