Shopping for a Used Mobile Oil Change Rig - What To Look for In Van and Truck Configurations

Let's say, you'd like to start your own business doing mobile oil changing. If so, I wouldn't necessarily recommend going out and buying all new equipment. This is because this sort of industrial equipment can get quite expensive, plus, small business startups are not so easily funded, and leasing equipment seem to charge an arm and a leg sometimes. Okay so, let's say you do wish to buy some used equipment, what should you be looking for?

First, if you buy a truck or van you need to make sure that the equipment when it is fully loaded with oil both fresh oil and waste oil that it does not exceed the gross vehicle weight in the operations manual. If it does you may have a tough time getting it warranted - if for instance the wheel bearings go out, which is a common problem on these types of service vehicles. You also need to check out the engine, and make sure the compression is good and the cylinders are fairly close in range.

You should also make sure that the former operator changed the oil in his own equipment. This may sound ridiculous, because anyone in the preventive maintenance business knows enough to take care of their equipment. But interesting thing occurs in the industry, much the same as a car mechanic generally drives a car which does not run that well, or a shoe repairman has kids who go barefooted. That's more typical than you might think actually.

Next, if there is a generator, I would recommend that you make sure it is a Honda, because Honda power equipment tends to be more forgiving, especially for those that don't take good care of it. Another thing that I think is important is that the configuration and layout of the equipment is set up so that it is easy to work from in a free flowing and effortless way. There's nothing more aggravating, then having to go to the other side of the vehicle to get a part, filter, or something you need, only to walk back again to get another tool to install that part. See the point?

Generally what I've found is that if the mobile operator had purchased the vehicle from someone as a "turn-key" business opportunity, then chances are that vendor has put together hundreds of units that are similar, and therefore chances are things have been laid out in the most efficient manner. What I find most often is that new first-time operators who've never done this before make mistakes in their original layout plan. Perhaps in doing so they don't make any money, and perhaps that is why they are selling the vehicle the first place. These are all questions you need to consider. Indeed I hope you will please consider all this and think on it.

Lance Winslow has launched a new series of eBooks on the Mobile Oil Change Business. Lance Winslow is a retired Founder of a The Oil Change Guys, a Nationwide Franchise Chain, and now runs the Online Think Tank; http://www.worldthinktank.net

By Lance Winslow