Good Afternoon Chaps, Newbie Here

[EPV 631]

Newbie to the forum and something of a newbie to the trade. I'm part of that "build up my business part time" brigade I'm afraid, been going about 3 months and sold 3 cars (all in January incidentally, has someone died in February? The motor trade, possibly?)

I've been a lurker on here for a while now so thought I'd sign up and join in. Some really useful stuff on here so a collective thanks to everyone. 

My website is here; www.elitepreownedvehicles and I'd appreciate some critique of my adverts, I currently have 4 up for sale, all clean low mileage stuff (which is where I focus my attention although I'm tempted to start selling some of the lower end stuff as some on here seem to do well) but I've not sold a thing in almost a month now and I'm getting a bit impatient, anything obviously wrong with these?

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-search?search-target=usedcars&radius=1&onesearchad=Used&onesearchad=Nearly%20New&onesearchad=New&make=MERCEDES-BENZ&model=&price-search-type=total-price&keywords=&postcode=br12qf

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/253417010663

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/253417010663

I've got an ebaymotorspro account, I also use Motors.co.uk (although cancelled that as I don't think it's worth a carrot) and I do also use PAYG Autotrader.

Cheers in advance for any advice!

 

[trade vet 704]

Hi EPV

Your website looks OK to me,you just have to find out what makes the phone ring where you are.  You have done 3 so far,in order to try and help,what were they,price,description and mileage.

[EPV 631]

5 minutes ago, trade vet said:

Hi EPV

Your website looks OK to me,you just have to find out what makes the phone ring where you are.  You have done 3 so far,in order to try and help,what were they,price,description and mileage.

Thanks for the reply.

 

Well, weirdly it probably won't help in that respect. Bearing in mind I'm in Bromley, Kent. I sold a 2011 Red Merc 1.8 BlueEf Estate to a bloke from Taunton (200 miles away) 76,000 miles, sold for £7,850 and I had a grand across it. A 64 plate Black Nissan Note to a fella from Brighton (60 miles away) which had 41,000 miles on and I had £1200 across it and a Silver 2008 Merc B Class to a bloke from North London, 64,000 miles on it sold £4,800 and I took a £800 hit on that as I misread the description on the car and ended up spending waaay too much on it, that was my first and was a sharp learning curve.

I think I'm quickly learning that it isn't about selling what I like, it's about stocking what people want locally. I'm friendly with a bloke from Autotrader and he's been helping me out a lot with understanding the desirability of certain cars locally. Fiesta's do well, as do C Class' (although barely a nibble at my Black C Class, could be 'cos it's a diesel) so I think once I sell what I have I'll start to buy the stuff that does well locally.

I start to overthink things, is the website ok, do my ad's look enticing, my photos etc. I even get a bloke to photoshop the backgrounds of my photos to make them all look uniform (and so distracting stuff like other people and cars/lamposts/houses are shopped out)

I know 4 weeks can be nothing in this game and the highest overage car I have is 21 days (almost) which isn't bad but I'm an impatient bugger at times. I've got a good margin in all the cars I have in stock (hopefully no potential clients just read that) so I can afford to knock the prices down by £250 a unit and still be well in but I don't want to cave in so early?

 

 

[trade vet 704]

I am from up north,but I have experience of trading in your area.Firstly,I don’t think people drive far because of the heavy traffic.We found they prefer automatics and will pay big money for them ( see AMC near you) which looks like an established and successfull business.If it’s low mileage ,one owner with history and £3000 to £5000 range and petrol,I would imagine you could both pay and command top money for them.When we were in East Dulwich on a main road pitch,it took us 2 years to find this out after trying everything else.I would try that next,but I would emphasise there are no guarantees in this job.

 

[EPV 631]

That’s really helpful advice thanks! I really hadn’t considered the impact of the traffic and South London is absolute murder to get around so yes people wouldn’t fancy all that. Really helpful thanks! 

[justina3 518]

on your one series bmw it states vat included as i am vat registered if i purchase this car can i claim 20% back ?? 

[NOACROSS 414]

I would have left your sold cars (marked as sold) on your website as you only have a few. Would show some stability and trust.  

I’m weird about photos being the same for every car, same angles, same order, lots of shots etc and would recommended you find one location you like, whether it’s at home or a nice spot out somewhere, and photo everything there (and the video is a good idea but I’d have that after the photos.)

I hate cover plates but I know others will say the opposite. Some customers will Hpi before enquiring for example and need the reg. although looks like you’ve only done it on the Nissan Note  

I don’t see the point in going on about the mot date currently and no advisories, and would offer a new, no advisory Mot at the asking price.

Finally and somewhat controversial on here is the diesel issue: we can’t sell diesels for toffee (south coast) the last 18 month’s or so as have many others and have changed our business model to avoid them where possible.  I see all your cars bar one, are diesel-something to consider.

We have only done six cars this month and have 50 plus in stock- so I wouldn’t panic too much-just get used to it and prepare yourself for a long slog. Sometimes it’s just quiet  

It’s the best or worst job in the world, depending on if you’re selling.  Rarely any inbetween. 

Good luck.  You’ll need it! ;o)

[EPV 631]

19 hours ago, justina3 said:

on your one series bmw it states vat included as i am vat registered if i purchase this car can i claim 20% back ?? 

I think given that I am not yet VAT registered (not passed the threshold yet) yet you are VAT registered, you'd be best placed to answer that question.

18 hours ago, NOACROSS said:

I would have left your sold cars (marked as sold) on your website as you only have a few. Would show some stability and trust.  

I’m weird about photos being the same for every car, same angles, same order, lots of shots etc and would recommended you find one location you like, whether it’s at home or a nice spot out somewhere, and photo everything there (and the video is a good idea but I’d have that after the photos.)

I hate cover plates but I know others will say the opposite. Some customers will Hpi before enquiring for example and need the reg. although looks like you’ve only done it on the Nissan Note  

I don’t see the point in going on about the mot date currently and no advisories, and would offer a new, no advisory Mot at the asking price.

Finally and somewhat controversial on here is the diesel issue: we can’t sell diesels for toffee (south coast) the last 18 month’s or so as have many others and have changed our business model to avoid them where possible.  I see all your cars bar one, are diesel-something to consider.

We have only done six cars this month and have 50 plus in stock- so I wouldn’t panic too much-just get used to it and prepare yourself for a long slog. Sometimes it’s just quiet  

It’s the best or worst job in the world, depending on if you’re selling.  Rarely any inbetween. 

Good luck.  You’ll need it! ;o)

Great post mate thanks. Some really good advice here for me and I don't need to be converted on the diesel subject. I said to myself after I bought my first car (that ratlled and spluttered its way off the transporter) that I wouldn't get a diesel and here I am, with 75% of my stock being a diesel! I bought them really well so I just had eyes for profit but I suppose there's no point in buying really well if you can't sell the buggers on quickly.

Noted the point about MOT and dates, I am just really fussy about having an advisory free MOT to blunt someones negotiating arsenal but as you say, at these prices they should be 12m MOT advisory free anyway.

Finally re plates; I've had someone else comment that it's best to leave the plates off to allow people to carry out their own checks but I have the HPI status of each vehicle (aside from outstanding finance) displayed on my Ebay ad which is part of the package I have and AT do it as a matter of course anyway. People may wish to find out how much it will be to insure the car but I think they are few and far between and people who want to nick the reg for sinister reasons are plenty. It's only on the Nissan 'cos I only got my personalised plates a couple of weeks ago

Thanks again for the response, really helpful stuff.

[NOACROSS 414]

You're welcome - I just wish I was too busy to answer! ;0)

I think if they are going to nick the reg numbers, they'll just drive past your house, or go to Tesco's car parks. You will alienate some buyers with cover plates- just my opinion though. Punters are often suspisious.  They also need a reg to do a (easy) price comparison.

I also (again somewhat controversially) wouldn't waste your money with Autotrader Highway Robbers- but we've debated this a lot on here before so I'll shut up now...

Justina was mentioning you had one car 'including vat'.  Did you understand this point?  When you sell that car, you are stating that the invoice will show 20% vat as part of your total asking price, so a vat registered buyer could then claim back this amount of vat.  I'm guessing you bought this car on the Margin scheme, so vat isn't applicable? Or did you buy it as an 'including vat' car? If you're not VAT registered I don't think you can pass on this vat element if you did.  I may be wrong.

[justina3 518]

5 hours ago, EPV said:

I think given that I am not yet VAT registered (not passed the threshold yet) yet you are VAT registered, you'd be best placed to answer that question.

 

Hold on tiger you asked for advise and i was pointing out a potential problem, and yes thanks i know the answer.

 

[andymc1973 199]

are you sure you haven't passed the threshold?

[EPV 631]

24 minutes ago, justina3 said:

Hold on tiger you asked for advise and i was pointing out a potential problem, and yes thanks i know the answer.

 

That's kind of you, thanks.

21 minutes ago, andymc1973 said:

are you sure you haven't passed the threshold?

Afraid so, the sum total of about £15k in turnover so far.

5 hours ago, NOACROSS said:

You're welcome - I just wish I was too busy to answer! ;0)

I think if they are going to nick the reg numbers, they'll just drive past your house, or go to Tesco's car parks. You will alienate some buyers with cover plates- just my opinion though. Punters are often suspisious.  They also need a reg to do a (easy) price comparison.

I also (again somewhat controversially) wouldn't waste your money with Autotrader Highway Robbers- but we've debated this a lot on here before so I'll shut up now...

Justina was mentioning you had one car 'including vat'.  Did you understand this point?  When you sell that car, you are stating that the invoice will show 20% vat as part of your total asking price, so a vat registered buyer could then claim back this amount of vat.  I'm guessing you bought this car on the Margin scheme, so vat isn't applicable? Or did you buy it as an 'including vat' car? If you're not VAT registered I don't think you can pass on this vat element if you did.  I may be wrong.

Yes, I understood what she meant. It wasn't deliberate, and I'd imagine that most people looking to purchase a car from me wouldn't be looking to claim the VAT back however, I'll address the ad in due course. I'd be happy if that was the only thing letting the side down! It's just VAT margin.

On the subject of plate covers, you're probably right. However people who wanted to nick a reg wouldn't bother leaving the house when the internet is in the palm of their hand.  I can see the case for both sides of the argument, I guess its like most things in life, YMMV! 

Thanks again for the constructive criticism.