Total pimpmobiles for the local market?

[Bud_wiser]

A friend of mine customizes cars and SUVs. He has a shop in California that does the work but he also has contacts throughout the California customizing industry. He works on anything the client will send to him but he does more H2s and other SUVs lately. He’s shipped some of the vehicles to wealthy clients throughout the world, a lot of them to Japan.

For various reasons, I can’t post his website here (for now anyway). But suffice to say the vehicles are total pimpmobiles: highend sound setups, custom wheels, custom interiors and whatever else you can imagine. If you’ve watched the show "rides" on discovery channel, you know what I mean. If I’m not mistaken, he’s worked on vehicles for celebs and some have been features in car magazines and rap video.

He’s thinking of offering his services here, to buy H2 or whatever in the US, customize it to client specs and ship the vehicle to Manila.

The question is: do you think there’s a market for vehicles like this here? May bibili kaya? The prices are really crazy but that’s expected if you want a ride that no one else has.

[ghosthunter]

there is a market but a small one. Too many local shops already can make sounds and interior setups...

[empy]

i'm sure there will be, but he can't compete with the much lower cost of skilled labor in the philippines. his finished cars will always be much more expensive than shipping the car, sourcing the parts, and doing the custom work there.

probably a better idea for him to open a local shop with local workers and just lend his expertise.

[glntVR]

i think it would be very expensive when the vehicle arrives here in Manila. maybe even twice or 3x the price of the car

[odell]

and i think un car industry natin dito is catching up nadin

[kiper]

Odell..Customized Cars ang sinasabi ni sir Bud_weiser..labo naman ng reply mo.

Sir Bud..My opinion..Napakaliit ng probable market nyan dito sa Pinas..siguro 1 out of every 1,000 na super rich ang magiging interested jan..sobrang mahal kasi ng price. Subukan niyong maghanap ng mga anak ng mga senador or congressman na mahilig sa kotse baka pwede pa..hehe

Kahit ako siguro kung super yaman baka maghesitate pa na bumili nyan..Daming carnapper dito eh..Madaming factors concerning risk.

Good Luck!

[Bud_wiser]

thanks for the replies guys

Actually, the philippine market is just an afterthought. the majority of his customers are in other countries. But since pinoy siya by birth, he's thinking of offering these vehicles here as well. kahit 5 orders a year from here would be ok.

i presumed as well that the market here will be very small. But you never know. For examples, he told him the number 1 buyer of H2s and hummers in Asia is not Indonesia, not Japan. In fact he believe indonesians buy more h2s and hummers than any other country in the world.

Anyway, I just wanted to get some ideas on whether the rich here will even consider buying a pimpmobile LOL. Personally, I prefer stock, as it comes out of the factory, like a stock ferrari f50 :D