From: MV (MV@dc9.tzo.com)
Date: Sun Aug 07 2005 - 21:54:30 PDT
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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This archive was generated by hypermail 2.1.4 : Fri Oct 28 2005 - 23:25:26 PDT