Gavin@Rousdon

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Posts posted by Gavin@Rousdon

  2. Posted

    It won't work.............it just won't. 

    We have heard it all before. It gets boring after a while. 

    Motors were going to clean up a few years ago, they was going to be a dealer council listening to dealers and much more. Now it's just a shite clunky website that looks worse then AT and may sell you a few cars a month if you are lucky. I would hate to think how much Cox Automotive lost trying. I'm sure they have wrote off the loss so on paper it makes a decent profit, you rarely see a TV advert for them now so they aren't pushing it hard anymore. The truth is they had that money to loose.

    I'm with MAx, its a wind up threat. All talk and zero to show, no name, no website, no mock up website, nothing. 

  3. Posted

    6 minutes ago, Dealer research said:

    Hi Gavin. Cheers for the feedback. Mint info there by the way with "good price" thing and also finance ads. That's already NOT on ours. 

    However....How come it has to be free for 12 months? Why not 3 months or 6 months? We're playing around with 3 months currently to get stock on and TBH get feedback from dealers on what we can add, change to make it work better for them. 12 months is a bit of an ask? I dont know if any competitors of AT offered that initially? 

    BTW i dont know so im just asking! 

    Feedback im getting is majority wish there was a valid alternative to AT, but may not give us a chance even if it was free? 

    Thoughts? 

    Cheers again - Honestly, all the comments are mega cos we're crafting this as you give us feedback!

    Dave

    It doesn't matter if it's free for 3 months, 6 months or 6 years, unless you are going to match AT in advertising your product (as in your site) to the car buying public any site will fail. I spend near £3k a month with AT, they take that money and use maybe 50% of it to drive consumers to use their website and take the other 50% as profit (no idea what the split is in truth). It brings customers to me, I don't care how much they make. Unless you are prepared to have an advertising budget in the £10's of millions to get people using your product you can't compete. 

    It's like what Manchester City had to do to get where they are today, spend millions after millions, loose millions after millions just to get near the other teams.  

    5 minutes ago, Dealer research said:

    Henry Ford

    “If I had asked people what they wanted, they would have said faster horses.”

    So he made something different to a horse. A car is vastly different

    You are making a website, not that different to what AT done.

    Maybe invent a drone that picks up cars from a dealer site and drops them onto a customers driveway, 30 minutes later the drone either returns which the car or with a BACS payment. Now that is different

  4. Posted

    2 minutes ago, metcars said:

    Define 'better'? I assume you mean better for the dealers not for AT:D. I can't imagine anyone taking over from AT and running hugely differently. AT's mistake was/is that they squeezed too much. But dealers will always be squeezed by advertisers, its a business too right? Yes new replacement AT can offer a few months free or a 'pen', but once the dust settles and the honeymoon period is over its back to normal. I am concerned that many guys feel this brave new world is going to be wonderful, I'd wait and see.

    PS: I don't advertise on AT, just my opinion as an observer

    Better as in drop the 'good price' etc, drop the finance adverts around it and make the adverts and site look good (which AT do)

    7 minutes ago, whitestone679231 said:

    Autotrader got where they are by initially offering a web presence for free to dealers who advertised in the magazine, (at the time I laughed and said internet wot a load of bollox it will never catch on), even though I no longer give them any money I acknowledge that they are the market leaders and only a very well established cash rich existing company can build up to the level that will compete with them,,, the likes of e-bay, car gurus, motors etc are the ones that should be the credible threat, I doubt an unknown new comer could get a foot in the door, many have tried but soon given up.

    Thats the point, even the one's who haven't given up still only have 80% of the stock and have started doing what AT do, finance adverts around adverts etc. I'm afraid AT were ahead on the game when the internet took off, until an other massive revolution like the internet happens again which AT miss (like Yellow Pages 15 years ago) they are here to stay. 

  5. Posted

    Motors, EbayMotors, Autovolo, CarGuru's, RAC Cars, I'm sure there are many more, all said they were going to break AT hold on the market. The truth is none have, not even come close. 

    A company needs to come in and copy what autotrader do but make it better and it needs to be like that from day 1. It needs to be free for 12 months whilst spending £millions on marketing just to get dealers to cancel their AT contract. In reality its no good having 80% of Autotraders dealers use your site, you need 80% of Autotraders customers to cancel their contracts and come to you. Anything less and you are just a support act.

  7. Posted

    I can see it from both sides, especially at the lower end of the market where a £2000 car can't be prefect, but people buy off dealers because they want a level of protection. Whats a CAT for a Peugeot, £50 plus £35 for an O2 sensor. Try and be fair with the customer, offer to split the cost maybe explaining its a consumable item. Clearly when the purchase price is more expensive just fix it. 

    Is it really worth the stress of arguing over £100? Less if the customer pays a bit to. Most people are fair to a point and just want someone to help them out. 

  8. Posted

    On 2017-6-10 at 11:17 PM, DHill said:

    If it shows 'Service Vehicle Soon' its not a service light, that's a general error message saying there's something wrong with the car. Get it on a machine. Could be a glow plug out from experience. 

    Had this a few times on Insigna's and Astra's and has always been glow plugs. Be careful, they can snap easily !!!

  9. Posted

    I use Car-ology a lot and they seem to be a decent company. 0121 7174708, based in Birmingham but delivery down to me in the South West. May also be worth talking to Allen I the transport office at Bridgwater and seen if he can do plate driven only. I used to get the option all the time, you can also have a sensible conversation about prices with him if you are buying a few out of there.

     

    Whereabouts do you need them delivered to?

  10. Posted

    Depends what is in their contract. Legally they have a set holiday entitlement, I think it's 28 days. My staff get 4 weeks plus Bank Holidays. As for working weekends, if it was explained at interview that weekends are part of the working week and written in their contract they can't complain. As in time off, I only employ 2 people so we try and work together so everyone gets what they want. Some companies like staff to give 4 weeks notice if they want time off. With sickness I think the law is fairly clear (check the .gov website) as in after 3 day (I think) they get S.S.P.. 

     

  11. Posted

    20 minutes ago, umesh said:

    Gavin , In principle sounds great If they come and inspect etc et c.... However this is flawed

    1- there will be too many cars to inspect so they will subcontract this out

    OR The dealer buys into the 'system' of 'Approved ' i.e. RAC /AA to name a couple - so not worth paper its written on as its 'self' promoted as great ! #JustMtThoughts :) 

    I doubt they will ever get that comparing used cars is so much more then a one dimensional 'price'. Their model seems to be based around this.

  12. Posted

    17 minutes ago, jimreidvehicle said:

    Yes Gavin, agree 100% there seems to be a misunderstanding about reconditioning ie the quality of service and checkover a reputable dealer would carry out and what he deemed as recon, which was if the car had been repaired right? I notice that the question wasn't asked about why they show the amount of days in stock a car has been on the forecourt....WHY does a customer need to know this? 

    Days in stock....it's that DATA thing again, they have it and try and repackage it in a way that makes it useful to the customer. All it is doing is bite the hand that feeds it, the dealer who pays to advertise there.

    HOW ABOUT THIS FOR AN IDEA !!!

    Car Guru's come and inspect our cars we have for sale, if they pass their standards (because they know what makes a great car remember)  they advertise them. The customer then pays CAR GURU's say £50 to be shown the cars that match their requirements which CAR GURU's class as a 'Fair Deal' or £150 to see the cars that are a 'Great Deal'. Now everyone is a winner, and CAR GURU's can honestly say Mr and Mrs Customer, we have got you a great deal, we have inspected and drove it, it matches our high standards. Customers will flock too pay £150 for this. 

  13. Posted

    IN

    Also anyone over the age of 60 shouldn't be allowed to vote as they tend to hold the most deep seated bigoted views and have little care for the mess they leave younger generation. Can't build house's here, no windfarms there, the list goes on!!!

     

  14. Posted

    It's very much like reality TV advertising, build a set and then let the public vote/express their views which gives the dealer ratings. All well and good but you're letting people vote on things they may not fully understand. Rory experienced a bad review because the customer felt wasn't happy about a px value, I can see more of this happening in the 'Car Guru' model, people venting because they don't get their own way basically. 

    The way he talks about the 'condition' of cars shows a complete lack of understanding too, a basic HPI type check doesn't make the car good condition, it may not have finance or be a CAT C but it could have poor paint on each panel, smell of dog and fags. He talks about dealer pricing to get a 'fair deal' marker but surely that undermines the very concept of a review type site, the word 'Great' is stronger then 'Fair'. Who wants to take someone out for a  'fair' meal when for the same money it can be a 'great' meal. 

    It's yet another case of a company getting data and trying to sell it back somebody, be it a dealer or customer in a different way. The problem is the data it corrupt because a car is about how it looks and drives which data can't tell you. It also discounts many maintenance issues such as DSG or Haldex oil changes, type of tyre fitted etc so in a way it restricts the quality of the product the customer end up with. 

     

    • Like 2

  16. Posted

    Advertise, advertise and advertise. Most people find and research their next car online before visiting a forecourt. You need your advert to stand out. Is the Tiguan a 2wd or a 4wd? I'm guessing its reatiling around the £10k mark so ebay and gumtree may not be the best places to advertise as it's better for the lower priced market. 

    I'm afraid it's not as easy as just buying a few cars and sticking a price in the window anymore. The internet is king. As for buying stock is there no local dealers you can buy out of?

  18. Posted

    43 minutes ago, James Baggott said:

    Will you buy this car today if I give you the right price? 

    I can't help thinking a direct question like that posed to me would get an honest answer. 

    A lot of customers aren't honest. I think a few seem to like playing the 'value my car game'. They don't know what it's worth but once you give a value they tell you they have being offered £x and £y elsewhere. Try telling them its the value of the deal they should be looking at and their heads explode!!

    The stupid thing is if a customer said they weren't sure from the start you tend to spend more time trying to help them, finding out what they need and guiding them to a car that suits their purpose etc whereas the ones who want to to hold a car for a few days, then turn up and waste time don't tend to get this service.

    Had one the other day who had travelled 90 mins to look at a car and we were £3500 apart on the p/x price (this was on a £10k car). They left happy saying it had being a pleasant trip out in any case!!!

    • Like 1

  19. Posted

    Is it not easier just to send them to a local auction or get a trader to buy a job lot. The whole advertising them to 'trade only' on places such as ebay is a little risky as may consider must trade sales aren't carried out this way and it could be a way of trying to side step consumer law. We all look at cars and think 'thats cheap and clean' but in reality it's just leaving yourself open to a world or pain if it goes wrong. Customers lie and I'm sure they would be happy to tell a court they made it clear they weren't trade but you guided them through the process. Also what happens if someone is involved in an accident and the car is deemed unroadworthy. 

    It is really worth the hassle??

    • Like 1

  20. Posted

    Ebay isn't a trade only site. Trading standards take a dim view as it looks very much like someone trying to avoid there legal responsibilities whilst selling vehicles. Your inviting trouble trying to dispose of stock this way as you are advertising them for sale to the general public. 

    • Like 2

  21. Posted

    Great idea but this is a forum after all. Whilst some are straight about who we are and what we do, it's not unknown for forums to attract a certain type who like to twist the truth shall we say.  How much it happens on here I don't know as it's a fairly small group of people, not that I care who writes what!!! It's just part and parcel of the internet

     

     

    • Like 1

  22. Posted

    They are expensive but possibly the best out there. The searches do give a fair bit of information, change of owner date etc etc. You can also seach without using the VRN look up but its long winded and your never 100% sure you have the right model. 

    You could try Glass Guide but I don't think to many people use them now, CAP seems to be the default 

  24. Posted

    Had an old chap a few years ago do this to me. He must of test drove about 4 convertibles over a 6 months period, always discussing his BMW p/x etc etc and spending a good couple of hours with him each time, felt like I was married to him at points.  Finally we agreed on a deal, think it was a BMW or Merc and he had left his wallet at home, he would phone me with a deposit as soon as he was back. Never heard from him, left messages and not a thing. This was about 10 years ago. The about 2 years ago I get a call on a SLK, customer has a BMW p/x, I notice its the same bloke, but now he just asks question upon question. The next convertible I get in the same happens. In the end I saved his number in my phone as 'Fruity Nutcake' and ingored his calls. 

    • Like 3

  25. Posted

    Ebay seems to do well for people selling in that price range. Motor's are cheap compared to AT and bring in too few enquires for me. Saying that my location and stock is the opposite to yours. Local papers are good if cheap enough as if lets locals know you are there, I do ok  with local papers but get a great deal so that helps.

    As for AT, it works for me, not for other, some swear but it others hate it. It's expensive but could make a massive difference to your business.