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Guy rings up on a diesel we've got for sale. C: "Do you know if it has ever had supermarket diesel in the tank?" Me: "I wouldnt know for certain sorry why do you ask?" C: "My friend is a mechanic and he said not to buy any car that has had supermarket fuel put into it" Me: "Why not?" C: "Its cheap because it ruins your engine" Me: "They sell cheap milk as well does your friend know if thats bad for you too?" C: "I dont know I wouldnt think so hes a mechanic not a doctor?" Me: "Do you think if the milk was bad for you because it was cheap that they would be allowed to keep on selling it?" C: "No I suppose not" Me: "Makes you think doesnt it?" C: "Erm yes I see what you mean" Me: "Good luck finding a used one that you can be sure has never had any cheap nasty supermaket fuel in it" C: "Ok thanks, could I come and look at it anyway" Me: "Only if you feel safe and you dont bring your friend with you" C: "Be down at 10am tomorrow if thats ok?" Me: "No problem I might be a couple of minutes late, I need to stop off at asda for some milk on the way in. You'll be wanting a nice cup of coffee when you get here wont you?" C: "LOL"

Never been pulled over for using trade plates out of hours. As long as the car is insured for personal use and you are named under your motor trade policy you should fine IMO.

“The paperwork is just a side show”.......I have got to tell you BHM it is not....When it is your turn for an HMRC enquiry,they will be pulling out bankings and payments large and small,paintshop invoices with and without reg no’s,adverts for stuff which they can’t find in your stock book,they go back years as well.Then they go for your personal stuff,it is the same “you banked £275 cash in your b/society or personal family bank account on this date 5 years ago”.....prove where the money came from etc......If you are unlucky and get picked out allow yourself 3 years until closure......Take it from me,paper work is not a sideshow !

Just trade plate it giving it an extended test drive or alternatively tax it on the green slip on a direct debit and cancel the direct debit once you stop using it. Causes no problems for the next owner to tax it.

When I get a phone call asking for a bit more info about a car I generally tend to open the advert, read it word for word and they then say thanks as if the info I am giving them is completely new and unobtainable

Don’t you have trade plates?

Contrary to Arfur my interpretation of this (after my day in court) was that the judge CLEARLY was only interested in how the vehicle was advertised. As an example, if your advert does not mention faults but your subsequent receipt/PDI/discussion does then it makes little difference because, in the first instance, you misled a retail consumer with your advert. Say you’ve given a punter a big discount to get a ‘sticky’ car away, got them to sign a spares or repair invoice “trailered away”, it counts for nowt unless this matches the original advertisement. This is based on my 1 experience of being taken to court but I can assure anyone that THE JUDGE WAS ONLY INTERESTED IN THE ADVERTISEMENT. To him, any differences marked on the invoice had no bearing on the contract, only to point out my failings in trying to remove a consumer’s rights. Separate to this, with regards to small items which wouldn’t render the vehicle unfit for purpose (such as A/C not working) my understanding is that if the items are not on the advert then they are not deemed part of the sale. So in the case of a car with faulty A/C you should either write “A/C not working” or simply make no reference to A/C. I’m sure some of you will disagree with these two paragraphs but the first is based on my one day in court years ago & second paragraph after I spoke to a Trading Standards dept.

This should be made a sticky. Exactly my understanding of the situation.

A few weeks ago I posted that as an exercise,I paid mental money at BCA for 57 Fiesta 1.2 ,3 dr,14k,Fsh,1 lady etc etc...... I think guys on here were valuing it at £1200 ( probably right ),Anyway it cost £2175 inc the tip ,it was PDI’d ,valeted ,bit of paintwork then put on the pitch.It was sold in less than a week for £3250,so not much net profit,but it just proves how book prices are way out .This just emphasises you should not be frightened to pay way over for the right stuff.Our guys mostly do ex fleet and paying £1000 over Cap Clean has been quite normal for a while.