Aahz
Well-known member
Just ran across this article in my Google Feed...
https://businessjournaldaily.com/landino-repositions-backyard-buddy/
https://businessjournaldaily.com/landino-repositions-backyard-buddy/
Backyard Buddy has a new owner
- Thread starter Aahz
- Start date
Bluedodge
Well-known member
...I wish the ceiling was higher in my garage 
CJDave
Well-known member
...I wish the ceiling was higher in my garage
As do I. And this brand would be my choice. CJDave.
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ODIS
Well-known member
They are good lifts. Have several of them.
rburke65
Well-known member
Made just down the road from me, in Warren, Ohio.
kabinenroller
Well-known member
If I purchase another lift I would consider a Backyard Buddy. I have a BendPak now, it has been a hassle to own and I just don’t feel secure when I lift one of my cars.
MrBalll
Well-known member
You must have got a bad lift then. Mine's been perfect for the past few years.
Never heard of Backyard Buddy, but I'll be sure to read this article. Started seeing the name more and more now on here.
denis4x4
Well-known member
Interesting article....mine was around $2,000 as a Goodguys show special 20 years ago. As an old marketing guy, I question some of his thoughts on expanding market reach. Every doctor I've ever know that was into old cars never flinched when it came to getting their hands dirty working on stuff.
Married2Vette2000
Well-known member
According to the article Backyard Buddy sells 350 lifts a year and their goal is to make 500. So the new goal is sell 150 more this year, yet they've been around forever. How do they pay or hire anyone?
If you don't see any bad reviews it's probably because they don't sell enough anyway.
What a joke. Made the right choice. I have bendPak and feel like they'll actually answer the phones if I call.
If you don't see any bad reviews it's probably because they don't sell enough anyway.
What a joke. Made the right choice. I have bendPak and feel like they'll actually answer the phones if I call.
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albaran
Well-known member
Most people are satisfied with their lifts. I have an Eagle which seems identical to a lot of other Chinese lifts, Danmar, Atlas, Auto Lift, etc. I would suspect that they are all made by the same supplier. My friend who has a Backyard Buddy came over and was inspecting my lift said he wishes that the under ramp height was higher on his (they do have a "service" version which is a little higher) and complained that his hydraulic cylinder leaks. It appears to me that the king of home lifts is Bendpak. The lock release is air operated which can be objectionable if you don't have shop air.
denis4x4
Well-known member
As I said in post #8, my BYB is 20 years old. Never had a hydraulic leak and was able to retro fit some improvements with excellent info from the factory. Since I've never owned a Bendpak, I would be remiss to bad mouth a brand that I knew nothing about. I have looked at Chinese units and they certainly don't compare to the Ohio-made BYB.
LS6 Tommy
Well-known member
I hope they do well. Personally, I have no real use for a drive-on lift except for exhaust or transmission work, which is infrequent for me. Most of the time if the car is up in the air, I'm doing something with the wheels, brakes or suspension.
Tommy
Tommy
driftpin
Well-known member
My dentist used to do woodworking but gave it up because his hands are worth millions, literally. He's been in practice for 40+ years, and there are a lot of rich people in Miami and Miami Beach who owe their dental wellness to his work.
I would like to be in that position, but I do enjoy the fixing of things and the building of things. At one job where my brother and I were working, building a custom home in Coconut Grove FL, he had to retrieve from the Powermatic 66 table saw sawdust, the GC's partial fingers, and take them to the hospital ER.
I would like to be in that position, but I do enjoy the fixing of things and the building of things. At one job where my brother and I were working, building a custom home in Coconut Grove FL, he had to retrieve from the Powermatic 66 table saw sawdust, the GC's partial fingers, and take them to the hospital ER.
Voi
Well-known member
I know of two doctors, one a surgeon and other a dentist, who are avid woodworkers with large shops. I know another dentist who is thinking about getting a table saw.
I am not a dentist or a surgeon and while I miss having a table saw set up in my shop even I'm cautious about the prospect of restoring and using the basket case 1940's Unisaw I have.
At any rate, I talked to Backyard Buddy a few months back when working on drawings for our next garage. I'll be interested to hear how about how they're doing when we're at the finishing stages of the build.
I was interested in their UTV lift but after listening to my needs they suggested one of their regular four post lifts.
James E
Well-known member
I came across Backyard Buddy when I was shopping for a lift. I don't even remember why I chose not to use them.
But if that article is correct, and they only sell 350 lifts a year, I can't see how they stay in business--unless their lifts are $2,000 to $3,000 more than the competition.
There seems to be a lot of marketing fail going on if that is the case. The article says they cater to businesses and not to the home-user. Their name is "Backyard Buddy". How does that apply to dealerships and shops? I see that name and immediately think that this is a lower-quality, homeowner lift designed for storage and not serious use.
They don't currently offer any colors except for red and black, they don't seem to advertise much, and their web presence is negligible. Google "Backyard Buddy lift" and all of the shopping hits on the first page are for competitor brands.
It sounds to me like the guy buying the company can probably make some very minor changes and start selling lifts like crazy--as long as steel prices don't go through the roof.
But if that article is correct, and they only sell 350 lifts a year, I can't see how they stay in business--unless their lifts are $2,000 to $3,000 more than the competition.
There seems to be a lot of marketing fail going on if that is the case. The article says they cater to businesses and not to the home-user. Their name is "Backyard Buddy". How does that apply to dealerships and shops? I see that name and immediately think that this is a lower-quality, homeowner lift designed for storage and not serious use.
They don't currently offer any colors except for red and black, they don't seem to advertise much, and their web presence is negligible. Google "Backyard Buddy lift" and all of the shopping hits on the first page are for competitor brands.
It sounds to me like the guy buying the company can probably make some very minor changes and start selling lifts like crazy--as long as steel prices don't go through the roof.
6768rogues
Banned
I looked at Backyard Buddy when I bought my Autolifters lift about 20 years ago. Nothing wrong with BB but Autolifters had a promotion so I saved some money buying theirs. It was American made and I think they reorganized under a new name. I have had to do nothing to mine in 20 years.
Just an update on the former "Backyard Buddy", now being sold under a different name:
https://www.mahoningmatters.com/mov...enthusiasts-with-north-american-steel-2003585
(To be clear, I'm not recommending the product and have nothing to do with the company. Just general info for anyone that owns one or wants to know what is happening in the lift business!)
https://www.mahoningmatters.com/mov...enthusiasts-with-north-american-steel-2003585
(To be clear, I'm not recommending the product and have nothing to do with the company. Just general info for anyone that owns one or wants to know what is happening in the lift business!)
A friend had a BB life for years, and I don't know that he ever had an issues with it. (I have an HD9)
Looking at the BB story, it says they cost between $5000 and $7500. They also mention that the company had previously not targeted enthusiasts that use these types of lifts for stacking cars for parking. I'm surprised that this was never part of their marketing efforts. Seems it's obvious to me.
Good luck to them, glad to see a US company doing well. I'd suggest that pricing will be a real obstacle with all the import competition.
Looking at the BB story, it says they cost between $5000 and $7500. They also mention that the company had previously not targeted enthusiasts that use these types of lifts for stacking cars for parking. I'm surprised that this was never part of their marketing efforts. Seems it's obvious to me.
Good luck to them, glad to see a US company doing well. I'd suggest that pricing will be a real obstacle with all the import competition.