Newbie ... well not really

[MainDealerBiatch 6]

Last had a pitch back in late 90's which was good for a while but place was demolished so started a window cleaning business which we sold off last year.

Now thinking about getting back into the trade.

Reading a few pages of posts I see auto trader no longer flavour of the month ?? what have they done ?

Do a lot of you guys use ebay motors pro instead ?

Edited September 23, 2017 by Wrexham
more questions

[Arfur Dealy 823]

Welcome back  I use AT which is very very costly and also eBay Motors Pro which is great value for money.

[It's me 610]

i dont use autotrader because all your money goes to a load of suits round a big table that cut the large profits up and spend it in silly ways

or was that the conservative govt with my 20 billion

[Tom 164]

Now is not the time to enter the car trade! 

[Jimbo 11]

2 hours ago, Arfur Dealy said:

Welcome back  I use AT which is very very costly and also eBay Motors Pro which is great value for money.

How much is ebay pro? What do u get for it please as toying with that myself

[Arfur Dealy 823]

50 minutes ago, Tom said:

Now is not the time to enter the car trade! 

I disagree, if you do the job right, build a great reputation and keep your costs low you can ear a seriously large wage

[Max Branning 149]

Surely cleaning windows is easier money than car dealing ? 

Much lower overheads for a start !

[Frankieola 22]

51 minutes ago, Arfur Dealy said:

I disagree, if you do the job right, build a great reputation and keep your costs low you can ear a seriously large wage

What sort of cars dou you sell Arfur?

[Tom 164]

1 hour ago, Arfur Dealy said:

I disagree, if you do the job right, build a great reputation and keep your costs low you can ear a seriously large wage

What is this current climate with brexit etc?! Ask any well established dealer who's being going for years would they start up now? 

 

 

[Arfur Dealy 823]

1 hour ago, tradex said:

Sorry, I have to disagree.

I really think reputation is a very overated facet of the car trade. I know of of some car dealers that are well, lets call a spade a spade, they are proper crooks....seem to do ok though. 

The over riding concern of 99% of customers now is price, not quality.

And on being a good living. Even the likes of Pendragon etc are only making 6 to 8% net profit. There are plenty of players in this game that talk, like they are minted, but peal back the top sheet and its all stocking loans or other strap.

The good days are over and we won't see them again.

Disagree completely, I go to certain shops because I like their brand quality and service. It's the same in every industry, brand quality and service sells. Cars are absolutely no different, not everyone buys from primark. 

[trade vet 697]

1 hour ago, tradex said:

Sorry, I have to disagree.

I really think reputation is a very overated facet of the car trade. I know of of some car dealers that are well, lets call a spade a spade, they are proper crooks....seem to do ok though. 

The over riding concern of 99% of customers now is price, not quality.

And on being a good living. Even the likes of Pendragon etc are only making 6 to 8% net profit. There are plenty of players in this game that talk, like they are minted, but peal back the top sheet and its all stocking loans or other strap.

The good days are over and we won't see them again.

Hi Tradex

Excuse me.......Can I just point out that if Pendragon were doing 6 to 8% net,their share price would be £29 rather than 29p ! I think you will find their 2016 results showed net profits before tax of 1.22% which was considered a good result ! 1% net is now considered OK for those of us running companies . Now window cleaning ......da.....da ....da

[have a word with the wife 299]

t

2 hours ago, tradex said:

This trade has changed beyond all recognition since the 90's when you could sell a nut 'n bolt out of the SE Trader.

Seriously, there must be easier ways to earn a not so great living. If I knew years ago what I knew now, I think I'd have chosen a different career.

Its quite true  what he says you know chaps, think back, you only had one pic and 20? words for the description, and it sold before sunday if it was right ! nowadays its 20 pics, good feedback, web sites, warranties, credit, consumer rights, credit cards, impossible demands from punters, not to mention the leg in part ex........

1 hour ago, Max Branning said:

Surely cleaning windows is easier money than car dealing ? 

Much lower overheads for a start !

Have you seen the price of a chamois lately ?

 

all the best wrexham but do check out  ALL the forum for lifes niggles in ths game 

[MainDealerBiatch 6]

2 hours ago, Max Branning said:

Surely cleaning windows is easier money than car dealing ? 

Much lower overheads for a start !

yes but very very boring.

Car sales so much easier .. buy a car from auction .. give it a quick bath and whack 3 grand across it .. sell it immediately .. easy peasy

 

then I woke up

[BHM 994]

10 hours ago, tradex said:

Sorry, I have to disagree.

I really think reputation is a very overated facet of the car trade.

The over riding concern of 99% of customers now is price, not quality.

The good days are over and we won't see them again.

Just now, BHM said:

10 hours ago, tradex said:

Sorry, I have to disagree.

I really think reputation is a very overated facet of the car trade.

The over riding concern of 99% of customers now is price, not quality.

The good days are over and we won't see them again.

To bloody true. The reputation bit is absolute bollocks or certainly is at the lower end of the market. A saving of £100 up the road on a similar car (but no history etc. etc.) will have the average greedy price-centric punter scurrying along & stuff you! I've seen it a number of times & even when they've bought a shitter they a still not happy with your prices.

[trade vet 697]

5 hours ago, tradex said:

Well things are worse than I thought. .and with rumours of interest rates going one way, it could be Armageddon for consumer debt economics again, until next time that is?...I think I may go 70's style panic buying....sugar, toilet rolls, flour.

I think the smart money maybe in a workshop, if automotive is ones chosen career, with an electrical/electronic bent.

...or window cleaning if you use scented softened water.

Can you imagine what a good auto electrical diagnostic guy will be earning in the future ! Unfortunateley,a lot of today's parents would prefer to load their kids with debt by sending them to 'Uni' to do things like Ghost Busters studies ( Coventry) or Robin Hood studies (Notts) or I think Harry Potter (Durham) and come out owing £20k !.....rant over

 

[It's me 610]

is a leather chamois best or one of those pretend ones

[sparky 274]

20 hours ago, tradex said:

Sorry, I have to disagree.

I really think reputation is a very overated facet of the car trade. I know of of some car dealers that are well, lets call a spade a spade, they are proper crooks....seem to do ok though. 

The over riding concern of 99% of customers now is price, not quality.

And on being a good living. Even the likes of Pendragon etc are only making 6 to 8% net profit. There are plenty of players in this game that talk, like they are minted, but peal back the top sheet and its all stocking loans or other strap.

The good days are over and we won't see them again.

Very much this. 

4 hours ago, trade vet said:

Can you imagine what a good auto electrical diagnostic guy will be earning in the future ! Unfortunateley,a lot of today's parents would prefer to load their kids with debt by sending them to 'Uni' to do things like Ghost Busters studies ( Coventry) or Robin Hood studies (Notts) or I think Harry Potter (Durham) and come out owing £20k !.....rant over

 

A mate of mine is (and I could probably back up if needed), one of the best auto sparks in the business, bordering on genius. Some kids pick up a golf club or kick a football, he picked up a multimeter. You would no believe how busy he is, how busy he could be and how many dealers would be fecked (including me) if he packed it all in. 

Anyway, nice to have another North Walian on the forum, especially after a such a good result yesterday

[MainDealerBiatch 6]

17 hours ago, s and b said:

is a leather chamois best or one of those pretend ones

vinegar and old newspaper with a bit of p**s in the bucket