Gauging interest - Windshield Service Reminders

**BroncoHauler** · 01-15-2010, 11:46 PM

I've always found the dealer automobile windshield service reminder stickers very convenient, but also very limited. I've always wanted a sticker that not only, at a glance, tells me at what mileage to change my oil, but also at what mileage I need to service other critical maintenance items on my vehicles.

I'm looking into having a generic Service Reminder, static cling window stickers printed up, and want to gauge any interest from the rest of the community. From what I've found, the minimum order is about 1,000 stickers. I am tentatively planning the stickers to be vertically oriented, at about 1.5" wide by 2.5" tall, clear material, with single color printing and with write-on white spaces. I do NOT think they are write-on, wipe-off; the printers would never make any money that way. They would include eight Service categories with corresponding white spaces to annotate the vehicle mileage at which the service should be performed. There would also be an "extra" blank white space to add your own specific service item (lube, coolant filter, fuel additive,...), and the corresponding vehicle mileage. I am currently considering either all red or all black. If the printer is OK with the layout I provided, each of the nine write-on white blocks on the right hand side would be 0.2" tall by 0.75" wide.

SAMPLE

SAMPLE - FILLED IN

Notionally, if things were to go as planned, I'm thinking of selling them in blocks of 10, at $5.00/10 stickers (shipped), or $9.00/20 (shipped). This is all dependent upon finalizing any deal with the printing company, and what their shipping charge to me would be. These would be individually cut on backing paper as opposed to a long strip of stickers.

If there is enough interest, I will move forward and have the printing company prepare an electronic proof, and try to finalize the costs. Oh, and request a Hobbyist Vendor tag here. So, any interest? I cannot individually tailor the stickers, unless of course you want to order 1,000 or more of them.

Herb

GreyDawg · 01-16-2010, 07:25 AM

Herb --

Very interesting idea. I agree that the service stickers from the mechanics are somewhat lacking in information, as well as usually illegible and with a "change due" already entered for 3,000 miles -- that's when they want to sell me more oil, but not necessarily when my rig needs a change!

On both of my vehicles, I've put P-Touch labels on the windshield, right up at the roofline next to the oil sticker with:

tire PSI f/r (which you've got)[/*:m:1j53qmrs]
vehicle height (plus a couple of inches) in ft/in, inches only, and m/cm[/*:m:1j53qmrs]

The latter isn't really a service item, but it has proved very useful in many occasions -- for parking garages with my minivan+Thule roof box, and for low rock/branch overhangs, bridges, etc for the E350 (as well as parking garages in Santa Fe and Phoenix). Height information may be more useful/constant with 2x4 than 4x4 rigs, though.

Sounds promising -- I'm eager to hear what others think!

GreyDawg

Jammyauto · 01-16-2010, 08:56 AM

I just keep a log book on my van. It's a small bound notebook that lives in a heavy duty ziplock in my overhead console. It has everything in it. Every fuel fill up, every fliud check, all maintaince etc.

Your stickers look really nice with all the fields you have there but you can get generic stickers just for asking at any commercial lubricant store. The outfit in santa barbara is McCormicks. Buy a tank of diesel at the pump and walk in the office and ask for some maintaince stickers. They will give you a small stack gratis.

SteveInLA · 01-16-2010, 09:05 AM

I can see where you would use up these stickers pretty fast though. Essentially, the whole sticker would have to be replaced each time any of the services were preformed, since you would want to update the mileage reminder for that service even though the other service mileages stay the same. I second GreyDawg's recommendation for a place to indicate vehicle height. I keep a log book too, but it is nice to have a reminder right in front of my face too. I would buy these.

Steve in L.A.

surfgeek33 · 01-16-2010, 09:45 AM

Great idea Herb,

I would be interested if you went ahead and did this. I had log books etc, but nothing beats the everyday reminder that stares you on your face when you are driving.

Ray

Ford_6L_E350 · 01-16-2010, 10:21 AM

Sounds useful to me. But, I think 100 stickers would be a good number to have. 4 vehicles x 2 times a year (major svc) is 12+ years worth. Hmmmm, maybe 50 would be better.

Mike

**BroncoHauler** · 01-16-2010, 10:32 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ford_6L_E350

Sounds useful to me. But, I think 100 stickers would be a good number to have. 4 vehicles x 2 times a year (major svc) is 12+ years worth. Hmmmm, maybe 50 would be better.

Mike

If there's enough interest, I could always put in a larger order, though the next largest sized order is 2000 units. The price per unit does go down fairly quickly.

FWIW, I think the final cost may be lower than my first post, but there are still a few too many unknowns to finalize the cost yet. I will not be sending my son to college on what I'd make off these stickers.

Herb

**daveb** · 01-16-2010, 08:36 PM

How about duel stickers...long term/short term? My problem is to remember changing differential, transfer case, radiator, brake, and transmission fluids that are necessary. So maybe split the long term junk from the short term stuff like wipers, fuel, oil, and air filters, as well as throwing in tire rotation/spare tire pressure that is at least in my case a more frequent issue for me. Just adding to the confusion

I do keep a log but nothing is better than a sticker that stares you in the face. Just make em small!

**BroncoHauler** · 01-16-2010, 10:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by daveb

How about duel stickers...long term/short term? My problem is to remember changing differential, transfer case, radiator, brake, and transmission fluids that are necessary. So maybe split the long term junk from the short term stuff like wipers, fuel, oil, and air filters, as well as throwing in tire rotation/spare tire pressure that is at least in my case a more frequent issue for me. Just adding to the confusion

I do keep a log but nothing is better than a sticker that stares you in the face. Just make em small!

Not a bad idea, but the "demand" for a long term version wouldn't be very high given that it would, by it's very nature, be long-term, and with a minimum order of 1000 units, I'd more or less need about 500-1000 people interested in that version.

FWIW, the draft version in my first post is intended to be 1.5" wide by 2.5" tall.

Herb

jage · 01-16-2010, 11:04 PM

I really like the vehicle height... forcing me to fill it out would force me to measure, and then I couldn't forget if the van was 8'3" or was that the other truck.

Does it really need to say "service reminder"? Seems like a waste of space at the top. Personally I would put something like "Herb's custom service reminder order replacements at herb@hcsr.com" on the left edge reading up from the bottom in small type.

Not only does that free up more vertical space for the important stuff but it's branded and when Joe Mustang asks me where to get one (or I need to get more) I can just look at the border.