Just signed up for DA - Am I barking mad?!

[Ocsltd 133]

So, I've just signed up to DA, thought there was no harm in signing up as assumed it was free to register. I've been told that i've got a '30 day free trial' then have to stump up £99 for a year. Not huge money, but am I likely to use it??

Reading some of the stories on here, it sounds very much like AUCTION4CARS!!! So as I suspect, is it full of complete shite, or like most auctions, is it possible to pick up the odd gem??

I've read that there are some better than others, but you don't know who the dealer is until you've won an auction. Having a quick look on there, there was a car pictured outside a Mini main dealer, so looking at the location, it wouldn't take a rocket scientist to work out which main dealer it was, but how do you know which ones to avoid if you can't see any clues in the background?

And is it a waste of time if you're looking for decent clean stuff?

P.S Don't just put me off because you don't want me bidding against you! 

Appreciate your honest and genuine feedback.

[twerp 69]

I sometimes feel you could buy cars from BCA/Manheim and sell them for more on DA.

You could probably tell them to collect from the auction centres too.

[justina3 518]

I joined up as my local shitroen dealer started sending all there stock there which we where able to buy once upon a time, the dealer manager was fed up of traders being there all the time wasting the sales people time, plus having to put up with low ball offers, all of a sudden the prices i used to pay i would say add 40% with people from all over the country buying them so it killed it for me back to the block it is, thankfully our local auctions are not the big two so we can still make a living.

But to answer your question they do sell tidy stock but sadly due to the exposure da gets you now have to pay a hell of a lot more for them.

 

[Dan W 57]

14 minutes ago, justina3 said:

I joined up as my local shitroen dealer started sending all there stock there which we where able to buy once upon a time, the dealer manager was fed up of traders being there all the time wasting the sales people time, plus having to put up with low ball offers, all of a sudden the prices i used to pay i would say add 40% with people from all over the country buying them so it killed it for me back to the block it is, thankfully our local auctions are not the big two so we can still make a living.

But to answer your question they do sell tidy stock but sadly due to the exposure da gets you now have to pay a hell of a lot more for them.

 

Agree 100% some nice stock can be had but it cant really be bought on the cheap. always keep an eye out for certain dealers usually they give in depth descriptions and even a contact number if you fancy a chat about the car we do this also. good luck ocs.

[Ocsltd 133]

Thanks for the replies and feedback.

I’m not too worried about the prices, I’m used to paying strong money at BCA!! 

What I’m more concerned about, is cars being ‘misrepresented’ or having major mechanical defects hidden / undeclared.

If there’s the odd gem albeit for strong money, then it’s worth pursuing, but didn’t want to waste my time if it’s just utter junk being offered on there. Although I suspect there is plenty of junk on there!!

How do you guys know which site is which? Do you just recognise the back drops after collecting cars from there? I.e do you have to experience a few wrong ‘uns before you know who to avoid?

30 minutes ago, Dan W said:

Agree 100% some nice stock can be had but it cant really be bought on the cheap. always keep an eye out for certain dealers usually they give in depth descriptions and even a contact number if you fancy a chat about the car we do this also. good luck ocs.

Thanks. Can you say which site you’re at?

[Dan W 57]

17 minutes ago, Ocsltd said:

Thanks for the replies and feedback.

I’m not too worried about the prices, I’m used to paying strong money at BCA!! 

What I’m more concerned about, is cars being ‘misrepresented’ or having major mechanical defects hidden / undeclared.

If there’s the odd gem albeit for strong money, then it’s worth pursuing, but didn’t want to waste my time if it’s just utter junk being offered on there. Although I suspect there is plenty of junk on there!!

How do you guys know which site is which? Do you just recognise the back drops after collecting cars from there? I.e do you have to experience a few wrong ‘uns before you know who to avoid?

you will tend to recognise the dealers by their backdrops and the way they do the adverts. just stay clear of the ones with limited info and crappy appraisals I would say.

[BHM 994]

To be fair, cars at ‘traditional’ auctions don’t have faults declared either. 

The cars on DA are hit & miss, much like at your local block.

Plenty of main dealers do not give a f***, but some do.

PS anyone had any experience of TMS Volvo @ Hinckley? I do 

[Lakeside 94]

I wanted to sign up to DA but you have to be vat registered? Only auction house I know of that won’t allow none vat.

[Arfur Dealy 823]

2 minutes ago, BHM said:

To be fair, cars at ‘traditional’ auctions don’t have faults declared either. 

The cars on DA are hit & miss, much like at your local block.

Plenty of main dealers do not give a f***, but some do.

PS anyone had any experience of TMS Volvo @ Hinckley? I do 

I buy all my stock off the block, lemons are part of the game.... It takes a long time to learn to buy wisely so you don't get hit continually, generally I lose on about 10% which includes hits through the back door.... 

8 minutes ago, Lakeside said:

I wanted to sign up to DA but you have to be vat registered? Only auction house I know of that won’t allow none vat.

Trade 2 Trade. No VAT means private pretending to be Trade.

[Lakeside 94]

15 minutes ago, Arfur Dealy said:

I buy all my stock off the block, lemons are part of the game.... It takes a long time to learn to buy wisely so you don't get hit continually, generally I lose on about 10% which includes hits through the back door.... 

Trade 2 Trade. No VAT means private pretending to be Trade.

Could they not get round that by asking for proof of trading like most other places do?

[Arfur Dealy 823]

A VAT number is proof of trading to a level which DA wish to do business with. It takes away the risk and doubt.

[cars ne 3]

I was resisted on there years ago and cars were a fortune then .

[metcars 395]

1 hour ago, Lakeside said:

Could they not get round that by asking for proof of trading like most other places do?

There are still rascals on there, but they're VAT registered rascals which is better apparently

[SuperLease 13]

I’ve had a few wasted journeys buying from DA. The surprise on their faces when you refuse to pay for a misdescribed Car makes me laugh. Like to see them do it with their own money. The attitude of some franchise dealers towards traders is frankly disgusting. Won’t be renewing my subscription I’ve had some decent stock over the past few years but like most places that side of the jobs just getting harder. I’m back to buying off privates on Autotrader. Had a few good buys this month sold one 2 days after putting it back on there :-) 

[BHM 994]

10 hours ago, Lakeside said:

Could they not get round that by asking for proof of trading like most other places do?

Why should they? As soon as they do that the site will be clogged-up with plastic traders expecting retail cars & running up genuine bidders.

I must say I find it impossible to understand how on earth anyone in this game claiming to be full time can fall under the VAT threshold & make enough to live on. 

[Lakeside 94]

20 minutes ago, BHM said:

Why should they? As soon as they do that the site will be clogged-up with plastic traders expecting retail cars & running up genuine bidders.

I must say I find it impossible to understand how on earth anyone in this game claiming to be full time can fall under the VAT threshold & make enough to live on. 

I’m not full time, but that doesn’t make me a ‘plastic trader’ 

lets face it even a vat number doesn’t prove your trade, bet there’s plenty of people on there using a family members business name and vat number to get around it. We all know the types.

Edited January 25, 2018 by Lakeside

[Stephen 21]

Cant do that with da they check the vat number out 

3 hours ago, Lakeside said:

I’m not full time, but that doesn’t make me a ‘plastic trader’ 

lets face it even a vat number doesn’t prove your trade, bet there’s plenty of people on there using a family members business name and vat number to get around it. We all know the types.

 

[Jack Regan 116]

18 hours ago, Ocsltd said:

Thanks for the replies and feedback.

I’m not too worried about the prices, I’m used to paying strong money at BCA!! 

What I’m more concerned about, is cars being ‘misrepresented’ or having major mechanical defects hidden / undeclared.

If there’s the odd gem albeit for strong money, then it’s worth pursuing, but didn’t want to waste my time if it’s just utter junk being offered on there. Although I suspect there is plenty of junk on there!!

How do you guys know which site is which? Do you just recognise the back drops after collecting cars from there? I.e do you have to experience a few wrong ‘uns before you know who to avoid?

Thanks. Can you say which site you’re at?

 

19 minutes ago, Stephen said:

Cant do that with da they check the vat number out 

 

"Not to worried about prices "  you'll get on just fine on there then .

[NOACROSS 414]

13 hours ago, SuperLease said:

I’ve had a few wasted journeys buying from DA. The surprise on their faces when you refuse to pay for a misdescribed Car makes me laugh. Like to see them do it with their own money. The attitude of some franchise dealers towards traders is frankly disgusting. Won’t be renewing my subscription I’ve had some decent stock over the past few years but like most places that side of the jobs just getting harder. I’m back to buying off privates on Autotrader. Had a few good buys this month sold one 2 days after putting it back on there :-) 

Very true, had the same experience.  What's starting to really wind me up now is since they can't charge for debit card payments, I've noticed more and more are asking for full money up front. Yeah right!  Just imagine the hassle you'd go through to get reimbursed for a badly described or serious issue car!

However, as previously mentioned, you do at least partly get to know who you can trust.

Prices are insane anyway on there the last year, but you do pick up the odd few now and again.

[Ocsltd 133]

47 minutes ago, Jack Regan said:

 

"Not to worried about prices "  you'll get on just fine on there then .

Good quality stock is never going to come cheap is it......

[Earunder 69]

If you're happy with a £4-600 profit it's for you.

The cars we have bought were all as described without problem.  Only thing I find, or actually struggle to find, is value for money with something I can actually have a good profit on.  As tradex has already mentioned, the best days for this are gone.

Been 2 and a half odd years now since my last purchase, but I still sign up every year hoping for that 1 bargain haha

[Jack Regan 116]

4 hours ago, Ocsltd said:

Good quality stock is never going to come cheap is it......

if your giving to much for your quality stock ... then good luck,

[Ocsltd 133]

1 hour ago, Jack Regan said:

if your giving to much for your quality stock ... then good luck,

It’s the bit inbetween the buying and selling price I’m interested in