Is specialising the way forward for small indys?

[Linctrader 16]

Hello chaps,

I've spent the last few days thinking about this and having a read on various previous posts on the forum plus speaking to colleagues for their thoughts.

I Do 2-3 a week currently and they are mostly oddball stuff as that's what I like and get most pleasure out of retailling. Having said That, I get the feeling I could be making more money with less stress if I choose one or two models and specialised in just them. 

I have the funds to have 10+ cars sitting retail ready and the model I have in mind is new enough to not be overly problem some and plentiful enough to ensure there is always a nice amount of stock available for me to buy from the various sources.

My fear is the choice factor 'oh I came here for the red one, but you have blue, silver and black and now I'm not sure' - with my current stock, I never double up so that I can avoid this issue. I guess I could choose different engines/ages/mileage/price but sometimes similar stock will come up that I have no choice but to buy.

Is this the way forward for small independent garages do you think? And having made that statement, are many of you already doing This?

Cheers.

 

[Arfur Dealy 823]

Find your niche, grow your business with loyalty:)

[metcars 394]

11 hours ago, Arfur Dealy said:

Find your niche, grow your business with loyalty:)

..... and still keep a few 'oddballs' out the back

[sparky 274]

I think there is a  strong case for specialising, there are many successful dealers doing just that including some on here. I suppose the question is what do you specialise in and how practical is it to do so? Can you get that specialist stock that other specialists are chasing and then can you get specialist money for it at the other end? My fear would always be putting all you eggs in one basket then dropping the basket, but maybe that risk is better than than being a jack of all trades, master of none.

What sort of stock are you thinking of specialising in Linctrader?

[trade vet 697]

Hi Linctrader

Years ago,I used to get all the regional AT mags to pick up ideas and I can think back to a few niche operators.There was a pitch somewhere that only did C Class size Mercs ( 190's) but added big alloys,spoilers and tinted the windows.I think it traded as ' Rude Mercs '.There was a pitch that just sold very low mileage Polo's under £5k and there was some pitch that just sold Cavaliers called Cavalier City.A few years ago,I noticed a pitch somewhere that only did KA's except they repainted them pink..! This was a while ago and things have changed,but there will be other niche retailers still around.

Whatever your idea is just have a go and good luck !

[metcars 394]

Didn't there used to be a guy call Paul Mimmack who sold ex police vehicles. I think he had an article about him in Autocar magazine back in the day

[metcars 394]

I specialise in cars that don't sell

[grant8064 219]

I loved the idea of specialising in a brand or type of car but these days it scares me off.

Suppose you specialised in diesels - recently you're screwed.

Estates specialist - SUV's have killed that market for me.

Prestige - Takes a certain person....I can't handle the big ego but instant HP decline brigade.

We thought about autos because there's a huge demand locally but try buying one without a knackered box in the block.

Bog standard risk spreading is best for me...at least that way I have one of every un-sellable motor rather than a forecourt full of the same unsellable ones.

[BHM 994]

LET ME ADD MY TWO PENNETH WORTH (IN CAPITALS IF YOU HADN'T ALREADY GUESSED).

Suppose you specialised in diesels - recently you're screwed. + A FORECOURT FULL OF CARS WITH DPF/TURBO/INJECTOR PROBLEMS. URGHHH!!!

Estates specialist - SUV's have killed that market for me. PARTIALLY AGREE, THERE AREN'T ENOUGH TIDY ESTATES AT SENSIBLE MONEY.

Prestige - Takes a certain person....I can't handle the big ego but instant HP decline brigade.  TO F***ING TRUE!! PENNILESS BIG-TALKING BASTARDS. BTW, THE VW CROWD CAN ALSO BE ADDED INTO THIS "CHAMPAGNE TASTE, LEMONADE MONEY" BRACKET.

We thought about autos because there's a huge demand locally but try buying one without a knackered box in the block. NOT ENOUGH GOOD ONES . YOU CAN'T TRUST THESE SHITTY AUTOMATED CLUTCH JOBIES, CVTS ARE HORRID, DSGS SEEM TO BE A LOTTERY AND ANYTHING BIG & 'PRESTIGE' SEEMS TO NEED A NEW 'BOX EVERY 100K MILES.

Bog standard risk spreading is best for me...at least that way I have one of every un-sellable motor rather than a forecourt full of the same unsellable ones. SNAP.

 

[have a word with the wife 299]

its a very good idea and  known quite a few do it, and still do, but faced with choice a consumer will walk away, DO NOT LET THEM SEE ALL YOUR STOCK ! split up your stock, show 3 different colours, dont let them see the others until they definetly dont want the first 3 ! if you havent got the room to divide them throw a sold sign in the window of the one they havent come to view! Trust me here, too much choice and there head spins and they walk ! 

[BHM 994]

10 hours ago, have a word with the wife said:

its a very good idea and  known quite a few do it, and still do, but faced with choice a consumer will walk away, DO NOT LET THEM SEE ALL YOUR STOCK ! split up your stock, show 3 different colours, dont let them see the others until they definetly dont want the first 3 ! if you havent got the room to divide them throw a sold sign in the window of the one they havent come to view! Trust me here, too much choice and there head spins and they walk ! 

+1 Absolutely.

tbh when they say on the phone "I want to see a few of your cars" that usually means their head is already full of cars & they don't have a clue what they want.

[justina3 518]

I suffer with this problem a lot, selling mostly small engine first time buyer kind of cars I get the 17-18 year olds with there parents and grandparents who often end up paying arguing over what they like and dont like which often leads to them going away to think about it.

 

[BHM 994]

That's why I hate small cars & try to avoid them.

[Linctrader 16]

I remember rude mercs - those cars were over the top in a good way! The same people went on to selling nissan Figaros and called themselves 'figarude'

Currently I do 'oddballs' - big v6/v8 heavy stuff that I like myself and get pleasure out of having around me. I would like to continue having things like this but would be keen to have also focus on one particular model that could start to actually bring some money back in the business! 

I would keep a couple of the oddballs to sell alongside 6+ of the models I would specialise in. But I agree I would need to be careful and part of that could be resolved by moving the one car they enquired about (I'm by appointment) in front of my office and away from the unit I store my stock in. Then the focus is all on that one car they enquired about.

Such a minefield though...

[metcars 394]

Although if I were a young thrusting 'empire building' kind of guy, I may be looking into hybrids/electrics as an area of specialisation. There appear to be plenty of charge points appearing around the place, even my local Asda has a few. 

[grant8064 219]

2 hours ago, met said:

Although if I were a young thrusting 'empire building' kind of guy, I may be looking into hybrids/electrics as an area of specialisation. There appear to be plenty of charge points appearing around the place, even my local Asda has a few. 

This would be a tempting place to be but so beyond my knowledge...bit of a dinosaur despite being under 35!

Our cash wash Saturday kid is getting a job at Toyota soon and will be going on courses for the hybrid technology...sounds crazy already. No greasy oily pit for him, workshop sounds more like a science lab by the sounds of it.

[It's me 609]

22 minutes ago, grant8064 said:

This would be a tempting place to be but so beyond my knowledge...bit of a dinosaur despite being under 35!

Our cash wash Saturday kid is getting a job at Toyota soon and will be going on courses for the hybrid technology...sounds crazy already. No greasy oily pit for him, workshop sounds more like a science lab by the sounds of it.

tell him to read this first then

Tesla Annual Service Inspection

Unlike combustion engine cars, Tesla vehicles require no traditional oil changes, fuel filter, spark plug replacements, or emission checks. As an electric vehicle, even brake pad replacements are rare because regenerative braking returns energy to the battery, significantly reducing wear on brakes. Our inspections instead focus on checking wheel alignment and tyre condition, assessing replacement parts like key fob batteries and windshield wiper blades, and installing the latest software update. Tesla recommends an annual service inspection every year or 12,500 miles, whichever occurs first, to maintain your vehicle to top performance standards.

[metcars 394]

3 hours ago, grant8064 said:

 

 

3 hours ago, s and b said:

tell him to read this first then

Tesla Annual Service Inspection

Unlike combustion engine cars, Tesla vehicles require no traditional oil changes, fuel filter, spark plug replacements, or emission checks. As an electric vehicle, even brake pad replacements are rare because regenerative braking returns energy to the battery, significantly reducing wear on brakes. Our inspections instead focus on checking wheel alignment and tyre condition, assessing replacement parts like key fob batteries and windshield wiper blades, and installing the latest software update. Tesla recommends an annual service inspection every year or 12,500 miles, whichever occurs first, to maintain your vehicle to top performance standards.

.... but they will eventually require repair whether due to accident damage or wear and tear. They'll have bearings and suspension components not to mention chassis control systems that always go wrong in the end.

[Mojo121 229]

"even brake pad replacements are rare because regenerative braking returns energy to the battery, significantly reducing wear on brakes"

So, the brake pad comes in contact with the disc creating friction and because this friction generates kinetic energy which is returned to the battery it reduces wear on the pad. Does anyone else smell something...? 

[Rory RSC 596]

39 minutes ago, Mojo121 said:

"even brake pad replacements are rare because regenerative braking returns energy to the battery, significantly reducing wear on brakes"

So, the brake pad comes in contact with the disc creating friction and because this friction generates kinetic energy which is returned to the battery it reduces wear on the pad. Does anyone else smell something...? 

I couldn't understand that either.

 

I just can't get excited about electric cars in the slightest. They do nothing for me. 

[sparky 274]

17 hours ago, met said:

Although if I were a young thrusting 'empire building' kind of guy, I may be looking into hybrids/electrics as an area of specialisation. There appear to be plenty of charge points appearing around the place, even my local Asda has a few. 

I once bought 30 electric golf buggies at a manheim sale once, I knew I should have kept them

[trade vet 697]

7 minutes ago, sparky said:

I once bought 30 electric golf buggies at a manheim sale once, I knew I should have kept them

Are you going to tell us how you shifted the buggies.I doubt you sold them to Golf Clubs ( my guess they may have rented some )

[metcars 394]

1 hour ago, sparky said:

I once bought 30 electric golf buggies at a manheim sale once, I knew I should have kept them

I was at a farm/machinery auction a few weeks ago and almost bought one of those road legal offroad type buggies used by the forestry commission. Looked like a golf cart on steroids

1 hour ago, trade vet said:

Are you going to tell us how you shifted the buggies.I doubt you sold them to Golf Clubs ( my guess they may have rented some )

He sold them to Tesla

[grant8064 219]

16 hours ago, s and b said:

tell him to read this first then

Tesla Annual Service Inspection

Unlike combustion engine cars, Tesla vehicles require no traditional oil changes, fuel filter, spark plug replacements, or emission checks. As an electric vehicle, even brake pad replacements are rare because regenerative braking returns energy to the battery, significantly reducing wear on brakes. Our inspections instead focus on checking wheel alignment and tyre condition, assessing replacement parts like key fob batteries and windshield wiper blades, and installing the latest software update. Tesla recommends an annual service inspection every year or 12,500 miles, whichever occurs first, to maintain your vehicle to top performance standards.

I'm assuming that's the sales patter on the website for buyers to read?

It's a car so it will need fixing and it will need maintenance. All the usual consumables to replace but just a bit more programming and coding when it comes to replacing parts surely.

[sparky 274]

2 hours ago, trade vet said:

Are you going to tell us how you shifted the buggies.I doubt you sold them to Golf Clubs ( my guess they may have rented some )

Out of the 30 I made up about 22 good ones. Each buggy had six heavy duty batteries, and boy were they heavy. Changing them over felt like one of the stages out of world's strongest man. I play a bit of golf so world got around and I sold them all, the rest that were knackered on ebay. With the benefit of hindsight I should have kept them and rented them out as those buggy auctions are a thing of the past and used buggies are like hen's teeth now.