Mark101

In the grand scheme of things and as far as admin goes, I am very happy to add each car bought or sold to MID but if I could find a way around updating the bloody stock book with every single VIN, REG and CHASSIS detail, I would be a happy man - it is the ONLY part of the job I hate doing - I have always hated admin. I don't buy as many as most of you, probably 3 a week on average but coming back and filling in the stock book, starting an excel sheet on that specific car, writing key tags out, preparing adverts etc is so time consuming and doing more than one at a time drives me mad. I like buying them and I like selling them and the sooner my business can accomodate/replace two salaries the better (wife and I) - I do the buying, selling, garage stuff and she can manage the office (which is what she does now for a large dealer group).

I disagree with the majority on here. It takes seconds to add or remove a vehicle from MID/cover. Just wait until you get one nicked and your insurance say it wasn't on the MID - or go through an ANPR en route to MOT, Valet, Test Drive or the Like and it picks up the cars plate instead of the trade plate. For me it's a no brainer and it also shows the insurance company that you're a proper trader - remember that post the other day about someone having to prove they're trading - well there's no doubt looking at my insurance portal. It might be a bit belts and braces but if an ANPR equiped patrol car follows me, both the trade plates and the actual car are both shown as on cover - might save a pull for displaying TP's inside the car (which I will continue to do).

On my MID Tradewise - I get the option to state whether the vehicle is for sale or own use. Moreover, I was told that vehicles need to be added with 14 days of acquisition. Just in case, I will continue to add every vehicle which is in my custody or control - it takes 20 seconds and remove once sold - another 20 seconds.

As soon as I see 1.0 ECO BOOST - I'm out.......

Put all the cars in the sold section and say, they have only left a deposit, if you can better their offer...................it's yours

I do transfer all ownership at point of sale: Sold car file has: Signed Deposit Form Signed Invoice Form Signed PDI Form HPI Certificate Notice of V5 Transfer/Registration Signed Warranty Form (now self administered) Tax Online (if I have performed the taxing on customers behalf) I should (and I don't) add a copy of the advert too (a pain becuase decsription, apart from mileage, MOT etc differs slightly on each platform depending on number of words allowed)

I love Paul Schofield, so much better than his brother Phillip who used to do his James Herriot impression on a Gofer

I don't think it is the amount of prep you do that is neccessarily wrong, more the time it takes (delay in getting them listed and sold). You're losing weeks in some cases before an advert goes live. Also, IMO the A6 passenger door is going to bite you - arguably a safety issue? 90% of my stock is listed within 24 hours of purchase and then fully prepped and ready with new MOT, service (+ whatever it "needs") within 1 week and lately, sold within 20 days. Only ones that fall outside of that is anything requiring bodyshop work (waiting does my head in) or electrical "issues" which seem to really drag on. Caveat: Your images and presentation (pictures) are amoungst the best I have seen (lose some of the cliche IMO), your website is top quality, you advertise everywhere and have a funding partner, credit cards, self administered warranty - I think as a newbie, you should be applauded. Just speed things up between purchase and readiness for sale is my only advice.

+ 1 on vacuum pipe/servo

Then you use reserves, knowing that the money is coming - no?

It depends on what package, I have a deal which includes my prevenance (HPI type) checks - about £50-60/month

I know, I get a notification on YouTube everytime you upload a video (I am a believer (sorry subscriber) Simon.

I subscribe to Cazana, which works well for me - quite often it brings up the last advert (if there is one) of the car you are valuing, together with who was selling it. Quite interesting - doesn't happen everytime, just sometimes. It also gives you a good retail price based on live market data I believe.

They're just getting back in mate - they asked me to call them back in a month (that was in February) - because they would be up and running by then. Couldn't wait so I'm with Tradewise. Anyway, back on thread: I have two stories: First, I was selling my boat and someone asked if I would part-ex his motorbike, a Honda Silverwing with an Interstate fairing. Well, I had never heard of them but wanted to the boat gone and a deal was done. I listed it on Ebay (2009 this was) and had more Watchers than I have ever seen on any listing ever and made a fortune on something I didn't even know or like (rode well though). Other week, sold Passat DSG estate for top money (great margin) only to take his older Passat DSG estate in chop - sold it the same day and made another good margin. £2,500 across the two deals in 24 hours. That's what I class as a good PX

My policy is unlimited cars in my custody and control but limited to £20k per car and I only smoke one at a time and wife has company car. 5 is a joke surely, you can't work on that level can you? get a couple of stickers and you are really limiting your stock.

I have a 7+1 package with AT, so I know your pain -12 in stock average and have ditched Ebay now and also not renewing the Shpock experiment (it was an experiment and I spoke to almost all of Jeremy Kyle's guests)

When I was about 18, I worked as a valeter for about 6-12 months at a main dealer and also an independent. Back then we used to completely steam clean (I do mean pressure wash, not a steam generator) everything - seats, door cards, dash the lot (avoiding, stereos and clocks obviously). Far fewer elcectricals back then I suppose.

+1

I have had the excat same thing on a Range Rover swapper. WFT - just send me the V5, don't tell me you will start it soon and send it soon after that - what a waste of time.

I had an Alfa Sud 24 years ago

Yes Benjiv - I have ordered 50 of their generic self administered books and I can't wait to use them. I do my own invoices and PDI in Excel though becuase I think it looks far more professional than a hand written NCR pad, just my opinion (+ I love Excel being able to copy and paste VIN numbers between documents instead of hand writing them each time). I sold a Clio last week and amoungst the paperwork was the previous dealers invoice and warranty - I shit you not, it was a rubber stamped A4 piece of paper with reg, model and price on - the warranty was the same format and said engine and gearbox only 3 months.

Many people already know the CRA - from reading forums, often misguided by the way. Why would you advertise it? I think you're reading too much Benjiv - just buy a car, prep it well, make sure service history is in date (or do it), get it sold. Deal with claims morally - for example, wear and tear is largely excluded from warranties but (sometimes) things get missed and if after a few weeks a brake pad warning light comes on (presuming they haven't clocked up overmileage), then I would do that - morally, this is correct. If on the other hand, someone phones after 3 months, you need to be firm and say that the brake pads are obviously a service item and not a fault. It's just about being a decent human being, treat others as you would wish to be treated and all that.

Then you should've hit delete instead of submit.

As long as the margin from the Mini washes the PX's face - go for it - you've little ot nothing to lose. 1.6 is a big engine in a small car mind.

Right, had WW on the line today after sending a stinking email, with some bullshit about they haven't actually rejected the claim, just that the lady hadn't followed the correct procedure and would I consider staying with them if they contributed to the cost - this is where I lost my shit.... I said that I couldn't give a shit about the £200 it cost to fix the car, I care that a nice straight forward young lady bought a car from me in good faith and it failed within 2 weeks - she called you for assistance and you said no, well you didn't say yes. Had she had called me, wear and tear or anything at all within a couple of weeks, I would have paid out and she would have been happy - can you promise you will do that? No, instead you insist on her following a set procedure when she is already probably upset about her new car failing and then reject it anyway. Long and short, pay me back for the last 7 warranties and cancel my account - job done!