BHM

Taxi or not, a 10yr old Renault with 400K on its back is only worth it’s weight across the scales.

I believe you’re correct. Hasn’t this always been an industry whereby less customers = less secondhand cars = higher prices? At least it’s always seemed that way to me. We’ve all experienced the industry in the months since Lockdown 1. For small operators won’t the aftermath of Lockdown 2 be similar?

Unfortunately “I used to be in the trade” can mean anything from parts delivery driver, parts dept. employee, office worker, failed paint sprayer, valeter.....the list is endless. Rarely does it mean buy, prep & sell cars for loss/profit with own money. It’s also often used over the phone by middle- and old-aged men who proceed to talk in a condescending manner warning they have a keen eye, are super-knowledgeable & telling you the deal you WILL give them.

Unless Boris made the announcement in various Eastern European languages they won’t be aware.

I’ve not bought privately for over a decade cos I can’t be doing with wasting my time trawling around looking at deliberately misdescribed cars. Also what is it with punters at the moment? Even the Mrs noted the other day how many start with “I used to be in the trade”

Neither does ‘the market’ nowadays on many of these. What was worth a few hundred 10-20 yrs ago aren’t worth a toss now. I’ve heard that from various traders.

He’s en route to the other site.

Anyone else have problems with their flaps sticking?

Even when the cars are parked neatly in a row I still fail to spot damage - the latest is half a front bumper hanging off & mangled. I blame car blindness - looking at too many cars. Honestly, I’m f***ing useless. As for Megane cabbies I remember once assuring my mechanic that ALL of the windows worked when I’d checked over the car, I was 100% certain. When he removed the door panel he phone to ask how certain I was as the window was chocked up with wood

You’re a wind-up merchant.

It’s not something I like to do but I wouldn’t automatically poo poo the idea - this industry is about risk/reward so if the risk is low for a few quid return I don’t see a great problem on an older bit of stock, especially if you are more ‘trader’ than ‘shiney showroom’. Tbh I see more of a problem with owners who think they can palm off any shite & don’t understand why we spend money on preparation to sell or the need for us to make a profit. You may wish to go the ‘advertised on behalf of customer & it’s them you are buying from’ route. I’d say you should insist on it being MOTed & prepped to your standards (however good or bad your standards are) but if it’s priced right the great unwashed won’t give a toss & will sign any invoice put in front of them. Any comeback & you can offer them the comfort of two fingers. Well, that’s my two penneth worth.

I use that on some of my adverts

(From the past) I can’t remember where but what was said was; “it’s been a popular car” - a 12 owner car. “a morning’s work to put right” - the car had been on the receiving end of a wronged wife/girlfriend. No glass in it, interior damaged, every panel kicked in & a few choice words sprayed on the car

Even when you answer ‘Yes’ for a laugh theshe cnuts don’t respond, unless it’s with a barrage of ‘Cambelt?’ type questions - they’re just shitty arses. My answer would be no answer. Sorry, but isn’t the opposite true? I thought pitch lads, like main dealers, need to answer even numpty that contacts them whereas us one-man-bands can ignore people as we see fit.

Location comes into it but I also think stock profile, rather than just the price plays a part. You’ll have a damn sight better chance selling £10K 4x4s from the door than £10K Clios, Corsas etc.

I’m withdrawing from this discussion.

It’s amazing how this basic fact motivates people. If it’s left up to local govt employees & their ilk the country will be stasis for the next two decades. Working from home is going to be the norm for SOME companies, staff will appreciate the lack of travel time & costs (although that will be traded for being spied on in their homes but they’ll have little option) & those companies will surely have no need for their once full offices/call centres etc.

To be fair it clearly states it’s a service designed for motorists who have lost or damaged their log book. It’s hardly rocket science to work out they won’t be sending them out willy nilly to any Tom, Dick or Harry who claims to of just bought it from the block.

Lied about ownership, lied about history....

Too right if he’s dealing at the cheaper end. That is unless he likes dealing with the fussy as f***, big-talking, Champagne taste, lemonade money brigade.

They used to mint them up to sell them........ then rather than minting them up they started declaring all faults at the block........ then 6 or 7 years ago they started auctioning them like everyone else by declaring sweet f.a.! I had some good do’s years ago out of ex-service cars, they were cheap & the public loved them - especially fluorescent yellow ex-NHS Focuses! Now it’s a lottery buying them, they ain’t cheap & the Average Joe doesn’t want them.