NOACROSS

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Posts posted by NOACROSS

  1. Posted

    Just now, Mark101 said:

    If a car had "as new" plates on without any chavvy emblems, I wouldn't do them.  Cars that need new plates, why not add your name £40 one off feee (unless I have made a mistake)

    + 1

    I only do it in these circumstances too.  However- I always put a rear window sticker in- but I am 'Old School'.

  3. Posted

    3 minutes ago, Del Boy said:

    Trade plates will allow you to take the car from them without taxing it.

    Also, this exact thing happened to me a while back. The problem isnt the release fee...

    Soon, you will receive a letter from the DVLA asking to explain why it was parked on the road with out tax, you will have to explain your story on the 'statement section'.

    Then a couple weeks later they will fine you again, in my case it was a further £160.

    Uh.  Nice.  Oh well. Life in the city.

    (It wasn't parked on the road.  Was in the pub car park- well off road.)

  4. Posted

    No trouble with insurance no.  Driver on his way to collect the junk now.

    Friend of mine (in the trade) has this happen to him a lot -because he's a fool and leaves cars lying about all over the place on the street- and he has just spent 1200 quid getting his back. Self-inflicted obviously and only himself to blame.

    I've never had any issues before with parking off road, so it's a lesson learned for me too. Remember to make sure everything is SORN....

  5. Posted

    13 minutes ago, Arfur Dealy said:

    Don’t consider parking in your neighbourhood, keep well away. 

    Dvla have been lifting untaxed cars round our way yesterday.  I was all smug about it until I realised they'd also taken one of mine from the off-road pub car park near my house.

    I've been parking there on and off (not taking the piss as I know the staff in the pub) for last 12 years or so, when a car is awaiting a valet etc. 

    Anyway, without notice or clamping, they lifted it yesterday, as they apparently have the right to do so on any public access land.  This includes a shared car park for houses or flats, pubs etc or shared driveway.

    £260 to get the car back and they took it to Bristol (which is over 60 miles away!)

    The car wasn't SORN just 'in the trade' via yellow slip.

     

  9. Posted

    We have some lovely bright and hard-to-remove window stickers which we put on every sold car.  It is a small pleasures I have when I'm driving about the town and see one of our stickers or number-plates on a car.  Half the time I don't even remember the car.  Old age.

    The number-plates are the 'lipped' ones where the bottom of the plate has an extra portion for our name.  It's very clear and noticeable but not so prominent that it looks tacky. 

  11. Posted

    10 hours ago, EPV said:

    Agreed. 

    People seem to think cash is an elixir we crave. Actually it’s just an easy way to ask for a discount, the done thing, the old school method. When they can’t find anything wrong with the car it’s the last act. 

    Yup. Even worse when they say ‘cash and no finance, no PX- best price’. As if that’s a good thing!

    Err, no. all of those things cost me money Mr. Customer...cost to pay cash in less the discount loss you’re asking for /no potential PX re-selling, no finance commission. 

  13. Posted

    26 minutes ago, David Ayers said:

    On another free trial.

    Still not covinced it's worth paying for. Especially with "leads" like this!

    I find it pays for itself alright.  You have to make sure they know a few standard replies and info you need them to get from the punter.  

    You do get a few late night idiots, but the majority of the leads are fine I find, and it saves you missing people outside of business hours.  I just chase them in the evening via email and/or call them in the morning. 

    The customers seem to like the service.

  15. Posted · Edited by NOACROSS

    This is absolutely true- and obviously from a different era, but an old (now long dead) motor trader friend of mine used to say (VAT killed the game & (in his cockney accent): 

    "You've seen the mota Mate/Love, you like the mota, you know the price? I don't want you going out in it and using me juice up and coming back sayin' you've got others to see. 

    "You drive it and it drives well like it does then you're gonna buy today yeah?"

    "I don't wanna be f***ed abaat (about) I 'aven't got time for messers alright?!"

    (Apologies to any Eastender's reading)

    Worked for him.

  16. Posted

    It's a difficult one.   On the whole I don't mind a test drive - especially with 40-60 in stock it helps keep 'em starting and cleans the discs off etc. but depends again on if I like them.

    You run the risk of alienating them if you refuse a demo, and sometimes 'today's looker' is tomorrow's buyer'.  The ' the price is the price' question often deters the fool from a demo.

    5 minutes ago, justlooking said:

    I said to a chap last week “we do have some current interest in the car and would like to manage expectations, are you in a position to purchase or in early stages of looking?”

    I like this one.  Will shamelessly steal that. ;-) 

    • Like 1

  17. Posted

    Back to topic:

    I often 'sniff out' an idiot/chancer BEFORE the test drive. 'You're welcome to a demo Mr/Mrs.Customer, but I'm afraid I am rigid on the price for this car, so I wouldn't want to waste your time and mine if you are thinking it will be cheaper.' Also 'Do you have a part exchange...'

    If it's something that I could do with shifting and am a bit flexible on the price (or I just like the people) I won't do this- although I will ask if they are looking to buy today/have others to see etc.

  18. Posted

    To answer the thread question: we are a bit flexible usually but not much. And it very much depends on the car/margin/how long we’ve had it and-most importantly-whether the punter is normal or not.

    If they’re nice and ask nicely we will do a little something usually. If they think they’re ‘smarter than the average bear’ or an arse, we won’t. 

    • Like 3

  23. Posted

    9 minutes ago, peter..o said:

    We would fill the showroom with kia/hyundai if we could,but cant buy enough,just look at the market share these manufacturers hold now.Good cars with good warranties,would like to see vw bmw merc etc. give 5/7 year cover,they would all be bankrupt within a few years,

    Same here. Good cars with never an issue.  Miles better build quality and punters than any of the hateful German junk -which are all to be avoided wherever possible for me.

    Maybe it's an area thing.

  24. Posted

    6 minutes ago, Mark101 said:

    My only criticism is of "us" not the mag/forum.

    This is a public forum and I think we should be using the Private room more often (I am guilty too).

    I hate the idea of a rogue trader, dodgy doorstepper et al benefiting from the free advice us tax paying, law abiding, warranty honouring, properly preparing traders do.

    I also don't like to share my wins and fails with everman and his dog, whereas occassionally I like to share my joy or tears with fellow traders outside of the public domain.

    Agreed but I got no reply when I tried to join a while back.  However, I'm not sure I'd say anything particularly different in there than on here.

  25. Posted

    2 hours ago, trade vet said:

    I am embarrassed to say I have discovered that our guys do not subscribe to this mag,they get sent the other one which maybe should be rebranded Franchised Dealer Bollicks.I do think £49 for the info we get from this forum alone is worth it,so I have now subscribed.

    £49 is value just for the Big Mike column alone.  (I still think it's BHM ;0)