Used Tires

richtm

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Mar 12, 2004
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I've been looking on this site for several years now but never really posted anything. I lived in the DR quite a few years ago and have visited a few times since. I have some very good friends in La Romana. One of my very good friends was always bouncing business ideas with me. One that has always stuck with me is the idea of exporting used tires from the States to the DR. I was never really in a position to entertain that idea since I was finishing school and starting a family here in the States, but now that I'm a little more established I have come back to the possibility. Does anyone have any inputs on the subject of exports used tires. Maybe the timing is bad with the high energy costs and apparently a lack of basic things like water and gasoline right now. But just an idea I've had for several years now.
 

Rocky

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Apr 4, 2002
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I've been looking on this site for several years now but never really posted anything. I lived in the DR quite a few years ago and have visited a few times since. I have some very good friends in La Romana. One of my very good friends was always bouncing business ideas with me. One that has always stuck with me is the idea of exporting used tires from the States to the DR. I was never really in a position to entertain that idea since I was finishing school and starting a family here in the States, but now that I'm a little more established I have come back to the possibility. Does anyone have any inputs on the subject of exports used tires. Maybe the timing is bad with the high energy costs and apparently a lack of basic things like water and gasoline right now. But just an idea I've had for several years now.
I know a guy who did it.
There was a lot of price competition, so he had little choice but to sell them cheaper than what he had expected.
The long & short of it is that it didn't work out and he folded up the operation after taking a certain loss and being left with a bunch of unmatched odd sized tires.
 

johne

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Jun 28, 2003
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I not an expert on shipping but--I'm sure they will charge a rate based on CUBE not weight. Well I suppose you can figure out you're not going to come out very well on that since you would be shipping a hell of a lot a cube/air vs. value.
 

Rocky

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I not an expert on shipping but--I'm sure they will charge a rate based on CUBE not weight. Well I suppose you can figure out you're not going to come out very well on that since you would be shipping a hell of a lot a cube/air vs. value.
The guy I knew who did it brought in entire containers by boat, then used the container itself as the sales room.
After 2 or 3 containers, he folded up.
 

richtm

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Mar 12, 2004
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Thanks for the quick replies, doesn't sound like it would be a very sound business idea then. From what I have looked at they are purchased in bulk, in the large shipping containers. But thats a large expense if you cant break even. Just another quick follow up, how much is a used tire?
 

Rocky

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I here from somebody who did this bussiness, that the dealers of the tyres do not have the money to buy the tires.
Therefore you have to sell them on credit.
And later on, they do not pay.
I don't think that's the type of business the OP is talking about.
I believe he would be retailing to cash & carry clients.
 

Rocky

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Apr 4, 2002
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Thanks for the quick replies, doesn't sound like it would be a very sound business idea then. From what I have looked at they are purchased in bulk, in the large shipping containers. But thats a large expense if you cant break even. Just another quick follow up, how much is a used tire?
There's lots of variables, but way too cheap to make a buck.What happens is that the new tire dealers land up with old tires on the side, for free, so they sell them really cheap, just to get rid of them and make a few bucks.
$10 - $15 - $20 might be the going prices, depending on size and condition.
 

Chip

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Jul 25, 2007
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Used tires is a big business here in the DR. Most people here buy used as opposed to new. Therefore, from inference it would suggest that these have to be imported. I wouldn't be surpprised to find out the the people who do import them have something worked out with aduans, if you know what I mean. BTW, a good condition 265R15 for a suv will run RD1200 and up, new, about twice that.
 

tflea

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Jun 11, 2006
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Bought new tires for a truck that had had the factory lables sanded off them because the guy was selling for 25% below what his competitors were, who were selling 'brand name' (same) tires as legit dealers. In general about the DR I would say, anything that has to do with vehicles has been exploited to the max, and a foreigner coming in to make a buck is gonna have a hard row to hoe. maybe something less obvious that requires higher capital outlay or newer technology they don't understand yet - but dumb they aren't, in creative money making.