FOR SALE Hire business with two buses

Discussion in 'Late Bay Classifieds' started by Moo, Jul 18, 2017.

  1. Moo

    Moo

    After a lot of chatting with Mrs Moo we've come to the conclusion that the hire business has to go
    We took it over nearly two years ago thinking it would be a perfect sideline to our other business (we manage a small gaggle of holiday cottages) and invested a lot of time and money getting it up together - however, we've taken a look at our lives, and the fact we have two young kids we should be out adventuring with, not waiting for the buses to come and go, and decided that they're more important. Plus, I want my hobby back as just that, a hobby not a necessity.
    Any questions, fire away - we're currently based just between Newquay and perranporth. I'm guess if you were going to keep the name then keeping it fairly local would make sense (the website, facebook page etc etc all comes with), or if you were thinking of moving them further afield and starting afresh then you've got two vans ready to go.
    Apologies for no pics but the link will give you plenty (will put some up, as per the rules in a bit when I've got more time).

    We're asking £30k for the whole package - two fully kitted out vans, an established business with website and prominence on social media, and any earnings from bookings that have come in/are coming in and will take place from the second you take the reins.

    http://www.fistralbays.co.uk/vans-for-hire.html
     
    jimmcglynn and cunny44 like this.
  2. Baysearcher

    Baysearcher [secret moderator]

    You don't need that much time!

    Sale ad.png Sale ad 2.jpeg
     
    Moo likes this.
  3. First impressions are two very nice well equipped vans. I would have thought you could sell them individually and make near your 30k price. The business side is specific to your location and as an established Cornwall based business it would probably appeal more to local inhabitants to carry it on as is. So I think the goodwill side of the package is limited.

    If I were you. I would offer the vans separately as one option or an established hire business as another option.

    In which case you would need to give full details and price for each van.
     
    cunny44 and Moo like this.
  4. Moo

    Moo

    Ha, thanks for that... the reason I was so slapdash earlier is I was thumb typing through my phone with one hand, wolfing a bacon butty with the other, and in a rush to get out the door at the same time.

    In response to mgbman's comments - yes, we could sell them individually, but we would have to wait till the end of September as there are bookings up untill then. I hate letting people down if I can help it. If someone wanted to take over the business, then it's here and ready to go with a substantial sum essentially included a bit like a cashback offer (the deposits we've taken, and the balances due, and so on).
    If it goes as a whole, I get to spend more of the summer with the kids and cracking on with the Jurgens. If it doesn't go as a whole, we keep earning till the end of the season, fulfill our commitments, people get their holidays/wedding cars, and we walk away with, probably, a little bit more in the bank.
    I know it's a long shot posting on here as it really is dependant on someone local taking over, but I thought I'd give it a go - someone here might be interested, if not they'll be back here individually in a few months.
     
    davidoft and Baysearcher like this.
  5. Questions a buyer of the business would be asking , why are you selling up, is it a viable business and how profitable is it, that's going to be tricky to prove and convince a business buyer, that its a going concern. especially when the economy seems to be flat or dipping. For you its just been a sideline for fun, not a living. A potential business buyer may not want to take on existing liabilities to customers. It all sounds very uncertain to me.

    I doubt if tlb is the place to sell a Cornwall based business.

    If it were me, I would take no more bookings, see out the ones you have and then when all honoured, look to sell the vans separately and with luck you may get your hoped for 30k.
     
    Moo likes this.
  6. Baysearcher

    Baysearcher [secret moderator]

    @mgbman its as good a place as any to advertise it. Depending on the standard of the vans it could be a really good price.
    Other than bookings already taken I can't see the new owner is taking on much liability.

    @pkrboo, I doubt a 2 bus outfit could run to paying a manager?
     
    Majorhangover, delilah and Lasty like this.
  7. true
     
  8. true
     
  9. I've never met a bigger pessimist, at least so far we haven't had a run down on the MOT history of each camper van.

    I dont see the same issues as you, between May & September the average rate per week per van is £700. I'm sure someone with a bit of business acumen can go through his calendar and do some calculations as to annual income, obviously the proof will be in the accounts if there are any. In addition to the income you also have the capital value of the buses, obviously there are some overheads and some risk attached but that's what running a business is all about.

    Not for me but best of luck to the OP.
     
    Bertie the Bus, delilah, Moo and 4 others like this.
  10. Moo

    Moo

    @mgbman I thought I'd put it up here as, by and large, we know a little bit about what we're getting into - i wouldnt want to sell a bus, let alone a business, to someone who thinks they're as reliable as their 3 year old daily. And as for 'just for fun' - i wish. Our other business nearly pays the mortgage, this was our plan to keep us both closer to home rather than doing some of the other jobs we've both done to make ends meet.
    Anyway, as @Baysearcher pointed out - a two bus outfit won't make you your millions, especially if it's your only income. One bus will probably make enough to cover the upkeep, repairs, and running costs of two and a bit buses. This is basically a starter point for a bigger business - we've got two other SA buses that i was going to do the restos on and add them to the fleet but, in all honesty, i dont have the time. Im keeping those for us as a hobby.
    @Pickles - you don't want to see the mot history for Bessie :eek:. She came straight off the boat from S.A. and off for an mot. It's a bit of an eye opener as to what is deemed road worthy over there, the failure list ran into 3 sheets, but she is all very solid - underneath is super spot on. Plus, at least you know most of it's been done. She's running a 'w' code 1700 and theres a spare 1700 for rebuild that I'll chuck in the deal as well.
    Nell (the blue one) is a UK bus from birth and has had a lot of 'mot' repairs in the past that I've been picking away at and redoing to a higher standard as I go along - I have, however, seen, owned, or worked on much much worse. Shes also got about 2000 miles on a new vege 1600 engine.
    Neither bus is 100% perfect but, hey, they're hire buses - fit for purpose and well kitted out.

    If the business goes to someone who wants to carry it on, I'm happy. I get more time with my family.
    If it doesn't, at the end of the season I'll tickle the bad bits, split them up, and sell them seperate. :thumbsup:
     
  11. Go to say I am with Pickles on this one. Mgbman needs to keep his pessimistic attitude to himself and as my old mom used to say if you have nothing nice to say don't say anything. Personally, and also speaking as someone who has run a VW hire business (and still does but only now for weddings) I think the price and opportunity is more than fair, plus its nice to meet a nice guy who doesnt want to let people with forward hires down. That should be applauded and not run down. The self hire game is one fraught with issues and I totally get why he wants to sell and not wait for the buses to come back every weekend. I got out for the same reason.
    As for MGB'S bit about buying any business that has "Liabilities" such as err actually real cash bookings to look forward to and allow you to hit the ground running,well all I can say is that I am glad he's not my business advisor.
    Utter tosh for the sake of typing. . . Maybe join a MGB forum ...

    Good luck Moo I salute your spirit and the fact you actually built a business and didnt just troll others with doom and gloom...
     
  12. Bit harsh. He's perfectly entitled to give another opinion. Calling him a troll is a bit strong in my opinion.

    Before I joined this forum I didn't know you could check an mot history on line. It was mgbman that informed me about it. It recently saved me buying a lemon of a first car for my oldest boy. It looked nice but I checked its history on line and it was a pig.

    Having said that I think 30k is a cracking price for a going concern with 2 solid buses. Even if you accept that the market is a bit flat then come autumn they could still fetch 24k for the pair. If you factor in a few hires then essentially the business element of the sale is practically free. But it must take a lot of mech knowledge and balls of steel to hire out forty year old vehicles.

    Best of luck with the sale. Pity you couldn't add the other two to the hire fleet.
     
    scrooge95 and mgbman like this.
  13. Maybe I am older and wiser than my critics on here.

    Optimism is a good thing but selling a vehicle means being practical and realistic.

    There seems to be a down turn in car purchases in general and our vans are caught up in this trend and downward pressure on prices seems to be happening this year.

    We have evidence of that on here where folks are looking to sell very nice vans but finding out they have to drop asking prices or get little interest on ebay, its the way it is right now.
     
  14. Personally I don't get the idea of paying 700 quid to hire a bus then pay extortionate campsite fees ... we are looking to take my bus camping and during school hols you can pay up to 500 a week ??!!? I keep getting static caravan holiday emails for £125 last minute .....if only you could garantee the weather ... I'd think to rent these old buses out you'd need to be a mechanic with a shed full of engines and spares .... if the busses are decent you could do weddings which seem to pay as much but your more in control ...
    GLWS
     
    cunny44 and mgbman like this.
  15. Weddings must be good business and presumably the owner does the driving and its local so do the wedding, take the van back home.

    Must be a good feeling, keep the van shiny and bright and clean, flowers and ribbons and weddings are fun occasions with folks enjoying themselves, all happy stuff.

    One of my neighbours does weddings with his merc, and he does good business and loads of bookings and he chauffeurs rich business clients to the airport and functions. as well.

    There were, or maybe still are, two chaps in the local area who hire out two T25's for holiday hires and I asked them at a show one day what it was like to operate that sort of business. They said its very demanding keeping the vehicles up to scratch and trying to please the public all of the time. Changeover can be a difficult time when the vans come back and need to be checked over and made ready for the next lot. Any van failure could be a disaster.
     
    Moo likes this.
  16. Being pessimistic isn't being a troll - any business proposition will have its drawbacks which mgbman is just pointing out.
    Having said that , if I lived in Cornwall and had the space to keep them both - I think I would give it a go!
     
    mgbman likes this.
  17. CollyP

    CollyP Moderator

    I hired one before I bought one.

    It was expensive.
    It broke down.

    It was brilliant.

    I bought one.
     
    VWT2GEL, tyke2, paradox and 12 others like this.
  18. It's a good business idea and like any business it's what you put in time and effort and if it's set up and has existing repeat customers with a website it sounds a reasonable price.

    Geord.
     
  19. Flakey

    Flakey Supporter

    On club 80/90 as I'm sure you know @mgbman , you're not allowed to comment on for sale ads!
    I think it's a policy we should adopt on here ?
     

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