DMV Inspection of the new office today, wish me luck

[TerryBPP]

We found a nice 1,000 SF flex office and are having our DMV inspection today. The last place was shot down due to parking.

Our compliance officer is a real pr!ck. One guy is in charge of 500 square miles of area. No one else to go to. So he told us we had to have at least one bay door or he would never approve the location, although I cant remember the last small dealership I saw that had a bay door for storing cars.

So we found this place. 100 SF of office and 900 SF of storage with a big bay door. Since the contracting business took a dive these flex units are really cheap. Picked it up for $400 a month. It also lets me put my boat somewhere other than my garage and a place to tinker with my personal cars. That alone evens the monthly fee.

If all goes well we will be ready to start business by friday of next week. Fingers crossed.

...and the website is all done. Should be online opening day:

[onewhippedpuppy]

Dirty hippie.

[TerryBPP]

Originally Posted by onewhippedpuppy

Dirty hippie.

Watch the evolution. Hope to go to high end autos once the market flips back to normal. Fact of the matter is, no one is buying SL500's right now but everyone wants good mpg. Why not buy cheap cars and sell them at a premium? GIVE THE PUBLIC WHAT THEY WANT WHEN THEY WANT IT!.

[onewhippedpuppy]

Considering I read that Geo Metros are selling for $7-10k, you're probably in the right market. I've always thought that with a little research, people would be shocked at the MPG of "average" cars. You don't have to have a Prius to get good MPG. Hell, my in-law's Mazda3 base model automatic gets up to 34 MPG, and it's not half bad to drive. Throw in a few hybrids and TDis and you're set.

Good luck!

[Gogar]

Good luck, Terry!

[TerryBPP]

Originally Posted by onewhippedpuppy

Considering I read that Geo Metros are selling for $7-10k, you're probably in the right market. I've always thought that with a little research, people would be shocked at the MPG of "average" cars. You don't have to have a Prius to get good MPG. Hell, my in-law's Mazda3 base model automatic gets up to 34 MPG, and it's not half bad to drive. Throw in a few hybrids and TDis and you're set.

Good luck!

My exact thought. We will be pushing the mpg gimmick to the max. Our inventory section on the site will start with the mpg. I assume 10% of our sales will be hybrids as they dont run through the auctions very often. But civic, mazda 3, anything that gets over 30 mpg will be prime. Diesels for sure.

[KFC911]

Originally Posted by onewhippedpuppy

...You don't have to have a Prius to get good MPG....

My niece LOVES her Prius' gas mileage (1st year it was offered)...fortunately, Toyota has "covered" the $4000 battery replacement she had last week, and a few other high $ repairs even though the car is well beyond the warranty period. IMO, you'd be much better off with a "regular" car that gets decent mileage when everything is figured in because I don't think Toyota will continue to do this indefinitely .

[onewhippedpuppy]

There's the battery failure everyone is afraid of regarding hybrids. I would expect Toyota to eat it on many of these, they don't want to kill the good hybrid PR.

[strupgolf]

Good luck with your new venture, it should work out fine in these times. On those batteries. Does it cost 4000 to replace those in a Prius? Man, I'd hate to pay for those.

[KFC911]

Originally Posted by strupgolf

... On those batteries. Does it cost 4000 to replace those in a Prius? Man, I'd hate to pay for those.

Yep on both counts!

[TerryBPP]

If you owned a 76' 911 or a 95' 540i you would be replacing the motor at 50k miles so I'm not shocked that a car with new technology has a $4k bill after 8 yrs of use.

[Rot 911]

That is some damn cheap rent. Good luck Terry. I bet you stick with the small cars for awhile. I think you will find a higher profit margin in them.

[JeremyD]

Go get em Terry!

[Jims5543]

Good luck Terry!! I think your making a solid move.

I hope to be able to ship a couple EV cars your way in a few months to sell for me.

[IROC]

Originally Posted by TerryBPP

If you owned a 76' 911 or a 95' 540i you would be replacing the motor at 50k miles so I'm not shocked that a car with new technology has a $4k bill after 8 yrs of use.

As far as I know, Toyota is picking up the bill for battery replacements. I read an article about it not long ago when we were toying with getting a Camry hybrid.

[onewhippedpuppy]

Originally Posted by TerryBPP

If you owned a 76' 911 or a 95' 540i you would be replacing the motor at 50k miles so I'm not shocked that a car with new technology has a $4k bill after 8 yrs of use.

Hey now, I had a '95 540/6 with 135k that still ran like new, original motor. Plenty of other stuff broke, but the motor ran great. Now for sale with 165k, still going strong. Not every Nikasil motor went to crap.

[einreb]

I sold a CRX last year instantly on Craigslist for way more than I expected. There are those little cult cars that people absolutely love.

Other good car for resale cheap for good mileage? e30 325e

Next... chip tuning. Not for hp but for mileage. or maybe a dual setting.

Good luck! I know a guy that got into the Cobra replica biz several years back in Arizona. He was a f'ing idiot and a weirdo, but his timing was right.

[The Gaijin]

Good luck.

[TerryBPP]

All the good mojo from you guys must have worked! Officer was in a great moved and approved us without a single compliant. SIgning th e

Jim, I would definitely sell some for you. Good promotion if anything.

[Rot 911]

Originally Posted by TerryBPP

All the good mojo from you guys must have worked! Officer was in a great moved and approved us without a single compliant. SIgning th e

Jim, I would definitely sell some for you. Good promotion if anything.

Congratulations. Now send us all $100 or you get the bad mojo.