EPV

Great mixture of replies here for the OP. Fantastic free advice that plenty on here have paid tens of thousands to find out. What a forum this is.

Me. I stock between 9 and 11 and 90% of my sales come through AT with the other 10% Car Gurus. Oh and I sold 7 in July and 8 in August. 2 this month.

Yes I do, as a pay as you go dealer you can't expect to put your website link on the adverts and for them to put up with it for very long. Understandably, that's a dealer package only privilege so far is fair. For around £425 per month you could get an eBay Motors Pro package which a few on here manage with. Me? I couldn't make it work so I pay whatever AT want to charge me and still think it's good value. I hope you can make it work without AT but I personally can't. Do whatever works for you. It's a long raging debate on here, AT or no AT but ultimately no one is right because what works for some doesn't work for others.

Value the PX before they arrive! Mind you i suppose that doesn’t help you pitch boys....

This. Just be aware that you need a certain level of package to have your website linked. You can’t do it on a PAYG advert. Also, AT won’t put up with you putting your website link on your strap line. You may get away with it for a while but eventually they will make you take it down. One thing I would add to this is you seem keen on keeping your advertising costs to a minimum and almost begrudge paying for marketing. I’d suggest you spend as much money marketing as you possibly can whilst working out what advertising is expensive (the kind that doesn’t work) people make a business outside of using AT on here, it can be done. Just don’t cut corners in the wrong place.

Another away for me today albeit for fuck all in the end although I did get a better chance to make some money through the swapper. I’ve also had a bit of joy buying and got 4 in 2 days so that’s cheered me up a bit.

“We’ve proved it works so instead of charging dealers to put their stock up, we’ve decided to let them do it for free”

Depending on what I'm repairing, I quite often just leave the paint touch in as it is, a couple of thin layers takes the eye off. If you're repairing deep scratches I'd be cleaning the scratch out with alcohol, fibreglass pen, couple of layers of primer, then paint. Personally I either wetsand and compound to reduce the appearance of scratches or drop a few thin layers of paint in carefully and leave as is. Both techniques take the eye off. I do all of these things and not one person yet has said "hmm there's a scratch here"

Similar to BCA

Wanna sell some to me?

I’m James, i’m 40, and i’m something else beginning with the letter C

My most expensive car to date sold today.

DA seems to be ok for small cars and hatchbacks. I can’t seem to find anything slightly prestige or estate/suv types. But I mush admit I don’t watch it like a hawk.

I just can’t see how mate. Maybe, they might just squeeze £300 out. Pre tax. Possibly relying on finance commission. I don’t use guides either, like you I work retail back and I just can’t see how some people are making a living. Busy fools.

No mate. Anyone can buy a warranty. You, joe public, your cat. Anyone.

My first thought was "well done for getting 2 grand for that!"

Well, the answer is, at least in my experience, no. No it is not a good week for buying cars. 5 Shortlisted today, all around the £4.5k cap clean mark, all sold for £1k over cap clean. Mental money.

Do it online. I’ll say one thing mate, this industry is fucking hard work. Don’t make it harder for yourself. Give yourself every edge you can.

Firstly, conflict of interest? I must be missing something very obvious here? Secondly, you don't have to give a warranty of any description. Thirdly, you can't put on an order form that the customer can't comeback if their belt snaps and bolloxes their new car. My opinion on cambelts is that they are a great selling tool, people want them done but don't want to pay for them. Every DIY mechanic wannabee and every car buying forum the punters have read talk about cambelts like they make the car go faster or something. So, if it's due, get it done, shout about it and put the car up by £300. If it's not due one for a year, don't bother.

As said, the third party warranty are dealing with it mate, it's on them at this stage!

This is a good solution. Slightly less professional/more dodgy looking by arranging to meet at a petrol station but you could always find tune this. Explain on the phone you are a doorstopper and out of respect for your neighbours privacy and security you meet away from the home until you know the punter is genuine, paperwork is completed from the comfort of your dining room, free coffee and biscuits all round. State you’re sure the punter understands the need for privacy and security in this day and age.

I’m not even talking about applying for anything, i’m saying OP should get on the phone and ask HIS council what he needs to do. Don’t even mention he’s trading, act like he’s intending to start up. I doubt his LA will stop him trading 3/4 cars off his drive

Low pressure oil light and flashing EML (no idea why it’s flashing) As well I know, that low oil pressure light could mean several things. I was sensible enough to whack a third party warranty on that one.

Yeah, no idea what you're on about. I reckon the reason your painter went skint is you've been drinking his thinners

I've just had the rarest of beasts; BMW 318i Performance Edition (performance, a 2 litre petrol?) with a very Asian sounding name and most definitely very Asian on arrival. He paid a reservation fee over the interwebs, 3 days prior to collection, he turned up on time, having seen the video didn't want to crawl all over the car and take it on a month long trek through the jungle mountains of Kent, he paid the rest, signed where I told him to and went off as happy as a sand boy. No chipping, no "last price" cobblers, no pointing out tiny stone chips, just paid and fucked off. That said I've had a text late last night, crying, over a car I sold a month ago (longer than a month though) saying it is no better than scrap, when in reality it's probably a sensor. So it seems I'm paying for my nice customers with worrying ones.