grant8064

Not worth the hassle for us, just inviting problems into your life. Unless you're a busy repairing garage people don't expect a courtesy car when they're buying used and if they do just reset their expectation level.

Struggle with the newer shape but do fine with the old shape...older ones a low price point + still low tax, mpg etc

We're strictly 9am - 5pm. Won't do Sundays under any circumstances or appoint after 5pm. Occasionally go in a bit early for a handover but that's it. Probably costs a couple of deals a month but so be it.

I got my first "Hi, your car, what discount can you offer because..." in months. Apparently you're a rude c**t for saying that the cheaper "privately" advertised base model that you saw in Friday nights auction with three months ticket sounds like a cracker and to snap their hand off. Some people just can't handle good advice.

Glad i'm not alone. Haven't needed an alarm clock since I joined the trade!

...i've got a few kicking around to back their claims up!

A couple of the small traders around our way specialise and buy privately. One only does 107/C1 & Aygos, the other's into small autos. Limits the buying opportunities but once you've had a dozen of the same make/model you soon get to know the pitfalls, common issues, rough recon costs for bits etc. Handy if you're only doing a few a month and starting out.

+1 On the few occasions we take a car back it's only for good reason; cash or finance buyer it would make no difference to the decision. I've never experienced a finance company putting any pressure on me facing a complaint or rejection so long as it's dealt with properly. BIGNIT; FWIW we do 2K - 8K and find about 90% of the finance applications that get accepted are on 5K + stock. Under 4K we find little uptake or enquiry. (that said we do get plenty of enquiries for finance on £995 part ex's )

Spare a thought for all the Bristollian crusties living in converted ambulances and minibuses... ...you reap what you sow.

Ours is £25 a panel...location, location, location! (we're gonna really struggle to hit those AT price markers looking at what some of you boys pay for work)

Another vote for Ring units, had a couple of "Tradecharge27"s for 3 or 4 years and both are robust units, can't kill 'em. I wish I had enough hair left to need conditioner.

Can you do all my prep?

Maybe the same as somewhere charging £50 but smashing it on the discs and pads? ...or am I just being a cynic?

It's a different world in certain areas past London. I wouldn't ever choose to leave where i'm from but did look properly at a nice gravelled 40 car forecourt near where my missus is from, Peterborough area. Could've bought the freehold outright for the same as two years rent and rates on one of our current places. Absolutely crazy.

You won't find an indie around where we are doing MOTs for less than £40 and labour is £50/60 upwards + VAT. I don't really mind the hourly if it's to someone capable. It's all a bit meaningless IMO because living costs/operating costs vary so much around the UK, screen prices vary to a lesser degree but a £2995 Corsa in Birmingham can still be £3495 in the South East.

40 from 70 ish in stock. Cleared some old faces which is good.

With the German stuff becoming so mass market they could have really made so much more of Alfa, despite the crap build you used to see loads of them on the roads, same with Cherokees.

I didn't realise FCA sold anywhere near 5 million cars?! Some great brands but other than ageing 500's and yank pick ups i'd be hard pressed to know what else they sell in volume.

Of no interest to 99% of the forum I reckon!

Favourites for profit are just any retailable swapper. We're a forecourt so work very much to cater for the local demographic (otherwise we'd be inside an anonymous unit). Right colour DS3s, Merivas with the suicide doors and any small/med petrol auto do particularly well for us. DS3's and those Merivas are probably the kiss of death for most of you i'd imagine.

Did you not see the plumes of soot coming out of it in the video when they got the pump running? Worse than the leggy 05 1.5dci Megane I (literally) smoked for a bit

VAG TFSI are the only engines we avoid. The high oil burning Mazda/Ford stuff and nightmare 1.6 PSA engined Minis and 207s we stock but probably one in four causes grief...still profitable enough to stock. Stock anything supermarkety really but not much German, not much 4x4 and very very little Prestige or sporty stuff if possible...more to avoid a certain demographic of punter than the cars themselves. Forgot to add we don't really do much diesel.

They're having it away. Our local Peugeot dealer had 3 on the board halfway through the month.

Retail £8995 at one of those Rover/MG/Triumph carandclassic type places.

I've used Tivoli Autos in the past, really good but they're mostly a Volvo specialist so depends what the car is. Worth a call 01424 442277