Short answer: yes, but usually as two pieces. The frame machine and the lift fit an equipment agreement secured by the machines; the bay's concrete, electrical and building work fits a term loan.
A Greenshore Lending article for Harrisonburg, Virginia repair shops: how a frame machine, a lift and a second service bay can be funded in one request with two parts, what a lender reads, invented payment figures and a checklist.
The Direct Answer: One Request, Two Kinds of Funding
A frame machine and the lift that goes with it are movable equipment with a resale market, which is what equipment financing is built for: the machines secure the agreement, and the term follows their working life. The second bay itself, with its slab, drains, air lines, lighting and electrical service, is an improvement to the building. It stays with the property if the shop moves, so lenders usually fund it with a term loan instead.
A shop can send one request that names both parts. A partner can then review the equipment and the building work side by side and offer one or two agreements.
What Harrisonburg, VA Figures Show About Auto Repair Shops
Harrisonburg, VA had 48 automotive repair and maintenance employers in 2023 according to County Business Patterns, together employing 206 people with a combined payroll of $9.4 million. Thirty-two of the 48, two thirds, had fewer than five employees, and 23 were general automotive repair shops. A separate ZIP Code Business Patterns count found 28 repair employers with a ZIP 22802 address, which takes in ground outside the city limits. Nonemployer Statistics counted 59 repair businesses with no paid staff in 2024, a separate program and year.
For a shop with three or four people, a second bay is a large step: it adds capacity, but also a technician's wages and a new set of payments.
Automotive Repair Equipment Financing Company for Harrisonburg, VA Auto Repair Shops
Equipment for a repair shop can be financed through an equipment finance company, a bank, a credit union or the equipment vendor's own program. Vendor programs can be convenient; independent lenders may price differently. A frame machine for collision work comes with anchoring, measuring systems and training, and the quote should itemize each.
- Frame machine or bench, with its measuring system and clamps.
- Lift for the new bay, with installation and anchoring.
- Air lines, compressor upgrades and lighting.
- Training on the frame machine and measuring system.
Auto Repair Shop Financing for Harrisonburg, VA Auto Repair Shops: the Building Side
Before pricing the bay, check three things. Does the lease allow the shop to add a bay, and will the landlord consent in writing? Does the slab meet the lift maker's requirements, or does it need new concrete? Does the work need city permits? Inside Harrisonburg, permits run through the city's Department of Community Development; the city zoning and permits guide covers the questions.
A lender funding building work in a leased space wants a lease that runs at least as long as the loan. The Harrisonburg, VA zoning and building permits guide lists the city steps.
An Invented Frame Machine, Lift and Bay
Illustration only, invented figures: a shop prices a frame machine at an invented $34,000 and a lift at $9,500, $43,500 of equipment in all. Financed over 60 months at an invented annual rate of 9.5%, the equipment payment is about $914 a month, about $54,815 in total (our arithmetic).
The bay's building work is an invented $22,000. On a term loan over 84 months at an invented annual rate of 10%, that payment is about $365 a month, about $30,679 in total (our arithmetic). Equipment and building payments added together: about $1,279 a month for the shop (our arithmetic). The shop's question is whether the added bay's jobs cover that, plus a technician's wages.
Business Loans for an Auto Repair Shop: Parts Accounts Next to the New Bay
A second bay means more jobs in progress, and more parts bought on account before customers or insurers pay. A credit line for parts, drawn and repaid job by job, keeps the supplier current while the bay ramps up. Collision repairs paid by insurers can take weeks, so the line should be sized to the jobs waiting on payment, not to a single week's parts.
Parts kept on the shelf, such as filters, fluids and common brake parts, are stock; a shop with a large shelf inventory can look at inventory financing, though a line may cover a small shop's needs.
A Checklist Before Asking for a Frame Machine and a Bay
- Get itemized equipment quotes, with installation and training.
- Get a contractor's bid for the bay's building work.
- Confirm the landlord's consent and the lease term.
- Ask the city whether the bay work needs permits, and how long review usually runs.
- Estimate the jobs the bay will add and the technician you will hire.
- Gather bank statements, the latest tax return and existing debts.
- Send one request naming both parts, and compare offers on total cost.
Auto repair shop loans covers lifts, balancers and shop purchases, and the Harrisonburg, VA business page has the city counts.
By Greenshore Lending · Updated
