It's sooooo slow.

[Ask Pete 3]

Hi - and thanks for letting me join.

Bearing in mind that I'm an upbeat sort of guy, is it me or is the Sales market getting even slower than it was?  Having been in the business for 38 years, I like to think I've got at least some idea of how the game is played, but I just don't seem to be getting any enquiries.  After the trauma and stress of a 40 car Main Dealer forecourt, I'm happy now to only have 4 or 5 for sale, but I keep a good cross section of stuff between £1,000 and £6,000.

My biggest concern is a very clean 2011 Mazda 3 1.6 TS that has only 74k with history.  I've got it on AT and all over FB at £4,500 which is a grand below the next cheapest car of the same age on AT, but I've had ZERO response in over 2 weeks.  Let's not even talk about the immaculate Merc S320 on a 54, the clean 2008 Freelander (yes, I actually chose to buy it!!) or the 04 Picasso Diesel that also seem to want to live with me forever.

I don't know about you guys, but I've NEVER seen it this bad.... 

[Ocsltd 133]

I’m the opposite, on fire at the moment, to the point where I’ve almost run out of stock!!

I’m usually closed on Sunday’s, had one appointment this morning, now just waiting for my next appointment.

 

[EPV 631]

54 minutes ago, Ask Pete said:

Hi - and thanks for letting me join.

Bearing in mind that I'm an upbeat sort of guy, is it me or is the Sales market getting even slower than it was?  Having been in the business for 38 years, I like to think I've got at least some idea of how the game is played, but I just don't seem to be getting any enquiries.  After the trauma and stress of a 40 car Main Dealer forecourt, I'm happy now to only have 4 or 5 for sale, but I keep a good cross section of stuff between £1,000 and £6,000.

My biggest concern is a very clean 2011 Mazda 3 1.6 TS that has only 74k with history.  I've got it on AT and all over FB at £4,500 which is a grand below the next cheapest car of the same age on AT, but I've had ZERO response in over 2 weeks.  Let's not even talk about the immaculate Merc S320 on a 54, the clean 2008 Freelander (yes, I actually chose to buy it!!) or the 04 Picasso Diesel that also seem to want to live with me forever.

I don't know about you guys, but I've NEVER seen it this bad.... 

Two very specialist cars there mate, not exactly stuff that makes the phone ring regularly? 

[trade vet 704]

Hi Pete

 38 years.....You must have plenty of stories. You know what the job is like,we had a pitch close to 11 others and sometimes the guy selling painted up crap was knocking them out when everyone else was dead.....Used to do your head in !

[SC Derby 259]

We do well with Mazda 3/5/6 but once mileage goes above 60k on petrol then there’s a definite drop in enquiries...

[Ask Pete 3]

8 minutes ago, trade vet said:

Hi Pete

 38 years.....You must have plenty of stories. You know what the job is like,we had a pitch close to 11 others and sometimes the guy selling painted up crap was knocking them out when everyone else was dead.....Used to do your head in !

More stories than I can shake a stick at - stories of the days when the trade was run by Motor Traders, rather than the bean counting bankers (or should that begin with a 'w'?) and accountants that run it now.  Stories of the days when there was no internet, when there used to be a queue outside the newsagents the day the AutroTrader was printed.

As for your pitch close to 11 others, yeah, been there, done that - my last job was as Controller at a dealership on Marsh Barton Retail Park in Exeter - the largest concentration of dealerships in Europe.  The truth is, there's no room in the mainstream motor trade for dinosaurs like me!!  Thank God for that!!

 

[Ask Pete 3]

9 minutes ago, SC Derby said:

We do well with Mazda 3/5/6 but once mileage goes above 60k on petrol then there’s a definite drop in enquiries...

I do think it's a seriously under-rated car.  So much nicer than the Focus, better built than the Astra and cheaper than most other Jap stuff.  Bit billy basic though. 

[Ask Pete 3]

20 minutes ago, EPV said:

Two very specialist cars there mate, not exactly stuff that makes the phone ring regularly? 

True fella, but there's very little to choose from these days, especially down this way (South West).

[SC Derby 259]

7 minutes ago, Ask Pete said:

I do think it's a seriously under-rated car.  So much nicer than the Focus, better built than the Astra and cheaper than most other Jap stuff.  Bit billy basic though. 

I’ve sold loads of Mazda 3s - sports are popular too. Great cars 

[trade vet 704]

19 minutes ago, Ask Pete said:

More stories than I can shake a stick at - stories of the days when the trade was run by Motor Traders, rather than the bean counting bankers (or should that begin with a 'w'?) and accountants that run it now.  Stories of the days when there was no internet, when there used to be a queue outside the newsagents the day the AutroTrader was printed.

As for your pitch close to 11 others, yeah, been there, done that - my last job was as Controller at a dealership on Marsh Barton Retail Park in Exeter - the largest concentration of dealerships in Europe.  The truth is, there's no room in the mainstream motor trade for dinosaurs like me!!  Thank God for that!!

 

I see,your a franchised dealer guy,I thought you had been a Trader for 38 years.....OK before anyone else asks,what is the biggest bung you have ever had ?..........and Pete,welcome to the forum.

[David Ayers 171]

Mazda 3’s need to be on a forecourt.

I always seem to sell them to someone who came to see something else.

[grant8064 219]

38 minutes ago, David Ayers said:

Mazda 3’s need to be on a forecourt.

I always seem to sell them to someone who came to see something else.

Agreed. We can't get enough 3's. 

Show someone a Focus with A/C an Leccy front windows and then show them a 3 with auto lights and wipers, cruise and heated seats for similar money. Easy street.

Hope things pick up for you Pete. On your Mazda being a grand less than the nearest competitor....maybe it's too cheap? Sounds silly but a grand is a huge amount of money on sub 5k stuff so it might be making punters suspicious, especially if you trade from home? Just a thought.

[Stalker 180]

5 hours ago, Ocsltd said:

I’m the opposite, on fire at the moment, to the point where I’ve almost run out of stock!!

I’m usually closed on Sunday’s, had one appointment this morning, now just waiting for my next appointment.

 

Ocs.... whilst I’m chuffed for your roaring success.

I'm not sure your post will help Pete.

whilst your on fire, I think you may have just pissed on Pete’s chips 

 

[Ocsltd 133]

10 minutes ago, Stalker said:

Ocs.... whilst I’m chuffed for your roaring success.

I'm not sure your post will help Pete.

whilst your on fire, I think you may have just pissed on Pete’s chips 

 

Thanks. It wasn’t intended to piss on his chips, but he put, “I don’t know about you guys....” so was just giving some feedback. 

With all his experience, I’m sure he doesn’t need me to teach him to suck eggs! Although he did buy a Freelander, so perhaps he does.... 

[Ask Pete 3]

3 hours ago, grant8064 said:

Agreed. We can't get enough 3's. 

Show someone a Focus with A/C an Leccy front windows and then show them a 3 with auto lights and wipers, cruise and heated seats for similar money. Easy street.

Hope things pick up for you Pete. On your Mazda being a grand less than the nearest competitor....maybe it's too cheap? Sounds silly but a grand is a huge amount of money on sub 5k stuff so it might be making punters suspicious, especially if you trade from home? Just a thought.

Cheers Grant, I might just give that a go. Appreciate you taking the time to respond. 

[Ask Pete 3]

1 hour ago, Ocsltd said:

With all his experience, I’m sure he doesn’t need me to teach him to suck eggs! Although he did buy a Freelander, so perhaps he does.... 

Hi OCS. No fella, didn't piss me of at all, I'm always pleased to see people do well in this business - God alone knows how many obstacles get in the way of that. Most dealers in this area are struggling on used at the mo. 

As for the Freelander, don't kbock it bud, this is farm central where 1 in 6 people work in that industry. I almost stole it so can sell at CAP clean and still make a grand plus costs and VAT. That'll do!!

[Ask Pete 3]

1 hour ago, Stalker said:

Ocs.... whilst I’m chuffed for your roaring success.

I'm not sure your post will help Pete.

whilst your on fire, I think you may have just pissed on Pete’s chips 

 

Hi Stalker. Thanks for watching my back buddy - but I'm cool. I'm a veteran of 2 recessions, after that you tend not to get stressed but it doesn't stop you wondering where the business in general is headed. Wait till I start asking questions about motor trade people who are afraid of the FCA (God bless their little cotton socks!)

[Grantlfc81 88]

I have between 11-13 in stock. I did 4 last weekend and 4 this weekend, I think things are really picking up at present.

[RH Trading 80]

Hi Pete - I'd agree with Grant, At £4500 its a grand cheaper than anybody else's you say - can I ask why its so cheap? people will think there's something wrong perhaps. my experience is that people like to go in the middle, not the dearest as obviously they think its not good value, not the cheapest as it cheap for a reason, but somewhere between the two. I'm never the cheapest around here but seem to do OK, May was good for us and there's no way that Mazda should stick, had a few in past 12 months and always seem to do well.

can you post a link to your advert mate? The guys on here give great feedback on presentation and photos etc. I pick up a lot of tips from the forum dealers.

hope it picks up soon Pete

Rob

[justina3 518]

9 minutes ago, RH Trading said:

Hi Pete - I'd agree with Grant, At £4500 its a grand cheaper than anybody else's you say - can I ask why its so cheap? people will think there's something wrong perhaps. my experience is that people like to go in the middle, not the dearest as obviously they think its not good value, not the cheapest as it cheap for a reason, but somewhere between the two. I'm never the cheapest around here but seem to do OK, May was good for us and there's no way that Mazda should stick, had a few in past 12 months and always seem to do well.

can you post a link to your advert mate? The guys on here give great feedback on presentation and photos etc. I pick up a lot of tips from the forum dealers.

hope it picks up soon Pete

Rob

Totally agree i stopped trying to be the cheapest years ago thats a race to the bottom you shouldnt want to win. 

[Rory RSC 596]

Whenever I have a car that is the cheapest like a trade out car I get nothing but utter idiots on the phone who have not read the advert, watched the video and don't even seem to be able to work out where abouts we are located. Makes me wonder how they survive in life. 

[Mark101 536]

2 hours ago, Rory RSC said:

Whenever I have a car that is the cheapest like a trade out car I get nothing but utter idiots on the phone who have not read the advert, watched the video and don't even seem to be able to work out where abouts we are located. Makes me wonder how they survive in life. 

+100 

[MattR 177]

Put your Mazda price up. It can't make the situation any worse. I've always found Mazda 3s to be a good seller. Have you got all your stock freshly MOT'd? Lots of buyers now will look on the DVLA MOT website before ringing or visiting, so a short MOT or a lot of advisories are never good. If you arent using them, fill in the straplines on AT to make your ads stand out.

Then just sit tight! Realistically with 5 cars to sell I dont think you can expect to sell more than 3 or 4 of them in a month.I dont know many with more than 100% turnover per month on a regular basis.

[Mark101 536]

1 hour ago, Matt Reid said:

If you arent using them, fill in the straplines on AT to make your ads stand out.

 

Where are the straplines Matt?  I notice other people have them but I cannot find where to put them (I'm on a poverty PAYG AT)

[EPV 631]

10 minutes ago, Mark101 said:

Where are the straplines Matt?  I notice other people have them but I cannot find where to put them (I'm on a poverty PAYG AT)

You won’t get them on that subscription mate.