BHM

I'm obviously a lone voice here. I've had a good few over the years & have never had a single problem. Obviously, avoid a knacker at the auction just like any car - if it's a Rolls Royce that's pissing oil & misfiring you know you've a problem! Apparently the old 0.6 & 0.7 engine needs attention every now & again (I've seen them coughing & farting at the block with 40K on them but I knew one with 130K from new & the owner only ever had it serviced!) & the 1.0 seems fine judging by the few I've had. I think they're great (sorry everyone), they have a small but loyal enthusiastic following although the buyers don't like loads of miles. The camper van crowd are a nuisance - greedy, want something for nowt & cos they usually haven't driven one before always think the car has problems as they do drive a little differently to the average car. As it's pre-sold you don't have that problem.

You can only sell if you're a franchised main dealer.

Haha, they're absolute beauties aren't they? I imagine Bluetooth was on his list of 'must haves'.

Tbf isn't it a case of the quality of the p/xs are poorer cos people only seem to be changing cars cos their's has a problem. HOWEVER, the effing dealers should describe them ACCURATELY. I've noticed a few of these - no f***ing chance whatsoever. Upon arrival at a three dealerships recently I've been optimistically asked to pay "or do you want to see the car first!?!!!" I just smirk, look at them and ask "What do you think?" Fucking chancers - half of them couldn't accurately describe a lump of coal. I wonder if they mean in addition to the DA suggestion of £150 or instead of. A couple of recently rejected cars should of had a figure closer to £1000 quoted! BTW is there a problem with the dealers in Huddersfield? I've been to 3 & had trouble on every occasion. Funnily enough, all 3 couldn't give a toss.

Dead easy. You either stay here working or you shut the doors & forget about it. As for getting the wheels turning, to my mind in this game that means punters calling - you can't do much more than fire-up your adverts & man the phone. After the fortnight I've had I may as well of been away - my wheels are turning but the f***ing punters aren't interested. The only calls I'm getting is from a few other traders phoning for the craic & whinging about the emailing & texting scum - I've even heard from someone from 18 months ago he was that bored! Anyway, that's my two penneth.

Why waste you're time cos you may not be the highest bidder anyway? No point checking over what you can't afford. I check them upon collection BEFORE handing over my hard earned cash.

I drive every p/x unless I've valued it at scrap money, even a £300 shitter cos if that has problems it then gets valued at scrap. I find it depressing that punters blatantly lie about obvious problems; "Oh, I didn't know my exhaust was blowing & the clutch seems ok" "Sir, your backbox is hanging down loose & I could bare get your car back up the drive" If they're the sort who've misdescribed their p/x & are walking away I asked them "Would you expect me to lie to you regarding the car I'm selling?" Once I've forced an answer out of them I then ask "What would you think of me if I lied to you and why should I think any different of you?" The deal's dead at this point so I may as well get some enjoyment seeing them squirm - it's best when it's Mr & Mrs so I direct the questions to her and after she answers look at him. It's nice to be nice to nice people but I don't seem to meet to many of them nowadays.

Snap. It's hard enough selling nowadays without buying overpriced stock - adding £3-500 to my prices certainly won't help my sales figures.

Absolutely. The problem dealers on DA are often those whose sales staff are responsible for advertising the trade cars. The dealerships with a dedicated 'trade manager' are usually better - that is until the (usually young) staff member gets his arse kicked cos the dealership have had their brains blown out on the last 10 p/x shitters

Yes a px is a px but on a web based auction I believe a car should be described to the best of the vendors abilities. The point being discussed here is that some (definitely not all, there are a few very honest appraisers) vendors are clearly not doing the most basic checks (or, more likely, knowing but failing to list them) and even when these glaring faults are pointed out to them they relisted with the original description totally unmodified. Lets put it this way; 1) A Zafira with an alternator light illuminated & the engine running like a bag of shit should be declared in my opinion. 2) A Focus (shitty 1.6 tdci - I should of known better) with the turbo seals blown out & oil spewed across the engine bay, again in my opinion, should of been declared. I assessed its fault within 2 seconds of opening the bonnet - the fact some lucky blighter is about to win it again on DA based on its unchanged advert says it all about that dealership's scruples.

Sounds sensible to me.

Too true! Now it's "Why didn't you say in the advert there's a scuff on the bumper in the advert?" ME "What? On an £800 Focus!?!!! With 3 photos of the front end!"

Yes the big vendors pay pennies, but it seems the smaller one's definitely do not - perhaps it was my ignorance but I assumed all main dealer vendors are treated similarly. Apparently not.

Not quite. The parent company, Cox Automotive, own both. I was talking to a DP at a small family run dealership & asked him why their couple of branches stopped sending them to the block. The answer was the fees (much to my surprise) - I think the big auction houses are chasing their big vendors but his view was that smaller dealers are getting shafted almost as much as the buyers.

I'm aware of a garage in Co. Durham reported for the same on a HEAVILY clocked Mondeo estate during its first auction - the auction was allowed to run its course but I guess most buyers must be checking VOSA as it made no money. However it reappeared twice more with exactly the same description. Another cockle-picking "gentleman of the motor trade", a regular, isn't averse to missing out a few negative points. Once reported he seems to now list those with mileage discrepancies as "MILEAGE NOT WARRANTED" - why not just say there's a mileage discrepancy & stop making himself look like a shyster? However as he also seems to miss a few mechanical problems I suspect the reason is because he actually is a shyster.

Sorry to resurrect an old thread but is it me or are main dealers getting worse? I've been on it now for about 3 years & up to a few months ago had only rejected 2 cars, although I have had a few choice words with a couple of dealers. I should add that I'm generally up to a maximum of £3K, and usually much less, so I'm not overly fussy & expect to do a bit of work - work that has been declared! The last 3 from Stoke-On-Trent have shown the cloven hoof (I.e. been half-knackered) within 3 miles of leaving, a month ago a Honda dealer took about 15 minutes to dig out a car, I found out why the next day when I went to start it - it took 15 minutes to get it to start From elsewhere the other week I rejected a Zafira with a few (ahem!) electrical problems & only yesterday went to inspect a Focus, upon opened the bonnet I immediately rejected the car after seeing the turbo has shit itself & spewed oil all over the engine bay. I didn't even bother getting in the car or start it up & the salesman was surprised I didn't want it! HOWEVER, which two cars are currently on there with their original unmodified adverts? Yes you've guessed it. I know it's a trade environment but if I purposely tried to have over a local trader by not declaring faults I've been made aware of then I'd expect to be falling out over the deal. Rant over.

Haha, like 149K is drastically worse than the 140K he allegedly thought it was. 6% in a sensible man's book, doubtlessly 500% to that man.

Got bored doing my day job & I'd always had an interest in cars (that's gone now) so occasionally skived-off work to go to the block. The first year I made nowt because as I'd owned new, or nearly new, cars I was prepping everything to death due to my standards. After a year I realised I was giving to much away to the greedy general public (especially after seeing the shite they p/x'd) & decided to sell them in "used" condition. Basically giving the public what they pay for - nothing more, nothing less. I enjoy the sourcing of cars & the dealing with nice people who appreciate you don't get gold for the price of silver, however it's the complete & utter pillocks that spoil it for me - I honestly feel like battering some of the cretins & the rise of other traders phoning trying to offload their p/x shitter. If I ever phone another trader I make it clear I'm in the trade, however that courtesy seems to be long gone.

The majority do not read the advert - all they see are the photos & the price. Rather oddly though (for people who can't be bothered to read an advert that's there for their benefit) many of them find time to check the MOT history & start quoting advisories from 2 years ago. I guess it's the smart-arse thicko element trying catch out the nasty car dealer.

I put "no text messages" and the midnight text crowd obviously don't understand. I answered a text on Wednesday as I was quiet. A big talker who eventually phoned - he's been coming for over half a week. He lives 300 yds away. What a fucking prick. I won't be answering any more texts!

Probably the usual greedy weekend tyre-kicking arseholes who always think there's a better deal out there.

That's a different approach.

If the main dealers don't deal with them they won't get screwed by them. However greed rather than taking a long term view will always prevail in this industry.

Sweet f.a. here. Two arsehole emailers & two dreamers on the phone. At least I've got some new stock washed, photo'd & advertised.