trade vet

It is worth checking if these premises could qualify for a Business Premises Renovation Allowance ( 100% tax relief ) or some other allowance should it be located in a ‘Disadvantaged Area’ which is defined by post codes.

I would not move very far from where you are now.You could lose a lot of your regulars.We were renting for years,must have paid out £1m in rent.It took us several years to find freehold premises close bye,but we nearly missed them,a sale was going through.We paid 30% more to gazzump the buyer and it was worth it.

The buzz.....while I like doing deals ( downing the punters ),it has always been on the buying side for me.It is not the same now of course,you might get good knock downs on line.However you have to wait for them to land,to see whether it is a Grade 3 and appears as a Grade 5 or vice versa.When you drove to the other end of the country,stood at the block,got some good knock downs it was different.You would then go into the yard to check again in case you had missed something.If they were OK,that was the buzz....The long drive home then felt a lot better.

Bankers drafts,are they still around ! They were dangerous,I recall if you received one,you had to verify it with the issuing bank.The problem was banks would only say that they had issued one to your customer and would not confirm the amount.So there were cases where people were buying bank drafts for e.g. £500,then using a forged one to buy an expensive car and disappearing.....The other problem was they were the treated as the same as cash,I recall winning a tender to buy some stock from a local authority.Payment was by bankers draft and because they were 200 miles away,we put it in the post.What happened,there was a postal strike and we could not cancel it,so we had to pay twice.Luckily when the strike ended,it turned up several weeks later,but we were sweating.....So if they are still around...beware.

Yes it is amazing,where we are,25 years ago you could not get a unit that size for that money..

Thank you James,I see,it would have to be a really good pitch and you would probably need to do at least 10 proper deals every week to pay for the staff ( 2 sales,2 valeters,gofers ),plus all the other stuff to generate any profit.However,that would not put me off,if it was in a good catchment area and I was able to find some figures from previous tenants.A good pitch,always remains a good pitch......However,you appear to have made a good move,it must be a relief ( I have made several bad ones in the past )

That’s interesting,in the north east you can’t get good roadside pitches any more.What area are you in and what rents and rates do they charge for these vacant pitches you mention out of interest.

Ditto,I would often take an old swapper home from the pitch if it had fuel in it.When I was doing long haul late night and early morning runs to the block,I would often use big ex police patrol cars which were chipped to hell.It is only now I have a nice car and it is a cast off from my wife.

Can you imagine describing ‘a real mans car’ in your advert today.The PC Police would be on to you.........Don’t go to LA,you would be appalled,16 year old girls in new Bentleys and up spec Range Rovers,they have to get them valet parked,you have got to laugh !

We established a network of small neighbourhood garage workshops that we could rely on for customers living outside our area who had a warranty claim.I recall,the way we did that,we just rang local taxi offices in that area to find out who maintained their drivers cars.You could quickly establish who was sensible and went with them.You might get someone ring from 150 miles away about an EML that the dealer had quoted £80 just to look at it.They are usually impressed when you tell them to take it somewhere near to them and it would cost them nothing.

I agree,you cannot beat a well positioned main road pitch,60% etc that is excellent.They are hard to get and can be expensive but they are cost effective,I know a lot don’t agree. I knew a guy who only sold high spec Audi Avants,all mileage’s ,it worked.They are plentiful to buy at the block.

Extras for ‘top of the range’ stuff......screen washers,quarter lights,overiders......sun visors....chrome hub caps....I was there..!

You have got to remember the old guy’s first car would not have a heater,he was probably marvelling at the technology.!

I am guessing.Citroen out of WOMA !

That’s interesting.If decommissioned white ex patrol cars with most of the dashboard missing were doing over CAP,now that is a first. However,civilian spec stuff,especially from Thames Valley Force ( which is possible) have always done a fortune.

Ditto.....We had a punter who had an engineering factory in Essex.I said,it must be a nightmare getting staff down there.He said,no I only employ Polish workers.Also,they come over here and when you chat to them,they often have degrees but they don’t mind stacking shelves in Tesco or working in Poundshop until something better turns up.Different mentality to the kids here who may have a travel and tourism degree and expect to be offered a management job in Thomas Cook

This is a recurring topic.Don’t let these people wind you up,they don’t have any money,they are probably chucky duffers aswell. You should have stock answers for these guys to make them go away.I realise they are more prevalent now,I used to say things like - Come back in 9 months,if it is still here you can have it........We must have a p/x with this sale,what have you got......Thank you,I will accept the balance by post dated cheque,just give me your details now and I will check your credit status.......can you get me half a dozen at that price and I will pay you 2 grand etc etc

I don’t think so.I am trying to get a ‘car buying pitch’ going,so yesterday we placed a job offer for experienced car sales guys to be ‘car traders’.The ad is quite specific,but we are getting Pizza delivery guys,window cleaners etc applying !

Good point,I have just read something from some Glasses top guy Jason Whitingham,according to him,prices were’ subdued ‘in January ! and now are picking up Who employs these guys ?

From a private punter........you may have committed theft !

I am from up north,but I have experience of trading in your area.Firstly,I don’t think people drive far because of the heavy traffic.We found they prefer automatics and will pay big money for them ( see AMC near you) which looks like an established and successfull business.If it’s low mileage ,one owner with history and £3000 to £5000 range and petrol,I would imagine you could both pay and command top money for them.When we were in East Dulwich on a main road pitch,it took us 2 years to find this out after trying everything else.I would try that next,but I would emphasise there are no guarantees in this job.

Hi EPV Your website looks OK to me,you just have to find out what makes the phone ring where you are. You have done 3 so far,in order to try and help,what were they,price,description and mileage.

Selling warranties either your own or someone else’s can hamper the sales process.I have found that people who pay for warranties often return and make claims which are not covered and it creates bad feeling.However,when you throw in your own warranty,not only is it far cheaper in the long run,but you are in control and can react quickly to claims.You find that with a lot of claims ,your punter will be happy to pay for a proportion of the work. As for not offering warranties,if you have a Credit Licence and want to do prime finance,if you don’t offer warranties or payment card facilities,I doubt any of the ‘big boys’ would offer you a rates and terms contract.

Businesses lease cars,PCP’s are for personal use.If the business is a company and it leases a car,it will attract company car tax and fuel benefit tax.Alternatively with a PCP contract,if it was being used occasionally for the business ( which although it may not be allowed in the contract)you could charge the company 45p per mile mileage allowance saving company car and fuel benefit tax.If they do a lot of miles,I would say just buy a car personally on HP and charge the company mileage allowance and you can make money on the deal and not pay tax on the surplus..............This is just my view,I may be wrong.

Hi Grant Been doing it for years,it definateley works,especially if you are doing at least 10 per week.Set up a separate account and put £100 per sale and it quickly mounts up and claims won’t give you a headache.If you have your own workshop,it even works better. We just lifted the T and C’s from other warranty books and added a few of our own.Basic booklets don’t cost much.However,unless things have changed,you can’t have them printed up as warranty books,warranties have to be underwritten by an insurance company.You can call them ‘mechanical breakdown agreements’ or something and you should be OK.