NOACROSS

We have a fair few older people who use the card machine as they don’t have internet baking. For us a card machine is essential.

This is the proverbial Marmite debate. I hate them (love Marmite). You're right- they are entitled to do what the want, they are losing loads of business by charging so much for so little. Just how long will you put up with the price increases until you stop buying bacon? Many more would advertise with them if their prices weren't insane- and the public (the only ones AT care about) would have many more cars on there to choose from, and all their sponsored advertisers/banners etc would get more traffic/results : and that is what they don't get IMHO. The times they are a changing....

Qualify them before striking the deal as to how are they going to pay. Very, very few will have no other means of paying. If you can't get alternative payment type out of them, or sell them finance (should be cheaper than their credit card deal) or do as suggested above, then I will reluctantly take it AT THE ASKING PRICE. It'll only be once in a blue moon so I'd rather sell the car than lose it.

We dropped them coming up two years ago- made little difference, especially when you factor in how many units sold go to paying them! We don't miss them at all and the world didn't end. However, we are a small used independant, so maybe even I (who hate AT with a vengeance) would maybe think differently if I was one of the big boys. I dunno. The prices are mental and it should be fair and offered at the same rate to everyone EXCEPT there should be better bulk buy discounts and everyone should get more stock for the money & in my opinion DOUBLE what they give now (like they do at Xmas).

And, remember, you've gotta sell what- three cars a month (notwithstanding allowance for their famous never ending five week months/confusing invoicing) just to pay the robbing so and so's? (Assuming your net profit per unit is apx.£500 after VAT etc) 36 units a year (is your website an AT one?)

plus one here. They can't do enough for you.

You 'could' use your ebay (motors pro) Showroom for your website until you decide to take the plunge. You'll need to buy a domain name of your choosing first from somewhere like easily.com or Godaddy etc. Then copy and paste the very long ebay showroom address from the address bar into your account you set up, and have this new company address (e.g www.mark101.com or something better obviously that you've chosen) forwarding to the ebay showroom address. So basically it forwards to the ebay showroom. Hope that all makes sense, and I wouldn't pay Autotrader for anything if it was me. Otherwise, Click Dealer are brilliant, but I'd wait a while if I was you. Take small steps for a few months is my advice. Build it slowly.

So true. Maybe six months at best. Or perhaps we’re just miserable like my wife often says about me no) Lesson one: the only car to like is a sold car! Or the one with juice in it you can use for the weekend. (What’s to like? Is it me?)

Ha - agreed. I've just said goodbye (finally) to a Merc I've had for a year. (I remember my old man in the 80's used to call a car 'a bottler' if he'd had it over a week!)

From a punter's point of view- there are good and bad garages too remember. I think that often, this nit-picking is their way of sounding you out, and also, some really haven't got a clue what to say or are nervous etc. so come out with random nonsense. Today's messer can be tomorrow's buyer (or next year's buyer). Just smile politely and move on is best I find if they're clearly not managing their expectations. As has been said: you do't 'have' to sell them the car as much as they don't 'have' to buy & it's always worth qualifying them to see if it's worth your while. I've found that if they're a pain before buying, then that's nothing to what they'll be like once they're in it! Most reading this will know that you'll work much harder to satisfy a buyer at the lower end of the price spectrum than at the mid-range (as it's likely to be all their money). We find that the Audi and VW buyers as well as small car buyers are often v. hard work too; so I adjust our stock profile accordingly where possible. P.S. We've tried a few WAV cars and yes, nice profit but have always taken eons to sell.

Absolutely. Very true and certainly not just ebay.

ebay auctions yes - a waste of time. Classified (with best offer enabled) we find works a treat, as I know it does for others. We don't have any cheap stuff.

Motors.co/uk (average, still not convinced), ebay Motors Pro Classified (most leads are from here-with best offer enabled), Car Gurus (can advertise for free), Exchange & Mart, Local Press too when there's an offer on. Bookface as well, although just through paid banner campaigns occasionally via Exchange and Mart. Website is hosted by the excellent Click Dealer who also take care of the SEM to whatever level you want. Remember, lots of people google search first rather than just going to a dedicated advertising site (this has been covered to death on this forum so I don't want to start that conversation of Autotrader Wars again, but we haven't missed them) Main road Site, but not many walks ons that haven't seen it online. We're in a pretty rural location and there's not much going on in the village otherwise.

We're busy too- no thanks to F&fund so far- and we're not even on Autotrader-yay!

Same here. Done well with them, but I've actually gone up to the block to attempt to see it start up, go through/look at the dash etc... However, I disposed of my wife's TT Roadster (low mileage 3.2 DSG auto) through WBAC a couple of years ago, as I just couldn't face retailing the german junk. BTW-Does anyone else who uses Manheim get worried about bidding on a car where the say 'Unidentified Strong Odour? This bothers me, even if the Sure Check is Silver etc. I'm too suspicious it's code for 'don't buy me because..'

Agreed and I so want it to work. I approached my rep too and said it needs to be half the price at least, but really free to existing dealers. I also mentioned how Motors.co.uk had to seriously rethink their prices after the initial overpricing- but she's not interested, or at least is all closed up about it. I thought they were chucking a load of their own money in too but I dunno if this is so. Those TV adverts aren't cheap though. I've had a couple of enquiries but ithas led to nothing.

I use neither too. You can just do what the punters do for FREE on the 'value my car' bit on Autotrader and google 'free hpi valuations' and there's also a free one there. We Buy Any Car also takes two seconds if you want a low CAP price (but use an old email address for all of these as you get a few follow up emails trying to get you to sell.)

V. true. Imagine not being able to do any demos in the dark!

Ha. Yes I guess so. Luckily the three miles I'm going home testing a car I'm taking it to the auto electrician's for an A/C re-gas in the morning, or showing it to a customer or it's just had an EML on that now needs drivin... the list is endless. ;0) I have the trusty old CRV at home to actually use at other times. Last time I left a late ML on the forecourt a month, it cost me £850 at Mercedes to get working again. German crap... ...anyway- is anybody selling anything today or is it just me having too much time on my hands? Yeah - we've mentioned this before . Displayed vertically is hilarious. Idiots. I have a multi fit kit to the trade plates so can often clip on below the numberplates,but I must admit- I tend to just stick them to the front and back windows with suckers. We're very rural and I can't remember the last time I even saw a police car. Just the odd 'Speed Awareness Course filler' vans occasionally.

He needs to read this the fool (The Copper not Tradex ;0): https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/674043/vtl301g-guidance-notes.pdf

I just use something different each week or so and use trade plates. Been doing it for ages. Usually one of the fleet of german rubbish diesels that won't shift. Plus it seems to stop them pooping themselves (which they inevitably do if they just sit on the forecourt)

What's wrong with people, honestly. I was a manager for a big supermarket with a petrol station many years ago, and I can't remember anyone moaning. I do remember reading something about one store that had a batch of contaminated fuel delivered, which (I think) had water in it or something. Millions of cars run on and use supermarket fuel with no issues. Can't believe some of these questions the punters come up with - even after so many years in the game. Wasn't there a post on here a while back where someone was asked by a potential customer if they could 'categorically say that a dog had never been in the car'? Shouldn't laugh..

I can't get my head round it. Surely it's VW's problem not yours! Oh well- good luck! (German crap. Hate all of it. Not like the old days....)

Wow. I'd tell him to 'go for his life & do his worst'. Refund? Really? Another (short term) owner on the log book to explain-paperwork, re-preparation costs etc. I can see why you don't want the headache perhaps, but he's taking the piss. Free car hire for him is all it is. Good on you for unwinding it I say.

Busy here in the New Forest. All sorts of price ranges too weirdly and some heavy diesels finally! Yay! I guess we all get our turn! Trouble is- it’ll soon be bill day again!