EPV

Mot - £25 Garage - £45 I fill out the PDI sheet safe in the knowledge it's all been checked.

As you always tell me sensei, follow your gut

Fuck you, c*nt. Sorry, just want things the way they used to be, sniff sniff...

Apparently he went off, sold some cars, made profit, built some relationships with trades and generally did well. It’s only when he comes on here he’s seemingly bought 9 year old Korean heaps of shite. Any other time he’s doing well....

I’ve sold a few cars these past 8 weeks where my price was “above market” according to AT so no price marker shown but they were certain very desirable cars that from experience I knew would sell quickly. It’s not all about price although selling petrol manual fiestas or auto diesel c220’s probably is. You don’t sell those cars so price markers aren’t to be feared.

Well you have the unit mate so, you win

As above. Swords sheathed.

I'll say one more thing on this then I will just leave it. You're missing the point entirely. First it was a high mileage diesel fiesta, ok not great but don't buy that sort of thing again Benji, not likely to be a winner long term. Then it was "shall I or shan't I" buy this Corsa which turned into the sort of decision making process I usually reserve for a holiday destination not a stock purchase. Then it was an Astra, if I remember rightly, same thing, a saga, from memory it was possibly an issue with HPI etc. Now you've bought a 9 year old Hyundai. In silver. Online. You have been advised, sensibly, to go and buy sensible, low mileage, clean cars from private sellers who have got their price badly wrong where you drive it, inspect it, negotiate, take it off them for low money, few scratches polished up, MOT and oil service and wallop. Success. Yet despite the arduous process you seem to go through buying stock, the advice given, you are buying 9 year old Korean shit online. It's not even about fucking AB anymore, it's about you asking for advice, being given it and then not taking it! I've said enough, my lot number is coming up and I'm going to attempt to buy a car here and know why I'm doing it. Good luck Benji.

People, including myself, give you advice. For free, which has taken years and thousands lost to learn. I see a decent bit of advice given and you say "thanks I'll look into that" and I look and think "really? you're going to get a train at 6am to Scotland to buy a car are you?" to which the honest answer is "no, I'm not" and it makes me think you're a bullshitter. You say you're going to do one thing when you have no intention of doing it. It makes me think you're not genuine and doesn't make me want to take time out of my day to help you again. I talk straight, don't sugar coat and walk the walk. I don't think you do the same and it frustrates me to see it.

That's all I asked. The answer is, no you're not. Instead of "thanks Rory I'll look into that" the answer is "thanks Rory but I'm not going to do that"

I saw that, he got the praise, it was deserved. Nobody wants him to fail, well, alright there are probably one or two that would love to see him fail but they're probably bitter old men anyway, but people will grow tired of offering advice and then seeing another "I've got a problem" thread started and it's not a complicated CRA one or mechanical one, it's "my 9 year old Hyundai I bought off the internet has rust" I think it's frustrating, personally.

CB's were excellent in this regard, you know I went very quickly from zero to hero so it can be done and I have found CB's to be excellent, quick commission payout etc. Can't fault them.

Not great but then looking at my stock, 5 of my cars have been up for less than 15 days and some of them have only had proper photos and video for 8 days. Not concerned at all. I've sold 4 and I want to sell 8 so time left yet to hit 6 and that will do, all things considered.

Yes I do see that, however with your stock profile that isn't going to be an issue because you offer harder to find cars and do the job right, if someone wants to save £300 on a similar car that's 100 miles away, they are welcome to it and a days travel. Part of me would love to return to days of a somewhat clandestine nature, few people knew what time of day it was I suspect margins were easier. But we are where we are, the internet has seen to the education of a generation and we must either adapt to the change or fall by the wayside. I'm fortunate that I'm fairly new to this and can adapt, or start, where the buyer behaviour leans towards. I don't like it that punters can use various resources to educate themselves on price, CRA etc but they can, it's what it is and I try and be seen to be embracing it and not resisting it which could make punters suspicious of me.

No, I haven't. I've bought and sold 50 cars online this year and never had the type of issues you have. I haven't seen the inside of an auction hall in my life. Is that luck or do I take on advice given and learn fast? Maybe I'm due a run of lemons. This isn't about me. The purpose of this thread was yet again, you asking for advice when something went wrong. I told you that BCA and Manheim operate a certain way, not to be fobbed off by AB and persevere with it and you did and got a result. Don't make out like the purpose of this thread was to warn a bunch of seasoned dealers of the pitfalls of buying online from an auction house. My point is that you often ask for help, people offer it, and 2 months later you go and buy a 9 year old Hyundai in silver. Hence why I am a little cynical as to whether this golden advice you're offered is actually sinking in. You started a thread, got good advice and got a good result. So my question I think is valid, are you REALLY going to get a 6am train to Scotland, to buy stock? I think people will be more willing to help and not mock you if it appears you are taking the advice and seeing the results. The next thread you start should be "went to Glasgow auctions,bought 2 very tidy looking xyz and both of them sold within 14 days for a 20% ROI profit! Thanks for the help chaps" instead of "oh look, I bought a car and I've got problems, again"

Well perhaps but without punters we’re nowhere. One of a punters primary concerns when they’re buying is “am I getting ripped off” the thought of being done Over is frightening. Those price markers offer them real comfort. If you’re doing the job right and buying right you’ve got little to hide anyway.

Be honest, are you really going to get a 6am train to Scotland to buy stock? Or are you just going to look online and come back on here again when the next delivery is a pile of shit?

A little hint of irony there mate. “I hate AT with a passion but i’ll recommend their free stuff all day long”

Motors was just as much as a waste of time for me as eBay was. I don’t know of anyone off here who has made it work, unlike eBay who some seem to get a good tune out of. Where you won’t like CG’s is their price markers. Which the punters love, especially when the car they’re looking for is abundantly available. Sometimes they are wildly out, which can have an airing effect. Rory made me aware of where they really excel though and it’s the money they spend in redirecting and advertising. I’ve lost count of the amount of unrelated websites i’ve been on and see my cars in a pop up advert on the side of a web page. It costs a fortune to do that and considering the monthly package cost is very good value.

Car boot sale. Online. eBay was £1400 up in smoke as far as I was concerned. Granted you do have to work at advertising platforms but to not have actually sold one car in three months is pretty shocking. I doubt I'll ever go back for another try, I'd favour spending that sort of money on social media campaigns, which is I'm sure, where it is all heading, sooner or later.

From him or the van?

Ah, our weekly Car Gurus discussion. There are real leads. But probably not off the free version. The free package means that the billy cant see where you're located, your website, nuffin. So when you reply "here's my website and I'm conveniently based in Shropshire" and they are in Norwich, it's far from convenient for them. That's assuming they're even getting your email. When you reply it's anonymously via an email address that looks very spammy and will often end up in the billys junk folder. Like most things free, they aren't usually very good. The paid for version provides some joy, i reckon i sell one or maybe two a month off there and I only sell 8 a month. It's certainly been miles better than eBay for me but as ever, YMMV. The above explains why you don't get replies to your emails. CG's don't spoof enquiries.

It’s a judgement call mate isn’t it.

I’ve got a 4 year old focus up for sale currently. It doesn’t have one. I didn’t notice when I inspected, it was a part ex. So I was napping there but I digress. When I come to showing a punter round, if they mention it i’ll offer £100 off to help them replace it. If they don’t notice it but do a few days later i’ll politely tell them to do one.