EPV

I rarely discount cars. Two occasions spring to mind. 320i, nice car, overpriced according to AT at £7250 but I don’t care what they think on this occasion as I have (well, had) a black 320i vert with 19” wheels and cream leather. You’re gonna have to pay mr customer to get this one. Bloke emails, offers £6,750 i decline, £7,000 is all he has, i decline, he pays a £100 deposit later that day and pays full price. A Skoda Yeti, absolutely mint this thing, bone dry everywhere and looks 2 years old instead of 7 year old, overpriced slightly by £150 at £7490. Polite lady drives it, loves it, wants to buy it, offers me £7,000, telling me there one the same price as mine but 2 years younger and 200 miles away. An obvious bluff. I politely decline and proceed to bore her with the fact the car has a new ticket, no advisories, new rear boots, just serviced. I have over 30 five star reviews on AT and I have no idea about the condition of the 200 mile away car nor can I speak for intelligently about the integrity of the other dealer but I know the car I have is mint, and i’m a man of my word. She was pretty much bored into submission I think and paid full price. I think 95% of the people that come to see my cars have probably bought it in their mind and they feel they have to make a cursory attempt at getting a discount. So, I rarely discount because I don’t need to.

Whatever you do, don’t use Total Engines and Gearboxes Ltd of Abbey Wood. Absolute charlatans.

Slight over estimation here mate. You're assuming those who stock 15 will decide to stock 30 just because they can get them up for nish on AT. The reality is established dealers who haven't got the room, cash flow or intention to double their stock, won't be doing so. People trying to grow quickly like you and I will be thinking this is a good deal (the AT offer) but those who are established and don't want to or can't grow, it will be business as usual.

Best Newbie : Me Best post: I nearly bought an Astra Most frustrating post: Anything involving disappearing newbies once they have got their info Most helpful member- I could name ten but as I have to pick one, Rory. Legend. Close runner up, Nick. Grumpiest Member- BHM Most Annoying Subject- CRA Oh No Not Again Award: Hi, I'm new here and I've got a problem, please be nice to me! I sold a 2003 Vauxhall Corsa to a very fussy woman.... What Do you Mean? Really? Lucas spending £100k on "anything" related to car dealerships without knowing what he's doing

Aside from the fact it does look a bit over engineered the brake discs are surface corroded and half the pictures are wonky. My pics are better

Did two yesterday, appointment this evening on one and one dipper for collection tomorrow so all being well I'll be on 7.

I don’t know about that it’s just common sense. You just ask the mot tester to be extra thorough.

I've had three inspections and sold all three.

What colour drawers DOES Mel have on? Just for research purposes...

The inspectors I have had seem fine, get chatting with them and they're usually sweet. From their perspective they're expecting hostilities from the minute they arrive so the offer of a cup of java and a smile usually gets them behaving themselves. I just adopt the approach that they can find whatever they like with the car, I've done my job right, the car is well prepared and if this punter doesn't want to leap upon an opportunity to own a well prep'd car, someone else will. I can almost say with certainty that as soon as you tell this punter he has to fork out for the inspection he will disappear into thin air.

Tell him he's more than welcome to have the AA do a report on it at his cost. Remind him to expect fair wear and tear resulting from the report though and he may wish to pursue a car elsewhere if he is looking for a faultless car for £2,500. Remind him the car has new mot etc etc (all what you have done for the prep) and you have nothing to hide but you have spent your recon costs already and will not be getting the AA along at your cost to confirm what you already know. The car is in good USED condition.

Mine is due for renewal this month too so i’d also be interested in the replies. OP, welcome.

I’ve found Close very helpful. Probably not the highest in terms of comms but they offer more than that as a business partner. If you can get enough business going through them they will soon offer VERY attractive stocking facilities. They will of course, remove said facility if you don’t put enough business their way! The way it goes though.

Nope, I had the transmission fluid done on my rangie last week. It’s on 60k, 7 years old.

Get them to ring their bank, number on the back of the card. They can do a transfer that way.

I’m in Bromley and the enquiries are flying in, relatively speaking of course. I don’t have a lot of stock. You talk to one trader and he says it’s dead and never known or so bad, talk to another 5 miles up the road and he can’t breathe for enquiries. It’s the same with any business, feast or famine. If you’re good at what you do you’ll sell cars/boats/vans//shoes or whatever it is you’re selling. Fire your adverts up here and i’ll help if I can, as will others.

Do tell!

Of course they do. It's why multi billion conglomerates spend hundreds of millions a year to athletes and personalities to promote or endorse their business. Not everyone buys it of course but you only need to look at the influence of reality TV on society these days to work out that people are influenced by familiar faces. Look, I'm not saying it's some sort of necessity or key. It's just a little thing that can help me. In my opinion.

Nope, I wouldn’t know where to start. I have a billy basic one that comes in handy from time to time! I’ve always thought it’s one thing to have a good diag tool but it’s another to learn how to interpret what you are seeing correctly. I don’t seem to have time to get the basics done at the moment never mind learn how to interpret fault codes correctly! I like to learn, i’m always asking questions whenever a car of mine is being worked on but I prefer to leave that sort of thing to the experts and spend my time doing something else! I’d love to have the time to understand more but there’s only so much one man can do...

Rubbish.

Ah, I don’t hate Theo. He presided over a fantastic period in our history. I just won’t forgive him for selling Tim Cahill for buttons!

LIKE

As a Millwall supporter, you’re preaching to the choir there! But it doesn’t really matter what we think, people see someone pictured with a Dragon, or a TV presenter and it adds a lot of weight. Anyone thinking it doesn’t, probably ploughs a lonely furrow in life!

To be honest I self nominated at the suggestion of Rory but I got shortlisted which was pleasing. I’ll be sick if I don’t get a highly commended spot and a picture with Mike Brewer, not because of him but it will look really good on the website. I’m going there for a good night out and a bit of fun but I want the PR material! Rory says the amount of people that say “you must be an alright dealer if you’ve got a photo with Mike Brewer” and i’m sure Umesh gets the same due to his photo with Theo Paphitis.

Thanks mate. Would be nice to get one of the commended spots, makes a great bit of PR for the website. Just taken another dipper, so assuming he follows through on Wednesday, and another dipper follows through on Thursday, i’ll be on 5 for the month from a stock of 8 (ish) as I can’t seem to get through the prep quick enough! That’s including being in Devon for 4 days last week and not doing a stroke this weekend. Plus I have a very strong looking appointment on Monday that may be 6 for the month. If only I could get my bloody stock levels up to 20 prep’d I think i’d be winning! Had my fair share of shit luck as well though.