CCC

Get a business account and use Ads manager. That gives you more control and enables you to be more creative. Eg you can create an ad to directly serve to people who’ve seen more than 50% of a Car video you upload, target people who’ve visited your website, etc. It’s really quite amazing what you can do with FB advertising.

Try living here. £250 per hour is standard for proper legal work (not conveyancing). I’ve never known a business put its prices up when supply exceeds demand though? Usually the other way round. However, my experience is that a genuinely good solicitor is worth paying for and saves money in the long run. I tend to use different ones for different things and have a cheaper option for stuff like legal letters.

That’s what it would take I think.

I think AT are scared of losing buyers to FB, CarGurus etc so are busy trying to increase the “value” of their product to the searchers in terms of more information. However they are biting the hand that feeds as pushing down margins and making the site less trade friendly will just more traders away and onto FB, EBay, etc. thus actually helping their competitors gain market share.

Looks like it's dependent on Browser. Using Safari Nick's MINI is Good Price and no marker on E Coupe, on Chrome MINI is only Fair Price and E Coupe has high price marker. Some lovely stock there BTW. I especially like the 03 Focus. Both my kids have them (£300 cars) and they are brilliant things, though one is getting a bit leggy after 4 yrs.

Understatement of the century?

How to bite the hand that feeds. Force margins down by creating pressure to lower prices. Frankly ludicrous. Consumers may live it but they aren’t the ones paying for it.

Just swapped the X5 at £800 for a set of tyres every two years for a 335i. Upside is cheaper tyres, downside is I daren’t floor yet on these damp roads.

Just bought a Genius Boost G40 today, 20% of with trade card, better than 3% with Amazon Black Friday deal.

Good article in this months Car Mechanics magazine on VAG and DSG boxes.

Looks good to me

I assumed you meant by shorting them! I wouldn’t advise trying to make money on Tesla shares, way too volatile. My advice would be to sell up as soon as they get back to the price paid or just cut your losses now. Investing in a company that’s burning cash instead of making a profit is a big risk, I was always taught only buy shares with money you can afford to lose. What’s the warranty on them and who’s liable if they are off the road? Heard some horror stories in quality (inc wheels falling off) including a friend who had one, although this was 3 yrs ago now so hopefully they will have improved. My brother loves his though. But he did lease due to concerns over residuals.

If she’d left most metros a week it would stained most of the drive the same colour. Hateful things, my wife’s first car and I seemed to spend most weekends fixing it. Last time she had any input into a car purchase.

Can't see this ending well. Which country will actually be in charge? Do PSA (who I'd think sell nothing in the States) think this will open up the US market to them where few other than the Japanese and Germans have succeeded? Do FCA think this will open up France and Germany to them? I can see profitability rising although volumes falling, which I guess (falling volumes) might be the future for all their brands. The French subsiding of factories might cause a few internal conflicts too. I fear Vauxhall will have no future manufacturing in the UK,. The Leave campaign forecast Brexit would see the end fo manufacturing in the UK and it's happening before we even get to Brexit. Can't say I think remaining in an EU where rules are flouted by other countries will help either.

Does sound like it will encourage a race to the bottom on pricing (or slow sales on fairly priced cars). No idea why they are changing what seemed a sensible and well understood system. My gut feel is that their income is dropping (after years of growth) so maybe rushing some changes through?

Love it. Though it's about the measurement and metrics as much as anything else to me. The Influencers are just a way of creating a brand from scratch and getting low cost publicity. No different to what's been said here too in terms of sales - if it's not working improve the photography, reconsider price point etc.

Interesting one but I think this summed it up so far.. ”Renault UK boss Vincent Tourette told Car Dealer Magazine his firm had been ‘in discussions’ with Amazon, but that it had been ruled out because he ‘did not believe in bypassing dealers’.” Amazon talk to everyone as they will sell anything they can. However it’s dancing with the devil and you need to consider the impact on your whole distribution network. A mate told me last year that Amazon had approached them and was very exciting until I pointed out that he’d instantly lose all his loyal distributors who actually generated his present sales. 12 months on they are still talking but nothing has happened as the risk is too great. Also, as a manufacturer I’d not want to have a partner of equal power who are better placed to dictate terms. So I will also watch with interest..

Anyone seen this? Any idea when it will come in? https://www.theguardian.com/money/2019/oct/15/car-finance-buyers-fca-commission-brokers

Same. It will create opportunities for many, but if it's no deal then expect credit to tighten as banks will become wary of increased default rates. Younger generations already have enough problems, this might just add to them. As ever I think the richer you are the more likely you are to profit.....so the reality is likely to be a no-deal Brexit leading to a Labour government within a few years as Brexit is not the magic panacea to living conditions/costs that Boris made it out to be and the electorate will vote for the next set of promises they are given. "The Revolution eats it's Babies", I suspect Boris and Dominic are about to learn this in the next 12 months.

We’re heading back to the 70’s, a big dose of inflation is probably heading our way, and the government don’t care as it reduces their debts. Interesting times ahead, increasingly so as no deal looks more likely by the day. Hope I’m wrong as transition with a deal will mean business as usual and a return of confidence.

Thanks

The warehouse my former business used tried to actively employ British workers. Took on 5, none came back for the second week. Meanwhile the Poles, Romanians etc, all put down roots, buy new homes and furnish them, pay taxes, spend money here. More so than the ageing UK population who's growing need is simply care (my mum spends £100 a month outside utilities, she has no need for anything as she's got enough clothes, furniture, etc. The simple fact is that the economy is a demographics game and with a rapidly ageing UK population we need new blood to fill jobs, pay taxes, etc. Without immigration then look at Japan for the last 20 yrs to see where our economy will go. And yes, we can export, but it's far more complicated exporting to India, etc. than France. For a start you'll be wanting payment guarantees which will cost you, plus exchange rate risk is far greater. Plus our currency will have to drop another 10-20% to make us competitive vs Eastern Europe (I left engineering around 2000 when it was clear many of the UK''s manufacturers where moving East). I don't see it ending well but for some of us, then yes, rich pickings.

What's the years on these to avoid? For us it's the BMW/Peugeot Prince engine - New caught directly but a few close calls out of warranty put us off them unless very low mileage. Generally find MINI's lacking in servicing as oil change interval is too great (they get more brake fluid changes than oil changes according to the schedule).

I’m torn. There will be rich pickings but for those who lose their jobs, businesses and homes then I have sympathy with those who just ended up in the wrong place and the wrong time. In truth we’ve had it too good for too long, and sooner or later we need a reset. I think those who think house prices etc only go one way might learn what those of us who remember the 80’s learnt 40 yrs ago.

Older is the way to go for reliability. Small issue of ULEZ charge to deal with, but maybe the lesser of two evils. My 1997 328 got to 200K miles without any issues....not sure many would do that now?