Mark101

Looks great! I particularly like your second pic which is a text detailing the car. AT doesn't provide anywhere to write a nice blurb and you've done that well. Being Internet based, do you trade from home or do you have a unit somewhere?

Obviously, I am not VAT registered yet, so although I have made provision for VAT margin, there would be some £'s to come off the cost of sales (which show my costs inc. VAT). CAP Cln was £4350 on auction day and all the others had gone approx. 10% over CAP Cln

Thanks EPV again - I will do that next time. It is very close to the valeters, so I like to get my pics quickly before it gets too dirty,

PMSL Thank you EPV - I want constructive critisism and you're completely right - here's my rationale for the pic. Spot on, it is a nature reserve/circular walking route that I have done 14 miles around with my dog, in my quest to stop being a very Fat B4574RD and just become a Fat B4574RD. Trouble is, all of my other cars were pictured in that exact same spot (rather than with my home in the background) and I was trying to keep things uniform (it hadn't been raining the other days) and again, you're right - it is 500 notes too rich because I had built in contingency during prep - once it gets back from the workshop, I will evaluate what I can really live with and the likelihood is £5,495. I did pay strong money for the car, so it isn't greed but I really refuse to give stuff away especially when buying stock is so difficult and all that time is a hidden cost many don't factor. I might also reduce the warranty allowance and offer an "upgrade" instead of chipping or as a way to achieve incremental margin. By the way, you will never offend me, so please continue to be frank. Thanks again for taking the time to reply

Clearly, this is one of this forums favourite subjects - AT (sorry). When I key in the VRM and mileage, I get a rough guide price. Is that based on everything currently advertised with AT or CAP or Glass's or whole of Market and how realistic would you say it is? My cars are all advertised above the AT valuation, why do I do that? All get PDI, Full MOT (even if there is 10 months left), valet, warranty, service (irrespective of when it was last done) and any paint defects addressed and although not VAT registered yet, I am still factoring my VAT margin because I do not want to get used to being able to "pocket" and extra few hundred quid in a deal for when it inevitably is forced upon me - This doesn't come cheaply. I trade from home and rather than have swarms of people picking over one because it is cheap, I want 1 person (hopefully the first) to appreciate the extra value that few hundred quid buys you and walk away happy. Having said that, even when I had the pitch, I would rarely be allowed a chip beyond £100 or so because I knew that the right person would be along eventually. One example (my only one on AT at the moment) https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201803184688829?logcode=visc&fromSA=true

Me too but the BMW dealer is literally a coupld of miles down the road and for a sensor, it'll be buttons with BCA buying power - me it'd cost £thousands which is why I was happy to take the deal rather than kick up a fuss.

That's true! I did have a preview before the auction as I live within half an hour or so and I saw the Mini (same colour, same age) and thought some poor sod has bought that completely unaware that it is absolutely hanging. That one (above) looks well though

TFFT! The one in Wolverhampton looked lovely - opened the door and wow, smell of a 60 a dayer nearly knocked me out.

Fair play to BCA - Online win 1 - damage not recorded on Appraisal (although I had seen it) - discount £250 agreed over returning vehicle. Online win 2 - beautiful and came with full BMW history, top of the range Parrot media system and then - traction control fault upon collection. I returned immedaitely to BCA whom have since booked in to BMW main dealer for repair. If they cannot fix or it is uneconomical to fix (i.e. more than a speed sensor according to diagnostic AA patrol on site), they will cancel the sale - although I hope it gets fixed as it's a minter otherwise. Last weeks Physical buy - Fiat 500 (with Assured) has since developed a bearing fault on the gearbox, unfortunately diagnosed outside of the 48 hr Assured timescale. On the whole, I was treated fairly I think and I am pleased with the manner in which BCA treated me. Only inconvenience was paying for a taxi there and back and then again tomorrow presuming the fault gets fixed.

Popped my "Online" cherry today - I do mean at BCA! Having listened to all your opinions, one in particular - I went and viewed all my watched lots prior to bidding online (not quite as good as hearing the things run but with assured and a preview, surely going some way to damage limitation) - discounting 3 of 15 as scrap and coming away with about 12 viable options. I then came back to the home office, made a coffee and read this forum in between lots before bidding and winning. I won two lots and will collect tomorrow - where I will probably get buyers remorse and want to turn the clock back - 2 BM's one cab, one hatch both reasonable mileage 60k ish and apart from a small scuff on the cabs bumper, look almost retail ready (obviously subject to PDI & Prep - fingers crossed). Hatch £200 over book, Cab £500 below book.

Thank you All for your help and encouragement - very much appreciated,

Weren't in Wolverhampton BCA today were you? Can't recall the reg (or year for that matter) but I saw A JCW conversion there today.

Great, thank you both. I get the credibility standpoint but I presumed (listening to all the AT complaints regarding cost) that it would be hugely expensive. Please can you give me an idea of expected set up and ongoing costs please, so I know if someone tries to "have me over." Thanks Guys

Obviously, I am now back in this game after 12 years out and starting to gear up. Please can you tell me what you recommend in terms of website and the associated costs. As I am a home trader, I will only have a maximum of 12 cars at any one time, so I am wondering whether it is worth the investment as I advertise of Ebay and AT and that surely gives me better coverage than my own "little" site - is that enough? I have looked at some of your sites and they look fab but you have many more cars than I do/will have. I just know if I make an enquiry with one of the many providers, I will be bombarded with rep calls every minute and I am not sure if it is worth having my own site (or at least not yet). Thank you in advance. Mark

Obviously, I am now back in this game after 12 years out and starting to gear up. Please can you tell me what you recommend in terms of website and the associated costs. As I am a home trader, I will only have a maximum of 12 cars at any one time, so I am wondering whether it is worth the investment as I advertise of Ebay and AT and that surely gives me better coverage than my own "little" site - is that enough? I have looked at some of your sites and they look fab but you have many more cars than I do/will have. I just know if I make an enquiry with one of the many providers, I will be bombarded with rep calls every minute and I am not sure if it is worth having my own site (or at least not yet). Thank you in advance. Mark

Just show final price - what value is there in showing the screen price? We don't work for Currys

That’s easy - Lamborghini has a 9000 rpm spin cycle - dries your towels really well. yes Tewkesbury is closed as is Castle Bromwich which are the two I used to use, together with Telford Motor Auctions (now Wilson’s) - I do like Telford, there is no arrogance at all there but they just don’t get enough suitable through for me, lots of real cheapies though and some seem to buy 10-20 every week and probably flip them for a couple of quid.

Hi trade vet in honesty, I’m too green to define what sells and doesn’t (I’ve been out for 12 years) but I am working on units around the £4K trade, retailing between £5-6k with probably one hi-roller £50k because the markings (if you get it right), seem more in line with the margins I made all that time ago. I only have 4 units in stock at the moment but I’m trying to ramp up and quickly - but NOT at any price. I am still in awe of how frank you are all being, it is so helpful for me - so thanks again

I can see their logic but if they bothered to really analyse data, it would tell a different story. Yes, many classic car enthusiasts loves and spends more time maintaining and polishing their pride and joy than they do driving the thing, howver - they are not all £200k E-Type owners. I reckon we all know where we will find 40 year old Land Rovers and the like being driven around with bits falling off - right next to the family Vauxhall.

£40 extra to buy online - money I could spend on my dealers breakfast! Thanks for your comments both

Interesting concept Arfur Dealy thanks for sharing trade vet.

Price is NOT the only thing - timings are crucial but we can't always predict that (apart from 4x4 coming into winter and cabs coming into summer). You need the cars prepped right, pictured right, good advert without grammatical errors and wait for that one person. MGM makes a casing example!

As recent start-up (restarter), I had to use my 4 years private no claims and I pay about £1400 upto £20k per unit unlimited stock - for my wife and I to drive on business and/or socially. I'm 44, 3 points (SP30) and live in a Worcestershire.

Hi Neil Obviously the higher the car value the higher the margin but also the risks. Rather than aim for £1k per car, work out a margin to work to (it's how I operate). (Take your value and divide by 0.8) IMO - £1k out of a £10k car is not enough. You should be aiming at 20% margin from £5k and above - this is my opinion and I am sure someone will hammer me for saying this. Yours costs will be: Hammer Price + Indemnity + Assured + PDI + Service + MOT? + Warranty + VAT Margin + Transport + Fixed Overheads and only then + Your Margin. This will inevitably put your car above the cost above the cheapest on other websites. My advice, don't try and be the cheapest - prep right and use your skills to sell. A sensible buyer, the type we all like to deal with, will not mind paying a little more for the right car and they will buy from you. The only way to sell cars cheaply is to buy cheaply, often meaning lower quality, higher miles and less prep = more screamers - that's not where I want to be, especially as a home trader myself. Sell fewer, sell smart - that way, you will not be a busy fool. Also, I think anything much north of £5k and you need to be thinking about finance and/or card payments - perhaps another issue trading from home.

For the first time yesterday, I used BCA Online and I wanted to ask what you guys prefer (I predict the answer to be, prefer not to buy at auction but many of us do, so here goes) After spending many days, trying to buy stock at the right money at various physical auctions - often walking away empty handed (but a full belly, love auction cafe), I thought I would try BCA Online on the basis that I am warm and dry and can drop in and out as my watched vehicles come along, it also has all the information at my fingertips rather than rifling through a catalogue propped on my knee whilst holding a coffee in the other hand and a pen in my teeth. Yesterday, I had several online bids but was seriously outbid on 27 cars, most making close to retail money. Was I dissapointed? No - because at least I hadn't spent three of four hours hanging around in the cold, breathing in some carbons then only to sit in traffic travelling to and from to no avail and burning the ozone. So, the question (for those who use auctions: Physical or Online please and can you trust the mechanical/damage reports as I will only bid on assured vehicles online. Regards, Mark