Have you recently opened an auto body shop in your locality? In that case, you’re probably aiming to build a profitable and efficient business with your expertise.
Currently, there are 85,192 car repair shops in America. You’ll need more than just mechanical skills to stand out in this competitive market. For instance, you need talented mechanics, business acumen, Auto body shop equipment and a plan to succeed.
However, one thing that you shouldn’t compromise on is the right type of good-quality equipment. You need proper tools to enhance the ease and speed of operation in your shop.
This blog will discuss the auto body shop equipment you’ll need to run successfully:
1. Car Painting Equipment
Reports suggest that the automotive paint market is expected to reach USD 37 billion by 2035, proving its popularity. You must offer car painting services if you want to generate good revenue from your auto shop.
The first thing you’ll need is an industrial-level booth for spray painting or powder coating vehicles. According to Paint Booth, auto body shop owners can seek assistance from an installation provider for design, integration, and acquisition. They’ll also help meet safety concerns and inform you about the maintenance requirements for the booth.
Once installed, you can offer custom designs and various coating options to your clients. That’s because pre-engineered paint booths come equipped with high-precision paint guns, air compressors, air hoses, paint shakers, nozzles, etc.
2. Repair Kits and Tools
Vehicles can get damaged due to lack of maintenance, improper repairs, accidents, etc. But irrespective of the reason, your auto body shop should be prepared to deal with any type of internal or external car damage.
For example, you’ll need a stud welder or slide hammer to repair dents or pull out damaged panels. You should also have smaller repair auto body shop equipments like automotive body fillers, torque wrenches, socket sets, or bench spreaders.
Similarly, for repairing bigger damages to the vehicle, you’ll need heavy-duty tools. An example would be frame straighteners to restore the car’s original structure after an accident. Moreover, you might need accessories like anchor posts, pulling posts, and pulleys for better maneuverability.
Other than that, you will need windshield repair tools to deal with glass frames. For example, you shouldn’t use a pry bar to remove the broken screen. Instead, a glass-removal kit will help you do it safely. While replacing, you’ll need a good-quality caulking gun and a glass setting stick to firmly seal the frame in place.
3. Diagnostic Tools
Before any repair job, you need to perform a basic analysis of the vehicle’s functionalities. A car diagnostic test is crucial because it reveals hidden issues with the exhaust system, transmission, car engine, brakes, etc. With this, you can also determine any performance issues in the ignition coil, coolant, throttle, fuel injectors, etc.
But for that, you’ll need help from tools like:
- Code readers to identify the error codes in the car’s model
- Leak detectors to spot fluid loss or leaks
- Multimeter to analyze the vehicle’s performance parameters and health
- Electrical system testers to verify the battery life and condition
With these tools, you can figure out what’s wrong with the car and then proceed to repair or fix the problem.
6 Basic Car Repair Shop Tools You Should Have
The automotive garage equipment market is expected to grow at a 5.5% CAGR between 2022 and 2031, with a projected revenue of USD 14.8 billion. That means the industry is consistently working towards improving existing tools and building new Auto body shop equipment.
For example, 2023 saw the development of new diagnostic tools. Examples include cell equalizers, thermal imagers, etc.
But even with new equipment on the market, there are certain tools that your auto body shop should have. These include the following:
- Vehicle lifts: This tool will help you raise the car for essential diagnostics and inspections.
- Jack stands: It can temporarily raise the vehicles for regular maintenance work.
- Oil caddy: With this, you can efficiently change the transmission fluid and oil without spills.
- Battery chargers or jumpers: These are important for jobs related to dead batteries and charging problems in electric vehicles.
- A brake lathe: It will help you perform repair work on rotors or drums in a braking system.
- Strut compressor: This is perfect for working on suspension systems.
Some jobs might require you to sand or polish the vehicle’s surface or drill into it for repairs. That’s why you need air tools like grinders, drills, buffers, polishers, and dual-action sanders. With these, you can save time on basic filler shaping, body sanding tasks, etc.
In summary, an auto shop business can be lucrative if you possess a good work ethic and have the right auto body shop equipment. Examples include inspection, car painting, and repair tools. Other than that, you should keep some accessories handy, like car lifts, jack stands, etc. These will help you increase the shop’s productivity and boost revenue.
