Thread: Feedback wanted - 10k Touring machines

As much as I think you may have a good idea, I struggle to see you making a living selling $10K D1's (or similar in other makes). I am just thinking (out loud) here but can anyone remember the last time an early Disco sold for that sort of money. Whether is was a one elderly owner or a full on beast.

It has already been said that your market may well be to offer good reliable vehicles and add the bling as an option to your customers requests or let them do it themselves with you supplying the parts. I believe anyone that contemplates using this type (read age) of vehicle is someone that would also enjoy "making it their own".

Don't get me wrong, I think you are onto something and as I am not a fan of modern cars (my youngest car is a D1), I applaud you for trying to keep the "older" models on the road.

Good luck but do lots of homework.

I guess the answer would be yes if it came with some sort of "useful" warranty that was worth more than the paper it was written on...!!

What might be a better option would be to sell the vehicle with a voucher, for say $1,000 worth of accessories, that came with the vehicle whereby the new owner could pick n choose what they wanted and customise the vehicle to their tastes.... like in the old days where you went into the dealer and went through the options list and ticked the boxes that you wanted, came back a week later and picked up your new (in this case used) vehicle all decked out.

Its a more personal approach by the dealer in what is perceived a very impersonal (usually) market sector.

Just my $0.02

Cheers,
Tricky

Originally Posted by Adz

Hi Guys,

I'm wanting to get some feedback from the general 4wd buying public. I'm a third generation Car dealer who runs a yard that specialise mainly in dual cab utes, commercials, Suv's and soft roaders but I have been thinking a lot lately about a different sort of path. We are mainly involved in later model stuff starting from around the 15k up to 30 odd. My thoughts are trending towards going to an older style of vehicle with maybe closer to 200,000k's (mainly because this is where market value does tend to drop out of the vehicles even though they may be we mechanically sound) but being quite thorough in the reconditioning process and spending a bit of money on decent accessories to fit the vehicles out properly for touring and camping, things like roof racks, drawers, decent All-Terrain tyres, even UHF setups and things like that. Obviously things like turbo diesel hundred series cruisers aren't going to fit the bill but Certainly Disco 1's and 2's, Earlier model Petrol GU Patrols from say 1999 - 2002 I think could work, early 2000 model dual cabs (not Hiluxes, they're still ridiculous money for what they are) stuff like that. The goal would be to basically have them fairly decked out at a price around the 10k. I guess what I am asking as we're all land rover buffs here is would you guys be willing to pay 10k for say a 300 Tdi Disco 1 that had been gone over thouroghly mechanically wise and came with a proper road worthy, a bit of gear say a 2inch suspension lift, some 31" All terrains and things like roof racks, snorkel maybe a UHF or something like that? All feedback is appreciated. Let me have it

Hey mate really interesting idea, and I think appealing for people with money but no time or space.

I think what you could aim for is a poor man's version of the Les Richmond 'Storm Series'. Where say you get a D1 at base price of 6k with a roadworthy etc.

Then offer packages at point of sale or inquiry: tourer 10k (ATs, lift, UHF) or crawler 10k (muddies, winch) or maybe a 15k option as well (tyres, lockers, axles, winch).

So the customer gets a car with a legit warranty, quality mods (no wacky lifts or Chinese muddies, I'm talking Oztec shocks, Hankook or toyo muddies or something) and ready to go.

This kind of setup simulates like a new car at a dealer, you could pick the bullbar etc, except a customer can get a legit 4x4 like a disco 1 or maybe they even bring their current rig to you and you sort it out and put the package on.

The 4x4 industry is booming, so wise to get on board I think. There are a lot of companies that sell cheap accessories, but I don't think many that fit them, and most are bolt on crap like RTT. So if you offer a service where you couple quality, cheap old 4x4s and QUALITY UPGRADES, with a proper warranty I think it will work out.

Adz, I am a former used car dealer. I doubt if you could do that for 10 big ones and still keep a decent profit and have some fat in the deal to load a dog trade-in. Best % margins in the industry used to be received by bomb dealers. Buy cheapies at auction: a quick clean down: keep the asking price under the warranty point; and if the heads come back and complain tell them "no warranty on cheapies, **** off".

I mention trade-ins because customers looking for cheap buys always have a dud trade for which they expect top dollar as if it was a 100 point concours car. If they had a trade I didn't wish to handle even to sell to wreckers then I used to offer them the amount of fat in the deal as "no trade discount, keep your car and sell it yourself".

Originally Posted by Bigbjorn

Adz, I am a former used car dealer. I doubt if you could do that for 10 big ones and still keep a decent profit and have some fat in the deal to load a dog trade-in. Best % margins in the industry used to be received by bomb dealers. Buy cheapies at auction: a quick clean down: keep the asking price under the warranty point; and if the heads come back and complain tell them "no warranty on cheapies, **** off".

I mention trade-ins because customers looking for cheap buys always have a dud trade for which they expect top dollar as if it was a 100 point concours car. If they had a trade I didn't wish to handle even to sell to wreckers then I used to offer them the amount of fat in the deal as "no trade discount, keep your car and sell it yourself".

I'd probably disagree with you a bit there mainly because most people if you are honest with, explain to them how margins work these days most people understand and see why the value of there trade is what it is. The internet has changed the way we do business these days so most of the time customers have a reasonable idea of what their old cars worth so I'm not worried about it. Not to mention, in my experience very few people are trying to trade in a vehicle on a 10 grand 4x4 anyway. It's always a case of spend the money on the car to start with so it doesn't have to come back. Never tried to have the best margins and never will. Good Car for a Good price is the best way to do it.

Originally Posted by Wicks89

Hey mate really interesting idea, and I think appealing for people with money but no time or space.

I think what you could aim for is a poor man's version of the Les Richmond 'Storm Series'. Where say you get a D1 at base price of 6k with a roadworthy etc.

Then offer packages at point of sale or inquiry: tourer 10k (ATs, lift, UHF) or crawler 10k (muddies, winch) or maybe a 15k option as well (tyres, lockers, axles, winch).

So the customer gets a car with a legit warranty, quality mods (no wacky lifts or Chinese muddies, I'm talking Oztec shocks, Hankook or toyo muddies or something) and ready to go.

This kind of setup simulates like a new car at a dealer, you could pick the bullbar etc, except a customer can get a legit 4x4 like a disco 1 or maybe they even bring their current rig to you and you sort it out and put the package on.

The 4x4 industry is booming, so wise to get on board I think. There are a lot of companies that sell cheap accessories, but I don't think many that fit them, and most are bolt on crap like RTT. So if you offer a service where you couple quality, cheap old 4x4s and QUALITY UPGRADES, with a proper warranty I think it will work out.

I'll have a look into those Les Richmond ones but they seem to be just an absolute **** and over capitialisation on an old vehicle. I'd imagine theyd be lucky to do a handful of those things a year. I'd like a product that someone can actually get rid of after a few years without losing a deposit on a small house along the way. Doesn't make for a good case of returning customers...

Originally Posted by Adz

I'll have a look into those Les Richmond ones but they seem to be just an absolute **** and over capitialisation on an old vehicle. I'd imagine theyd be lucky to do a handful of those things a year. I'd like a product that someone can actually get rid of after a few years without losing a deposit on a small house along the way. Doesn't make for a good case of returning customers...

Yeah I don't disagree with you, I'm not saying go anywhere near that level, but that concept is what I'm referring to.

In their case they start with a donor vehicle that you bring them or that they source and build an over the top package around that.

The part I think you could emulate is starting with the blank canvas that is sound (as you indicated) and add the package the customer wants within the price realm you're looking at (10-20k for the total purchase).

I have been thinking about this for the last few days and I think you're onto something.

My MIL just spent $25k on a well used HiAce camper. Its the newer shape (i think its a 2012 model?) with inverter, battery, fridge, gas cooker etc. She has little idea how any of it actually works...

But she loves it!

Theres heaps of people in campervans all over the place - hire ones or cheapies they found online. Whether that interest extends into 4x4 vehicles i dunno. Maybe if you included a driver training day as part of the deal? Then people who usually travel in a van might feel they could jump up to a 4x4?