Running a used car business is mainly buying used cars and selling them to new owners. However, it’s much more complicated than it sounds. So if you’re thinking of starting a used car business, here are some things you should be aware of:
1. You need to be knowledgeable about cars
Although you can always hire people to assess the cars you want to buy and find ways to make a profit from them, you can’t run a successful used car business if you don’t know anything about cars. This goes beyond basic knowledge, too, even if you are taking an automotive franchise opportunity. You need to know the implications of buying used cars, the common problems of used cars, the repairs and maintenance tasks required, the costs involved, the paperwork, and everything else in between. Otherwise, you put yourself at risk of making mistakes before you even start your business.
2. You have to research your market
First off, what kind of cars do you want to sell? Do you want to focus on niches like luxury cars or vintage cars? Or do you want to buy and sell cars for family use? In any case, researching your market is essential before you buy any cars. Start by finding the answers to these questions:
- Does your area have the purchasing power for the kind of cars you want to sell? If you want to sell luxury cars but plan to put your business up in a depressed neighborhood, you might want to go back to the drawing board.
- What kind of cars are people in the area looking for? What brands do they trust? Find out which brands and models are people looking for by conducting surveys in the area and looking at local car-buying statistics.
- How much are people willing to pay for the type of cars you want to sell? The price points vary for each type of car, and they further depend on its brand, model, age, and condition.
- Why are people buying used cars? Determine the main reason why people are looking for used cars. This can be for daily transport, for hobby purposes, or for economic reasons, among others.
As you can see, starting a used car business is not simply placing used cars on the lot and waiting for customers to buy them. You also have to determine what cars people are looking for, and what prices are they willing to pay for them.
3. Location is crucial
One of the most crucial factors of starting a used car business is choosing the right location. Your dealership needs to be in a visible location that can be easily accessed from the main roads. Better yet, you can place your dealership next to the main road so that it can easily be seen by people passing by.
That said, you might have to spend a lot of time finding the right location for your business. Since a used car dealership is one of those businesses that primarily rely on location, you need to ensure that the site you choose is visible, accessible, and zoned to accommodate your type of business.
4. You need a reliable mechanic by your side
Unless you are an experienced mechanic yourself, you need to have a trusted mechanic by your side. They will be able to tell you if a used car is a good deal or not. Otherwise, you can end up losing money when you buy a used car and end up spending more than what you planned on repairs. Start a good working relationship with a mechanic that you trust. Aside from giving you sound advice on used cars, you can hire their services to fix up your cars before reselling them.
5. Sales can be slow
This is especially true for new used car businesses. Before you can gain traction, you need to make a good first impression on potential customers and earn their trust. They are paying a significant amount of money for a car, so you need to be able to show that you are worthy of their cash. Thus, it is unwise to expect that you will sell your used cars off the lot like hotcakes. Instead, prepare for slow sales at first, and ensure that you have the budget to keep the business going despite low sales.
A used car business can be an excellent venture if you know what to do. But before you start looking for cars to buy, you have to understand what it will take to get your business off the ground and know what to do afterward.
