trade vet

Hi James,surely if you have been running this pitch for years and it works,why change.If it is a big pitch,you must have employed staff.In my experience,visible pitches on busy roads with good curb side appeal are always the best.Passing trade alone should generate 3 or 4 deals per week.You won't get that on a trading estate and unless your new pitch is close bye,you may lose a lot of repeat customers.There may be someone on here who may be interested,why not let people on here know what area you operate from.

Why not just buy Grade 5's from BCA do the work and trade them on !

In the event,Mr Corbyn will be all for it. !

I would be surprised if anyone can top that......wonderful account !

Hi Stephen,I have never heard of a doorstep trader being accepted for a credit licence.Also,I very much doubt whether bona fiide finance companies would do business with a doorstep trader.......Sorry !

We used to get the odd ex military black Ford Orion diesel (Escort with a boot) and they needed re registering.We would sell these quite quickly to Asian guys from a town 70 miles away.Afterwards we began to get regular enquiries about them.We then bought a transporter load and told callers the price and that they would be arriving 9am Saturday.On the day we arrive to work to find all these Asian guys waiting outside (WTF).We go about our routine and when I am in the office,suddenly all these Asian guys run in throwing money bags onto my desk (WTF).The wagon had arrived outside,was yet to unload and we sold them all.I think we later repeated this but in a more orderly fashion.We later found out that these cars ticked all the boxes for taxi operators in their town.In particular,the type,colour and the fact that when they were re registered,it appeared to the authority like they had bought a new car.This meant they did not need a taxi test for 3 or 4 years and as I recall,they nornmally had 3 taxi tests per year.This loophole of course was quickly closed down !

Not what you think,give me half an hour !

Once sold 9,all the same,to 9 different punters in 5 mins and before they had been unloaded from the wagon.Must have been a bit of profit there.!

Good story,you were lucky....if the guy had bank problems,the bank could have swiped your money.....!!

Sounds like a mislaid bankers draft.....

You are right,it involves an Irish bank,negligence,an ultimatum,a wrong paying in book.......and selling my wife's car in a hurry !!

6 grand on a one month old Merc and it was years ago !

Cautionary tale about HMRC and record keeping.....If you are a recent start up and have 'nowt',HMRC may be more lenient with poor record keeping penalties.However,I know someone who started doorstepping in later life from his mortgage free home.On his first Vat inspection,it was discovered he had missed out ONE vehicle from his stockbook.This sale of course was the best deal he had ever done and the profit was far and above over what he normally earned per sale.HMRC took the view that he must have not recorded many more sales at that level of profit.( In fact he was only doing 1 deal per week in total).They raised an assessment after probably factoring in his mortgage free house.He eventually reached a settlement with HMRC after having to remortgage his house !!!!.........any more HMRC stories..

Full mint -wheels, engine jet wash,wet vac,machine mop/polish,windows etc plus the rest - 5 hours for a big car! Who keeps the other 45 clean!

I agree with Justina.There is a lot on this forum about difficult punters and while the worst ones you get will stay with you forever,the majority are lovely people.If you do it right, a lot of them return and are easier to deal with.....However,I am not sure this happens if you major in sub prime business !

Sorry guys,but I still disagree.I would try to milk and embellish this to death.I would make myself a 5 star AA retail dealer and put a perspex sign above the entrance.I would have it on our website,invoices,compliment slips and get number plate frames made up.I would have a large plaque made with exaggerated wording and get a fake photo made up of me receiving the award from someone looking like a well known do gooder at some big audience AA event to lmpress punters in the sales office.I would try and adapt the phone system so callers would hear something like....Albert Smith Car Sales are extremely proud to have been awarded Special Dealer Status from the AA for customer care.We would like to take this opportunity to thank our many loyal customers who recommended us for this prestigious award......etc etc.........I am onto this now...!

We got fed up with warranty companies bad service to our customers years ago.You can do your own,but unless the rules have changed,you cannot call it a warranty unless it is underwritten.These days,I doubt you can do it successfully without having your own workshop.There is a lot you need to know but it has definitely worked for us.There are good spin offs,it promotes customer loyalty and servicing and repair work..........one thing...Love Cars ?..proper car dealers do not love cars ! anyone disagree.

Sounds good to me,providing you have their assurance that they will not dish out special dealer status to nearbye dealers in the next 12 months !

Unaccompanied test drives cover depends on where you operate from.We have been doing them for over 20 years but we have to do due diligence,cctv,ID,demo booklets,signatures etc.It all costs money.We have had the same insurer for many years but when we got a pitch in SE London,getting ANY sort of motor trade cover was difficult,it was an insurers no go area! We got some foreign insurer,but it was definitely a no go area!

Well known,but not to me (knowing nowt about racing).If I can digress etc....We got them back and did a deal.It so happened that the next week my wife and I had been invited to the big meeting at York by the heirachy of our chucky company who were having their annual bash.One of guys had some rides so naturally I asked for some tips.He said something like,that one could win,that one might get placed but don't bet on that one in the first,as it is hopeless.Come the first race,this horse is 100/1.However my wife is so impressed by the outfit worn by the owners wife,she puts a fiver on to win! and you know what.....!!!!

We never time them,we just emphasise 10 mins,otherwise punters will take the p... like your experience.

We have ins. cover allowing unaccompanied test drives for up to 10 minutes.The punters must declare and sign they have a current licence and provide their ID etc. However,I once refused to deal with 2 quiet young lads who looked about 15 and had shaved heads.They were interested in a Passat diesel.They looked like ram raiders to me.They said nothing and left.A few hours later,we get a phone call from their mother,screaming at us.It turned out she was a regular customer and her boys had travelled 50 miles to buy this car.The boys were in their early 20's and were well known professional jockeys !

Hi Matt..it only sounds like a small pitch,no employees,low overheads..good for you.Just lock up and go.The only problem I can see is,Mexico in May,you may need another holiday when you get back.Also.when we started,we used to go in December when trade is dead !

Thank you very much Integroo.There we are guys,that must be about £1500 worth of legal oppinion.

I may be wrong,but because of Brexit,I don't think complaining to the EU will work.You would probably have to prove that AT impacts on competitors in other EU member states.Any comments...