Is a special occasion coming up? Or maybe you yearn for a bit of luxury. Why don’t you rent a limousine? Limo services are great for numerous reasons, from going to your wedding to meeting a client in the airport. But do you know which limousine to rent? There are different limo types, each one with its unique features. Read on to learn more.
Regular and stretch limousines
While most people imagine limousines as very long cars, they are not necessarily so long. A limousine is not one type of car like a yacht is not one type of boat. Rather, it describes luxury cars, usually driven by chauffeurs and have a glass partition separating them from the passengers. They are also very comfortable, having leather seats, bottled water, and possibly more.
So, limousines can be regular-sized. People use them for many purposes, such as picking up clients, traveling to meetings in style, or even going on dates! Such limos might fit only up to 4 people. They are also cheaper, of course. One of the most popular and most affordable limo models is the sedan: they are great for picking up an important client and arriving somewhere stylishly. A larger SUV limousine is perfect for a family vacation: it usually has a minibar and multimedia, providing entertainment. There is also a Lincoln limousine, longer than your average car, but not yet a stretch limo. Lincoln limos are luxurious with many amenities and comforts, stylish, and safe.
Stretch limousines. Their image usually comes to people’s minds when someone says ‘limousine’ They are extended versions of regular limousines. Usually, a stretch limousine is about 30 feet long, referred to as a standard stretch limo. A classic stretch limo is a stretched sedan, but there can also be stretch SUV limousines. There are also super stretch limos. The longest limousine in the world is 100 feet long limo and has a pool and landing for a helicopter.
Now, what about some more limo types?
Classifying limos to just regular ones and stretch limousines is very broad. There are various limo designs which include:
Eco-friendly limos. The larger the vehicle, the larger the emissions. What if you want some luxury but also help the earth? You can choose eco-friendly limos, which have partially electric engines.
Convertible limos. Such limos look even more stylish than the other ones. Provided the weather is good! Of course, you can always put the top back if you get tired of wind blowing by or people turning heads and looking at you.
Hummer limos. Besides the classic sleek limos, hummer limousines are one of the most popular. They are larger, fit more people inside, and have a unique feeling. They are popular among men, especially for such occasions as the bachelor’s party.
Vintage limos. Do you like old-school designs? Then vintage limo might be the right limousine for you. There can be both regular-sized and stretch vintage limos. They are great for various occasions, from parties to weddings.
Party limos or party buses. This unique vehicle may look like a bus from the outside, but it is definitely a limo on the inside! They can have everything you might want for a party: comfy sofas, minibars, smoke machines, disco floors, and more!
To conclude, there are many limo types, and each one has different features. Renting a limo is great for many occasions: learn about them!
Is an important event coming up? Do you want to make an impression or spend the day memorably? Consider hiring limo services. Limousines are luxurious cars, driven by a professional chauffeur, separated from the passengers with a glass partition to give more privacy. They can fit from 4 to 40 people as there are many limos of different sizes. Read on to learn about the best occasions to rent a limo and the best limousines for those occasions.
Picking up an important client with a limo
Are you meeting an important partner or prospective client at the airport? Perhaps you are taking them to dinner? Make a good impression with a limo! For this occasion, you can choose an executive sedan limo. Although a luxury sedan looks like a regular car and can only fit up to 4 people, it is very much a limo. There is a chauffeur, a glass partition separating passengers from the driver, and luxury and comfort as due. You can also choose this car to travel to a certain location, such as an important meeting. It might be better than rental cars because you do not have to drive yourself, or taxis because you get to travel more luxuriously.
Graduation
A prom night could be the most important one throughout all 12 school years (or more)! Many school graduates hire limos for the prom for a reason. Limos help make more memories, you travel comfortably and stylishly, and you can enjoy the trip with your friends while someone does the driving for you. Rent the limo for the whole evening so you can go to numerous locations, such as dinner, dance, etc. Graduates also usually choose the classic stretch limo but opt for various colors, from black to pink. A party limo might also be a great idea as it has even more space, a dance floor, a minibar, and more!
Limo services for your wedding day
It might be the most significant day in your life, so meet it with style! Although you might make memories aplenty already, a limo certainly would not hurt. You can focus on your partner, while a professional chauffeur smoothly drives you to your destination. Usually, a classic white stretch limo is chosen for weddings, adorned with flowers. If you want to be even more stylish, choose a vintage limo or a hummer limo.
Sending off loved ones respectfully: funerals
While funerals are the opposite of a joyous occasion, limo services might still be a great idea. You can pick up friends and family coming to the funeral from the airport. For this occasion, a classic black limo would be best. Choose a stretch limousine, if there are more people. It can be a very respectful send‑off of your loved one that has passed away.
Bachelor or bachelorette party
For some people, the bachelor and bachelorette parties are almost as important as weddings. Perhaps you will be the maid of honor or the best man and have to organize this party? A limo would be an awesome touch! Limo services offer a memorable ride that will allow you to party luxuriously inside without any worries about driving. For this occasion, various limo types work. However, consider a spacious car, such as a super stretch limousine, or a party bus.
Important anniversaries
Some anniversaries are more important than others. Is it your 21st or 50th birthday? Maybe a 10th year marriage anniversary? Why not make it memorable by hiring a limo? It can be a great part of your trip to a restaurant, event, or another special location. A classic stretch limo would be the best, especially for such things as marriage anniversaries. But if you want to spice it up, hummer limos or vintage limos could work.
A special day or night out
Finally, a limousine can be perfect for special outings. Perhaps you are planning to propose to your love? The right mood is crucial, and a limo might be just what you need. It can also be just a simple date, but it will become very memorable due to the limo! People also hire limousines for parties with friends. Limo services are especially popular on New Year Eve’s. You can even rent a limo on a day you decided to pamper yourself, such as to go to the spa.
Do you agree that these occasions are great chances to rent a limo? Perhaps there is another you believe should be mentioned? Leave a comment below to let us know!
Have you ever wanted to start a limo business? Do you think you know what it takes? Whether you are just curious or seriously considering the idea of running a limo service business, you are in the right place. We will overview the basic things you should know before you start such a business.
Overview of the limo industry
You have to understand the limo business well if you want to start one. So, you should definitely read up on it a lot. But here are some basics.
In this business, you will offer limo services to customers. Customers can include companies that deal with business people; individual people celebrating various occasions; celebrities using limos to get from one place to another. You could be both the limo owner and the chauffeur. Or you can have a whole fleet and hire many chauffeurs.
The limo industry is growing. It experienced steady growth from 2014 to 2019. Of course, it was affected by COVID-19 and experienced a decline in 2020 with the lockdowns. Read this extensive report on the industry in the US by Ibis World to learn more.
In this business, your customer is an affluent person. Often, customers only want limo services for special occasions. So you likely need to have a wide customer base to run a successful business. Corporate clients are considered good clients in this business because they are experienced and know their needs well.
Useful skills to start this business include auto knowledge, driving skills, navigational skills, interpersonal skills, and attention to detail. With auto skills, you could save on maintenance costs; with driving skills, you can be a chauffeur yourself.
Finally, all people want to know how much you can earn. The average hourly price for a limo is $75-150 in the US. It depends on the limo, time of the rent, location, etc. Read more about limo prices here.
What you need to research before you start a limo business
Research is crucial when starting any rental business. A limo business is no exception. You need a good plan and strategy to run a business well. And you need to research to create such a plan. Let’s overlook a few points of what you should find out.
Know about competition. What kind of limousines and limo services can you get in your town? Perhaps no one offers party busses. Maybe there are not enough shuttle or airport services. Of course, if your town is small, it might also not have many prospective customers. If there is no need, it can be very hard.
Do not try to have a little bit of everything. You can’t have what everyone wants because you probably do not have enough money to get so much money. Find a niche. Even a pink limo can be a niche thing that attracts some people. After all, it worked for the successful limo company Heaven on Wheels, which owns the only pink limo in North Texas!
Also, think about your buyers. Imagine them, maybe describe them to yourself. Customers can be companies, individual people, celebrities. Think about what will be your first buyer, as well as second and third buyers. You have to know their problems and provide solutions to their problems.
Another highly important thing to research is insurance. Read on to learn about it.
Expenses when you start a limo business. Insurance and inventory
There are always expenses when you start a business. And a limo business is not the cheapest one to start. Two main expenses are insurance and inventory.
It can take you many months to find good commercial insurance. A good idea is to find an insurance broker who writes insurance policies. Brokers contact major insurance companies which might not talk to you without an agent. Know about insurance requirements in your area, too: there are usually at least minimum insurance requirements.
Then, of course, you must have inventory for your limo rental business. You need to buy limousines unless you plan to partner with people who own them already. According to Truic, one limo can cost you $50,000 to $100,00. Insurance of one vehicle can be between $600 and $1200. So the costs add up quickly. If you have cash, it will make things easier and maybe much cheaper. Loans are quite hard to come by now. You can consider buying used vehicles, which cost less. However, they have more wear and tear, no warranties, etc.
Other costs include storing vehicles, maintenance, paying drivers. So if you have your own place to store limos, you can save quite a chunk of money. Auto skills let you do basic maintenance yourself and also save. Drivers will usually be paid by the hours they have been working.
Overall, according to Starting Your Business, you need $150,000 to start a small limo business with a few vehicles and drivers. However, a large business with a whole fleet can cost $500,000 to start.
One thing you cannot do without: marketing
Marketing is super important. The internet is the best place to market your business. So, you need to have a good website. We recommend building one with WordPress. Here are the best car rental plugins and car rental themes if you decide to go with WordPress. Make sure your website looks good and is SEO-friendly because it will probably be your best form of advertising.
But you have to advertise as much as you can. Facebook is a good place to do that. For example, you can post on various groups. Try to list your business wherever you can. It will not only let others find you but will also help your website rank higher.
Steps to starting a limo business
We discussed what you should consider before starting a limo business. If you decided you want to do it, here is a list of the steps you have to take.
Have a business plan. You need one both to get a loan and to increase your chances of success as it really helps.
Form a legal entity. The main business entities are sole proprietorship, partnership, corporation, and LLC. Find out which one works best for you.
Name your business. A good name will help you a lot. Read more about finding a good business name here.
Find financing. If you do not have lots of cash yourself, you need financing. You need to have good credit and invest at least 15% yourself for a loan.
Register your business for taxes. You need to apply for EIN (Employer Identification Number) to register your business.
Open a business account. A business account will help you protect your personal assets.
Get the permits and the licenses. If you do not get the necessary permits, you will get a big fine or might even be shut down. So read up on regulations in your area to avoid it.
Get insurance. Insurance will protect your business if a covered loss occurs. You can start with General Liability Insurance if you are unsure with which to go.
Set up accounting. You need to record your expenses and income to track your performance.
Hire employees. As your business grows, you will need to hire employees. That means not only paying wages but also compensation insurance and other expenses.
Create your business website. As we mentioned before, a website is critical for marketing.
We hope that now you know more about starting a limo business. Maybe you need help with your website, rental business, or just want a place to post your ad without being ripped off in commissions? Then contact us now!
Limousines are luxury cars, great for celebrating special occasions. You might have already thought about renting one someday. And then you must have come to a crucial question: how much does it cost to rent a limo? Well, you are in luck, because we will answer this question today.
How much does it cost to rent a limo on average?
The average hourly price for a limo is $75 to 150 in the US. Of course, you might be able to find limos cheaper or more expensive. For an entire night, you can spend from $430 to 950 on your limo. A lot depends on the limo type, location, time, and duration of the rent.
Of course, the biggest factor is the limo type. Usually, the bigger and fancier the limo, the more expensive it is. Check out the chart for different types, number of passengers and the prices:
The importance of time when you rent a limo
Besides the types, time influences the price a lot. Some days and times of the day are way more expensive than others because they are busier. The cheapest time to rent a limo is in the afternoon on workdays. The hourly rates rise after 5 PM. Friday and Saturday nights are busy with parties; Saturday days are popular for weddings. Expect to pay more on those days.
Also, the longer the amount you want the limo for, the more likely you are to get a discount. Many companies also rent out limousines for a minimum of three or four hours, not just one.
Limo rental prices for different occasions
Most people rent limousines for special occasions. However, that can influence the higher price. For instance, weddings and proms are some of the most popular occasions for limo services, and there is a high demand, so the price can also be higher.
Some packages include things and services to make the occasion even more special. For example, a prom package with a luxury sedan could include glassware, non-alcoholic drinks, and pick-up and drop-off in different locations. Such a package could cost around $400. Of course, the bigger the limo, the more expensive it gets.
Tips for the chauffeur
Tips or gratuity might or might not be included in the quote. Always check to be sure. People often ask how much you should tip if you rent a limo. We recommend tipping between 15-20% of the limo service rental price if you are happy with the chauffeur. If the trip is to or from the airport, you should also tip extra for each bag. The recommended amount is from $2-5 per bag.
It is important to tip your chauffeur. Usually, they work very hard to help you. Also, they often have minimal wages or even below minimum since employers expect them to earn a lot with tips.
Beware of different pricing models
Some companies offer hourly rates that include all the fees. Others may count various fees separately. Get acquainted with the pricing models of the companies before renting a limo. This way, you do not encounter any unexpected fees.
Another factor that can influence limo price is the location. Some locations, like New York, are way more expensive than others. Also, there might be extra fees. For example, if your group messes up the limousine by damaging inventory or puking, expect to pay for the cleanup. Even smoking inside the limo can incur a penalty!
You can also pay for a limo rental company to stock the minibar. If you decide to bring your drinks, check that it does not mean an extra fee!
Perhaps you want a luxury car but not necessarily a limousine? Consider renting a BRABUS or AMG!
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