Phil H

Wheelerdealer the words you speak are true and a big thank you to James for getting your situation heard to a larger audience with his column but time's are changing and if we are to succeed and survive as an industry we have to get rid of the dog eat dog mentality and learn how to work together and help each other, be transparent, stop the big faceless corporations having such a big stranglehold on our margins and realize that we have become too dependent on them but together we have the power to walk away, explore new avenues and reduce their revenues which will get them a telling off from their shareholders. All we need is new products to compete against them which are ran by people who care and let us compete against them on a level playing field for a fraction of the price. That is what my new website venture WBAC is all about. It stands for We Bring About Change and change for the better is coming

Morning all, in light of my first cardealerpodcast last week, with Derek, mentioning some malpractices that have happened to us and calling for these to stop, followed by the horrendous news of what VW have been doing to their customers I shall be doing a podcast specifically about the malpractices that happen to us dealers on a daily basis from all angles. I'm sure a lot goes on to us that I don't know about so here's your chance to get it aired to a new audience people who don't use car dealer magazines forum. Lets see if we can shame the people who do these malpractices as naturally as breathing, to stop them doing it and warn others so they don't get caught out. Let's show others that us little independents do have a voice and what can be achieved when we all work together. you can submit anything that you'd like bringing to other peoples attention by clicking this link http://www.cardealerpodcast.co.uk/contact-car-dealer-podcast/ or by posting on this thread Thanks for your time Phil PS if you haven't heard last weeks podcast yet you can do so by clicking here http://traffic.libsyn.com/cardealerpodcast/Episode_45.mp3

Same as you Jim but sometimes I also include it as being for 1 week only WAS £xxxx NOW only £xxx and include an end time in the main advert to create the urgency.

Right time to get the camera out who fancy's a trip to the block to film a documentary and show them how it's done. Scene 1 empty auction hall, the car you've been waiting all day for drives in, big smile on your face, no one here so you think to yourself I'll get this cheap. Then in a flash of a second the smile turns to heartache as who fly's in but you're biggest competitor, the one that always trots you up, not your rival from around the corner though who doesn't want you to have any of the pie as he wants it all for himself, but the big black and yellow bee who every time his wings move the auctioneer takes it as a bid.

what a load of tosh, all scripted by scriptwriters who obviously don't know how auctions work, no blind bids off the wall by the auctioneer or was he just scarred of getting caught on camera.

I use a broker called premier insurance in winsford, ask for john France he's a switched on broker who can sort most things for a reasonable price

maybe they have to sell some used stock due to the financial restraints of paying for all the pre reg that they may potentially have to register at the end of the month to hit target.

Will motonova not help by simply cancelling the new one and reinstating the old one surely in this day and age that can be done? Has your payment cleared?

Make it a condition of the unwind that they get a personal loan to fund it that way it shouldn't come back on your toes as long as you have everything documented in writing. Have you explained to them that any new finance / bank loan will occur potential arrangement fees?

GG I thought we'ed established my limited vocabulary before so kindly refrain from using words i don't understand . You and I both know that the mainstream auctions would never insist on traders being vat registered before buying as this would cost them a fortune. On a separate note when I had my most recent meeting with my data supplier for my new concept your name came into the conversation and they described you a as legend. Is this true?

Sparky it seems a bit strange that someone would want the deal unwound for just a new egr valve needing replacing, which you have said you'll do. I suspect that something else may be playing in the back of his mind maybe buyers remorse. I'd try to get to the bottom of this before agreeing to unwinding it.

because you have to pay margin vat which is 20% if the difference between the purchase and sales price excluding any refurb so say you buy it for £1000 sell it for £2000 that's £166.67 to the vat man, then you've got say £200 buyers fee and say £200 refurb so for every £1000 you think you've made it's really just over £400.

I don't use anyone as I self warrant the vehicles myself, for everything I sell I put £200 into a kitty and pay for any warranty claims myself out of that.

Max which of the following would you say is swaying you most to trading from home? Rising overheads, depleting margins or the problem of finding decent stock without having to pay the earth for it?

Does that bad CSi still cost you some of your back end money or have the manufactures abolished all that stupidity now?

Unless each council has different rules I've done it, had the council round, business rates people etc and the only thing that they complained about was the fact that I had 2 cars that I was stripping to go banger racing in. I explained that they where my hobby and they took it that I was running a scrapyard from home and put an order banning me and any new owner from running a scrapyard at that address but selling cars was perfectly legal as long as I didn't alter the premises in any way to accommodate my business, no signage, no prices in cars and I didn't carry out any work on them at my house but any outside firm could. When I sold the house I had fun explaining that to the new owners.

I have to agree with Yourself and Umesh as I've done both. I currently have a pitch but will be closing it at the end of the month to start a new venture. the thought of trading from home again to keep a few pennies coming in whilst the new venture takes off did cross my mind then I remembered things like answering the door in a towel only to be greeted by the local trading standards officer following up on a complaint made by a customer who had some work done off his own back and wanted me to pay for it, or when the job goes quiet and you can't move for stock, You need understanding neighbours and a partner for that. My advice would be if you do decide to trade from home make strict boundary's like what's work space / home space, working hours i'e no seven day weeks, late viewing by prior appointment only etc. Make sure you take time out with your family to enjoy and a good work life balance like you do with having a pitch. Home to me is somewhere to spend time with family and loved ones not with strangers who I don't know. You have to way up the financial savings against getting the home work balance right. IMHO Answer this question honestly to yourself and then you'll know if you can keep to the boundary's and make working from home successful. Sunny summers afternoon, it's been dead all week so you decide to entertain some friends in the garden, the drinks are flowing and you're having a real good laugh enjoying you're home life. The door bell rings, you answer and a man says "sorry to bother you but I tried ringing and couldn't get through I only live down the road so I thought I'd pop round on the off chance that you're in as my cars just packed up and I need one for work tomorrow". Is your answer I'm sorry but now is not a convenient time if you leave me your address and number and I'll bring it to your house first thing in the morning? or Come in which one is it I'll just go and get the keys? Good Luck with whatever you decide

it's perfectly legal to sell from home as long as you have no signage on the house, no advertising price boards in the cars, no alterations are made to the premises to accommodate the business and no preparation work is carried out on the premises.. If you want to do all of the above you must apply for planning for retail and repairs if you do your own work and if nobody objects you can do it all legally, you will pay business rates on the parts you use for business and normal rates for the rest. If you want to service cars make sure you get a waste oil licence and if you valet them the council normally insist on some sort of treatment process/tanks for your waste water. Also would need to pay for a separate waste collection service as I you're caught putting trade waste in your domestic bin you could get done for fly tipping.

I try to avoid test drives as much as possible as it's a right old pain in the hoop locking up with all of the security measures that I've got so I tell the customers that once they've placed an order the van will be mot'd for 12 months, valeted etc. then when they come to pick it up we do all of the paperwork, take payment and then I inform them that if it doesn't drive to their satisfaction bring it back within the hour for a full refund. Seems to work for me it gives me time to make sure it's right and gives the customers time to tell all the friends that they've bought a new van and picking it up on such and such a day. Never had anyone ask for the deposit back when doing it this way.

sweets or toys on your desk to entertain the kids whilst you get down to the knitty gritty with the parents

Morning all the cats out of the bag WBAC stands for We Bring About Change have a listen to what it's all about here http://traffic.libsyn.com/cardealerpodcast/Episode_45.mp3 and as the show host Derek Blair, whose seen the concept, says "It's a Game Changer" Hope you all like it and look forward to you getting involved

does that include companies that buy and sell cars who are not dealers who somehow seem to be able to dodge the soga via their selling method, or just rotten dealers?

I bought a transit connect a few months ago from manheim sold to me with 120k warranted, got delivered with 130k tried to reject it was told no chance of rejecting it as the mileage discrepancy was less than 10% more. And these people get away with it and we get the bad name.

and us smaller dealers get a bad name Fran66 let me apologize to you on behalf of the Motor Trade this is unacceptable and practices like this need to be stamped out

Well Done Jim, this just shows us all that there is life after ditching AT. After all where would they be without any of our stock for sale on it.