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More likely bumming the Choir Boys

Hi All, Newbie's here from South Wales. My partner, Ryan, has always been in and out of the industry. He's mid-twenties now and his father has always been in the car trade. I work in finance so no car expert! We've opened a small independent site just over a month ago after a friend (now landlord) decided he was calling it a day with his site here due to another big job opportunity and family commitments. Pretty much one stop shop here, workshop with tyre bay, 2 ramps, sales pitch and showroom and a detailing bay as that is Ryan's true passion and existing business. Not here to get rich quick or work 8-4, we're both realistic and aware of the sacrifices. But we're young so you've got to take a chance and work hard while you can! Mainly will be myself using the site but I will try and contribute where I can :-) Any advice is taken on the chin and greatly appreciated. Thanks, Kelly

Lady comes to look at at mini just now, she loves the car, can I take it? Yes of course it’s got a new mot and service, you just need to pay, tax and insure. The insurance bit always seems to take forever when this happens but today an amazing thing happened, maybe I’m late on finding out about this but once the payment went through and we taxed the car the lady said right I’ll just get on my cuvva app and insure it for a couple of hours, I’ll do the insurance properly when I get home, it cost her £7, she arrived at 11:45 and was gone by 12:17......amazing!

A combination of things really but I sold an identical one (sold in 12 days), then bought this at a much lower price but couldn't exactly advertise it 2 grand cheaper - my other buyer wouldn't be best pleased :-) Then a number of them hit the market around April - May by which time mine seemed lower spec than some. Last month I repainted the alloy wheels black and the look of the car was completely transformed, the phones started ringing. Went to Jersey to the customer that wanted it ex-VAT as per my other thread. If you do decide to buy one call me so I can talk you through the optimum spec and aim at 35-60K miles rather than lower as they seem better value and sell faster. I've sold 7 this year, one of them twice after I bought it back a few months later. Eclectic mix of people buy these :-) Well done James and Rory for his "Dealer's dealer" nomination.

As a Millwall supporter, you’re preaching to the choir there! But it doesn’t really matter what we think, people see someone pictured with a Dragon, or a TV presenter and it adds a lot of weight. Anyone thinking it doesn’t, probably ploughs a lonely furrow in life!

To be honest I self nominated at the suggestion of Rory but I got shortlisted which was pleasing. I’ll be sick if I don’t get a highly commended spot and a picture with Mike Brewer, not because of him but it will look really good on the website. I’m going there for a good night out and a bit of fun but I want the PR material! Rory says the amount of people that say “you must be an alright dealer if you’ve got a photo with Mike Brewer” and i’m sure Umesh gets the same due to his photo with Theo Paphitis.

You got £875 off a car on DA? Well done. Most everybody else gets told to go forth!

Would it not be possible ( if you were that way inclined) to raise an invoice for the labour but then not send it to your customer.It then eventually becomes a bad debt which can be written off. Risk reward wise,I wouldn’t bother. It must be interesting how Dave accounts for his work when he says he sometimes gets paid in local produce.How does HMRC treat that,there must be some special dispensation for highland inhabitants.

I think I’ve sussed it, I was hoping for a button that says reset oil service mate I managed to input 000 and it’s worked

The only way I could see it working is if you had a separate limited company that you could invoice - even then it would be pretty pointless unless you were trying to redistribute profits. Im no accountant but if you could reduce your tax liability by creating an expense for your own time then everyone would be at it! It’s one to write off as a cost of doing business I’m afraid.

I’d assumed it would of been a cash-in-hand job. Anyway, the fact Dave has done a home visit was his choice, not the factors problem - his customer was responsible for getting the vehicle to him. As for arguing over the labour time for a quick diagnosis & to change it. Really?

I think Dave isn’t worried about the charging the customer. He just wants to be tax efficient.

So if you charge yourself to your business then you would need to declare that income on your tax return and in turn pay tax on it, so i would see it you (MAY) get away with it in one hand and thats a big may but will have to give it away in another, and i kind of think a HMRC inspector would raise an eye brow or two and start digging to see what else you have tried to create. I read what op asked as not so much the mileage which is a given but the hours lost as a direct cost to his business. or its late in the afternoon and i need food.

ok thanks......not sure if I'm also a "newbie" ....... first job was a car salesman with Lex Rover selling the last of the SD1's.......had my own place for the last 13 years.........know its a changing business but often seems its a sledgehammer to crack a nut...........same with FCA registration........but that's another story.....