umesh

So sorry to hear that you're closing doors on your business , must have been a very , very tough call. It is sad as you say so many people selling cars , un-registered dealers making a few bucks here and there but killing the genuine ,small independent dealers. Will the government bring a 'licencing' system to operate a car sales? repair business , I doubt it . I wish you all the very best with your new venture.

Jack , Its a mixed bag to be honest .. AT brings in most but as we know it costs the most too ! Repeat / recommendations a lot local press / newspapers [ Yes I still do these ] -walk ins others a few motors, RAC [ Don't do eBay , Piston heads, AA ] Facebook/ twitter -[ little but feel there is massive potential ] Anyone interested learning more about FB Adversing and potential check out on twitter @FBForecourt -www.fbfortheforecourt.com lots to learn Think we're ALL Looking at getting more leads/ sales from all avenues which represent value , Different ones work for different stock / areas /prices etc guess thats why we're using different ones to get different results. back to 'one size doest fit all ' Will be interesting to see what others post - if they do post !

Its always tough call ... but as Max says some people just like to feel as if they've had a deal .. Last week customer travels from North Wales nearly 3 hours asked me over the phone what was BEST - NO PX Deal , explained this was a unique car and its priced right at £10500 - so sorry but that is the deal , says OK comes over test drive , couldn't fault the car ,says I want it but I want a deal !! I reconfirmed our conversation that I had not misled him in any way , so what should I do a deal ... eventually agreed to fill the tank full of fuel £50 - happy bunny deal done BUT he felt better as he'd got a deal !

Forecourt all ends with i.e £14999 .. on website like autotrader / motors /rac etc £15000 - when customers are searching on the website's it falls into 2 categories so if someone is doing £12000-£15000 or £15000 -£17000 - ! .. its strange because when customers come in most when chatting will say £15000 when its £14999 and the invoice will say £15000 anyway !

Interesting question Jack ! Look forward to seeing the results !

I don't use AMEX at all - costs are too high ! Hope you get it resolved quickly ! not good for cash flow for you.

IDEAS - IDEAS - IDEAS Please Team ! Just the initial thoughts and wondered what ideas the team can throw at me ! we all get customers of all age brackets and some bring their toddlers in anything from little babies up wards .. sometimes I feel the kids should also go away with something ..even if the parents don't buy anything .. something which is obviously a toy? game? etc as a marketing /PR Item .. what do you think I could use as a give away ?! Have to take into account safety ? liability et c ! Al ready do Mugs , Caps, T.Shirts , fleece etc that I use selectively to give to customers but somthing for the kids i feel would be a good marketing / PR ... Any thoughts ? PS - one of the ideas I thought was a little toy car based on my logo

I did wonder why you'd keep the name ? maybe I'm missing something ? with so much negative posts about 'carcraft' on the internet it a tough challenge to change it all into positives - I wish them good luck but for me the name has been tarnished ! As said free advertising but is this really a hood to sell the finance ? Lets all wait and see ..

Not always about price or dropping prices - I Try to stick it out.... but like all us ...the odd one does like to stay longer ! Gavin do you trade it ? auction it ? or simply drop price to retail it instead of trading /auctioning it ?

Great Idea Colin !. let the CRAZE Begin ....

Its good that you're cautious ! we all have to be too many scammers out there ! I also understand the fast pay cannot be recalled or reversed so if money arrives its safe to say its yours ! Train over to yours and you're laughing all the way to the bank .. good luck keep us posted !

I'm NOT Complaining at all... BUT What's happening to the motor trade , particularly the new car dealers [ Franchised ] , I don't know if it's the sales staff or the management , but I am very grateful as they are doing me a massive favour in obtaining some very, very nice cars. But I was under the impression that WE as dealers should be making it easy for the customer to buy a new car , easy changeover ALL in one easy transaction ? Let me get to the point ' Cash for cars' lot of dealers are moaning that they can't get their hand on nice, genuine cars, seems lots selling to 'cash for cars' type website here are a few extracts from my conversations with customers who I have bought cars from · Land Rover Dealer - to customer with a desirable BMW " You're better off selling it yourself , we won't give you the best price for your car , I suggest WBAC " · Mercedes Dealer to the customer with a Volvo " we will only sell your car to the trade i suggest you sell it yourself as you'll get more than my boss will give you " · Skoda Dealer " sell it to WBAC We don't really want it - A very desirable one owner Nissan , whilst i was collecting the Nissan his daughter came out and said would you be interested in the Audi A3 , I Said funnily enough I was just going to say I'd be interested when it comes for sale - She explained she was in the Audi dealer the day before having an MOT and asked how much against new/x-demo A3 - They told her " sell it yourself it's done too many miles and we wouldn't really give her the best price " - It's an A3 2.0TDI S Line Black Edition S-Tronic 2011- With 45000 miles FASH - · I can give various other examples , what is going on with the dealers ? As I've said I'm not complaining as I'm getting some amazing cars but seems the dealers expect the customers to do all the work and simply sit there order taking ! · any Thoughts ?

GG Think most manufactures have been guilty of this .. when things are good they pick and choose who will represent them and ask the earth ! when the bad times comes they are begging to be chosen ! #circles

Keep smiling ! keep taking the tablets ! Its not on fire - its not dead that means cars are selling .. think its a nationwide issue ! #StayPositive

Interesting ! Very mixed some main dealers help out a lot , discounted labour rates , etc but some simply not interested in helping at all and want to charge full retail labour rates! Most specialist helpful in trying to resolve issues!

Sadly some good some not so good ! Previous experience with some them they try to get out of paying for anything - even when genuine claims for failure and NOT wear & tear. Had good experience with a couple of the companies but they wanted more volume - understandable but from the outset I told them the possible numbers of possible up sell etc , so decided probably about 10 years ago not to use anyone , I prep my cars to a very high standard anyway so never had any big claims anyway but tell customers its 3 months /3000 miles mechanical & electrical breakdown warranty [ Explain what's covered & not and why ] Never had issues with customers and some who wanted 12 months warranty - told them unable to sell extended to them but they could always buy it on line but I cannot recommend any companies simply they should do their homework. The very odd customer who's been very insisting wanting 12 months I've knocked couple of hundred quid off to close the deal and told them same - buy on line and dealt them Looking at the money I've paid out on claims in the last 10 years - and how much I've saved - I'll continue to stand by my cars myself.

Seems most car buyers make the same mistake ! price. Always looking at the cheapest - and as we have know it's not all about being the cheapest , but 'value' Here's an example customer walked in earlier and came out with this comment "gosh , your car looks expensive" I asked what was that comment based on ? simply that it was a "60 plate car" wow what a comment not knowing ANYTHING at all about the car simply the 'registration plate'. I said to him very politely , have a cup of tea and let me explain why YOU may think it's expensive, at 1st he wouldn't even consider listening to me, simply it looked expensive ! Determined and wanting to get his attention and not being argumentative I simply " you don't have a clue " Any way long story short , I explained and showed him the cost of all the factory fitted extras , just under £3000 , plus the FSH, Plus the outstanding condition , and that NO GUIDE Made any price adjustments for the extras ! I also went on to explain I'm a dealer - and not just working from home selling from the side of the road so you KNOW who you are dealing with giving him peace of mind and all the other benefits that go with buying from ME. Although I didn't sell him a car [ he wasn't in the market] he did express that he now understood a lot more about buying cars and apologised for his 'uneducated comment' . We all think we're an expert but without knowing the full facts how can anyone make comments on products without doing the homework. And I say to sellers of anything if you want to be the cheapest you're not giving your customers the best service or product.

Personally I'd get them refurbished even if it pushes the retail price up 200-300 - and sell the benefits that they are 'as new' no damage etc ! I feel that will also show next buyers that the car has been well cared for etc....!

Future of the 'SMALLER' independents Looking and reading all the articles it seems the bigger are getting bigger , and the smaller are getting swallowed up by the big guys! or going bust! so what happens to us ? the smaller independents ! what is the future ? will be survive ? are we all just surviving and paying the bills ? Are we all making sufficient to keep re investing or just about hanging on ..for another year? Seems a very mixed picture out there, most who do admit the 'truth' are saying are going from month to month- year to year and cannot see a rosy future , it pays the bills ! So who can help -if anyone ? is it getting the right cars from the right place at the right price? is it the marketing platforms and that they could be bringing more leads /sales for less costs? is the small independent doomed or is there ways to change and its going to be the 'RISE' of the small independents ! Any thoughts ?

Biggest challenge - 'where do consumers' search ! ! When everyone starts to simply search in 'Google- / Bing ( Who uses Bing?) prime example - think most of us 'Google' ' and your car comes up in the natural search off your website its going to be the cheapest and best until then we're all going to be using AT, Motors, AA, RAC, eBay, Pistonheads , gumtree, ++++ and sadly with so many platforms to advertise on, ALL claiming to 'bring' results , all adding up to a a lot ££££££ per month spend on trying to get the right customers to buy. I'm happy to spend lets say £1k a month if I sell off that platform and make £3k - its difficult to justify spending £1k - making £1k who am I working for then? All about value and ROI ! I guess this debate will go on and on ...

Definitely made me smile !!

as James says most important ' Can I work with that person' if the answer is yes then all the other bits come after ! competent , smart, attitude you'll know within few mins if they will fit in with you ..! Good luck- keep us posted !

Sale or return can work for both parties , done a few over the years! Steve, as Jim says you are liable once you've sold it, just make sure you have enough profit should anything happen and I suppose if the car's not up to your standards then no point in getting involved , only yesterday I declined to do a SOR Deal as the profit potential against liability didnt stack up- but once I explained to the customer in plain English he understood the implications.

Will , if you look under events : Here's the link http://www.peckfortoncastle.co.uk/meetings-events-event-calendar

Been to Autotrader Master class today at an amazing venue , if you want to take someone special away this is the place, its virtually on my door step but never realised - well worth a visit for a day if you're in the area :http://www.peckfortoncastle.co.uk/ They mentioned a company in the US offering the simplicity of buying a USED car on line , complete transaction and delivered to your door , which on the face of it doest seem amazing , as I'm sure we've all supplied cars like this - but they also offer a 7 day ' test drive period' - not only that they promote you to read their ' worst reviews ( Very cleaver idea - reverse psychology!) http://www.carvana.com/ here is one of their promotional videos : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YvDUf1ydGoo Thoughts ?