Frank Cannon

I think the OP is the 'be back bus'

It's a surreal one for sure

There's an echo in here....

Old, crusty healed git, annoyed by pesky young kids playing near house. .....I think that stories been running since Billy invented the printing press.

I honestly thought this was a civilian posting 'n moaning about a car he had bought from a dealer at first. Tested in January and, we are what, June all bar a few hours. MOTs are always subjective, always will be too especially on a tender bit of bodywork and discs. Come on guys, we all know miles covered after ticket means bugger all. Whom hasn't had something fail soon after a ticket, I can't believe what I'm reading here? It's an ancient, leggy jalopy as you call it and failed on two bits of welding....that's good going isn't it? Repair it or scrap and simply move on I'd like to borrow your crystal ball though for next weeks Lottery if I may I just reread that, I think you are saying that you bought it off another dealer, is that so? .... " I hate how other dealers just s*it over each other as this trade is hard enough, but this really annoyed me and I’m tempted to report them"

I love tips like this, nice one.

It seems to be dependent on location.....35 mile difference, 166 to 306 for my trial. Options on does it drive too? Going back to prices, will the big shift happen in the summer when the redundancy letter's get sent out prior to Furlough payments ceasing. ....then stock up on those scrappers for retail for the financially challenged. An avalanche of hand backs, my crystal ball which up to Covid was fairly reliable is now as trustworthy as a Vaggot.

I made a killing on diesel Montego Clubman estates, bought for pennies at auction, easy buyers, decent profit (remember them?), no boomerangs.

Last runaway I witnessed was a V40 just as it was lighting off, spectacular stuff, great entertainment, not good for the environment . Came past us on the A14 trailing puffs of smoke between gear changes, I said to my wife that will need a turbo soon....at our age that's as romatic as it gets. Soon turned out to be but 2 minutes later from Toys R Us roundabout. I'm guessing the guy thought something was wrong and pulled over on a layby but, it was sitting there billowing out like a Pacific locomotive whilst, the guy and his passenger looked on with horror. I diid some development work on the Perkins Prima fitted to the Maestro back in the 80's. I had one semi runaway coming off the M2, Chatham junction motorway at a rapid pace with the off slip coming up a steep hill. I went back on the motorway, went back up to come down again to see if I could repeat it....yes same thing. The solution was to baffle the sump but I'm not sure they ever did, I went onto another project....memories.

Well, funny you should mention this. I've been realised this last week, just how many larger companies have been kicking the arse out of this, I think unless I don't understand how it works? ......I know, or have met more than a few staff whereby staff are on furlough but, working full time, with company making up the shortfall....or have I missed something, which is entirely possible?

Yup, and rent too.

I'm gutted, a Clio, admittedly sitting on steels, clawed £169 few weeks back Probably more saddening is that the lady owner, drove it from over an hour away with canvas for front tyres, a brake pedal that felt more like a clutch it was so long and, dropping more oil on the front pipe than the Amoco Cadiz.... .....all with her precious toddler in the back, he will probably grow up with a smokers cough because of it.

Correctomundo as Fonzie would of said... Which from my poor Spanish means correct world

This, like Mazda. The oil dilution will certainly shorten the engines life somewhat.

Wire wool on chrome, that's a real blast from the past It's all relative isn't it. I'm continually reminded just how much money new cars are, 20k Clio's and Fiestas etc......not that any are sold outright anymore being as though its all some sort of strap now. Yup, no point in trying to mop many faded newer cars, the colours bloomed under the clearcoat.

Interesting, sort of cutting off noses thing. Unfortunately this is so very true

Question: just how do I get my blower fixed when I've bought my car online a few weeks previously? How are these guys handling both small and major car off road non runner issues?

I think one need only drive around the main agents to see why there is a shortage of stock and the real elephant in the room. There are so many main agents getting cheaper and dirtier in an effort to keep heads above water.....usual pattern when things get tough. Plenty of older cars sitting on their fronts now, incredible as it seems I've seen 58 plate stock offered up this week. Some have started side shoot retail companies retailing much of what would of been traded on. Problem for main agents retailing that old shit is they completely lack the proper knowledge that goes with trying to make a living out of that older stock, which to most main agents are no more than retailing washing machines. It doesn't help with buyers expectations when it appears with their name over it. A couple of tame guys I know at main agents retailing older gear are starting to see just why these guys shouldn't be dabbling in this area. They are seeing the problems, headaches, 'interesting' punters, surprises, issues, ruckers, hatstands we see on a daily basis and, why you need to be choosy with whom you sell to, not just selling for sake of it. Also and, very importantly why just running the px 50 yards to the valeting bay is no substitute for an hours drive to check the quality of the chopper.....no 6th gear in a Focus made me laugh. Whilst waiting on invoices this last few weeks I've been taking a sideways glance at some of the MA older stock. Some of the lack of prep work is simply astounding.....such as going with 6 month tickets, questionable tyres, slaughterd discs, a bucket of soapy water across the bonnet as a PDI, proper amateur stuff and quite frankly atrocious and slippery behaviour. Ohh and...... marking sold as seen/spares or repairs on invoices, it's eye watering the complete lack of understanding here. I should add the guys I know aren't at all happy with the way things are going but, the bean counters have spoken. The turnover in MAs makes me dizzy nowadays and this won't help. Can't see things changing soon as many MA are hemorrhaging money, most of the profit is off the back of service and they are silly quiet.

Great post

This

I sincerely hope my pension company aren't ploughing money into any of these vendors.

Local reputation counts for SFA, price is everything to the vast majority of customers. They know the cost of everything but, the value of nothing.

My thoughts exactly.