There's a brand new business concept offering do-it-yourself auto repair options. If you have a car problem and need to fix it yourself, but you don't have the space, this might be your solution.
DIY Auto Garage is located off Westheimer in southwest Houston and offers amateur mechanics a space to rent hourly to tinker on automobiles.
Minh Do is a handy customer who wanted to save money and do his own car maintenance after having a couple of bad experiences at auto shops.
"Even with a basic oil change a lot of things can go wrong, they can strip your bulbs, forget to tighten your oil filter, and then when you bring it back it's such a hassle," Do said.
For $10 he rented a space at DIY Auto Garage and can change his oil for less than half the price of retail.
"If I do it myself I have no one to blame but myself," Do said.
But there are first-timers at the shop who get expert assistance from the owner, Lee Gomes.
"That is my coach right over there. He lets me know if I am doing something right or wrong," said novice Ryan Frost.
It's worth learning the trade because Gomes says the savings are huge - at minimum 60 percent.
"On a typical break job, a shop would charge anywhere from $100 to 150, depending on what you have to do. You come here pay your $25 for your parts," Gomes said. "You come here and you might get a brake job done in a hour so that's what $45?"
The price breakdown is as follows - a space rental fee is normally $28 an hour, but now there is a grand opening special of $20 per hour.
"So for $20 you will get a lift, you will get tools, a set of hand tools to work on your car, but some specialty tools we will charge a little extra," Gomes said.
DIY oil changes cost $10 to rent the space. For more time consuming jobs that do not require a lift, the charge is $15 an hour.
Have a larger project? To rent the space for a day or a week, the price comes down and a flat fee is agreed upon between the car owner and DIY Auto Garage.
It's not just the guys who love the concept; the wives are also on board.
"This makes it so much easier and then I don't have to worry about my garage getting all messed up," said wife Denise Hall.
For those without any experience working on cars, Gomes plans to hold workshops on the weekends. For more information, click here.