The ultimate "Group Buy" = Automotive Restoration Club.

Author Topic: The ultimate "Group Buy" = Automotive Restoration Club.  (Read 5017 times)

Offline Cuda Cody

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The ultimate "Group Buy" = Automotive Restoration Club.
« on: March 12, 2011 - 02:10:02 PM »
My friends on Cuda-Challenger you are the very first to see this and I'm looking for your opinions.  :wave:  Tell me what you guys think of my new Club! 

www.AutomotiveRestorationClub.com

It's a 27,000 SF indoor automotive restoration club in Portland, OR.  What most on this site will find beneficial is the Pass-Thru Wholesale Pricing that our associate members receive.  Associates members will get the purchasing power of a corporation at an affordable yearly buy-in.  That means you get the parts at wholesale prices with absolutely no markup from ARC.

Because of the unique arrangement ARC has with the suppliers, compared to others who only claim to sell parts at wholesale pricing, we are not allowed to publish their actual wholesale prices.  We’re not even able to publicly list all the suppliers here!  For example, one of our suppliers just came out with a brand new Morpar catalog (wink, wink).  Members will be given a complete list of suppliers and their websites.  In general, all parts and supplies will have a minimum discount of 10% and can go up to as high as 50%.  We expect the average savings overall to be in the 25% – 40% range.  If you're a person who needs detailed advice on what part to buy or how to install it, I would suggest you not take advantage of our associate membership.  Instead, please use one of the many helpful and knowledgeable suppliers / supporters on Cuda-Challenger.com.  Our associate membership is for the person who knows what they want and is looking for the lowest price (bar none) without having to spend a bunch of time comparing prices.

Once you are member, we accept cash, check or pre-approved 30 day net accounts; members who prefer to use a credit card will be charged a convenience fee to process the transaction.  On average, convenience fees of 3.9% apply.  Shipping and handling fees may also apply, in such instances, members incur the actual cost of S&H  too.  Like I said, this is true pass-thru wholesale!  We are in negotiations with many more vendors and they will be added in the very near future.  Sign up for email news updates to be notified when new suppliers are added.

There are a limited number of Memberships available and a waiting list will be maintained when capacity has been reached.  When space opens up, the next person on the waiting list will be offered a membership to ARC.  We strongly suggest that if you anticipate starting a project within the next year you get on our waiting list today.  There is no cost to be on the waiting list.  We will be opening up the first wave of memberships Spring / Summer 2011.  The facility will be open Aug 13, 2011.  Associate memberships will be made available sooner.

Many members on this site have become good friends and I ask for your help now.  Please give me your thoughts.  Tell me if you think you would use this?  If there was a location in your city would you want to join and at what level?

Thank you.
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Offline tommyg29

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Re: The ultimate "Group Buy" = Automotive Restoration Club.
« Reply #1 on: March 12, 2011 - 02:23:35 PM »
very very interesting.
Gonna check this out.
Too bad I'm on the opposite corner of the country!
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Offline Cuda Cody

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Re: The ultimate "Group Buy" = Automotive Restoration Club.
« Reply #2 on: March 12, 2011 - 02:33:39 PM »
FYI, the Associate Membership is for anyone, regardless of location.    :woohoo:

very very interesting.
Gonna check this out.
Too bad I'm on the opposite corner of the country!
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Offline the_engineers

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Re: The ultimate "Group Buy" = Automotive Restoration Club.
« Reply #3 on: March 12, 2011 - 03:09:30 PM »
Very cool.
Brooks

1971 'Cuda 360
2004 Infiniti G35 6-spd Coupe
2001 Toyota Solara Convertible
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Offline challengermaniac

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Re: The ultimate "Group Buy" = Automotive Restoration Club.
« Reply #4 on: March 12, 2011 - 03:13:35 PM »
Cody,

If the parts move directly from vender to member,------ what's the purpose of the 27,000 square feet? 

Is it so all of us can park our cars there?!   
Charlie
70 Challenger 340/4 Purple
70 Challenger T/A Red
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Offline Cuda Cody

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Re: The ultimate "Group Buy" = Automotive Restoration Club.
« Reply #5 on: March 12, 2011 - 03:29:04 PM »
Look at the other membership levels.  This is a FULL restoration club with everything a club member could need to restore their car.

Cody,

If the parts move directly from vender to member,------ what's the purpose of the 27,000 square feet? 

Is it so all of us can park our cars there?!
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Offline BIGSHCLUNK

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Re: The ultimate "Group Buy" = Automotive Restoration Club.
« Reply #6 on: March 12, 2011 - 03:45:43 PM »
Kinda like a Sams Club thing I take it?
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Offline torredcuda

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Re: The ultimate "Group Buy" = Automotive Restoration Club.
« Reply #7 on: March 12, 2011 - 03:49:20 PM »
..but at $699-1099 per month the higher menberships will be for a pretty exclusive club of the rich.The associate membership may save some guys enough money to be worth it as long as you plan on spending a fairly large amount per year on parts.
Jeff
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Offline Cuda Cody

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Re: The ultimate "Group Buy" = Automotive Restoration Club.
« Reply #8 on: March 12, 2011 - 04:04:58 PM »
Ya, kinda like Sam's club for car guys.  :2thumbs:

The associate membership will pay for itself really quickly if you are restoring a car.  Doing the math it quickly becomes apparent that buying at wholesale it a HUGE savings... much more than the small buy in for the membership.  However, if you're just in need of a small parts, this is not a benefit for you.  The price of a few body panels will cover the buy in to the club.  Depending on what you're buying, it will only take about $400 to $800 to cover the buy in costs.  Doing a restoration you can spend that in a day, let alone a year.

The upper levels of membership is for the guys (or gals) who need much more help, tools and space.  This is a full state of the art restoration facility that I hope some will find a value in.  I've done the math and will post the information soon.  When I added up the cost of full restoration, members will save money when they use the club instead of farming out work or buying & renting larger tools.

Thanks for comments so far guys.
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Offline troutstreamnm

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Re: The ultimate "Group Buy" = Automotive Restoration Club.
« Reply #9 on: March 12, 2011 - 04:31:22 PM »
Sounds like a Direct Buy type business for car guys.
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Offline 70burntorangeT/A

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Re: The ultimate "Group Buy" = Automotive Restoration Club.
« Reply #10 on: March 12, 2011 - 04:47:20 PM »
even at a minimum of 10% discount on parts you would easily save 199 dollars a year on parts which is the cost of the minimum membership....now this 1099 a month seems a little steep....but then again i have all the tools, space, and knowledge to do most of that work myself and if someone really wanted to learn how to do all the work and didnt have the tools, space or knowledge then i could see some people paying a pretty decent amount to have access to all of that.
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Offline Brant

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Re: The ultimate "Group Buy" = Automotive Restoration Club.
« Reply #11 on: March 12, 2011 - 06:02:03 PM »
Very cool Cody. Like your website and great business idea. I'd be interested in at the Associate level as well. I'm personally assuming I'd catch a break down the road on engine components and shaker parts. cheers mate.

Offline go-fish

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Re: The ultimate "Group Buy" = Automotive Restoration Club.
« Reply #12 on: March 12, 2011 - 06:13:49 PM »
..but at $699-1099 per month the higher menberships will be for a pretty exclusive club of the rich.The associate membership may save some guys enough money to be worth it as long as you plan on spending a fairly large amount per year on parts.

Look at it this way though. You pay a premium to be able to use the shop and tools, plus you get the ARC employees who are professional body technicians and engine builders. Think how much faster you could restore a car when you have the facilities, tools, expert help, and deep discounts on restoration parts.

$1099.00 X 3 months. I could get a looong way on my car because all the pieces of the restoration puzzle would be right there. You would be paying a lot more that $1099 in labor hours at a shop. For someone in an urban environment, like myself, this would pay off. I live in a condo, I can't just walk through the laundry room to the garage like my Dad does or go out back to the metal building like at Mopar Al's.

I've actually been looking for warehouses down here in San Diego and if I found one that had good secure doors and such I am going to ask them if I can lease some sq ft'age.
 
$1099 does seem like a lot for long term but with all the benefits it would make for an awesome 3-4 months of thrashing!

Offline Street_Challenged73

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Re: The ultimate "Group Buy" = Automotive Restoration Club.
« Reply #13 on: March 13, 2011 - 12:41:50 AM »
I think it's a very cool thing to do for the automotive enthusiast community! :cheers:  The prices seem reasonable when you factor all the other outside variables into each plan. :thumbs:
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Offline the_engineers

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Re: The ultimate "Group Buy" = Automotive Restoration Club.
« Reply #14 on: March 13, 2011 - 01:01:19 AM »
Cody, I plan to join at the Associate level.  If there was a franchise in this area, I would be looking at Standard, or a "Standard plus weekends" option.
Brooks

1971 'Cuda 360
2004 Infiniti G35 6-spd Coupe
2001 Toyota Solara Convertible
2002 GMC Savana 1500 Explorer Hightop Conversion
1972 Dodge Dart Swinger...keeping the Slant.  Rocking the turbos.