Hiring out buses - slammed and ratty

[Slammed]

I'm trying to justify keeping my bus as its won't sell, and one thing I've thought about is hiring it out for weekends or weeks.
Obviously it needs investment to bring it up to scratch, but do you guys think there's a market for renting slammed ratty but reliable buses, or is it just a pipe dream?

Your thoughts are all appreciated.
8)

 

[67westy]

I think a lot of people looking to hire a bus for a week or so will be looking for a shiny restored bus. I'm sure there will be people who will hire a ratty bus and prefer the look but I think the market will be more limited but if no one is filling in the niche you may as well give it a go I can't imagine it will take a huge amount of outlay to give it a try, mainly insurance costs I guess

 

[Araon]

Generally they are shiney coat but hanging under that, seen a few which were frankly shocking for the money....

You can but try though the outlay may put you off.......

 

[dubscum]

the only problem is the market your aiming at. People who like slammed ratty buses but don't have the money or balls to own one, then there what you want for hiring it for weeks away, the odd show etc bingo!

What you don't want it people not know what it is, thinking there hiring a cheap bus and not respecting it or taking it to Glasto etc

maybe best friend and friends of friend people in the "scene" couldn't hurt to try

 

[dubscum]

oh and does this mean your slamming it then

 

[K@rlos]

I think the style and image of your bus will only appeal to a certain audience tbh Ollie. Many people who would like to rent a bus would probably rather rent out a sparkly, restored bus. It's all down to personal taste, a gnarley, slammed bus with a honking motor would be an awesome idea to me but maybe not to others :|

 

[Slammed]

Yeah, probably not such a good idea. Interesting to hear everyone's views though.

 

[61 stu]

sounds like a mine field tbh, with insurance, health and safety, recovery and replacement if it breaks down etc Plus theres the fact that general bods who've never driven a slammed Bus would **** it up in no time hitting all sorts in the road etc. Sounds like a whole world of trouble mate :msn4:

 

[61 stu]

oh and does this mean your slamming it then

says the man without a Bus

 

[ozziedog]

Hey Slammed,,, What about hiring your bus out to peeps already in the scene ?? Like people with broken down busses that have ticket for shows ?? People that are in the middle of restos but would like to do a show or two because their resto may be dragging on as some are want to do ? Or friends of dubbers that are wanting to stick a toe in the water to give it a try ?? Or dudes that are just waiting for the right bus to come along and might want to try something slightly different while waiting. If you limited your advertising to these criteria and maybe to some of the forums,,, who knows ?

Ozziedog,,,,,,,,,,,,, Just a thought :mrgreen:

 

[61 stu]

Hey Slammed,,, What about hiring your bus out to peeps already in the scene ?? Like people with broken down busses that have ticket for shows ?? People that are in the middle of restos but would like to do a show or two because their resto may be dragging on as some are want to do ? Or friends of dubbers that are wanting to stick a toe in the water to give it a try ?? Or dudes that are just waiting for the right bus to come along and might want to try something slightly different while waiting. If you limited your advertising to these criteria and maybe to some of the forums,,, who knows ?

Ozziedog,,,,,,,,,,,,, Just a thought :mrgreen:

Its a good idea but Ollie please please look into the cost of insurance, risk assesments, health and safety and public liability etc, its a proper mine field matey. Not trying to be a party pooper, but having dealt with the public on business level the general public can be vicious at times.

 

[petegee56]

Interesting idea, however, my assumption is that people who hire out buses do it because they like the idea on using one or some over romantic idea of them.

I doubt they even grasp the concept of lowering, let alone dents and patina that lots of us love. I think slammed and patina is an in scene thing that no one else gets, hence all the questions i get about when im going to restore mine. I think people who want a slammed patina bus have one. and people who hire them get bright purple or pink one, give it bck after a week and never get in one again.

( thats a totally general view based on no known facts, I do not mean to cause offence if you do hire out a bus anyone )

Pete

 

[john the horse]

ollie i think if you hire a ratty bus then people wont respect it and treat it like a piece of **** , also they wont understand how much time and effort has gone into your bus and will deffo **** it up.

only my thoughts but if you serious then good luck my man

john, horse, engine destroyer.

 

[froggy]

With all the work you've done to it would you really want some knob thrashing the engine to within an inch of it life because they dont know how to drive it?
Or causing damage to the interior in a drunken stupor (its different if you damage your own bus) because they wont respect it.

Nice idea but cant see the practicality of it with all the added costs involved (and the worry)

 

[5erge]

Christ, I'm going to create some controversy with this post now

Let me echo everyone else's sentiments here that hiring out a ratty/slammed bus will only appeal to a very narrow market place, only people in the scene really and even then a very small percentage.

Secondly, in my opinion the reason your bus is not selling (and this is where I’m treading a very thin line) is that at first glance it looks like the front has too many dents and rust esp round the indicator area. Now I'm basing this on the pictures I've seen, nothing more... I understand this is the look some people are after (going back to that narrow market again) and I do understand the look, but other buses that fall into this category include the Slamwerks bus, TV bus, petegee's bus as examples. However these are ratty without damage to the front panels, and otherwise pretty straight.

It could be just that at first glance someone notices the damage/patina assumes this is what the rest of the bus is like and moves onto the next ad. Maybe further pictures of the underside, arches, floor, load area are required, the type of shots GrahamL always supplies with his buses.

Just my opinions though so please don’t take this to heart and please don't shoot me down in flames.

Des

 

[Trouwbusje]

Hi,

Nice that you like to hire out your bus maybe. I think there is a market for. I had one T2a 68, it was lowered and had a little faster motor, also the exhaust was more noisy than a normal restorde bus. Now i have sold the bus because there was not as much interested people in it than my other buses. Normally i have them for hire for weddings, events, TV and film and fotoshoots. The lowered one i had was more fore students, or at events to get more attention. Also at a exhibition it was a very good bus. So not really for weddings. I think when you have it for rent for shows and fotoshoots and events, so not really for te drive of the bus you have more succes and maybe it makes more money because you have less risk.
Hope i give you some input now!
Sorry but my english to write is not very good.
If you click on the link below, you found pictures of the T2a, the link from the blog. the other one is my normal website.

Also a picture here on a event in Amsterdam, Holland.

Greets Serge

 

[Slammed]

Christ, I'm going to create some controversy with this post now

Let me echo everyone else's sentiments here that hiring out a ratty/slammed bus will only appeal to a very narrow market place, only people in the scene really and even then a very small percentage.

Secondly, in my opinion the reason your bus is not selling (and this is where I’m treading a very thin line) is that at first glance it looks like the front has too many dents and rust esp round the indicator area. Now I'm basing this on the pictures I've seen, nothing more... I understand this is the look some people are after (going back to that narrow market again) and I do understand the look, but other buses that fall into this category include the Slamwerks bus, TV bus, petegee's bus as examples. However these are ratty without damage to the front panels, and otherwise pretty straight.

It could be just that at first glance someone notices the damage/patina assumes this is what the rest of the bus is like and moves onto the next ad. Maybe further pictures of the underside, arches, floor, load area are required, the type of shots GrahamL always supplies with his buses.

Just my opinions though so please don’t take this to heart and please don't shoot me down in flames.

Des

Hey Des, no controversy here, you could be right, the truth is I've not really pushed the bus bus to sell as I know I'll miss it.
Never really thought about the front end damage tbh, its always been there since I've had it so its just part of the bus to me.
I expect it does put people off, but if thats the case they don't deserve to own a bus like this! :lol:

Anyway thanks for all your input guys, I've pretty much decided to not bother hiring it out and sorn it once the MOT is up in September and leave it in my barn until I finish university, that way it won't cost me anything and I'll still have it once I qualify in 2014.

This thread can be locked now, cheers.

 

[froggy]

Dont forget the new insurance ruling about SORN vehicles, think they still have to be insured (unless i have read it wrong?)

 

[Slammed]

Marvellous, just can't bloody win these days! :roll:

 

[froggy]

Think you might be alright, found this on the DVLA web site

The new vehicle insurance law - don't be caught out
If you're the registered keeper of a vehicle, it must be insured at all times.

The exceptions are:
•if you have made a SORN for the vehicle
•if your vehicle has been kept off-road since before SORN came into force on 31 January 1998 – unless it was brought back into use
•if your vehicle is recorded as stolen, passed or sold to the motor trade or between registered keepers
•if your vehicle is recorded scrapped or permanently exported by the Driver and Vehicle Licensing (DVLA)