Whether you’re a DIY enthusiast or a qualified mechanic, the motor products you choose to do your job are vital. Many of the tasks you have to complete are safety-critical activities which could put the driver or owner of a vehicle in danger if the work is not completed to a high standard. The flood of cheaper, poorer quality motor-related products adds to the problem. Many people decide to cut corners, spend less or risk using poor quality products and equipment. These are some of the factors you should consider before purchasing any type of motor products.
Safety
Motor products come in all shapes and sizes. A typical garage requires lifting equipment, body shop equipment, car jacks, diagnostic tools, paints and much more. Most products in a garage have certain risks associated with them. For example, lifting equipment should be of a high quality because it can put the well-being of those working under this type of equipment at risk. These products should be easy to maintain so that they remain safe for use and are able to withstand the pressures of a busy garage or repair shop.
Reliability
As the old saying goes ‘time is money’. This is especially true if you have a busy garage, repair shop or you need to get your car fixed at home in hurry. The equipment you buy should be reliable and available to use during working hours. If it’s continually breaking down or the products you use need to be replaced regularly, this can have serious consequences for a business and eat into your valuable time.
Make sure you purchase from manufacturers and suppliers who have a great reputation for selling high quality, reliable motor products. Talk to others about their experience with certain brands and suppliers. You can then make a more informed decision when you decide to purchase these items for your garage.
Location of Manufacturer or Supplier
We now live in a global economy where cheaper imports from other countries are often preferred to products produced by more established and trusted manufacturers. This can be a great way to reduce costs if you get the right product. However, it can also be a serious mistake because not all of these imported products do what they are supposed to do. Others are less reliable or have to be replaced shortly after being purchased.
A good example of this problem is the availability of poor quality OBD2 readers which are imported from China. Many of these types of car diagnostics products are cheap imitations of a more established OBD reader and scanner like TOAD (Total OBD and ECU Auto Diagnostics).
These inferior products have limited features, are not suitable for many cars and do not dig as deep or find the problems high quality products like TOAD can. As well as this, high quality diagnostics products like TOAD are able to tell the user what needs to be done to fix certain car problems, which is well beyond the scope of sub-standard imported products.
After Sales Service
Most motor related products require regular maintenance. As well as this, things go wrong and certain equipment can breakdown. This means it’s vital to have the appropriate after sales service when you invest in this type of equipment. Many of these items are expensive. You want to be sure you are covered by a proper warranty and the supplier of the product will address any concerns or problems that occur with this type of product.
Some will offer maintenance services which helps build a better relationship with these providers and ensures that they are readily available if things go wrong. Before purchasing expensive equipment, make sure you fully understand what the supplier is providing and the services they include after you make a particular purchase of this type of equipment.
Cost
A key consideration for most businesses is the cost of equipment and the cost of maintaining this equipment. Some vital items every garage requires costs thousands of dollars. This is an even bigger consideration for DIY enthusiasts who may not have as large a budget as garages or repair shops. If you have a limited budget, you will probably need to shop around to find the equipment you need, at a lower price.
However, don’t trade quality for price. It may be possible to find affordable, reliable, high quality second hand equipment such as wheel service products, tire changers, car diagnostics tools, air compressors, car lifts and much more. This is often a better approach than deciding to buy newer, cheaper, inferior equipment that may not last very long and will need to be replaced shortly after being purchased.
Functionality
Before you purchase any type of motor-related equipment, make sure you really need it. Some equipment is only required occasionally. It may be more cost effective to hire or borrow this type of equipment. If it’s genuinely required, make sure the product carries out its functions to a high standard and is exactly what you require on a frequent basis.
When you purchase equipment for a garage, you’re making an investment. Like any investment decision, take time to consider what you need, whether you can afford it and how you can avoid problems with it later. Once you have considered the factors above, it’s then much more likely you will choose the appropriate motor-related equipment to carry out your work or undertake your DIY projects at home.
