Fishy

Does anyone know if ,as it seems in Oz, that to set up trading as a mechanic in NZ you have to have certain qualifications of pass certain regulations?
Also interested to know kind of rental prices for this sort of commercial property.
Also, opinions: would kiwis choose to use an expat garage to fix their car??Thanks.

Joshlin

Hi Fishy

I'm a mechanic working for a kiwi in a small village just outside Chch. I've been working there a couple of weeks ( been in Chch just about a month ).
Will find answers to your first couple of questions on monday when i go back to work.
As for kiwis using an expat garage its hard to say. We have brits coming into us so why it wouldn't work the other way around is a suck it and see type question.
One thing for sure though is most places do WOF( kiwi MOT) so you would be starting at a disadvantage if you were not offering this service.
Will get back to you with the other answers.

Lee

Fishy

Cheers lee. Out of interest what seems to be the hourly rate charged to customers and earned by the mechanic?

Debs70

In Dunedin.. around $45-50 to the customer and $17.50 to the mechanic.

Debs70

To do WOF's you'd be starting from scratch, your UK MOT testing would mean nothing.. (not that I'm saying that's a bad thing or anything).. the tests are both practical and written.. more in-depth than the Uk equivalent.. ie: you have to be clued up on Imports for example.

The WOF's in themselves are very different from an MOT, for instance brake testing, they don't have a break test rolling road, they either use a steep hill or see if the wheels lock up when braking at the road side. There are no tests for emmissions like here in the UK, only visual. The testable items that we test in the UK don't come under the WOF.. anyway, there are a few differences which I am sure you'll suss out once you're there.

Debs70

Just out of interest, where abouts in NZ were you thinking about setting up? Dunedin was jam packed with garages, loads of both main dealers and back street garages, you'd be wise to do your homework before committing to an area.. you definately wouldn't want to try this in a place like Dunedin for example.

Fishy

we want to set up in top of south is. around nelson

Debs70

My fave place in NZ

I will PM you.

Joshlin

In Chch you can expect to get between $18-$25 pay and as Debs said about $50+GST is an average charge out rate.
I was an MOT tester in the UK, not testing here yet(waiting for course) but honestly from what I've seen the UK MOT leaves the WOF standing. The only weird thing is testing trailers( sometimes with boat on the back or full of crap). Again as Debs said, no rolling road, no emissions, you don't even have to have the car on a ramp!!!!
But they are all tested twice a year so its a potential earner from the spin-off work.
As in Dunedin there are heaps of garages in Chch-I'm suprised how they all stay trading!

Lee