Harry George

Been busy and working by appointments definitely suits us if for no other reason than trying to whittle down test pilots and tyre kickers. Had the showroom doors open for 15 mins Saturday and 3 lots of people strolled in - none looking to ‘buy’. Biggest problem is replacing stock we have half what we normally do, prices unbelievable and although we are having to buy 1 or 2 very dear cars we are being cautious about buying 20 odd.

You would think AT would remove the webinar and email dealers to say that info is not correct. Being told by Lawgistics on an AT webinar you’d think things may have been checked. The host didn’t bat an eyelid - I nearly fell off my chair! We will carry on as we were

Umesh, exactly what we thought and have been practicing. I only posted after seeing last weeks AT webinar. The same person from Lawgistics was now saying, test drives if a deposit paid prior to coming and if a deposit had been paid a customer could then come and view (in designated area outside) before completing payment. This was to do with the interpretation of ‘pre order’ on the govt website. We all want to do the right thing but when a trade legal body puts out two very different messages it has got me at least very confused.

Even more confused after just watching last weeks AT webinar, I’m sure Lawgistics had previously said test drives were a no and that C&C had to be paid for in full prior to customer seeing car. The latest is that they are saying test drives ok if it’s a ‘pre-order’, with a deposit being paid in advance. We have been saying no to test drives on their previous advice. Now too with C&C they have changed interpretation and saying a ‘pre order’ and deposit paid you can let customer view car in designated area not in showroom and pay balance once viewed. I know we have lost deals by sticking to what was first said and am a bit shocked at the latest info. Where we find out for sure I don’t know, but I’m pretty sure the general consensus on Cardealer Magazine was no test drives and paid for in full?

The only reason we did it as a distance sale was to try and cover ourselves thinking we were doing the right thing. If there were to be an issue further down the line and the customer could prove that no contract was entered into before T4, we could have come unstuck as they then have a year and 2 weeks to return. As I understood it all deals in T4 were to be distance sales. The car is superb with top spec - unless you want power mirrors and all we want to do is get it back, wipe our mouths and move on. As said above I think we have just been unlucky, especially with our first ‘distance sale’. Thanks for all your comments

I think that is what distance selling is isn’t it free car hire for 2 weeks. I agree with all the comments above but as the contract was not entered into until we were T4 it is distance sale. Worst bit is we now can’t get car back for 14 days whilst they swan about in it. Car was as new when it went out and we will obviously take that and mileage racked up into account upon return. What a nightmare

Have tried to resist distance selling up until now, but we now have to if we want to sell any. Had someone twice view a year old BMW prior to tier 4, decided to go for it last week. We are now T4 so did everything we thought right giving the lawgistics distance sale paperwork etc. Taxed in their name at Po as change of class V5 gone to DVLA. That night they call saying it hasn’t got power mirrors - we knew that, never mentioned it advertised as such etc. They had the same car before so would have know where button was etc. Few days on and they now want to reject at the 14 day stage 11 days time but won’t put in writing until then. We have offered to refund and collect now. Could not make it up but guess there is nothing we can do. Makes me feel like not doing anymore but know we will be left behind if we don’t. Normal times normal sales you’d say I’m sorry but you viewed the car, this rule suits today’s public to a T. Any thoughts on anything we can do other than wait it out?

Hi BHM, I’ve got one with no V5 or green slip, tried the 24hour number and can only be done with doc ref, did you just use the generic phone number? Thanks

True be best if they pulled the site, imagine just losing your job and typing in your details for your £20k car you’ve had 6 months and need to get rid of - that would be awful. Doesn’t help anyone doing what they are doing.

Many German cars upto 20k including an Audi Q bought yesterday from BCA petrol s line late £21’s now £12k

Nice to see WBAC/ BCA trying to cash in, just ran a car through worth around £18k to be told it’s worth £11k! Obviously preying in the desperate. Not good to see.

Got a 2019 BMW new shape that they put out at £25k as old shape £26500, and the world is expected to trust them with price indicators

Good post with good points many will agree with, we do high spec stuff and just feel they are taking the P. Have dropped number we have with them from 46 and halved it, told rep we can’t find enough cars at the ‘right price’. I cannot imagine this sort of thing would happen in any other trade it’s just ridiculous.

Will look into some of the suggestions, thanks all

Been cleaning our own cars for 30 odd years now and I must admit it’s my least favourite aspect of the job. Every time we farm something out we end up doing it again. Currently using Austosmart Mirror Image but can’t stand the smell also you look at a car that’s been outside for a few days after waxing and you thinks it’s scratched all over as well as black trims being white - and we are careful. Anyone using anything at the moment that they are really pleased with?

Have done a few, nobody has mentioned them which is strange as they are very prominent. Have had people calling on great price sticker cars and the first question has been what’s best price - but that’s the public. I honestly thought AT would have pulled the idea, it’s not fit for purpose on many levels. I think they’ve actually moved prices down in the last few weeks when as per everything has gone up in January. But they must be right as they are never wrong

Gave up Cap and Glasses yonks ago out of frustration - they were often £5k in disagreement on a new car price on say a £25k car so what chance is there on used prices! The VW tool is very good I find. Retail back is the only way but that’s near impossible at the moment, on price checking a 66 golf match edition of ours last week there is a £3k spread on out prices, crazy. Wbac all over the place too headline prices top heavy at the moment, just no way they will be able to honour a lot of them. Strange times!

It’s easy enough to put a reg number in Govt’ Ulez Checker website and print off results, some diesel Minis 64 plate were Ulez compliant so don’t rule out any 15 plate without checking. September 15 onwards and they had to be EU6. Agree with advice given above in this case, hopefully you can come to an agreement with the customer where he keeps car. Mercedes were a nightmare for misinformation but that seems to have been resolved, many that were EU6 and showed as being EU5. Best one I’ve had was a guy buying a GLA who asked me to prove it was EU6 which I did, then puts a private plate from his last car on and receives numerous fines. Dvla can’t work out how to get round that - frightening. Customer got hump so much he wants to trade in again - and that’s after we explained it was the plate and to revert to age related plate! Not fit for purpose

It does work but will bring a marker on that doesn’t stay on long, well for me anyway. Btw Nick yours are live your silver C Class shows high.

You have to re do advert without putting reg and delete original ad. Will try what Nick suggested with no vin to see what happens with Experian and finance example.

Still waiting for one of those calls, got plenty £2-3k overpriced and one £2k under priced - that’s how absurd it is. Someone we know has got a 2019 Audi 2019 £10k under! I’ve seen fair priced £2995 cars nearly £700 above market. All it is, is more misinformation (they call transparency), in quest to become CarGurus. Can understand your caller Contracts asking the question and you are lucky to have someone else on it so quickly, but the first guy might realise he missed the best out there and it’s only AT that can be blamed. I can safely say after being with AT since the magazine days this is by far the craziest thing they have come up with.

I see it’s gone live now on pc but not yet mobile - strange. It not only says high price but tells the amount overpriced in their opinion. Removing reg removes marker but also removes Experian check and paid for finance examples! Another dealer I spoke to was told by his rep to ‘not buy high spec cars anymore’. You couldn’t make it up!

No you are probably right EPV, it’s a 2 series not that that changes much. With this particular car how can £6100 equate to £600 on such a late car was my thinking, it’s wrong imo. I can live with no sticker but we all know the red is just another hurdle. Regards

Had a go at our rep today - as usual a waste of time, then this afternoon get the email that 88% of punters expect better transparency (they don’t care about admin fees though obviously). I’ve got a 1 year old 2000 mile bmw with £6100 of extras that they allow an extra £600 for. Sometimes you feel like giving up, but there’s always tomorrow!

Funny how prices are more critical now and there will be 5 levels yet no mention of admin fees still, as ever, as transparent as mud!