Starting a garage in Uganda - help

[varova87]

Backstory (skip if you're not interested): After living in Uganda for 2 years, I've discovered that about 80% of the expats living in my particular city (Jinja) are extremely unhappy with their mechanics. Quality of parts and service is awful, and it's not uncommon for people to be charged hundreds of dollars for "new bushings" when, in fact, new bushings were never fitted. A few months ago, I started training a few Ugandan mechanics and doing bumper to bumper assessments of vehicles, telling them the state of the vehicle and what repairs I would do immediately, in the near future, and down the road. Every person has allowed me to do the work and has ditched their old mechanic. I've had OVER ten customers tell me if I opened a US-quality shop here, I won't be able to handle the workload. Seeing as I work for a non-profit that depends on donors to run our schools, hospital, orphanage, etc, I've decided to open up a full-time shop as an income-generator for the organization. I HATE fundraising.

What I need: your help in thinking through things to buy in the US and throw into the 40' container I'm bringing over to furnish the shop. The container is paid for, but I'll be fronting the costs for a lot of these tools. I'd like to keep it under $10k if possible, but I have some flexibility. This isn't hypothetical, the container is booked and being packed while I'm in the US in April.

My current plan (cringe quietly, offer a suggestion, or go away) is to go the Lowe's route and do mostly Kobalt. I obviously can't afford a full-blown Snap-on garage, nor would it be wise.

Shit, I'm rambling. If you had $10k to furnish a basic garage, what would you buy? Help me think through this so I can spend my money wisely. Keep in mind - most of my clients will be Toyotas and diesel motors. (anyone know of a bench-top injector tester?)

Also, if you have contacts that could help me in this, I would greatly appreciate it. Tool suppliers that I could get specialty tools from, etc. Like I said - I'm starting a garage in a third-world country to benefit a charity and have a $10k budget. A challenge, but whatever.

Thanks in advance.

 

[msggunny]

What about sustainability?

Getting cheap tools from Lowes may be ok until they break.

There were a few good ones in Kampala when I was there, also some hacks.

Check with some of the established mech's, cost may outweigh the bennifit.

Mick Farmer at On Course Uganda may be a good source of info into this too.

 

[Tugela]

How about contacting manufacturers for tool donations? Some tool company might leap at the opportunity to send you a few grand worth of tools if you can produce a cool video, tell a story, and give them advertising material. Being able to tell the world your company supported a local garage in Uganda is marketing gold. Going this route will take more work than placing orders for tools, but the results could be (a) you get more stuff for your garage, and (b) the money you would have spent on the tools can now go to something else. Which is kind of like fundraising. Which I hate, too.

 

[Tugela]

Oh yeah, and contact the public affairs officer at the US Embassy. They might have a budget for small grants to support local economic development projects. If their money goes to purchasing US-made tools then that's an even better pitch.

 

[varova87]

What about sustainability?

Getting cheap tools from Lowes may be ok until they break.

There were a few good ones in Kampala when I was there, also some hacks.

Check with some of the established mech's, cost may outweigh the bennifit.

Mick Farmer at On Course Uganda may be a good source of info into this too.

I knew you'd show up on this thread! Good thoughts. We have teams come over about every month to serve and do the whole "I went to Africa and held a black baby!" thing. If a socket goes missing or a wrench breaks, which I anticipate, I'll just replace it.

In the last month, I've brought in $1900 in profit. It doesn't sound like much, but here in Uganda where labor is cheap and the fact that I only advertised among a very small part of the community, I'm not doubting it's ability to bring in income to fund projects.

I've bugged Mick so many times I'm scared to call him. I need to just meet the guy already.

 

[varova87]

How about contacting manufacturers for tool donations? Some tool company might leap at the opportunity to send you a few grand worth of tools if you can produce a cool video, tell a story, and give them advertising material. Being able to tell the world your company supported a local garage in Uganda is marketing gold. Going this route will take more work than placing orders for tools, but the results could be (a) you get more stuff for your garage, and (b) the money you would have spent on the tools can now go to something else. Which is kind of like fundraising. Which I hate, too.

Ahead of you here, I've emailed Kobalt, Sears, Lowes, and, well, that's it. Maybe I have some work to do.

Your second suggestion is brilliant. I've competed for some US Embassy grants in the past but bringing the US economy into it, albeit in a small way, might be a leg up.

 

[varova87]

So the thread stays on course, I've got the following covered:

Full mechanics sets from Lowes - ratchets, sockets, wrenches, etc. The basics.
Jacks, jack stands
20 ton press (Harbor freight?)
Breaker bars, torque wrenches, pullers, etc.
Diagnostics - no OBDII here but considering purchasing a tool for the diagnostics port
Tire machine
Air compressor with tools
36in metal brake
Multimeter, wire strippers/crimpers
Few hundred dollars in various screws, bolts, etc common to Toyotas


That's just off the top of my head.

 

[az_max]

Maybe a two or four post rack?
Hub bearing socket set
Brake line tools (clamps, flare tools (bubble and double flare), flare nut wrenches)
rivet gun (pneumatic or hand) and rivets.
work lights

 

[Tugela]

If you don't already have one, how about a portable generator so you can continue work when the power goes out?

Mini fridge/freezer for shrinking bearing races prior to install (and, you know, a couple bottles of Eagle)

Office equipment- laptop and printer at minimum to track business activity, schedule repairs, and print customer work orders/receipts. Just because you're small doesn't mean you can't be professional.

 

[varova87]

Already have laptop and a printer. I've been using Freshbooks to send estimates and invoices. Hell, that alone has kept people coming back. "It's like America" they say, and they love, and they pay for.

 

[varova87]

Maybe a two or four post rack?
Hub bearing socket set
Brake line tools (clamps, flare tools (bubble and double flare), flare nut wrenches)
rivet gun (pneumatic or hand) and rivets.
work lights

All good suggestions. Lights will come from here since it's 220, but I'll have the option to run 110 on a bench through a step-down.

Added a Dremel, grinder, and cordless drill to the list.

 

[Ballah06]

Along with the already-identified equipment, are you also getting some spares for the parts that may/will break on specific equipment? That way you can continue working while the other spare is en route.

 

[DiscoPhoto]

What about sustainability?

Getting cheap tools from Lowes may be ok until they break.

There were a few good ones in Kampala when I was there, also some hacks.

Check with some of the established mech's, cost may outweigh the bennifit.

Mick Farmer at On Course Uganda may be a good source of info into this too.

Lowes shit breaks, snapon breaks frequently too(just not AS). Every tool can break. If you buy snapon it's not like it's worth shipping it back to the states to warranty it(depending on the part).

 

[varova87]

Along with the already-identified equipment, are you also getting some spares for the parts that may/will break on specific equipment? That way you can continue working while the other spare is en route.

Yes. My plan is two of everything that is within reason. So, 2 of every socket, ratchet, wrench, drill, etc. And for things like drill bits, I'll stock up - ten of each or more if possible.

I'm also going to set aside around $1k to pre-purchase spares and things here. This is normal for the US, but not here. Repairs take three times longer because no one stocks anything. Once they find the problem, it's another day to find the part, either here or across the country.

I'd like to have basic things there and ready to speed up the turnaround time - oil, filters, shocks, TREs, bushings, brake pads, etc. Things that typically go out frequently here.

 

[redhawkrovers]

Check Northern tool for the press 100 times better than HF
Also I have parts sources and repair manuals for Toyota diesel and petrol
send me an E-mail
Jim

 

[kennith]

Ahead of you here, I've emailed Kobalt, Sears, Lowes, and, well, that's it. Maybe I have some work to do.

Your second suggestion is brilliant. I've competed for some US Embassy grants in the past but bringing the US economy into it, albeit in a small way, might be a leg up.

Give SK a call. Their tools are very tough, and don't "look" overly expensive.

They could use a few bragging rights these days, and may be interested in providing some form of contribution.

Cheers,

Kennith

 

[Drillbit]

You can take apart and put back together 80 percent of a rover with a 10mm, a 13mm, a 17mm and a phillips. That said don't forget to get a fist full of safety torx and reverse torx bits if you are working on D2's

 

[varova87]

Give SK a call. Their tools are very tough, and don't "look" overly expensive.

Had never heard of them, but I fired off an email. All they can do is say no. I appreciate the heads up.

That said don't forget to get a fist full of safety torx and reverse torx bits if you are working on D2's

Discoveries here are scarce compared to Toyota's, but torx bits are now on the list. Thanks.

 

[varova87]

Check Northern tool for the press 100 times better than HF
Also I have parts sources and repair manuals for Toyota diesel and petrol
send me an E-mail
Jim

Jim,

Parts sources for diesel Toyotas have me curious - especially the 1HZ and 1KZ motors. I'm all ears.

 

[adriatic04]

gotta get through to the actual manufacturers (danaher, etc.) not the distributors (lowes, sears, etc.)

manufacturing is far more likely to get something going with you over a distributor.