Starting a car hire company - not a PH type one though

[anonymous-user]

DSLiverpool said:

Will be a tourism model - in liverpool we have rickshaws, tuck tuks and until recently amphibious craft (that sunk) - we have Beatle tours, taxi tours and now we have cruise liners docking - I'm not the driving force on this but I will be involved to a degree - let's see what we can do.

OK good luck.

Check the plan for vehicle utilisation as it's a bugger getting the cars out for long enough hires rather than short period ones.

[Doofus]

DSLiverpool said:

Will be a tourism model - in liverpool we have rickshaws, tuck tuks and until recently amphibious craft (that sunk) - we have Beatle tours, taxi tours and now we have cruise liners docking - I'm not the driving force on this but I will be involved to a degree - let's see what we can do.

The last time I tried driving anywhere in Liverpool, it was a pain in the arse. Is it likely that there's a much smaller market for self-drive tours than for guided or escorted ones?

[jamiebae]

DSLiverpool said:

Will be a tourism model - in liverpool we have rickshaws, tuck tuks and until recently amphibious craft (that sunk) - we have Beatle tours, taxi tours and now we have cruise liners docking - I'm not the driving force on this but I will be involved to a degree - let's see what we can do.

Is a Dacia the right car for this, it seems cheapness (and 60s style manual windows) are the sole USP. Would you be better off with something like a Renault Twizy or Zoe which is novel and automatic for the Americans and other foreign tourists worried about driving on the left. There's also a new Mahindra e2o which is the successor to the G-Wizz which might work as a concept.

Go the whole hog and wrap them in 'Beatles themed' liveries too and it'll give you a bit more of a marketing message too.

[DSLiverpool]

Driving in Liverpool is ok once out of town, I think the "tour" would start walking round the ubiquitous Cavern and then they pick the car up somewhere in town.

Dacia total no no for the new tourist angle - possibly automatic mini mpv like a B max wrapped as you say and private plated.

More thought needed but the sat nav of Liverpool life is possibly a better idea than the car hire.

Take it further and you have the "app of Liverpool life" or download and now we're getting somewhere

[vanordinaire]

I know five people who have started vehicle hire businesses. One of them specialized in vans,one started in cheap cars then moved to vans, one in heavy commercials, one classic campers, and one in 'sports' cars. The campers and sports car businesses both make a good living, but are seasonal and hard work and probably won't expand beyond being one man bands. The cheap car business was failing before they switched to vans but is now a reasonable success, could expand further but the owner is happy as it is as he plans on retiring soon. The other van and the heavy commercial businesses are both doing very well although very stressful to the owners as the businesses have grown, due to fluctuating demand from larger corporate clients.

[951TSE]

DSLiverpool said:

Driving in Liverpool is ok once out of town, I think the "tour" would start walking round the ubiquitous Cavern and then they pick the car up somewhere in town.

Dacia total no no for the new tourist angle - possibly automatic mini mpv like a B max wrapped as you say and private plated.

More thought needed but the sat nav of Liverpool life is possibly a better idea than the car hire.

Take it further and you have the "app of Liverpool life" or download and now we're getting somewhere

How about bright yellow VW beetles,"See the Beatles in a Beetle" painted in our special "yellow submarine" paint scheme.

[DSLiverpool]

951TSE said:

DSLiverpool said:

Driving in Liverpool is ok once out of town, I think the "tour" would start walking round the ubiquitous Cavern and then they pick the car up somewhere in town.

Dacia total no no for the new tourist angle - possibly automatic mini mpv like a B max wrapped as you say and private plated.

More thought needed but the sat nav of Liverpool life is possibly a better idea than the car hire.

Take it further and you have the "app of Liverpool life" or download and now we're getting somewhere

How about bright yellow VW beetles,"See the Beatles in a Beetle" painted in our special "yellow submarine" paint scheme.

You work for Saatchi & Saatchi don't you

[nsa]

How about if you approached it like Zipcar or similar? I know there is more technology involved and potentially an app, but from what I read that's not beyond you.

[DSLiverpool]

Guys its a none starter as a car biz, thanks for the informed input, as an APP its already done and free however something none high pressure linked top the cruise ships might be a nice sideline.

[drainbrain]

Me and the wife rent cars to private hire taxi drivers. On average each car grosses £8kpa and netts £1kpa. Each car costs £1k deposit to buy on finance and gets sold for £1k on average after 5 years. Which £1k is then used to deposit on its replacement. Ad infinitum.

It actually works quite well.

[4F6]

I ran a big rental site in Liverpool for a few years and it was largely hard work. There is money to be made but out of the sale of the cars at the end of term but otherwise there's very little money to be made in car rental generally.