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Always the way when you try to help family/friends out!

That's the reason why I change my personal cars. Run them for a few months, do everything that needs doing on them, advertise them at above market price and when someone finally turns up with the money (or even better without them and wants finance) the car is "let go". At a small profit. Much better than "drive a new one for £399 a month" and initial rental of £6500.

This is a great idea right there, if you have the land start a parts business. Online. Buy the same cars you were thinking of buying, sell some of the parts, sell the car shells to the nearest scarp yard and you have a chance to earn some money. Selling them as working, running, good soli cars: FORGET IT!!!!!!

I know, I know... We don't like to haggle and we try not to. BUT Every now and then in this job the old haggling craft needs to be applied. When buying and when selling. What is your favourite approach, what do you "tell them"? 1) When buying I personally will praise a car rather than point every little mark. When the buyer eventually (I do take my time) warms to me I will tell them all these little minor things I would want to improve to "add" to the meticulous care the car has received by it's owner and will make an offer that will allow me to do all that and still earn from the deal. Cash deposit immediately followed by a transfer for the full balance. One of the reviews on my website actually says "When he buys, he pays" :-) 2) When selling... oh dear. I will not talk money over the phone or in an email. I avoid talking money during the test drive or when they stand by the car before or after that. I always like to sit the customer in my office and to slow the deal a bit. Coffees, Teas, service history files, spec checks, MY life story, THEIR life story, anything to keep my buyer in their chair for a bit longer and to make them forget the previous car they've looked at and especially the one they were planning to look at next. Lots of jokes and lots of humour only interrupted by an expressionless look if they say something like "come on, what's another £200 to you". When that question comes I have a big screen calculator and will multiply the £200 or £100 or whatever by 150 cars a year and show them the £30,000 on the screen explaining as politely as I have it in me that I simply can not take that £30K out of the business just like that and it usually does it.

Most of the tv/media sales advisors have been in the trade and then slag it off. Didnt that smarmy Quinten Wilson get done in the 80's for clocking cars??

At least you’ve had sex at least one more time than me

Nope. I’ve said it on here a few times: for me, the only good car is a sold car. I’ve tried snapping out of it and trying different cars as they’ve come into stock, but I don’t see any modern stuff that I like. Just an almost inevitable conclusion of doing the game long term for me. Plus I think about putting the dogs in etc and I only really drive for or to work so is a waste for me. That and anything German and/or flash will poop itself regularly and the thought of taking the junk to the main dealer makes me shiver as would be a right work up (I like and appreciate more a car’s condition and can get mildly excited by a lovely stack of invoices and a full book of main dealer stamps all stamped nice and straight (not smudged)from the same dealer.....god I’m boring myself now...) Buying right or getting a PX in and doubling up is much more exciting -on the rare occasions it happens. However, I did see an XC40 on the road the other day and thought it looked different. Do I like that? Hmmmmm... or keep the money...

The scary age of 49 I am a big believer in looking after myself I can’t avoid stress in my work life so ensure I have sufficient down time to recharge. Life is way to short and money is no use to me in a big brown box.

It’s like a mad house now (dad and step mother’s house). She’s mad, he’s deaf and it’s almost as if they have a script of everything they need to say and you’ve little to no chance of getting a word in - TV (not our colleague) is on super loud and my head is spinning by the time I leave. Mind you, they love a drink and I would hate to offend. I know mate but many a true word and all that. Of course the cars are shit - for example I’ve got an E280 sport arriving this week - the equivalent would cost you £50-60k new, so one for sale at £4000 is going to be shit (by comparison). I would love a big old S Class - I think they’re great. Shit off road though and winter is coming.

Even with the best Trade Sale/SOR invoice, you will often not get away with it- especially if this is a sales policy. As we all know (but not yet the OP) this sort of low-price customer base is going to scream and boomerang and slate you -no matter how much you point out to them the agreed terms, and take up inordinate amount of your time for a small or I predict, no real reward or profit The cheaper the car, the more demanding the punter will be as it’s often ‘All Their Money’. Just the thought of the ‘best price mate’, texters, midnight on a Saturday emailers is enough to make me wince. It’s bad enough just selling the odd decently prepared PX! Also, this business model of the OP’s is going to be a monumental headache, and the phrase ‘busy fool’ comes to mind. Just finding the junk, MOT’s, doing safety prep at least- not to mention dealing with the (I fear) deluded forecasted number of sales (let alone enquires) would be very time-consuming. Where are you going to advertise all these gems by the way? Autoraper? You’ll be much better off taking heed and starting smaller with better quality cars or quality control/prep and welding on a workable margin. Honestly the best of luck though keep us posted!

Wait until BHM wakes up from his afternoon nap. Then he'll redefine harsh. Although seems to have become somewhat mellower as of late...

Thanks David Thank you Stocked Up

When you think about it,supplying fake stamped up service books may not be a prosecutable offence.I bought a BCA WBAC FSH Car last year.Our guys pointed out that although the mileage appeared genuine,the dealer stamps were not because the dealer closed down 20 years ago !

BRAND NEW AND GENUINE MERCEDES SERVICE BOOK STAMPED TO YOUR CHOICE. NO DUPLICATE WRITTEN ANYWHERE, WE HAVE MULTIPLE MERCEDES LOCATIONS THAT WE CAN USE TO STAMP YOUR BOOK,ALL MERCEDES LOCATIONS ARE MENTIONED BELOW PLEASE NOTE WE DO NOT FILL IN ANY DETAILS INSIDE THE BOOK, OUR OFFICE STAFF WILL JUST STAMP THE BOOK TO HOW YOU HAVE ASKED THEM TO,YOU WILL HAVE TO FILL IN YOUR VEHICLE DETAILS AND MILEAGE ECT YOURSELF....... MERCEDES LOCATIONS AVAILABLE: * MERCEDES-BENZ , WATFORD * MERCEDES-BENZ , NOTTINGHAM * MERCEDES-BENZ , BIRMINGHAM * MERCEDES-BENZ LOGO ( WITHOUT LOCATION) PLEASE NOTE WHEN MAKING PAYMENT LEAVE A MESSAGE IN THE PAYPAL PAYMENT BOX HOW MANY STAMPS YOU REQUIRE IN THE BOOK OR PRIVATE MESSAGE ME ON EBAY. ALL ITEMS ARE DISPATCHED THE SAME DAY IF ORDERED BEFORE 2PM FIRST CLASS SIGNED FOR. CHECK OUT MY OTHER ITEMS FOR MORE GENUINE SERVICE HISTORY BOOKS FOR OTHER CARS. PLEASE NOTE THESE BOOKS ARE GENUINE ITEMS AND NOT FAKE PHOTO COPYS. PLEASE NOTE THAT BY PURCHASING THIS ITEM YOU ARE REPLACING LOST OR DAMAGED SERVICE HISTORY, AND NOT IN ANY SHAPE OR FORM MAKING UP HISTORY FOR YOUR VEHICLE. /\ /\ /\ Yeah Right !!

Christmas? What again? Didnt we just have one a few months ago?

True. Remember:‘No good deed goes unpunished!’

That's what I was thinking... what part of both my browsers (Chrome and Safari for Mac) and also the ones on my phones is missing so some people can like and edit and some can't. This happened after I got added to the private chat room. Someone NOT in the private chatroom without like and edit buttons?

I’ve just looked online - one of the sellers titles includes “CHOOSE HOW MANY STAMPS YOU NEED” FFS and the average Johnny Scumbag Punter says WE are the dodgy ones.

In the WBAC sections (UK Car Group) at BCA this would be "mileage warranted".

It's the 'family & friends' curse!

No plans, play it by ear. Adverts will remain live and if someone is keen to buy i’ll show them the car, if they’re “looking at cars” i’ll let them carry on looking.

Christ! Good luck Mark. I think I’d go out on the piss today if I were you.

Man...Sounds like a truly rough day. Hope the weekend takes a better turn for you!

Oh dear. I'm not sure where in God's Country your cars are but the transport company I use can't be far away so let me know if you want their details. Think I'd be getting the ds3 on the proper machine operated by someone who is clued up ( no offence) before I'd be putting injectors in. I had a picasso with the same engine come in on a truck and the aa were adamant it was injectors. Without digging the paperwork out i can't recall what it was but it waa less than £100 at my local main agent.

in the late 1970s earlie eighties not a problem, you would piss it, especially as youve got the land, but not nowadays, and i am sorry, but, by being brutally honest by saying theres a rip in the seat and that window doesnt work will not work when your competion is putting "mint condition" honesty is not the best policy, and it kills me to say it, please reconsider...........

Have I read that right? You want to fill up a plot of land with 60 bangers and sell 30 a week? You would struggle to sell 30 old shitters a month never mind a week. Yes there’s a market for shitters, a much bigger market than there is for Ferrari 458 Specialie’s but you’re insane if you think you can shift 30 bangers a week from a stock of 60, make a couple of hundred quid per unit and pay for all the outgoings. repairs (there will be a lot) and inevitable court cases you will end up with, shifting such volumes of shit heaps. Apologies if I have read that wrong but if I haven’t, it’s a terrible idea. Think about it. Who is going to come and buy 120 bangers a month from you? You think someone is going to travel more than an hour to buy a shitheap?

I rarely discount cars. Two occasions spring to mind. 320i, nice car, overpriced according to AT at £7250 but I don’t care what they think on this occasion as I have (well, had) a black 320i vert with 19” wheels and cream leather. You’re gonna have to pay mr customer to get this one. Bloke emails, offers £6,750 i decline, £7,000 is all he has, i decline, he pays a £100 deposit later that day and pays full price. A Skoda Yeti, absolutely mint this thing, bone dry everywhere and looks 2 years old instead of 7 year old, overpriced slightly by £150 at £7490. Polite lady drives it, loves it, wants to buy it, offers me £7,000, telling me there one the same price as mine but 2 years younger and 200 miles away. An obvious bluff. I politely decline and proceed to bore her with the fact the car has a new ticket, no advisories, new rear boots, just serviced. I have over 30 five star reviews on AT and I have no idea about the condition of the 200 mile away car nor can I speak for intelligently about the integrity of the other dealer but I know the car I have is mint, and i’m a man of my word. She was pretty much bored into submission I think and paid full price. I think 95% of the people that come to see my cars have probably bought it in their mind and they feel they have to make a cursory attempt at getting a discount. So, I rarely discount because I don’t need to.

Our George reminds me of triggers sweeping brush, two new wet pumps countless wheels and even the odd hose or two apart from that its the same hoover we have used for years.

And download the Car Dealer Magazine - how to sell cars - or whatever. I have downloaded it (haven’t read it yet), partly out of support to this forum (I have learned a lot) but mainly because I am not niave enough to believe I can’t still learn. It may be aimed at Newbies but a quick scan looks like it could help us slightly less newbies too.

There are no such thing as golden rules what works for me would be a disaster for another dealer five miles down the road. Sadly it’s going to be a hard learning curve, this industry isn’t for everyone lots try and many more fail. Listen to everyone’s point of view and decide on what bit of advise fits for you.

he who has the gold makes the rules, plus buy low sell high

Forget who it was on the old AT forum (Danny Pyrke?) who said a customer asked for a discount. He said “Spell discount.” “D I s c o u n t” He said “You missed out the F” The customer replied “There’s no F in discount” Which is absolutely correct.