Questions for mobile installers?

I'm looking to add a mobile installation unit to my current website.  We will be installing everything from head units and alarms to intakes and spoilers.  Just curious if there are any mobile installers on here?  I have some questions:

1.  What type of setup do you have in your vehicle?

2.  What type of vehicle do you use?

3.  What do you do in the case of adverse weather(rain, snow)?

4.  What is your hourly labor rate?

5.  How do you market/advertise your business?

6.  Do you offer any other services other than Mobile Electronics installs? Tint?  Paint chip repair?

7.  How many employees do you have?

8.  Do you sell products also or strictly just install?

9.  Are you MECP certified?

10.  What is a realistic possible income from this type of business?

11.  Do you have a restricted service area?  Say a 25 mile radius from a certain area?

12.  Do you do dealer work or strictly retail?

If there are any mobile installers out there I need your feedback.  I'm looking to do this in addition to my website and day job.  Will mostly be performing 2-3 installs per evening to start with.  I'm looking at purchasing an Astro van and equipping it from there just curious as to what type of tools I will definitely need.  I have plenty of tools, need to add a few, a compressor, planning on having a power inverter to power all my power tools and air compressor.  I'm just wanting to know from some people who do this of any pointers.  I will have a general liability insurance as well.  I would like to get some ideas on types of advertising for this type of business.  Thanks in advance,

Jason

1. It's fast and it's loud, and it's German.

2. My car is an Audi, my daily driver is a Ford Probe GT.

3. See number 2.

4. Piece work. X amount per job, custom is $30 per half hour.

5. See above post. I recommend internet / YELLOWPages.

6. No.

7. That is confidential.

8. We sell install products. CHEAP stuff to get the job done.

9. Yes, Basic.

10. What you spend defines what you make.

11. No. If you supply good work/parts, people will come.

12. Don't get involved in delear or "factory related" work.

If you plan on starting a "mobile install business," which is what I gather from you post, don't try to do retail. Tons of local shops do buy-ins with big time suppliers, and without lots of capital you can't compete. If you really like to do alarms, try to set up a deal with a new/used car dealer. Install decent alarms at a set rate (cost plus install). If you want to branch out (detailing or tinting), it probably won't be worth your while, unless you can do it yourself. The mobile idea is not the best. IOT make enough money to support your business, you need your own shop. Start off small, and if you do good work, word WILL travel fast. Other things to consider, if you sell retail you need a tax license, and if you install you need GOOD insurance, plus you need to be able to offer LIFETIME guarantees, otherwise you will never be able to consider competeing with Best Buy or Circuit City. It's a big risk to get into. Most of the successful "mobile" practices I know of do tinting or detailing. Plus, advertising can be a b!tch. If you need any more info, just ask. I don't mean to discourage. If you are GOOD at what you do, then have no fear. But just remeber, people are fickle, and bad word of mouth or bad management can ruin a business.

Still looking for information on this, any thoughts would be appreciated.  Thanks,

Jason

Concentrate opn doing a GREAT job.....with Great products, that way you dont have to make ANY excuses......

Stand behind what you do, and get paid!

You need to know when to discount.....or give some labor away for FREE....

And heres the thing..........don't listen to that bullsh*t about stayin home if the weathers bad. Tell your customer you need a place to work.....otherwise, his or hers car gets wet.............you can dry off and get warm.

I live in the Northwest.........it rains ALOT here. If I worked when the weather was good, I would be off from OCT. thru FEB.

I drive a small Toyota PU with my logo and adds on the back glass. I have in my truck EVERTHING that I sell.........

Be honest.......be fair!

If my phone rings........I go to work, my dealers love it that way, and its taken SOME time to get it that way. I'll take ALL THE RETAIL, I can get..............cash only, no tax or reciept. I'm NOT goin anywhere!

I hope this helps............I'm not gettin rich by any means, but I'm off when I need to be and I sleep at night...............

1. ALL SHOW AND NO GO!! (2 rockford T1 12's, custom ported box, custom rear deck, alpine iva-d900, xm radio, ps2, 2.5 or so kilowatts of rockford amps)

2. 1997 Corolla DX  BABY!! (Just cause everyone else has Eclipses, neons, accords, and civics... and I love the look when you tell 'em its a Corolla... Priceless)

3. Breakout the winter car (1992 "Morris" The Ford Taurus)

4. It is $6.36 an hour!! I believe minimum wage is $6.35? MAYBE its $6.30 (But last week my bonus was $256 and my total check was $643.01 but ya know we gotta feed the people on welfare and pay for the governors lunch so I only brought home 485.82 which isn't bad for one week maybe a personal best for myself so far? But that was also from working 53.9 hours.

5.  Word of Mouf!!! lol its the best way... Well sometimes he advertises on the radio and there are a few tv adds but nothing like pepsi commercials...

6. Ummm not that I can think of? pretty much what we do involves wiring... although we could do neon kits, intakes, and aftermarket tachs, but everyone around here is a "master mechanic" so they know whats up and do everything themselves...

7. Besides me there is 1 other full time installer and 2-3 other guys who install in the winter, plus 2 salesmen up front plus the owner so usually theres just 6 but when we need reinforcements in the bays we can have up to 8 people in all.

8. Yeah we sell cell phones and plans, pagers, wires, installation supplies, speakers, amps, woofers, screens dvd players.

9. Ummm does 2.5 years of hands on experience make me MECP certified? Ummm no? ok then I guess i'm not... :(

10. Depending on location and how deep your clients pockets are?... If your a strictly custom shop that caters to music artist, pro athletes, and wealthy people then your income is pretty much endless. But if you're a shop with 1 bay and 1 installer and only install bulldog remote starts and durabrand head units purchassed from walmart in the back woods of northern maine then I wouldn't be looking forward to buying that mercedes you always wanted...

11. I guess I don't understand the question? We will travel maybe 10 miles or so to remove equiptment from lets say a wrecked vehicle unable to move... We will travel maybe 20 miles to fix a vehicle that might not be working properly? You gotta have good customer service!

12. We have ALOT of business come in from people who purchase new cars less than a month or 2 old with less than 50 miles on them and have us install remote starters in them... Often times I get to drive the vehicle before the customer ever does!

1.  Not too much right now.  Memphis 5by7's Diamond Audio 10, Panasonic indash screen(got it for free) and thats about it

2.  94Mustang

3. Our store usually closes

4. $65 an hour on custom, then standard rates for basic amps, decks blah blah

5. No idea I just install

6. We do mobile and home --home is actually picking up and getting real close to passing car

7.  Nine

8. Well I mainly just install unless the guys up front really need some help

9. Uhh nope.  I think MECP is a crock.  I have seen alot of "certified" installers that didn't know jack and were sloppy and just plain bad

10.  Depends on business and quality. I'd say it ranges from 20,000 for the BestBuys and Circuit City's up to 60,000 for the more custom and high profile shops.  of course you have your outrageous guys too but they don't count.  I'm paid by commision and I like it

11.  Nope,  the service charge  just gets larger

12.  There's alot of money in dealer woirk but it also ties up alot of bay time. I prefer custom all the way