metcars

I dropped in last week and it appears you can jump in again when they are first started. They used to be quite strict about not letting you in them. It has to be said that the vendors do have a point, I remember being at BCA Enfield on a Saturday morning when a bunch of young guys were "red lining" every BMW there, if they were my cars I'd be mightly pissed off...? I also know one particularly trader that, on a saturday when the auction is full of mostly private punters, deliberately 'crunches' the gears when trying the clutch to make the cars appear to have a problem

It will never happen they make huge amounts of money out of them. Just out of interest how do guys get on with being able to jump in and try out clutches?

They are on a mission to save the general public from this scourge. After all everyone knows all car dealers are lying douchebags, it's common knowledge.

I'm glad you said that and not me I helped a mate take the door card off a merc estate last year. Beautiful car but under the skin its full of pop rivets and plastic crap

I'm with MrC. I'd spend half my time selling/sourcing cars for family and friends at "mates rates" so I don't get involved any more.

This is of no help to he OP but why does it seem incongruous to discuss a BMW with a running fault, after all they are made of girders and never fail. Whereas if this was a Scenic or Clio with a misfire it would be almost a cliche?

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/TOYOTA-RAV-4-2-0-VVTI-CENTRE-EXHAUST-2000-2005-/222497950218?fits=Model%3ARAV+4%7CCars+Year%3A2005&hash=item33cde94a0a:g:l-4AAOSwZQRYW9bf Job done!

Dropping your wife at the station while she listens for a noisy wheelbearing, or dropping your kids at school because its 'on the way to the MOT garage' are lame excuses. I do feel that trade plates are one of the small privileges they offer us in the motor trade, and as we all know privileges can be removed? Don't make it easy for them?

I guess that's ok if you take your daughter to auctions? Or if she has some other connection with 'motor trade'. As said above, it's all very well for 'barrack room' lawyers, but I wouldn't like to have to explain myself at the side of the road? You may get away with it once, but two strikes and you're out!

The Cmax has gone. Couldn't stand the hard seats and having to peep around the a pillar. Replaced with a 'chancy' '02 Focus tdci estate (I know). It's done a few hundred miles already. Got a little noise when cranking over wihch I'm hoping is just an old auxiliary belt. I don't normally bother with older diesels to sell on. I tend to think that a diesel estate that is serviceable and able to pass an MOT will be run into the ground, only a terminal issue will see it at auction, but so far so good.

When I retire I will write a book about the stories and adventures I've had driving cars back from 'the block'

I tend to 'not' click on links like this. I'm probably overly cautious but it all seems a bit 'spammy'

I didn't think 'part time' trading was possible?

..... but Clio's and Scenics are hugely popular. Not everyone wants a 5-8yr old German performance saloon

Another reason they should leave motoring to the men folk and stay in the kitchen

Quote: Lady Drivers....... Some car dealers might try to overwhelm their customers with technical terms they may not understand" Straight out of the 1950s! At least you didn't mention the little lady I showed this to my daughter who immediately started organising some angry women ready to chain themselves to your fence!

Spam filter fail

This has been mentioned before but they usually do turn up, just after you sell the car. Seriously, hopefully it will be the next thing that they get rid of. It's all done electronically, private punters can inform DVLA of keeper change, just more dead wood. Dealers don't need them and private punters can get a note through the letter box to say they are the new keeper the same as the little note that tells them they are no longer the keeper?

... but be prepared to have your account deleted! Seriously, Manheim have done huge amounts of work to their internal systems, but in my opinion they have never been worse. This is the problem when customer interfaces are designed by 'engineers'. It's not just me, card upgrades don't happen. My buying account should show all purchases but their are some missing? All pretty basic stuff to fix I'd have thought

Does your wife 'freelance' because I have a bad wheel bearing I'm trying to diagnose?

Plod have a quota to gather in. It's much easier pulling guys with trade plates than chasing bank robbers with shotguns

Spam

I think the government tend to listen to the police and local authorities as far as trade plate useage is concerned, not the motor trade. If the police make a case for trade plate use being abused then they'll be withdrawn. Don't forget that 'road pricing' is coming, that was the primary reason for updating the DVLA website; to allow for monthly payments as well as paying VED. Who knows how these changes will affect the motor trade, and In the great scheme of things trade plates are a minor issue.

What you're saying is common sense, but common sense does not apply with DVLA