Whew...good weekend

Well I survived a busy first prom weekend. Had some highs and lows. But all in all, weekend was great.

saturday - worked from 7am till noon for the popo, then went home and "field dressed" the car, inside and out, iced down, etc. we headed out and when we got to the house, here mommy is with a freaking camcorder filming us coming in. We pull up, get the kids in the car (only 2 riders for 8 hrs) then the freaking car smokes on me as were backing up....Im like damn! whats the deal, this car doesn't smoke. Well, we get pictures and get them to the school, i get the car home real quick....damn oil is overfilled where i just got it changed! so i race to the firestation, change from suit to shop clothes, and drain the oil. refill it, and then it stopped. that crap is so embarassing. then i go back to the school, wait on kiddies, and then we get out they want us just to drive around. Well, shortly into the drive, we believe some , as john calls it "hucklebucking" was going on, then we took them home. good deal, loved the ride completely.

sunday-funeral run, went great, not really much to say about that, only thing is this was the first time i had a car load. when the car is under a load, it has like a vibrating and a humming noise after a few miles. im thinking wheel bearings, but im not sure....any ideas.

right now got inquiries for the next three weeks....at least im making some payments on that car!
check in later- wore ass out

LIMOS DOT COM

Whew....this is something else. I joined Limos.com about a week ago, and in the last two days, I've had so many freaking inquiries, its hard to keep up with them! ITS GREAT. I mean seriously, every time I get on the computer or on my PDA to check email, there's a new inquiry. Of course that is costing me, but I've already made one reservation from them, and hopefully the cash from another will be arriving soon. Its really a great thing.

Other than that, I bought Jon (my driver) and myself brand new black suits. I didnt go with the solid black tie, I went with something with just a subtle hint of taste in silver/black. Very sharp. Pictures will be here saturday night or sunday.

Later!

Dang!

Glad I'm here where I'm at and not in Portland! I've been so freaking busy this last week. First off, I have a problem with making car payments.....NOT that I can't make payments, but I'm saying I don't like doing it. My deal is, I don't like paying on something that has no possibility of making my money back. So, (this sounds crazy) but I bought another car, and I'm going to sell the truck. The deal is, my car was only 900 dollars. I know that doesnt sound like much of a car, but it's a 1999 Crown Victoria, old police car. It's really a good ride. I'm one for a paid for car, and I can work on Fords. This by the way is like my 10th crown Vic. So I'm getting my truck ready to go on the sale block. It sounds crazy, but no monthly car payment and 20 bucks a month insurance is great.
Ive also been working on a police boat for our local sheriff's dept. I do a little light/siren/radio installs for local people around here. I can do about anything odd! I was going to go into business doing that, but it frustrates me too much. And it's actually tougher work that it looks like. Nothing says I won't ever do it, or at least hire someone to do it.

Now, onto the Limo. Things still going well. Just letting advertising do its thing for me now. No hard times here! I'm going to get Jonathan (my friend and driver) and myself new suits next week. Not really much happening other than that.

As for what's going on about 2000 miles away, not my business. I just hope everyone can get along with each other from now on. Like I've said, I can agree if things were wrong, but there are two sides to every story, and the only people that really know whats going on are the people that were there. All I'll say is my car is nowhere near showroom quality and I still get compliments daily on it. And I'm not kidding when I say I do all that, and only for 75 bucks an hour.

Well, I'm still thinking about a second car this fall. I'm really talking myself into a 180 Lincoln. I still cant justify the SUV, like presold talks about. I'm not really a huge numbers man, but I'm a big "out of the red into the black" man. I wish I were better at numbers that I am, but I'll learn. I'm off to bed, ya'll keep it real!

Finally Made a Run!

Well, things are running slow right now. I made a one way trip run to Harrah's in Metropolis, IL. the other day. I've got two proms reserved now. It's by no means a huge income, but things are getting more steady, which I planned on 6 mos-to-1 yr before things were going to be somewhat busy. I have several calls already coming in, which is great, and lots of support. I'm doing a silent auction charity limo run for a nearby chamber of commerce. It's for a good cause, and I like being charitable when I can, not to mention its advertisement. I have had several phone calls for limousine runs for 14-20 people. I don't know if I need to down the road look into an excursion (damn) or just get a 180 inch LTC. I love lincolns, and they drive so damn well I think I should just keep going with them. I guess I should put my two cents in on the comments made by our Portland, Oregon friend. I too have just started a Limo Service, I went very conservative with an 8 Passenger Lincoln that is a 2001 model. It's not the greatest, it has flaws, but you know its mine, and I do what I can with what I have. I never one time said my car is the biggest and baddest limo around. And I prove that with what I, and everyone I deal with, feel like are reasonable rates. If I do buy an excursion, it probably will have flaws, but it too will be at a reasonable rate. And I'll provide the best service I can with it and keep it in as good of condition as I can. But I'll never one time ever say I'm the biggest and baddest anything....because no matter how big and bad you are, there's always someone bigger and badder than you.

Just an update

Well, a whole lot has been worked on. I got body work done, it looks fantastic. I got the air conditioner recharged. It's Ice Cold. I'm going to change the sub from that chamber to a small box. ANd I've been advertising a lot. Thats about it. I was gone a week to the police academy, so thats had be held back for a while. But things are moving forward.

Just Checking in...

Long break, sorry for not updating more regularly. My posts aren't quite as exciting as Marcus' video posts. I'd break a camera! lol Well, here's the news....I got my 2500 business cards today, and they look FANTASTIC! Better in person than on the digital proof....I've only had about 10 people look at them, and they floor everyone! So that was a momentum booster. I called about authority for the counties, and they said that is going fine. So good news there. And I received a phone call in regards to a possibility of doing some "dedicated part time" work for a Luxury Marina here in this area...that would be awesome.

I saw my competition in our neighboring town today. White 120" 10 pax, about like mine - 1998-2002 series, only it was dirty, you could see the paint starting to separate from where the vinyl top comes to the body. The guy had taken someone to a fancy dinner and was sitting in a gas station next door drinking coffee. Nice Fellow though. You know, I'm taking my car to a body shop to get some minor cosmetic repairs tomorrow, and then when I see this car, it reminds me that mt car is really a nice unit. Although it does remind me why I do and don't like white cars.

HEY WHY ISNT ANYONE IN THE LIMOS.COM CHAT ROOM??????? I WOULD GET IN THERE IF OTHERS WERE!!!

Business Card

Hey, I forgot all about this...here is a proof of my business card. I think it looks quite nice. Not a damn thing going on today. Later!

Well, not a good day

Well, first off I'm pissed. I went to fire dept training tonight and I left my personal portable radio on the back of the truck, drove off and tore it up. It got ran over. So I'm quite infuriated now.

OK, back to the limo. I've been looking for custom floor mats....that is a bitch, an expensive bitch. So that's not going well. But thats no real biggie. Now, not to sound like I'm coming into a money pit, I'm having some body work done to the stretch. There are signs of minor paint bubbling and waviness in the fiberglass lower panel. And I noticed in direct sunlight, the stretch paint color is a couple shades lighter than the rest of the car. Took the car to my body man, 900 dollars he will paint the entire stretch to match the car and fix the fiberglass panel. Is it worth it? I dont know. I'm thinking about working it through prom and then getting it worked on. Any ideas? I mean its not that noticeable. I've had the car out in the daytime several times and just noticed it today. I'm thinking about it.

Fistfull of Dollars

Well, I have finally completed two of the three things that I needed to do to be getting closer to reality. I have purchased business cards and insurance. I think I told everyone 3500 per year? Well thanks to the book Wheels of Gold...It's already saved me 1600 dollars! I just got a year of 1.5 mil insurance for 1900/year. I'm excited as hell. So now we're down to just the authority. Hopefully that wont be a big deal. well, its 330 am im off to bed. later

Audio Work

Well, I worked on my car again today. Been a Long day. I spent most of the day working on the Audio. I wanted the TV audio to work through the car stereo in the back. The stereo in the back wouldn't work for what I wanted, so I got a new stereo. That worked out great then. Audio is awesome now. People may not care, but I like it. Then we put a decent amp and small sub in. Its not a big booming thing, I just wanted decent mellow bass sound, which I got. Here are two photos, one of the car jacked up where we were working, and one of my buddy Will who is my car stereo expert. Other than that not a thing.

Also, I'll take this moment to thank Palma-Briensburg FD, because I'm a firefighter there, but they are allowing me use of the work bay, since I don't have inside storage right now.