Sell More Repairs With Easy Buy Now, Pay Later Options From Tekmerchant

There are tons of daily and long-term decisions you have to make to continue growing your business. That means there's a lot of information to keep track of to stay organized.

With the right tools, like real-time reports in your shop management system, it's easier to organize and track everything happening in your shop and to use all of that data at your disposal. In this case, that tool is a modern shop management system.

With every aspect of your shop managed and tracked with a cloud-based SMS, shop owners can use real-time reports to forecast the health of their business and gain a sense of how much money their garage is expected to make before the end of a week, month, or year. 

Here are the most important auto repair shop metrics to track in a cloud-based shop management system.

If you're running an auto repair shop, investing in a car lift is essential. A high-quality vehicle lift makes it easier to work on cars, increases efficiency, and ensures safety. But how much does it actually cost to install a car lift? That depends on the type of lift, installation costs, and other factors such as weight capacity and safety features. Let’s break it all down so you can pick the best automotive lift for your needs.

Do you need a car lift?

Car lifts are essential in auto repair shops because they provide mechanics with better access to a vehicle’s undercarriage, making inspections, repairs, and maintenance tasks safer, more efficient, and more comfortable. Unlike floor jacks, lifts offer a stable and elevated workspace, reducing the risk of injuries and improving workflow.

With a car lift, technicians can quickly perform tasks such as oil changes, brake repairs, exhaust system work, and suspension adjustments without having to crawl under the vehicle. This efficiency leads to faster turnaround times and higher shop productivity.

Additionally, lifts help maximize shop space by allowing vertical storage for vehicles, which is especially useful in high-volume repair shops. Overall, car hoists are a fundamental investment for any auto repair shop looking to enhance efficiency, safety, and the quality of service provided to customers.

Types of car lifts and their costs

Each type of lift has its pros and cons. Some lifts are better for oil change shops and some are better for tire or repair shops. In general, car lifts can cost between $1,000 and $20,000 depending on brand, lift capacity, lift height, and features. Here’s a comprehensive look at the most common lift options for your shop.

Two-Post car lifts

A two-post car lift is one of the most popular choices for auto repair shops. They are popular because they take up less space and can be affordable depending on features. Make sure to plan out your shop layout as these lifts are permanent and cannot be easily moved. These hoists come in asymmetric and symmetric configurations, allowing flexibility based on vehicle type.

• Price: $3,000 - $10,000
• Best For: General repair shops working on SUVs and smaller cars.
• Lift capacity: 5,000 - 10,000 lbs.
• Popular brands: BendPak, Rotary, Tuxedo.
• Advantages: High lifting capacity while saving space for smaller shops.

Four-Post lifts

A four-post lift provides greater stability and weight capacity, making it ideal for heavier vehicles. If your shop works on a lot of trucks or heavy-duty vehicles, the four-post lift might be the best lift for you. Tire and brake shops should avoid these lifts as the tires sit on the lift making it difficult to work on these areas.

• Price: $5,000 - $25,000
• Best For: Dealerships and professional shops.
• Lift capacity: 7,000 - 14,000 lbs.
• Popular brands: BendPak, Titan, Tuxedo, Rotary.
• Advantages: Heavier lifting capacity for larger vehicles.

Scissor lifts

If saving space is your top priority, the scissor lift may be your best option. They are almost invisible when not in use and lie flat on the ground to optimize garage space. Double check the lift capacity and height to make sure it can accommodate the types of vehicles you work on.

• Price: $1,500 - $10,000
• Best For: Quick repair shops where space is limited.
• Lift capacity: 5,000 - 15,000 lbs.
• Brands: QuickJack, BendPak, MaxJax
• Advantages: Compact and cheaper.

In-Ground lifts

In-ground car lifts are a great choice for shops that work on heavier vehicles and want to save space. These lifts are the perfect balance of the space saving capabilities of a scissor lift while also providing optimal strength for large vehicles.

• Price: $10,000 - $25,000
• Best For: Repair shops and dealerships.
• Lift capacity: 5,000 - 20,000 lbs.
• Brands: BendPak, Rotary, Atlas
• Advantages: Compact while also offering enough muscle.

Portable car lifts

If your shop layout frequently changes or you are a mobile mechanic, a portable lift may be the best option. These lifts can be easily moved around a garage or taken to a job site and are often the cheapest option. However, they can be less reliable and don’t provide the same level of strength as a stationary lift.

• Price: $500 - $5,000
• Best For: Home garages, mobile mechanics, DIY enthusiasts.
• Lift capacity: 5,000 - 10,000 lbs.
• Brands: QuickJack, MaxJax
• Advantages: Affordable, compact, mobile.

Installation prices for car lifts

Installing a vehicle lift is not just about purchasing the unit. You also need to consider the installation costs, which can vary depending on the type of lift and garage setup. Here are the main factors affecting installation costs:

1. Concrete requirements

Most lifts, especially two-post car lifts and four-post lifts, require a thick concrete base. If your floor isn’t thick enough, you may need reinforcement, which adds to the cost.

2. Electrical setup

Lifts need power, and if your garage isn’t wired for it, you’ll need an electrician.

3. Air compressors & accessories

Some lifts require compressors and additional balancer tools for operation.

4. Professional installation

Hiring a pro ensures the lift is ALI-certified and meets safety regulations.

Choosing the right car lift for your auto repair shop

Each type of lift comes with its own advantages, making it important to choose the right one based on your needs. Here are some things to consider when making your decision:

• How big is your shop?
• Which repair services do you offer?
• What is your budget?
• Does the lift offer a warranty?

• Will you garage layout change over time?
• How important is a car lift warranty to you?
• How heavy will the vehicles you work on be?
• What is the average review rating of the lift?
• How easy or hard is the lift to install?
• How much will the maintenance cost?

Final thoughts

Installing a vehicle lift in your auto repair shop is a smart investment. Whether you choose a two-post car lift, scissor lifts, or portable lift, knowing the lift cost and installation costs upfront can help you budget wisely. Whatever you choose, ensure it’s ALI-certified for safety and performance. Lastly, don’t forget about regular maintenance and safety inspections to ensure your lift continues to run for many years.

A Note from Sunil: Why We Built Tektonic 2026

Over the years, I’ve had thousands of conversations with shop owners, advisors, and technicians across the country. No matter the size of the shop or how long you’ve been using Tekmetric, I keep hearing the same two things:

You want a place to learn from each other.
And you want deeper, hands-on Tekmetric training.

That’s exactly why we built Tektonic 2026.

If you’ve already found this page, you probably know the basics: three days in Houston, April 9-11, built for owners, advisors, and technicians from every kind of shop and every kind of system. Tektonic is about one thing — helping you get better results, faster, with practical education, shop-tested playbooks, and product training you can actually use.

Here’s a sneak peek at what we have in store, at what that really means for you and your team.

For Owners: Stop Profit from Slipping Through the Cracks

You already work hard. The question is whether every hour and every RO is actually paying you back.

Breakout: Unlock Hidden Profits Without Blowing Up What Already Works — Alex Saladna, CEO, WickedFile

‍Even well-run shops leak profit in the back office: unclaimed credits, fees that never get billed, vendor mistakes that never get caught. This session is about tightening all of that up without burning everything down and starting over.

You’ll walk away with:

• Simple audits you can run regularly to spot hidden losses
• A clear view of where profit usually disappears — and how to plug those holes
• Ways to automate repetitive tasks so more dollars stay in the business

If you’ve ever felt like your top line looks good but the bottom line doesn’t match the grind, this one’s worth circling.

Breakout: ADAS & Required Calibrations: Protect Your Shop and Your Customers — Joel Adcock, Director of Strategic Partnerships, Revv

‍Late-model vehicles roll in, ADAS is everywhere, and the liability is real. Missed calibrations aren’t just a line item you forgot to bill — they’re a safety issue and a trust issue.

You’ll walk away with:

• Clarity on when calibrations are required and how to identify them
• How to bake calibrations into your SOPs and ROs so they don’t get missed
• Practical ways to educate your team and your customers on why this matters

The goal: fix vehicles right the first time, protect your reputation, and make sure you’re charging appropriately for the work you’re already responsible for.

Breakout: Scale on Purpose, Not by Accident — Jesse Jackson & Brian Walden, Mango Automotive

‍If you’ve ever wondered how some shops jump to eight figures while you’re fighting for steady month-over-month growth, Jesse and Brian are going to walk you through the playbook they actually used.

For managers: Master the Maelstrom — Aaron Blair, Director of Operations, Alloy Automotive Partners

In the fast lane of auto service, chaos is inevitable—but profit isn’t. Aaron Blair, systems architect behind Blair and Alloy Automotive, shows how to turn daily disorder into precision workflow with tactical frameworks to control every moving part, from dispatching ROs to winning buy-in from techs and advisors.

You’ll learn how to:

• Use systems to get ahead: Build smarter workflows with dispatch boards, SOPs, and tech scoreboards to spot bottlenecks early.
• Maximize your day: Treat your calendar as a tool with time blocks for RO triage, tech coaching, and margin reviews.
• Create team consistency: Rely on huddles, checklists, and incentives so every team member stays aligned and executes to standard.
  

Also in the owner-focused track at Tektonic:

• Reporting Deep Dive: Making Sense of Tekmetric’s Dashboards
• From Invoice to Insights: Using Tekmetric to Master Shop Financials
• Love the Shop Again: Mindset Shifts to Lead, Inspire, and Grow
• Build It and They Will Come: How to Open a Shop That Stands Out, Attracts Talent, and Builds Loyalty Fast
• Powering Growth with Tekmetric Payments: From Faster Cash Flow to Customer Financing
• Running MSOs: Tools and Best Practices

For Service Advisors: Turn Conversations into Trust and Revenue

Advisors are the heartbeat of the shop. When they’re trained, supported, and set up well in the system, everything feels smoother…for you and your customers.

Breakout: Is Your Advisor Making You 100K or Losing You 100K? — Greg Bunch, Chief Officer, Transformers Institute

‍Owners and advisors will both get a lot out of this one. Greg walks through how a single advisor can swing six figures either way — and what to do about it. 

You’ll walk away with:

• A ready-to-use hiring funnel with a job ad, screening script, and one-hour audition plan
• A 90-day onboarding and training plan with daily drills and talk tracks
• A simple scorecard to track call conversion, ARO, and appointment close ratio

If you’ve ever hired an advisor on “gut feel” and hoped for the best, this session will give you a better way.

Breakout: High Impact Sales: The Words That Build Long-Term Customers — Sabrina Wilkerson, Business Performance Analyst, Elite Worldwide

‍Advisors, this one is built for you. Customers don’t just buy the work — they buy the way you explain it. Sabrina breaks down what to say, how to say it, and how to stay ethical and honest while still driving approvals.

You’ll walk away with:

• Practical ways to generate higher profits through better conversations at the counter
• Tools to build long-term trust so people come back and send their friends
• Confidence to show up as the credible expert instead of “just another shop”

These are skills you can practice in the room and use on your very next phone call.

Breakout Bundle: Tekmetric Tools That Make Every Day at the Counter Less Chaotic

‍On top of the coaching and hiring sessions, we’re going deep on the actual tools advisors live in all day. The focus is simple: fewer dropped balls, clearer priorities, better follow-up, and a system that supports your advisors instead of slowing them down.

You’ll walk away with:

• Cleaner workflows from first call to follow-up
• Better visibility into which jobs to prioritize and when
• Fewer “I thought you had it” moments between the front counter and the bay

Advisor-focused Tekmetric sessions include:

• Tekmetric Service Workflow Deep Dive
• Advisor Dashboard Training: Prioritizing the Right Jobs, Every Time
• Advisor Toolkit Jam: Quotes, Smart Jobs, Templates & Follow-Up
• Shaping the Future of Service Advisor Tools in Tekmetric

For Technicians: Build Skills, Confidence, and a Real Path Forward

Great techs want two things: the right tools and a future.

Breakout: How to Run Monster Hours — Ryan Blair, CEO and Co-Founder, Alloy Automotive Partners

As a dealer technician turned one man band shop owner, Ryan Blair averaged 500 hours a month in production. In this session, you will get a breakdown of the mindset, systems, tips, and tricks to increase your production no matter what kind of shop you are working in.

Takeaways:

• How to play the game: maximizing the relationship with the front of house
• The surprising math behind the things you didn't realize are holding your production back
• Master the mindsets and beliefs to become the number one producer in your shop

Owners: this is a great session to send your high-potential techs to if you want them thinking bigger.

Breakout: Profit in the Bay: How Techs Win with DVIs and Efficiency Tracking

‍Being a great technician isn’t just about fixing cars. It’s about seeing the payoff from the work you do. In this Tekmetric training session, we’ll connect the dots between the work in the bay and the numbers on the screen.

You’ll walk away with:

• How solid DVIs drive higher approval rates
• How photos, notes, and videos make it easy for customers to say “yes”
• How efficiency tracking shows your impact — on the shop and on your paycheck

The goal is to give techs a clear line of sight from “I turned this wrench” to “I made this much difference.”

Breakout: ON-TRACK with DIN Diagrams + VCDS 101 — Travis Ruiz, Technical Support Consultant, German Car Support

‍If VW/Audi work feels like it takes twice as long as it should, these sessions are for you.

You’ll walk away with:

• Practice finding the correct wiring diagrams and navigating service info
• A walkthrough of the VCDS interface: scans, fault codes, live data, and basic functions
• Real-world tips for using VCDS to diagnose and fix problems faster

For techs who want to sharpen their skills on European cars, this is time well spent.

For techs who want even more time in the tools:

• Tekmetric Mobile App Deep Dive: Workflow at Your Fingertips
• DVI + Mobile App End-to-End Training: Photos, Video, Notes & Approvals
• Unlocking Smarter Repairs in Tekmetric

Big-Room Moments That Shift How You Lead

On top of 50+ breakout sessions, Tektonic’s general sessions are built to stretch how you think about your business and your role in it:

• Keynote: From Mainstreet to Millionaire — Codie Sanchez, Contrarian Thinking
  Why “boring” businesses like auto repair can be the foundation of serious wealth if you build them right — and what that means for how you think about profit, risk, and opportunity in your own shop.
• Keynote: Entrepreneurship Simplified — Mike Michalowicz, Profit First
  Practical, straight-talking frameworks for building a healthier business: profit baked in from the start, cleaner cash flow, and systems that don’t fall apart every time you step away from the shop.
• Keynote: Effort Matters, Character Counts — General Robert Neller, USMC (Ret.)
  What effort and character look like on high-trust teams — and how those same principles apply when you’re leading a crew through nonstop cars, parts delays, and the pressure to deliver every day.
• Coaching Power Hour Panel: The Great Shop Coaching Showdown
  Leaders from top coaching groups tackling real shop challenges, side by side, so you can hear different approaches in one fast-paced session.
• Shop Owner Panel: What It Really Takes to Win
  From hiring and training to navigating daily chaos, this panel pulls back the curtain on what different types of high-performing shops are doing to scale, stay profitable, and keep both teams and customers thriving. You’ll hear real talk and real strategies from leaders who are living it every day, not just talking theory from a stage.

Three days in those rooms can change how you lead for the rest of the year.

Bring Your Whole Shop to Houston

Tektonic is built for your whole team:

• Owners getting clear on growth, profit, and where the business is really headed
• Advisors sharpening the conversations that build trust and drive revenue
• Technicians building skills, confidence, and a real path forward in their careers

It’s every shop, every role, under one roof, with zero gatekeeping. Wherever your shop is today — overwhelmed, growing, rebuilding, thriving — Tektonic delivers clarity, community, and practical tools to get to your next result.

Learn more about Tektonic 2026 and register your team HERE.