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Well, things in life have changed and we may move up our time frame to STX. I've been on this site for a while and am now reaching out to some of the most knowledgeable people in regards to the USVI. I own a home there, so that's not a problem and I know most of the what's needed, my biggest question is employment. My wife and I plan to work FT for me and she's so undecided as she does a lot for charity/non-profit/community and wants to devote more time to that. Until I land a job on island (was offered one previously, but had to take care of some personal issues, unfortunately had to decline), and I know the answer, but I'm very handy, (basic plumbing, basic electrical, home remodeling, tile, etc, and have worked on cars for almost 40 years) and want to do some side work. I just need to know, how is the best way to get word of mouth out there and possibly do some side projects. As I'm thinking I can do a lot of automotive repairs (as i'm very familiar with brakes, oil changes, engine swaps/rebuilding, and other mechanical issues) what is fair pricing for labor and parts mark up? I'm from NY so everything is expensive here. What auto parts stores are there? I was thinking of printing business cards and having set pricing, or does it take longer to work on cars due to the salt, etc. How much is an oil change there? Just curious. Not looking to make a living with this, but maybe a couple of hundred dollars a week to supplement my other job once I get going. I'm finishing a degree in paralegal as well, that is kinda what I want to find employment in. I currently work in retail as a store manager and trying to get away from that after 30 plus years. Your thoughts? Thanks.
Dave
Posted : September 7, 2019 3:40 pm
Wow...you've covered a lot of ground in this post! Whatever you choose, you'll ultimately need a business license of some sort and getting one has its own set of issues. Since you're handy with vehicles, why not open a 10 minute oil change store? We don't have one on STX and I know a lot of people would be happy to support one. Just my two cents!
Posted : September 9, 2019 8:17 am
As @vicanuck mentioned, a quick oil change shop with basic tune up and minor services would probably do well. That would probably limit your initial costs and get your name out. You could also offer more major services, but parts availability will be limited.
There is a NAPA here as well as several small parts shops, but most of them carry limited inventories.
Another possibility for you might be a Jeep focused business. Jeeps (and 4WDs in general) are more popular here, but there aren't any 4WD shops. A business that supports that community could do well.
Whatever business you choose, remember that there are currently only about 50k residents on the island, so it's more like a small to medium size town as far as customer base. If you do start a business, one of the major challenges will be finding the kind of employees that will help it grow.
Posted : September 17, 2019 12:29 am
Topic starter
Was looking at doing side jobs at my house, I do that now for family, just looking to make some spending money each week, doing a few jobs here and there, not really looking to make it a full time job. Just curious what you all pay for oil changes, labor rates, etc. Was thinking I could do mobile oil changes, not much to them and only need a few tools with me. Although I just went online and saw a auto repair business for sale, so who knows. 🙂
Posted : September 18, 2019 9:53 am
We have a mobile oil change guy on STX, the Oil Genie. He charges somewhere in the range of 50-60 bucks. Always on time and very nice. There is a market for it.
Posted : September 18, 2019 4:51 pm
Was looking at doing side jobs at my house, I do that now for family, just looking to make some spending money each week, doing a few jobs here and there, not really looking to make it a full time job. Just curious what you all pay for oil changes, labor rates, etc. Was thinking I could do mobile oil changes, not much to them and only need a few tools with me. Although I just went online and saw a auto repair business for sale, so who knows. 🙂
The auto repair business that is for sale has a tremendous reputation and a very loyal following. It is frequently recommended on social media pages as the "go to" for reliable repair work.
Posted : September 19, 2019 8:14 am
