Mark101

I gave my valet the Nissan Leaf to do; By far the grubbiest, most poorly cosmetically maintained car I have ever had in stock (all that saving the planet must mean they avoid soap). He has made the inside look almost new and the paintwork (despite one stubborn touched in scratch) is unrecognisable. 2 Days more or less but worth it.

I too started as a valeter which is why I get so frustrated when one does a shit job for me. Back in the day, we were steam cleaning dash boards and interiors with a pressure washer. Wouldn’t dare now. But why do valeters look confused when asking them to clean a roof lining.

Yes

AT is the best platform - fact. That said, I will NOT be doubling my stock this year to take advantage of the double listing offer. I did last year but all it did was force me to dilute my capital into crap half the value of what I like to stock in order to meet the double listing offer. I am now concentrating on having 12 quality cars in stock and 2 in prep to fill available slots.

Take the car back but deduct £0.25 per mile X 60,000 = £15,000 deduction from selling price (fair usage). Now, how much does he owe you

That I can’t say for sure Andy just that Nick’s diagnosis sounds plausible. I would find a good independent Merc specialist if your reader doesn’t register a fault.

I agree. I imagine a dodgy sensor. Sporadically thinks the car is doing more than x mph and stiffens the steering, well reduces the power assistance.

I find it the opposite - AT rep tells me that I should be working for £600-750 a bonnet. Yeah right, like that’s going to work.

I can plug my Autel handheld Pro code reader in and read codes but stuff like live data etc are wasted on me.

I went to the Bristol one and some brought their own helmets

Well, in a nutshell I am back on AT on a bigger package. CG started very well and I was delighted to ditch the AT bill but once those sales dropped it was time to try AT another go. I got so bored with mindless CG leads with generic "I am interested in your car" that I am tempted to remove my free feed to them.

Amazing, I can usually be in the red until the last day of the month, I think you mean the black

Exactly the same for me. Had a moran stating how long I had a car in stock (5 weeks) and the price changes (up) - thanks CG. Sooner that ends the better.

Bought 5 yesterday and today. 1 at CAP Cln, the rest about a grand into the book. I can't stand empty AT slots

+1 Any payment method is welcome here but finance will always be my preference.

Crikey, yes of course: This is the pack a new customer gets: Invoice, dually signed PDI, dually signed with T&C's 3 Months/3,000 warranty cover and signed agreeing to T&C's Plus, I truly stand by my stock and cover every single thing apart from tyres or blatant abuse. New (advisory free) MOT 2 Working keys on all bought for retail cars - (PX albeit prepared the same safety wise + PDI and MOT do not have "nice to have" things addressed). Re: Tyres, they are either safe and legal or they're not - I don't believe I need to take 12 off +4mm measurements. I imagine your story tradex is someone had swapped tyres and came back to complain - you pulled out PDI which stated 4 x 6mm Michelin's but they came back with 2mm Accura? No of course not but when they moan about some rust on a wheel arch, a rip in a seat, a stereo that doesn't work or perhaps most common - a/c doesn't work - the fact they may state, it was like that when I bought it works in our favour.

Rightly so, we are the experts. Well IMO, if "it was like it when I bought it" then what is their problem? They accepted the car like that. If it bothered them, why buy it? Possibly one of the best statements a customer can say is "It was like it when I bought it" as surely their argument falls apart as soon as they more or less say "yes, I knew about it."

The problem here = "apparent" Basically not worth diddly squat in court - How is a novice expected to identify if there are any non-apparent faults? I have done my own from day 1, created in Excel and when printed off, look quite smart. No grubby finger prints as the form is completed on the computer and printed off post PDI. IMO, there is too much on Lawgistics form (although I have manual PDI and Invoice pads in case of a computer meltdown). For example - I have a check box which says all tyres are in an acceptable condition (or words to that effect), rather than listing mm across three points on each tyre. Anything that falls short is noted in the comments section but anything safety related is always done and a new MOT is always supplied. Between the MOT and my "light" PDI (vs. Lawgistics) is enough to satisfy most I believe.

I disagree (depending what you’re selling) but for a £15k car, I think people will travels a very long way to get the best or to save some £££’s. I sell relatively seldom few cars locally but plenty nationally. Redcar, Cornwall, Ireland, Northampton, Bristol, Swindon, Pembroke, Cardiff - you get the picture and that is just the recentish ones I can remember, none within 50 miles of me.

Brilliant. why not stick another grand on - extra quarter mill per year

I like the quick provisional answers. No waiting for 24 hours - usually win everything that I am highest provisional bidder on.

Facebook is a weird one for me. It auto feeds from CD5 but I no longer respond to the millions of questions offering 50% of asking price. Instead, those interested call me. That said, I answer the calls and all they say is "I am interested in your car." When I say which one, they seem taken back and don't realise I am trade, so perhaps it doesn't clearly show a difference between trade and private?

There are not many I will not buy but plenty I don't get excited about buying.

I toyed with the idea of selling caravans, having owned 3 for a year each and always sold much higher than bought (and no margin because they were mine and I wasn't in the trade). But damp is your enemy, equivalent to DPF/EGR's etc and you're right - could you chat caravan talk all day.

I still prefer a drop of derv myself, especially on Merc and Beemer.