Starting a New Business Rc Rock Crawling Portable

[thenova70ss]

Thanks a lot guys I have 2 months of weekends set up to give this a try at the flea market when I called and talked about the rental of the space at the flea market for the 2 months the people got all excited and said it should do great and they are giving me a spot right in the front so every person that comes in witch is around 3000 a weekend will walk right by my spot I will be setup in that should help a lot.

[BDR]

Down here in Australia, some one has done this with 1/10 buggies, makes a fortune hiring them out to fates\schools\parties

[WHITE-TRASH]

If you're looking for a tax write off as a loss leader then go ahead with your plan. If you just want to share your love of the hobby with people then that's great but you won't make a nickel on the venture. I'd say you'll lose your ass due to people driving the rigs like they're rentals and all the batteries you'll be going through. Good luck.

[joshpit2003]

This sounds like a novel business.
I share WHITE-TRASH's concern about people (especially kids) just romping on the throttle. But there's a simple solution for that:
1. Build the rigs strong
2. Tone-back the throttle (probably no need for more than 20-30% throttle allowance for the little kids)
3. Design the coarse to take a beating, but not dish out a beating to the trucks. (don't allow a truck to fall more than a few feet for example).

I think you could make money with this concept if it was well executed.
Please keep us posted!

[donny8594]

Sounds like it can promote the hobby. I'm all in for that.

Best of luck.

[monkeyracer]

You really need to look at your initial and long term costs and decide if the income outweighs the expenses by enough to be worth your time.

For example, you have your initial costs (trailer that you now can not use for anything else, construction materials, etc.)
...and you have recurring costs (flea market booth rental, repair items for the trucks like tires, batteries, bodies and other broken parts)
...and you have random costs (someone steals a truck, kicks a hole in the foam, jumps around on the trailer, etc.)

You may be only getting a few bucks each time, and it's going to take a long time to break even, or you'll have to charge so much that no one will want to play.

Also, you have to worry about the liability of kids/people getting hurt in any way while operating the trucks. What if the kid climbs on the course, trips and falls, and knocks his head on something? What if he drives it off course into some old lady's ankles?

If you were to do this, it would make more sense to also offer the trucks for sale. Let them drive the rental, and sell them a new one, and replacement parts, and aftermarket parts.

If you decide to take this venture, and fail, at least you can't say we didn't warn you. If you are successful, then rock on.

[Ditchrat]

I have seen this idea before with slot cars. I'd love to tell you the discussion ended with success. The few times I followed them the only successful results were when the tracks were set up at large events, one of them was at a NASCAR race.

Here is the video from one of them. You might want to get a hold of them and see how the whole thing worked out.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w3vjUlTs6CA

Another fellow, maybe nomad racing, out in California does a traveling slot car track at parties. If you are building a trailer that might not be a bad thing to look into.(crawler parties that is) I know my house is the popular place for my kids friends. Everyone, including the parents want to race on the slot car track.

[thenova70ss]

Originally Posted by monkeyracer

You really need to look at your initial and long term costs and decide if the income outweighs the expenses by enough to be worth your time.

For example, you have your initial costs (trailer that you now can not use for anything else, construction materials, etc.)
...and you have recurring costs (flea market booth rental, repair items for the trucks like tires, batteries, bodies and other broken parts)
...and you have random costs (someone steals a truck, kicks a hole in the foam, jumps around on the trailer, etc.)

You may be only getting a few bucks each time, and it's going to take a long time to break even, or you'll have to charge so much that no one will want to play.

Also, you have to worry about the liability of kids/people getting hurt in any way while operating the trucks. What if the kid climbs on the course, trips and falls, and knocks his head on something? What if he drives it off course into some old lady's ankles?

If you were to do this, it would make more sense to also offer the trucks for sale. Let them drive the rental, and sell them a new one, and replacement parts, and aftermarket parts.

If you decide to take this venture, and fail, at least you can't say we didn't warn you. If you are successful, then rock on.

1. For example, you have your initial costs (trailer that you now can not use for anything else, construction materials, etc

1. all ready have a trailer its been sitting for 3 years not being used a family member died and it was given to me so that is no cost of a trailer
all ready had all the construction stuff i needed to build it onlu spent i think $150 on a few things i did not have.

2. flea market booth rental

2. Rent of a space is $50 for a 3 day weekend Not much money.

3. repair items for the trucks like tires, batteries, bodies and other broken parts

3. Will not need much repaires because i have turned down the trucks to 50% power and i have made the course some what easy with just a couple of lines that are harder. Nothing with more then a 2 foot drop and nothing that will take full power to get over are around with the trucks.

I did testing with my 4 year old son and his friends and the loved it and could do most of the course.

4. What if the kid climbs on the course, trips and falls, and knocks his head on something? What if he drives it off course into some old lady's ankles?

4. No kid will be climing on the course that is why i will be at the course watching to make sure this dose not happen and all so will have a sign up arund the trailer saying do not climb on course.

Truck can not come off the course i have Net around the edge of the trailer tghat is 1 foot high if you try and climb it with a crawler it just tangles up on the tires and stops it.

5. If you were to do this, it would make more sense to also offer the trucks for sale. Let them drive the rental, and sell them a new one, and replacement parts, and aftermarket parts

5. I am a dealer and will have the trucks for sale with all the parts.

I hope i helped you understand a little better what im doing. Oh and total i have $500 tied up in building the trailer had most the stuff i needed laying around and had a friend that hooked me up with the bedliner and sprayed it for me.

[thenova70ss]

Originally Posted by Ditchrat

I have seen this idea before with slot cars. I'd love to tell you the discussion ended with success. The few times I followed them the only successful results were when the tracks were set up at large events, one of them was at a NASCAR race.

Here is the video from one of them. You might want to get a hold of them and see how the whole thing worked out.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w3vjUlTs6CA

Another fellow, maybe nomad racing, out in California does a traveling slot car track at parties. If you are building a trailer that might not be a bad thing to look into.(crawler parties that is) I know my house is the popular place for my kids friends. Everyone, including the parents want to race on the slot car track.

I am for sure gone to look in to doing partys on some weekends. The course is some what easy so for partys i was gone to do a timed course and give out cheap fair prizes like the dollar stuff you win at most fairs now days and you pay $5 to play the game. LOL

I think the Timed Course will do good a partys that way each kid is trying as fast as they can to reach the end i have marked and it moves fast and lots of kids get to play and not just stand around and watch. 1 are 2 will finsh and next group will start.

All most like you see on TV with the Monster trucks side by side racing.

[thenova70ss]

Originally Posted by WHITE-TRASH

If you're looking for a tax write off as a loss leader then go ahead with your plan. If you just want to share your love of the hobby with people then that's great but you won't make a nickel on the venture. I'd say you'll lose your ass due to people driving the rigs like they're rentals and all the batteries you'll be going through. Good luck.

I have cut back the power on the trucks and have yet to brake one with my 4 year old son trying. LOL Its gone to happen i know but i dont think its gone to be to bad.

Batteris are 2s lipo i get 30min run time out of them and they cost me $8 each i have 10 batterys i have 1 on the truck and 1 charging so i all ways have a good ready to run battery.

30 min gives me 3 customers run time on each battery. Thats $15 every 10 min thats $45 every 30 min of run time on the trucks so thats around $90 an hour.

Im running 3 trucks at a time.

[wings_of_fire]

Those calculations are good on paper only. It does not go similarly in field. You got to account for variables, but first launch. You could strike a solid business.

[thenova70ss]

Originally Posted by wings_of_fire

Those calculations are good on paper only. It does not go similarly in field. You got to account for variables, but first launch. You could strike a solid business.

Yep i understand and just hope i can make a little monay and have fun with it. I started this because every time i take my Rc crawler are my Rc buggy to the park are town people ask a ton of qustions and love to watch them run. That and at the flea market one weekend i seen a guy make at lest $500 in 1 day with a cheap kids air up jump hous.

That and when i added up the cost to build the trailer and get it started it was less then $1000 and thats nothing when it comes to trying somthing as a business and my wife has me at the flea markets all most every weekend so it was somthing i could take with us and me make some money as she is spending money. LOL

[Itali83]

I've been reading this and I think you just need to do it. It's something you enjoy doing. You're there anyway, have less than a grand invested and have potential to at least pay for itself if nothing else. If you've got the time and it is something you want to try. DO IT! You won't regret it. If it fails, you've got a portable course that you can use whenever or for family events that you know people will enjoy it at. Go for it and good luck!
Ben

[thenova70ss]

Originally Posted by Itali83

I've been reading this and I think you just need to do it. It's something you enjoy doing. You're there anyway, have less than a grand invested and have potential to at least pay for itself if nothing else. If you've got the time and it is something you want to try. DO IT! You won't regret it. If it fails, you've got a portable course that you can use whenever or for family events that you know people will enjoy it at. Go for it and good luck!
Ben

THANKS Ben.

Next month will be my first test run of it i have my days booked at the Flea market.

[monkeyracer]

Originally Posted by thenova70ss

Yep i understand and just hope i can make a little monay and have fun with it. I started this because every time i take my Rc crawler are my Rc buggy to the park are town people ask a ton of qustions and love to watch them run. That and at the flea market one weekend i seen a guy make at lest $500 in 1 day with a cheap kids air up jump hous.

That and when i added up the cost to build the trailer and get it started it was less then $1000 and thats nothing when it comes to trying somthing as a business and my wife has me at the flea markets all most every weekend so it was somthing i could take with us and me make some money as she is spending money. LOL

Originally Posted by thenova70ss (corrected)

Yep, I understand. I just hope I can make a little money and have fun with it. I started this because every time I take my RC crawler or my RC buggy to the park, our town people ask a ton of questions and love to watch them run. Also, at the flea market one weekend, I witnessed a guy make at least $500 in 1 day with a cheap, kids, air up jump house.

When I added up the cost to build the trailer and get it started, it was less then $1000. That's nothing when it comes to trying something as a business. Also, since my wife has me at the flea market almost every weekend, it was something I could take with us and I could make some money as she is spending it. LOL

Your posts are so hard to read sometimes.

It seems like you are set to do this, and I am not sure why you asked for our opinions. There are plenty of warnings here, but, truly, good luck, I hope it works out for you.

[thenova70ss]

Originally Posted by monkeyracer

Your posts are so hard to read sometimes.

It seems like you are set to do this, and I am not sure why you asked for our opinions. There are plenty of warnings here, but, truly, good luck, I hope it works out for you.

I will be giving it a try for $1000 are a little more its worth it. THANKS

[makya]

I've actually been working on a similar idea with 1/24th and 1/18th scale trucks on more of a rock racer style course to make it fun for those that aren't familiar with crawling. Car shows, local county fairs and festivals are also worth looking at. We have a weekend flea market here locally that is 70 acres and our family started a wood moulding shop out of it in 1993 that is now an outlet shop for our mill. Flea markets can be a great jumping off point for business. good Luck to you.

[Turtlejon]

Yeah, look around for used basic trucks, I'd try to get all SCX variants, so all of the parts are compatible. They don't have to be fancy, just durable. Maybe think about using Ni-Mh batteries, to lower costs and power levels. Maybe have lipo as an upgrade, or for preferred customers. You could really do it for pretty minimal costs if you have a lot of time. Also, expect everyone to want to go full throttle all of the time, lol!
I have been working at festivals for the last 20 years or so, and really, a lot of the success of a business depends on the continued enthusiasm of the folks running it. If everyone is having fun, it shows. If the owner is being stingy and grumpy, no one will want to play.
I usually approach my day as expecting literally the worst possible behavior from everyone, and then I am pleasantly surprised all day when the worst case situation doesn't happen, lol!
Good luck! and keep us informed with your success!

[thenova70ss]

Originally Posted by makya

I've actually been working on a similar idea with 1/24th and 1/18th scale trucks on more of a rock racer style course to make it fun for those that aren't familiar with crawling. Car shows, local county fairs and festivals are also worth looking at. We have a weekend flea market here locally that is 70 acres and our family started a wood moulding shop out of it in 1993 that is now an outlet shop for our mill. Flea markets can be a great jumping off point for business. good Luck to you.

I will be using 1/16 redcat Everst. I'm a dealer for redcat and will have them for sale and all the parts. If some one loves it they can buy a crawler and take it home and start having fun. I picked Redcat because it's a cheap Crawler less then $100 and it's RTR right out if the box. I did my testing and right out of the box it a good little Crawler its water proof and the ESC is lipo ready. Good little Crawler for the money.