Beautiful South Martin

I use Close Bros and its fixed at 5.5% flat and they pay a half decent commission on that, you can't go any higher as they want to be seen as a responsible lender and any lower and your commission reduces. I push the 5.5% quite heavily in my advertising with a £95 deposit and it seems to create traffic. The £340 doc fee + £10 at the end is a bit of a ball ache if your punter starts delving into how much they are paying back but its spread so takes the sting out of it a bit.

An awful lot of work? whole process takes 20 minutes out of my day...and as far as "conning the warranty company" do you think if he had gone direct to an indie they would have done the parts at cost and offered a 20% off their labour rate because they are dealing with a warranty company?....NO its business....As you say each to their own and it works for me and probably sticks a couple of grand on me bottom line every year.

I always tell my customers to come back to me if they have a warranty issue unless there out of the area. My warranty company pay retail for parts (although they do check ECP website to make sure they are not paying more than joe public), I don't have workshop facilities but my MOT guy does my warranty work. I basically find the book time, charge the warranty co at £35 an hour, my man charges me less obviously, source my own parts less my trade discount, do the claim on line, customers signs claim form, send copy of service history/MOT cert, settlement cheque arrives within a week, all done and a happy customer to boot. Just done a alternator claim on a CRV and netted £160...I look it as another profit area to the business not sure why anyone would want to side door it and give profit to a third party ?

If dross write them back to a £100 when you do the deal and then block them.....Punters who buy cheapies are worse than £3-4k punters, they think you are their own foc personal repair centre for 2 months...Not worth the grief for a small amount of profit!

Had a couple of Honda Streams over the years, 7 seater petrol Civic type estate car, think they only made them for 2 years. Always sold straight away to be fair.

Close Bros did mine for me a couple of years ago and Ive used them ever since and find them really good to deal with. Obviously different account managers in different areas, mines really on the ball.

Totally agree small engine + high miles = Not a good combination.......AVOID!

Air bag squib for a Suzuki Alto local scrappy wanted £40 + " take it off yourself mate!" .....Main dealer £36 inc VAT delivered in a nice clean box!

Just renewed my trade insurance and have been told by the broker that the only cars that need to be on the Database are ones that are taxed, in my case, my van and my trade plates. In the past as soon as a car/van comes in I've put it on, wether part ex or block purchase and then took it off when the customer drives off.....I thought the whole point of MID was so the car can be tracked back to you as obviously we are not on the log book......CONFUSED

Freelanders I fooking hate them!

Its blowing and the cat and dpf are all part of the same piece. Got fixed up via company called Catman very helpful guy called Mike and half the price of the main stealer!

Thanks BHM I'll look on fleabay today.

Need a CAT/DPF unit for a 2011 Skoda Fabia 1.6 TDi dealer part only £1000 + VAT.....Just wondering if anyone had any suggestions for an alternative supplier?...Cheers

I've got an E Class Merc 3.0 CDi with a random humming noise on tickover and when you pull away, it sounds like the noise of a fuel pump when it kicks in, my sparky has diagnosed the ABS pump. Going to get the brakes bled again as its just had a new brake pipe fitted, but I'm not holding my breath as a cure. Ive not priced a new one from Merc as it will be telephone numbers no doubt. Anyone know where I can get it reconditioned?

If I see an EML on a surecheck report for an online purchase I won't touch it, however if I'm at the actual sale and it has a light on its not a deal breaker, you can listen to the engine, have a good poke about. I bought a 45k Jazz auto a couple of weeks ago from the auction in person, sounded fine on tickover and with the revs on but EML light on, I buy loads of them and was confident it couldn't be much. Turned out was a crankshaft sensor £33 + fitting, no drama. I suppose you always trust your own decision over that of some promoted car valeter, sorry..... auction vehicle inspector.

2005 Astra 1.7 CDti Van 166k on it never flickers, I think its an Isuzu engine? I love an old Vauxhall diesel flat as a fart but owes me fk all. Its got heated front leather seats from a Vauxhall Calibra in it.... LUXURY! (we used to dream of living int shoe box int middle of rooooad!)

Sold a 64 plate Peugeot 2008 Crossover 1.6 HDi nice low 31k miles. Customer has complained about a clunking noise whilst driving especially over bumpy ground in 4th/5th gear. Ive driven it and it sounded like a heat shield loose or exhaust hitting the floor pan. Had it up on the ramp today and everything (that we can see) is secure, drop links, heat shield, exhaust. Really scratching our heads on this one, my mechanic can only suggest changing the front shockers to see if that sorts it. Anyone had anything similar on this model?.....Thanks in advance

Seems to be restricted to Ford and Renault but handy to have, I'll save it for the next time.....Many Thanks

Interesting Justina3 do you have a link please

Beautiful !!!!

My local sparky decodes mine for £5, bit of a pain having to yank them out, drop them off and collect them next day but its all I've ever done. TBH I didn't even know you could get codes online?

***** UPDATE ***** Collected the car yesterday and all good no lights car drives perfect. £25 for ABS sensor and £30 labour. He re-calibrated the angle sensor and cleared the faults which he says you can't do if there is any ABS issues......Anyway happy customer again......You always learn something new in this game

Morning Chaps Anyone help with this one? Sold a Seat Altea 1.9 TDi a few months ago 77k so not choked with miles. Customer comes in with a starting problem, i.e having to jump it all the time. Diagnosis Starter motor, replaced all good. Within in a day power steering has gone, undriveable! Loads of lights on the dash ABS, Red steering light, Traction, EML. Takes it to the local sparky who says the module in the steering motor has gone, possibly caused by jump starting it, part of the steering rack. We have replaced the complete steering rack and motor from ECP. Steering is better but no way normal. Now we have a ABS light on, diagnostic shows O/S/R sensor. Steering light still on but now orange as opposed to red. Booked in today for ABS sensor to be changed. My mechanic seems to think the ABS is linked to the steering and the ABS sensor should sort it all out? Not holding my breath. Any thoughts?

Ha Ha yes Trade Vet Im with you on this one....36 years Ive been in the trade and its always been "chucky" or " on the drip"

Got an old Nissan X Trail in swop and as the Heidi Ho is forecast next week I was thinking about running it. If I tax it on a monthly basis and use it for a couple of weeks then cancel it does it effect the amount of keepers and will it cause problems when I actually tax it for the next new keeper. Sure this will have been posted before just hoping someone could confirm please.