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I think everyone wants to know this before starting out don't they? How realistic is xyz per car? How many cars can I sell a month if I set my margins to xyz? It's understandable but firstly, no one ever openly discusses margins in public for several reasons, most of them rather obvious. A less obvious one being that if you are pulling good money from nearly every car then people don't believe you. So it's best to find your own way, be happy with what you're getting and don't be bitter and jealous of those that are doing better than you and try to find ways of increasing your margins if you're not happy with what you're getting. But £800 gross on a £6k car isn't particularly ambitious and to be honest, likely to lead to disappointment long term unless you're doing serious volume. Advertising, VAT, Tax etc will catch up with you and that's before you account for prep, warranty claims, the odd refund and some good old fashioned sticky cars that won't move no matter how many of their legs you chop off.

OK, let me put it an easier way - you want £800 (not enough gross IMO but let's use that). Retail £4995 Margin Target £800 Buyers fees £250 Transport £100 Valet £50 MOT £30 Servicing £200 Paintwork £200 Advertising £50 + any other costs Maximum Bid = £3,315 The answer is IT IS ALL IN THE BUYING

That's how you sell 40 per month

I usually work to Autotraders suggested profit margin of £150 / £200 per car. Anything else is just greedy to be honest.

Yes, well spotted

Thanks for posting this, I found it really helpful.

Agree with all of the above. You're not being unrealistic at £800, which the cap figures on an auction catalogue (clean to retail) would demonstrate. its making it profitable after VAT, advertising etc thats tough. But find your niche and what works for you.

Its having quite an effect down here aswell really. 2/3rds of my stock used to be diesel, but only have 3 diesels here on the pitch now, a Nissan Note I sold and took back in p/ex, a Polo I sold in January and bought back yesterday because the customer died and a CR-V which I still find good demand for. Problem is I really dislike all the small turbo petrols, 1.0 ecoboosts, 1.2 TSi etc, so tend to push customers towards the older tech in the 1.6 Zetecs or the 1.4 non turbo VW engines. I just try to avoid come-backs by not selling the highly strung new engines but eventually I am going to be forced to!

As much as that?! Damn I'm doing it wrong.

wish i could attain those low costs can i have your sources