Another Hello

[DCS01 27]

Good Morning,

Have been having a bit of a lurk for a while.  I have now come to the point to say hello and ask for some feedback.

Have been working in sales since 1998 when I left college, have done various bits from Volume to prestige cars and commercial and a disasterous stint at a broker. 

Have taken a promotion to a used car controller and have taken a big pay cut (is that only this trade this happens?) including having an OTE that is based on me achieveing 120% of monthly target?!?

So, my dad has a garage that has been open 50 plus years, MOTs/Service/little bit of fuel. Has space for 10 cars (which he just lets customers stick on there)

I think now is the time to make the jump. I have done bits on the side with varying degrees of success which I think may be chicken and egg as I am having to work outside 8.30 to 6 job so can’t give the full dedication it needs.

if I am going to do it I want to do it properly. I would like to know do many of you use an approved AA or RAC scheme? I have worked for Audi/Land Rover and customers do seem to have a great deal of faith in this. Obvs this is main dealer territory and would the end of the market I am looking at 2 to 7k cars even care that much?

Every car I am supplying has a yrs MOT and I often service before I see it out the door.

I am often told by people I work with that I am mad not to do it. You may say I am mad to try lol. Especially with the omnishambles that is brexit on the horizon.

Hope this wasn’t too long. Thanks in advance for any comments.

[Andy Entwistle 96]

Welcome along. I'm sure you will get a variety of people saying you're mad and its a great idea. But its always good to see fresh blood in the industry and I hope it all works out for you

[MOTORS 25]

We don't use an RAC scheme but some local competition do. I've looked at the scheme but our own 136 point PDI check sheet is better than the checks that any scheme does. We diagnostically scan every car at point of purchase, fix any errors and re-scan before sale. Copies of the PDI and diag scans are given to the customer. Prep your cars well and aim to get a shed load of good reviews via Autotrader. If you have to lose money on a car to get it right then do so - you cant afford to let any lemons out of the bag. People will buy from you on reputation not because you have an RAC scheme. 

Good luck

Edited August 17, 2018 by MOTORS

[c_cars 56]

27 minutes ago, DCS01 said:

if I am going to do it I want to do it properly. I would like to know do many of you use an approved AA or RAC scheme? I have worked for Audi/Land Rover and customers do seem to have a great deal of faith in this. Obvs this is main dealer territory and would the end of the market I am looking at 2 to 7k cars even care that much?

Every car I am supplying has a yrs MOT and I often service before I see it out the door.

I am often told by people I work with that I am mad not to do it. You may say I am mad to try lol. Especially with the omnishambles that is brexit on the horizon.

Hope this wasn’t too long. Thanks in advance for any comments.

Sounds like you’re prepping the right way but all Id say if you’re going it alone with the sort of stuff you say, take your main dealer head off, it’s a totally different market to retail!

Anyway, welcome and good luck!

[EPV 631]

I think the AA and RAC sandwich boards on the cars look good on a pitch and professional. As a doorstepper I'd never consider it.

Anyway, welcome and good luck. Read this forum to death, it's a proper gold mine.

[Del Boy 76]

13 minutes ago, EPV said:

As a doorstepper I'd never consider it.

 

Lol could you imagine putting these boards on your cars as a doorstepper! The council would be round in less than an hour

[EPV 631]

[DCS01 27]

1 hour ago, Andy Entwistle said:

Welcome along. I'm sure you will get a variety of people saying you're mad and its a great idea. But its always good to see fresh blood in the industry and I hope it all works out for you

Thanks. 

 

53 minutes ago, c_cars said:

Sounds like you’re prepping the right way but all Id say if you’re going it alone with the sort of stuff you say, take your main dealer head off, it’s a totally different market to retail!

Anyway, welcome and good luck!

Thanks, can I ask in what way do I need to change focus? What would be the biggest differences? I am (main dealer) used to making adjustments every month and getting gone if it gets over 90 days. I have been taught not to get too attached to a car, even if it is nice cut your losses and buy something that you can make the money back on.

[It's me 615]

a full and proper business plan

write down everything including if you need 3 pints every night

on the left put projected takings

on the right all your costings

then you need to work out what sells consistently in your area,remember it could be something you hate like hundy i10's because theres a local main dealer that punts these out so everyone assumes they are good cars

once you have ascertained what you can sell to realise a living see if you can physically outbid everyone else so you can fill your 10 places by buying them and maybe having them delivered,i just found out one type of car i travel 100 miles to collect would cost me £235 to have delivered so even that has to come off the bottom line

even buying a hose pipe has to be considered

then we have the customers themselves they are totally different to the ones that want to come and sit at an airy fairy desk and sup coffee whilst you number crunch

 

good luck by the way because you seem to have everything you need but the experience

[Stalker 180]

1 hour ago, DCS01 said:

So, my dad has a garage that has been open 50 plus years, MOTs/Service/little bit of fuel. Has space for 10 cars (which he just lets customers stick on there)

 

Lets get this right, he has an established petrol station and workshop with a bit of space you can sell cars from and your asking if you can make it work?

This sounds like a dream come true for some on here.

 

[DCS01 27]

20 minutes ago, boring dave said:

a full and proper business plan

write down everything including if you need 3 pints every night

on the left put projected takings

on the right all your costings

then you need to work out what sells consistently in your area,remember it could be something you hate like hundy i10's because theres a local main dealer that punts these out so everyone assumes they are good cars

once you have ascertained what you can sell to realise a living see if you can physically outbid everyone else so you can fill your 10 places by buying them and maybe having them delivered,i just found out one type of car i travel 100 miles to collect would cost me £235 to have delivered so even that has to come off the bottom line

even buying a hose pipe has to be considered

then we have the customers themselves they are totally different to the ones that want to come and sit at an airy fairy desk and sup coffee whilst you number crunch

 

good luck by the way because you seem to have everything you need but the experience

Thanks. I will do

As this is a big step my Mrs wants me to make a business plan before she green lights the decision, as it there will be some pain to take without a full income coming in for the short term.

I think this is a bonus, I have no interest in cars what so ever. This means I don’t care if I go for boring run of the mill stuff, just as long as I can turn a profit!

22 minutes ago, Stalker said:

Lets get this right, he has an established petrol station and workshop with a bit of space you can sell cars from and your asking if you can make it work?

This sounds like a dream come true for some on here.

 

Ok when you put it like that haha.

Only downside is it is in the sticks, there is some local business but I will be relying on a/t etc.

[NOACROSS 414]

I would consider this a side /part time project and build it slowly as it will be a mistake to think you're gonna be able to 'hit the ground running' and make this a full time profitable venture quickly. I would just go for cheaper stuff-  however, I would suggest your angle is the benefit of the well-respected on-site workshop.

You should get a bit of business both ways from this (i.e. the workshop customers with doomed cars and the workshop will get your sales business; plus you can get your buyers to comeback for service and MOT work.).

To that end- can't you get involved with this side of the business too (as you won't have enough to keep you busy full time with just sales) ?  It is a much more steady and reliable earner than car sales.  

 

Also, being in the sticks isn't an issue.  The internet has made the country a small place.  Plus, as has been said above, your local market will be what it will be, and you'll have to find out what works and what doesn't.  It might be small autos or large 4x4's for example.

Think about your advertising costs- especially if you decide to go with Autoraper- that'll really hurt. 

Edited August 17, 2018 by NOACROSS

[DCS01 27]

22 minutes ago, NOACROSS said:

I would consider this a side /part time project and build it slowly as it will be a mistake to think you're gonna be able to 'hit the ground running' and make this a full time profitable venture quickly. I would just go for cheaper stuff-  however, I would suggest your angle is the benefit of the well-respected on-site workshop.

You should get a bit of business both ways from this (i.e. the workshop customers with doomed cars and the workshop will get your sales business; plus you can get your buyers to comeback for service and MOT work.).

To that end- can't you get involved with this side of the business too (as you won't have enough to keep you busy full time with just sales) ?  It is a much more steady and reliable earner than car sales.  

 

Also, being in the sticks isn't an issue.  The internet has made the country a small place.  Plus, as has been said above, your local market will be what it will be, and you'll have to find out what works and what doesn't.  It might be small autos or large 4x4's for example.

Think about your advertising costs- especially if you decide to go with Autoraper- that'll really hurt. 

Thanks for the reply. I was thinking that hitting the ground running wasnt going to happen.

I would love to do it side by side but I feel that I am not going to make the best fist of it as I can’t concentrate on keeping on top of the display/cleaning etc.

i suppose I could get involved, my Dad is 70 now but still wants to keep on, at the second I don’t think there is enough work for two of us (we do have 3 techs and a secretary). I suppose I could just go old school like when I was 15 and do tyre changes!

[MattR 177]

On the brightside your overheads and recon should be low. If Autotrader is your only major outgoing I'd think you could make a go of it. Only 10 spaces may make it harder, although we would all like a 100% turnaround every month its not always as easy as that. Get going with it though, in my experience you will need to get a couple of months under your belt before the doom and gloom of december gets us all.

[NOACROSS 414]

Believe me- you will definitely have lots of free time on your hands (once you've bought some stock and had in prepared).  Most of my time is now taken up on the phone/computer/internet/ipad etc.

We'd all love to have a second string to our bow, and on on-site side-by-side mechanical business is ideal in my opinion.  I think you'd be crazy not to get on board there too with a successful and established business.  The car game is very hard indeed.  Especially in the first couple of years.

Good luck with it al though and everyone on here will happily help with sensible questions etc.

I would just hover over your dad and do the receptionist/booking in work etc and speaking to the customers and taking the money, until your dad feels like taking his foot of the gas a bit more.

[trade vet 704]

Hi DCS

What I am trying to understand is that you have been working as an employee at various franchise dealers,doing blazer and crimplene trouser clad jobs selling cars for 20 years.In the meantime,your family own a long established and probably well known small community petrol station and workshop business with additional space for 10 cars.Why have you been wasting your time working elsewhere,you should have been operating on your own 10 years ago.What an opportunity,established business,probably little or no rent or business rates to pay,you must be thousands out of pocket.There is plenty of work to do looking after and prepping 10 cars for sale.I would say get on with it and if you are any good,you will do at least 2 per week.....if not,you may have ‘main dealeritus’ which could prevent you from doing things like buying,valuing swappers and doing your own valeting.

So Good Luck and don’t be afraid to ask us guys when problems arise.

[c_cars 56]

6 minutes ago, trade vet said:

Hi DCS

What I am trying to understand is that you have been working as an employee at various franchise dealers,doing blazer and crimplene trouser clad jobs selling cars for 20 years.In the meantime,your family own a long established and probably well known small community petrol station and workshop business with additional space for 10 cars.Why have you been wasting your time working elsewhere,you should have been operating on your own 10 years ago.What an opportunity,established business,probably little or no rent or business rates to pay,you must be thousands out of pocket.There is plenty of work to do looking after and prepping 10 cars for sale.I would say get on with it and if you are any good,you will do at least 2 per week.....if not,you may have ‘main dealeritus’ which could prevent you from doing things like buying,valuing swappers and doing your own valeting.

So Good Luck and don’t be afraid to ask us guys when problems arise.

You’ve summed up nicely what I meant by the main dealer mentality!

[DCS01 27]

1 hour ago, trade vet said:

Hi DCS

What I am trying to understand is that you have been working as an employee at various franchise dealers,doing blazer and crimplene trouser clad jobs selling cars for 20 years.In the meantime,your family own a long established and probably well known small community petrol station and workshop business with additional space for 10 cars.Why have you been wasting your time working elsewhere,you should have been operating on your own 10 years ago.What an opportunity,established business,probably little or no rent or business rates to pay,you must be thousands out of pocket.There is plenty of work to do looking after and prepping 10 cars for sale.I would say get on with it and if you are any good,you will do at least 2 per week.....if not,you may have ‘main dealeritus’ which could prevent you from doing things like buying,valuing swappers and doing your own valeting.

So Good Luck and don’t be afraid to ask us guys when problems arise.

Thank you, I suppose I have been asking myself the same question. I think I have always been a bit scared to make the jump. I have always been successful where i have been (not blowing my own trumpet) and 50/60k as a sales exec has always seemed a big amount to walk away from, esp to the unknown. The past few years I have worked for someone with a very strong used operation and I have learned a great deal on trade pricing disposal/prep/pricing and feel I have the knowledge to put it to use.  Plus I am only late 30s and I think 10 years ago I would have been too immature.

Thanks for everyone’s input. I think it I am being swayed towards just going and doing it. 

[Arfur Dealy 823]

7 hours ago, DCS01 said:

Good Morning,

Have been having a bit of a lurk for a while.  I have now come to the point to say hello and ask for some feedback.

Have been working in sales since 1998 when I left college, have done various bits from Volume to prestige cars and commercial and a disasterous stint at a broker. 

Have taken a promotion to a used car controller and have taken a big pay cut (is that only this trade this happens?) including having an OTE that is based on me achieveing 120% of monthly target?!?

So, my dad has a garage that has been open 50 plus years, MOTs/Service/little bit of fuel. Has space for 10 cars (which he just lets customers stick on there)

I think now is the time to make the jump. I have done bits on the side with varying degrees of success which I think may be chicken and egg as I am having to work outside 8.30 to 6 job so can’t give the full dedication it needs.

if I am going to do it I want to do it properly. I would like to know do many of you use an approved AA or RAC scheme? I have worked for Audi/Land Rover and customers do seem to have a great deal of faith in this. Obvs this is main dealer territory and would the end of the market I am looking at 2 to 7k cars even care that much?

Every car I am supplying has a yrs MOT and I often service before I see it out the door.

I am often told by people I work with that I am mad not to do it. You may say I am mad to try lol. Especially with the omnishambles that is brexit on the horizon.

Hope this wasn’t too long. Thanks in advance for any comments.

It sounds to me you already have a gold mine... you just need to start digging 

Btw welcome DCS01 

[DCS01 27]

3 minutes ago, Arfur Dealy said:

It sounds to me you already have a gold mine... you just need to start digging 

Btw welcome DCS01 

Ta. On the strength of the replies I have just registered a domain name and brought another car on dealer auction 

[justlooking 48]

23 minutes ago, DCS01 said:

Ta. On the strength of the replies I have just registered a domain name and brought another car on dealer auction 

Good lad!

I found my personal lack of mechanical knowledge and back up to be my biggest downfall when I started out so having that support around you will stand you in good stead.

youll get lots of support from the chaps on here with your positive and sensible posts so keep it up.

dealer auction.... buy with caution!

id be sourcing cars via your Dads customers if poss!