metcars

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Posts posted by metcars

  1. Posted

    I think this might work for cars that are almost new but not for cars that are more 'used'. Images on older cars often don't show the whole picture,you have to see it in the flesh, nearly new cars are more likely to be accurately described.

    It might also work for someone that wants to buy from a longer distance if they can't find one closer to home and already are familiar with that make or model.

    I know quite a few people who buy from Japanese auctions but you ain't gonna return it to Japan if your not happy ;)

    As regards the Japanese auctions, I understand that all lots are viewed through terminals even on site and all bidding is therefore electronic. But, and this is a huge but, the whole system relies on honest and accurate descriptions of all vehicles by their auction houses! In that respect they are much further down the metaphorical road than our auction houses with vague/conservative descriptions?

  2. Posted

    Also bloody pisssed off that I got the car and the last owner or someone took out the sat-nav nissan connect sim card. So that's going to cost me another £120, not happy. Learning curve I guess. Tried looking her up on FB but no luck. Would she take it out if buying new again?

    You could try sending a polite letter to the previous owner with a little something to cover postage. Sometimes all the documents and/or spare keys get lost on its way to 'the block'. I've found Manheim to be pretty good about forward on things like this after the sale, have you chased it up with them?

  3. Posted

    In my early days I's think nothing of buying a V6 Vectra or Galaxy for example. Fast forward 10 years or so and it's like I've been brainwashed my some tree hugging cult. I now see a V6 as the food of the devil that can only be slayed by a 60mpg, £30 road tax eco warrior excuse of a car dressed in corduroy:(

    Hmmm VED banding is changing again in 2017 i hear?

  4. Posted

    Worst for me, Meriva, Corsa, and always struggle to sell a Focus.  Best Clios, Vectra, any BMW, KA never struggle.

    Funny you should say that.Back in the day I couldnt sell enough of those V6 Vectra's, even when fuel prices started climbing. And boy were they cheap at 'the block'!

    Strange how many of us struggle to sell what what are described as 'bread and butter' cars?

  7. Posted

    Hanging around a large dealership for a few crumbs off the table was how I started back in the day. But, nowadays. I would imagine that unless you are offering them to 'mates' only, you'll have "supposed" traders from everywhere trying to buy them for tuppence? These days it seems everyone is 'trade', and its easy get insurance, business cards etc.

  8. Posted · Edited by metcars
    interrupted

    I'll second 'quirky' stuff too. Although at my end selling cheapies, Focus/Astra/Fiesta's always move as they are cheap to run, but the odd oddball can usually be a nice little earner. Interestingly Corsa's turn into 'landmarks' here!;)

    I wouldn't even attempt to sell a BMW here, I find punters only want stamped full BMW history but are then happy to cram them full of cheap pattern parts? Even on the old bangers I sell, and in many respects more so, as with a set of 'drug dealer' wheels and 'gangsta glass' they can be made to look a lot newer!

  10. Posted

    staff are good in Washington as well, Leeds can be a bit hit and miss i think

    Is there a system in place like the more you spend the better rates you get ? ( anyone know?) i only buy about 20 a year at the moment but im sure i herd a guy at Leeds saying they were paying for a golf trip for him but he spent 2 mill last year or something

     

    think my account cost £60 about ten years ago but you save more than that on your first car so not to bad

    the whole idea of buying 12 cars before becoming a trader is pathetic.. id be giving at least a £100 more than the next man.. for that reason il never try until it changes

    Manheim will only charge you if you fail to buy 12 cars in a year.

    Just out of interest my local BCA makes everyone below gold card pay £500 deposit for a bidder number. Must be a pain if you are just starting out and fancy a couple of cars. You can't really keep running out to front office to queue up for a number, so that means you'd have to buy a 'block' of bidding numbers. So, for example 4 bidding numbers means sticking £2k on your debit card. With 2 sales a week and bearing in mind refunding your card if you dont buy, that money would choke up your bank account. I understand why they make private punters register to bid, but it sounds harsh for blue and silver card holders who have already had to declare their trade insurance and proper ID to get hit this way?

  11. Posted

    I did it online so no Christmas post problems. Yeah I agree that they r very helpful over the phone so will give them a bell in the morn. I'm not writing off bca either. One step at a time for me. Cheers. 

    Problem with starting at BCA is that you have to "earn" your way to a decent trade account rather than 'buy it' as with Manheim. Which means, having to buy 12 cars to get on a gold card. That's 11 cars at what amounts to private buyers rates, which is a big "ouch". Gold card level is the minimum place to be with realistic fees and other 'perks' but its getting there that will cost you.

    Just my opinion....?

  14. Posted

    I think its a little bit naiive to expect the auction houses to adopt a trade only position when they are making an "absolute fortune" out of those buying as private buiyers! And if they did, who would take up the slack, just watch the buyers premiums go through the roof.

    My young nephew has just started out as a plumber and spends an absolute fortune every year being "accredited" for this and "accredited" for that "Corgi" this and "Corgi" that, its all BS. Fact of the matter is,  you are going to ask for help from the great minds that gave us "the scrappage scheme" come on! I can guarantee that in 5yrs time you will all be on here moaning about having to pay £600 a year for a tin plate to put outside your house that says you can sell cars?

    • Like 1

  15. Posted

    Perhaps we need to temper our enthusiasm before "waking the sleeping giant". Historically the motor trade gets very little help from the council or Westminster that either makes things either more difficult and/or more  for honest traders! In my area of East London the local council have various weapons in their arsenal to deal with rogue traders already but for whatever reason choose not to use them? I'm not convinced that "even more" legislation is really going to help the small guys, other than produce more revenue streams for government, especially the classic knee jerk "licensing" thing thats often mentioned in these situations.

    Be careful what you wish for, it may come true!

  16. Posted

    The whole way car trading is done will be very different over the coming years, i am afraid to say but the day of the forecourt is dying. The business has now become an online market and so we will have to adapt to this. More and more traders will operate from home or cheap units/yards driving down the margins that can be made.

    I can also imagine the supermarkets offering an online only sevice basically where you see the car you want online maybe with a walk round video, you buy the car online and it is delivered to your door. A bit like how online grocery shopping is going, in 20 years from now everything will be done online and nobody will go shopping at all...scary thought really.

    .... and you have 30 days to decide if you want it

  17. Posted

    Prior to being in the Motor Trade, I was an Estate Agent (never really known whether I moved up, down or across the social scale!). When the property market crashed in 1989 our local Nissan dealer was advertising for ex-Estate Agents to be car salesmen. The rest, as they say, is history!

    I seem to remember often hearing the term 'agent' describing a guy selling cars. Sounds like a good bet to me. Estate agents can sell a million pound house and not have to worry about phone calls in 3 months time because the floorboards are creaking or a tap is dripping?:D

    • Like 1

  18. Posted

    Sadly, ever since 'Arthur Daley' ALL motor traders are viewed as 'spivs; or suspicious characters regardless of how whiter than white we are. Most people view us in the same way as estate agents or double glazing salesman. As such, nobody fights our corner.

    Manheim Wimbledon won't be the same without you!;)

     

     

  19. Posted

    This might need another thread but I thought trade plates elated to tax not insurance ? The car in question would still be taxed as the number plate is in the process of being transferred this customer wants to take the physical number plates from the car.

     

    However i thought I had read somewhere on the dvla that if it was a short journey then having them inside was acceptable ? It seems a regular occurrence to see them inside the vehicle and with some cars it's almost impossible to get the trade plate to hide the rear number plate ?

    When they invented ANPR they didn't really consider the needs of motor traders?:D

  22. Posted

    I have driven an old Mitsubishi Pajero for 10yrs. I class it as my work vehicle. It does everything other than go fast! Mobile office, tow car, parts collection, shopping, country park with the dog etc etc. I have never been interested in off roading or 4x4's but its reliability and build quality are attractive and regardless of the road conditions, nothing stops it. Unless the council close the road:D

    • Like 1

  23. Posted

    Another top tip. You can often 'negotiate' a good deal if you find a  "wheel refurb" guy when he is working at the auction. The bigger sites usually have guys there almost permanently doing paint, wheels and screen chips and I have found them to be very approachable.

    I used the black pen trick on my hire car :)

    I parked a hire car in Manheim Colchester and had it keyed down the side for my trouble. Took me hours to get that scratch out with a mop!:D

    • Like 1

  24. Posted

    Something for nothing?! Interestingly, he made a few references to the 'Autumn review' so plenty of scope for bad news yet.

     

    He giveth with one hand and taketh away with the other; Insurance Premium Tax is going up

  25. Posted

    I've toyed with the idea of vans. I've got a bunch of Polish fella's at the end of my road who have about 6 in various states of repair and appear to be turning them over on a regular basis, I dont think the council have noticed yet, or anyone has 'dobbed' them in:D

    Seriously, they appear to be a lot of money at auction for what they are, Shabby, intergallactic miles and no history; but I guess youre buying usefulness rather than kerb appeal