The Mecano Shop Blog
Running an independent auto repair shop, in dollars and hours.
Written by the Mecano Team for shop owners, service managers and technicians. Numbers are sourced or labelled as examples. Subscribe by RSS.
- Regional guides
California Auto Repair Estimate Requirements: What the BAR Expects From Your Shop
A plain-language checklist of California BAR estimate, authorization, invoice and record rules for repair shops, built from BAR and statute sources. · 9 min read · Mecano Team - Regional guides
GST, HST and PST on Auto Repair Invoices in Canada, by Province
What goes on a GST/HST invoice for auto repair in Canada: which tax applies to parts and labour in each province, with regulator links and a checklist. · 9 min read · Mecano Team - Shop operations
Digital Vehicle Inspection for Auto Repair Shops: From Findings to Approved Work
How to run a digital vehicle inspection in an auto repair shop: check order, photo rules, finding wording, estimate texts and decline follow-ups, with scripts. · 9 min read · Mecano Team - Shop operations
Effective Labour Rate for Auto Repair: Why Billing $140 an Hour Can Net Less
Effective labour rate in auto repair is what you collect per paid hour, not the posted rate. See the formula, where hours leak, and how to set a rate. · 9 min read · Mecano Team - AI for shops
AI for Auto Repair Shops: What It Can Do, What It Can't, and What a Human Must Approve
Where AI helps an independent repair shop (calls, texts, summaries), where a person must decide, and how to test an AI receptionist before it takes a call. · 9 min read · Mecano Team - Regional guides
Auto Repair Estimate Laws in Ontario: Written Estimates, the 10% Limit and Invoices
Auto repair estimate laws Ontario shops must follow: written estimates, the 10% limit and invoices, with a copyable estimate checklist. · 9 min read · Mecano Team - Shop operations
Average Repair Order for an Auto Shop, and 4 Other Weekly Numbers
Average repair order for an auto shop (ARO), plus car count, labour rate, parts profit and comebacks: formulas and illustrative CAD examples. · 9 min read · Mecano Team - Shop software
How to Choose Auto Repair Shop Management Software: A 15-Point Buyer's Checklist
A neutral 15-point checklist, 12 demo questions and a switching-cost worksheet for choosing auto repair shop management software. No vendor ranking. · 10 min read · Mecano Team