Mat C

Full on valet there mate!! I only tend to wet vac the seats of the ones with stains ( almost every Mini with cloth ) and then i leave it running with the heaters on whilst polishing with autoglym resin poish. Do the plastics last. I have an indoor showroom with daylight strip lights - shows up every spec of dust/scratch/hair/cobweb - so typically I take my cars outside when I have an appointment - or strategically placed next to the open door if its raining!! I follow your mantra of blaming yourself. I get really annoyed with myself if i've not cleaned a car thats been in stock for a couple of days, cos you know full well, thats the one that the phone rings on and they say, we'll be there in 20 mins - then end up rushing around like a twat to get it looking spanking. "Failure to prepare is preparation for failure" I must repeat that to myself a hundred times a day!

1 More today - little tradie Cooper D but Mint - However that leaves me on 13 for the month - I HATE being on 13, so need a deal quick!! Auction Thursday so hopefully stock up for the last week rush!!

Another - Warning messages on BCA Assured Engine running 'requires some attention' in amber - WHAT THE F DOES IT ACTUALLY MEAN!

Went from my £60k Lexus to a £400 Mini Last year. Never been happier!! I've had a couple of Lexus IS200's, beautiful car one of my all time faves and after woring for Lexus for 10 years, I still would rather own one of these than pretty much anything else. Been smoking literally anything I could over the last year though - however when i've taken in anything tasty - X5 3.0 D MSport/Audi TT 3.2/Mini JCW - I literally sell it the same/next day I just picked up a new Mini Cooper S D on lease through my old company to stop me swapping every day. Its nice to be in a new car again, however I still fancy taking the odd snotter home, just for the fun of it.

Thanks, AS long as you make the coffee and clean some cars for free, then i'm all ears!

I don't want to employ anyone if I can help it. and realistically i don't have enough work for a full time valeter. i will keep honing my skills for the time being! ha ha

Ha ha, you actually made me Laugh out loud. I find i just do it. I have got a full valet down to about 1 1/2 hours. Mini's come up really well with a good clean. I try to do 2 at a time. i just stick to a structure when cleaning, I do everything the same way each time and stick to it, otherwise i get waylaid and sidetracked. i HATE cleaning cars too, so the faster its done, the better. usually first job if theres anything to do so its done and out the way for the day. I actually don't get that many enquiries ( Last week was 14 and did 8 deals ) so onyl a few a day to deal with and most of them want to come at the weekend so sat and sun are my selling days, try to make sure everything looks the nuts on a Friday before I go home. I get to work at 8.30 am and sometimes don't leave until 6.30/7 so i guess its just long hours. I usually leave a load of proxy bids the night before and then see what i end up with the following day, unless i get time to sit and watch the auction, however thats when its tempting to always go another few £££ over your proxy bid. I only have 8 cars in stock currently and they're all clean, so its only a case of cleaning as you go when you buy them, but I need 7/8 cars otherwise its going to be a very quiet few weeks!

Definitely with you on the White dog hair - Almost like its been embroided into the seats/carpets. Another one for me is Orange makeup on door handles, indicator stalks, sunvisor mirror covers etc.... Mini's are the WORST for makeup goop everywhere. however I did have an audi the other month with lipstick trodden all into the passenger footwell ( underneath the wilko's special £3.99 Mats ) That took hours to get out.

Yep, Valet them, De dog them, De hair grip them, De makeup them. minis are always either beautiful or caked in orange foundation. I go through about 20 bloody microfibres on each car. I have to do everything as you'll know so can be very difficult to buy. I spend a great deal of time on BCA website in the evenings and buy mainly from there online or Dealer Auction etc.. I go once a month to the local BCA in Nottm to the BMW/Mini sale and usually pick up 4/5 cars there. Get them delivered straight to my garage for prep and then here for valet after. I did 8 last week which was my best week ever - did 4 yesterday, was non stop from 9am till 5pm it was great. Got a little appointment in half hour too on a tradie but makes a decent amount too. I'm on for a record month again ( Hopefully ) but I am desperate for stock. My problem is i'm too picky.

I also hate. The little orange engine light 'just' came on - on the way here ..... honest, but it just needs switching off...

I love this job, I actually cant wait to come to work every day. However, there are a few things that really get my goat... 1. BCA Staples 2. BCA Pritt Stikk all over the front windscreen on the INSIDE right where you cant reach it 3. Hair grips - I must find 20 of these in each car I clean Just wondered what everyone else's gripes were! ( You can tell i've had a quiet day! )

I think you'll be in breach of money laundering regs.... From working in PLC land for the last 18 years, max we could take was £5k - I think the legal limit is €15,000 before you are legally obliged to inform the police, due to money laundering regulations and the FCA are all over this. Unless you are registered as a high value dealer with HMRC. I guess there are some regular people out there that have £££ stashed, however its best to get it checked out... I'd be VERY careful - I think the rules are still the same if your customer pays cash directly into your bank, to be honest, the bank would question this I am sure, mine does for anything over £5k, I get asked all sorts. Lawgistics are the place to check to be fair or HMRC website

2 Monday and 2 Yesterday I carry 12/14 cars in stock and I budget to do 3 a week. Currently sat on 9 for the month so hopefully another record breaker for us. Small fry I know, however working alone and being valeter/admin/driver/sales/dog walker is tough!! Hope it stays this busy for the next few weeks, dont want the dreaded 3rd week syndrome.....shhhhhhhhhhhh

Guess I get away with it being the 'type' of car I sell SuperMiniUk Ltd www.superminiuk.com However i do sell a few mini's weirdly enough!!

I asked the same question a few months back I was getting a few emails from them, however never got replies, and with no other contact details other than their username@gargurus email address its impossible to track them down. I'd send 4/5 emails at different times of the day and was getting no replies at all. I did my months free trial ( i think they charge £250 per month to be a full member ) and got very little from it at all too so was not impressed. HOWEVER - in the last few weeks I have had 4/5 enquires and have dealt 3 of them! Quick replies and deals done pretty much the same day - but all from a distance away ( Birmingham/Newark/Scotland ) Had one this morning too, but no reply yet. I'm not prepared to pay £250 a month for it, and am quite happy to reply to the leads and see what happens. They try to sell the marketing and analytics bit of it, however You can sit and look at stats all day autotrader/gumtree/ebay/google and still be non the wiser... I'm on the cheap side of the fence ( well the free side! ) Mat

5 on the board, 4 in traffic another collecting later 2 deals done yesterday and an appointment this aft. Happy if it carries on like this

I Love em! Yes any pre 2006/7 facelift whines like a pig as mentioned, I have customers who actually miss this weird noise when they change a pre facelift for an R56 as they have electric power steering. However you get what you pay for with a Mini. 2002 120,000 miles is going to be a headache 2008, 80,000 miles is going to be Ok if bought right. I try to stick to well maintained, chili Pack cars, I have the odd countryman and paceman along with clubman Cooper D's, but I literally walk away from 80% of cars I look at as they are not right for me. I'm a bit picky sometimes, but i'd rather be that way than take a flyer. I have learnt along the way the little quirks and issues. But I do really well with Mini's. of the 100 odd cars i've sold since starting this venture I have had 3 big problems. A clutch, a Thermostat and 1 Blown up engine. Its like any car I guess, pick the cherries and leave the pips. Have a goodun chaps

Cheers, Just signed up to them both More options the better for me

Signed up to them 8 months ago - I think i've bid on 3 cars Website is nice and clean, thats where it ends for me, confusing info, terrible search function, Simulcast drops off .... BCA all the way for me too Just out of interest, is there anywhere else people are buying from - i currently use BCA, Dealer Auction, Sytner Auction, Full Auction, 1 Link, Auction 4 cars, MFL Direct, TSA and CD Auction Group. However I have only ever bought from BCA, Sytner and Dealer Auction.... others either selling scrap/too new/overpriced? Thanks Mat

I use Autotrader's reviews and then copy and paste them onto my website. I email the link to EVERY customer via dealer portal and also on handover remind them that they'll get an email asking them for a review, it takes 30 seconds. I get approx 60% of my customers leaving reviews. I usually wait until they've got home before sending the link, or do it the day after collection. Also replying to every review I think is a great idea, shows that you read them. http://www.autotrader.co.uk/services/car-dealers/uk/east-midlands/nottinghamshire/nottingham/superminiuk-ltd-nottingham-dpp-10003573/reviews/true http://superminiuk.com/testimonials.php Works for me

I call it 3rd week syndrome, however its happened in the 2nd week for some reason! Weeks 1+2 are usually busy, 3 is quiet as no stock and buying and then payday comes and everyone shows up at once! Lets hope it all kicks off today. Best of luck

I've not had dealings with Click, but cardealer5 have helped me no end. And a great deal cheaper than most Check my website www.superminiuk.com

I came into the month with 1 - done 7 by the 7th - not a sausage since! Desperate for stock too but went to BCA nottm BMW auction today ready to buy 5/6 and stuff was ridiculously expensive. Got 2 but still need 4/5 cars Trawling the net/sytner auction/dealer auction/autotrader now as we speak!

Just re sent, it was because i put a smiley face it got blocked!! ha ha Thanks Mat

Hi I replied yesterday?