How to start a mobile mechanic business
Service and repair cars at people's homes and workplaces from a well-equipped van.
- £3k-12k
- Side hustle
- Out and about
Estimates for a small start in the UK, not guarantees.
What it is
A mechanic who travels to customers to do servicing, brakes, batteries, diagnostics and other repairs that don't need a ramp or heavy lifting equipment.
Your first three steps
- List the jobs you can do safely at the roadside or on a driveway and price each one against local garages
- Get a suitable van, a core tool kit and a diagnostic reader, and set up trade accounts with a local parts supplier
- Take out insurance, then offer a few discounted jobs to friends and neighbours and ask for online reviews
Who pays
Busy households, people without a garage, small businesses with a few vans and drivers who have broken down close to home.
How it makes money
Fixed prices for common jobs plus an hourly rate for diagnosis and repairs, with parts supplied at a margin and a call-out charge for longer trips.
Skills that help
- Vehicle diagnosis and repair
- Using diagnostic tools
- Clear, honest customer communication
Watch out for
- Public liability insurance and cover for work on customers' vehicles, plus motor trade or van insurance for your own vehicle
- Check whether you can work on a customer's driveway or on a public road, as local rules and landlord permissions vary
- Safe disposal of oil and old parts may need a waste carrier registration, check with the Environment Agency or your devolved equivalent
- Safety-critical work such as brakes needs proper training and records, as mistakes carry real risk
- Weather and limited tools mean some jobs must be turned away or referred on
Deep research report · UK
Everything you need to start: mobile mechanic
Researched with live web search for United Kingdom: real startup prices, the licences and rules, what others charge, a break-even example, how to find your first customers and a 30-day launch plan. With sources.
- Startup costs with real prices
- Licences, registration and rules
- Pricing: what others charge
- Break-even example
- Finding your first customers
- 30-day launch plan
- Risks and how to reduce them
Questions people ask
How much does it cost to start a mobile mechanic business?
Startup costs are estimates, typically around £3,000 to £12,000, depending on your van, tools and diagnostic equipment. Some jobs will need to be turned away or referred on because of weather and limited tools.
What rules should I check before working on cars at people's homes?
Check whether you can work on a customer's driveway or a public road, as local rules and landlord permissions vary. Also check insurance, waste carrier registration for oil and old parts with the Environment Agency or your devolved equivalent.
How much can a mobile mechanic earn?
Monthly revenue is estimated at typically around £1,500 to £6,000, depending on how many jobs you take and the type of work. The estimates assume at least around 15 hours a week. Safety-critical work such as brakes needs proper training and records.
Other ways to run this business
Similar car and vehicle ideas
Mobile car servicing at customers' homes
Drive to customers and do routine servicing like oil, filters and spark plugs on their driveway or at work.
- £3k-12k
- Part-time
- Out and about
Part-time used bike and scooter dealer
Buy a few good used bikes and scooters, tidy them up and sell them online from home.
- £3k-12k
- Side hustle
- From home
Mobile scooter and moped mechanic
Service and repair scooters and mopeds at customers' homes or workplaces from a van.
- £3k-12k
- Part-time
- Out and about
Trackside motorsport stand and van
Sell consumables, accessories and apparel from a van or gazebo at race meetings and trackdays.
- £2k-12k
- Side hustle
- Out and about
Mobile car electrician
Travel to drivers to fix batteries, wiring faults, lights and warning-light problems on the spot.
- £3k-12k
- Part-time
- Out and about
Local trade supplier of hub caps and trims
Stock wheel trims and caps and deliver them to garages, body shops and parts shops in your area.
- £3k-12k
- Part-time
- Out and about