D&M

^ What he said. But before diving it at the deep end, would it be a good idea to get a few sales under your belt to get a feel for what sells well for you?

New HP Pump and Injectors would have cost more than you've paid... Silver lining and all. Done that before, only £20 though in an Alfa 147 - Got 10 mins before the EML came on. Called RAC, who quoted a price, then massivly overcharged - so made a complaint and got half back. Of course, after no calls on the car - that was the day the phone was ringing on it! Yes Sir, the car has just had the fuel system cleaned and serviced!

When we asked about the fees at BCA, the lady showed us and told us we couldn't have a copy.... But we asked nicely if she wouldn't mind grabbing a catalogue from the next counter - Obvious Wink Wink - so we snapped a picture... Which we still have of course... I think that was April/May 2017 - Has there been a hike since then? We used to buy soley from BCA and Manheim - we're only small and still paid them over £10k in our first year... Crazy

If you can jack up the rear and spin the rear wheels.

+1 We have changed a few over the years. The last one was a E90 320i M Sport

Jeez BHM, I wish you would stop beating around the bush and just get straight to the point.

The worst kind of customer is the internet educated one. They only read the posts they want to hear. From what we've read, its the same as when these billies visit Citizens Advice - They get told that they are entitled to a full and immediate refund because they have told the staff a story to get the answer they want. In reality, if they would just call and deal with dealers politely and plainly first - most cases, it'll be resolved without any problems. More often than not, I think the billy has other stuff going on that they are just venting. We've only had 1 customer shouting about a refund... He had been to a tyre place who's eBay diagnostics couldn't talk to the car so they told him that only BMW would be able to diagnose the fault. He was irate on the phone so told him to end the call and have a 10 min walk around the block and we will deal with it properly. Called him back 10 mins later, got the car booked it. £12 part and a couple of hours of our own labour and it was sorted. Didn't get a bloody thank you though, but that is hardly suprising. A bit like googling your symptoms... I've got a headache, google says I'll be dead within 24 hours.

Quite a good thread - that Chuffnut seems to get it. I like his response highlighting the trouble with armchair legal experts posting on forums " it gives people a sense of entitlement they are not necessarily entitled to. A lot of the time people don't want to hear the other side of the coin because it doesn't suit them to listen"

LIKE

Like

And don't expect it to work as well as you've seen on the youtube videos. My first impression of it after trying it was..... well, this is shit. Bit of practice and have got the hang of it, and it works well and gives good results. Using it without any cleaning chemicals - just air, its fantastic and getting sand and ingrained dust out of carpets and the fiddly bits around the seat runners. We could have bought a bigger compressor, but with our stock level and turnover, a 50l suits us.

We've got the Autosmart Vortex, which is the same thing as Tornodor. Great bit of kit, we've used it more than we expected to. We bought this compressor - https://www.sgs-engineering.com/air-compressors/bundles/sc50h-50-litre-high-flow-air-compressor-air-kit Came the next day, and has worked faultlessley - we bought an extension hose, so the compressor sits in the loo and we can use the air tools anywhere in our unit. In hindsight, we should have got the 100L over the 50L as the Vortex uses quite a lot of air.

The 40MPH Jimny steering wheel wobble is good fun too!

Not particularly impressive mileage, numbers wise - but haven't seen another with that many. 2003 Suzuki Jimny with 174,000.

I'd steer clear of Green Flag as a trader, even with personal cover. I won't tell you how we found out that they've changed their policy and do not cover motor traders, or come out to untaxed cars but it was a dark a sweary night.... The AA however have confirmed that they do cover motor traders, so happy days. Invaluable when you need it!

Thats the same as us. Nice and simple. Actually, it is very rare that we do have someone ask about a discount. I have asked people in the past that have asked, 'what on the car needs doing to justify that discount?' - Have never had anyone answer anything other than 'nothing' One woman once misinterpreted the question and we got her life story about her recent divorce and horrible ex husband! We don't like people asking about discount on the phone... We don't discuss pricing without viewing sir/madam... Would you like to arrange a viewing?... I call you back.... Still waiting

It is hard to find an MOT tester and mechanic you can trust. Took us a while to find ours... Don't know if that is just a Devon thing or country wide. Feel sorry for the dealer who tries to sell it one day and has to deal with the customers questioning them over the MOT history! We've a customers recently asking about an advisory 5yrs ago. Checked his MOT history... It failed 3 weeks ago on a load of welding, body damage, and bulbs.... Only the previous year, it failed on a couple of bits including a bulb... Was retested and failed on the same bulb not working!

Learn something new every day. I didn't even realise that front fog lamps were a tested item!

Once found £450 in an envelope slid behind the plastic trim in a MK6 Fiesta. Would never have found it if we didn't have to change the radio! Got it about 3 days before the bank stopped accepting the old £50 notes.

Nope, UBER doesn't exist where we are. Even the takeaways don't deliver. We have to go to a different county just to go to the supermarket!

Us too! No interest at all - even posted on the forum about the lack of interest and it got mentioned in the magazine! We are like you, internet only so assumed that's why there was no interest.... Never heard of anyone lusting after an Auris

In your letter to him you are telling him it was not a stock car, so a private sale - followed by educating him on his consumer rights. Don't contradict yourself. Are you going down the road of - it was a private sale, naff off. Or are you approaching this as a retailer? Your letter reads to me as you are trying to smart talk your way out of it.

Good for you! Customers think they are getting one over on the dealer by hiding / lying about / disguising faults. This industry is built on trust between buyer and seller - if the pre-owned car they purchased had a fault, you'd be the first they'd be screming at.

It sounds like the daughter needed a car whilst on Uni break - and overspent. EML light came on, and taken to trusted mechanic who told them it wasn't anything to worry about so didn't fix it (but took some of your cash.) Now Uni is back on, student loan wasn't as much as they expected it to be and she can't pay Dad back for the money she borrowed against the Uni loan. They can't sell privately as they don't want to lose money due to EML light still being on as its never been fixed, so are going all guns blazing for a refund. Daughter isn't dealing with you as she is no good at lying or shouting, but Dad is. You've been more than reasonable, and they see you as a soft touch. May be wrong, but something is fishy. So tread carefully and don't offer anything more than you are obliged to. Good luck Your first complaint is the worst - You'll grow a thick skin. You're selling old machines that go wrong, and customers that expect new cars for used money.

I've PM'ed you about the Merc box to pick your brain... Hope you don't mind!