jamslug

I have loads of parcel shelves and book packs that I forget to put into cars... woops. But I have them for sale etc

On the whole, if it's the customer service side you are worried about , they are quite good, however I have an ongoing issue at the moment where my account manager is not replying to emails etc. Depending on the size of your business, (or how valuable you are to autotrader!) you will get a rep who will visit you and sort your problems. If you are not spending much money with them compared to the big boys you will get a telephone contact, and that can be quite frustrating when something isn't being done. I am guessing you are not yet advertising with Autotrader and would like some opinions before you sign up?

Fortunately not. I am a Gold Card diva. Used to get some stuff from them a few years ago and they gave me a Gold one ever since.

Thanks Metcars. Guess what I have just gone a bleedin done? Bought a 2007 Focus Estate with 110k ... BLIND . Not a clue what it will be like.

I don't ever use auctions to buy my stock from. But someone has a rather specific order and Pendragon has one going through BCA today. Do you know if, in general, their cars are particularly bad or do all the p ex's go through? Thanks James

Yes, they do for me , but shhhhhh . Don't broadcast this please WD1 ! We wouldn't want them to find out !

I was speaking to a "road side trader" last week , although he has been pretty annoyed about the new changes as he usually dumps these piles on the sides of the roads, his exact words were: 'F*** the Po. I am going to leave them there anyway, they will never know, in Plymouth there are not enough police and they don't care about un taxed cars anyway'. So from that, I don't think anything will change and they will continue to trade on the road side and drive our prices down. boo

I would love for this to happen. Just hundreds of dealers, one day hand in their notice . If that happened, then the price would come down. Without us dealers, they have no business.

I have thought about a DMS but I don't want another monthly overhead. I have had a software developer create a custom DMS for me that just does what I want it to do. I am going to try and run an excel spreadsheet for this and see how it pans out. Unless anyone else has other ideas?

I have been using a pen paper, notepad , phone notes and I just lose track of what people are looking for. I need good way of keeping this side of sales organised and free from lost opportunities because I have lost the tiny scrap of paper or forgotten that there is a note saved on my phone. I am just wondering how you guys keep track of orders and requests and is there a fail safe way of not losing these valuable leads? Thanks in advance, James

If I were to tax one online , and then send off the v5 document. Surely when DVLA receive the log book after it has been taxed, then an automatic refund will be made to the previous keeper of the tax you have just purchased?

I have decided I really CBA with all this rubbish. The post office was the best option this morning. They give you a duplicate receipt too so you can give one to your customer. On the plus side it is a lot quicker now as they don't have to write out loads of tax disks.

I have a few cars on the forecourt with outstanding tax expiring next year and in a few months. What will happen to the tax on these cars. Will it just disappear on the 1st as the cars are 'in the trade' or will I be able to continue to drive them? Will this outstanding tax be transferable to the new owners, or will it disappear when they are sold? I understand everything else , just not this part. Thanks

Well done for winning the award. A big pat on the back . For me, the new car reviews are not much interest to me as they are no relevance. I would love to see more articles and reviews geared towards the used car industry, for example apps that could help, reviews on new products to make our lives easier. Like valeting products, new schemes and software, new potential suppliers. Rather than reviewing so many brand new cars, maybe review cars that are coming up for 18 months or 2 years from release, so that we can read the good bits and bad bits about cars we could potentially buy in for stock. Actually that would be a great idea, perhaps including the different spec levels and the differences and then a desirability rating. Then cars we really should avoid for stock due to the amount of warranty claims associated with them etc.... ... that is my idea. Once again, congratulations with the award. James

Hi Sparky , they are purchased out right . I have given one a go , it should be here today or tomorrow so I will see . A 62 plate Astra 2.0 diesel SE spec .

Umesh. Just had a browse of your photos from your site. They are fantastic. Brilliant. Really no need for a snazzy camera. And I must say..... WHAT A CRACKING SET UP. Very very impressed. Seems like you have it down to a tee.

CJ underhill asked me a question on my camera topic. So this is the answer. I am really clued up as to how important social media actually is. 10 years ago I am sure if I said to you the following, you would be wowed, amazed and want it now. 10 years ago: Right Green Giant, what would you say if I could make everyone have a small hand held screen in their pocket that they look at on average 110 times a day and up to every 6 seconds in the evenings. (True Fact). This small device is YOUR blank canvas, you can just show them, send them and talk to them about anything. So you can tell everyone that you are doing half price MOTs for the week. You can tell everyone that you now offer 0% APR. You can now tell everyone that you have an amazing Renault Koleos that has just come in . And you can tell them this whether they want to hear it or not, they will still listen and read and can not escape your business, promotions and used cars. Now this actually exists, you think it is a load of bull crap. It isn't about jumping on the band wagon, it is about keeping up with the way we are all changing and interacting with each other. In another 10 years we will have all evolved to not actually be able to speak. Then Facebook will be the only way. I do sometimes pay to "Boost" a post. This way it is forced in front of people . I do this to increase my facebook presence. The likes explode and it is shared multiple times. The reason is simple and has been proven to me, just like this..... .....The other day my phones rings to tell me that some girls are out the front looking to speak to me. I went out and it was two random strangers.... but were they really strangers? NO, they new me and the business very well , well a lot better than I knew them. They had been at the receiving end of my posts and pictures. They were on the way to a local attraction and passed my forecourt. They recognised it as the Garage from facebook so decided to pop in, they wanted to meet me and see what cars and services we offer. I didn't even know these people existed, I had never seen them before but they knew an awful lot about me and the garage. Just a thought for the day. A rather long thought for the day.

I am going to start a new topic about the importance of social media. Because my camera question has been answered. lol .. ... that is where I will answer your question CJ

I will like yours if you like mine Wheeler Dealer https://www.facebook.com/Uglsales

Neither do I , I am talking about my trade ins , facebook ; a better disposal method than auction and Trade-Mail . You can target the people with none of the monies and sell them 4k car on a 60 month term . Morally wrong , I know, but the commission can be good

But what if I told you this..... Every single car under £5000 that I put on Facebook ...... I sell through facebook . Why don't you chew on that fact along with your muesli this morning .

Green Giant makes me laugh. You do have too much time on your hands though

Another question.... I am guessing it is illegal to describe an ex rental vehicle as one owner , although one would appear on the log book, it has had hundreds of drivers . Is this correct ?

Yes they are, maximum of 3 year olds. Also do you know if you have to declare they have been used as hire vehicles?

Thanks Wheeler , might give them one chance to get it right with a Mondeo estate . If they mess it up, back to my other sources.