Oil Change Specials from Lance

I have often thought of Lance Winslow being an "authority" when it came to advice dealing with the mobile oil change business. He rarely gets it wrong. I feel that one of his most recent articles he wrote several months back hit the nail right on the head. Most people should not start this business. They are going to be in for a rude awakening when they do. There are some markets where this just will not pay. Too much competition and too many $9.99 oil change specials on every block. Do the math first! I am sorry but if you think you are going to be making money from $20 or less profit per oil change without doing 100s of them you are mistaken.
What is the Best Advice For Starting a Mobile Oil Change Business?

What is the Best Advice For Starting a Mobile Oil Change Business?
By Lance Winslow

Most people who start a mobile oil change business have a lot of misconceptions about how things actually work. They see the need and know that people want the oil change business to come to them, but what they may not understand is that logistically the mobile oil change business can be quite a nightmare for a whole lot of reasons such as:

• Stocking Filters for Different Types of Cars
• Finding Qualified Workers
• City Ordinances Against Car Maintenance on the Street
• Traffic Congestion Zapping Time
• Used Waste Oil Disposal Costs
• Long Time Between Intervals for Repeat Business
• Persnickety Customers
• Customers that Ask Too Many Question Taking Time
• Big Box Store Oil Change Discounters
• Competition Sending Out Direct Mail Lost Leaders

With all this considered and all the issues debated, the best advice might be to NOT start a mobile oil change business at all, yes, I am serious about that. However, if you are dead set on starting such a business then my best advice to you is to concentrate on the fleet vehicle customers first and foremost. These commercial accounts will save time, energy and stress and lead to better productivity and thus, higher profits.

Most of the draw backs of the mobile oil change service business model will go away if you concentrate on the fleet side of the business. Plus, the productivity and efficiency of operations will go through the roof because you can line up all the vehicles in a row and most of them will have the same motors, thus, the same type of filters. So, that is my best advice to someone who cannot be convinced to ditch the idea of starting a mobile oil change business. Please consider all this carefully and think on it.

Lance Winslow - Lance Winslow's Bio. If you have innovative thoughts and unique perspectives, come think with Lance; http://www.WorldThinkTank.net/.

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Common Oil Filters

When you get started with your mobile oil change business one of the hardest parts is knowing which oil filters to have on board your truck. There are tons of oil filter sizes and trying to figure out which ones you will need will seem very daunting.

One of the most frustrating parts of this whole "mobile lube" idea is having the correct oil filter you need for jobs. It drives me crazy when I have to pack everything up and go to the auto parts store several miles away because I either a) did not have the right filter I needed or b) brought the wrong filter. You will find that this is going to happen quite often.

If you do not already you are

going to need some type of shelving units in your oil change van. Mine already came with them and so do several others if you get yours already pre-made.

Here are the filters you need to have in your vehicle. If you get the following oil filters you will be prepared to do 92% of the passenger vehicles you come across. I put them in order of popularity.

Have 8-12 of the following

PZ-42
PZ-48
PZ-45
PO-167
PZ-21
PZ-34
PZ-19
PZ-28
PZ-27
PZ-12
PZ-37
PZ-39
PZ-109
PZ-9A
PZ-58 (Only keep two of these)

Have two of each of the following

PZ-49 Powerstroke Diesel 7.3
PO-156 Powestroke Diesel 6.0
PZ-59 Duramax Diesel
PZ-47 Cummins 5.7 Diesel

If you keep your mobile oil change vans stocked with these Pennzoil filters than you will be ready for almost anything. When you upgrade to the huge diesels than that's a whole other story. There are 100s of choices when you get into that. But as far as average gas engines these numbers will work just fine. I suggest you also keep a filter book in your van at all times. I take mine out to look at it and forget to put it in sometimes.

I also suggest Pennzoil oil filters for two reasons: their yellowish color looks really nice and they have excellent brand recognition. Everyone is comfortable with that brand and they have over half the market share as far as oil and oil filters go.

The other 8% of the vehicles are imports that take canister oil filters and you will have to buy them on a case by case basis.