Rory RSC

Probably not the best time to have an A4 and 5 Octavias in stock.

Sold a car around 5 weeks ago. Focus ST. Came back for a knocking noise. Fairly easy fix it was a suspension bush. However the car has a different exhaust on, dump valve and I suspect a remap. Selling more and more sporty type cars and feel this sort of thing may happen more frequently. What would you do?

No idea if I am doing things wrong but I have a HPI subscription. Whenever a PX comes in I HPI the car to check free from finance/ write off status. HPI gives me the options of ticking boxes to get Cap or Glasses valuations. That is how I value the PX's. It does also give an option to do a comparison retail checker type product. I have never used it. I always just look at what other examples are selling for on Autotrader myself.

Rory, based in Cheshire. www.rscarsales.com

My emissions problems only tend to start after a hearty breakfast.

I wouldn't let them. They can cause problems if not used correctly or disconnected properly or so I am led to beleive. That's how some keys are cloned aswell. Happily let my mechanic plug in and show him our own diagnostics reading if pre arranged. To be fair anyone like that will be an arse it the car loses 3 psi out of a tyre. Some olk are just plain strange. Personally hate customers that have been in the trade and try to take control and act like the one you have described.

Those car choices are not the best. personal experience is that small first car buyers are so picky and have all the time in the world to hunt around. 1.6 Ford Focus petrols will always sell. Family cars. Petrol rav4s are unlikely to give you much headache, people need them not want them this time of year. Or at least they think they do. They book low easy to pull a margin out of them. Anyhing else just just to with what works you will have seen what sells at your place you have worked.

you have some nice stock about you very good work. Whats the prep costs like on caymans? Are they fairly robust ?

Mad busy here today. 5 Cars sold on my own with valeter being sent on test drives. Not one discount given. Ready for a curry and to sleep tonight. 2 packets of Space raider crisps for the working lunch has not quite satisfied my hunger.

Hard work finding clean Zafiras. Really tend to be scruffy. I have never struggled with the 1.8 Sri petrol model always tend to fly out.

I like that idea. I will have to pinch that Cashback.

Does anyone deal with these companies? How do you find them? Do you bother if the customer won't give you a small deposit? We have been doing quite a few recently and its another way to get the cars out of the door. A lot of customers say other dealers just won't deal with them. My only personal gripe with these type of companies is that I find updates and being kept in the loop are fairly alien and I have to chase to get anything done.

Thing is margins are not that low I pick stock that sells. An example in this month alone I have had 2 Mondeo estates fairly run of the mill both retailed for between 6-7k. I don't want to go to much into specifics on how much I do in each car but whilst we price keenly we do not give cars away. Both cars sold within 48 hours of hitting the market. Sourcing cars is absolutely my biggest headache and I am at the sales 2 or three times a week myself, online buying when I cant get away. I tend to do the buying for the business and then we drive the cars back and make a couple of trips back and forth to get them back. Next day they are advertised and on sale. My speed from purchase to advertising is very quick. My business partner, mechanic and valeter/driver + friends who help bring cars back are all a really great team and share our vision.

A lot of traders can be very off putting and not helpful for newbies. I received lots of 'the trades not what it used to be' when starting out a few years ago. New dealers like myself don't care its not what it used to be. We were not there to see it so don't know any different. Embrace technology, price competitively, prep well and pick desirable cars that turn quickly. The dealer from the north east at the car auction last night driving a Ferrari 458 seems to be doing well. The M4 and countless X5's and new range rovers would suggest similar. In 3 years I have gone from literally having 3 starter cars (Corsa, Clio, Fiesta) to holding over 30 cars in stock and can be retailing over 40 cars a month. This is with myself and a business partner, a valeter/driver and now a full time mechanic. It can be done. I work 7 days a week and am putting in 90-100 hours a week to make it happen. Regards your banking I would suggest simply a local branch as its useful being able to nip in and drop cash off when customers pay with cash and then whoever offers the longest free period. Best of luck and I hope it goes well for you.

That was the worst programme I have ever seen.

Do you buy from Manheim mansfield?

Some customers are a nightmare. Then you hear the countless horror stories of a customer that buys a car, something fails on it and the dealer tells them to jog on not sorting it. You try to do right by these people but never win.

Warrantywise and I put 3 months cover on each car. I try to upsell extended warranties as much as possible. The warranty providers do pay out on a lot of things but won't cover much within 30 days or 1000 miles unless it really is a sudden unexpected fault . You have to be very on point when wording things with them. Some times they won't cover sensors etc but why should you sometimes things fail on used cars. Finance company we use Close Brothers. Easy to deal with, fairly quick and any declines get sent through their broker and can usually get placed if someone is willing to lend.

Going to meet far less resistance to it in a property like the one you have described than trying to do in in a new build cul de sac or such like. Take a look at Barclay Motor company or BMC car sales in Birmingham area and have a browse at the google images of the site.

I do my best to qualify. I try to establish whether the customer is looking to buy today. Have they viewed other cars, can they make the decision today etc etc. Sometimes when it is just a general browser who wants to test drive I suggest they come back and make an appointment. Very rarely will they ever return. Like Umesh say's you have to play the game and sometimes they vanish never to be seen again but I tend to get them buying as my cars drive as they should. This is helped in no small part because all of my cars are ready to drive away straight away as we MOT + service as soon as cars come into stock. Does annoy me when the customer says they will buy today, no others to look, completely ready to leave deposit if the car drives right, then returns from the test drive and says the car drives brilliantly but I just want to go away and think about it. We win more than we lose though.

23 cars sold so far this month. On the whole, I actually expected to be a bit busier and I would say I expected the auction's to be packed with stock. I was at an SMA auction last night and the same auction on the same day last year you could not move for cars. Yesterday was a heck of a lot quieter. Still getting leads coming through and people coming out so nothing out of the ordinary.

Cheers guys. Going to have a further look into dragon, I think its probably the right time for us now. Jim, with dragon my understanding is you need multiple licenses for each user is that the case?

This was taken from pistonheads and was something I saved a while back after starting out trading. I think this chap covers most things. An understanding girlfriendRent of a yardAutotrader bill Ebay motors billHPI Account - You can offer driveaway insurance through this aswell as value any PX's with cap or glasses - This is an essentialTrade insurancetrade platesBuisness insurancestaff - You will need people to help move cars about for you2 x mot stations to use2 x paint shops to use2 x auto electricians to use2x repair garages to useA diesel specialista good scrap yard your friendly withMerchant services Your own transporter CCTV EquipmentOverflow space - Cars take up a lot of space FCA license trade acounts with bca, manheim, sma, aston barclay Its easier to sell well prices cars just now than it is to buy them.A good accountant.a good selection of toolsA snap on booster pack, nothing else cuts it for me.Your own diagnostic and battery recharging equipementA complaints procedurea warranty company who will actually pay out.Friends to help youA decent internet provider as autotrader dealer edit needs it.A firm but fair attitude, the public with try take the piss out of you at any opportunity

2 mot stations 2 paint shops good mechanic good source of vehicles 1 good auto electrician diagnostic kit even a basic code reader thick skin

Do any fellow traders use any dealer software? currently everything is spread out over excel sheets and as the business is growing a lot was thinking now might be the time to have a look at some software. Any help would be appreciated. Thanks, Rory.