Tired of hefty auto repair bills? Imagine fixing your car yourself and saving a significant amount of money. For Detroit resident Patrick Denny, this is a reality thanks to a unique garage in Livonia. He recently found himself wrestling with a suspension repair on his 2006 Ford Focus, a task that would typically cost a fortune at a regular mechanic. But at My Mechanics Place in Livonia, he’s doing it himself and pocketing the savings.
“It can be a pain do it yourself, but it’s worth it to save $1,500 to $2,000,” Denny shares, his hands showing the evidence of his labor.
My Mechanics Place, located on Plymouth Road in Livonia, is a game-changer for car owners. This massive facility boasts 22 service bays, a professional paint booth, a fully-equipped machine shop, and even U-Haul services. For a reasonable hourly rate – $25 for a bay with a lift and $12 for one without – anyone can rent a space to perform their own auto repairs. Tool rentals are also available, making do it yourself auto repair in Livonia accessible to everyone.
Denny, who learned about My Mechanics Place through his doctor, is a regular, spending up to eight hours a week working on his car. He relies on online tutorials, like YouTube videos, to guide him through unfamiliar repairs. Living in a Detroit apartment, he lacks both the space and the tools for such work. “Apartments won’t let you work in the building parking lots,” he explains. “And I’m saving thousands doing it myself” at this Livonia gem.
My Mechanics Place: A Vision Realized for DIY Auto Enthusiasts
The brainchild behind My Mechanics Place is Jay Rabaut, a Livonia native with a passion for empowering people to take control of their car repairs. The concept sparked in the mid-1980s during his Navy service and solidified nine years before the shop opened.
Rabaut, a plumber and father of nine, sought a way to secure his future and fund his children’s education. In 2010, the vision struck him: a facility where individuals could rent bays and tools to tackle their own auto repairs. After years of planning and development, My Mechanics Place opened its doors. Initially slow to gain traction, it has now become a thriving hub for do it yourself auto repair in Livonia.
Weekends at the 18,000-square foot facility are a symphony of mechanical activity. Engines rev, tools clang, and impact wrenches hum as all 22 bays are typically occupied. The demand is so high that Rabaut often has to turn customers away. Bays are booked for an average of two to eight hours, so advance reservations are highly recommended. With 12 to 25 new customers each week, and regulars visiting multiple times, My Mechanics Place has clearly filled a crucial need in the Livonia community for accessible DIY auto repair.
“Some wives call us, ‘the other woman,'” Rabaut jokes, highlighting the time some customers dedicate to their automotive projects.
Unlock Significant Savings with DIY Car Repairs
Strategically located across from the Ford Automatic Transmission Operations in Livonia, My Mechanics Place boldly proclaims “Do it yourself.” This isn’t just a slogan; it’s the core philosophy.
Beyond bay rentals, the “tool crib” houses thousands of tools available for rent at just $5 per hour. From basic wrenches to specialized equipment, tools are managed efficiently, much like a library system. More complex tools like torches or grinders are available for $10 an hour.
Adding to its versatility, My Mechanics Place is also a U-Haul distributor since 2016. This additional revenue stream provides stability, especially during slower periods in the repair shop business.
The financial benefits of do it yourself auto repair in Livonia are substantial. Consider tire services: tire shops can charge upwards of $30 per tire for mounting and balancing, totaling $120 for a set of four. At My Mechanics Place, renting a flat stall for $12 an hour and the tire machine for $10 an hour brings the total cost for mounting and balancing four tires down to a mere $22.
Worried about tackling repairs without experience? My Mechanics Place has you covered. Two certified mechanics are on staff to provide guidance and advice. While they cannot perform repairs themselves due to liability, they offer invaluable assistance. Customers sign waivers, and Rabaut maintains insurance for the facility. On average, customers save between 60% to 80% on car repairs by choosing the do it yourself route.
“It’s all about time too. If we can see a way to save them time, we will. If we can see a tool that’ll help them, we offer it,” Rabaut emphasizes, highlighting their commitment to customer support.
Gearheads Rent-A-Bay: Another DIY Option in Metro Detroit
While My Mechanics Place leads the way in do it yourself auto repair in Livonia, Gearheads Rent-A-Bay in Waterford offers a similar service in the wider Metro Detroit area. Gearheads, established around the same time as My Mechanics Place in 2015, caters to about 15 customers weekly. Their rates are $20 per hour for a bay with a hoist and $12 per hour for a flat bay, with daily tool rentals available for $10. Gearheads is smaller, with three lift bays and one flat bay, and also includes a motorcycle lift. Unlike My Mechanics Place, Gearheads does not have certified mechanics on staff.
Nathan Klein, co-owner of Gearheads, notes the inspiration came from military base hobby shops and a gas station owner who rented out his bays. This demonstrates the growing demand for accessible spaces for DIY auto repair across different communities.
From Hobbyists to Professionals: My Mechanics Place Serves Everyone
My Mechanics Place attracts a diverse clientele, from average car owners to seasoned gearheads. Some regulars even rent workspace monthly for extensive projects on vehicles and boats. Eight of the 22 bays feature car lifts, with two capable of lifting heavy-duty trucks up to 43,000 pounds.
Jason Robertson, a clay modeler at Ford by day, is a prime example of a dedicated user. Considered a top AC Cobra restoration specialist, Robertson utilizes My Mechanics Place’s paint booth for his collector car projects. The booth costs $100 per hour or $400 per day, a fraction of the $12,000 he would pay for professional paintwork. “I couldn’t do it without this place,” Robertson states, emphasizing the necessity of a temperature-controlled environment for his meticulous work. He restores several AC Cobras annually, generating significant income from his passion, all facilitated by do it yourself auto repair in Livonia.
DIY Auto Repair as a Career Path
Robert Vanorden, a former GM Detroit-Hamtramck plant worker, discovered My Mechanics Place shortly after its opening. Facing a layoff, Vanorden turned to do it yourself auto repair in Livonia as a means of income. Renting a workspace for $500 a month, he began buying used cars, repairing them at My Mechanics Place, and reselling them for profit. His first venture, a Ford Escape SUV, yielded a significant profit after repairs. Since then, Vanorden and his son have fixed and flipped around 35 cars, learning repair techniques from TV shows and fellow DIYers at the shop.
“I don’t have a garage, I’m a dirt guy and I repaired on the grass, on the snow and on ice … where the next day you have to dig the car out,” Vanorden recounts. “So this place is a godsend. I get the knowledge of the other mechanics and the use of equipment. It’s invaluable.” For Vanorden, do it yourself auto repair in Livonia has become not just a hobby, but a vital source of income.
From Navy Hobby Shop to Livonia Success Story
Even professional mechanics like Dewie Smith, an executive mechanic at Ford’s transmission center across the street, are regulars at My Mechanics Place. For Smith, it’s a hobby and a way to help friends with car repairs. Rabaut’s initial inspiration for My Mechanics Place stemmed from his Navy days, using a base hobby shop to assist a friend with a transmission change. This experience planted the seed for his entrepreneurial venture decades later.
Despite initial skepticism from family, Rabaut pursued his vision. A 23-page business plan, a stroke in 2011, and financial hurdles couldn’t deter him. His father eventually helped him secure funding for the building, previously a truck-trailer business. My Mechanics Place opened in August 2015, facing a slow start. Financial struggles mounted, culminating in a near foreclosure in March 2016. However, a chance encounter with a supportive woman in the lobby provided the encouragement and, as Rabaut describes, “miraculous” intervention to secure financing and persevere.
Since then, My Mechanics Place has flourished, achieving consistent profitability since late 2018. The addition of a U-Haul dealership in 2016 further stabilized revenue, creating a year-round income stream. Rabaut plans to expand to new locations in 2020 and potentially offer car repair courses, further solidifying My Mechanics Place as a cornerstone of do it yourself auto repair in Livonia.
“It’s the best thing I’ve ever done in my life because I’m helping people help themselves,” Rabaut concludes. My Mechanics Place isn’t just a garage; it’s a community hub empowering individuals to save money, learn new skills, and take control of their car maintenance through do it yourself auto repair in Livonia.
