Scooby who

Black cars are a nightmare, getting tired of black so I am. Spend hours with the buffer removing scratches, power wash it numerous times between compounds. Towel dry the entire car, polish the life out of it. Wax it and stand back admiring the shine. The following day after some overnight rain there are white streaks running down from the mirrors and door handles. Grrrrrr! :-(

Sorry but I have to agree with Jim on this. Fix it and move on, hoping nothing else gives up until the warranty expires. How long was the warranty period? Get the car back and fit a used one from the breakers, it won't cost the earth and they might even put another sale your way if you've nice about it. I don't think it's worth the grief

Heard that story about the 06 Picasso in Newcastle. Citroen dealer didnt realise it was petrol and somehow managed to get the nozzle in. Customer was crossing a railway level crossing minutes later when the car stalled. She had to jump out of the car, and just escaped the train. Her dog Lucky wasn't errm so lucky. Train was delayed for 2 hours while they removed the wreckage. You can see how it made headlines, frightening story!

If I'm in the wrong and a problem does exist I fix it, move on and forget it. If they are being unreasonable and the car is fine I let them know. If I'm threatened with court I wait for the solicitors letter which doesnt always arrive. If it does, I usually ignore the first solicitors letter, and nearly always the second too. That may be the end of it or I may get correspondence informing me to nominate a solicitor that a court hearing is coming my way. Next I write back to the solicitor and usually try and drag the whole thing out as much as I possibly can. Often not replying for up to a week, asking for clarification on stuff, etc etc. Knowing each letter their solicitor is sending me is costing them money, time and patience. My letters are costing me the price of paper, ink, envelope, and a stamp. Solicitors love this themselves as they're making a fortune, I usually go into all sorts of legal terminology and try wording the letter as they would. I might then organise for my independant motor engineer ( who has also studied law) to go assess the car. As I know the car is ok and he's fair, but not biased, they usually listen to him. If not then solicitor will usally ask for a copy of his report. Again I submit this but drag it out as much as possible. Often times It ends up in a bottle of smoke, It will however cost me 150.00 cash to my engineer and the price of some stationary. It may have cost them 4 times that in solicitor fees and the are no better off.

What's the name of the app guys?...... 'Carkit'? Can't find it in the app store for some reason

Welcome to the motor trade! What I tend to do is: Buy low mileage cars Buy or retail nothing over 9 years old, unless its a Japanese or Korean car Never buy trouble (known faults) Drive and scrutinise everything before it's advertised Do a multipoint check on paper so you know everything functions And with all that stuff WILL still go wrong. Squeaks, rattles, vibrations are what annoys me the most. They can be hard to diagnose. An EGR of flywheel can be diagnosed over the phone. Warranty issues tend to come in cycles and usually on a Monday morning before 10am after you've had a hard weekend down the pub Good luck!

Was talking to a friend in the trade yesterday and between us we were discussing car clocking, how its rampant and pretty much impossible to detect. He mentioned how he called on a mobile diagnostics guy last week to come reprogram something on a VW Golf. Over the phone the guy asked him if he needed the mileage 'adjusted' also, and that he could do it for a few quid extra on top of the other work. He mentioned he had done over 12 cars in the previous week, all for private individuals on PCP vehicles, before their first, second, third service. Obviously my friend declined as he is in the trade, but was actually quiet annoyed by how flippant he was about it. I tend to buy low mileage cars myself, as I like to sell quality and know it will give neither me nor my customer any issues. However even with a HPI report people are often sceptical of low mileage cars and probably for a reason. I often see fleet vans at auction, perhaps 10 units of Berlingo, all registered in sequence. Mileage is sometimes just a thousand or two different between low and high. Then when you drive them they feel loose on the gears, gear knob and steering are worn beyond what the mileage would suggest. What do you guys think? How rampant is it? How do we make sure we don't end up with this stuff? Is a fair majority of fleet, PCP, actually clocked? In this day and age with all the technology on cars. Why oh why haven't manufacturers come up with a fool proof method of logging a cars true mileage. For example a log being sent to a satellite or even through the nearest mobile phone mast every week or so. Surely manufacturers themselves are suffering when components fail within warranty and they cannot prove what mileage the vehicle has actually covered. I just wish it could be stamped out for once and for all, then everyone would know where they stood. But really manufacturers don't seem to care.

Hate giving refunds, me. However if its not the first time, then I can see why it might be best. Ford Diesel really are trouble

Have you changed the fuel filter? 1.6TDCI have a habit of doing this if the filter assembly is blocked or faulty.

Oh how sooo true this is! Just happened my this morning

Sold an i30 just after Christmas. Customer left a deposit and was to return the following week to pick it up. Went to move it a few days later only to find the battery flat. Jumped it, then decided I'd take it for a run to recharge the battery. About 3 miles from base while doing about 50 MPH on a straight road the bonnet blew up on the windscreen. (putting it down to stiff hinges and dodgy lock assy.) Bent the bonnet beyond repair, creased both wings, destroyed the windscreen and creased the roof. Couldn't locate a used bonnet anywhere. Had to tell the customer obviously, who came back to view it again. My bodyshop was snowed in with work so couldn't touch it for 10 days. In the end it cost me almost a grand. Had to re-valet it again and fit a new battery, then call the customer back. She came back, drove it again and was quiet impressed the half dozen tiny stone chips were corrected on the bonnet ;-) Thankfully she still kept it, but needless to say I lost on that one. (will be WD40-ing every hinge and lock from now on!) Such is life!

Have 2 here just 11 months. Have spent hundreds in advertising them. If they don't move in the next 6 weeks there off to a friend in the trade. Thankfully it doesn't happen too often, but it happens. 2 months is nothing especially this time of year. Having more stock would mean the phone is always going and something is always selling. Thus you're less likely to get depressed or wonder if the world is going to end

Guys Anyone know where there are any nice quality Corolla 1.4D4D with lowish miles. 2006 or 2007 5 door? Getting thin on the ground. Any leads appreciated ( apart from BCA/Mannheim)

Done. Call me anytime

Technically a clutch is a wear and tear item and therefore wouldn't be covered under warranty. I usually make this clear to buyers in black and white on my invoice, and they sign my invoice stating that they accept this. The fine print on my invoice also states that the warranty is at the discretion of the seller (me) However try telling this to some people when something goes wrong. It really depends on the buyer, whether they will accept this or not. Some will, some will quote they're rights and pursue it further. I've been on test drives with buyers who have been slipping the clutch unknowingly or resting their leg on the clutch pedal without being aware of it. It's the first thing I look out for and those buyers are reminded over and over that clutch isn't covered and if they continue to rest their leg there, the clutch won't last very long. Sold a 09 Focus with 70k last year with 12 month comprehensive 3rd party warranty. In my eyes it drove perfectly and clutch/flywheel seemed 100%. 11 days later I get a text from the new owner saying clutch had gone on the motorway. Warranty company recovered car for free but wouldn't cover the clutch. Owner back on the text giving me grief but wouldn't answer my calls or speak to me. With all the grief and it being so soon after sale I offered to cover costs. Thinking it may have been just the slave cylinder and nothing major. Car was hours away at a garage. Mechanic split the box to find release bearing worn through the pressure plate and all the forks broken. Customer had left her leg on it constantly for 11 days. I paid his motor factors for the clutch kit over the phone and in total it cost me over 400 quid inc. labour. Mechanic told her why it went. Customer never contacted me to thank me for fixing her carelessness. Not a word from her until about 3 or 4 months later, when I got another text from her out of the blue, to inform me that the clutch had gone again! She went on to inform me that a clutch shouldn't go twice within 4 months in a car of this value, (NO S#IT SHERLOCK) She contacted the mechanic who fitted the last one who said I supplied the last clutch kit so he wouldn't cover it. I never replied to her texts nor did I ever hear from her again.

I self warranty everything nowadays. Reason being, third party warranties aren't worth the paper they're written on. Have had too many issues with third parties. I used to give 12 months third party on problematic models to wipe my hands of any issues down the line. Trouble is, if the customer has an issue, chances are the warranty company will wiggle there way out of it, saying such and such isn't covered. Then the customer gets back in touch with me and instead of I having to stand over the car for 3 months, it turns into 12 months. Such was the case recently where I sold a car last January 2016 with 12 months premium warranty. I included it as part of the deal (at MY expense) so didn't charge extra to the customer. In November I got a call from them saying the car was down on power. I informed them to contact warranty company, which they did. They left the car with the warranty approved garage who said it was down to a sticking calliper which wasn't covered. Customer calls me up complaining that they had a 12 month warranty with 2.5 months remaining and what good was it if, it wouldn't cover the problem. I told them drop the car around, which they did. I fixed it at my expense, because they made me feel bad by saying we've bought 2 cars from you in the past, etc etc Now I give 3 months which is 90 days. I calculate the 90 days exactly using an online calculator. I write the expiry date of the warranty into the invoice so they know at midnight on that date the warranty has expired. I might give a day or two's grace if it's something minor and inexpensive, if the customer is extremely nice when they call up to complain or if they didn't haggle when buying, have bought from me previous, are friends of friends or whatever. You always get those who will chance their arm and say the car is still under warranty when it could have expired a month or two previous. They must think I don't refer to my invoice book. Then there's those who say the car has hardly been used or only covered x amount of mileage since, or whatever. Usually when I point out in no uncertain terms that it has expired they go away but you always get the few threatening you with court or solicitors or whatever. Would love to hear how others deal with warranties.

Yes, one here. Love them cause they sell. Hate them cause they cause me more grief under warranty than any other! 1.6 TDI being the most problematic nowadays.

All the very best mate. Go do something different! You're possibly thinking the 'grass is greener' somewhere else, 'That' job would be less hassle, or make you more money, be far more enjoyable, or whatever. Thing is........ if it's in your blood and you did enjoy it, chances are you'll be back. And next time nothing will stop you!!

Sparky Thanks for that. Will have a look despite hate buying from BCA in general. Always seems to be something amiss, such as a missing service, no service history. Key missing or some annoying scrape or dent or strange whine from something. P.S. Have you considered the Leonardo de Vinci, much more colourful than the Picasso

Thanks Umesh. Will give it a shot and see. But thing is, even If I pay advertised price I'm still financially better off than bidding on one on D.A. provided it get an accurate appraisal. I think this might be the only way forward, especially as you're more likely to get the exact car you want and less likely to end up with rubbish found in the big auctions Regarding sourcing cars for people, I would never ever ever buy something solely because someone asked me to. I learned that lesson years back. I only buy what I know I CAN sell, in the event of prospective customers changing their mind.

I'm a one man show I'm doing 30-35 cars most of the time. Have 2 other online ecommerce businesses and no girlfriend Reason for lack of girlfriend/wife? You guessed it! No time. I do everything from: Sourcing stock Organising payments online. Organising collection Washing/Valeting. Mechanics. Photo-shoots/Advertising Answering calls/dealing with warranty issues Driving to MOT centre Dropping off cars/picking up from train/bus Popping to the bank Meeting customers It's a stressful, stressful life, with virtually no down time and my health is being affected Need a second guy badly, only I cannot find anyone trustworthy enough at the minute. I feel your pain

Have a question for you all. I'm after a 2014 Rav4 2.0 D4D for a customer. One appears on D.A. last week. I bid, and follow it way past trade price only to see it make retail price and more! I can't see how anyone could make any sort or reasonable profit on it. When putting cars of that value through your hands/books you need to have a healthy margin in my eyes. I went onto Autotrader minutes later only to see similar spec cars of same or lower mileage advertised considerably lower that what I was willing to bid. What's going on? Who's stupid enough to bid these way past their true value Anyhow was thinking of calling up a few of these franchise main dealers (advertised on Autotrader) and seeing if maybe they might have a trade price on these cars. Perhaps take a few quid less knowing that they will free up some cash, (especially if they have too many of the same colour/age/year) get paid within the day to their bank account and no issues. Wondering if its worth a shot? If so what discount might I expect to get?

I would take the deposit but as mentioned by others, let him know that it is non refundable under any circumstance. Either way you will be up a few hundred. You may think you have 3 buyers for the same car and that you may have it under-priced or whatever, but the longer it takes for you to get it into stock the more likely you will be left with just the one or none at all.

Won a 62 reg Focus from a Ssang Yong/MG dealer in Lancashire on D.A. a few weeks back. Advertised as having ''Full service history" under Service History section. Additional comments read: "Retail ready car, some small chips and very light scratches, full service history" Paid top money, then had car paid for by BACS within 4 hrs of auction end and collected by a third party. Car arrives and I go through the book pack, no service book to be found anywhere! So I email them twice, no reply. I call twice, salesman is off. I call again the following week, salesman is back but hasn't had time to address emails and will get back to me. 2 days later and no update, I call again but "he's off at auction" Following day I call again and told he's busy and will return my call.......he doesn't, surprise surprise! With patience running thin, I call Dealer Auction, they tell me to email the complaint to them, I do. A few hours later I get a call from D.A. who say they will contact the dealer. A week goes by. Nothing. I email D.A. again. They call me again and say they will get to the bottom of it. Finally dealer calls me and says the car was advertised in good faith WITH service history. Service book was in the car and if it's not, then "we both can point fingers as to where or who has it" He says he bought it from a Jaguar dealer, and will contact him/them, to see if they can find out from the previous owner where it was serviced, if at all! Meanwhile I write a nice letter (offering money in return for info) to the previous owner asking the same questions and send by registered mail. Since then nobody has contacted me. What should I do??????? It's and absolute joke that: 1) This dealer is allowed to get away with this. 2) I get no refund or partial refund for a car advertised with service history but hasn't 3) Service history booklets are left lying around in cars for anyone to take as they wish ( if that's what happened) 4) D.A have more or less wiped their hands of the issue. 5) This will happen time and time again.

The latest car that I I've purchased, so I can scrutinise it for faults before it's advertised. I find it the only way, otherwise you get customers phoning or calling back once sold with stupid complaints like squeaky wipers, tracking off a tad, pollen filter blocked etc.