patrick.net

So, all you do is sit back, after creating the website, and collect $$? How many other sites do this same thing?

Years ago I had the idea to create what I called a mobile car dealership. For the most part, people cannot purchase cars from individuals if the price is over say a few thousand dollars. Why? Because most people don't have that much in their bank accounts.

My idea was to purchase a large van or even a fancy box truck and be the finance person. When 2 people decide on the price of a car, they call me and I show up with a mobile office with all the industry gear I need to work out the financing between the buyer and a bank. I'd be able to cut a check, from the bank, right there on-site to the seller. I'd take my commission on the spot also.

Is this possible?

Why not RobberBaronEliteScumCarList? Credibility is everything.

What do you think of the name ?

“Cars By Owner”

Reminds me of, "Glitzy cuts by Cindy". Or, "Woman Owned" - I selected a different bottle of honey at the grocery yesterday after seeing that.

Try to work in For Sale By Owner somehow. FSBO. I like the sound of "Fizz Bow".

Remember, you will have to fire bomb the offices of the local Craigslist to get a leg up. You have to remember how you and the family hate competition.

doh!

https://carsbyowner.io/

1. Sell a ride
2. Wheels for deals
3. Automobile deals

just_passing_through says

1. Sell a ride
2. Wheels for deals
3. Automobile deals

4. FuckYouPeasants

Bd6r says

FuckYouPeasants

I think we have a winner!

Big_Johnson says

Robber Baron Elite Scum says

What do you think of the name ?

“Cars By Owner”

The name is good. I am surprised it’s not taken yet. It’s simple to remember and it sounds like a simple business. The details, marketing, design, functionality and user friendliness are of course key but that’s not what you are asking about.

The name is great.

How did you sell your car so quickly?

“Carsbyowner”

Everyone can remember this and the majority of people still know how to spell it.

The name was taken but I paid $5,299 dollars to buy it.

Thanks for the response.

Also do you think real estate property will work with this idea ?

For example what do you think about “homesbyowner.com” “rentbyowner.com” ??

I think it’s a bad idea because most buyers use a real estate agent along with sellers.

Cars is different - people will buy it from a
Private seller no problem.

What do you think ?

The have sites like byowner.com for real estate.

Should I allow real estate listings along with rentals under the domain carsbyowner.com ?

Or is that being a jack of all trades, master of none?

Stick to only cars ?

Thanks for the response and advice I appreciate it.

And yes I think it is a great domain name !

Big_Johnson says

Craigslist is pure shit and full of scammers. It’s a waste of time.

In the olden days, I sold two cars on Craigslist for cash, it was OK. Then, the transition to scammers and ghetto psychopaths trying to lure you into meeting somewhere for a cross fire happened and overwhelmed the car listing so that you didn't even want to communicate with the creeps.

Robber Baron Elite Scum says

It’s called Cars By Owner, Inc. and the website is CarsByOwner.com

Why is it taking me to carsbyowner.io?

GNL says

So, all you do is sit back, after creating the website, and collect $$? How many other sites do this same thing?

Yes just sit back and collect $$$. Fuck working… FuckYouPeasants - another great name …

GNL says

Robber Baron Elite Scum says

It’s called Cars By Owner, Inc. and the website is CarsByOwner.com

Why is it taking me to carsbyowner.io?

Because I rather use a .io domain. So I redirect all traffic to the .io domain.

.io domains are used for money laundering and tax evasion and they are not dictated by USA laws.

Robber Baron Elite Scum says

Free Car listing site for owners and dealers.

I wish you well, but including dealers seems like a bad idea to me. The name says "by owners" and not "by dealers". When people find out that the name of the site is not entirely true, that lowers your credibility right away.

Robber Baron Elite Scum says

GNL says

Robber Baron Elite Scum says

It’s called Cars By Owner, Inc. and the website is CarsByOwner.com

Why is it taking me to carsbyowner.io?

Because I rather use a .io domain. So I redirect all traffic to the .io domain.

.io domains are used for money laundering and tax evasion and they are not dictated by USA laws.

That's weird because you said carsbyowner.com. I admit I don't understand. Maybe you're being funny?

As far as your original question goes, yes, I think it is a great name. Surprised it was available.

@Robber Baron Elite Scum

What do you think of my idea above? Does it have legs?

I think CarsByOwner.com is a great name: easy to remember, easy to speak, easy to spell, and says what it does in the name (more or less). It's way better than Vacation Rentals by Owner, because vbro.com is clunky, too long to say, and you have to mentally convert the long full name to the initials.

With any high-dollar sales business, customer confidence is critical. Accordingly, when my first experience is being redirected to the .io TLD, I'm already on the lookout. Worse, if I didn't notice the redirect, I might think I mistyped the domain and was getting redirected to a scammer site by my greedy ISP's DNS.

GNL says

As far as your original question goes, yes, I think it is a great name. Surprised it was available.

Yes I consider it part of my fate. Everything happens for a reason and this domain sold to me happened by fate.

I also was surprised it was available.

Many start up’s and tech companies use .io when their .com equal is not available.

I own the .com as part of fate.

And thanks for the encouragement. I also think it’s a great name.

Big_Johnson says

GNL says

As far as your original question goes, yes, I think it is a great name. Surprised it was available.

Reading….it wasn’t, he paid 5k to get the domain.

Yes I paid $5k to acquire it.

It was not Available for registration but was up for sale so I bought it.

Bargain price in my humble opinion.

Big_Johnson says

And to your questions above. Yea stay away from real estate. Especially don’t mix RE into the existing website. Goes without saying Nobody is gonna go on carsbyowner for real estate….

Most people prefer the good ol lying RE agent over sales by owners. RE is just too complex. If you fuck up on a few thousand dollar car that’s one thing but for RE it’s peoples life savings. They go through the traditional channels….

Yes thanks for the reassuring suggestion.

I also think real estate is better handled by a real estate agent with experience or at least training if a new agent and assistance from an experienced real estate agent.

Real estate is better handled by agents in my humble opinion too.

By owner in real estate can create many disputes and problems by itself.

Cars are different.

Big_Johnson says

Wait….

carsbyowner.io? Is you?????

Dude, you need a serious overhaul of that website. No offense but that doesn’t look good. You need to invest some money to get on with a 2023 style new/hip design. And maybe later on a good, cool looking app.

This website as it currently looks is just one step up from Craigslist which is by no means a compliment.

Okay I will take your suggestion the right way and try to improve the functionality of the website.

I currently use yclas.com for the hosting and website software.

Maybe I should change and switch providers?

I can hire a developer to improve it by buying the open source of the software to host myself?

Big_Johnson says

GNL says

As far as your original question goes, yes, I think it is a great name. Surprised it was available.

Reading….it wasn’t, he paid 5k to get the domain.

Surprised it was available for only 5K

Patrick says

Robber Baron Elite Scum says

Free Car listing site for owners and dealers.

I wish you well, but including dealers seems like a bad idea to me. The name says "by owners" and not "by dealers". When people find out that the name of the site is not entirely true, that lowers your credibility right away.

Thanks for the response and thanks for not closing this thread under spam.

I am genuinely seeking advice on the name and the business model.

I will not allow dealers on the website as a golden rule per your suggestion.

Thanks for wishing me well also Patrick!

GNL says

Big_Johnson says

GNL says

As far as your original question goes, yes, I think it is a great name. Surprised it was available.

Reading….it wasn’t, he paid 5k to get the domain.

Surprised it was available for only 5K

That is why I bought it right away because it was a bargain in my humble opinion.

It was first listed for $50k and the seller slowly dropped the price.

Also carsbyowner.net redirects to Chinese porn lol 😂

Robber Baron Elite Scum says

I can hire a developer to improve it by buying the open source of the software to host myself?

I have experience with this. Yes, hire a developer on a per project basis.

1. Have a clear overall idea of what your website needs to do/say/offer.
2. Break the development of the website into small projects so you can
analyse if it was really what you need before going to the next project.
3. BE FOCUSED.
4. Be extremely clear on the details of the project. EXTREMELY CLEAR.
5. DO NOT pay a developer until they have finished the project.
6. Be fair. It isn't fair to the developer to expect them to do a
project for the agreed upon price if you keep making changes.
I will bet Patrick and others here on the site will attest to the
fact that the details matter A LOT. Once a developer starts,
even a little change can throw off what they've already
started/completed.
7. Ask the developer's advice.

This is just my .02. I'm sure Patrick has even better advice.

I'm obviously not much of an artist, so I can't really help there.

I agree with all of @GNL's advice above. Developer will probably want at least some earnest money in advance though.

If "carsbyowner" is not trademarked yet, get the trademark on that pronto. Then the name is even more valuable.

Robber Baron Elite Scum says

If they accept and sell to Peddle.com, than peddle.com will give me 20% of the profit the car makes once it makes a profit.

Seems like there is some danger of the "rolling break even" there. Movie producers used to promise a percentage of the profits to actors, and then make sure there was never a profit though creative accounting. Actors have caught on to that particular scam.

Solid advice GNL.

Much respect to you.

They sell the open source of their software for $350 dollars.

I will buy it and host it on my own servers and hire a developer to make improvements.

Patrick says

Developer will probably want at least some earnest money in advance though.

I've never had to do this. We started with small easy things and worked up to an almost full time position with our developer. What keeps our relationship honest is 1. Being fair with each other. I won't win everything and neither will he. 2. The promise of more work and the fact I don't need an enemy to my business helps keep the gears greased as well. At the end of the day, all relationships should benefit both parties.

Ceffer says

Remember, you will have to fire bomb the offices of the local Craigslist to get a leg up. You have to remember how you and the family hate competition.

C-list now charges $5 to
list a car

Robber Baron Elite Scum says

I currently work for a dodge ram Chrysler Jeep dealership.

washing cars?

Robber Baron Elite Scum says

Solid advice GNL.

Much respect to you.

They sell the open source of their software for $350 dollars.

I will buy it and host it on my own servers and hire a developer to make improvements.

I was in talks with a commenter here on patrick.net. I can't remember who it was but could search past emails. He is a developer and was looking for a side hustle. Patrick actually knows him also.

It would be nice to see a website that only lists vehicles for sale by owner. I think that you can filter out dealers one one of the major sites, but the number of vehicles listed by owner is slim.

Does anyone see a flaw in the following idea? If it is workable, @Robber Baron Elite Scum could create a national financing network that makes it possible for buyers and sellers to work together without a dealership.

MY IDEA....

Years ago I had the idea to create what I called a mobile car dealership. For the most part, people cannot purchase cars from individuals if the price is over say a few thousand dollars. Why? Because most people don't have that much in their bank accounts.

My idea was to purchase a large van or even a fancy box truck and be the finance person. When 2 people decide on the price of a car, they call me and I show up with a mobile office with all the industry gear I need to work out the financing between the buyer and a bank. I'd be able to cut a check, from the bank, right there on-site to the seller. I'd take my commission on the spot also.

Is this possible?

GNL says

Is this possible?

Sure but it sounds like it doesn't scale. Unless YOU aren't actually in the van and you hire people. Otherwise it sounds like a mobile pet groomer.

just_passing_through says

GNL says

Is this possible?

Sure but it sounds like it doesn't scale. Unless YOU aren't actually in the van and you hire people. Otherwise it sounds like a mobile pet groomer.

I agree, in order to scale, I think you'd want to create a franchise for it. But let's be honest, the finance guy at a dealership makes, or can make, very good money so, comparing to a pet groomer I think is not comparable. Is a one person franchise that can create a $150k income desireable? How many people would like to make this working for themselves?

The dealships have it pretty good imo. Most people trade in their cars if the car isn't a POS. They do it because it is so hard to sell privately. So, now the "deal" at the dealership is convoluted with too many moving parts...dickering over the price of 2 cars instead of 1 plus most people (I'm just guessing) go through the dealer for their financing. Once private sellers realize they have another choice to sell their used car before they go to the dealer (a private buyer will pay more for a used car than the dealer will) the word would spread VERY quickly and a franchise is born.

Booger says

It would be nice to see a website that only lists vehicles for sale by owner. I think that you can filter out dealers one one of the major sites, but the number of vehicles listed by owner is slim.

I will hire people off Patrick.net when CarsByOwner.com takes off.

Patrick will be one of the first persons to be hired.

GNL will be hired too.

Booger will also be hired too. just passing through will also be hired.

GNL says

They do it because it is so hard to sell privately. So, now the "deal" at the dealership is convoluted with too many moving parts...dickering over the price of 2 cars instead of 1 plus most people (I'm just guessing) go through the dealer for their financing.

I agree if it's not paid off. If it's paid off, you get a check and you give them the title signed off. It's not overly complicated at least here in IL. Like you say most people go to the dealer to unload their existing car and not mess around with selling it. Hence why there's little market for this business and it's already super competitive when you factor in the likes of Carmax.

I don't know, I don't think the margins are there to corner 2-5% of the car buying market, IF it's even that much and you dominate it. Money can be made I suppose, but I wouldn't get my hopes up over having gotten a domain name when 99% of domain names have little or nothing to do with the business they're in. Besides them being legacy companies and you know of them, does Allstate or Statefarm make you think insurance when you hear their names? Nope. The name doesn't matter or the website. It's branding, marketing and selling.

I wish RBES success, but I'm not seeing it. Maybe I'll be motivation and he will get it which I wish for. Just not seeing it. Humans are lazy and will just drive to a dealership, sell the beater and get a newer car in 3 hours. It's why FSBO has never worked with real estate. It's actual work, so you hire a broker. 99% of people have never sold a home on their own. It's work whether you like brokers or not. Same with cars. Have fun dealing with a bunch of tire kickers...