DBCARS

How does instagram work? Are they paid ads? If your asking me im sub 5k

Blue Chip Warranty’s are Great and also have self funded option

There are pros and cons to the packages but good point about sticking stock! Which package did you take out and how much does it cost per month? I do achieve top retail prices on Autotrader and I’m not sure I’d get that on the cheaper platforms but who knows? Do you still get the weird named enquiry’s on the paid package? Autotrader also have the price markers! I did notice how Car Gurushow how long you’ve had the Car in stock and I didn’t like that either !

Been using autotrader for a long time I was on a paid package but it works out cheaper to do pay as you go adverts with them. I just find run of the mill stuff sticks a bit on there unless my pricing is too high. someone mentioned Exchange and Mart? Bit old school I know but I’m going to look into it. Don’t fancy eBay Motors Group after the negative feedback on adverts not going live I have heard about this but thought they’d fixed the issue. I asked them and they said it was dealers using words they shouldn’t like cash, covid which will automatically pull an advert because it violates eBay’s policy. I really am starting to think eBay is a sinking ship. gumtree is full of beggars and motors has never been great. Car Guru might be worth a punt?

Hi Thanks for the reply! Maybe I will give Car Guru a chance then and just upload single pay as you go adverts to Ebay Classifieds. Do you have any other suggestions for Advertising?

Hi im a small used car dealer based in Leicestershire selling cars in the price range of £1995 - £4995 so im the bottom end of the Market. I currently hold stock around 15 cars and I advertise them on Autotrader PAY AS YOU GO single adverts Im finding the smaller engine cars and run of the mill stuff isn't selling too well on Autotrader so Im looking at other sites to take a pay monthly package on alongside Autotrader. So my only 2 options are Ebay Motors Pro which includes the websites Gumtree and Motors or Car Guru which includes Piston Heads Ive checked similarweb.com to view the traffic and hits per month and Ive done some research amongst friends in the trade but its a very mixed bag. 14 Cars on Ebay Motors Pro would cost around £420 a Month Plus the VAT 15 Cars on Car Guru would Cost around £210 a Months Plus the VAT I just want to know which one would return the better leads I have heard about some issues with Ebays Portal or Stock not being Live on the sites? Have Ebay had there day? Are Car Gurus building Momentum? I would like to hear your opinion please on who to go with as I really need the extra Exposure especially with the Run of the Mill stuff which is sticking on Autotrader. Thanks in Advance

I used the Autosmart Evo 3 for years and they recently changed forumula and it now comes in a black bottle, not as good so im swapping back to Farcela G3 Liquid Compound. You are best to use a Rotary Polisher (Mop to people like me and you)

Sent on 19th December, Cheque hasn't cleared and I haven't heard a thing from them yet!

Fiver looks great!! Im well impressed

Looks Great !!

I will take a look, thanks!

Ive never heard of them, if its a do it yourself logo company then im not interested as I am looking for something spectacular, I want a really good stand out Logo!

Looking for a Logo Designer to redesign my Logo, not happy with current the guy not answering the phone or doing what I ask. Preferably someone who knows the Car Trade and Can come up with a Stand out Design. Looking to add Business Cards, Signage, Clothing, Etc....

All of a sudden I feel very young! Hahaha

Some of these so called traders sell some right sh!t, some of the stories I get told are quite unbelievable! I had one guy come to buy a Kia Sorento off me and the one he'd just been to see had a starting issue, the seller had bodged a can of easy start into the door panel with a tube from the can nozzle end, he'd drilled a hole through the side of the door into the engine bay where the pipe was fed to the air intake, so every time you got in to start the car he said it just needed a couple of squirts and it would start without even opening the engine! Hahahaha

Possibly, but its the way I am and I can't do the job any other way, I find some people are still really picky even on my mint stuff which just winds me up as I know whats out there and mine are amongst the best on offer. But the good thing is when you get a customer thats been elsewhere or looking for a while they really appreciate a good clean honest car and are often taken back and say "we've seen some right sh1t" which of course signals to me that this is now in my hands and no negotiations are going to be happening. I think if I move onto the newer stock then il have no problem in the prep, its just a bigger market place with more choice, I will need to choose wisely and try to work out whats going to sell well and what isn't

Couldn't of agreed more, this is what im good at, I go to town on every car I have in stock regardless of age or condition, I do whats needed to bring it right back up to the best it can be. I spend alot of time on prep, advertising, photos, etc...

Agree with you here but I already prep to the highest standards possible even on the cheap stuff Never had much luck with high mileage stuff, when you say miley newer stuff, what sort of mileage would you consider as miley? Thanks for your insight, this is one of the main reasons im trying to move on up a level aswell, to escape the bidding wars im currently finding myself in with a certain few other dealers who sell there stock under market value and with no prep, no warranty and they just bid bid bid and often I have to pay too much, its always the same faces and they end up taking it personally and in the end they bid on what ever im bidding on even if they don't really want it! Thanks, the cosmetic prep isn't a problem to me, I always prep to a very high standard, what im trying to do is escape the repair bills ive been getting of late, the cars im buying are end of life and im having to put extra money into them to bring them up to road worthy condition, I am hoping to eliminate this by buyer newer stock. Thanks, what do you find sells better the low mileage older stuff ot the newer high mileage stuff? and what is your golden rule on maximum mileage to buy? Interesting take on things, I didn't look at it this way. What I tend to get is alot of guys looking for an estate car to use as a van, instead of a van, some have said its more of a disguise to thieves, as they've had there vans broke into numerous times and kit stolen

Hi Everyone I have currently been selling cars for around £1500 and under £2000 and its time to move on. The stock is getting harder to find now in good clean condition and the margins are getting lower and im finding every car needing repairs and the bills are taking away my profits. I want to start buying some better stock, slightly more expensive stuff but unsure of the market place as such, Maybe some £2495 stuff and some £2995 stuff and maybe some £3995 stuff and some £4995 stuff. So my question is really what makes and models to steer clear of and what sells good at this price point! I have in the past done well with Diesel Estate Cars, and Mainly Peugeot/Citroen stuff as I think it ages well with no rust and people tend to like them at the lower end of the Market. However moving on up I want to stock what ever is going to sell the easiest and what is going to have the best profit margins in. Things I always try to do well are find a car with decent miles and full service history with low owners, this has worked for me in the past but I need to be more target specific with brands of car and types of car. I have never really sold sports or performance cars, I kind of stuck with the Family kind of stuff as the customers are generally easier to deal with. Any pointers out there? For example I know some guys sell Jags, some sell VW / Audi, Some sell 4x4, I just want to be able to see a car and spot the value in it right away, for this ive mainly stuck with Diesel cars as most of the petrol stuff ive struggled with but its so diverse out there its unbelievable! Any help / advice greatly appreciated

Thanks, you make it sound so easy, I sell alot of French cars, Peugeot & Citroen but not sure this is going to be successful with the slightly newer stock as the market seems saturated with them, I do well with Estates and Family stuff, unsure weather to move onto sporty stuff or German stuff such as VW, Audi, ? Interesting point you made about the £2000 being the new £1295, I will pay more attention to this! No im in Leicester, DBcars isnt my trading name, I just used that as a Forum name! Thanks thats very reassuring! Thanks Kelly thats super helpful, it did cross my mind but some of the valets we do take 1 full day and would probably cost in excess of £100 for a mobile guy to be able to take a wage out of it... some stuff just wants a quick clean though so might be an option. This has become one of the most challenging areas for me as handing the responsibility over to someone else to valet the cars to a high standard as me and then paying them a wage... Stressful, so will certainly look at sub contracting someone!! Thanks will check my Inbox! £30 to £40 a valet sounds perfect to me! Im going to try and find a good mobile guy, any tips? will he use his own materials etc..? Thank you. Are any of you guys on the Facebook Car Dealers or the IMDA Groups ?

Im clearing the older stock as its becoming nothing but trouble to me and the margins are becoming less and less with repair bills so im going to try and move up into the slightly more expensive stuff in a hope to have more profit margin and less hassle prepping cars for sale. I have 2 cars left in stock, I normally stock around 7-10 cars at anytime, I have limited space until I move to new premises which has stopped me from growing the business forward. I currently use Autotrader on a Pay as you go basis, I sold around 100 cars last year (2017) the year before (2016) was probably a better year with around 120 cars and this year has picked up again with around 130 cars for (2018) Most of my current stock is £995, £1495, £1995 stuff Im hoping to buy better stock but a bit unsure of what price range to be aiming for before people start needing finance etc, im thinking cars from £2000 - £5000 with the odd few cheap bits, I have done well off the cheap stuff in the past and most of it you can have £400 - £600 out of at cars under £1500 and they sell quick but just lately ive hit a bad patch of cars that are needing £200-£300 worth of prep to get them right before sale and its completely taking my profit and the fun away. Just a couple of ugandan pigeons in there sir !

Sounds great, you are a step ahead of me, I am only 35 years old, I started the job when I was 19 yrs, I used to sell cars that I bought from Auction off my mums front drive and it progressed from there, I have to admit that the lack of money has been whats held me back the most in this job as every penny Ive had to reinvest. Ive made alot of mistakes and ive learnt the hard way but also had to work with small profit margins on the cheap stock, looking to change this and grow, my biggest fears are big bills, I am a one man band and the time has come where im going to have to take on a valeter - This worries me somewhat, also currently using Autotrader PAYG - Not contract, I was usign Gumtree for a couple of years and it was ok, looking to swap back to the new Gumtree/Ebay package, but thats another £350 per month, cheap I know but if im still using Autotrader and new Premises, website fee's, Valeter, it all adds up. Hoping to get some tips, If you don't mind me asking, what do you pay for your rent per month and how much money are you working with to stock your 25 cars as this will be my magic number I am to aim for!! (you can PM me if you want it to be more private) Thanks guys, hopefully we can trade some advice! 16 Actually, I started when I was 19, Ive had 2 real jobs in my life, both lasted 6 months each, I came back to Car Sales, put more effort in and its paid off, think I was a biit young in the early days, its all about what you put in to what you get out, and I didn't have much money for stock back then. I have however learnt from my mistakes, I have developed into a great valeter, know all the tricks and more, I learnt and studied body and paint and can now re-paint cars to a high standard. I have diagnostic equipment but my mechanical skills are not so great, I do understand alot more about the mechanical side of things but cannot really use the spanners for much more than changing drop links hahaha

Hi everyone, newbie here, stumbled across the forum. Looks a great place to learn, interact and get involved. Ive been trading for just about 15 years now, cheap stock under a couple of grand and building the business up slowly. I started off as a home trader which I hated as I felt unprofessional, I then rented a small office space with valet area and room for 5 cars, I am now moving January 2019 to a bigger premises with 1300 sq ft unit and parking for 25 cars. So I am happy to keep learning and looking to progress up the ladder to slightly newer stock, get warranties and legal cover in place and get proper website up and running with option of being AA approved etc... Lots to do, New logo & branding, looking at other advertising avenues apart from Autotrader.