M.J

My advice would be stay trading from home until you are turning over too many to handle at home, until that time comes maximise your current low outgoings. The positive of having a pitch is more vehicles (which is not always a good thing) and no customers traipsing through your family home, using the toilet, etc (which was my main reason for moving to a pitch) But the negative of having a pitch is that you are forced to keep it turning over which means added pressure and HAVING to buy stock rather than buying the right stock for you at the right price in your own time.

Another example of the 'blame game' and unfortunately customers are becoming more and more detached from reality in terms of taking responsibility for their own items/decisions! It's always somebody else's fault or somebody else's responsibility

More than likely they'd just scroll down to the next advert with the plate uncovered

Just had contact from Yorkshire police asking about one of our vehicle that's been involved in a crime in Leeds. Obviously wasn't ours as it's been sat at our site for the last few months which is 200 miles away. Plates have been cloned from an advert me thinks. I maybe investing in number plate covers after all.

Just never ending finance applications here, all declined or massive APR. Mainly from 21 year old's wanting our £20k hot hatch with zero deposit, a new job and living with parents Bring on September!

Tell him to bring the car back for a refund as it would be easier all round due to his Focus having a lot more issues than you initially thought. I've just refunded a customer as they started complaining about a temperamental door lock on a £995 clean and tidy Golf mk5. I could of told them its to be expected considering the Golf was the lowest priced mk5 in the UK at the time! But i had their crappy zafira that i took in for scrap as PX, so i reversed the transaction and will move on to somebody else who has a more realistic approach to a used vehicle, easier all round and no stupid negatives reviews being left on the internet. Not worth the hassle, remember you have 10 months remaining on the warranty you gave, how many times do you think you're going to here from him before June 2018!

If somebody is 'desperate' to view on a Sunday i tell them i only open for collections or customers who are definitely intending to purchase a vehicle. Some say ''yes we are definitely looking to purchase today'' at which point i tell them no problem we will need a £250 deposit to reserve the vehicle. Out of all the ''definitely purchasing'' brigade only 2 have put down a deposit and purchased. Most are just out for a day trip with the 3 kids and dog in tow, often on route to the in laws for Sunday lunch and have a few hours to kill.

Some enquiries are simply not worth wasting your time, basically 99% of ebay enquiries

Yes it is a little hit and miss, probably 50/50 in terms of accepted declined policies. No commercial vehicles either.

lloyd latchford group

I use drive away insurance from time to time mainly when a customer was not planning on doing the deal that day but then decide they do want to take the car away then and there, it gets them out the door quicker, instead of them spending an hour on the phone to insurance companies, i can setup drive away cover for them in 5 mins and they can sort out their permanent insurance when they get home. Its got nothing to do with you or your own trade policy, you are simply setting up a temporary insurance policy for them, costs around £15-£20. I don't use it much but it's come in quite handy at times.

I've got an R1 track bike, a Harley and a Ducati Multistrada 1200, oh and a Vespa 300 Just got back from a trip down to Spain on the Harley. Love bikes!

Probably got a heavy loss coming on a 12 plate Astra when its finally out of the garage. Bought online via Manheim, when i collected it was smoking and running like a pile of poo, at that point i should of just re-entered it and taken the hit then and there. Instead i took a chance thinking it was just the turbo, turns out the engine is knackered and the mechanic has still not got to the bottom of it 2 months later. Will be happy if i only lose £1k on it!

Thanks guys! Will order the linkage kit

Hi All, Got a 2013 Vauxhall Corsa with 48k miles and won't engage reverse, well it will after around 5 mins of trying. Has anybody had anything similar with one of these? Spoke to a gearbox guy who reckons its the clutch but the clutch is not slipping in any gear and all the other 5 gears work perfectly, clutch pedal feels like its where it should be too. Any ideas?

Aren't they all lovely until something goes wrong?? I had a 'lovely' gentleman buy an Astra and he was over the moon with the car and my service, rang me to thank me etc, etc. A month later i get a call screaming down the phone from him telling me i'll be hearing from his lawyer, not to even bother trying to respond as the legal proceedings have already started, etc. This was all because the locking wheel nut was missing. I have had some lovely customers but unfortunately the amount of unreasonable lunatics out there nowadays outweigh the genuine and realistic customers. Speaking of lunatics, last week guy buys a van from me, next day he calls me demanding a full refund as the van only has 3 seats in the front and he has 2 kids and a wife, how are they all meant to get in!

Quote from the driver: 'i don't remember whether i was wearing my seat belt or not' Not really the fault of the Smart Car if you slam into a barrier at speed wearing no seat belt.

I've just got back from a week away. My phone was OFF and my voicemail was OFF, i've got a temporary message saying when i'm back and I don't turn my phone back on until i get off the plane in the UK! I work pretty much 7 days a week as a one man band operation so a total shutdown is essential for my sanity I don't care if my premises have been invaded by travellers and all my cars are on fire, it can wait until i'm back! In the early days i kept my phone on and answered calls whilst away but then you end up just working whilst away, might as well not bother going away. I've also tried having a temporary helper or family member cover for the week but its more hassle than its worth, end up on the phone all day being bombarded with questions. My advice, SWITCH OFF AND SHUTDOWN! You'll be more productive when you come back.

Has anybody tried one of those snow foam shampoo's that you apply with a pressure washer? Would be nice if i could just spray on the foam, rinse off and job done.

While you're within the assured period i would strongly advise you drive at least 500 miles so you can find out if its burning too much oil or not.

Avoid the TFSi engine's pre 2013!

Its painful when its quiet, seems to bring out all the frigging loons, first call of the day on a £14k vehicle ''I'll give you £10k'' was not in the mood so i simply put the phone down and blocked the number, this might be my new go to tactic for these types of calls, does wonders for the blood pressure

You can learn the CRA all you want but what is the current success rate for dealers when taken to court?? Which is (unfortunately) why i pay up. Its not us that needs to learn the CRA, its the courts.

Pay up and move on, easier in the long run if she's already spouting CRA. As mentioned above you've already taken responsibility for the fault in the customers eyes by rushing out to recover and repair.