Advice needed, starting limo biz in San Diego?

[SanDiegan]

Hello everybody,

I live in San Diego, CA.

I recently retired from working for 35 years as a tile-setter. I can not do strenuous physical work anymore, and I am considering buying a limousine, to help provide additional income to my social security.

Questions -

What advice do you have for a one-man operation, like I am planning to do?

If I decide to do it, should it be a big or small limo? White or black? Cadillac or Lincoln? New or Used?


I would appreciate all advice, both discouraging and encouraging.

Thank you for your answers.

-Michael

[Steve W.]

Hey Michael welcome to the forum!

Just coming from what you have wrote I would say the best bet for you is to get a black 120" and try to sell yourself to the local funeral directors and you could drive the funerals during the week, then hire a part time driver to do the late night jobs on the weekends. You couls also do a wedding here and there on the weekend yourself but for non strenous work you cannot beat funerals (as long as you do not have to be a fill in pal bearer)

Does that sound appealing to you? Think there is enough of a funeral market in SD?

Becase your weekday work would basically cover your expences and all the weekend stuff would be the gravy so to speak.

[Salicete]

I second the black 120, a versatile car that meets the needs of most. There have only been a couple of occasions in which I have had to farm a job to someone else because I did not run white cars.

I would suggest a Lincoln over a Caddy. The Lincoln is just a better built and tougher all around vehicle. Actually, the Lincoln vs. Cadillac topic pops up regularly, so try the search button and you will find lost of info on the topic.

I don’t know much about the atmosphere in California, but I would recommend that you quickly join your local limousine association. My area has sort of an “old boy” network, and if you are not in the club, the others won’t play with you. Get to know your fellow operators and show them that you run a quality operation, and that you won’t try to steal their customers and you will be more likely to get farm-out work from them and some good pointers too.

There is no substitute for experience, so take full advantage of what the “old boys” know.

Good luck!