trade vet

I am so pleased Mr Northard has surfaced.The guys on here are the front line,straight talking,trade entrepreneurs who mostly make up Manheim customers ( I have to declare I am mainly a BCA Guy).I think you should come on here more often and join in the banter.You could take notice of us more than these franchised dealership suits many of whom could not value a 12 year old Micra.I have predicted that diesel stuff will rise.Not very PC but what are your thoughts and of course the continued failure of CAP to follow the market which impacts retailers doing finance deals.Low CAP values must be great for those auction groups guaranteeing vendors 97% of CAP Clean.You buy stuff now and it could be a grand over CAP Clean and you have bought a cheap car.What is going on,we would like to hear your thoughts......So thank you again.

Wife just reminded me about this.Was in between pitches and selling a few from the door.As it was an old imposing house with a drive and large garage / workshop and by far the best house in the street,selling stuff was easy.The neighbours never noticed until one complained they were getting callers asking about an XR3.They knew I was a dealer and I explained I was selling a few cars but never had an XR3.It turned out the XR3 was a solicitors wife’s car who lived down the street.Of course they never complained to him.Without my knowledge they collectively made an embellished complaint to the council.A council guy called and because he could not see any cars ( they were in our garage) he said just carry on......After that our landline would regularly ring in the middle of the night.This was when my daughter was in the middle of her A level exams.In those days BT would not help as nuisance calls were not an offence.When the phone rang I would dial up neighbours with my mobile to see if it was them.( none of them had mobiles ).....It was none of the ones we suspected.There was a very proper ( nice ) elderly lady and very ‘ churchie’ who lived on her own several doors away.She was related to a friend ......turned out to be her.

You could always try the Manheim / Cox/ DA Head of External Relations

You have done well,if they are building 300 houses nearbye the value of yours will rocket especially if it is front line.

Hi CC Stew If you are in Cambois,is that not in the Enterprize Zone.If so,you could probably open a brothel aswell.You cannot have many neighbours unless things have changed.

Why was it 2 grand ?

It has taken 6 months for the penny to drop.I recall they were claiming that it had been a resounding success from the outset.Those arse covering corporate bullshitters should get fired and their loyal dealers should get refunded.They have probably lost good supporting dealers over this.

Not famous but prominent.A few months ago I was asked to sell a friends Yaris.He is a front bencher in the Lords.Its one owner 05 100k,loads of history,good driver and a few months ticket.A main dealer had valued it at £200 without bothering to look at it.I thought it would tidy up and do £800-£1000,one titled owner and all that.....Wrong again,too risky our guys traded it on and he got £300 back.How things have changed CRA and all that.

I agree,I doubt he paid more than £4 grand for it.I would want it for a lot less,but I would be frightened to retail it.

Pain points-Continued general rise in cost of sales,Euro Parts decline in service.Difficulties hiring good all round technicians which applies not only in UK but also in Europe and the US.Govrnment failure to crack down on profiteering and the abuse of tax payers money by Motability......and of course Autotrader and auction buyers fees. Opportunities,lots of good ex lease diesel stock should be hitting the market at right prices.But diesel prices will rise.Joe Public in most of the UK are not PC and not effected by corporate ladder bullshit and still prefer to have a nice high spec diesel outside their front door. Stock-There remains no excuse for traders not being able to buy stock.If they cannot buy online,they have to ‘get on their bike’ to find it.Driving up and down the country used to be normal. August Trade - It is hard for most of us to compare because of rising costs,It is OK talking about number of sales but it is the bottom line that counts.Dealer groups employ bean counters to cover up and produce all sorts of t/o figures to show them in a good light,we don’t.If you asked Trevor Finn what Pendragen bottom line was for last month,he would probably know but he would not tell you,it could effect their share price.Look at Vertu and their TV advertising deals of late,they must be struggling,but not according to their CEO.It is going to be harder for the big dealer group bullshit guys.( not Pendragen) The overall market for small independent pros like a lot of the guys on here,remains good because they have the knowledge and ability to adapt.You are going to see some Dealer groups forced into expanding into the used market,but because of their lack of knowledge and experience some may fail.The guys who run Car Giant,Wales Trade Centre,Big Motoring World,Arnold Clark and Pendragen to name a few are top premier league players and are not effected by changes in market conditions. Over and out.

I always found that the week before the new plate kicks in is a good time to buy stock at the block.Vendors often want to get stuff away because they think it will drop in value.While a lot of the trade hang back because they think there will be plenty of better stock to be had next week.In reality newplate swappers and ex lease stuff rarely shows through until late Sept. .....any thoughts on this.

Is ‘that’ it.....No explanation then ?

Exactly,the judges can be daily fee paid lawyers or barristers.( with a bad attitude).Also I think you can only appeal a small claim decision on legal or procedural grounds.So if that is right,how do you do that.

You did well.The last case I had,I was able to prove that the punter was claiming for something different that had caused his Passat diesel to breakdown.His repairer had also colluded by issuing a false invoice for the work.I was able to establish through the parts supplier what had actually been purchased,which were new injectors.( He was probably mixing chip fat in the diesel ).The judge had no idea,he said clearly the car had broken down and we were liable.I think it was for £2700 !

OK

I would like to know the details of the case, there is no hurry.I have found that the judges or recorders ( they are not Magistrates) in the small claims court are deliberately awkward with us guys.Yet I have won cases personally against architects and a builder when car dealer was never mentioned.I am not including our BCA /leaseplan case as that was a walkover.

This is going on and on.The bottom line is it is asking for trouble retailing older heavy stuff.If you end up in the small claims court the chances are you will lose with whatever defence you may have.With old stuff,stick to bread and butter stock,less agro and better punters. Incidently has anyone on here successfully defended a case brought against them in the small claims court by a punter.

OD..You would struggle to get a bid on an 04 up north.Where do you get them you ask.How many do you want.Metpol are flogging off plenty at WOMA.62 plate unmarked full spec ex top brass 80 to 100k fsh ( cracking cars ) about £7500.63 plate ex patrol cars fsh needing paintwork I think are £5500.Brightwells do them also.

Motorway commuting in a banger.He must have done some miles.

Oh dear !

Excuse me OD but you say the punter ONLY paid £2800 for a 14 year old 5 series.Is that not a bit salty,it’s now worth £1000 on a good day in most places.That could have something to do with it,you live by the sword etc etc.....Sorry not much help.

John Delorean,what a guy he was,worth reading his bio.Anyway,being a pre 1975 Trader.... there are some instances even now where window display stickers work well.If you have a roadside pitch with e.g. a 20 car frontage,there can be ‘artistic merit ‘ in the way you display and ‘ sticker up’ your stock.Stock must always be clean,colour coordinated and be neatly priced up using visible window stickers including big ‘sold’ stickers. ....Sorry guys !

Your post was very good BD.Is that the praise you want.You are more likely to get criticised on here,it is all part of the banter.I don’t know where you operate,but Andy operates in Durham and the rules are different up here.If there are no bailiffs involved and he goes in,he is not going to Durham jail.It wil be a small paintshop not Harrods....there will be others on here who have had similar experiences with backstreet paintshops,landlords,leases and bailiffs etc..IMO The last thing you do is employ a solicitor.

Magistrates...Have you seen some of these Magistrates lately ,they are like cardboard cut outs.

The police will not be interested,too much paperwork involved for a non crime.I do sympathise Andy because most of us have had bad experiences with ‘dodgy painters’.That could be a new topic.