Earunder

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Posts posted by Earunder

  1. Posted

    Our extended warranties are with The AutoGroup.  They are the best from my experience and cover a lot more than the others do.  They're payout is very strict though and you must ensure you have service history with the vehicle.  At the end of the day, you get what you pay for.  Don't cheap out as it's a reflection of your company if things go wrong and are not covered.

  2. Posted

    13 minutes ago, c_cars said:

    Local to me, nice to see consistency in their quality of adverts and responses: 

    any fiannce enquireys please call do not email 
     
    price is fixed theres no discount for cash

    ‘This car is am exclusive of your looking you prob no what there all about , these are very rare because they are expesnive bui;ds, good quality lots of attention to detail , exclusive trucks are done properly and are for people who appreciate the finer thimgs in life‘

    At least they had the common sense to get a ClickDealer website!  Imagine the typos!!

  3. Posted

    15 minutes ago, NOACROSS said:

    Very few enquiries, but have sold a few. (Last April was really busy weirdly)  

    One hasn’t gone out yet, as the (old boy’s) wife rang to cancel saying ‘he’s nuts’ and ‘he does this’.  

    He’s now emailing and calling saying she’s an old bag basically and he does want the car. Joys!

    We should have known really when he could only stump up a £200 dipper on the day. Luckily we’ve not sent it off for the Pdi & MOT. 

     

    Haha I love the ones with a story to tell.  Will he / won't he... :D

     

    13 minutes ago, EPV said:

    Something I have had plenty of is “watchers” on eBay. Not a single call though. What are they watching for? I don’t understand that. 

    Yeah I've never got the watchers list...  I don't watch anything on my Ebay?  I either want it and add it to the cart ready to buy when I can or don't want it and move on? 

     

    3 minutes ago, grant8064 said:

    Easter holidays...i'd expect nothing less!

    We're exactly the same. Plenty of traffic but they're 90% bored dads trying to escape the kids, bored mums trying to escape the kids, bored grand parents trying to escape the kids. Next week should be back to normal.

    Yeah true.  I'll be in a similar escaping the kids group next year.  I'll be finding the escaping the wife and kid group more to my liking :D

  4. Posted

    15 minutes ago, EPV said:

    Same. A few looking, one got cold feet at the last minute and one failed a finance application 

    Yeah it's a strange one.  I thought I'd compare it to last years Aprils start and it got me all upset haha

    15 minutes ago, Mark101 said:

    I'm in a completely different league to you (i.e. have far less stock)

    Sold 1 and gone

    99% sold another - bought specifically for someone and they are chasing me to collect (it's in prep)

    Enquiries are up 10 fold - but so are the messers

    I love the (pre-order) ones.  Especially if they go through on a prime deal.

    Yeah what;'s up with the down and out enquiries?  Is there a forum for all these numpties to congregate where they decide on what months to all come out from their caves?

     

    The one car at the start of the month I was chuffed at selling was my missus.  That's one that fell through!!!  Buggers

    Well, at least last nights football games were good.  Missus wasn't happy as I watched star wars the last jedi after :D

  5. Posted

    April has been a really really weird start.  We've had a lot of enquiries, finance applications and walk ons but nothing concrete in terms of sales, just passing through the month it seems.  Our finance account managers are begging for deals but it's all been below sub prime apps, the walk ons have been "browsers" and the enquiries have all been chancers. 

    Have had a great run from December last year until the end of March, just wondered how you girls and guys are finding it?

  6. Posted

    That's their old pricing.  We were meant to be paying £550.  New pricing I'm waiting to hear back on.  I've said I won't budge due to trying to help them compete and they'll be shooting themselves in the foot.  I've not recommended them enough but a price hike!?!?!  AND At this much!?!?!  Jog on, AT2 in coming and will nip that in the bud before it starts!

  8. Posted · Edited by Earunder

    Just cancelled for the same reason.  Looks like I'll be trying AT again after all.

    Really annoyed tbh as I've provided lots of feedback to them and stuck with them few the first 6-8 months when they were not sending me anything.  Now a hike of more than 50%.

    Just curious.  What package did you have?  We were offered 100 cars for £450

  10. Posted

    Just now, twerp said:

    Well typically AT costs less than £100p/car per month

    And you previously stated that you have a fast turnover.

    You're listening to AT @ £100 p/m.

    I've stated what we did with AT.  What our package was with AT at 120 vehicles, then at 75, then at 50.  We went on all 3 tiers all over a 6 month period last year and on average our nett cost per sale through AT was around the £500 mark.  I've never stated otherwise, never berated them about it, not moaned about their prices just simply said it didn't work for us.

    I've not stated turnover?  That's dependent on the bracket of vehicle, the target audience, etc  Anyone can say they can move stock within a 21 day cycle but what's the point in scrapping for £4-500?

     

  11. Posted

    I think when you add your things up you'll be surprised what you come to on a vehicle.

    We give promo packs with our vehicles and most of our stationary our vehicle information packs, service packs and warranty packs are all branded.  Also, we give away hampers which equates to £28.35

    You're not just selling cars, you're selling you're services and products as a company in general.

    16 minutes ago, twerp said:

    Any yet you refuse to pay less for AutoTrader !?

    I can't argue if it works for you

    Less for AT?  I don't get it?  Our response or nett spend per sales from AT over the last 6 month cycle we were with them was near the £500 mark.

  13. Posted

    On 4/9/2018 at 11:33 AM, Dan Read said:

    Opening hours

     

    • Weekdays 9-5? (LOL haven't seen 9-5 since I was 15 and at school! Same on weekends?  
      Two days a week (Tue and Thur) 09:00 - 20:00
      Rest Of weekdays 08:00 - 18:00
      Saturdays 08:30 - 17:00
      Sundays 10:00 - 16:00
    • Is it better to open 11am-7pm than 9-5?  

       

    • Or are physical opening hours less important with email/mobile/live chat options which basically mean you’re open 24/7?
      That's just being a busy fool!  If you can't break aware to have a family or social life then running a business isn't for you.  It's stressful and takes up MOST of your time but if you can't break away from it you'll likely turn into an open grave than a successful business owner.

     

     

    Sales techniques

     

    • Is there still a place for charm and persuasion?

      Nonsence - A car will sell itself.  You must get the correct stock and prepare it correctly.

    • Or do people simply want facts, information and straight talking?

      Never got this?  Why bullshit?  Just be honest and sell the car.  They have travelled to come and see it not hear you waffle crap.

    • What are your top sales tips – it could be anything from converting a browser into a buyer, or upselling additional products.

      Sales Tips?  If you can't sell something this is definately not the industry to try to hone or learn these skills.

    Appearance and branding

     

    • Do you invest in design/branding? Something that works across your website and physical forecourt?
      Heavily.  Brand awareness is key to a long and sustainable business.  We invested for years in brand awareness and as such do not have the reliance of AutoTrader.  Last year our return business was 41.7%.  It pays off over time.  We still spend heavily of Brand Awareness.

       

    • Kerb appeal. How do you make your forecourt attractive? Big signage, lots of stickers, or something subtler? Do you use special stationery suppliers such as motaprint?
      Spend money.  Keep your office tidy and modern and less clutter about.
      Keep the forecourt clean and tidy.  We have a concrete forecourt, changed 3 years from a stone/gravel due to local cats shitting everywhere.
      Stationary suppliers no, but we do use Vista Print for the best quality business cars, provide vehicle information packs, our own warranty packs and company information packs.  Each vehicle has a nett spend on stationary of about £65-70.

       

    • Or do you rely more on your website and advertising to pull people in? How do you get online customers into your showroom?
      Websites play a huge role.  If your not going to get one or don't have one you're losing customers from the get go.

       

    • Balloons and bunting. Opening the boots of cars. Do these old tricks still work?
      Haha no.  Don't be stupid, it's a modern car dealership not a 1970 american car sales.
       
    • Personal appearance. Throw out the sheepskin jacket?!
      Dependent on what you're selling and the clients you're trying to attract.
      The very minimum would be smart casual, Tidy Clean Jeans with a smart polo top and sweater.
      We use staff uniforms for Polo's, sweaters and jackets.  Sales team have blue jeans, valeters black trousers and mechanics company labelled overalls.

    You're missing the key things though if someone wants to know what it takes from starting up. 

    Can you work 7 days a week?
    Can you do 10-12 hour days?
    Can you handle financial stress well?  (IE when you don't sell anything for weeks on end or don't sell enough to cover your costs over a 3 month period?)
    Do you know anything about cars and how to fix them?

    Can you spot the difference between a tensioner rattle and a bottom end rattle?
    Do you know how to use a valeting mop?

    There is so much knowledge you need to know to start in this game let alone business managing skills.  There are many many home traders doing awful jobs calling themselves car dealers when in retrospect they don't know anything about cars and even less about the law.  Some don't even know SOG1979+, CRA, DSR, TCF, FCA Rules & Regs, and quite honestly, you're trying to promote the idea of this by helping them understand sales techniques when in reality they should learn the very basics first.  Gob-Smacking.

  14. Posted

    I made a boo boo on owners when I thought a R/R Sport was going through cheap a few years ago.  Was a 2010 (6 years old), Grade 4 (Needed both bumpers sprayed and drivers door card repaired), in black, black interior, HSE, shitty wheels, 77k miles, starting @ £16,000 - Dropped it to £15,000 and I got it for £15,450.  Didn't really look like I should have but it was well under CAP.

    Anyway, got it back and still didn't look at things properly as I was a little chuffed.  1st call I got, "How many owners?", I was like erm, let me check....  10!! TEN!!!!!  How can a 6 year old car get 10!!?!???!

    Anyway, still made £19,495, so lovely profit in that one but... TEN!?!

    • Like 1

  15. Posted

    Never got the stock loan facility.  Spoken to a few of the companies that do it but never really took to me.  In my eyes if I wanted to expand or grow quicker I'd just get a 250k business loan, secure it against my house and pay the minimum monthly payment.  More cost effective with less worry, less hassle and you know where you stand.

  16. Posted

    Must be just me but ...

    Standard Package for 45 cars @ £3844.68

    Must be loosing a fair few dealers to have 2 "offers" to come back since start of March.

    Love the fact they call it an offer :D  If it worked for me I'd be in, but they are relentless in trying to get everyone in to advertise with them.  Crickey if they provided me with 20k of profit p/m like they did 2 years ago I wouldn't mind their "offer" but 2 years ago I was advertising more than triple I did when I came out as the response, views and everything went down.  

  17. Posted

    58 minutes ago, EPV said:

    Arthur’s in the sun somewhere, annoying the Spanish 

    No, apparently he came back after 4 or so hours from posting O.o

    1 hour ago, Matt Reid said:

    I think it started (but that was a long time ago) with Arthurs challenge. I'm looking out for some of his results to give us an idea of how much of a difference its made for him. 

    I'd be very interested to know if they are charging different amounts.

    BUT it will have to be on a level playing field because of their 'TIER' system as I said before.

  18. Posted

    52 minutes ago, EPV said:

    I’ve no intention of doing that, besides it was serviced just before I sold it. 90% of the time I MOT a car, oil and filter service and properly worded PDI. I have no doubt i’m 100% covered in that respect it was just me wondering what others would do in my shoes, especially when i’m trying to build a rep. The consensus is jog him on which is what I will do but not before i’ve let him conduct a manual test which will hopefully prove the reading from the OBC is within a reasonable range of the actual mpg. After i’ve let him say his piece i’m going to advise him to modify his driving style which may see an improvement in his consumption and beyond that, I can’t see there’s anything else I can do. 

     

    Above all else, he left me with a mondeo in chop that has a horrible idling issue at cold, runs fine when hot. Obviously that escaped his mind when he drove it all the way from Essex (thus making the car piping hot) and proudly told me he’d just spent a fiver having the outside of the car washed (with a coal sack and a chisel by the look of it)

    I’m tempted to remind him of that if he starts getting lairy, I know I have no legal recourse but I can at least take the moral high ground. 

    Like I said, you're doing more than I would do.

    I wouldn't bring up anything legal at all.  Let him do that if it escalates that way.

    What he part exchanged is your responsibility to check.  He has no obligation to tell you anything about his car.

    1 hour ago, Rory RSC said:

    Why should he thats even worse.

    Customer bought a car armed with enough info to make the decision. Buys big petrol auto and now is not getting great mpg....no shit :lol: Not like you can trust VW group to be honest with their quoted figures either is it...

    Not really, you're going to do something as a gesture of goodwill (As I said, only if he hadn't serviced it at the time of sale).  I do things as a gesture of goodwill quite frequently.  From Free Valets, to Free Oil & Filter services at 5,000 miles.  Valets cost peanuts and an oil and filter is less than 20 quid.  High customer satisfaction and retention is priceless, but everyone is different and has their own business model.

  20. Posted

    20 hours ago, EPV said:

    Anyway, I asked him to brim the tank, record how much he paid per litre and drive it to near fumes so we can check what he is actually getting in real world, to determine whether it's the OBC or something else.

    You've already gone and done more than what I would have.  Seriously the OBC changing the MPG.

    IMO you're dealing with someone who can't afford to run the car and wants to return it.  Best thing to do.  Book it in, do a little Oil & Filter and Fuel filter service (If you haven't already) then send him on his way.  That is way above generous IMO.

  21. Posted

    Yeah it does amaze me.  It's like they think they're being smart but fail to realize we do this for a living a see a good few of them each month.  The best ones are the ones that haggle then call the next day and its sold.  I love that.

     

    Jackass:  But but I was going to pay a deposit.  

    Me:  No, sorry it sold.

    Jackass:  I was only there yesterday.

    Me:  Yes, sorry, it sold later that day.

     

    Makes me feel all warm inside.

    • Like 4

  22. Posted · Edited by Earunder

    15 minutes ago, twerp said:

    I heard a rumour that Alphabet cars are to be avoided, this was one of them. Never again.

    4 Year old 320D

    On collection, I found a Manheim auction entry sheet from 3 months earlier in the middle of the service books....

    Despite a rosy AA report, the car had a blown turbo and an EML- they refused to acknowledge and insisted on a further 2 x 20 mile AA tests showed the car to be fine.

    I even brought my own fault scanner and dragged the branch manager out to observe and they refused to do anything.

    6 Months later I got £200 in goodwill of a Platinum account.

    Still, they've got the volume..

    Ah yeah we've had similar with Bedford, only once though.  Audi A6, white 63 plate clutch was hanging.  Drove to the gate, parked it, took the keys to the front desk and said no thanks.  Left it with them as the manager wasn't available to see me.  Didn't hear anything but got a cheque on the 5th day for the full amount less the Report fee.  Still didn't get a phone call to say they were taking it back.

    I think I'm letting their chilli make up for their shortcomings haha 

     

    Can't remember a prob with Alphabet tbh.  Touch wood, don't start now :D

  23. Posted · Edited by Earunder

     

    3 minutes ago, twerp said:

    Bedford are worse, but necessary.
    Don't get me started

    Ohhh I love a day out to Bedford... Always found their staff quite helpful, especially the young lady in the key office / yard.  They do a lovely Chilli sometimes :D

    Blackbushe Cafe is the best Breakfast.  Plus I do like their bland and un spicy chicken curry with rice and chips on occasion haha.  Since their front desk staff walk out they've been a bloody nightmare though.  

    • Like 1

  24. Posted

    11 minutes ago, tradex said:

    Do we trust proxy (poxy) bids no,  Paddock Wood. 

    That's all you needed to say.  Really Really dislike PW.  Always running things, always cars with problems, always have hassle and the yard is a mess. Bought a Bentley from there, glowing green across the board.  Just had it returned after 3 weeks due to electrical issues, no interior fans and it failing to start as soon as it was delivered.  Don't know how much it cost BCA to repair but it was away for such a long time I thought we were going to get a refund.  Never used such a unprofessional AH.

  25. Posted

    11 minutes ago, trade vet said:

    Hi Earunder

    We took BCA to the small claims court over a warranted mileage fsh Leaseplan Peugeot which our customer proved had been clocked by 20k.He had it for several months,so we had to keep him happy.BCA did not want to know when we requested a partial refund.So we sued them for the partial refund but loaded our claim with all sorts of expenses or consequential damages.Seeing the damning evidence,the judge ticked off the BCA guy,our full claim was accepted and we got well paid........The BCA guy was a good bloke and he admitted afterwards that they get many claims on any given day.He implied that because of their potential cost and also the cost of their own time taken to deal with them,company policy fobbing off traders was more cost effective.

    So in a dispute,don’t be deterred from going to the small claims court with BCA .However,you must apply the correspondence rules giving notice correctly when making your claim prior to the hearing.

    In that instance I'm 100% with you.  That's a no brainer, a solid guaranteed win and I would have done the same in your position.  As to why BCA didn't settle that just insanely stupid and I'm sure someone got an absolute bollocking / sacking over it.  But as for a proxy bid online, as in this case, that's a different story entirely.