From: MV (MV@dc9.tzo.com)
Date: Mon Aug 08 2005 - 20:21:37 PDT
You make a very good point, one that I probably didn't consider
sufficiently.
A company to company deal is a lot different than a company to
organization deal for the purpose of a discount. The nationally
recognized arrangement might be a big problem.
Dave
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
m35products wrote:
> 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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>
> <mil-veh-digest@mil-veh.org>
>
>>>To reach a human, contact <ack@mil-veh.org>
>>>
>>===Mil-Veh is a member-supported mailing list===
>>To unsubscribe, send e-mail to: <mil-veh-off@mil-veh.org>
>>To switch to the DIGEST mode, send e-mail to <mil-veh-digest@mil-veh.org>
>>To reach a human, contact <ack@mil-veh.org>
>
>
>
This archive was generated by hypermail 2.1.4 : Fri Oct 28 2005 - 23:25:27 PDT