NOACROSS

This. +1 If you don’t mind (worse way) losing a few quid then go for it. Hopefully you’ll more than likely have a bit of fun on the way too. My shout would be to get involved in a workshop and do a few cars also. Good luck though. We’ll look forward to your updates on your journey!

:o)

Does anyone remember ‘Chief Nut Job’ from last year? (Who was that?)

There’s some (mickey) ones on eBay. Good feedback: https://rover.ebay.com/rover/0/0/0?mpre=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.ebay.co.uk%2Fulk%2Fitm%2F202129227981

Wow. I’ve heard some crazy talk but....this is premier league stupid.

I have a two part time staff. One Monday-Wednesday and the other does sundays plus takes care of deliveries etc in the week if I ask him. Also one part time Polish cleaner. Have a mate who is an old hand and is partly involved. Have trained up the valeters and (one of) the workshops to collect and drop back.

70 plus in stock is a lot of work, so I can see why you need a few hands. Bad enough here with 30-40 in stock, especially when busy and you need more stock. Sounds ideal to me if you all get along. As TV says, it can ruin friendships business, but if you're all 'normal' then good on you. Hopefully you're all earning and realistic about the ups and downs in the job. I should think it's quite good fun compared to your earlier careers (although I imagine you had some laughs too and maybe you'll tell us a few stories over time.)

Auto who? ;0) There is another thread on this I think. If I was still with them, I'd be demanding compensation for lack of sales or at least no bills for the period until they sorted it out. There would no-doubt be some 'reason' as to why what they are doing isn't their fault or an issue.

Get them to deal with your Bookface campaign/snapcahphat campaign - it’s a great resource if you know how to work it I don’t sell bangers btw.

I can’t speak highly enough for Click Dealer but I think CD5 is cheaper.

Nice. You’re still allowed to ride a bike? My Mrs vetoed that for me years ago. Said my Firestorm was ‘ridiculous and the Speed triple ‘noisy and pointless’. The MV ‘how much?!’ Women. All I have now is a perhaps pathetic ‘87 MZ125 my uncle left me that is mint but unrideable (1500 miles from new). ‘What have you got? 996?

No. However ‘just after’ the journey home might be OK. I dunno, but it’s not for me Many years ago (25+) I used to ask them how they were doing and, if that time, send an Xmas thank you note. It just attracts leeches/people wanting to suck you dry with minor issues if they think you’re soft. PS. I’ve not been drinking with BHM honest.

Very aged, trusty MK1 CRV. I do sometimes take a swapper home if I can get the dog in it. Mrs has a new Sportage.

I never have known until on the day/at the time. Last one turned up with a barrister. He was quite nice to be fair and we negotiated a deal half an hour before, so as not to go through with the hearing. We still had to go in briefly and explain to the 'judge'. The advocate is great value and will give you a bit more of the belt and braces feel, if not just a bit of moral support helps too. Also other things they can protect you from, like negotiating a settlement or a compromise as well as insisting it's covered by a non-disclosure type clause (I forget the name of it) where the other party is legally bound not to be able to defame you online etc.

It can go on longer but I’ve never known it. Depends how complicated it is. I’m certain that there’s not two hours allocated for it. You may get told to go out and wait and they’ll call you back in. It’s luck of the draw whether they understand or care about your case and your viewpoint. They are just glorified members of the public is how I understand it. Stealing AD’s line: Being open, honest and transparent goes a long way. One I had, my complainant was a horrid rude, shouty individual and it did not go down well with the ‘judge’. I do get the feeling that we as the motor trade/company that can (allegedly) afford to lose, are instantly at a disadvantage I must admit.

It’s like going for a job interview in a really big corporate, mixed with going through airport security/waiting for your plane (that you think may have engine trouble) in a crap lounge with the great unwashed. I would recommend the advocate. It’s only a couple of hundred quid and they are usually switched on and mostly solicitors or, if you’re lucky, a barrister -as they often don’t have enough advocates- so the solicitors or barristers take up most of the slack When you get called in, it’s like going to the headmaster’s office (in the old days). Some will have a big clock on the desk and he’ll set a timer. The ‘judge’ will do pretty much all the talking and you will be told when you can talk. The advocate knows the system and will do the talking mostly for you. The few I’ve been to over the years (three or four I think) don’t last long-maybe 20 minutes or so. It’s one of those things that is worse the first time. if you go for the advocate, it’s a lot less daunting. And they will attempt to mediate/come to an out of court agreement with your complainant just before going in, so they ask you to get there at least 30 mins before the hearing time .

We have sold our house (the one we live in) recently. Currently in that pre-contract exchange period where you have a million things to do/dealing with solicitors etc. and you’re trying not to count your chickens The people that bought our house are mildly traumatic, but manageable and they offered just below the asking price. We had an offer at the asking price too, but took the lower offer as we felt them to be in the best position for an easy(er) transaction. The place we’re buying is a probate sale and we had our fair offer accepted. The pont of all this waffle is (coincidentally, the agent we are using to sell, is actually also the same as the one selling our purchase) that the estate agent is baffled why we didn’t take the higher offer, and even more so by an even stronger later offer on ours. I said to him: ‘but we’ve already agreed to sell it to Mr & Mrs X?’ ‘The deal is done!’ He says ‘so, I’ll sack em off -or words to that effect (he calls me, his client, ‘mate’ by the way) I expressed my displeasure and suggested he should think again, as a deal is a deal and statements like that worry me in that he would obviously do the same to us if someone wanted to gazzump our purchase. He is late 20’s/early thirties. I’m sure he genuinely thinks we’re mad, and it sounds like some forum members may too, but it’s just how I was brought up and how I believe things should be. Maybe that’s why I’m only comfortably off, not rolling in it on a yacht somewhere. I just can’t get my head round this thread, especially that and the fact it’s in the general chat section. Or that some that I admire greatly can think differently. I genuinely would never in good conscience, go back on my word or look to get out of an agreed deal. Oh well, I guess it’s similar to the Brexit disparity.

Good stuff Ben. Have you got more purchases in the wings?

+ 1.

An encouraging nine here. Despite the weather.

Hi Leo. Have you downloaded the ‘So you want to be a car trader’ guide from this site’s magazine? Ten quid well spent. There used to be a banner ad for it, but you’ll find it by a quick search- or someone less technically inept may point it out. (Or it may be the bottle of Chianti I’ve somehow managed to consume on a school night....)

Yes A3 in white is her preferred choice but wants cheap(er) tax. 1.8 might work I only swerve them because I was fed up of the constant issues and recon/auto gearboxes, oil consumption, plastic swirl flaps etc. Been a good couple of years now I still have the odd few but don’t go looking for them. Cheers for your advice. I’ll see if I can find one.

Is it any mileages Grant? I have a good, confirmed customer that wants a small engined, Petrol, manual convertible. Pref a one series or a Golf or A3 in white ideally. Up to 9 grand. I've tried to put them off but to no avail. Is the Golf/A3 any better a prospect? I’m just dreading the comeback obviously and usually swerve Germany’s finest when I can as I may have mentioned. ;o)

Thanks Dave. Yes, CClass. I did hear the sparky mumbling something about ‘bloody optical crap’. He hates everything though- particularly German. Have a C70 at the moment too with a similar problem- also on the back burner.

Me too- well upto 800/ a grand maybe. it's quite a nice old girl. Punter was v old and paid three grand for it a short while back. My salesman is too soft sometimes but it's OK occasionally. Good bunce in the WAV they bought at least. Dave, the radio is intermittent. My sparky says 'it's f**ked' (as he does mostly with everything. I said about a second hand unit but he said it won't work.