Fender Flares (The Continuation)

For approx 2 years I've been searching and contacting companies like Bushwacker and Warn in an attempt to have some fender flares made for the Jeep Commander (without any luck) and decided to designing my own. With the help of my cousin in TN (who is a co owner of a plastics molding company). I gave him a rough sketch of my idea and within 30 minutes on the computer, he worked something up.

After a few slight mods, he gave me a quote to have these flare made up for our Jeep Commander. Four flares each in increments of 3/4 inch, 2 inch & 4 inch widths. Total cost Just to have the mold made?.. $50,000 or which ever one would be more desirable.

Here is what is what I'm getting at. If this is something that many of us would be interested in having.. Would the group (this forum) be willing to contribute the funds necessary to get this product underway?.

What would be the legal route to take in order to have everyone involved in this and receive their far share in the profits or make the flares a club thing instead of going national.

Just need a show of hands for those willing to CoOp this venture.. Sign up here and lets brain storm this product.

Well I cannot speak for the rest of the members but it is my opinion that we would NEVER recover our $50,000 investment on this deal. The likelyhood of us finding 100 Commander owners willing to pay $500 per set is unlikely and there is NO profit at that price.

We would need to charge $800 to $1,000 per set AND pre-sell 100 units in order to make money on this deal.

Agreed and just asking for input and advice.. I'm getting the same type of response on the Haynes Repair manual issues.. Seems these are to things many would not follow or give advice on to some degree. Fender Flares = (not enough interested), Haynes Manuals = (Not enough Commanders sold)

I doubt that you would even get 10 XK owners to purchase the flares. Everyone was all about getting a snorkel made for the XK and when it was finally made i think like three people ordered them. One of the three was the individual who's vehicle they used to make the snorkel. Good luck on this on.

While I'd love to see some flares made, I concur about the marketability.

Some walls can be broken, some cannot. You probably shouldn't beat your head against either one, though.

Thanks El.. for the vote of confidence.. Thou I have a feeling this would be more of a personal venture for but the lotto would help get me started.. Even if I had these made for myself. I'm please at the out come. I'm just tired of these big companies pulling other ideas like mine on the back burner. Buchwacker and Warn already have the equipment and the names behind their products.. And because the Commander is a dyeing breed.. they would touch this with a ten foot pole. Because it doesn't fit into their "typically" idea for a jeep product. Besides I still have a few "Wrangler" projects I'm working on.. again Mold needed as well as the money to create the new product for them.

OK so I know that the idea of aftermarket flares has been beaten nearly to death and I know that a molded plastic replacement is just this side of impossible. That said i was reading this thread and looking out the window at my XK and I began to think (usually leads me to trouble). My first thought was that the design of the OEM flares leave them pretty flat to the body of the vehicle as far as the mounting surface is concerned. Second, the angle that the flare meets the body is nearly 90degrees at the top edge of the flare. My though on the issue is that rather than find a company to generate an expensive mold and take on a great deal of overhead we simply modify the existing flares. A material such as plastic or rubber that could be used as a "spacer" to fit between the OEM flare and the body would move the stock flares out as far as you would like for the thickness of your spacer... The multifaceted look of the OEM flare would allow you to add a material in either flush to the top edge of the flare or offset to create another step in the look of the flare. This would be a fairly cheap alternative to a completely new flare and even a possibility as a "home brew" project. This is just a rough draft as far as ideas go because issues like the meeting point at the front edge of the front flare and various other points would need to be addressed but worth at good thinkin over still.

This is exactly the "solution" I've been toying with. There are still problems, but it is far easier than any alternative I've contemplated.

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Originally Posted by adamag25

OK so I know that the idea of aftermarket flares has been beaten nearly to death and I know that a molded plastic replacement is just this side of impossible. That said i was reading this thread and looking out the window at my XK and I began to think (usually leads me to trouble). My first thought was that the design of the OEM flares leave them pretty flat to the body of the vehicle as far as the mounting surface is concerned. Second, the angle that the flare meets the body is nearly 90degrees at the top edge of the flare. My though on the issue is that rather than find a company to generate an expensive mold and take on a great deal of overhead we simply modify the existing flares. A material such as plastic or rubber that could be used as a "spacer" to fit between the OEM flare and the body would move the stock flares out as far as you would like for the thickness of your spacer... The multifaceted look of the OEM flare would allow you to add a material in either flush to the top edge of the flare or offset to create another step in the look of the flare. This would be a fairly cheap alternative to a completely new flare and even a possibility as a "home brew" project. This is just a rough draft as far as ideas go because issues like the meeting point at the front edge of the front flare and various other points would need to be addressed but worth at good thinkin over still.

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this would not work because of the compound angles where it fits the fender to the body, it would have to be injection molded (which seems to be a problem due to low demand) or it would have to be several pieces that would probably not make for a clean reveal.

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Originally Posted by OurJeepLife

Thanks El.. for the vote of confidence.. Thou I have a feeling this would be more of a personal venture for but the lotto would help get me started.. Even if I had these made for myself. I'm please at the out come. I'm just tired of these big companies pulling other ideas like mine on the back burner. Buchwacker and Warn already have the equipment and the names behind their products.. And because the Commander is a dyeing breed.. they would touch this with a ten foot pole. Because it doesn't fit into their "typically" idea for a jeep product. Besides I still have a few "Wrangler" projects I'm working on.. again Mold needed as well as the money to create the new product for them.

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i believe you have answered your own question. why would a giant company (that obviously is well versed in when to cast a line and when you cut bait and run) want to invest the time and money into a vehicle that was not popular to begin with (not saying anything bad about commanders...) and that is being phased out? i know i wouldn't put together 50 of the bumpers i build hoping that there are potential customers.

in business there is something we call "ROI" that's the Return on Investment. just as an example - the rear bumpers i'm building have taken in excess of 120 hours to go from idea to production. that's the design, prototyping, fixtures & jigs, computer renderings blah blah blah. i have sold 3 besides the prototype. my profit margin is slim to keep them marketable. i will have to sell about a dozen before i make up for all the hours invested & then i will finally make a "profit".

Update: I've been in contact with Husky Liners in an attempt to write a review for their Husky liner product line, While speaking with Bennett, I discovered Husky isn't just liners,, but a whole range of products. This was a sage way to ask Bennett about Husky liners possibly creating the finder flares.. No word yet.. but only time will tell.

There is hope..

What kind of flares are you looking for? Cut out flares to fit a larger tire?

I was looking for something along the lines of the slim line flares GM has on their vehicles.. Yet I need to allow for others like many here who are lifting and allowing for larger tires. All indications point to a creation of the slim line types flares then a progressive increments of 3/4'' - 4'' widths.. Depending on the design. For my Jeep?.. Just the slim line would be enough..

I think why I'm so determined to see this through is because companies like Bushwacker and warn (who make flares for other vehicles) have shot me down sever times. its like someone has told you "No that can't be done" or "No you can't do it" makes me even more determined to see this through.

Sure make take me thousands of dollars etc to see this jell. But even if I sell one flare (to myself) it would be worth it cause I helped create it, Of course with the help of my cousins mold injection company.

I understand the draw to create something and overcome obstacles, but if you don't see a ROI, it is just foolhardy. If you got money to burn in R&D, do it on something that has a (better) chance of financial payoff .... or donate it to a worthy charity.