Offroad Trailer Rental- Would you rent?

[Ford Prefect]

I have to agree that the rental is NOT a good BUSINESS model.

IF you are thinking about getting one, and renting it to people on a case by case and only rarely, then go for it!

We (The Muskoka Foundation) have a trailer that we are willing to loan out FOR FREE to anyone who wants to borrow it. It is located in AZ, and we have had it for a few years now.

To date My family and I used it going to Expo last year, and they guy who very kindly stores it for us has used it once. That is all. No one has ever actually taken the thing out to borrow it yet. You should also note that we have a sign on it at the Expo every year that says FREE RENTAL! No one has used it, and to my knowledge no one has even asked about it.

It is too bad really, as it is a very nice trailer. I would use it a LOT if it happened to be up here in Utah, but it is in a good location at present for people to be able to use it on a trip to Mexico should someone choose to do so.

Sorry to aid in the bursting of a bubble of what I too would have thought would be a great idea, but sadly people just do not go in for it.

Brian

 

[nwoods]

I think the logistics in loaning out trailers is pretty tough. * Folks that need trailers typically have families. * *Folks thinking of renting one do not have disposable income to spare, or time. *Driving out to wherever the trailer is will be a huge obstacle for the target demographic of potential customers.

But if a trailer was available locally, I think the per day model is not a very helpful one due to the constraints I listed previously. It's just not feasible for those paid on the clock. *Instead, I would charge by weekend or by week, with grace period days before and after the time frame*the allow for the logistical challenges faced by the renter. Afterall, it's not likely that you'll have a mid-week renter!

 

[cruiseroutfit]

Having rented out trailers in the past and gone through the painful experience of repairing trailers when they were returned damaged due to renter inexperience and dealing with a stolen unit, the core reason we stopped were the costs and the lack of demand to justify those costs...

Sage advice, thanks for chiming in Mario. Hope to see you down at SEMA, assuming you'll be there

...We (The Muskoka Foundation) have a trailer that we are willing to loan out FOR FREE to anyone who wants to borrow it. It is located in AZ, and we have had it for a few years now.

Good to know Brian. What kind of trailer is it?

I think the logistics in loaning out trailers is pretty tough. * Folks that need trailers typically have families. * *Folks thinking of renting one do not have disposable income to spare, or time. *Driving out to wherever the trailer is will be a huge obstacle for the target demographic of potential customers...

Spot on, not that it can't be done... just that it can't be done profitably under most circumstances.

 

[elcoyote]

I have to agree that the rental is NOT a good BUSINESS model.......You should also note that we have a sign on it at the Expo every year that says FREE RENTAL! No one has used it, and to my knowledge no one has even asked about it.

And in proximity to a major metro area, yet no demand.

Instead, I would charge by weekend or by week, with grace period days before and after the time frame

That's exactly how our rental model was structured. It's pretty much an industry standard in the RV rental business.

Sage advice, thanks for chiming in Mario. Hope to see you down at SEMA, assuming you'll be there

You bet Amigo! We hope to see you at the Overland party...gotta leave your jacket somewhere right?

Good to know Brian. What kind of trailer is it?

It is an AT Horizon with a Fox coil-over suspension that we built originally for spressmon

 

[cruiseroutfit]

...You bet Amigo! We hope to see you at the Overland party...gotta leave your jacket somewhere right?

Absolutely, I'll touch bases at the show for details. Thanks!

...It is an AT Horizon with a Fox coil-over suspension that we built originally for spressmon

Only the best

Fwiw the gent we were working with on the rental business is an AT owner, it was the rugged durability of the trailer that made him think of loaning it out to others, that to me is a great compliment to your products.

 

[Chris Cordes]

Man even though it doesn't make too much sense it would be nice to have the option to rent a trailer. After selling my m101a2 ive had multiple occasions where I'm bringing 4 people and just dont have enough room for gear. In fact this Saturday I'm taking out my room mate and his family and were scrambling to find a good place to rent a trailer with decent clearance in the Prescott area. So far I've found one place but we'll see what they rules for dirt roads etc are

 

[cruiseroutfit]

Man even though it doesn't make too much sense it would be nice to have the option to rent a trailer. After selling my m101a2 ive had multiple occasions where I'm bringing 4 people and just dont have enough room for gear. In fact this Saturday I'm taking out my room mate and his family and were scrambling to find a good place to rent a trailer with decent clearance in the Prescott area. So far I've found one place but we'll see what they rules for dirt roads etc are

TXH3T... meet my friend Ford Perfect

...We (The Muskoka Foundation) have a trailer that we are willing to loan out FOR FREE to anyone who wants to borrow it. It is located in AZ, and we have had it for a few years now.

I feel like cupid

 

[Donsfast]

I was not thinking anything more than a basic but sturdy offroad trailer or a basic offroad trailer with a RTT. I agree that anything more would never be profitable because of wear/unintentional damage outpacing profit. Logistics would be a whole other bag of worms but I was thinking Phoenix, Las Vegas, Albuquerque to start and mayby southern California but that would still leave endless gaps between locations. I dont know that I would drive much over 40 or 50 miles to rent a trailer just due to usual time constraints before I leave for my average weekend trip.

 

[elcoyote]

I dont know that I would drive much over 40 or 50 miles to rent a trailer just due to usual time constraints before I leave for my average weekend trip.

Exactly. Your sentiments reflect the center of the bell curve and hence why it did not work.

 

[UK4X4]

One thing to add would be - where you live - demographic - market

Noone is going to drive 200 miles just topick up a trailer for a few days

To make something like this work, I would have said you have to make the adventure trailer part modular.

ie day to day you rent standard trailers and for the odd rental you mount the box.

also probably just a basic one would suffice like AT's chaser

 

[Chris Cordes]

TXH3T... meet my friend Ford Perfect



I feel like cupid

Haha Well I appreciate it! I'll send em a pm right away

 

[4x4x4doors]

I bought a standard on-road Little Guy in 2005 that had been used as a rental for one season before I bought it. The company was a motorhome and RV dealer and rented out the Little Guys as well as selling them. The guy told me mine had gone out 4 times in the preceding year. Dealership was near Atlantic City in NJ.
I live outside DC and a rental might appeal to me if I were going a long distance. In my case, the crowded Metro area leads to HOAs that don't want trailers visible and limited parking space so that giving up the garage for the trailer and leaving the car outside in limited space isn't much of an option either. I get a pretty good deal on storage rental but the amount I've spent for that in the last 6 years has exceeded the initial purchase price.

Ford Prefect and the Muskoka Foundation will likely get mentioned to some friends headed your way next year.

 

[matseel]

for sure

Renting an off road trailer has been a aspiration for quite some time. I have full coverage insurance, I'm sure there is a special insurance one could take, like renting a car.

Not sure if i want to spend thousands of dollars and learn that its not fore me. Renting for a week or two would be awesome.

If SOMEONE wants to rent a trailer PM me......................excellent idea !

Cheers,
matseel