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To be fair that customer could have got that information from a number of sources as well as AT (Parkers or What Car being an example). It's how the customer has interpreted that data that's the problem. The customer is devoid of reality despite having a P/X price for his car which states it must be in good condition to get that price. Its a perfect example of blaming AT for something which is beyond there control. I'm sure there are cases where a customer walks in with a px valuation which is well under what a dealer was planning to give meaning he gets more profit, do we then rejoice and cut AT in on the extra money that was made??? We have to keep a level head with AT and try and cut through the crap, not everything is a battle with them !!

Umesh I agree with lots of your points, we can use our adverts and our website to push what we offer, we need to be pro-active in how we market ourselves. I see you list AA, RAC, ebay, Motors etc, I'm sure when you add up the spend with these companies whilst it doesn't add up to the same as the monthly AT bill it does still add up. Motors came in with a bang and like many before them are finding it hard to break AT hold on the market, if there are to sustain their challenge I'm sure price increase will happen. You mention admin fee's etc maybe we should focus on this as an area that needs to be cleaned up and that means pushing government officers to look into it. The motor trade and retail motor trade is such a big industry, good, bad and ugly I'm surprised there isn't a direct government office set up to monitor it.

What AT should offer everyone is a deal like this - Cancel your contract and we will refund you your last 3 months advertising spend with AT, but if you decide to come back within the next 12 months you pay DOUBLE the price. Hopefully then car dealer will focus on the job a little more once the comfort blanket of blaming AT for everything is taken away. Of course BCA will then be next in the firing line because they sell cars for over CAP Clean. There is lots AT can do, clearer pricing structure, rep back on the road to work with you, less tangled produces and a simpler approach. Truth is there are car dealers out there doing ok, making money whilst using advertising with AT, there are lots of people searching for cars via AT so it can't be all bad. Motors have lots of cars advertised yet still don't get the response. We are all business people and can make choices how to run our business and need to sometime keep a sensible head on rather then getting wrapped up in the anti AT hysteria which has engulfed the motor trade at present.