Nick M.K.

There is an auctioneer at Blackbushe, usually in Hall 2. He often starts a UKCGR Select Lot at Cap Clean and then just leaves the Live Online bidders to battle it out.

If the car is older than 2007 the Sensotronic ABS unit does make that noise by design. A newer E Class doesn't have that system (it was troublesome and they stopped installing it).

Yes, for years she was seeing this part number written on her OIL cap :-)

Yes it can Matt. They'll walk in your office any minute and ask if you are open to them booking an "independent AA check" as they have a few concerns.

I can't speak on behalf of anyone else but my personal take is this: I don't mind the competition, we are 250 miles apart in a country of 65 million people with 25+ million cars and we are highly unlikely to ever step on each other's toes. I personally disliked the amount of time, effort and overthinking you invested in this last potential transaction without getting any return whatsoever. Sold a couple of cars. Good. Made some money. Even better. Now repeat this a few hundred times and you'll still only know a small fraction of what you need to know. You got a lot of useful info here, now put in the work, take some risk, try to make some real deals and you'll know if it's for you...

As long as they are not theoretical or Vauxhall related you are more than welcome :-)

Of course. All the private companies have to do is demonstrate legitimate interest in the data. Wanting money from us is as legitimate as it gets :-)

Not walking the few miles between cars every week at Blackbushe had the exact opposite effect on me :-)

Welcome, great forum name by the way :-) Can I guess who you are just by the nickname? Are you in Essex? First name starting with D?

So if you are a after a particular vehicle for example and you have £9500 for it (and a customer lined up, ready for it with £11500 and finance approved) and your top bid in the hall or online reaches £9000 provisional do you leave it?

Hi Tim, pedantic is good, that's what the forums are for. I wasn't actually quoting a printed document but what a lady from DVLA told me on the phone when I called them to enquire directly. At the time I needed to know how long do I have (officially) before making an online change of keeper notification and when she said Within reasonable time I asked her the question about road tax. She explained it quite well, an explanation which was good enough for me at the time and still is. The OP asked a very straightforward question and I still think the answer is "Yes, it's possible". It's a loophole that might be closed eventually but it's not yet. We can do everything "By the book" but the job then becomes nearly impossible. I still display my trade plates on the windscreens for example...

I don't know anything about the motorcycle business, are motorcycle punters generally crazier than car buyers?

You stock profile sure beats mine for diversity :-)

Yes it is possible to tax twice (or multiple times) with the same V5C/2 reference number. It's best if you pay your tax by direct debit so you simply cancel the DD from your online banking when you sell the car. When you tax a car this way you can not drive it indefinitely. DVLA says that "within reasonable time" they need to be supplied with keeper details for taxed vehicles which are "in trade". Two three months should be OK.

You get small favours. Provisionals telling the vendor "this guy bid on 20 of your lots today, let him have it", The auctioneer knocking the hammer for you on Going Twice or completely ignoring the screen with a higher net bid or even starting the bidding at £7K when Cap Clean is £9800... They add up over time.

Our average customer travels around 40 miles to get to us. Some come from much further away. I chatted to a dealer recently and he said 90% of his business comes from within 5 miles from his pitch (Essex). How about your customers?

I think we might have another just before Xmas. With some decent brand scotch as a prize for the winner :-)

My bodyshop has told me to measure the thickness of the clearcoat by comparing the painted door shuts with the external panels. Door shuts have less clearcoat because they are not exposed to the elements. Can someone confirm this?

I asked this exact question last year on the AT forum. How to do you filter the time wasters from the genuine buyers. And we couldn't agree a solution. Simon's deposit system is really good but it will not work for everyone, you can literally interview people on the phone and they tell lies OR sometimes they come to you with no intent of buying and they buy! +1. Especially on a Saturday. Absolutely and also say "we have read your reviews, we are 80 miles away but can be with you in 2 hours, can you hold it for us"...

Thanks Simon, I've certainly got those as well. Let them sit a bit longer and I'll have a moan about them.

Tradevet, you are welcome to call me and we'll have a chat, my personal mobile number is 07736677089. BHM, I have attached a copy of the response from my advertising on Autotrader, my advert went live on 30 Apr, deposit taken 3 May, advert stopped on 6 May. It absolutely wasn't meant to be until this last post of mine, now that I've posted it (in response, mind) it DOES look like peacocking. My apologies to everyone for this but at least it pointed out a really hot model to stock to those interested. Thanks Rory, some of your higher value sales are even faster! My customer was a cash buyer unfortunately. Do you think it might be better to hold to hot stock a bit longer waiting for a finance buyer or at least one with decent p/x?

It's a 17 reg Passat GT TDI.

I posted a complete photo, did it not publish?

Ok. There you go. An everyday car that you see on every corner. If you are looking to increase the effect of your Facebook page something like this guessing game works a treat. People tend to share and tag quite a lot. Especially if there is also a giveaway involved.

Is everyone looking on our website where it says Most Popular Brands and assumes it's one one them :-) David, you are onto something here, kind of close but not quite.