Starting a Used Car Restoration Business – Suggestions Invited

[jarpickle]

Go for the zen, it has all the bells and whistles.A lot of used car buyers want and AC these days.The zen makes more sense.The Matiz parts are a little hard to find, but should be swappable with the new Spark.I would leave the 800 from a business point of view.

In the zen Ad, there is a person tinkering in the engine bay.That does not look good,try to find an MPFi zen instead of a carb one.Carbs are not meant for everyone, also check for under-body damage and bent rims in Zen's, they are known for these.

 

[Sam Dinkar]

Re: Starting a Used Car Restoration Business – Suggestions Invited

Dear Anand, since this shall be your first car, I would exhort you to not be too adventurous. Play it safe and aim for an inbuilt margin of error, e.g. try to look out for a white coloured car that is still in production than a red or green or xyz colour car that is no longer being produced because the latter would be relatively more difficult to sell than the former. You cannot afford to suffer loss when you have very little working capital. Once your business picks up and you have sufficient funding, by all means go out and restore whichever car that you like. I am not against taking risk but there is a difference between taking a calculated risk and outright chutzpah.

As Keith has correctly said, avoid the Matiz. The Zen may still be workable. Go and check it out.

 

[ss80]

Just returned from my work, drank a mug of coffee (have to remain sleepless till 4pm atleast) & started hunt on olx & quikr. Managed to get an appointment for a M800 Type 1, red colour 3rd owner, for approx. 32K

Although I would prefer a white coloured car (Sam Sir, you spoke the truth, other colours are much difficult to sell than white anyday) nothing seems to fall in my budget, I also got a M1000 for 25K, but just said no to myself.

I will update here by evening about the deal.

 

[jarpickle]

Look out for zens, I have heard a lot of people are selling them off because of the petrol prices.

 

[Shantanu.lko]

Re: Starting a Used Car Restoration Business – Suggestions Invited

Look out for zens, I have heard a lot of people are selling them off because of the petrol prices.

Why people are selling them due to petrol prices. Here zen owners rarely complain about bad FE
BTW If zens are being sold due to petrol prices, will they fetch good price from the new owner ??

 

[deville_56]

Didn't read all these posts, dunno whether everyone said enough about it not so nice idea.

Example, friend of mine bought a Palio. Sounded healthy when we took test drive. Only fault visible was a scratchy and sightly cracked windscreen. In a car dealer test, a good car, not excellent. Returned mileage 15-16 on highway and 12-13 in city. One fine day all troubles began. Coolant leak, terrible mileage 6 max, electrical failures. I had to drive it 10+ km in dark heavy rain with no headlight, AC or wiper. Car is repaired now and is a decent piece with only issues being the same wind screen and slightly leaking radiator.

Now coming to point, we spent 70k buying the car. Service + repairs + basic ICE + painting + insurance + road tax = 50k+, Total 1.2 L spent on the car. Now we wanna sell off that car. Now max we can fetch is 50k. So loss = 70k.

To make profits, you have to buy at dirt cheap prices, restore it half heartedly with cheap and fake spares and start bargain with way more than what it could fetch in market. I know such guys in 2nd hand business.

 

[jarpickle]

Re: Starting a Used Car Restoration Business – Suggestions Invited

Why people are selling them due to petrol prices. Here zen owners rarely complain about bad FE
BTW If zens are being sold due to petrol prices, will they fetch good price from the new owner ??

Just 1 word for it.Diesel craze.

 

[Shantanu.lko]

Re: Starting a Used Car Restoration Business – Suggestions Invited

Just 1 word for it.Diesel craze.

Got it, Sir jee.
Zen lovers would surely pay well for a nicely maintained car.

 

[jarpickle]

Finding any nicely maintained car is always difficult.These cars are rare and most just change hands between automotive circles.

 

[jarpickle]

This is what I was talking about

 

[ss80]

WOW! I cant believe the car is in that good condition!
Thanks Jarpickle, but I am looking at a hatchback for now, pref M800/Zen, due to budget & space constraints as you know. That car deserves a closed parking lot & a wealthy yet loving owner.

Buying a good used car is tough & finding genuine owners is very tough. Today I saw 2 cars - the red 800 I mentioned was half dead! it looked like as if it was painted with toothbrush & both fenders needed replacement, he said on the phone that body needs minor work, total repairs are worth 6K, I saw the whole car not worth even 10K!

Evening I met a IT guy selling off 2cars (White M800's) that guy was trying to trick me using the billion year old sales idea - "creating urgency", he also continued to give silly justifications to every fault I found in the car, the worst part was he was not ready to negotiate a rupee. He also used some one else's car photo to post the ad.

Stay away from this seller at all cost!
http://bangalore.olx.in/maruti-suzuki-800-japan-top-condition-regular-company-service-in-cool-prize-39k-iid-525236771

Now I am going to see this red car in this ad (pic from the owner's ad)



http://bangalore.olx.in/maruti-800-japan-engine-great-engine-interiors-gas-kit-iid-525330471

 

[jarpickle]

No dude, don't need to be wealthy.Just need to be a caring owner.It does need some fixing here and there nothing major.Parts are available easily.

The car in the picture of that ad is a type 2 not an 87 M800.Thats why you need to do your home work.

 

[ss80]

Yeah I had seen that but I assumed he would have modified a type1 into type2 by changing fenders,dikki etc. But I was wrong.

The last red coloured type 1 is also in a horrible state,drove it for about 200mtrs, everything is lose, left apron cracked open, left fender not in line with body, butter smooth gearbox, worn clutch, superb seat covers, working lpg kit, repainted red coloured car. dropped that car from list & just reached home.

 

[jarpickle]

Dude, btw the Honda accord has HPS.Just another thing that you mentioned you wanted

 

[samsag12]

Re: Starting a Used Car Restoration Business – Suggestions Invited

I need to confess I was following this thread from the very beginning but was keeping myself from posting here as experts & fellow TAIians have already mentioned about the dos & donts. Anyway I think I must share my opinion too based on what I have experienced.

First of all I would like to congratulate you Anand bhai on this venture of yours. Its great to see you will be going to live my dream. Anyway, coming to the point, first of all would like to suggest you NOT to look for M-800, there's no margin in these cars & single owner cars are very hard to comeby. IMO you must initially consider the following cars which can be easily fixed & sold for a profit.

Maruti Alto Lx/ LXi (800cc): Easily available for Rs.80-1L.
Hyundai Santro including initial Xing model:
Wagon R type 1
Maruti Van: This may sound a bit stupid but there's a decent profit in it. Due to its flexibility in uses a Van still holds its value in market. I have seen people making decent profit in purchase & sale of this people mover.

Again according to my view you can find a suitable Alto Lx. get it refreshed i.e. change fluids, minor repairs etc add some useful accessories like Power window system,remote boot lock opener, chrome accessories (though personally I dislike it) & all.
Finding a buyer will also be easy for the said car & you can earn a decent profit too.

BTW that Accord looks impeccably clean.

PS: Would again like to mention this, The above mentioned points are according to my personal experience & observations.