What's the future of the Kit Industry? - Page 3

Ex-Biker · #41 8th May 2006, 08:00

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ex-Biker

If a kit company could offer 'Mr I've just written off my Saxo' driver a full kit build service inc the new kit for £2500 - £3000, I think they'd be on to a winner.

3 weeks build time?

kartman · #42 8th May 2006, 17:40

Rant warning.......

£2500 - £3000 including build!!!! Have they put something in the water down there in Cornwall!!!!!

Lets do some basic figures......

Say you want to earn £18K per year doing this....thats £1500 per month.

If you build one every three weeks, that is £1125 per car.

Plus workshop rent......say £400 per month (v cheap) thats £300 per car.

Heating, light, business rates, phone, etc..... say £200 per month...., thats £150 per car.

Car development cost.(inc moulds).....say £20K (again....v.cheap), and you produce 50 cars, thats £400 per car......

So where are we......£1500 + £300 + £150 + £400 =£2350

Thats without actually making a body, etc, marketing, profit.......see where this is heading?

Sorry, it just ain't gonna happen.....

kitcarman · #43 8th May 2006, 21:05

Trevor,
I agree with you.
There’s no way I can see that any kit car can be supplied assembled for anything like a realistic price.
Labour is too expensive and expectations too high.
Den.

Fuoriserie · #44 9th May 2006, 20:48

I agree with what was said by Kartman and Kitcarman,
but that is why we need some creative marketing to bring kitcars or conversions, to this new crowd of potential owners.

How to, I don't know, but I can only draw...........

JG · #45 9th May 2006, 22:34

Quote:

Originally Posted by Fuoriserie

.... that is why we need some creative marketing to bring kitcars or conversions, to this new crowd of potential owners.

How to, I don't know

Judging by the crowds at the recent Stoneleigh show do we need to. It seemed in fine fettle to me.

John

kartman · #46 10th May 2006, 22:05

Quote:

Originally Posted by JG

Judging by the crowds at the recent Stoneleigh show do we need to. It seemed in fine fettle to me.

John

Really?????

Not what I saw......and the general vibe in the industry.

JG · #47 11th May 2006, 12:28

Ok, what I meant was that from the publics point of view the interest is still there judging by the amount of people that turned up on the Sunday so all hope is not lost. (can't comment on the Monday as I wasnt there)

Where there is interest there is hope.

John

Ex-Biker · #48 11th May 2006, 14:36

Would be interesting to compare the numbers over the last 5 years.

Ferg · #49 11th May 2006, 15:32

I think I'd have to agree with John, Trevor.
The show very rarely gives me a major buzz...hasn't since the halcyon days of the eighties when there were always loads of new kits to see, but this year I spent longer in the halls looking at cars than the last three years at least. TeamGTM was very busy and although we had a couple fewer cars this year at the maximum of 36, they came and went continually. Pehaps they couldn't find the factory stand........

...and 20 odd people camping!!!

kartman · #50 11th May 2006, 17:30

OK Ferg......so you spent a lot of time in the halls compared to previous year.

What NEW stuff did you see? What I noticed was that there was a lot more accessory stands in the main hall than previous years - for example the stand I had last year was now occupied by an accessory company, PPC mag had a large stand in one hall, etc.

This means there was less manufacturers, which is not good news.

There may be a 'buzz' from the number of people attending, but if manufacturers don't feel it is worth attending to show their products, something is wrong.

JG · #51 12th May 2006, 07:58

Anybody want to rethink that panel kits are the future?

John

Ex-Biker · #52 12th May 2006, 10:32

Quote:

Originally Posted by JG

Anybody want to rethink that panel kits are the future?

John

That'll be the MR2 re-body then.

Fuoriserie · #53 12th May 2006, 14:08

the Veranti is great looking conversion for the Toyota mr2, and you could create various body shapes over the mr2, maybe I should sketch something before i say something......

kartman · #54 12th May 2006, 16:25

Quote:

Originally Posted by JG

Anybody want to rethink that panel kits are the future?

John

I did say in concept....not necessarily execution. I'm with you on this one JG....

andy · #55 12th May 2006, 18:17

IMO the key is Adding value.

The popular 7 concept takes a clapped out cheap car and turns it into a very special little car that nothing can come close to for the money..... thus clear Added value.

at the other extreme an Ultima takes parts that a readily available at reasonable money and puts together a package of performance and looks that you have to spend hundreds of thousands of pounds more to buy its mainstream rivals..... thus clear Added Value

The replicas demonstrate this in the Kit market as well..... Cobra replicas sell well as they can be built for loads less and a higher spec than an original would cost, wereas to build a Diablo replica to the same spec won't be much shy of a 2nd hand real one.. hence they don't sell as well (even though we lust after them).

With the arrival of production cars like the Elises, VX220's, Ariel Atom etc kit cars have lost the monopoly on cheap, extreme, fast cars.

Fuoriserie · #56 15th May 2006, 08:13

another interesting conversion? :

http://360.illuder.com/forum/index.php?topic=13.0

Fuoriserie · #57 18th May 2006, 14:56

How about a Ford fiesta based Dube Buggy......

http://www.stimsondesigns.com/index2.php?link=buggypics

I guess you could do this with any FWD modern hatch.

Fuoriserie · #58 5th June 2006, 20:50

Just an idea for the Kit industry Publications.......

http://kitcarmag.com/projectbuild/142_0409_ecocat/

Why not do something similar in Europe?

#59 2nd August 2006, 10:56

Good news

lambogenie · #60 3rd August 2006, 11:18

Quote:

Originally Posted by kartman

OK Ferg......so you spent a lot of time in the halls compared to previous year.

What NEW stuff did you see? What I noticed was that there was a lot more accessory stands in the main hall than previous years - for example the stand I had last year was now occupied by an accessory company, PPC mag had a large stand in one hall, etc.

This means there was less manufacturers, which is not good news.

There may be a 'buzz' from the number of people attending, but if manufacturers don't feel it is worth attending to show their products, something is wrong.

Maybe, just maybe the manufacturers can't justify the cost of the stands! Any body know if they are expensive? Perhaps one way to attact more manufacturers to each show would be to lower the cost of the stands and put say 50p on the public entrance price. I think this would up the attendance figures and give a better show for the public.