trade vet

Hi EPV I think when you set up and describe your business with a grand name like Elite Preowned Vehicles,you might want to try and stick to them.You have got it wrong,it happens,that’s normal,no big deal so you have to take a hit.If you blow a couple of grand,you should make it up over your financial year.Alternatively,if you are having a hard time in general,change your trading name and sell something else.In your area,I would be doing small older low mileage autos and charge top money for them.Not very sexy but you might have a better chance to make money.

Old painter in prison.......we have all had them.

Shotts is bleak in August !

Five examples...OK ...I hope they count ! 1) We used to sell ex Police stuff in a big way.Heading down to Leeds and hit heavy fog.Ring them up and ask them to hold the sale for a hour until I get there or it will cost the taxpayer.They did,got a shed load of stuff. 2) A long time ago,I was at our local auction talking to a trader friend who had his 10 year old son with him who was interested in cars.He said he would like to bid for one.So I asked permission from the auctioneer and he allowed the boy to bid on this Capri.So he was waiving his hand in the air and the auctioneer was pointing out his bids confirming they were serious bids.The other bidders weren’t impressed resulting in them stopping bidding.The auctioneer then knocked it down cheap to the boy amid the confusion. 3) We used to go to Newmains Glasgow on a Tuesday and buy late Austin Rover stuff which was entered from their Bathgate factory.There would be a lot of stuff and sometimes you might miss the start.The sale had started this day when I got there and I get called to the rostrum.You have bought 2,they were expensive but don’t worry I am just getting the sale going.Stuff is making good money but now and then some cars are being knocked down very quickly and are for nowt.I think on this day I got 2 expensive and 4 for very,very cheap. 4) Used to buy stuff from Kinross night sale and I would leave bids with this lady.Next morning I would ring to see how we did,I remember the first time she said....you have bought them all,they were all below your bids....and they are already on there way. 5) Another Scottish story,I was going to BCA Ingleston on the train with another trader.Heavy snow storm and the train chucks it.We eventually get to the sale as it is just finishing.I think it was young Mr Beith as he was then,went out of his way to go through the unsold stuff and we both bought a few. How am I doing BHM,do these qualify or are they too historical,do I need to fast forward.

Never been offered free food at the block,only free tea at Scottish,rarely bought it as auction food was usually awfull and I went all over,I recall Mansfield being OK and maybe Newmains.Are there any good ones around these days.

Wonderfull.....you just wonder if there was an ulterior motive.We had this academic come down from the Isle of Skye to the North East to especially buy a bog standard ex utility company Astra Estate.I think he was super intelligent but appeared sub normal in his appearance.When he was leaving,I asked him why he bought ours as he must have passed a hundred similar ones on his way down....He had no idea what I was on about.

That sounds a bit like the CIA to me.Are you one of their assets ?

Hi Marc Good Luck,the guys on here will keep you right.You can ask anything as long as you are not like Benji 50 who has tired out most of us with his contradictions.

I disagree BHM,you must have had cheap provisionals where the auctioneer says ‘no chance’ or ‘ on a wing and a prayer’ etc and you then get them with a small improvement.I can think of lots of stuff.

In my and probably most other traders experience,punters were always prepared to travel.Then we opened a pitch in South London......It is right,you could not get them to come from more than 5 miles away......The reason,it took an hour to travel 5 miles.I think Ken Livingstone had all the traffic lights desynchronised !

When we attended sales before buying online,we often got favours when they got to know you.You might buy a few and have a couple of provisionals.To save the provisional office guys time negotiating improvements,we might say ‘we can only improve £300 on the two,we will leave it to you.’They used to appreciate that because a lot of traders give them a hard time.So often you might get them for less.

I am sure everyone with a pitch gets these guys.We just used to say hello and leave them to it.It is not as if you have a motor cycle showroom where you get inundated with these people.

Sparky,that is old news,Washington has not been a proper sale for 20 years.

Take note newbies....

AD......There is some cheap stock for you out there this week to replace it.......May we be allowed to know how much you blew......my guess less than £20 per week since August.

Hi Met....Have you heard of Hickams Dictum,the opposite of Occams Razor.When applied appropriately ( I think)to the Welfare system in our region,you may find that a majority of claimants have the equivalent of a PHD in benefit scrounging.....Get one benefit and more appear to kick in,so there is no way these people can afford to get a job.

Got them away @ 235p in late trading.......cunning plan to buy them back cheaper.....they will probably go to 3 quid !

Hi Justin..We got 8000 @ 172 not long ago,I missed selling them today at 239 I think, but I am still trying to get 235p today.However,I have had to blow a lot of money learning share dealing,if I survive another 15 years,I might be back to where I started.....!

It is up 10% today.....Private Equity considering a bid.I should be pleased as a shareholder but I am not.If you think BCA charges and poor customer service are unfair now,I dread to think what these guys might do.

Nice one....

Out of interest,we have a Dominos Pizza near us.I know a retired guy who works 5 nights a week there £50 per night plus tips for delivering etc, but they do insure him.Anyway I was asking him how the shop was doing when the Pizzas are nearly £20.Apparently on a Saturday alone it takes £10k,because all these lazy students think nothing of ordering deliveries with their plastic cards.

I do agree about good people who need a Motability car and look after them.However they are outnumbered by those proffessional benefit claimants who abuse the system.I have even heard of Motability cars being rented out as Taxis.....I have to admit that before on line buying,we did benefit from buying Motability stuff needing bodywork.There was usually a good choice needing work at B/Bushe on a Friday and being from up north,we could get the work done for half the price.I recall seeing some rediculous cars in the Motability section like Saab Convertibles which made you wonder what was going on.

Met....you might want to prepare for possibly getting both barrels from BHM...

Another star post from BHM.....Can you imagine some champagne socialists discussing this post at a Hampstead dinner party !

Well done Nick,it did sound a bit unbelievable 4 days on a 20 grand car,so I needed to hear the story,sad but I like the stories! I recall a case years ago when I had bought a quite rare 3.0 Sierra 3 Dr high spec thing out of Leeds.It was a civilian spec police vehicle and I paid a fortune for it.Next day it is waiting at the back of the pitch to be valeted.We get a call from a guy asking about it who says he saw it when he was driving past.I said you must have good eyesight,I told him the price and he says,I will have that I will pay you in the morning etc.Next morning ,this sharp looking guy comes in with the cash and hardly looks at the car.I again asked him how he spotted it from the road.......He said....I lied to you,I am a Police Officer,that was my car and I was going to bid a lot more for it but got called away etc.I got the auction to tell me who they sold it to and for how much etc.....stories .....stories I am away at the moment Nick,but I will call you next week.