Casper

Its always good to get a contact like that where you have seen there previous work .

Get yourself down to costa David

Like you say Met it's a good idea .Have done in the past with ex motabilty cars Infact I know of one guy and that was his business he had a contact and bought the ruff ones in bulk and got them perfect then sold them on . I remember going to the local garage with my dad years ago late 80s as a lad the guy was making good money from salvage he had a contract with a few insurance companies at the times he actually did ok Into the 90s up to 2006 before he retired and sold the garage but that was doing unrecorded ex hertz stuff etc . In 2006 he did a mondeo Zetec 3 months old at time 06 plate 3.5 k miles in black turned out a nice car but was cat d he sold that very cheap eventually and was good repair his brother was a great painter panel beater ( he used to fit odd number plates really annoyed my ocd lol ) I considered buying it as my daily driver at one point . In comparison he had a basic black mondeo same age and 7k miles he fitted zetec alloys of a break only which sold no problems for about 2.5 k more .

my trousers and jeans come from Asda or Tesco Normally go for black or course good old primark I bought a few sort of nice wool jumpers last time I was in Tesco in grey and black good for the winters and snow here . actually very smart do you buy your polo shirts online Mark . thanks again .

Funnily enough my mate stopped doing it for the very reason Jason .says the customer always has his number He had all the branding stuff and stopped using it says he just prefers the stock plain now and thinks it a better look only time he changes plates is if there delaminated etc then he buys them from factors or internet ..

Thanks for your input It was really just out of interest Mark . I always like to hear people's thoughts and views and appreciate them cost isn't really a deciding factor some times expensive isn't the best and neither is cheapest etc . I've a few different makes but it's probably out of handyness as the auto smart and Nielsen men visit regular .

Think I pay about £10- £15 a set . Made up just checked but a local supplier nps offered me a basic printer for about £450 with some blanks etc which I thought was reasonable . I only fit plates to my own cars so paper work is easy enough although as You was saying you get the odd call to make up plates I just say I don't sell them retail . It's always best to be squeaky clean .

I'm sure sports direct bought it as there own brand. Though the factory shop sell it too here so they must supply them . The sweatshirts and t shirts/polo shirts are actually ok quality for the money and for working with doing valets etc . They sell not bad work boots and safety trainers too .

Is fairly easy to use the machines . last time I made a plate was with a manual jig and the spacer was missing that thing was off the ark and I never really mastered it perfectly though the guys I worked with could use it cause they were used to it .

I agree thank you for the reply I sort of mix it up a bit too

Im always open to advice I tend to sort of mix and match my valeting box of chemicals I've some autoglym autosmart nielsen etc any advice on good valeting products I should be trying or what your using ?

I used to use branded clothing for years but its by its best now and I've also ate all the pies and gained a few pounds . I've been buying t shirts poloshirts and sweatshirts from primark sport direct and a few from eBay just slazanger or plain ones to go with black trousers or jeans sort of smart casual Promised my mechanic I use id get him some decent gloves and overalls Any other recommendations ?

Motaprint there stuff is excellent google it its the first one that comes up . there not the cheapest but there stuff is good quality .

I prefer it I'm not much older than you but been involved in the trade in one way or another since almost leaving school at 16 which seems a lifetime away now the years fly by sometimes I look back and wish I had did more motor trade and business training Although at one point i was buying cars for 4 -5 separate companies in my late twenties not on my own granted the owners etc were helping out when they could it was at times they couldn't make it to auctions etc as well as buying and selling my own stuff and never got a minute to myself I much prefer it the way I am now . ive scaled it to down to buying for 2 companies regular who become more like friends than associates and buying and selling my own stuff and much happier now .

I registered as a number plate supplier some time ago who do you guys recommend to supply the equipment etc to make up the plates . im unsure yet if I should keep going to the factors I've had some ok prices in the past for printers etc that probably only works out about 25-35 sets of plates to buy from factors and got me thinking I should ask you guys and girls your thoughts I think it may take me a couple of years to get my money back but think in the end for easy of use etc it would pay me If I decided to go down the changes ever set of plates idea ..

It was actually something a friend said to me that really got me thinking his dad passed away last year and he said you cant spend time with them when there not there I guy used to come to the auctions with me he's passed away now was older than me and sort of looked up to him I remember when he died his son said to me at the funeral after we both carried the coffin he wished he had said more to him they hadn't seen each other in years he said i cant speak to a headstone that really touched me and probably got me thinking i should spend time with mine when i can . Its not about how much we make etc if i make a living wage now I'm happy your health is wealth .. my dad says sometimes i factor in both i might take a car to there house to valet it etc

Yes exactly . Id probs rather pay the money for the straight car rather than £1500 less for the write off factoring in the repair costs get someone to do the job etc and still have say a cat n against it would need a good saving for it to be worth it . Thats a good saving Mark you can see the appeal there thats exactly the point I'm trying to make .. Would need to be saving around the 2.5 to 3 k to male sense to me and would think a customer would see it that way too . Ive seen a few st diesels on copart part look good value and have often been tempted

I do agree but I meant like for like I looked at golf gtds there was one in copart looked reasonable . But on ebay they were asking silly money with airbags popped etc for £1000-1200 more you could by a straight one from bca As i said in earlier post I've not got much experience with copart only heard stories the company I used to work for the guy used to buy ex rental salvage from hudson kepel trading as scratch and dent . They were fairly new he turned out some nice cars .I think a lot of those cars are probably ex rental

Wasn't in it in a big way to be honest but I've gained knowledge off it now maybe to go back to that in years to come I'm happy doing away just now I've always had a passion for cars but being honest i don't worry about what I drive myself now 10-11 years ago i was doing much more than I'm doing now . bigger bills more stress etc now I'm actually enjoying it . It probably wont ever make me a millionaire im only stocking around 5-8 cars now so probably similar to your set up . Im unsure if i really want to go bigger again . I think it had an impact on my health and I'm not a fit as I was ten years ago but do get more free time to see my parents etc now who are getting on in years . so I guess it swings and roundabouts.

Always have a back up plan I did a bit of property land development years ago alongside the motor trade . Keep at it you will I think you will do ok .

Its crazy money some of the dealers are asking for salvage could almost buy a straight one from auction for what some of them are asking on ebay.

Its the staff I always feel for I've actually noticed a few dealers closing..and wondered if it was a sign of the times. I noticed at the start of the year Hardie of Larbert were closing there doors too .. probably about now as the director said it would take a few months to wind down think that was more to do with Peugeot want him to spend a fortune to keep on upgrades for the franchise .. as there changing there Stirling branch to suzuki The same also happened with a Peugeot dealer called Ladyacre Lanark up here in Scotland . Ive also noticed his other company Ross of Lanark are no longer a Vx franchise .

Me too really me made laugh normally with me they all turn up on the viewing

I would say around 30 percent cheaper its has to be tempting enough for a buyer. The main thing is making sure the repair is done correct I've seen some cars over the years with terrible panel gaps poor paint etc