Dave M wrote:Yikes!! I feel bad now. In my original post I did say "lets assume you have a 20 gallon tank." I only have a 12 gallon tank which last me 1 week. I cover only a 20 mile radius.
Dave, your making me laugh...I've spent over 12 gallons of gas this last few months clearing out snow for my property and my mothers.
On a more serious note, where I'm located car dealer work is at $25-$30 top. Fleet and truck rental is anywhere from $30-$35.
I've worked east cost before and know you guys collect higher. Some market areas just pay more than others.
Sense the last price hike I had a 4x4 5.7 full size Chev truck that only got 12 MPG, I sold that off last summer just in time before the tranny went at 289 thousand miles...
I bought a 2x4 Dodge Dakota with a V8 3.8? (318 equivalent) that gets 18 MPG.
The Chevy cost me around 65 - 75 to full weekly while the Dakota only cost me 37 to full weekly, today @ 3.41... When the prices were down @ 2.59 it cost around 28 to top off.
At this time with the higher MPG it is not hurting as much.... Even when the Chevy was running I would try to group my work on a the same route, and the customers all understood....
Yea the bad part is fleet accounts are sorta fixed on the price... It is just something we all have to bite... They all are in the same boat as we are. Delivery services may raise there delivery rates or just cut back on the delivery days to conserve...
Just think if we all were still doing repairs at 25 a car, Insurance included.... That would hurt...
If I were slow or had a small window before the next job I use to drive around town to be seen, Now I just park at a busy shopping area in the line of site for folks to see the truck. If I am in the lot myself, Friends will come up and BS and others will walk up and ask for a price or book a job at that time...
Oh Boy, Here we go. It is more than gas expense you should be accounting for if you wish to stay in business. Complete expense should include cost of replacement vehicle, oil changes, gas expense, insurance, tire costs, depreciation, etc. If you are not accounting for these expenses, you are verging on having a hobby and not a business. Are you serious that gas is all you think about? CRAZY. When you break down the real costs of doing business, I find the real cost is about $0.47 per mile round trip. That's at $3.50 a gallon and 20 miles per gallon average. Many mobile only shops are quickly going out of business. Business advice: during these economic times, expand your income base and consider replacement, and flat glass as well. Just a thought. -11yrs in business
ChipStop wrote:Oh Boy, Here we go. It is more than gas expense you should be accounting for if you wish to stay in business. Complete expense should include cost of replacement vehicle, oil changes, gas expense, insurance, tire costs, depreciation, etc. If you are not accounting for these expenses, you are verging on having a hobby and not a business. Are you serious that gas is all you think about? CRAZY. When you break down the real costs of doing business, I find the real cost is about $0.47 per mile round trip. That's at $3.50 a gallon and 20 miles per gallon average. Many mobile only shops are quickly going out of business. Business advice: during these economic times, expand your income base and consider replacement, and flat glass as well. Just a thought. -11yrs in business
I would have to agree with what you posted. It's not as simple as the fuel increase, it's about the overall increase with mobile service expense overhead. That 30-35 mile mobile round trip repair may cost you more than you accounted for. That's why my area limit now is 10 miles or less. Anything over 15 miles a pre-agreed trip charge is collected. TPA's won't agree to it or pay it but faithful past customers understand and will. You just have to explain and ask.
I paid 2.50 today lol the beauty of living in Mexico I fill up south drive across and work for USA prices I spend a hundred a week at 2.50 can only imagine 4.00 and what it would do to the profit margin
I fill up south drive across and work for USA prices I spend a hundred a week at 2.50 can only imagine 4.00 and what it would do to the profit margin