grant8064

I'm with tradex on this one...the Polish guys around here are very very sensible. Know what to look for, only turn up on stuff that is priced right and don't mess about. From £200 scrappers to 12k beemers i've yet to have an issue with them. Good buyers of cars and really nice people to deal with. We also don't discount and make it very clear before any viewing or test drive so it sorts some of the wheat

Yer I think I am so used to being VAT registered that I forgot that many trades simply aren't . Error on my part. We have a really big van dealer locally too and I suspect that even though they are more expensive people would naturally choose them as their first port of call. Good shout on the +VAT thing Arfur...somehow I have never ever taken a van in chop. I also always assume a van in chop is only getting part ex'd because it has got issues which probably starts me off on a negative slant as well

Be interested in this thread guys...I tried stocking a few Caddys and Partners around the 5k mark +VAT and really struggled to shift them despite being the cheapest lowest mileage around. I think part of the problem was there are too many car derived out there. Do you find rarer bigger stuff like panel vans and lutons do better?

These guys are the best. Give me an Eastern Euro or African trader every day of the week for a car that exports well. So much less hassle than all the idiots that expect a new car for £300. We are blessed with some really sensible Polish guys around here and are my favourite people to deal with. Sensible, realistic and get to the point quickly. Usually get a deal too because they don't mess about.

Export it again? Worth doing with the prices of these. Our dent guy imported one years ago for around 15k and recently got offered a shade under 80k because of the mileage/condition. I'm not a car guy but I can almost understand the price tag...things are wild beasts. Rather 70k in something like that than a boring Range Sport.

Agreed, on subprime it's good to get any kind of kickback so +1 for that

...someone's getting the sack.

They phoned me today touting for business so they're definitely still taking stuff on! Zuto would not be my first choice because the commission is capped for us at £150 per deal which is kind of laughable IMO and they've never sent a rep out to say hello or supplied any point of sale material. Where about are you Alfie? If you're in the South East I can recommend a couple of good reps who are a pleasure to deal with

We use Motonovo and they're pretty good. The portal is really easy to use, point of sale stuff is nice, decisions are made quite quickly and acceptance rates are predictable. I think the most important thing for a starter is know what you are signing up to (read the terms) and make sure you get on well with your rep. Ours is a nice guy and works hard for us on tricky bits. Get your rep to give you a bit of training because it's something you want to approach with confidence when in front of a punter and you need to know what you're talking about.

Check the boot bulb too...it's always the one I forget to put back in

Exactly this

Not if you set yourself a limit, stick to it religiously and drop out as soon as it goes above. They soon stop running you up once they've ended up red faced buying a few in well above book with the vendor in the room asking wtf they're doing. As an ex-auctioneer, the very best customers are the ones you know will go an extra bid at the end of the bidding if talked into it. Those were always the weak ones that you could afford to consistently run up (not that I ever partook in that of course) because they never set a price limit that they stuck to.

Hi Jimbo, I use Glass's guide, only the mobile app though. It's a handy tool for part ex appraisals when a customer is overly optimistic about their vehicle worth. Gives a bit of back up to what i'm telling them sometimes. It's only a guide though, there is so much more than what the book says when considering values that only experience can give you. As for retail values...it's not something I use a guide for. You get to know what something retails at over time. I've never used CAP so cannot comment but the Glass Mobile App is pretty decent for quick, basic valuations IMO, I wouldn't want to base my prices off it alone though.

A 2002 Vauxhall Corsa 1.2 with 19 stamps in the book, never came back and it was 90% profit

Picked up a bit today... Oh wait, hang on...enquiries on sub 2k junk from the opposite end of the country, a few test drives booked but when they arrived all three hadn't taken a test yet despite qualifying over the phone and three finance props rejected (I wasn't surprised by them tbh)

To be totally honest the customer was a really nice genuine guy and bought within 20 mins like usual but it was a messy finance application, lots of emails, proofs and phone calls (all for £3500 ) which took the time. Never again though, my head was banging that evening. It's a lump of metal shifted on a quiet month though and it all adds up.

Arrghhhhhhhhh save me now sums me up. Plenty of people about, just none have any intention of buying a car.

It's painful. I've done two all week...one was nice and easy. The other took 6 1/2 hours from start to finish on a sub 4k car...never ever would I normally spend that long on a deal but needs must this month!

Roll on Monday, it has been nothing but the expected so far. Had a few walk ons today...only one actually had a driving license and none were in the market. I still don't know why I don't just take Augusts off.

I know we're only four days in but can it end already please...

Thanks for the reply...it's more of an idea at the moment but on paper it would suit my lifestyle pretty well. The ones I was considering are circa 40k 13/14 plates. Just wondered what peoples opinions on them are as it's not something we ever stock on the forecourt. I'm not really interested in driving dynamics or it looking flashy...more a case of will it start in the morning and is the cabin build quality half decent?

So how about a Leaf as a used car purchase? One of the ones with the fully paid for battery? I've been considering one for commuting as the range wouldn't be an issue and I can charge it at work during the day. Our local rooms have quite a few 13/14 plates for around 5k with a paid for battery. I don't really know much about them and haven't investigated it properly but your thoughts guys?

I used to open 10 - 4 on Sundays and dealt a fair few but the amount of tyre kickers was beyond silly...didn't help having two carveries doing roast dinners two minutes down the road! The last year I have stopped because i'm busy enough during the week and want a good days rest with the missus. I think if we were open we would sell cars but are they cars that wouldn't sell Mon - Sat? The sales figures don't say they are so i'm staying shut. Paying rent and rates for a non working site on a Sunday is a gripe but a day off does everyone the power of good IMO.

The one in the screen unless you'd like to offer more Sir?

Best month ever for us...we're stocking ever more carefully which is really paying dividends. Opening up the second forecourt on Monday so hopefully if we keep doing things right and treating people as we would want to be treated then it'll continue! As for specialists/main dealers... I have used plenty and found a few really good specialists for 4x4 Landys and auto boxes...still yet to find an independent that can handle diagnostics properly and actually work out the issue. Cases in point; Had an L200 come back with an intermittent EML and occasional limp mode issue. Tried two independent garages and a specialist who tried the usual but were bloody clueless, took it to a Mitsi main dealer and they had it worked out and fixed in a day for less than we wasted at the independents...happy us & happy customer. Had an X3 with a ABS light that again one independent and a specialist couldn't work out...one even convinced us to fit a replacement £900 transfer box to no avail. Took it to our local BMW main dealer and it was on the road fixed within a week...took some working out but in the end it was simply a wheel speed sensor at fault, cost £190 fitted. My point is that independents and specialists are only as good as the guys running it, as are main dealers. I personally don't mind main dealer prices at all when it's a complex or confusing issue...I know that if I take it to them it'll either get fixed or they'll work out what's up and i'll decide it's not cost effective to fix. They're not the dragon rip off merchants people make out sometimes when it comes to the tricky stuff. That said we all know that they're not the places for a simple service or easy job. For the complex stuff I wouldn't go anywhere else these days. Independent specialists...hmm well. I think it all comes down to the guys with the blue gloves on...some are good and some are utter crap trading off the idea that they are specialists. BMW Hailsham service dept and Mitsi Brighton service dept come highly recommended for weird diagnostics issues if you're in the area.