BHM

Here! Here!

Haha, but what f***ing website is that? He’s so out of date he can’t text - tbh I suspect he can’t read them due to dodgy eyes judging by the work he produces.

It’s a few touch-ups for me, them smart repair guys are a pain in the arse unless you can guarantee them regular work like a main dealer. If you’re selling cars up to £4K you shouldn’t be doing much paintwork cos it’s not worth the effort or cost. In this game there’s a lot of crap talked about regarding bodywork - the average man in the street wouldn’t know a good job from a bad job, they don’t notice if it’s dull, if it’s got run marks, prep marks or a few shades out. Punters can see dents & stonechips, they can’t see dodgy colour matching, rub marks or wavey filler. The few times a year I pay for paintwork I use a guy who’s absolutely fucking useless. He only works half days cos he’s a piss head and his work is full of rub marks, overspray, poor colour match but he’s cheap, is prepared to use a mountain of filler & he’s a nice old boy. I have NEVER had an adverse comment from a punter about his paintwork.

I’d rather give my cars a run out myself than give some time wasting chancer the satisfaction of using up my time, fuel & potential risk to my clean trade insurance. DanW did absolutely the correct thing - I’m certainly not here to supply free entertainment for the ‘Champagne taste, lemonade money’ brigade. Some punters seem to think they have the right to browse & test drive to their heart’s content yet clearly aren’t in a position to deal. They get miffed when they’re turned away.

What’s all this nonsense about refunding because of a phone call or two from an arsehole? You boys don’t make the job any easier for people such as me who stand by my word, my cars & my deals. As for valeting cars, changing oil etc for goodwill!?!! What goodwill will that garner from a greedy bastard hundreds of miles away? If he hasn’t already been so, this customer should be f...ed off at the next opportunity. END OF.

Ebay auctions became a total & utter waste of time about 6 or 7 years ago. Far too many messers, private punters with no money playing about on their computer, plastic traders, Eastern European chancers, the usual Asian games and big talking African exporters who can’t even arrange to take a car from the North East to London, never mind across continents. Tbh it doesn’t surprise me about traders messing auctions with the intention of bidding the seller down - unfortunately some of the characters in this trade are absolute vermin & try anything to chip down a price.

6F2, Type 1 etc. are grades (sizing) of stone, little to do with the material. Seconhand asphalt (tarmac) is called Road Planings. By the sound of it the chippings you describe as being like the purple ones in peoples’ gardens sound like slate chippings by your description - they come in grey (sometimes called black), purple & green. If you’re covering even a modest area to about 40mm you’ll need a surprising amount - a few bags from your local garden centre won’t go far.

Politely sack him off, fuel consumption is his problem. If he starts whining then sack him off impolitely. As for Jocks whinging unfortunately it’s become a national pastime for them. I think they see sniping at anyone south of the border as a sport, I guess it’s the Nicola Sturgeon Effect. They used to be great but something has definitely changed in their attitude based on my experiences with them I’d reconstruct Hadrian’s Wall - out of the last five, 1 was great, 2 were arseholes who bought but I’d never want to see again & the other 2 I sent packing within a few minutes of them arriving. Funnily enough my worst ever customer was a Jock taxi driver from Edinburgh who bought a petrol Octavia estate - the most horrible greedy b****d I’ve ever met who expected the earth & was a cheeky twat. I only persevered with him cos I’d had the car for 6 months, although I did walk away at one point cos I nearly smacked him, his Mrs sort of apologised & said “he’s always like this”. F***ing horrible greedy c*** that still boils my piss whenever I think about him.

Tbh I’m not concerned about units moved - it’s profit that does it for me. I’d turn over more by slashing prices but my attitude’s the same as yours.

A few years ago I’d of agreed but unfortunately nowadays I’m nearer the 2 month, rather than 1 month mark. Unfortunately 100% turnover p.m. nowadays is just a pipe dream for me. Occassionally something flies off the shelf but cars sitting for a few weeks is the norm and we all (I assume) collect a few ‘sticky’ ones along the way - whenever one goes I always realise that I’ve yet another sticky one coming up behind it.

Bank hols either go one way or the other. Either the auctioneer will take any bid but most of the time every trader + extra private punters turn out & bid everything up. Youre correct, Good Friday was one of the worst days at the block I’ve seen - pure shite making clean money.

An auctioneer is legally allowed to submit bids on behalf of the vendor UP TO THE RESERVE, however I believe it is illegal above the reserve. Personally I’d outlaw if but I suspect it’s been legal for hundreds of years - perhaps someone knows the date?

Tbf if you can’t afford your stock I tend to agree as I suspect them stocking loans can suck you in. All foreign to me thankfully.

I’ve never read so much shite about using trade plates as I have reading this particular topic. Some of you must be old women. Police pulling over trade vehicles on the MID with trade plates in the window??? What a load of bollocks - who on here is regularly pulled over by the police in such circumstances? (Answer: no one).

I’ve also had exactly this from a trader in a town 10 miles away & the stupid c*** even left the travel details to my postcode for about 6 months. Anyway I changed my adverts to freshen them up & to differentiate them because I had punters asking what my connection was to this other branch (and tbh the state of his cars I didn’t want any association with him).

I can understand & do so myself. All of my cars are driven by me before sale (it’s part of my sales patter) & I have ALMOST zero comebacks. In addition to this I ask myself why do I need one more car as I have plenty of stock. Finally, cos I’m greedy & don’t want to pay for road tax - that’s what my trade plates are for.

Hai Karate!

The important word here is SOME. Many of you seem to think punters are scouring the internet searching for every review site know to man - most do not & the few who do don’t know what they’re looking at anyway. I know I’m playing to an empty audience here but I cannot understand why so many professionals in the trade think the world revolves around online reviews. All vastly over rated in my opinion, believe me, the success of your business relies upon your stock & your pricing - not reviews.

A few Mickey Mouse reviews on a Sunday wouldn’t result in a business closing on a Monday. I think many of you hold far too much stock in the power of reviews.

The burglars or the busybodies?

You’re welcome. There’ll still be a slight ozone/chlorine smell but it’ll be better than the original stink you’re trying to eliminate. Just try 2 hours first cos 4 hours on a real stinker does leave the car smelling like a swimming pool

+1

“Gary isn't a true m9 he tried to touch me in the back of a 1998 Ford escort estate that I had come to view safe to say I won't be returning”

Them ozone machines work fantastically. I’ve had one for about 6 months & they blitz out an interior, really smelly will need 4 hours worth & remember to ventilate (open the doors & boot) the car for hours afterwards otherwise the interior will stink of ozone.