Need an Automatic/Rental Business start-up.

I was looking at hiring out buses that is imported that is built complete new engines for and gone over top to bottom and replaced nearly everything so I knew they were mechanically sound.......however I have decided against it because people don't look after things. One options I'm looking at is hiring them out for weddings as you ( or someone you trust ) drive them and it's normally over a short distance. There is also some good returns financially with less risk of it returning destroyed

 

If you can fix them and maintain them yourself you can make money, getting damaged etc has to be factored into the costings, customers pay a deposit which is refunded upon vehicle return in good condition , my friend used to take £500 cash.

 

Don't loose heart on the idea.

But unless you know the older ones enough to maintain yourself and keep them in tip top condition, I would be concerned that it would not be profitable.

T4 and T5 is the way to start.

 

^^ I like the idea of this, but surely a break down on a wedding is much more catastrophic than a holiday breakdown? Just imagine a church full of people, an expectant groom at the alter checking his watch... and you lead on the road in your chauffeur garb telling the bride "not to worry... it's just the hot start relay playing up"!!!

 

It also depends on how much you need/expect to earn out of it. 3 vans £800 a week each, you could scrap a van a year and still do pretty good working on a 30 week hire season.

 

would people pay £800 a week ?

by the time you factor in fuel and campsites that's an expensive week ...
I think this idea is doomed to start with ...I know its negative but loads of camper hire companies have gone bust ....
a lot depends on the geography ...where you are where potential hirers want to go etc ....
unless you have a mechanic on board and buying totally restored vans or a spare van on standby its never really going to pay off ...

you cant expect people to drive at 50 and treasure it like their first born ....it will get driven hard

 

I did it for 3 years, the season is very short and it is painful sat round waiting for people to arrive back, especially on back to back bookings!

 

Also... the attraction of hiring a camper in Scotland is the free camping out in the wild - not easy to do without a loo/shower on board.

dont want to put a downer on anyone's plans... but if you ask for opinions you'll get them!

 

Hi,

That's great advice actually, thanks.

I've been looking at t4's/t5's.

I've also had a look at Danbury's, great but pricey, bearing in mind outlay v's rental return.

I have also been looking at Bongo's, which wouldn't be my first choice, but it's business, I can buy more for my money!

Thanks for all your posts. It seems capital outlay v's rental return would point to bongo's. Gotta start somewhere.

I'm getting a bit google eyed staring at van ads now, but onwards and upwards!

 

No worries, but I thought wild camping really is to be back to nature........do as the bears do! Simples!

 

More painful than being at work 40hrs and comutting etc

 

It's the going rate , friends want to hire one from me for a month at near that

 

its cheaper to go abroad ...... you must have loaded friends .....

 

Haha - I dont disagree, but lots of people freak if they have no access to facilities... the other issue is bears only do it in the woods - far too many open mountains and moorlands in scotland

 

I also did this for 2 years and it was one long round of stress and paying out. Like some others have said you can make some money but you will need 6 buses to do it and nerves of steel. ask to join the FB VWHIREGROUP . its a closed group but everyone on their is a hirer of buses and they will tell you the real story. Many have simply given up this year and sold up.
good luck

 

How much is some money? £5k? £30k ? £60k?

 

If you know what your doing and treat it like a business with no personal attachment to the buses. Then there's no reason it cannot work. Definitely a market there, as many people who are looking to purchase campers will 'try before they buy'

This is something I am looking to move into once I've quit the rat race and have sufficient money to buy and maintain 5 buses (splitty, bay, t25, t4 and t5), but this is a long way off yet!

 

Speaking as a past T2 renter, I can confirm that I've had 2 extremely positive experiences. In neither case was the van in 'tip top' condition, but they were solid where they mattered, though I should say I've got a good 20 years of ACVW ownership, so was prepared for the 'quirkey' nature of the driving experience!

I think part of the point was that they weren't 'perfect'. They had a bit of character, and as the renter you had to fit in with them.

We had 2 lots of 2 weeks touring Scotland, with all the weather options that that implies. We had experiences that just wouldn't have happened, if we'd been in a modern motor home - on one evening an old chap knocked on the window and gave us a pair of fresh (gutted & cleaned) trout - he'd been fishing & had caught too much for himself & he thought we might like them!

That said the advice given here is sound.

I'd say you'd need to plan to have enough vans to have a spare available all the time, to replace a customer van, in the event of not-fixable-on-the-side-of-the-road breakdown.

In terms of the costs... I think we paid a little over £1000 for 2 weeks rental, (a couple of years ago). That said, the company we went with have now sold all their classic T2s and just offer from 2 T5s & a '12 Danbury....read into that what you will...

Good luck

Paul

 

Bang on with have no personal attachment, thats the key you have to get your head around its a tool for a job and not your own pride and joy. I found that but hard lol.
I ended up just moving into wedding hire , same cash (if not more as a weekend rent) at around £300 average but you only do 3/4 hours and your driving plus still get to head off for a camp if its an early ish service.... Im much happier doing these!!

 

I have just setup a photobooth in the camper. Again similar money for 4 hours rental time plus travel.

Still some work to do on the site.

http://betsy-bay.co.uk/