For almost 10 years I have been saying the future for the aftermarket garage is to become a marque specialist. For me, it just makes sense.
The cost of specialist tools for bushes and engines, along with the technical or manufacturer subscriptions and a much more complicated vehicle to work on meant, to me at least, specialisation in a particular manufacturer made the most sense.
That way you would see all the common faults, the simple repairs and most importantly, that familiarity would make you much more efficient. When I say efficient I really mean profitable! As you have seen the fault before, you know how to fix it, which means you save the diagnostic time. This time, as you are confirming the fault not diagnosing it. You move through it quicker, raising your efficiency, which means you get through more work in the day.
The diagnostic equipment can now be manufacturer level, allowing you total freedom to interrogate, code or programme the ECU’s as necessary.
As we move into the electrification era of the motor trade I think that we are moving towards specialisation even more. For me, the days of one garage for all makes are going, if not behind us already?
I was an independent BMW specialist for 13 years, during which time I amassed all the specialist tooling for chassis bushes and engine timing, I even had a couple of tools to remove ignition barrels and adjust handbrake cables in situ. I was one of the first in the country to buy into a marque specific diagnostic platform in the form of Autologic.
I absolutely monster’ed that diagnostic tool. Didn’t matter if it was live data streams, coding, programming or just service resets or diagnostics. I could do it all. BMW famously released an update for the E60 model 5 series which left the front headlight eyebrows off. Luckily for me I was given a patch repair to download allowing me to literally just turn them back on. The retailer network had to update the whole car again, which made me much more nimble.
It also allowed me to request individual programmes to be written for me such as allowing a different instrument cluster to communicate with an alternative light module, which in turn was different to the rest of the vehicles modules.
Why would I need to do such an unusual thing, I hear you ask?
Simple, I was building the UK’s first E46 M3 Touring using second hand parts from breakers all over England. This was early 2000’s so they were still a current model, which meant everything was expensive. It also meant it was featured on the cover of a BMW magazine. The publicity gained from that particular car earnt me another commission from another customer. Build the world’s first E46 M3 Touring with the SMG gearbox.
That was another cover car for another BMW magazine, which just helped move the business forward in a very positive direction.
The point I’m making?
No one can be everything to everyone. It is unreasonable to expect anyone to be able to know everything about every car that drives into their garage.
I would have struggled to do the jobs I did, in the way I was able to, without being a brand specialist. I wore my title with pride, knowing that I was able to do 100% of the work required, 100% of the time. I didn’t turn work away or sub it out to anyone as I had it all under control under one roof.
How do you see the future?
All makes, all models, all powertrains, every day?
Or everything to do with one specific marque?
It’s the way forward. Trust me. I’m a BMW Specialist!