Ccstew

We use wet Henry for the worst cars it’s ace, also have a titan wet and dry which is great but a bit flimsy. Most stains come out with a good APC, scrubbing brush and cloth. Only use the wet and dry machines for the really horrible ones. We use Bilt Hamber Surfex, very good dilution rate so a little goes a long way.

Haha you could have warned me. I am On the bloody train poor dear behind me got a right eye full.

I have just moved to a forced rotation DA and the results are much better and faster than a standard DA, which on hard paint I found very frustrating as it can take a long time to remove the defects. A forced rotation however does have more safety than a rotary and if you can stretch to one i would recommend it. Look at in2detailing for ideas. Just as important as the tool is the pads and products you will use, I recommend you buy the small bottles first till you find a product that suits you and watch as many videos as you can on YouTube to steal their knowledge of pad types. Oh and beware of the Chinese pads, to me they all seem the same, soft which will not cut the hard paint cars so invest in some good ones and just look after them they can last a long time. You can get some amazing results with a bit of practice and when your ready move to wet sanding the results can be amazing.

I had the same issue with valeters, they just never achieved the standard i expected and it felt like i would end up doing the job again, so when my lasses contract came to an end she started doing it for me and is now doing well as a mobile valeter. I think a proper clean car makes all the difference when a punter turns up, no matter what the price range, the difference a really good valet makes to most cars when done properly always amazes me, even sheds look good! And agree about staying clear of engine bays unless you do the proper preparation first and that takes time which most people do not seem to be willing to give these days.

I agree with everything ex council says there are too many scams on there because people trust FB without question when as already stated it is so corrupt. However I also have to admit that it is my biggest selling point and I believe this is because of the number of users and age groups are so wide, So I am not sure you can choose to ignore it. Of course as with eBay and gumtree there are the usual suspects but just ask around how many people use the bloody thing and think if you could just get your car in front of that audience. The issue is Facebook deliberately change the tools and format so you cannot become a master as such and therefore make more money than them, and we are back to corrupt system, but then does not every system once it’s huge become corrupt. Use with caution as always but I think it needs using in this day and age.

Hmm BCA, I have to admit in the small time I have been trading, I hate BcA they are a necessary evil to me, they do not seem to care about small independents and the amount of running up of prices depresses me every time I go ( Newcastle and Brighouse) so I must admit I have never asked them, but Manheims, Glasgow Central, Aston Barclay, G3 all seem very helpful, although just as corrupt, they do go a bit further to help.

Ahh see maybe it’s the way I sweet talk them. Honestly I didn’t know you could do this until I was at an auction and one of the sales staff was wondering round a car describing it on the phone to some one, so I asked what he was doing and hey presto ever since it works.

A bit of background, I am very new to the trade, just moved from home to a very small pitch. I still buy what I like however I have recently needed to broaden my horizon and have been very pleasantly surprised. I had a very nice Kia Soul Auto (sorry EPV) which I was surprised with how good the build and quality was, and a Ford Focus which was a good spec but what a great car, So I have now started looking at everything that catches my eye. I love estates and autos, but now also see the appeal of good quality everyday cars, no I don’t try and compete with the big boys and always have to buy them at a great price but this has really changed my plans and made me love this trade even more. i also buy online at auction and absolutely panic each time as to what I am going to get, although I do find if you ring the auctions and ask if someone can go look over the car before hand and call you while at the car they seem very helpful and calms me a bit. I do still spend my week at local auctions finding other stuff and getting a feel for things which I recommend to anyone for experience. Also I need to start sorting delivery as the drive home is nerve racking, 5 hours in a car you don’t know I always sweat buckets.

Damn just bought a 2008 cooper s clubman with 60k

I have had a few in the past with no issues. The problem now is they are not cheap, use to be a time when they were half price as is expected, but now they are the same price as non damaged cars so why bother. One thing I have noticed is that less and less people are declaring them, two privates I was working on acquiring this month have come up damaged repaired, why not just put it up save us all time and hassle. No wonder they were cheaper. Did you see the watchdog thing on this the other week? It wasn’t exactly fair but who cares about that these days. It has probably scared half of joe public away from anything accident damaged.

I agree with the comment about Leafs being betamax, whatever we have now is no way going forward. When i was in the corporate world i ran a leaf for two years, at the start it was the dogs, so cheap to lease with all the grants, free parking in towns, charging places always empty and i could rock up any time of day and park in the charging spot, right in town. Really removed any worries about range etc. By the end of the two years i had had enough, everyone was onto it, this meant no more free parking, no more charging spaces free they are always busy and what do you do if you turn up and need to charge? It started to be come such a ball ache we went back to petrol. Oh and i had one of those Honda CRZ things in recently as a swapper looked forward to driving it wow how disappointing was that, what a piece of crap, much better to have a efficient small petrol. Not that it matters up North as we still love the black stuff! Be wary of the twelve bar life you could have 87% life the day you buy it and next day the 85% happens and you lose a bar, it really does need a simple way to see the actual battery life if these cars are to move in to main stream used market. Good Luck in your venture you are a brave pioneer!

Must be the week for buying in The Channel Islands I have just been asked the same question about one of my cars.

Hey trade vet not sure maybe the south end will be where the old power station was, the north end well there is planning for 300 houses so hopefully loads of new customers for me, just need Banks to stop being so greedy and get the area regenerated. Although if you don’t go to Cambois you won’t know the north end as I keep getting told by the delivery drivers. oh and the price I payed for sea views as well as peace and quiet would make you laugh when if you go 10 miles down the coast it’s five times as much.

All the comments are true for me to. I have moved back to the north east recently and into a normal working class area. I try and do my bit for the village, cutting the grass in the public areas, my wife baked at the gala day we help out as much as possible, I ensure the road and area round my house is clean and tidy, always make sure my cars look smart. Pick litter up and others dog crap on the field, beach and make sure I am pleasant to everyone even though inside I am raging at some of them and their attitudes but I do understand that since I am the one with the business I have to make an effort, it does not feel right, as everyone has said all we are doing is trying to make a living but jealousy is a big motivator and for me I just want a simple life so I play the game. I was lucky we had a traveller issue recently and I managed to get it dealt with quickly working with the council and local press, who also turned up as I was relaying the road and area myself round my property, they said they were very impressed I was smartening the area up, I hope they feel the same now I have filled it with cars! I do think you have to be bigger than the local busy bodies and not wind them up, at the end of the day if your selling cars and make a profit you are the one who is winning so smile be happy nice whatever it takes and go home and kick the cat or whatever lets you vent but don’t give them a opportunity to complain.

Nick agree somewhat, knowing what other people will do is a must as you say but understanding why they do it is a different thing.

What amazes me is that for the money these 80’s and 90’s cars are making, you can buy a good car. I loved them at the time but they have been way surpassed by much better machinery. Sorry I just don’t understand the nostalgia but if You can get them and sell them for a profit who am I too complain.

When Evos were popular Sold an Evo X to a guy in the Bahamas, he was over visiting his daughter at University and said he loved it. Took a while to sort shipping think in all it took three months to sell as he wanted it inspecting then had to be tuned for thier low sulphur fuel, plus another 6 weeks shipping. And an evo 9 to Germany when the euro was strong, he drove it straight back. Nice profit thanks to BCA writing it up wrongly in the catalogue doesn’t happen now. Boohoo.

Yes very true about great website then dreadful reality nothing more will make people run a mile. good thing is I am next to the beach so will use some local shots to hopefully welcome them in and not scare them to much. thanks again for all the great advice it’s greatly appreciated.

Thanks Ben Yes yours looks good and ideal for starting.

Thanks that’s exactly what I think I need to improve is credibility as Mark says it’s not an advertising tool but rather an assurance that I am real. Just think how many times people google something they do not know, it doesn’t matter if it is right or not they mostly trust it and I think a website gives you that edge.

Thanks BhM I have been doing all the things you have said with private cars and learned some valuable lessons which now makes me want to cover a few points I had missed, it’s taken me a long time to get the courage to go full time and invest my money but I have a list of things that will hopefully raise my visibility. i understand it’s not the be all and end all but it might just help with a sale and i am trying very hard to do all I can to encourage buyers to come to me and buy my cars.

Thanks that’s great wil, get onto them now

Good Afternoon I am just gearing up to start trading on my own and I am looking for recommendations for web site designers, all comments and advice greatly appreciated. thanks Stew