Any thoughts on my "mini" engineering and business plan.?

[KidWonder]

Hey Guys

I would like to start a business, I'm going to get my degree in electrical engineering and I want to design and develop a dune buggy with active suspension, for a smoother and more enjoying ride. I'm going to partner with business majors and other mechanical engineers. My question is do you think active suspension and other high tech equipment would be suitable for an dune buggy, hence I want the company name to Advanced Technological Dune Buggies. Also if I sell them for about 7k-10k, do you think their would be a market for them. Thanks and God bless

[Longhorn248]

Do you have any experience building dune buggies, or using dune buggies? Maybe look around for a dune buggie forum to see what kind of interest there would be in something you're describing. I have no idea what the market is like and have no idea what prices are like. At the very least it would be a great way to get some hands on learning.

IMO you'd probably get a lot more knowledge and experience joining an FSAE team first rather than trying to design something from ground up without any experience.

[tranzformer]

Do you have financial capital to start up this business?

[ucla bruin]

I think #1 thing you need to do is to know your market. A lot of young entrepreneur start a business because it's related to their interest or hobby without doing the proper research. Learn everything there is to learn about what dune buggy owners/teams are buying. What they're spending their money on. How much, how frequent. Is there a demand for what you're offering? How is the competition for what you're offering? What is goign to make your product different from others?

I can go on and on but you get the idea.

Good luck!

[old greg]

Originally Posted by Longhorn248

IMO you'd probably get a lot more knowledge and experience joining an FSAE team first rather than trying to design something from ground up without any experience.

Given that he's talking about dune buggies, Baja SAE is probably a better fit.

[suprachica79]

#1 question you need to ask - Is there a need in the market for the product you want to bring? Who is your target market? Are you looking for people who are already in the dune buggy scene (assuming there is one) or are you trying to bring people into the scene? You have to ask so many questions before you can even begin to put together a concept. But products are generally most successful when they are coming from a hole in the marketplace that needs to be filled.

[KidWonder]

Originally Posted by suprachica79

#1 question you need to ask - Is there a need in the market for the product you want to bring? Who is your target market? Are you looking for people who are already in the dune buggy scene (assuming there is one) or are you trying to bring people into the scene? You have to ask so many questions before you can even begin to put together a concept. But products are generally most successful when they are coming from a hole in the marketplace that needs to be filled.

My target would be 16-40 year old males. The thing that will set this buggy apart is the active suspension system. Onboard computer will stiffen or loosen suspension system based on terrain,speed, and airborne. It will be tough task. But...

[Longhorn248]

Originally Posted by KidWonder

My target would be 16-40 year old males. The thing that will set this buggy apart is the active suspension system. Onboard computer will stiffen or loosen suspension system based on terrain,speed, and airborne. It will be tough task. But...

So are you going to outsource already built buggies and then add your active suspension system that you want to design? Or are you planning to build everything from the ground up. Do you have a lot of fabrication experience?

[Navi]

I think the active suspension system would be too expensive compared to the price of the buggy.

It doesnt work when just 1 part makes up for 50% of the price.

[KidWonder]

Would you buy it? If it sensed terrain speed jumps to adjust suspension. Also I want to add gull wing cage doors. I'll post a sketch when I get the time.

[Ryuu0u]

Originally Posted by Navi

I think the active suspension system would be too expensive compared to the price of the buggy.

It doesnt work when just 1 part makes up for 50% of the price.

This, purpose of a buggy is cheap fun. I dont think there are UTV/side by sides that have that function and those can reach up to 15k+.

[Dimman]

Active suspension components plus sandy environment sound like a reliability challenge.

[bambbrose]

Do the BAJA race trucks even have feedback loops?

[KidWonder]

If cannondale can achieve this technology on a mountain bike, I personally think it could be done on a dune buggy.