Andy Entwistle

yup !

We have a Qashqai is up for sale on Autotrader. Received a text today offering a fairly reasonable price for the car (well over trade)... Of course, my BS meter went off the scale, if you go to the website they're using Autotrader colours and similar logo's trying to fool the public into thinking they're part of AT group ! Of course its a con and if i had follow through apparently i would have got to the point where i need to give them a deposit for them to buy "MY" car.. Has anyone else had these yet, i'm guessing they just focus on what they see as consumer cars. I guess some poor sods must really fall for this scam?

Well. I've just bought a car with an interesting history. Its a Rover Tomcat 220 Coupe and its original owner was no less than Prince Charles !!! It was then bought from the dealer who supplied the royal family with their cars for Rover by a friends grandmother who's owned it ever since ( 20 years). Cracking car, absolutely original, with all its tax discs. every MOT and full service history and Even its original V5 ( remember those 1 page pink and blue ones !). Its covered 57k. I've bought it for our trading up feature, i'm hoping the history might help push the car up even more. Either way, an original 220 Targa coupe with 57k must be worth good money

Does anyone know ( or indeed is anyone) an Audi or Auto box specialist who can help us with a problem with one of our trading up cars, Auto box is playing up and i'm trying to work out if its the box or ECU thats buggered and of course whats its likely to be to fix.... tried Audi owners forum, no help whatsoever !

Box now out the vectra, def an M32 and wearing a large hole where the bearings tried to escape.....

A lot of the internet sales sites won;t accept high quality pictures these days, so when i've used my digital SLR i've had to spend ages dumbing them down... at least with the iPhone, the file size is correct !

Car dealer Dunc and I are traipsing our way through London and passed a dealer where a friend picked up his new car many years ago at midnight on new reg day ( back when it was once a year!) It got us thinking, does anyone still do that, do you or anyone you know open at midnight on sep 1st for customers to collect cars?

Do you agree?

Thanks Gavin

Someone must have hacked my account , damn them !

Hi Gavin I'll take that info too. My best mate has a 1.9CDTi vectra and his box self destructed last week, i've just been looking at the best option for him.. Andy

It's been a real struggle with trading up this last few weeks. We've moved a couple, but it's been hard. Holidays and weather I hope....

I once owned a car who had a sister, who once sat in a lot next to a car that was owned by Elton John's hair stylist. It's all documented....

Hi Jim Watch this space for a series of new CD events specifically aimed at apprentices and the future leaders. And I promise we'll be coming to Scotland with it!

I' open to bribes to set a few prizes for the trip as I 'fix' Mr Baggotts crock... Ahem, I mean MX-5

Charlotte. Drop me an email, I think I can help. (Andy@blackballmedia.co.uk)

No surprise here. Would be interesting to know if ANY MP's have ever worked in our industry... i doubt it very much

Thanks GG, will give them a call

Its that time of year where a lot of people are off sunning themselves, i know footfall has dropped with most dealers i speak to, maybe this is why? My question would be, is this Consumer or trade related? I can understand a drop in consumer ad's if people are away on holiday, maybe Motors is more susceptible to Consumer fluctuations ?

Oooo now thats something a bit different. Let me know what it looks like mechanically, that could be some fun !

We don't all have access to banger stock and some of the people signed can't get their hands on low end stock, so if you take anything in thats cheap and ( hopefully) reliable enough and would be happy to let it go cheap enough to others who are signed up to the event list it here. Alternatively if you're looking for your Bangers car drop a note in here and hopefully someone can help.. Think of us as the Cupid of Bangers.... I've already had 3 people ask me to help find them a car, so if you have anything let me know.. A reminder The car should be no more than £750, but ideally under £500. Ideally enough ticket to last beyond October As its given away to BEN at the end of the event to be sold for charity we're looking for deals, so that hopefully we can realise them a nice sum of money....

Assuming the guy was a dealer in the first place, he would be in for a big surprise. Some dealers think that saying its a friends / family car, or is a trade sale, precludes them from their liabilities. But this isn;t the case. He would have certain obligations simply because he's a dealer and i think if our fries at TSI got hold of this they'd have a field day !

Nope - £150 a wheel.. PLUS VAT... I think thats a bit of a liberty myself !

Thanks Countryman I dropped them line, after a couple elf follow ups they did come back to me, but wanted £150 a wheel ! Thats a bit rich in any language, especially when its for a charity car ! Thanks for the suggestion though

This was pre "Car Giant" days, but i agree, these guys have hit on a formula that works very well for them. Agreed, Some consumers want good service and support and will pay for that, some are prepared for a stack it high sell it cheap approach if its cheap enough ! Andy