Mobile diesel engine repair

Small haulage firms, van and pickup owners, farmers, plant hire firms and builders who lose money when a vehicle is off the road.

Call-out fee plus an hourly labour rate, with a mark-up on parts. Emergency and out-of-hours callouts can be charged at a higher rate.

• Qualified or well-experienced diesel mechanic
• Fault diagnosis with scan tools
• Clear, honest quoting
• Working alone in all weather

• Public liability and motor trade insurance, check that your policy covers work on customers' vehicles and premises
• Working at the roadside or on a customer's land carries safety risks, check your risk assessments and safe working practices
• Disposal of waste oil, filters and old parts: check whether you need waste carrier registration and how to dispose of waste properly
• Warranty on parts and labour, agree in writing what you cover
• Emissions systems such as DPF and AdBlue have legal rules, check what work is allowed before offering removals

Startup costs are typically around £5,000 to £25,000, depending on your van, tools and equipment. These are estimates. Check that your insurance covers work on customers' vehicles and premises before you start taking jobs.

Monthly revenue is typically around £2,000 to £8,000, depending on how many hours you work and the type of jobs you take on. Bigger jobs that need an engine out are passed to a workshop, so these figures are estimates.

Check that you have public liability and motor trade insurance, and review your risk assessments for roadside and customer land work. Also check waste carrier registration and waste disposal, and what the law allows on emissions systems such as DPF and AdBlue.