tradegirl

I'm going to go against the grain on this one. About 80% of our sales are done via either eBay messages or text. I don't know why people don't ring up as much these days, and when it is, it's usually an older demographic. Not all people who message are time wasters, just different times now I suppose.

Cyprus is changing now though. They're trying to vote in a law that means cars registered after I think Feb this year, will have higher road tax than the same car but Cyprus registered. A way to curb imports because the main dealers are losing money as is the economy. Or something like that.

What does this mean?

I can't even fathom that. I felt sick just watching it.

BMW has always been helpful, even with GDPR. Nissan and Mazda I think also has a central database, and Mazda always email it over. Mercedes are kind of fussy, but you'll sometimes get someone helpful who gives you the details. But yeah it's proving a pain especially when applying for a new V5, and you dont even have the previous owners details anymore. Not sure why telling you details about the car's services violates GDPR but hey. I'd report it too. That's not cheeky, that's plain not right.

How do the 2.2 i-DTECs sell? Just got one in not sure what to expect.

Is no one else worried? I wasn't until I heard that if we exit without a deal, the economy will collapse. And I'm not rolling in it to take advantage of a collapsed economy. If I had a few hundred thousand in the bank I'd be sleeping easy, deal or no deal.

I'm pretty sure you're joking...aren't you?? Guys surely a car that has ran well for 5.5 months and done 3k miles is clearly "fit for purpose", and easy to prove that no issues were present at the point of sale? This sounds pretty cut and dry to me? Even if the chain does go, it's the customer's fault if they keep driving the car to the point where it damages the engine. Having said that, can't expect Joe Bloggs to know what the beginnings of a noisy chain sound like.

Happy birthday!

It's a shambles is what it is. By far the most stupid course of events in a country only just (and not fully) recovered from a recession. As I say, I'm not adverse to the Brexit, but I don't understand why it's been done the way it has. Everyone who instigated it has jumped ship, and we're left with the worst PM we've had in a long time.

I have What exactly aren't you happy about? I voted stay. I reckon considering the scaremongering (lies?) in the Leave campaign, I reckon we should have a revote. BUT, since we're leaving, I wish they'd hurry up and get on with it. Nick, I'm just thinking what an awful waste of money this would have been if there's no Brexit in the end. Billions spent, while there's no policing and the country is going to pot with more stabbings and robberies day by day.

...Pleasantly surprised to see no one had posted anything.

1 out of 6, but plenty of enquiries on other cars. Expect 2-3 to go this week all being well.

"Best price for cash" "It's too expensive for (insert model)" (Why are you calling me then?" "Found another one for £X" (Go buy that one then) "If it's still available then I'll have it for £X" (Fuck off) Idiots who think they know about cars, who over rev and pull on the doors, and those who release the steering wheel on the best drive and comment on a slight lean to the left or right" "Not sure what car we want yet/the colour/etc" "Where did you get it from?" (that almost guarantees me telling them it's a part ex) Hagglers who roll up only to make out the car's a pile of crap to knock down the price. Cars that you can't put right no matter how much money you throw at them. No shows. God, the list goes on.

Happy New Year, gentlemen.

Lucas, you said someone will run it, but will they do the buying too? Who will inspect, buy, collect, take to MOT/Bodyshop/mechanic/PDI? Who will valet? Who will price up, who will advertise, who will do the paperwork, who will do the sales, who will deal with after sales, who will deal with accounts? Who do you trust to do all this and do it properly, so that your hard earned money is safe? Every businessman who ever started something ran it himself first (short of Henry Ford who employed people skilled in the field). So either you find several people with solid CVs who will do it all for you, or you find one person who's experienced as a trader and can do all of that, and ask why he doesn't have his own business.

Marry me.

Simon, as I understand it don't they only take into account the hammer price? So if a car is £2900 hammer price plus 250 fees, and you sell it to family at 3150, they will charge VAT on the 250? (÷6=£41.6 VAT) No?

Don't worry about it on a car that age. If they do notice and are fussy about it, then you've probably saved yourself aggro in the future. Chances are they won't see it though.

Hi everyone. Those of you who get alloys coated in grey, I know there are two versions of BMW Ferric Grey. There's A80 which is bronzier as I understand it, and B55 which is Ferric Grey ii., which as I understand it is more grey. Which would you put on a black BMW? I'm leaning towards the second one.

I've never understood traders who stood in the hall and bid on cars without seeing them first. Missing the flywheel judder, or the fact that the car had no oil or no third gear. Admittedly, most of the cars there are quite clean, but when prices go a grand above retail, what am I supposed to do with that?

Lol thanks James. Merry Christmas!

James, that's part of the business though. Look at how many comebacks Mark has had lately. And he buys purely straight cars as far as I know and preps them to the max and stands by them. For the 4-5 cases I've posted on here, there are lots of other sales that you don't hear about because (touch wood) they've had no issues. Similarly, I'm sure many traders on here don't post about their misfortunes, because we all want to look like we're doing better than the other. Any car properly checked at auction, is still always 50/50 in my opinion. Yes, Copart does have more nails than Manheim, but been bitten enough times at Manheim too and their Surecheck means jack diddly.

Copart needs a LOT of care, and I'd never buy a car from them without seeing it in person. Then again, I've viewed cars at Manheim classed as runners online, and in person the engine was noisy and no reference of that was made to online bidders. I bought a Focus from them that literally caught fire 2 miles down the road. I bought a Golf with no gears as soon as I got out the yard, and of course no refunds. As far as I'm aware, you need to be careful at all auctions, just some more than others.

What's wrong with stolen recovered? No marker on the HPI once cleared...?