My Classic Car Collection and self-drive rental business is for sale

After 16 years it is time to pass my classic car collection and hire business to one or more fresh pairs of hands.

Which is sad for me because it is such a fun business to run.

  • Every morning, I have to decide which of my collection to drive for the day.  “The Ferrari perhaps?  Or a bellowing Mustang?  Perhaps put on cloth cap and take an MG, Mini or E type?”   What a quandary!
  • Then there are the other owners.  An amazing bunch of enthusiasts who love having their cars admired and driven regularly.
  • Finally, our clients.  Virtually every hire is a special occasion.  Retirement gift, wedding proposal, anniversary, special birthday, etc.  The car becomes a key part of their special day which usually involves a nice lunch or picnic or meeting with friends.  They rave about their experience when they return the car.  Have a skim through some of our testimonials.  There are over 1,000.

Now some fresh ideas are needed.

Being an accountant, I have focussed on establishing a collection that will grow in capital value and a financially sustainable business model that is simple to run with minimum risk.  In that I have been very successful:

  • My 12 cars are all popular classics that are in constant demand and have risen in value.
  • Careful training of owners and management of hirers’ expectations has minimised the hire risk.  Now approaching 1 million rental kms, there has been only 1 insurance claim and half a dozen minor claims against client’s security deposit.
  • It is an up market, high margin and tax efficient business which produces positive working capital. It has thrived, despite the GFC, Covid, bush fires, catastrophic flooding. Not forgetting the mouse plague.
  • With an automated, real time booking system and well-developed processes it is managed in just a few hours a day.

However, there has been minimal marketing: 

  • No marketing to past clients.
  • No social media.
  • No newsletter.
  • No displays at car shows.
  • No partnerships with other experience providers.
  • Minimal promotion to tourists or corporate Australia.
  • Minimal listings with experience agencies.

Leaving amazing opportunities to expand the business.

Before you ask 😊 there are three reasons that I am selling:

  1. I am 7 years past my ‘non-retirement’ party so it’s time to start ‘winding down’.
  2. I need to release equity from the business for my retirement plans.
  3. I want to develop classic car maintenance classes to pass on the skills from my generation to the next, launch rally car hire in Australia and see if its sister business –  http://www.starcarsagency.com.au – can be expanded globally.

The sell price for the business and collection is negotiable and depends upon the ambition of the new owner(s).  I am very keen to see the business taken to new heights.

I am also open to selling to a complementary business, one or more enthusiasts or a number of enthusiasts in a shared ownership scheme.

If you are interested, just click here to request the business summary  mailt0:keith@vcch.com.au

Keith Mcilroy

 

 

 

 

 

   0407 287329