Start a business

[derekdilks]

OK lets hear ideas for a "rover" inspired business, maybe we'll start one together so you can quit that secure high-paying job most of you have... Especially Galen now...

This could be an adventure company that organizes group trips or a custom fabrication and sales business (ECR) or a website that caters to us yahoos...

[Disco96JSWB]

You're welcome to the name I've had in mind for years: Safari Spares, Ltd.

Beyond that contribution, I can't think of a get-rich-slow scheme that has much chance of success.

- Jeremy

[rmuller]

OK lets hear ideas for a "rover" inspired business, maybe we'll start one together so you can quit that secure high-paying job most of you have... Especially Galen now...

This could be an adventure company that organizes group trips or a custom fabrication and sales business (ECR) or a website that caters to us yahoos...

I'd love to run/work for a rover business full time. If you come up with an idea/funding/etc... let me know as I do web design and development professionally.

[solihull109]

Sounds like a grand time,... but it's only cool when you're working on your or your friends junk. Other peoples trucks can be a pain in the ....
It's not really as cool as it may seem. But what do I know?, right Evan?

[cboy]

I agree with Solihull. That's the reason I got out of the car stereo business. While it was fun to build show cars and special projects, the day to day alarm installs and repairing other people's hack jobs drove me nuts. It's only fun if you're working on Rovers on your own terms, once you rely on it for a living, it sorta looses it's luster :(

I'm not saying I wouldn't be interested in guiding off-road camping trips once a month on the side for some extra cash or just for fun but I don't think I want to make a living out of it just yet.

[derekdilks]

How about:

1) Build trucks to our specs NOT the customers, resell as they are, if they want mods beyond what we've done, they go elsewhere (or pay a higher rate to have us do it) Trucks would be Series, RRC's and Defenders. No Disco's, LR3, P38's etc. Nothing wrong with those trucks (I own all of them) but they're not as rare or desirable.... yet....
2) once monthly guided tours, using our trucks or new trucks from a dealer (partnership) a high end experience, we on this forum would prob never pay the prices we charge but a family who wants a high class fun adventure experience would.
3) kick ass website with gallery and info on our products (trucks, custom fab parts etc) info on our lr experience trips, and a forum area

[solihull109]

So what you're saying is, to build "spec" trucks, ( just like houses).
HHmm, maybe, but the mods some customers want would entail ripping said truck back apart, which now ties up time in the shop...., however, still a possibility.

No. 2 I agree with fully. The money is at the upper end. I'm not trying to sound like a tool, but doing work for " club" guys does not pay the bills,.. and if it does, not very well. I see this every day up here.
When I first started up here, I asked Mike why he doesn't do " normal" work on Series , etc... His reply was simply, been there, doesn't work and have moved on. However, the Restoration business is a tough one, it's not all that glamourous,.. and can tie up money( ie cash flow)...
No.3 , YES, there is a HUGE hole in the aftermarket world for Rovers... of all types. I have a TON of things going through my head every second, especially now that I'm up here. I've made a LARGE selection of templates already.
But I wouldn't listen to me though, because according to Evan, I'm TRAVIS LANE.:eek:

[derekdilks]

You mean spec trucks like these... http://www.tlcicon.com/iconsforsale.html these are built on spec and sell themselves before they're even built. Not comparing Rovers to FJ's, just comparing business models.... Rovers would be more expensive ;)

[solihull109]

Not bad. That's how the Beach Runners are, sold before they're built. Along with the 110 Resto's.... works out rather nice.:)

[rmuller]

How about:

1) Build trucks to our specs NOT the customers, resell as they are, if they want mods beyond what we've done, they go elsewhere (or pay a higher rate to have us do it) Trucks would be Series, RRC's and Defenders. No Disco's, LR3, P38's etc. Nothing wrong with those trucks (I own all of them) but they're not as rare or desirable.... yet....


This could be a definite possibility if there is enough talent, as Carey said, it's what ECR does for the beach runners... you'd have to do it similar to the TLCIcons... get NAS Defenders, completely restore/rebuild them, sell for a premium. Requires talent and an initial investment...



2) once monthly guided tours, using our trucks or new trucks from a dealer (partnership) a high end experience, we on this forum would prob never pay the prices we charge but a family who wants a high class fun adventure experience would.

We don't really have the land out here to offer any sort of 'high class fun adventure experiences' ... Taking a yuppie family to the pine barrens in their new range rover wouldn't exactly be all too rewarding I'm sure. There are a few companies that offer 4x4 training and have property, such as www.overlandexperts.com



3) kick ass website with gallery and info on our products (trucks, custom fab parts etc) info on our lr experience trips, and a forum area

Thought of it many times in the past... going to actually put something together in the future, but only as a hobby, not as a business.. there are not enough people in the LR community to make it profitable though. People won't really pay monthly fees for anything, since there are other free forums, so the only way to generate revenue would be advertisements.. Landroversonly.com does that, and did make a decent amount of $$, but nothing to quit a day job over...

As for a website, Atlantic British and Rovers North have a good web presence.. neither site is really amazing though, not all too easy to use, but you'll find your part eventually. Roverland Parts has a very nice setup for indexing their used parts... Red Rhino had a good idea a couple of years ago, which was to make deals with all the aftermarket companies (rte, gbr, 4x4ag, nwp) and dropship their parts, unfortunately it proved to be more than they could handle apparently... so I don't know if that market is now screwed up since I know a lot of vendors don't like that idea any more.

[derekdilks]

A good test would be to:

1) build a kick ass D110 better than an ECR or a TLC Icon build: Est build cost $120k
2) have some professional studio pictures taken and place ads in Robb Report, Dupont Registry, Dubai Times etc etc: Est Cost $10k
3) build a one page website with image gallery and info: Est cost $3-4K

Total investment $134k

Asking price $155k-$195k

If someone buys at full price you're in business. Repeat as nec.
If someone buys at cost you break even
If no one buys you have a kick ass D110 to drive around.

Is this not a very realistic plan?

[solihull109]

A kick ass 110 better than ECR will be more than that. I know what goes into them here, and you're not there.:)
And if it were that easy, everyone with $ would be doing it.

[derekdilks]

A kick ass 110 better than ECR will be more than that. I know what goes into them here, and you're not there.:)
And if it were that easy, everyone with $ would be doing it.

I figured there was a hole in the formula somewhere, but I thought it would be getting someone to pay north of $155k.

[cboy]

1) build a kick ass D110 better than an ECR or a TLC Icon build: Est build cost $120k

Are you accounting for tools, shop space, and man hours? Now, if I already owned a full service garage with all the right tools... :D

[solihull109]

I think he's talking about the truck, parts and man hours. If you had to factor in the cost of the shop and tools,.....:eek:
A mechanic is expected to have tools,...:) or so my Snap On driver keeps telling me...;)

[cboy]

yes, a mechanic is expected to have a full set of tools. I meant shop tools as in welder, plasma cutter, blaster cabinet, tube bender..etc. I'm just thinking what I'm missing if I were to do this.