From: m35products (m35prod@optonline.net)
Date: Mon Aug 08 2005 - 06:10:16 PDT
Dave:
You are correct that deals can be made, especially at a local level, between
consenting companies. It is also true that big companies, such as the ones I
mentioned in my posting, will get good deals. What I don't think, is that a
bunch of guys, whether or not connected with an old car club, (MVPA's own
self-description) will be able to exercise the leverage necessary to get a
nationally-recognized arrangement, at the small quantities I suspect are
needed.
I hope I'm wrong and that we may all benefit from the wholesale tire pricing
envisioned by everyone. Thanks for your thoughts.
APB
----- Original Message -----
From: "MV" <MV@dc9.tzo.com>
To: "Military Vehicles Mailing List" <mil-veh@mil-veh.org>
Sent: Monday, August 08, 2005 12:54 AM
Subject: [MV] Tires and tire discounts
>
> Arthur,
>
> I have to take partial exception to what you say. I run a business and
> have a few trailers and a couple of trucks. I have found that since I
> have a business I can deal with tire wholesalers who supply tires to
> manufacturers. Sometimes these companies are distributors who have no
> retail areas at all. Othertimes I have dealt with larger retailers and
> they have even offered further discounts with them if I setup an account
> with their company. I just bought 6 tires from a wholesaler last week
> for a triaxle trailer and the tires mounted on new rims were $60 each.
> The same tire, if you were to buy from a retailer would be $70 without a
> rim. Retail demountable rims such as the ones supplied go for about $35
> each retail. If I was to buy the same tires from my local tire dealer,
> they would have been $70+$35+$7 for mounting or $112 each. So I saved
> about $52 per tire and wheel. Now this is probably the extreme
> situation (I think?) but it illustrates how things can work.
>
> The only way I was able to do that was due to the fact that they are a
> wholesaler and they only want to deal with other companies. I knew what
> I wanted and the transaction took about 5 minutes.
>
> You can bet that trucking companies are not paying normal retail to
> setup their rigs also.
>
> There is a seller on Ebay selling used 11x20 NDT tires in the midwest
> (Iowa I think) at rock bottom prices. Like $25 each, etc. Shipping
> isn't cheap but perhaps a ride with a trailer in tow might be worth the
> savings.
>
> Dave
>
>
>
>
> m35products wrote:
> > Your ideas are great, but unfortunately, a bit naive.
> >
> > To get a "good deal" on tires, you and your friends, or even your fellow
> > members of MVPA (once you join) will need to purchase an amount slightly
> > greater than 30 tires. Try 3,000, 30,000, or 300,000 tires. That amount
will
> > get the attention of the manufacturers. They may even allow you to
consider
> > yourself a dealer, but it's doubtful. Their other dealers might get a
bit
> > upset, and call you names. The dealers who sell tires and who advertise
in
> > the MVPA journal already have figured out how to discount their products
to
> > the max, and still make a living. If it could be done, it would have
been
> > done already. I needed 500 military tires for an overseas contract. I
paid
> > close to retail. I wasn't even allowed to talk to the factory for that
> > "small" amount of tires. Do you want to buy more than 500 tires at a
time?
> >
> > How many tires does your local tire RETAILER sell each year? The number
is
> > probably in the 10,000 to 100,000 range in a suburban setting. Find out,
and
> > then ask him if he needs a partner. Mention that you need thirty tires.
When
> > he stops laughing, spend the money to buy thirty tires at his asking
price,
> > and be content with the knowlege that he stands behind his products,
will
> > honor warranties without question, and that he does this after paying
for:
> >
> > delivery,
> > storage,
> > tools,
> > inventory,
> > disposal fees,
> > licensing,
> > industry group memberships,
> > travel,
> > training,
> > advertising,
> > mortgage,
> > accounting fees,
> > phone/fax/internet,
> > office machinery,
> > paper supplies,
> > furniture,
> > repairs,
> > postage,
> > rent,
> > taxes,
> > security,
> > payroll,
> > insurance,
> > heat/light/AC,
> > donations to the ambulance and fire departments,
> > and coffee, donuts, and benefits for his employees.
> >
> > With the above business details in mind, why not set yourself up as a
major
> > tire distributor, then advertise in MVPA and other enthusiast magazines,
and
> > sell at a deep discount to other MVPA members? Then you will have
> > accomplished your goals. It should be easy, as I'm sure you have thought
all
> > this out. These expenses listed above are some things to consider when
> > formulating your business model. (You'll need to justify all of these to
> > your investors, by the way. It takes a huge chunk of money to start a
> > company up, and to keep it going. You're looking at a 10- to 20-year
payback
> > on investment.)
> >
> > How many MVPA members are there? How many buy NEW tires each year for
their
> > HMV's? How many of these fellows have the disposable income for tires,
even
> > at wholesale prices, rather than at surplus prices? How many miles does
each
> > HMV get driven each year? You're not talking the DoD, Verizon, Roadway,
> > FedEx, or the US Postal Service, here. I put 200 miles on one M35 last
year.
> > The 20-year old tires are a bit funky looking, but they hold air. That
is my
> > criterion for replacement. When my Fire Department needed 10 tires for
its
> > M35, we bought them from Saturn Surplus, and got a great deal. They were
> > matched, 90% tread, less than ten years old, came mounted on rims, and
cost
> > around $100 each, including delivery. Will you be able to beat that
price?
> > If so, put me down for ten tires.
> >
> > To get a good deal on other products and services, the same rules apply.
Ask
> > yourself what benefit any manufacturer would receive by selling a
> > ten-thousandth of a percent of his inventory to you and your buddies at
a
> > discount. You have suggested a scheme to get tires cheaply. That is
> > commendable, but the expression that comes to mind is "Been there, tried
> > that, got rebuffed." This hobby, even more so than your average
vintage-car
> > club collecting, is not a poor man's hobby. And being in business in
this
> > hobby is being in a hobby business. Most of us have our day jobs, too.
> >
> > Step up to the plate, join the MVPA, and write the check for the tires.
As
> > Woody Allen said: "The high point of my childhood was going out with my
> > family and buying something retail."
> >
> > ***This email has been inspected, and is certified free of any
> > name-calling.***
> >
> > Arthur P. Bloom, Pres.
> > www.M35products.com
> >
> > Discount on all products for MVPA members.
> >
> > MVPA member #20238
> > Small business owner.
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> > ----- Original Message -----
> > From: <santoken@bright.net>
> > To: "Military Vehicles Mailing List" <mil-veh@mil-veh.org>
> > Sent: Saturday, August 06, 2005 11:10 PM
> > Subject: Re: [MV] ASSISTANCE REQUESTED & The MVPA
> >
> >
> >
> >>On another note, would anyone be interested in teaming up and perhaps
> >
> > trying to get some better deals on stuff that we all need? I for one
need
> > 10 tires, my close buddy here needs 20 tires. That's 30 tires. Anyone
else
> > need tires?
> >
> >
> >
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> >
>
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