Not long ago, a gentleman from Virginia had contacted me as he wanted to start a mobile oil change business and operate it out of the back of his pickup truck. He was currently a contract hauler and truck driver, and he knew enough about preventative maintenance, and servicing truck fleets, that he thought he would make a go of it. He wanted my honest assessment on whether I thought this was feasible. Indeed I do, but let me explain.

You see, before retirement, I ran a franchising company which offered mobile oil change units, and we offered them in many states. As we were developing this business model, and I must say the concept was more or less an accident because we were in the fleet vehicle washing business, but we also realized through requests from fleet customers that they also needed oil change services. My theory in business is that if a customer wants something, and you can provide that service or product and still make money, you ought to consider it, so we did.

We originally set up our units in the back of vans, and on flatbed trucks. Later, we set up some units on trailers, but really it is not the platform that matters as much as the layout and design of the equipment for maximum efficiency. You see when you are changing the oil in fleets of vehicles the money is in the time, not necessarily in the price per unit or job. Yes, there are costs with regards to filters, oil, wiper blades and such things, but the biggest cost is labor, therefore you have to maximize your production just as you would in an assembly-line.

So to answer the gentleman’s question; “can I run a one-man mobile oil change business from my pickup truck?” The answer is absolutely yes, if you do it right. You see, a pickup truck is a small platform, there is not necessarily a lot of space even in a long-bed pickup truck. If the equipment is clustered properly, and the fresh oil tanks, and the reclaim oil tanks are put at a low center of gravity, then it is possible to get everything into the back of the pickup truck and make it work; including the filling hoses, an E-Vac system, air compressor, and storage boxes for filters and such.

It is just a matter of layout, and the will to get it done – I suppose after that the only difficult remaining item is getting the customers to sign up for the service. Indeed I hope you will please consider all this and think on it.

Buying used trucks is as American as apple pie. For whatever reason, Americans love their pickup trucks. Perhaps it is because you love the sexy look of a pickup. Or maybe it is because of its versatility.

Trucks can used to haul other toys such as boats and campers, motorcycles and wave-runners. Trucks can be used to move your neighbor or help you add to your antique furniture collection.

Trucks can help you around the house or take you from house to house as you go garage-saleing.

There is just something about a pickup truck!

Back in-the-day, there were pretty much just standard pickup trucks built for working. This is so not true today. Trucks come in all shapes and sizes. There are different sized cabs, different size beds and different size engines, such a wide variety to choose from. They even come ready to sync with your computer so you can use your truck as an office.

With all the options today it is a good idea to sit down and figure out what and how you will be using the truck before buying a used truck.

You’ll want to consider if you will have passengers and if so you may want to choose a crew cab or extended cab so there is room for everybody.

Another thing to consider is the size of load you will be hauling. If you have a lot to load into your used truck you may want to get the extended bed version. If you want a used truck for its image, you may want to choose the sleek look of a short bed pickup.

If you are going to tow 4-wheelers out into the rough terrain, you may want to consider a 4 x 4 with a powerful engine so that you can get in and out of the wilderness easily. If you are someone that lives in a warm climate state with no hills, a 2 x 2 will do just fine.

Consider the accessories you will need with the pickup of your choice. If you are hauling a camper or trailer of any sort, you may want the deluxe powered side mirrors to avoid smacking into anything that may be behind you.

If you have to get Grandma up into the passenger’s seat, it may require running boards so that you don’t have to heave her rear-end up into the truck to take her to the grocery store.

Oh, and then there are the endless types of running lights that can show off your pickup. If you are one that simply likes the look and feel of driving a pickup,(ohhh, ohhh, ohhh as Tim Allen used to say), then by all means, you will need loads of lights. Look for a package that lights the truck up like a Christmas tree.