metcars

I must admit BCA has the better website, always has. Much easier to search for stuff. I think that the Manheim website and Simulcast is fundamentally flawed and they are having to iron out the kinks as they go. Not good enough in this day and age. Like I said, school kids can make solid websites, god knows how much Manheim have spent on their IT so far, someone must be annoyed!

I've had hassle with simulcast too. Keeps dropping out and losing connection. I just thought it was my crap virgin wireless router. I'm pretty sure they could get any high school kid to build a website that doesn't keep crashing

..... is down "again" for maintenance! What a surprise!

Oh smeg!

..... and white Astras. I remember back in the 80s when a white Mercedes would only sell to a wedding hire company or turn into a "landmark", whereas now its right up there with silver and black. Let's hope white stays popular because with all these prestige vehicles finished in white it will be tough to sell an 'AMG' fridge!

An Audi R8 can easily 'carry off' white but can a Vauxhall Zafira?

White is the new black, or at least it seems ok to buy a white car these days. If its a 'prestige'/performance car then it seems white has to also include 'drug dealer rims' and 'gangsta' glass'. But, are older cars still a struggle to sell in white? I remember a story from a few years back when I had a couple over to view a car. The wife liked my blue car but the husband preferred something he'd seen elsewhere, obviously white. They had a huge row and she said "I'm not driving around in a f***ing fridge!". I'm guessing times have changed?

It's a shame that Car Dealer Magazine can't do a "So you want to sell cars ....." type sticky for newbies?

Plus, the chance to sell them something else! Kerching

I reckon more money changes hands at BCA Blackbushe in a day than coutts bank? I bet the toilets aren't broken in Coutts, and you can sit down while you write your cheques!

....... even worse when you consider how much we have to pay for the privelege. Not just the buyers premium, but remember all those payments being settled after the sale you'd think they'd lay on dancing girls and limo's! There are very few 'wholesalers' of any product that would treat their customers as badly as car auctions. Sorry I forget that you might get a bacon sandwich and cup of tea after spending 20k?

That's true

Is Bedford one of those branches that on the face of it should be getting decent stock, but in fact is just used to 'punt' carp, a bit like Paddock Wood?

..... still none the wiser?

Unfortunately, you cannot trust the auction houses to be as honest and accurate with their descriptions as we have to be with ours!

You're a 'full time' student?

Totally agree, You do what you do best, and they do what they do best!

..... you get another one of those "I really like your car, what's your best price, I will deposit funds in your paypal account, i will send someone to pick it up as I'm too busy at work" type emails. Again!

MANHEIM PRICE PROMISE! "Price promise. We undertake to be the best value, that's why we publish all our prices"

Umesh, a 'cheap one' is going to need work to perform. Even if you dont spend a fortune 'dressing it up' for offroading, it will at least need to be reliable and you'll have to make it that way. At the cheap end of the market, regardless of what make you choose, rust is going to be the big problem. As far as 'spanners' go, you'll be getting them dirty. Breakages are part of the fun? The people that offroad, and who's opinions I trust, have good things to say about the ability of those little Suzuki jeeps, for the money they are hugely capable.

Asda car park?

I've usually got an old mk2 Mitsi Pajero as a daily driver. Outstanding for towing and winter driving. I've owned a few, I had my last one 10yrs, and it was up to 250,000 miles when I moved it on. I'm not really into the 'off road driving' thing, tearing about in gravel pits or creeping up mountains seems a recipe for disaster when you need the car working on Monday. But its attractive having a strong reliable vehicle that you can rely on to get you practically anywhere and back home again. Including fishing trips and being able to get a washing machine in the boot from Makro! But to answer your question, modified LR's are not really 'cheap' fun cars. And if you're used to driving your friends LR then you'll appreciate the advantages of a proper 'low box', diff lockers and event tyres. That probably rules out an old rav4. Those little suzuki jeeps have a strong following and are hugely capable but like LR can rust to pieces. Try and find a Mitsi Pinin without rust and EML on too. What sort of offroading are you looking at and do you own spanners? :-)

......and its just had a main dealer cam belt!

Auctions work for me. They're not perfect by any means, but .....

How about using sawdust to quieten down a noisy gearbox!