Smart car with vehicle wrap

[Martyn]

I posted a while ago about getting a Smart car, the vehicle space wouldn't be a problem as it is only me in the car doing jobs. Recently I saw one with a full wrap which would probably cost around £800 - £1000 but there is no doubt the vehicle would get noticed. The obvious things like it will be cheaper to run especially as my calls generally are only up to 10 miles. Do you think the advertising side of it is worth the investment even if, like my sons, you think people that drive those vehicles are dickheads "oh but wait he fixes computers"?

We have 3 vehicles(one will be sold to finance it) so it would be purely used for work.

 

[PCSupportGlasgow]

I posted a while ago about getting a Smart car, the vehicle space wouldn't be a problem as it is only me in the car doing jobs. Recently I saw one with a full wrap which would probably cost around £800 - £1000 but there is no doubt the vehicle would get noticed. The obvious things like it will be cheaper to run especially as my calls generally are only up to 10 miles. Do you think the advertising side of it is worth the investment even if, like my sons, you think people that drive those vehicles are dickheads "oh but wait he fixes computers"?

We have 3 vehicles(one will be sold to finance it) so it would be purely used for work.

As long as gets noticed and your happy to drive it it doesn't matter. (hey might even save you being dad the taxi driver if kids wont get in it )

Personally i'm not a fan of smart cars as simply put whenever i see one i pay no attention to it as know it going to be heavily advertized with something or the other normally some hair salon or estate agent.

1 question for you though... if you have 3-4 PCs to collect or deliver to client(s) in same area will you be happy to do multiple drops? as no way they will fit in a smart car

 

[Martyn]

As long as gets noticed and your happy to drive it it doesn't matter. (hey might even save you being dad the taxi driver if kids wont get in it )

Personally i'm not a fan of smart cars as simply put whenever i see one i pay no attention to it as know it going to be heavily advertized with something or the other normally some hair salon or estate agent.

1 question for you though... if you have 3-4 PCs to collect or deliver to client(s) in same area will you be happy to do multiple drops? as no way they will fit in a smart car

Good points but up until now I only have picked up one or two computers. I never leave computers in the vehicle either. As regards kids mine have all grown up. As I've said I have other vehicles including a big Land Rover Defender for the snowed in villages in the winter.

The plusses are cheaper to run and road tax. I would say it will be cheaper by 50% on fuel alone.

 

[Kitten Kong]

I'm 50/50. I agree that smart cars, are mobile advertisments, which could be judged as a plus and a minus.

However, as you state far far cheaper to run, and install.

Only thing is though mate, what if the remote side of things picks up. Will you still be doing all the call outs etc?

 

[techroc]

Smart cars? I only usually see those in S.F. due to such small and hectic parking spots.

Can you guys list the models you usually see? I mostly see Scion XB (boxy mini-van looking vehicles) around here with technical service wrapped advertising.

I am looking for a vehicle as well, but want to buy American possibly a Chevy HHR.

 

[mraikes]

Smart cars? I only usually see those in S.F. due to such small and hectic parking spots.

Can you guys list the models you usually see? I mostly see Scion XB (boxy mini-van looking vehicles) around here with technical service wrapped advertising.

I am looking for a vehicle as well, but want to buy American possibly a Chevy HHR.

I think they're talking about these:

http://www.smartusa.com/

 

[Martyn]

Yes that's the one. Get around 60-70mpg and with the price of fuel here going towards £7 per gallon it's worth looking at. As I said it is just for work and advertising.

 

[techroc]

Yes that's the one. Get around 60-70mpg and with the price of fuel here going towards £7 per gallon it's worth looking at. As I said it is just for work and advertising.

How is the space for equipment? It looks very small!

Can't beat that gas milage though... over here around S.F. we have the highest gas prices in the nation!

 

[techroc]

Considering that geek squad drives little VW Beatles... it shouldn't be that different in space

 

[Martyn]

It's not big but big enough for me. The rear luggage will take my tools and a few spares, most jobs I take home so I only carry a few things such as psu, keyboard, mouse etc Because also I can get to most calls in 15-20mins(it's all countryside and villages) it won't be a problem and I have 2 other vehicles if need be. It will just replace one of our cars so it's not an added expense. The beauty of it is that it is noticed because it is an unusual car and getting noticed is the ideal opportunity for the advertising.

 

[techroc]

It's not big but big enough for me. The rear luggage will take my tools and a few spares, most jobs I take home so I only carry a few things such as psu, keyboard, mouse etc Because also I can get to most calls in 15-20mins(it's all countryside and villages) it won't be a problem and I have 2 other vehicles if need be. It will just replace one of our cars so it's not an added expense. The beauty of it is that it is noticed because it is an unusual car and getting noticed is the ideal opportunity for the advertising.

Very much true, I turn my head when I see those rolling through even when they don't have any wraps on them!

Maybe it's the green in me haha

 

[techroc]

Martyn do you support mostly residential users or small businesses? J/W

I was thinking of getting a vehicle but wanted something bigger to appeal to the SMB market. Still not sure about this yet.

This local data rescue company actually drive H2 Hummers (extreme gas guzzlers)! I also have seen buses roll by with their data rescue service advertising wrapped on em!

 

[pceinc]

I've been contemplating a Smart Car for about a year as well. One of my clients bought one in 08' for his waste business. Had a nice going green/recycle themed wrap put on it and let his salesmen drive it. It will be noticed. My client recently put his up for sale so I decided to take it for a drive. It has more power than I expected for a 3 cylinder but I think you can fit more stuff in a Home Depot shopping cart than you can in the car. It's small. I decided to pass as I would need more room for my work. Asking price is $12,900 with 28k miles. It's a convertible. I am leaning towards a Ford Focus.

 

[Martyn]

Mainly residentials but a few small businesses. The main town is only a 2 minute drive. Smart do a FourFour(the one I'm talking about is a FourTwo) and is a four seater but still small so there would be more space in it. Not sure if the USA market it.

 

[TimJacobs]

Smart cars? I only usually see those in S.F. due to such small and hectic parking spots.

Can you guys list the models you usually see? I mostly see Scion XB (boxy mini-van looking vehicles) around here with technical service wrapped advertising.

I am looking for a vehicle as well, but want to buy American possibly a Chevy HHR.

I plan on getting one of the Ford Transit Connect.

 

[Martyn]

The wrapping looks great. Does anyone know if it tax deductible as a legitimate advertising expense in the UK if you claim for mileage allowance?

 

[techroc]

I plan on getting one of the Ford Transit Connect.

Looks like you could have a mobile workstation and sit comfortably in that!

 

[TimJacobs]

Looks like you could have a mobile workstation and sit comfortably in that!

Yeah well it's either that or one of these:

It would have All the space I would need........ My Shop on wheels.......

 

[Martyn]

How does it work in the US claiming for car/mileage? The UK you can claim for a vehicle and the running costs if it is a company asset or you can claim business mileage of 45p a mile for all business related calls and nothing on running costs etc. That is why a Smart car is good(providing it's big enough) at 60-70mpg.

 

[TimJacobs]

How does it work in the US claiming for car/mileage? The UK you can claim for a vehicle and the running costs if it is a company asset or you can claim business mileage of 45p a mile for all business related calls and nothing on running costs etc. That is why a Smart car is good(providing it's big enough) at 60-70mpg.

Here in the US it's the same.

If the vehicle is used just for business purposes you can get the car payment off your taxes and you get the following for mileage:

Corrected on Dec. 13, 2010, to reflect changes for 2011

WASHINGTON — The Internal Revenue Service today issued the 2011 optional standard mileage rates used to calculate the deductible costs of operating an automobile for business, charitable, medical or moving purposes.
Beginning on Jan. 1, 2011, the standard mileage rates for the use of a car (also vans, pickups or panel trucks) will be:

51 cents per mile for business miles driven
19 cents per mile driven for medical or moving purposes
14 cents per mile driven in service of charitable organizations