Starting your own chauffeur driven company..

[Craphouserat]

specifically wedding cars/special event/executive hire etc etc. I'm always reading the best barge's thread and it seems sometimes a bargain pops up now and then.
I have been thinking for some time now about a complete career change and want it to be based around cars/driving. Previously looked into driving instruction, but have decided now to leave that alone.
Currently planning my wedding and recently booked cars for our big day. Some small localish complanies have pretty crappy sheds to transport couples and they charge an absolute fortune for it. I booked with a small company, owner and his wife run it, really look after the pair of you on the big day and I realise that the chaffeurs themselves help make the day, not just a nice motor. After talking with the guy and looking around his two cars it got me thinking more and more about this as a small business. This guy is doing very well for himself, virtually fully booked all next year, I booked for 2011 and he's currently taking bookings for 2012. He cleans all the cars himself/maintenance the lot and does the driving. The cars themselves are 3 years old, 7K on the clock and he is charging us £500 for the pair and that is cheap from what I've been quoted.

There must be a few on PH who have their own car business, any thoughts /advice on the subject would be greatly appreciated. I understand that starting any small business up from scratch will be be expensive and stressful. After our day there will be funds available and I have the OH's permission to look into it fully after our day.

I live near St.Andrews, loads of rich tourists virtually all year round and all local companies are extortionate and booked up, some with really crappy cars. I thought about driving courses and then trying to get p/t work at weekends in the industry. It does seem to one area that has done Ok through the curtrent climate, all the wedding fayre's we've been to have been absolutely mobbed and this has been making me think more and more about this.

Any serious thoughts appreciated.

[BoRED S2upid]

What about catering for the man instead of the woman on their wedding day?. I for one would like to arrive in style my other half wishes to arrive in a horse drawn carridge well the horse better have ear plugs because TVR's make one hell of a noise.

Seriously though im pretty sure you could start a business catering for men with a few classic sports cars. Original Elise, Maybe a Caterham, a classic Ferrari?.

[V8mate]

£500.

Less VAT?

Less fuel, insurance (of the taxi variety), tax, servicing, preparation (time spent and products) for two cars.

Less wages for a driver of the second car.

Plus a working week shaped by your customers; anytime across 24/7.

Then income tax or corporation tax depending on your set-up.

Doesn't sound like a great income.

[V8mate]

BoRED S2upid said:

What about catering for the man instead of the woman on their wedding day?. I for one would like to arrive in style my other half wishes to arrive in a horse drawn carridge well the horse better have ear plugs because TVR's make one hell of a noise.

Seriously though im pretty sure you could start a business catering for men with a few classic sports cars. Original Elise, Maybe a Caterham, a classic Ferrari?.

You'd better turn up half an hour before her then. Do ANYTHING which even slightly takes the attention off the bride and you'll pay for it for the rest of your days.

[Lucie W]

BoRED S2upid said:

Seriously though im pretty sure you could start a business catering for men with a few classic sports cars. Original Elise, Maybe a Caterham, a classic Ferrari?.

I've thought about this before. I've always said that I'll turn up at my wedding in a nice car, and leave in a horse and carriage.

The chaplain at my old school owns quite a few wedding cars, old white Jags and suchlike. He does it in his spare time, but it's a nice little earner, and pays for the upkeep of his P&Js.

[Jgtv]

find the names of a few limited companies who do it in the area. look up there details on companies house this will give you a better idea of the figures your competing against.

Do you have the approprate S Class, LWB 7 series or A8, Old Roller Bentley anything like that? if not how much is it going to cost to get one? can you carry out all the work yourself, make the payments and run it for the first few months until you get enough in the bank to be comfortable.

Is there going to be enough work to keep you busy all week or will you be better of starting it part time?

[crankedup]

As V8Mate suggests, there are overheads, add to his list public liabilty insurance. Not an huge bill for this but each add up, don't even think about going to work without it. Also think about the growing business around the 'getting married in a castle' or mansion or whatever venue. This is taking work away from the wedding hire business and its growing in popularity where the service takes place in same venue as reception, bride and groom also stop over and travel next day. Think long and hard and perhaps dip an part time toe in to see how things go. Whatever you do good luck with it.

[BoRED S2upid]

Jgtv said:

Is there going to be enough work to keep you busy all week or will you be better of starting it part time?

Very good business to start part time. £500 - £1000 a weekend isn't to be sniffed at.

[benny.c]

Lucie W said:

BoRED S2upid said:

Seriously though im pretty sure you could start a business catering for men with a few classic sports cars. Original Elise, Maybe a Caterham, a classic Ferrari?.

I've thought about this before. I've always said that I'll turn up at my wedding in a nice car, and leave in a horse and carriage.

The chaplain at my old school owns quite a few wedding cars, old white Jags and suchlike. He does it in his spare time, but it's a nice little earner, and pays for the upkeep of his P&Js.

I do a groom car with my Mustang. Occasionally it gets used as the brides car too. It's not what I do for a living, just a part time thing.

I do maybe 10/year and it pays for the running costs of the car. By the time you've paid your insurance, advertising etc there isn't much left though. Even a short wedding takes up most of the day by the time you've washed the car in the morning, hung around for the photographer to take millions of pictures etc. Also factor in the cost of wedding fayres which can be expensive (I am subcontract to a company who pay for mine) and the time to attend these.

Also remember that when a wedding goes over budget, first for the chop will be the grooms car as (in the eyes of the bride) it is far from essential. At wedding fayres I've lost count of the times the groom has been very enthusiastic, only for the bride to say, "lets see what money we've got left after everything else is booked". The groom then walks off in a sulk to look at table decorations and the chocolate fountain.

£500-£1,000 per weekend sounds great but I doubt you'll get it. I speak to a lot of wedding car guys at the fayres and many of them are really struggling. Booking two years in advance doesn't mean you are busy, that's just how long it takes to plan weddings for some people. Part time though you have no real risk other than the cost of the car, advertising and insurance.

Edited by benny.c on Tuesday 6th October 09:48

[Craphouserat]

Thanks for all your thoughts.

There are a few compaies that have something a bit different - most up in this part of the world deal with the usual Beauford's , Laundellette, 7 Seater Mercs or the usual RR Silver Shadow. A few companies do something a bit different - we don't like the old style cars and were just amazed at some of the companies who were at these fayre's with really old 7 series/jags etc. Looking at some barge threads on here for say 20K you could get a couple of nice 7 series/Jags whatever and run a good small business. There are always tourists up here wanting run here and there for golf outings etc, wouldn't have to be just for the weddings. Would do most of the driving/cleaning myself as I do enjoy that.

Something I'm thinking about for the future, just wondered what the PH community thought, as always some good advice.

Cheers.

[V8mate]

Factor in the finance costs of two £20k cars and you're making nothing. In fact, you'll be out of pocket.

[Craphouserat]

V8mate said:

Factor in the finance costs of two £20k cars and you're making nothing. In fact, you'll be out of pocket.

Sorry, what I meant was for 20K I could buy 2/3 nice enough motors for a small business - just by going on the barge threads, some decent motors on there.

[Muzzer]

You're not really looking at a chauffeur company, you're looking at an exec taxi service if you're looking at runs to golf, etc.

There won't be much call for a car for the entire day apart from for weddings and even at a wedding you'll need something classic/ more decent for most people. A 5 year old Jag or 7 series simply won't cut it....

Craphouserat said:

Would do most of the driving/cleaning myself as I do enjoy that.

You do now. When you're driving every day and cleaning every day the novelty soon wears off.

[benny.c]

Craphouserat said:

Would do most of the driving/cleaning myself as I do enjoy that.

Me too and I generally do enjoy it. Sometimes it's a PITA though when you've spent a few hours cleaning the car knowing that you've got to do it all again the next morning for another booking. Also driving other people about isn't nearly as much fun as just driving for the pleasure of it. I love driving, but there is no way I'd be a professional driver....unless it was motorsport

Not trying to put a dampener on your plans BTW, just pointing out some of the more mundane aspects to consider.

Edited by benny.c on Tuesday 6th October 10:00

[Jgtv]

The driving and cleaning is all well and good but what about the maintance?

Is keeping 2 10K jags or what ever going to be financially viable for the kind of miles your going to be doing? After all your not doing long runs are you? its probably only a couple of miles stop start from the hotel to the church to the hotel again.

[KingRichard]

People are wising up to the £500 a morning bks for a £5k silver shadow that's been painted with a can of dulux.

I've got a ten year old Jag, and I charge £100.00 for a morning, as long as they put our taxi number up at the reception. That pays for the fuel and gives me £80.00 in my sky rocket before I start driving a cab on Saturdays.

It's not exactly consistent workload though

I just offer it to our regulars who might not have dads open cheque book for their wedding. Seems to be well received. People are waking up to the dodgy old rollers being worth feck all, so maybe there is a market for a decent budget service?

Maybe get yourself a couple of Daimler Super V8's or something... loads of leg room, fast, look amazing and can be yours for £6-7k?

[dave_s13]

crankedup said:

As V8Mate suggests, there are overheads, add to his list public liabilty insurance. Not an huge bill for this but each add up, don't even think about going to work without it......

We claimed back the full cost of the wifes wedding dress from the car hire chap.

The leather cleaner he used caused the red dye to leach out and stain the back of her dress, he was lucky to leave with testicles.

Got to feel sorry for the chap really, be that was a bit of a blow for him but hey, you feck it up then it's tough.

I personally wouldn't fancy it...at all...ever, I value my time at the weekends too much. I'd be too busy doing nothing.

[Craphouserat]

Again - thanks all. A lot to think about about, thanks for the more in depth stuff Scud.

Nothing is getting looked into seriously until after our wedding (under orders) as we have other things to deal with and we're not getting married till Aug 2011, so plenty of time to find out more about all that has been said.

Thanks again to all.

[V8mate]

Craphouserat said:

...and we're not getting married till Aug 2011, ...

Planning a wedding two years in advance?

At least that gives you plenty of time to wise up and back out, I guess

[Craphouserat]

V8mate said:

Craphouserat said:

...and we're not getting married till Aug 2011, ...

Planning a wedding two years in advance?

At least that gives you plenty of time to wise up and back out, I guess

If the numbers come up I'll do it next week, unfortunately we have to do it the hard way and save what we can, that's the new motorbike out the window for another year or 2 ! Still I have at least another year of wedding fayre's to look forward to......ohh joy !