EPV

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Posts posted by EPV

  1. Posted

    16 hours ago, David Horgan said:

    Interesting you sell repair kits , Kits with Dremmel drill and the rest of the package , How much if i can ask ? One with the 240 v Dremmel 

    Thin fluid and the thicker fluid , Setting light and all  .

    looking to fix our own screens as getting someone to do it is hopeless round here . 

    Borrowed a screen guys kit the other day to do 6 of our screens , Made a good job if i say so myself 

    10 live cars advertised for sale and 6 of them needed windscreen repairs.

     

    Even Pinocchio had a day off once in a while 

    • Haha 1

  2. Posted

    6 hours ago, Harry George said:

    I think that is what distance selling is isn’t it free car hire for 2 weeks.

    I agree with all the comments above but  as the contract was not entered into until we were T4 it is distance sale.

    Worst bit is we now can’t get car back for 14 days whilst they swan about in it.

    Car was as new when it went out and we will obviously take that and mileage racked up into account upon return.

    What a nightmare 

     

     

     

     

     

     

    If you can point out to me where the law mentions tier 4 in the distance selling regulations I’ll agree this is a distance sale. 
     

    lessons learned and all that but this isn’t a distance sale. 

  3. Posted

    30 minutes ago, Not_a_dealer said:

    That comment in bold is painfully ironic.

    First I must say this. As the username indicates I am not a car dealer. I am just an average person who has been following the developments of covid-19 since mid January. I am interested in what people in various sectors think and how they are reacting. I am firmly of the belief that this will cause big ripples in the economy. I am no expert but personally I think people might need to scale back on big ticket items over the next few months due to rising levels of unemployment, caused by both government and personal reactions to the virus.

    I have just signed up here to pick up on this post because it really pains me to read tripe like this and I feel a distinct obligation to educate those who contnue to spout it. Firstly cancer and sepsis are not contagous whereas Covid-19 has a high level of transmissibility. ie one person can give it to many others.

    Secondly the reason its only killed 10 people in two months is due to something called exponential growth. Now I doubt thats something you have even heard of right now let alone understand what it means. Please take a few minutes to look at the below video and educate yourself.

    Looking at Italy by way of example, and I have collected a lot of data from BNO tracking on this subject, the total cases/deaths progressed as follows in February:

    Date/cases/deaths

    Feb 19 / 3 / 0

    Feb 20 / 3 / 0

    Feb 21 / 19 / 0

    Feb 22 / 62 / 2

    Feb 23 / 155 / 3

    Feb 24 / 223 / 6

    Feb 25 / 322 / 11

    Feb 26 Forgot to collect

    Feb 27 / 655 / 17

    Feb 28 / 889 / 21

    So as you can see. To begin with it didnt look like much was happening and then it accelerated and now Italy are at 17,000+ cases and 1200+ deaths. Finally to those saying its just the flu, I say this. Yes its closely related to the influenza family but so was the Spanish flu and look what that did around the world. Get your fucking heads out of the sand.

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0BSaMH4hINY

     

    “I am no expert, I’ve just read the news and I’ve signed up here to tell you all off, naughty boys”

    Errr, cheers.

    It must be some life you lead. To have all the time in the world to sign up to a random forum, state you actually have no expertise (none of us do) say all you have done is follow the news (as we all have) and have the courtesy to lecture us. Very kind of you. 
     

    Out of sheer morbid curiosity, how may other Internet forums have you signed up for that you have nothing to do with, to tell all the people on that forum you’re an average person with no expertise but to listen to your rant anyhow? 
     

    Just find yourself a bird and unload in her? You’ll feel much better. 

    • Haha 1

  4. Posted

    17 minutes ago, beenaroundtheblock said:

    Grow up mate. I made a joke before about you copying arfurdealy, which lets be honest is true. 

    I then disagreed with your opinion on the coronavirus, as you said justa difference of opinion. 

    You then decided to try and offer me out lol, genuinely come to Forest Hill anytime you like, if you feel that strongly about it. Its not far from Bickley.  Colfe Road SE23. 

    Sent you a PM. 

  8. Posted

    10 minutes ago, beenaroundtheblock said:

    Yes it was. You seem to have all the answers such as it's just flu, its seasonal etc. Yet the experts are not saying that. Im not stockpiling or predicting the end of the world but neither do I think it's just the flu. Today I will be going about my normal day today and this afternoon/evening I will be going to Petts Wood and Orpington to see a few cars. So im hardly locking myself inside. Doctors from Italy and Spain are telling us we are being complacent and we don't know what we have coming, but I'm glad it's just the flu. For those with sick or elderly relatives I truly hope you are the one who is right. 

    I don’t have the answers, I have an opinion. It doesn’t seem to correspond with yours. Ah well. Even Trump has said he believes it will be seasonal. Where do you think he gets his advice from, the beano?

    Quite what my length of time in the industry has to do with talking about Coronavirus I don’t know. I can read the news like you can. Anyone can hold an opinion. 

    Do I know you? Do you know me? This is the second thinly veiled dig at me you have had on here, in the last 3 weeks. You seem to have a little hard on for me. 

    The moderators on the forum here don’t really like little spats, which is understandable. It doesn’t look good on the board as a whole. 

    I happen to live very close to the areas you are going to looking at cars tonight (Petts Wood, Orpington) so why don’t you send me a private message (to keep the board free from this sort of thing) tell me the name of a pub near where you’re going to be later and a time, and I’ll swing by and buy you a pint and you can tell me to my face all your problems with me and we can sort it all out? 

  11. Posted

    2 minutes ago, CCC said:

    This is why people are putting off buying cars, not fear of being ill, fear or losing their job.

    Tourism down, trade interrupted, etc. As I said before we’re overdue a recession and I suspect this will be the trigger.

    Big, unnecessary purchases are the first thing to go. I suspect the cheapy market where people just need replacement transport will be ok, and may increase as people cut costs, but just replacing a car when it’s three years old because you fancy a change becomes an unnecessary luxury.

    The rule of putting money aside in the good times to see you through the bad times (and to take advantage of the buying opportunities it creates too) applies right now.

     

    Mate, people haven’t been buying new cars like that (3 years ownership and chop it in for a new ‘un) since early 2018, down to Brexit and uncertainty with petrol/diesel/electric. It’s got sod all to do with Coronavirus, it’s been like that for ages.

     

    We’re never far away from a recession of some description and usually around a decade or two away from a full on collapse so predicting a recession is a pretty safe bet. 

  12. Posted

    32 minutes ago, Halfpenny said:

    LOL! Are you serious?  The virus made its way from central China to places like Italy and Iran. I doubt the Channel is much of an impediment. 

    Agree.  For example, my youngest daughter works for one of the big travel companies. Bookings have dropped off a cliff. Company are talking about unpaid leave... she and her boyfriend have bills to pay.....

    Places like Iran, a country bordered by a country also bordered by errr, China. Italians are tactile people, one kiss for them isn’t enough and even the fellas get up close and personal with each other. 

    Being an island, one that is inhabited by people who traditionally, shy away from getting too close to each other and one that is on the brink of it’s typically warmest season, will help us a lot. 
     

     

     

  14. Posted · Edited by EPV

    26 minutes ago, Highlinev8 said:

    I dont think the thread is about how as a country we are going to survive. Obviously we will make it through as usual.

    The thread is about disruption of business. Lets be honest buying a new car is not going to be on peoples priority lists right now. We are about a week behind Italy statistically and they are closing borders and cancelling flights right now. 

    I'm not in a position to go into semi retirement for a few months so I will be out buying cars again tomorrow as usual...but its going to get messy. I suppose this time next week we will see a truer lay of the land.

    Buying a NEW car may not be on people's priority list but buying a car for some, is a necessity, not a choice. 

    So what we're saying here, is in order for our industry (sales) to be slowed, we're talking about a small percentage of the buying population, that being, those who are looking for a car just "because" and also happen to be frightened about a cold. 

    Where I imagine it will impact, is supplies, so tyres, parts, whatever. I don't really imagine it will have a serious effect on regular sales. No more than brexit, the world cup, the rain, the cold, the snow, the heat, the kids off school, the kids back to school, the tennis, Christmas, summer holidays, the clouds, moon and sky and dozens of other influences on the industry. I hope I'm right anyway but I have to say everyone I have spoken to, customers, friends, family, neighbours, everyone is completely non-plussed about it all and are carrying on as-you-were, save for the more frequent trip to wash their hands, which can only be a good thing anyway.

    2 minutes ago, CRW said:

    Slight difference was theirs began with a major cluster in the North, it was rife before they had a chance to react. Ours seems pretty well spread, no idea if that will make a difference though.  We seem to be having circa 50 cases a day and should it remain around that then I would be fairly positive.  Lets just hope for some warmer weather and battle on in the meantime! 

    That and the fact we are an island. That in itself cannot be underestimated.

  15. Posted

    12 minutes ago, Halfpenny said:

    Italy has much better healthcare than UK and their hospitals are being completely overwhelmed. They are not even looking at anyone over 65 years old or who has cancer or diabetes.  This will be the UK in a few weeks' time.  Yes we survived wars in the past, but at huge cost and many millions died. Don't be complacent.

    I agree with CCC that those sitting on a lot of debt will be the first to fall.

    I'm not being complacent. It's the flu. the coronovirus isn't news albeit this particular strain is and like most winter illnesses, they are precisely that, seasonal. 

    It's utterly hysterical the way some people are behaving and if you want to indulge in that sort of mindset, please feel free. In a few weeks time, if we're on lockdown like Italy, you'll have the glory of saying "I told you so" but I'm saying now you won't be.

  16. Posted · Edited by EPV

    1 hour ago, C B said:

    My plan is full steam ahead!!! 

    I'll cross any doom and gloom bridges if and when I come to any. 

    Certainly won't be battening any hatches, scaling back or similar. 

    If anything I'll be going harder, and bmore positive. 

    I cannot physically stand all the scare mongering and the absolute morons who are out panic buying pasta and toilet rolls!! 

    One thing's for sure. I won't stop buying, working, looking for opportunities or doing any less than I already do. 

    I may even buy a hazmat suit and change all my 'attention grabbers' to....... CORONAVIRUS SUFFERS WELCOME' 

    Agreed.

    I remember when bird flu was going to kill us all, swine flu, SARS. I can assure you now, if this happened 6 months ago, it would be 2nd or 3rd news story behind Brexit. It's filling column inches by the yard at the minute and a sustained drop of warm weather coupled with a bit more vigilance and awareness from the human population and it will be forgotten in a few months. Some people love a drama and misery loves it's company.

    Somehow we, as a nation (and a world) managed to cope and survive past a number of world wars. I reckon we can cope with this.

  17. Posted

    2 hours ago, Grantlfc81 said:

    Totally disagree. I’m a gas engineer and the George’s don’t compare. I’ve used my titan for stuff you done even want to know about. All of my colleagues switched from George’s to titans

    My titan is 4 years old and still going strong.

    It may well unblock sinks or hoover up large quantities of water quickly but it doesn't have the power the numatic does when you are wet vaccing carpets and seats, I've tried one after the other (titan then george) and a numatic will always, always extract more water from seats and carpets.

  21. Posted

    Well, whatever mate, it’s your business if you think it made a profit, then it doesn’t matter what I think. Good luck to you. 
     

    1 hour ago, BHM said:

    I think you’re over-analysing CRW’s comments. My guess is he looks at his (minimal) advertising costs simply as an overhead rather than breaking it down per car per month. Rather like myself tbh.

    The way I think of it is I fork out the pitiful sum of just over £220pm (+VAT) on advertising whether I advertise zero cars or turn over 60 (impossible but you get my drift). The advertising cost doesn’t change.

    Different strokes I guess. The last thing I’d want to do is mentally apportion more money to a sticky car that’s been sat in the corner for 6 months laughing at me.

    No, I understand why you wouldn’t want to do that but if you think about how often you could have reinvested the money, in something that turned 4 times or more, it does give you something to think about when deciding to cut its legs off or not. I don’t suppose there’s a right or wrong answer, each to their own. 

    • Like 1

  22. Posted

    33 minutes ago, CRW said:

    That's on the assumption that I use AT, which I don't. My total advertising bill last year for the sale of 90 cars was around £3k. I'm a one man band with a 20 car site on a main A road, so don't feel the need to haemorrhage money on advertising. Yes, I could spend more on advertising, but AT doesn't work down here.  If I was selling more, I would need to employ staff and in my opinion my business model works fine for me.  The Focus was just unfortunate, but whilst other stock was selling I just left it run.

    Ok, so you average £33 per car x 24 months is £800. Add in costs of overheads associated with your pitch and the lost revenue that you could have made from spinning the money in that focus three or four times on something else. It doesn’t add up. 

  23. Posted

    9 hours ago, CRW said:

    One extreme to the other here this week. Sold a 64 plate Ibiza on the first day it was here, followed by a 64 plate Focus that had been here...……..2 years!  Nothing wrong with the car, 28k miles, FSH, 1.6 Zetec, just stuck. Amazingly I should still come away with a profit on the deal.

    Sorry but that’s very unlikely. Even if you allowed £100 a month advertising on that car that’s £2400 in advertising you have spent on that car. 

  25. Posted

    1 hour ago, Nick M.K. said:

    For those types of car at a market price (not bargain) expect 70-120 days in stock. 

    Correct. 
     

    Fiesta, Corsa, Astra, Focus, 10-30 days. Good luck making a living selling 6-8 of them a month. 
     

    Cheap, old German stuff could go in a matter of hours and at all hours. 

    But properly prepared, low mileage, low owner niche German stuff, will sit for weeks because there just isn’t enough people willing to pay £8995 for a 2004 S500 or £6995 70k E46. 
     

    I couldn’t think of a market I’d like to sell less to. The ratio of perverts to callers must be astronomical. 

    • Like 1
    • Haha 1