Mark101

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Posts posted by Mark101

  1. Posted

    I MOT anything as soon as it arrives with an expired ticket or I MOT after a sale has been agreed if it has an unexpired MOT.

    In any circumstance, every car whether it has 364 days MOT or 1 day gets a fresh MOT prior to being released to the customer.

    I am not selfless, it is for my protection too.

    I MOT'd an MX-5, straight through. Drive it 1/2 mile back to the unit and locked away for 2 months. Customer wanted new MOT to do the deal. Took it back around and failed on a broken coil spring. Kept indoors and done 1/2 mile since last MOT.

    • Like 1

  2. Posted

    Just now, Casper said:

    It might dry out mark i did it with a key i left on the gas box one night in the rain dried out after a few weeks and works fine now .

    Fingers crossed mate.

    Luckily, I had my key man make a spare ages ago. That key only works keyless functions, the buttons do sweet FA. weird.

  3. Posted · Edited by Mark101

    3 hours ago, sparky said:

    Every cloud....

    Like a twat. I needed some rubber gloves that we use at work from out of my car. I placed the key in my pocket (keyless entry/start) and proceeded into the garden to do some gardening and digging. That evening, as usual, I got undressed in the kitchen and put all my clothes straight in the washer.....You guessed it, the Jag key still in pocket, full 5.15hr wash plus steam cycle. Didn't realise until I heard the tumble drier throwing the key around. So does the key work?............................................

     

     

     

    Yes and No. Car was left unlocked but remote fob doesn't work. The only way it works is to insert the key into the centre armrest port and that started the engine. Starting that 5 V8 and having a few throttle blips was my favourite 30 seconds of the past 3 weeks :lol:.

     

    Still have a knackered key though - hey ho.

  4. Posted · Edited by Mark101

    19 hours ago, trade vet said:

    However there are many potential banana skins to slip up on in this job which you will never think of and being Ltd does help to reduce your liability.So I would encourage people starting out to incorporate when they get established or face at some time the possibility of being wiped out through no fault of their own.

    The exact reason I am a Ltd company. I do the very best for my customers, do not cut and corners and have all the right insurance policies in place. 

    The most secure insurance for me is to limit my personal liability. If, for whatever reason I am sued (as a business) or presecuted because someone working for me has done something they shouldn't and my insurance policy finds some "get out" clause (as they have for my business interuption due to COVID-19), my house and personal assets are safe.

    The tax benefit was only a consequential.

    For the record, over the last 10 years, I have paid more than £300k in income tax as an employee. I resigned and couldn't find another similar job for almost a year (when I restarted back in the trade). Not once did I seek any benefits at all, sign up for NI contributions, free prescriptions or anything - I lived off savings.

    It is swings and roundabouts.

    • Like 1

  5. Posted · Edited by Mark101

    20 minutes ago, Screenman said:

    Why do people take dividends and just not pay themselves the proper wage each week?

    I pay myself minimum wage PAYE and take dividends thereafter. Instead of paying 40% tax, I only pay around 18%.

    I have benefited from that, it is what almost all sole director Ltd companies do and if that means I get nothing, then so be it - I shall not be complaining. You can't have your cake and eat it.

    I do have a feeling this loophole will be closed after the crisis.

  8. Posted

    7 minutes ago, trade vet said:

    Shelf fees.It was Tesco who got caught taking suppliers ‘ shelf fees’ for the next financial year in advance and then recorded them to artificially increase their profit to maintain their share price and directors bonuses.Directors were fired,the shares then plummeted and we still hold quite a few standing about £3.50........another fine mess !

    You don't seem to have much luck Ian, yet you have clearly done very well over the years.

  12. Posted · Edited by Mark101

    7 hours ago, TangoVictor32 said:

    But what about picking up? The pickup locations will be busy. 

    Lots of pics on news sites of charity hubs. Lots of people in close proximity without any PPE sorting out food and essentials in charity hubs. 

    I also strongly believe droplets are live on surfaces. Some scientists believe droplets could be standing in air a lot longer considering the fact a lot of people have been infected so quickly across the globe. 

    They dont think its just from coughing or sneezing... That's a lot of coughs and sneezes. 

    Rememeber that Tango, when you buy your new bike. This issue was being slammed on GMB the other day, everyone rushing to buy bikes and that they shouldn't. They are a tactile piece of equipment which who knows how many have handled. Poeple are being encouraged to walk, run, spend time in their garden but not to go and buy equipment they don't already have.

    I have a E bike but even that is too much effort for a fatty like me.

  13. Posted

    Just now, Casper said:

    :lol: 

    Take care mate and stay safe . I know I keep saying it but it's bloody worrying 

    You certainly do say it a lot mate. You should be next to Boris on his, Stay In, Help the NHS, Save Lives talk.

    This is more serious than most people believed.

    Stay safe yourself mate.

  15. Posted

    I'm getting used to staying in now:

    Wake Up

    Listen to Piers Morgan (make perfect sense IMO)

    Eat

    Coffee

    Eat

    Forum

    Eat

    Solitaire

    Eat

    Forum

    Booze

    Booze

    Booze

    Booze

    Booze

    Booze

    Booze

    Booze

    Booze

    Eat

    Booze

    Booze

    Booze

    Sleep

    Repeat

     

  17. Posted · Edited by Mark101

    43 minutes ago, Rory RSC said:

    I've got a real hustler mentality and love a deal. Turning people away is painful but come on going in to open up for a virus that could potentially kill you or an innocent person you then come into contact with. 

     

    If you can facilitate a delivery with absolutely zero contact within government guidelines that poses no risk to you or customer its slightly different.

     

     

    So many people (friends) keep saying can't you just do a zero contact sale. It doesn't exist in its purest form. Think about it. This is my example.

    Drive to work (hopefully don't need to stop for fuel, puncture, accident).

    Open the unit (the one which the 24 hour security guard checks the door handle every two hours)

    Take the "sold" car out - recently handled by valeter, mechanic, MOT tester etc.

    Lock the unit up again (touch door handle again).

    Drive car somewhere (fuel, puncture, breakdown, accident) or arrange haulier whom insists this is just the flu and wants a chat and hug.

    Get back using what? Public transport? A Lift? or Driver delivers it and customer is not happy!

    Then it breaks down and they want it fixed NOW because of XYZ or they reject under CRA.

    Yes, I might sell one or two BUT, that will not sustain my business and I am NOT risking my health for anything, let alone something that will buy me perhaps and extra week or two of business.

    I am taking my solvency chances and hope for the best. I can however influence my health by reducing any potential exposure.

     

    • Like 1

  19. Posted · Edited by Mark101

    I thought they were a £3bn turnover business. Own outright £170m of used cars and have £25m stock funding - Those are the headlines I heard.

    As I understand it, they will clearly be topping up employees salaries above the 80% to equate to an average wage based on the past (can't remember) number of months.

    Those debts may be mortgages against property (they own not rent most of their sites). I have always maintained, debt is not a bad thing providing there is something tangible the debt has funded.

  20. Posted

    2 hours ago, trade vet said:

    Just watched Mr Forrester.Just as I thought ,he is all corporate and not a car dealer.Amazing guy to have built up a £2 billion T/O Dealer Group business employing 6000 people.However what I don’t understand is that he said Vertu have very little debt yet according to their accounts they have total liabilities of £870 m.He also said to his credit furloughed sales staff would be paid based on their wages including commission.

    I am planning on lending my business several hundred thousand pounds in a year or so's time. It will be a directors loan and will show on my books as liability but as I own the business, it is all wooden dollars surely. Could that be the case here (obviously on a much larger scale)?

  21. Posted

    I will continue to pay everyone, on time for as long as I can. If I start defaulting without agreement, I will shut the shop because from experience, if you can't meet 1 months ex's you will not catch up to pay double the following month - it's a scary spiral that (through my own fault, unlike this time) is very dangerous.

  22. Posted

    8 minutes ago, Rory RSC said:

    Be ideal if locked down again i'm stir crazy in my house. 

    It would mate, I am bored out of brains too. All I do is eat and drink, walk around the garden or watch the TV. I am fine after 5pm as I am let loose on the booze cupboard and some half decent series showing on Sky/Netflix/Prime at the moment. Then again, this is only my 2nd week (I closed the doors two full weeks ago).

    Re the house:

    We went to look at one just 3 weeks ago and it would be perfect but now this has happened, I am not sure what funds (if any) I will have left to pounce. 

    I wish I hadn't seen the house now but let's see what happens; I was starting to make plans in my head. (and I am not a nearly man, when I decide to do something 9/10 I do it).

    Chin up Rory, or can I call you Forrest :P:lol:

    17 minutes ago, williamblackshaw said:

    I am just wondering though, if everyone is a little shy of going out to busy shopping centres etc, maybe cancel holidays abroad, then people might fancy going to view cars in open air forecourts etc like the olden days? Just a thought ?

    Possibly but 90% of those will be wasting my time. Wow, I do sound like AD :lol:

    17 minutes ago, williamblackshaw said:

    If i had enough land at home it wouldn't be full of cars, it will be quad bikes and karts to play on ;-) 

    That novelty would soon pass. When I bought this house, the first thing I bought was a ride on mower and I was forever cutting the grass, attaching the trailer, broadcast spreader, roller, or spike seeder. I also used to drive my Series 3 around it, along with dumpers, diggers, rollers etc when we did our garden makeover. Now I can rarely be bothered to mow the grass.

    • Haha 1

  23. Posted

    I am considering a radical reincarnation of the business if and when we reopen.

    This "may" include

    Revert to home trading (including moving to a larger property with enough land)

    And some sort of hybrid between the famed AD from this forum of yesteryear and even a bit of Cazoo esque style click and deliver but still retain the option for people to come and view by Appointment Only.

  24. Posted

    18 minutes ago, NOACROSS said:

    Would not your current residence be more desirable for most people to buy (bigger audience) than the one you want to buy?
     

    12. Wow. Drive envy. ;o)

    I can see the thread now...who’s gonna start it?

    It sounds better than it is Noa. Truth is, we bought a house at the very end of a cul de sac. One side of the road has mainly large Victorian houses (no driveways) and my side, every house is different (all with driveways), I am presuming some self build scheme in the 50's. Our house has the suffix "A" but there is no 1 or 1B. I asked a neighbour (been here forever, now 85) as to why we have a suffix. He said that our plot was originally destined for two dwellings but they never built the second one, hence why we have such a large driveway and land (the reason we bought the house). It is, nothing flash at all though, so keep you imagination realistic :lol:

    I have great neighbours that isn't an issue but I never liked strangers coming into my home whereas the next place will be large enough to distance customers from the actual house yet I would still be at home and the whole property could be walled with big gates (wouldn't suit my current set up). Plus, I (sorry we) are big drinkers and we lack a nice country pub within walking distance, albeit we are on the edge of countryside.

    Most importantly though, why pay rent when I can mortgage a property which I will eventually own?

  25. Posted

    Just now, NOACROSS said:

    How many can you get at home now Mark?

    I can currently get 12 on the driveway/garage but with some works, that number could go way up depending on how much garden we want to sacrifice.

    Just now, NOACROSS said:

    Your dream property might be loads cheaper anyway soon mate(s). 

    But so will the one I would be selling, so it is all relative.

    I just love the idea of having a proper outdoor space with no immediate neighbours and a seperate office/unit away from the main house but within the same grounds to capitalise on anti social hours without inconveniencing myself.