metcars

This Also, and it's probably just my area but 'salvage' 'write off rebuilds' seem to be an Eastern European thing. Not only the guys doing the work but the buyer demographic. My local 'write off' rebuild guy is Polish, he's worked in his front garden for a couple of years. He specialises in high end cars, BMW, Mercs, Audi, 5-8yrs old. He seems to do quite major bodywork, not sure who does his paintwork. But he's usually got a few up for sale. I cannot find any of his adverts in the usual places, and on the odd occassion I see him with a punter, they're are eastern european. I assume that rebuilt cars do not carry the same stigma back in there homeland?

This is one of the big problems with write offs. Sometimes the marker is applied, sometimes it isn't. Sometimes you think you have an 'unrecorded' which eventually has a marker applied three months after you sell it! As far as copart is concerned - "if the devil were to cast his net what a catch he'd bring!" There are some big sharks swimming in those waters, from the insurance companies, the salvage sellers, the guy that resell salvage after they've 'improved it'; down to the guys that repair it on a budget. I know there are guys fixing up write offs and selling them on. I've got a guy at the end of my road doing it. But i wouldn't sleep at night!

I've got two parents both in their late 80s, healthy all their lives. Non smokers, non drinkers and healthy eaters. My mum has just gone into a care home due to dementia, it's an awful condition. She was hugely proud of her intelligence and if not for the war interrupting her education could well have been a doctor. But sadly is a sick lady trapped. My dad (retired at 65) after twenty years of retirement is down for the endless cycle of hip and knee replacement (do you know they do a hip replacement under a local anasthetic while you are conscious?). They have ravaged he's savings and he's had to sign over half the house when it is sold to fund her care. When you are young you imagine retirement will be for a couple of years until you die, but death is long as slow starting when you are about 50. Personally, I hope my retirement is short and sweet!

I don't drive a smoker to save money, but because it's more practical. I'm not interested in buying a chavvy luxury car to impress the great unwashed, done that been there. I don't sit in a room warming my hands around a candle? My 'treats' and indulgences are not car related.

Winner winner, chicken dinner. But, still have to fix the fuel gauge sender This is a new car for me! But I can still throw it away when it dies and all I've lost is the same money as a good night out. I could be looking at £30k of German stuff in which case I'd be slashing my wrists. Please don't tell me new cars never go wrong.

It shows all the symptoms, doesn't it.

I know, that'll teach me

HELP! Last night, after it was sitting for a few hours it refused to start. It started and ran for about 5 seconds then cut out. If you give it a good long crank it will catch and die straight away. It is my front garden at the moment and I only have a basic code reader which tells me no codes. Considering the miles it's done and in all sorts of traffic, stop start and motorway I'd have expected to notice a fault. It pulled like a train, idle happily in traffic, no lights, no noises, no smoke.

"....a bird in the hand is worth two in the bush"

I thought I'd update Early Christmas present. I couldn't resist updating my smoker to a 56 plate Focus ghia 1.8tdci, one lady owner for all but 1yr of its life. Full main dealer history. 95k. Had a clutch. Everything works. Couple of hundred quid. Since yesterday and i've done about 300 miles in it without issue. Happy diesel days, even in London!

... and after three entries it will be 'fucked', everything broken or missing (don't leave the book pack in the glove box) and/or malicious damage.

I agree with everything above regarding big auction houses/fees/general section etc. But depending on what you have to sell, I seem to remember Chelmsford Aston Barclay used to be OK, plenty of privates at the 'Saturday' sales after a bargain! And being in the 'general' didn't make so much of a difference. To my mind, if you are going to sell at auction you want to reach private buyers rather than other traders so evening/weekend sales. I've had varying luck on Ebay, I always felt lucky that the sale went through, I can't imagine how guys can use it as their sole advertising method?

I thought DA was full of upstanding pillars of the business community? You guys make it sound worse than scumtree?

Groan

Couple of years back I bought a French ladies jetski for £2,500 after she got into my paypal account. Paypal were brilliant, NatWest were next to useless!

I hear that a lot. I am a city dweller and it suits me. I don't care for the countryside, way overrated. Full of bugs and manure! Also, it's mostly owned by rich people. I did think about moving to the seaside a few years back, but noisy, expensive and busy were words that I would use to describe that. I've lived in London all my life, the air is cleaner. Stopping dumping waste and sewage into the Thames has also made that better too. I walk my dog by the Thames and guys are fishing. That's a good thing, isn't it? There are other cities looking at the effects of ULEZ and wondering if they could do the same? Cleaner air and extra income, kerching or whatever you northerners say!

I feel sorry for you younger guys, you are under as much pressure to 'look good' as the ladies. Fortunately I am nearly 60 and nobody cares! I'm twice divorced. I've been a single dad to my daughter for the last 10yrs. Her mother is now a terminal cancer patient and my daughter fell out with her monumentally a few years ago. I am in that weird position of on the one hand 'not giving a fuck', but also where my daughter is concerned 'giving a fuck' if you know what I mean. We lurch between various attempts at reconciliation a couple of times a year. It always ends badly. I pick up the pieces.

Down here in the 'big smoke' Christmas is just another religious festival. I'm hoping I can get a kebab on Christmas day, or maybe a curry!

Tanks are exempt

Don't feel bad, maybe it's just me but I see loads of these misfuelling incidents. A couple a week I reckon. How much do they charge you and how long have you waited?

Yes, I've always thought the online fee thing is strange. They are charging you for saving them money?

Free market economy? The auction houses make huge amounts of money out of 'private/small timers', they know what side their bread is buttered.

I live about 2 miles from the boundary of the new ULEZ. I sell diesels as well as petrol. If you live near the very centre of London ie within 5 miles of Big Ben then the emssion zone charge is the least of your worries. Parking is the most expensive issue. Although I am effectively a 'London' dealer I have punters travel from Kent and Suffolk/Herts to look at cars. Diesel economy is still hugely attractive. It's only a matter of time before the 'emissions zone' cash cow will appear in other cities? I'm off to the block on tuesday, and there's a very nice diesel I have my eyes on!

He's going to take it to the 'ring'

Yes, but to be fair he certainly wasn't the first.