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Tractor Talk Discussion Forum

need some business advice(long)

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jlmtractor

07-19-2006 12:08:49




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ok tired of mowing i have been mowing grass professionally for about three years and truthfully i am already tired of it. but i have been tearing down garden tractor motors that have blew or something wrong with them andselling them or charging people for fixing the little motors. right now i am tired of mowing and want to do something i really like and enjoy. and a bunch of people around have tractors and broke down mowers and tractors and the closest dealer is 15 or even 20 miles away. so what do you people think about start fixing tractors and little motors. and maybe you guys can give me some advice on what to do

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jlmtractor

07-20-2006 07:02:45




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 Re: need some business advice(long) in reply to jlmtractor , 07-19-2006 12:08:49  
i could do all that and mow but i wouldnt be on the job mowing and the thing with running your own business well i like working on things but my dad did to until he went to work as a mechanic adn he hated it. but around here i could sell parts and service and like you said sell mowers.like i said before the closest dealer ship is 15 or 20 miles away not many people have trailers so i could go get them and service them adn bring them back. i could also have a machine shop and not charge as much as what allan in ne got charged. but i also have the horse bordering and selling business but it is small because i have down sized ALOT so i might keep the mowing buisness and sell tractors and could find ones in ok condition afix them and then sell for a decent price. well might just be what i do.

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rustyj14

07-19-2006 19:48:29




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 Re: need some business advice(long) in reply to jlmtractor , 07-19-2006 12:08:49  
I worked in auto body work for fifty years +/-. Retired at 72! friends said make and sell crafts (Bird houses, knick-nacks, ash trays, etc., at craft shows!) Hummph! Sold 2 bird houses, nothing else, made $30! Took 10 hours to make a bird house! Decided something wrong with that theory! Riding around one evening, found an old lawn mower setting amongst the garbage, on garbage night. Took it home, made it run, got $35 for it next day! Next night found 2 more! Fixed both--$60! Getting the idea?? So, that blossomed into repairing mowers, tractors, service work, tune-ups, belt changing, motor work, blade sharpening, etc. I get enough gold to buy gas for my truck, give my dear wife spending money, buy gas for car and truck and motor home, BEER!! and supplies and parts! And have more cash on hand for fripperies, if i want them! somebody asked me how old i am, so i told him--82 in September! So, go, do it! Rustyj

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Bob in WY

07-19-2006 15:07:06




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 Re: need some business advice(long) in reply to jlmtractor , 07-19-2006 12:08:49  
I suspect if you run the numbers you will find you can survive in the small engine repair business but that is about it. Of course that assumes you won"t eat much because you will be busy trying to survive repairing small engines. But, look around, see if you can pick up a line of lawn and garden tractors and lawn mowers to sell along with the repair business. If it works out then run the engine repair business, garden tractor sales and mowing business all as one and let the stronger part of the business squeeze out the weaker part of the business. In other words, if the sales and repair business end up being the major income then raise the price on the mowing business. People will then either find someone else to mow their lawn or come buy a lawn tractor from you and mow their own. Also, remember this, this advice is worth less than what you paid for it.

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Beck

07-19-2006 14:39:04




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 Re: need some business advice(long) in reply to jlmtractor , 07-19-2006 12:08:49  
I have a friend that is a pretty competent mechanic. He used to work full time as a mechanic for a big bus outfit. He made good money there, but really wanted to have his own repair business. So he bought out an existing business. He does a lot of small engine repair in addition to trucks, tractors, buses, etc.
He's really sorry that he made the move now. He has a lot of headaches with his employees as well as customers, plus works longer hours than he ever did for the bus outfit. He said his small engine repairs are the least profitable part of his business. Bottom line is how much can you charge someone to work on a piece of equipment that you can buy new at Wally World for a few hundred bucks? You'll never be able to get a decent return for your time.

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jlmtractor

07-19-2006 14:09:33




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 Re: need some business advice(long) in reply to jlmtractor , 07-19-2006 12:08:49  
well mike m i am currently rebuilding a 2003 craftsman lt2000 with a 22hp v-twin and the tracor back then the tractor was 1800.00s new and i got a nice discount at napa until a couple days ago. and the motor with my good discount is 1800.00 the normal price is 2800.00. the motor threw both rods and broke 1 piston adn a new crank cause the other one is bured around the journal. but the price for 2 rods and 2 pistons and a new crank with rings and a gasket set and 2 new berrings is 250.00

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jlmtractor

07-19-2006 13:57:45




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 Re: need some business advice(long) in reply to jlmtractor , 07-19-2006 12:08:49  
well you know i wasnt just talking about just fixing but also servicing them even all the tractors around here.i could even come get the tractors from the people for no charge. i could even be a diesel repair shop but i just want to do something i enjoy. and i already have people hired to help. but not many. its hard for me to hire anybody that doesnt really no me because i am afraid they wont be as paticular as me cause thats what puts me on top as a landscaper around here is because i am paticular and i care about my work. all the other landscapers dont come out to the job at all but to price the job and i am there as much as possible.

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John M

07-19-2006 16:09:42




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 Re: need some business advice(long) in reply to jlmtractor , 07-19-2006 13:57:45  
I think you and I are from the same area, and I can tell you this, while it loks like there are alot of tractors around here, there arent, and those you do see either get serviced by the owner, or they dont get serviced by anyone other than the dealer.Even those are disappearing! While I commend you on your efforts, and admire you for wanting to do your own thing, in this area forget about working on tractors and stick with the small engines. You should know every other person in this state is a landscaper.

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Oh and....

07-19-2006 16:11:00




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 Re: need some business advice(long) in reply to John M, 07-19-2006 16:09:42  
Itll cool back down before too much longer. 97 is just too hot to make a man think clearly.



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NcNE

07-19-2006 15:14:52




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 Re: need some business advice(long) in reply to jlmtractor , 07-19-2006 13:57:45  
Your idea about picking up the tractor free of charge would probably be a selling point, however you might want to consider how much it would cost you to go out and pick it up, especially since you said the customer base might be 20 miles away. With diesel and gas holding tight at the $3.00 mark and going higher every day you"re going to have to find a way to recoup your cost. The other thing you might want to consider about opening a diesel shop is the tool investment. Unless you have 95% of the tools you"ll need it will be extrememly expensive, not to mention diagnostic equipment. Next, you will have to pay your employees regardless of whether you have someting for them to do. If you"re going to start out, make sure you have enough work to keep your help busy. I can definitely relate to your wanting to do something you like as I"ve been in the situation myself. Just make sure it doesnt go from a fun hobby to a hairpulling nightmare. Hope this helps you out.

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Mike M

07-19-2006 13:04:03




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 Re: need some business advice(long) in reply to jlmtractor , 07-19-2006 12:08:49  
I'd think trying to rebuild small engines would be a losing proposition as most you can just buy a new engine or even a whole new unit for the cost of parts and labor. I like the idea of doing it in the off seasons.

If you have a good mowing business built up just hire some young kids to drive the mowers ?



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Pooh Bear

07-19-2006 12:56:16




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 Re: need some business advice(long) in reply to jlmtractor , 07-19-2006 12:08:49  
Do what you enjoy doing.
If you enjoy it and are good at it, the money will come.

A Father's Book of Wisdom, H. Jackson Brown.
----- ----- -----
Find a job you love and you will never work a day in your life.

Socrates (or was it Confucious).

----- ----- -
Pooh Bear



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Jonfarmer

07-19-2006 12:23:41




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 Re: need some business advice(long) in reply to jlmtractor , 07-19-2006 12:08:49  
Well, Dr Phil would say if something isn't working for you, then change it. I would think there might be more money in mowing grass since alot of todays weed whackers, chainsaws, and even lawnmowers are cheap throw aways. Sounds like it might be an opportunity if you would be happier doing that. Lots of folks out there that have absolutly no mechanical ability, they don't own tools, and if they did, they wouldn't know what to do with them.
Hope this helps,

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RustyFarmall

07-19-2006 12:20:51




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 Re: need some business advice(long) in reply to jlmtractor , 07-19-2006 12:08:49  
The used parts and repair will never pay as good as the mowing service you are doing now. Keep on doing what pays the bills, and venture into the other business slowly. Work at it during the off season.



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Franky G

07-19-2006 12:20:26




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 Re: need some business advice(long) in reply to jlmtractor , 07-19-2006 12:08:49  
Start doing it as a side business. It will give you a feel for whether or not it is a viable option, both financially and emotionally.



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Rob NC

07-19-2006 12:10:47




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 Re: need some business advice(long) in reply to jlmtractor , 07-19-2006 12:08:49  
you'll probably just get tired of it.



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mjbrown

07-19-2006 12:15:47




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 Re: need some business advice(long) in reply to Rob NC, 07-19-2006 12:10:47  
It's said that giggolos (sp?) get tired of $ex.



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Harley

07-19-2006 12:31:40




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 Re: need some business advice(long) in reply to mjbrown, 07-19-2006 12:15:47  
Na, we just wear out the subjects. Harley



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730virgil

07-19-2006 15:15:47




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 Re: need some business advice(long) in reply to Harley, 07-19-2006 12:31:40  
Harley you talking about lawn mowers here or wimens ? i got my laugh for today with that



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