Buying a route...

[Square]

Maybe buying a route....

 

I bought a couple machines from a vender several months ago (20 RB @ $20 each) and the vender mentioned he had a route to sell,

I said I was interested and the next time he went to service it, I would like to go along before any cash changed hands.

 

SO it’s on, we are going next week 19 locations 19 U-Turns and one Beaver rack.

No records and is selling before the route is too badly neglected, its been serviced about every 2-3 months and most units are empty when serviced..

 

I have no U-Turns to date and have only stuck to Beaver machines.

Searches only turn up negative things about the U-Turns and I'm looking for some positives.....

 

This would be my first big investment in bulk vending as everything to date had been 'cash out of pocket'

[GagesVending]

Looks like you would get into some new locations.  As for the Uturn machines, they are a major pain to service.  You have to take out every single canister to remove the quarters.  If the Uturns are the ones with the actual candy wheels and not tumblers, then they are alright.  The tumblers are crap.  They fall apart and when they loosen, they change the vend setting.  

 

Going from Beaver machines to Uturns is going to be quite an adjustment, but if you get them cheap, then I'd go for it.

[adog]

Looks like you would get into some new locations.  As for the Uturn machines, they are a major pain to service.  You have to take out every single canister to remove the quarters.  If the Uturns are the ones with the actual candy wheels and not tumblers, then they are alright.  The tumblers are crap.  They fall apart and when they loosen, they change the vend setting.  

 

Going from Beaver machines to Uturns is going to be quite an adjustment, but if you get them cheap, then I'd go for it.

Like Gages said if you can get them cheap enough then I'd go for it. I just bought a lot (14) of vendstars 3000 which everyone bashes but at 18 bucks a piece I don't care. I'll make my money back almost after a month. If you could get the route cheap enough then i'd go for it also. You can see what he collects but just remember that is for three months so the profit generated from the route had better be relatively high for the machines! Otherwise you know your going o ave alot of stale candy.

[Square]

I think some extra machines will be through into the purchase as well, so I'll have extra parts if needed, the reason for the one beaver stand is one u-turn was broken so it was switched out.

How can I tell the difference between wheels?

And thank you for you comments

C

[GagesVending]

The handles on the mech for the tumblers (the bad ones) are rectangular and the handles on the mechs with the Vendstar-style candy wheels are a wavy style.

[Square]

The handles on the mech for the tumblers (the bad ones) are rectangular and the handles on the mechs with the Vendstar-style candy wheels are a wavy style.

Thank you

[sherlock]

The nice thing about vendstars is that they are all plastic so they don't weigh much.

This is really handy for when you throw them in the dumpster....don't want to throw your back out.

 

 

j/k - - never owned one so won't bash them.

I just heard too many negative things about them and have never met anyone doing this full-time that runs vendstars.

So, I put those two facts together and decided if I was going to take bulk vending serious, I'd use the equipment the big boys and girls of vending use.....and trust me, they aren't using vendstars.

[bhumphrey829]

Maybe buying a route....

 

I bought a couple machines from a vender several months ago (20 RB @ $20 each) and the vender mentioned he had a route to sell,

I said I was interested and the next time he went to service it, I would like to go along before any cash changed hands.

 

SO it’s on, we are going next week 19 locations 19 U-Turns and one Beaver rack.

No records and is selling before the route is too badly neglected, its been serviced about every 2-3 months and most units are empty when serviced..

 

I have no U-Turns to date and have only stuck to Beaver machines.

Searches only turn up negative things about the U-Turns and I'm looking for some positives.....

 

This would be my first big investment in bulk vending as everything to date had been 'cash out of pocket'

I have 24 of the U-turns, the 8-headed ones and yes, they are more difficult to service, but I can still get in and out of a location in 15 minutes and that includes wiping them down.  I may have a different definition of difficult.  I do this part-time right now.  I work in a steel mill.  To me that's hard work.  In my opinion, they don't make a vending machine that is that big a "pain" to service.  I have only had these machines since January, and other than hot tamales not vending is the only problem I have run into so far.

[nubianqueen]

Yes, I love my U-turns!  No problems here.  Offering that much variety has been a plus in my book!

[Square]

Updates: I bought the route.

15 locations with 19 machines

A mix of Terminators, U-Turns and old steel triples (grey and purple) and one Double Beaver

The route is well established, some locations have been in place for over 15 years!

It's been neglected and some locations need clean machine put in, as it would take too long to clean them on site. One location was not serviced in almost a year and they were very happy to see a new person taking over.

I also got 10 extra U-Turns so I'll get them ready for the next cycle to swap out the messy units.

Lots of work to do.

[treadmill]

One suggestion and I think by the way I read your post is that take the 10 extra machines clean them up and replace on location so owners of establishments know you are there to service the route. Then do that with the remaining ones.

[GagesVending]

One suggestion and I think by the way I read your post is that take the 10 extra machines clean them up and replace on location so owners of establishments know you are there to service the route. Then do that with the remaining ones.

 

I agree.  After that many years of the previous owner running the route, they may be worried seeing someone new getting into the machines.  Also, since the machines were neglected so long, they probably need fresh product and refurbished anyways, so starting clean and fresh is the way to go!

[sherlock]

Congrats on the purchase.

The route was terribly neglected from what you say.

So, if the route was making ANY kind of money before you bought it, you should do very well with it now that you will start servicing it properly.

 

Good luck.

[Square]

Thanks everyone,

So the triples are Routemasters all metal, going to upgrade a couple to UTurns and already have a number of bins cleaned and ready for next months service.