Fox T-Bird/Cougar Forums  

If you came up with a prototype and dyno tested against stock, I'm sure you'd gather a hell of a lot more interest.  I've been in your situation twice...but it never went through because of how difficult it was to get the start-up money.

Good luck,
Don

I wouldn't put a penny up on a product that doesn't exist yet.

I Could go on for quite a bit.....

I'll just wish you the best of luck again instead. 

You answered your own question with a resounding YES in my opinion.

Best of luck to you...

I don't see a difference. Whether you can't finance the project on your own because you don't have the capital to do so, or won't finance it because you don't want to risk the investment. Either way you are putting the start-up costs on the customer.

As another example, do a search on here or NATO for lowering springs and you will find hundreds of inquires of people wanting to know where they can be bought because most of the well known companies no longer make them specifically for our cars.
Several years ago I talked to Eibach and was told that they would do another production run of their discontinued spring set if I ordered 100 sets.
Like you, I just don't have the capital to purchase them and then sit on them and sell them a set at a time.
In a short amount of time I found enough people that were "interested" to cover 50% of the order needed but when it came down to people that were willing to actually commit to placing an order with their money it was less than 10%.
If I had the money, I would still order the 100 sets today because I feel that the demand is still there but there just aren't enough people willing to commit to it all at once.

All Chuck is trying to do is make you aware of the market that there is for these kinds of things and not to expect everyone to come running to buy one unless you have a working and successful product that is ready to ship.

What you are proposing sounds very promising and if you had a product that showed proof that it worked as advertised for the amount of money you are expecting it to sell for, I would be a customer. No offense, but I personally don't see how it could be prototyped, built, and imported for only $150.00 even without having it ceramic coated.

Brent

Maybe a better term would be stubborn?
Example:

There are PLENTY of other free e-mail accounts you could set up to remedy that and open the door to other potential customers...

Just a suggestion.

fighting with someone who knows what there talking about and telling them there wrong isn't going to get you anywhere. If you read it from a neutral state of mind, there is nothing but good advise in the post that seems to be bugging you.

Well I was not discrediting you in any way, shape, or form.  Just putting out there what the lay of the land is.  If you have an idea, great.  You asked for suggestions, and you then get defensive.  *shrug*

As far as myself being successful, considering every part that I sell comes from my hands, and I have 500+ units in service, around the world, I think I'm doing pretty well for working in a niche market.

Don't get snippy...I'm just telling you how things go.  It's not like I'm new to the game myself.

I have been selling parts to turboforders for over 5 years.  Things I have designed and built myself.  I had prototypes on my car for almost 2 years before that before anyone even took notice or cared.  To get things rolling I had to put up a couple samples to known members of the forum to get feedback.  I'd also been a member of that community for 5-6 years as well before I started selling.  I had contacts from my old job(which was in automotive aftermarket manufacturing and engineering) and enough credibility with the group to be able to say to the community at large what I would deliver and how I would deliver it and started with smaller group purchases/batch orders.  I didn't (and still don't) have the $$$ to plunk it all down up front either.

Of course there will be "interest", but folks want to see hard parts.  Especialy from a new vendor.  They would rather give their money to someone who has supported the forum for a while and offers a known quantity instead of some "new" guy who "has an idea".  It's been seen/done before.


You want a suggestion?  Try talking to your contact and see if smaller quantities can be done.  See if you can get a couple samples.  If they want business, even if it's small, they will work with you. THIS is what will make the difference on whether it will happen or not. 

Using an outside vendor for something like casting a new part is most likely not going to be a smooth process and delays are going to happen, and most likely won't be short ones.  People are not going to be happy waiting months for a part, which may or not even be worth it in the end.  For the price they pay you, or even double the price, they can buy a known product from a known vendor, or even build their own.

Bringing a new product to market is going to take work and money.  It's just the facts.