EPV

I assume you don’t have the AT premium package Nick? If you do, i’m overpaying!

Silver, that isn’t helping. Back to basics. Price, desirability, presentation. You have the car now, so desirability you can’t help. Are you sure you have presented it as well as you can and priced it correctly?

Why is that ridiculous? People looking plus number of units available is ultimately a digital supply and demand. An s500 would be a 1. A Certain derivatives of Fiestas would be a 5. It's not a science but a guide, used in conjunction with your own knowledge of your market. I don't take it as gospel but I certainly use the data they provide and it's helped a know nothing newbie like me turn cars in an average of 27 days with four figure margins as an average. Not a brag just saying the data is useful. You just need to know how to interpret it. "The right car" is the key part there isn't it. That's where the data, correctly interpreted can help. Not form the basis of all buying decisions BUT assist. Whatever works for each individual at the end of the day.

Persuasive bunch. I’ll bump it to £4295 when I have it back from the garage (service and MOT) and I have the proper photos and video done.

They don’t. The other dealers have examples with lower miles on that me. One is priced at £4,950 and has 100,000 miles on. Same year same spec. If I was at £4,500 people would rightly consider finding another £450 to get one with 24,000 less miles on. The other is priced at £5,600 and it has 87,000 miles on. Again, same year and spec. That car isn’t really direct competition because he’s overpriced and the 70 day period he’s had the car reflects that. In terms of value for money, if I was pitched at £4,500 mine and the 100,000 mile one would look equally attractive and on a car that isn’t especially desirable (1.4 on the AT scale) i’d rather stand out as the best value and sell quickly, take a nice margin out and move on to something I know is en vogue, a petrol estate perhaps. Nick/AD, please don’t think i’m being a know it all as the reality is, i’m a newbie know-fuck-all but I at least have some logic (based on careful research) to base my pricing even if incorrect in your eyes!

Because if I do then I'm priced in line with the other two dealers who have had similar cars for 50 and 70 days respectively. If I am to sell the beast quickly (preferably within 20 days) then I need to be different to the other two examples and price is the obvious differentiation.

You're probably right IF it's based on AT's market turn data which is pretty useless imo (and I have stated this several times to loads of people at AT and I believe it's actually changing this September) The market turn data is historical and it's also nationwide data. Knowing that car xyz turned in 22 days last month is fairly academic IMO because by the time you see that nugget of info, the demand may have been plugged and the demand could have been at the other end of the country anyway. Anyway, it was best summed up by AD "typically bullshit" comment! The desirability scale of 1-5 however IS useful. Like I said, some of AT's stuff is class leading, some of it is confused people in an office with clipboards and excel spreadsheets. Once you know how to interpret the data and what's good and what's not, it's a great tool.

I took a call from a chap on Saturday from Holland. He wants a Merc i have etc etc, I pointed out my geographical location just in case he'd been in the dimly lit shops of Amsterdam enjoying the local brew but no, he knew exactly where I was and is moving to the UK. I was sceptical of course, told him to call me Monday morning and we'd firm up arrangements. It's fair to say if Mr Mufassa of The Democratic Republic of Congo called I'd terminate the conversation tout de suite. Well he called yesterday and after a reassuring conversation that I was genuine and so was he with a few online checks on his story, a deposit has appeared in my account and he's coming to collect next Monday. It seems my arduous videos presentations have at least gained me this sale if nothing else. AD is our leader, AD is our leader, nah nah nah nah.... So, Holland. Anyone beat that?

Perfect for an ol' shitter but i'd never consider doing this on anything worth more than a few grand. 2-3 hours work, £20 in materials and the finish is passable for a banger but not for anything else, you can see where the paint isn't blended properly as soon as he takes that masking off. But very impressive for a rattle can and DIY.

Ha ha ha

Yeah that's got to be bollocks. My average days to turn is 27 (actual not AT's wishy washy made up stuff) but I can't see how you can turn 1600 in 21 days average including prep.

For midget porn sites?

Yes thanks mate, good to have that reassurance that they do sell. Weird why that one has stuck, looks a lovely car.

It's a projection based on your forecourt desirabilty. It's to be taken with a pinch of salt. Mine was 50 days last report, I sold 8/10. This monthly AT report tells me 27 days. Which I know will be cobblers. Personally as much as I love some elements of AT there are some useless ones as well.

This touch in technique is ideal for scratches bang in the middle of doors where it’s impossible to do a smart repair without it looking awful. Obviously scrapes on bumpers are best off left to the smart repairers. It’s also great for stone chips on bonnets/fenders

I'll give those a go when my 3M stuff runs out. Ordered that Festool tool, looks exactly what I need.

Old or not, they are excellent. Ok a bit dusty but i can mop to a mirror swirl free finish with that system. With that Festool, do you wait for the paint to cure completely?

LIKE

yeah, that's the usual process although it's razor, 1500, 3000 (both trizac pads) and them 3M perfect it system (green, yellow, blue) and if done right it's brilliant but I was making more scratches with the razor blade. It's almost too aggressive.

That's the key if I could develop a way of shaving the excess paint off I'd be laughing. The blending solution is tricky as you have to get it just right, leave it too long and it's dry and proud, too quick and you just end up wiping the paint out of the scratch. I was using a stanley knife blade but that's hit and miss and I sometimes end up doing more harm than good.

Agreed it’s a good video but the reality is, most scratches you’ll want to remove will be beyond the clearcoat and need some kind of paint. I wetsand all the time to remove what I can or, reduce the appearance if it’s a deep scratch. I’ve started experimenting with paint and blending solution, mixed results so far but I reckon with a little practice it will be a good technique.

It generated 120 advert views on AT in 12 hours. Plenty are looking anyway. Cheers for all the advice, as I said before i’ll take as much of it as I can get.

The issue with that AD is what I said above, there are two very similar vehicles within 50 miles that have been up for 50 and 70 days (ish) respectively. Both priced up similar, £4600 and £4800.

He started out wanting £2500, I talked him round... And yes , plugged into diagnostics, test driven extensively etc. Have since driven it 40 miles and seems sweet as.

I know things are cheap up norf but AT and Car Gurus have it at £4,700 and it’s £2,650 cap clean so Christ knows what cheap is if sub £4K ain’t!