End of story

End of story. That always sounds annoying and negative. But we are in a time when 'end of story' often goes away. For example, at smaller universal garage companies. Because companies like that - often 'small businesses' - have a hard time. They are often in what have meanwhile become residential areas. In places where the present has caught up with history. And they constantly keep an eye on the Municipality, the Environment and always some angry neighbors.

Small companies are also serious earnings models for municipalities. All the more so because a village garage cannot open legal assistance to meet imposed, nonsense or far-fetched obligations.

A dying species

Those types of businesses, where craftsmen work hard and deliver good work, are explicitly massaged into fine new industrial parks. Whether they can handle that financially? The alternative is often that they lose their location permit if they stay at the old location. After all, is there always an environmental stick to hit a working dog with?

You don't want to be a dealer for a long time

Many brand dealers run too tightly on the line of mandatory investments, where they even get written what kind of floor covering should be in the showroom. And the workplace? There are no more cars that had to have a small turn every 2500 kilometer and a very strong turn every 10.000 km. Revisions of starter motors and alternators? That is also something from the past. A fresh link every 80D km? A block revision with a ton on the counter? Maintenance nowadays are between the 15.000-30.000 kilometers or just 'annually' apart.

Sustainability is not always a revenue model

A good friend has a Lexus with seven tons on its back. Another has a Benz with 800.000 kilometer experience. The BX Break with only 650.000 kilometers behind it is also extremely durable. The various dealers have not yet been consulted about trade-in. And the maintenance of those marathon runners? This is done professionally and lovingly by local garage owners. But only from that can they not live.

Modern times

There are still lifts in a modern workplace. But the tools? That is digital nowadays. 'Reading and resetting' is repairing the new. There is nothing wrong with that. Progress cannot be stopped. But of course it remains sad if a freshly graduated first engineer has not looked under the hood after having reset a fault five times. And that was exactly what a stone marten had done.

The investments that a garage mechanic nowadays has to make in the field of hardware and software are also not bad nowadays. Stories in that corner quickly reach the five figures per year. Most malfunctions are electronic. So you can no longer do without screens and software.

The time that the garage owner came out to hear your car coming is over. The time that the garage mechanic had heard an almost watertight solution to the problem on the sound alone.

And so we come to Garage Berben in Ulft

Peter's father established the business. His parents have been 65 for a while. But still work in the case. Peter has just turned fifty. The third generation has a different view of the future. A small universal such as Garage Berben has structurally too much work for one man. But too little - turnover and income - for a good, full-time employee. And end entrepreneurship.

Peter's parents are going to enjoy their rest. Peter has calculated the case on all sides. Substantial investments are on the way. Customers are becoming more rushed and empowered - also in the Achterhoek. And when they arrive at Peter with problems that other garage owners have bitten their teeth on, that is too often their money is gone. That gives stress. Too much stress. For Garage Berben it will soon be 'End of story'. Peter is employed. Because craftsmen? There is always room for that.

In the meantime, let's go to the local garage. Even if it is for a hug for our classic. Perhaps we can help maintain the species in this way.