Mark101

Professional lookers, knowitalls, chavs, motability, people expecting the moon on a stick (cheers James) for under £2k. Has the cambelt been changed on a chain driven motor. Penniless, greed, disrespectful, these cars are notorious for.... (why look then). Whole families coming to view, kids running around, have you got a toilet, need to check the insurance, how long have you been doing this. My family ringing me every single day asking me to do something for them (because being self employed means I have all the time in the world). People wanting to come to the auction and save a fortune.

No doubt, I would have sent all of them to our partnered workshop and picked up the tab.

I like AT, it is my best value platform for ROI. I wish it was cheaper, of course I do (especially when it is quiet). But when I have made £8-10k in a month gross, 10% allocated to advertising seems reasonable - without advertising I would have sold nowt. There are far worse burdens on my margin than AT and they’ll never go away - VAT margin scheme being the most obvious. It pissed me off first time around and it’s pissing me off now. Having said that, if I wasn’t VAT reg, my unit would be costing me 20% more, so swings and roundabouts.

We all see things differently I suppose, but for me we all talk about performing a new advisory free MOT, at least a basic if not full service, a full PDI, a valet, a handover etc etc. Therefore IMO (except the sold as seen customers, or issues noted on PDI), I think it is fair to say that save for checking the oil and fuelling, a customer should not expect to have to put his or her hand in their pocket for repairs OR maintenance for 3 months/3,000 miles (my warranty period). for example, I wouldn’t send a car out with brakes not expected to last 3,000 miles, or an overdue/imminently due timing belt, water pump and tensioner. Caveat for me being failure caused by obvious misuse (hard to prove) or accident damage. Or a customer who refused to pay my retail price and as James EPV would say wanted the moon on a stick (I use that a lot now). I’m talking about normal everyday genuine customers, who turn up, like the car, like me, pay my price and drive off happy - they’re covered, no questions, no quibble - bring it back for us to inspect.

The manufacturer has the first and their only one bite of the cherry. We are dealers, we add value, reassurance and some come back, otherwise, why exist. We make money on each sale and it is fair that we have to pay some of that back due to failure. I win on most, break even on some and lose on others. If at year end I’ve earned a wage and covered my ex’s I will never complain and even lose money to honour what I consider my obligations. No, I’m not a millionaire but I sleep well and people like buying from me because they think they can trust me and they can.

No, Sarah - well at the weekend anyway.

I did another one last night - the first from the new unit. Got someone coming tomorrow on the DS3 from Cornwall.

I did the other week say warranty is 1 month upgradable to 3 months for a ton - he paid a ton.

A clutch in my opinion is fundamentally a wear and tear item but personally (bring on the flames), I believe a customer has a right to expect that clutch to last at least to the end of their warranty period. Customers are always paranoid about clutches and timing belts from my experience. The only customer who pisses me off are the ones who know they are buying a sold as seen car (yes I know we shouldn't) and are happy to save £'s only to start spouting selective CRA at me. I have no issue paying out for almost anything to someone who has paid my retail price, my margin is high and they only see my "value" when they have a claim. Today, I have fitted a £354+VAT + Labour shock absorber to a TT. Am I pissed off, no, would I rather not, yes but I had £1700 across that car and just sold his PX for another + £1200. It's my job, the reason I rarely allow to be chipped and the reason people come back (the PX went to a repeat customer). I would have acted the same if it went on day 59 or day 1. Each to their own.

Tongue in cheek, usually a tenner for brace and jack

Or pay a £1 and get a replacement from a breaker.

Fingers crossed mate - a bit of extra bunce would be just the ticket. Write a couple of comms deals and my unit rent is covered.

Nice one Lucas - congratulations. I guess you only have £193,083 to invest now. EPV was right, this trade can turn £200k in to £100k. Seriously though, good luck.

Once a twat

It was Lulu & Take That. For the record, I like Benji - I think he has taken more flack than he deserves and I hope he sticks with it/us. There have been far worse questions asked by people with far less manners and humility. I agree his first post about a car he was going/had/hadn't bought was a nonsense but this post I feel was fair. I recall having a spat with EPV early doors but it's just advice/banter and I take nothing personally in any case and in fact we both speak as I do to others on here quite regularly now. I just want Benji to prove us all wrong to be honest. We are all on the same side of the fence, fighting the daily battle and all that.

I moved in yesterday afternoon - will send you some pics once I get sorted. That's the good news, bad news is bloody slow here, except for expensive (German) warranty claims.

I've only done 4 all with good margins but it is definately quiet. Competition is on James

To be fair to Benji - he listended to us about pictures and prep and has really turned that around. I am going to give him the benefit of the doubt and say that he will physically attend auctions until he gets the feel for things. I have bought lemons and plenty of them, both 15 years ago from the pitch and now. Providing like me Benji wins more than he loses, he will do ok. I have advised him to keep an open mind, rather than searching for specific stock and learn to recognise what has a profit across it, even if it falls outside of his desired profile.

They've just left, going to do some background checks and coming next week to run through the FCA online with me and talk me through their Online system. Cheers Justin.

When you say set you up; do you mean from scratch (I.e FCA app) or just set you up as a partner (I.e you already had an FCA)? I’m only asking because CB rep is coming to me at 9.30 today (and I don’t have FCA, which they said they can help with). Thanks

Why, by your own admission/experience, they're crap. It gets better Seriously Benji, you've come a long way in terms of prep and photogrpahy and I applaud you for that but the first, most difficult, most important thing is buying right in the first place. We all catch colds (I've had several) but you must try and limit your exposure and don't bid on older stuff without physically seeing the stuff. Good luck mate, I'm in your corner and follow your threads with optimism.

It's manual

Zuto use AT's FCA licence (I believe). I.e: I don't make the introduction and therefore earn NO commission from the sale. I also cannot publicise finance figures on my website.

If I sell 150 cars, I should make around £150k pre tax pre VAT (average margin). If paying £10k to faciltate that is required, then I'm happy. Caveat - I should finish on only about 100 cars in my full year (pro rata) but plan on growing to 150 Yr2 and Yr3. I rarely allow people to chip me and at £17.50 per £1,000 - I am quite alright with that. Of course, I still prefer a transfer but lots of people struggle to do that. Least favoured mathod is still cash - 1% charge, a walk in to the bank or PO via a pedestrianised area = too much hassle.

You can't use one size fits all valuation. I use it as a sanity check, comparing between CAP, AT and Cazana = pay the lowest of the three.