Olympics And Various Other Distractions

For those of you who are faithful readers, I've been distracted variously over the past week, but especially by the Olympics.  Canada has captured my attention in the Games, and I've even watched some events that I'd never have believed I could have.

Business is slow here in BC's Lower Mainland, with the Olympics a scant 40 minutes away.  However, we've certainly enjoyed cheering and everyone around is anticipating a healthy post-celebration surge in March.

Stay tuned!

Another Car

 2004 Mini Cooper   
  
81,000     km   
 

No Accidents         
 

$16,800.00    
 

Dual Roofs

Classic

Manual Transmission 

T-Bird Quarry

I'm working delicately through a deal to bring a gorgeous 2002 Ford Thunderbird Convertible into inventory.

The gentleman who currently owns the car is interested in purchasing one of our King Ranch trucks; he's looking at various options we have in stock.

The car itself is beautiful.  This is what happens when you see it. (SEE ABOVE DIAGRAM)

Built in 2002 as an homage to the old body styles, it harkens back to 1950's styling and has an unforgettable hot-rod feel. 

It has only 32500kms, so it's hardly been driven.  The current owner keeps it in the garage most of the time, bringing it out only for fair-weather flying.

High End

 

 

When I'm describing our inventory  I often use the phrase, 'high-end'.  This is easy to claim, but the proof is in the pudding.

 

 

These are shots of that particular pudding as seen right now in our showroom.

 

 

Small Margins

Before I got into the car business I kind of assumed it was a cash cow pretty much automatically.  I'd have assumed a bare minimum 10% profit on just about every vehicle sold, probably more often 20%-30%.

It isn't that way.

We generally are trying to obtain a 3% -7% profit margin on the vehicles we sell.  As an example, that means that for a vehicle on which we have spent $30,000 (buying it initially, reconditioning it to get it lot-ready, any repairs it needed, putting it through our 150-point safety inspection, etc.) we need to make $900-$2100. 


In order to be competitive at all we have to price vehicles close to the money, i.e. near to our cost.  All dealers have access to the same sources for vehicles (chiefly auctions) so padding the price with lots of profit simply means other dealers will undercut us, and their advertised prices will be so much lower that almost no one will even come by to view our inventory, online or in person.


There is money to be made in the car business, but that money depends enormously on volume. We generally need to sell 4 vehicles to make $5000, not 1 vehicle.  We simply don't have the margins to be able to 'throw in' things like Extended Warranties (which cost us more than the profit we have in the truck.)

2007 F350 Lariat

This 2007 Ford F350 Lariat Dually is a whole lot of truck

Crew cab, long box, turbo diesel.  160,000kms, priced at $25900

2007 Ford F-350 Harley Diesel 4WD

 

Here's a gorgeous truck.
 

This Magnificent F-350 Harley Davidson Edition Is Simply Stunning In Every Detail. An Immaculate Well Cared For Vehicle.

Comes Equipped With 6.0 Liter Powerstroke V-8 Turbo Diesel Engine, Engine Block Heater, Torqueshift 5-Speed Automatic Transmission, Four Wheel Drive, Electronic Shift On The Fly, Power Sliding Glass Moonroof, Preferred Equipment Package, Harley Davidson Decor Group, Lower Accent Flame Metallic Paint, Harley Davidson Leather Interior Seating, Dual Power Heated Front Captain's Chairs, Power Sliding Rear Window, Power Adjustable Pedals, Premium AM/FM Stereo Audio With In-Dash CD Changer, Power Windows And Locks, Power Heated Towing Mirrors, Tow Command, Upfitter Switches, Cruise Control, Receiver Towing Package, Reverse Vehicle Aid Sensor, Bed Liner, Running Boards, 3.73 Limited Slip Rear Axle Ratio and Alloy Wheels!

  

Year     2007      Stock Number     41406
Make     Ford      Interior Color     Black
Model     F-350      Exterior Color     Black
Trim     Harley Diesel 4WD      VIN     
Odometer     N/A      Drivetrain     Four Wheel Drive
Doors           Transmission     Automatic
Price     $39,900.00
plus applicable taxes     Engine     8 Cylinder Turbo Diesel
Air bags     Driver side, Passenger side      Brakes     4-Wheel Disks, Anti-lock brakes (ABS)

 

    * Alloy Wheels
    * Body: Crew Cab
    * Fog Lights
    * Heated Mirrors
 

  * Intermittent Wipers
    * Keyless Entry
    * Power: Mirrors
    * Sunroof
    * Wheel Base Short

 

    * Climate: Air Conditioning
    * Compass & Temperature Gauge
    * Cruise Control
 

* Cup Holders: Front
    * Cup Holders: Rear
    * Digital Clock
    * Floor Mats: OEM
    * Height Adjustable Seats
    * Map Light

   
    * Media: AM/FM Radio Tuner
    * Media: Compact Disc Player
    * Media: Premium Sound System
    * Power: Locks
    * Power: Windows
  

* Seat(s): Fold Up
    * Seat(s): 40/20/40 Split Bench
    * Seat(s): Bench
    * Seat(s): Center Arm Rest
    * Seat(s): Heated
    * Seat(s): Power
    * Tilt Steering
    * Upholstery: Leather
    * Vanity Mirrors

 

Mechanical

    * Brakes: 4-Wheel Disc Brakes
    * Drive: Four Wheel Drive
    * Engine: Cylinders 08
    * Engine: Diesel
    * Engine: Turbo
    * Power: Brakes
    * Power: Steering
    * Tachometer
    * Transmission: Automatic
    * 3 Point Rear Seat Belts
    * Air Bags: Driver Safety Air Bag
    * Air Bags: Passenger Safety Air Bags
    * Brakes: Anti-Lock Brake System
    * Daytime Running Lights
    * Driver Information Centre
    * Head Restraint
    * Steering Wheel Audio Controls
    * Tires: Full Size Spare

Weight For It

Trucks being largely work vehicles-- or at least vehicles we associate with the ability to do work-- their capacity to deal with weight is an important factor.  Many people find this whole matter a little confusing; I do too.  Let's see if we can find some clarity.

From wikipedia:

 In the United States, commercial truck classification is determined based on the vehicle's gross vehicle weight rating (GVWR). The classes range from 1-8.[1] It also done more broadly under the US DOT Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) Vehicle Inventory and Use Survey (VIUS) standards, which groups Class 1 and 2 as "Light Duty", 3-5 as "Medium Duty", and 6-8 as "Heavy Duty".[2][3]

So, the fundamental rating is the GVWR.  This is where we begin.

A gross vehicle weight rating (GVWR) is the maximum allowable total mass of a road vehicle or trailer when loaded - i.e including the weight of the vehicle itself plus fuel, passengers, cargo, and trailer tongue weight.

The difference between gross weight and curb weight is the total passenger and cargo weight capacity of the vehicle. For example, a pickup truck with a curb weight of 4,500 pounds (2,041 kg) might have a cargo capacity of 2,000 pounds (907 kg), meaning it can have a gross weight of 6,500 pounds (2,948 kg) when fully loaded.

Curb weight is a figure that comes up fairly regularly.  It refers to the actual weight of the empty vehicle.

The gross axle weight rating (GAWR) is the maximum distributed weight that may be supported by an axle of a road vehicle. Typically, GAWR is followed by either the letters FR or RR, which indicate front or rear axles respectively.

The amount of weight that an axle can handle is of some importance if hauling extreme payloads.  This figure, however, is usually used more by vehicle manufacturers in order to rate the ability of the truck to deal with overall loads, and to make sure that they are compliant with transport authorities and regulations.

Road damage rises steeply with axle weight, and is estimated "as a rule of thumb... for reasonably strong pavement surfaces" to be proportional to the fourth power of the axle weight. This means that doubling the axle weight will increase road damage (2x2x2x2)=16 times.[1][2] For this reason trucks with a high axle weight are heavily taxed in most countries.

Running several big trucks can thus be more cost effective than one huge truck.

The gross combined weight rating (GCWR) is the maximum allowable combined mass of a towing road vehicle, passengers and cargo in the tow vehicle, plus the mass of the trailer and cargo in the trailer.[1] This is the total weight that the tow vehicle's internal combustion engine needs to move.

The GCWR is a figure that is more often used in TTM's world of pickups.  Many folks want to haul trailers, or boats, of varying sizes, so they need to ensure the trucks they choose can do what they require.

In motor vehicles, the gross trailer weight rating (GTWR) is the total mass of a road trailer that is loaded to capacity, including the weight of the trailer itself, plus fluids, and cargo. The static tongue load, the weight of the trailer as measured at the trailer coupling, is 10-15% of the GTWR.

Trailer weight (GTWR) should fall within the GCWR (see above) in order to be confident that your truck can pull what you need.

When light-duty trucks were first produced, they were rated by their payload capacity in tons (e.g., 1/2-, 3/4- and 1-ton). The Ford F-150, Chevy/GMC 1500, and Dodge 1500 are a 1/2-ton. The Ford F-250, Chevy/GMC 2500, and Dodge 2500 are a 3/4-ton. The Ford F-350, Chevy/GMC 3500, and Dodge 3500 are a 1-ton. But throughout the years, the payload capacities have increased while the ton title has stayed the same. The current ton rating is nothing more than just a truck name.

Finally, I find it helpful to realize that the 'ton' appellation is not actually related to any of these figures.

Fated To Bee

 

A few weeks back a young fellow came into the lot.  He'd been referred by one of my customers, and was hoping to trade in his 2005 Dodge Ram 1500 Rumble Bee for a different truck.  We spoke, did test drives, appraised his vehicle, and tried to put together a deal.  In the end, we cordially parted ways, as we were unable to agree on terms.

Yesterday, the truck appeared on our lot.  It had been sold to another dealer, and one of our buyers brought it in to our lot, presumably at terms that suited us.

It was obviously fated to be here.  I am curious, however, as to how it panned out that we ended up with the truck after all, and a third party participated, presumably profiting in the process.  I guess someone ended up feeling differently about numbers somewhere along the line.

If Martin Landau Was A Vehicle

If Martin Landau were a vehicle I say he'd be this 2009 Audi Q7.

It has a 3.6 L engine with 6 cylinders. 4 doors. Loaded, with fine soft leather, panoramic roof, and 4wheel drive. It wears white, like the old icon of stage and screen.

It has less mileage, granted: only 21000 miles on this classic. Priced regally at $52850.