Leaderboard

I've been batting on for years about Video's ' they sell cars for me' ! my Customers love my vidoeo's , I don't like silent video's and some of what I've seen with 'just the wrong music' - it's a very fine balance between right music, silent movie and not OTT video over sell. Each one to their own but those not doing vidoe's are missing out. Nick - I don't really look at the stats , some stats are just bizarre ! one of the most watched video I have on youtube is a Rover 75 1 View - 1 sale = happy days , 2000 Views no sale = Pointless !

The manufacturer has the first and their only one bite of the cherry. We are dealers, we add value, reassurance and some come back, otherwise, why exist. We make money on each sale and it is fair that we have to pay some of that back due to failure. I win on most, break even on some and lose on others. If at year end I’ve earned a wage and covered my ex’s I will never complain and even lose money to honour what I consider my obligations. No, I’m not a millionaire but I sleep well and people like buying from me because they think they can trust me and they can.

Mine mainly revolve around social media and the cretins that come in to my living room via my laptop screen. People on Facebook groups who feel the need to ask thee most dumb ass questions. Answers that would have a click or two on Google and get you a much quicker and from the horses mouth answer Top of my list is the T5 Forum facebook page. Almost on a weekly basis they have debates about people who wave or dont wave at total strangers in T5's. Front end Friday, Same people posting the same front end pics weekly. Rinse and repeat Side on Saturday, Same people posting the same side on pics weekly. Rinse and repeat Photo of the dash showing EML, with "Whats up with my van and how much will it cost?" People who pick up dog shit but feel the need to tie the dog shit back to a branch or wire fence! In a rush and being stuck behind a Nissan Micra, Nissan Note or Honda Jazz

Definitely, so someone must be selling. Im paying more now than I was 18 months ago for the same cars.

He means you can get your piece of the pie because it’s a free market. Whining about another business’ profits because it means you have to pay more than you like is just that. Whining. Sour grapes. AT charge dealers high prices and make very good profits. So what. Good for them. You don’t have to use their platform, plenty don’t.

And I think every day normal punters would be looked after by most on here mate and a warranty wouldn’t change that either way. Here’s a few examples for a bit of fun, of instances i’ve had of post sale issues. What would you lot do in these examples? All of these examples have had a proper prep and mechanical check, PDI to you and me. 1. 2004 bmw 545i, 93,000 Miles. 6 weeks and 1,000 miles following sale, punter rings wanting to claim on warranty for a water pump and oil leak “somewhere” now assuming it’s genuine, would you pay for this? 2. 2010 bmw 318i Tourer, 59,000 Miles. 2 month and 1500 miles later, customer calls saying he needs to make a warranty claim as the low oil pressure light is on and eml flashing with a misfire. Let’s say it was diagnosed as an coil and a sensor for the oil pressure. Would you pay for this? 3. 2008 Range Rover Sport, 93,000 Miles. 10 days and 500 miles later, customer calls saying there’s a bad oil leak. Turns out its a new sump plug and job done. Would you pay for this? Note, all of these items are wear and tear. Meaning, something has been used, it’s worn, it’s failed. The manufacturer won’t want to know, their warranty expired years ago. I’m wondering, if you WOULD pay for these repairs, why?

I like AT, it is my best value platform for ROI. I wish it was cheaper, of course I do (especially when it is quiet). But when I have made £8-10k in a month gross, 10% allocated to advertising seems reasonable - without advertising I would have sold nowt. There are far worse burdens on my margin than AT and they’ll never go away - VAT margin scheme being the most obvious. It pissed me off first time around and it’s pissing me off now. Having said that, if I wasn’t VAT reg, my unit would be costing me 20% more, so swings and roundabouts.

Mark, I add value by prepairing the car.........Painting, valeting, freshly MOTing, Servicing and PDIing. Making the car right when it goes out.

Not much happened this week,the new signs have been delayed by high winds,the website is not ready and NAT West are stalling with our new proposed faster payment account.Bought a few to help get us going.Star buy....I was at the local block and a ‘faded’ 61 Jag XF 2.2 Auto with cream leather but no nav comes through as a rerun from last week.Auctioneer says it’s done 9k but no history.Anyway I have only one bid at £93 and the hammer comes down.I thought ‘O dear’ what have I done.Picked it up the next day,it’s one local owner,it is 9k miles,smooth driver and just needs minting up and we are getting the history from the local Jag Dealer.What a relief. We are about 10 days away from trading,but I will do a warts and all running commentary until I am told to stop.

Normally get one or two a month away through the free package with CarGurus; a proper reply with contact details and website usually works. The quality of customer always seems better too?

Very true James, but depends on whether they're realistic as you say. Also, if your car is something that can easily be found elsewhere and/or they've taken the car's rarity and spec into account properly. For us guys with a site (and you who prepare properly etc) the price of the car will pretty much always be on the higher side. I tend to go for 'different' stuff and it's often speccy, slightly older stuff things that you polish a margin in to etc, so its often stuff you won't be easily able to find elsewhere nearby. Or stuff to sell to the local older generation who 'don't want be f'd about'. I always say to punters if they see one cheaper elsewhere (usually the other end of the country or Birmingham) go and get it. We don't sell cheap cars I'm afraid but we do sell good cars and we are here for you after purchase. My biggest issue with price indicators is how I think Simon? put it many months ago: a race to the bottom. I reduce mine, you reduce yours and repeat.