Just for Fun

[Mark101 536]

What's the longest you have ever had a car in stock?

I shall start:

Citroen DS3 in red - 47K been priced between £5-6k (I fluctuate to gain interest/or not).  2 Owners, 2 Keys, FSH and timing belt (had it done before I read the intervals )

Nothing wrong with the car and people visiting always comment on what a lovely looking mint car it is (whilst they have come to view something else).

Purchased in May 18

[David Ayers 171]

MG ZR. Previously sold it to a lad. He wen't off to Australia travelling so his Dad traded it against a Mini for his wife. Bloody thing sat there a year until the lad came back from his travels looking for a cheap car. Sold it back to him for the same price.

[NOACROSS 414]

Just sold an Xtrail we've had 18 months.  Sold after a few weeks initially, but the old boy didn't get on with it, so he swapped it a couple of weeks later for an estate car. I thought 'oh well, it'll sell again quickly. Has been a landmark ever since.  I know I should have blown it out but didn't as not in the way. Was still a profit though!

[Tony F 38]

too many to list over the years. 

At any given point, there always seems to be something in stock that we have had to get the candle & birthday cake out for. Also embarassing when you realise you're putting a second new mot on a car!

...and when we sell a sticker, why do we seem to go and buy the same model car again...doh

[MattR 177]

A Mitsubishi Colt which I had for about 13 Months. Finally got an appointment on it, then someone walked on and bought it. Appointment wasn't happy as he had just parked up round the corner when I called him to say it was sold.  

Sometimes it doesnt seem to matter what you do with the price on it. I sold a Corsa last week which was just about to hit 6 months in stock, it had consistently got poor daily hits on AT, Price made no difference. Then changed the strapline to "12 month warranty", and shuffled the photos around. Sold within 4 days. I guess it made it look different to the other corsas out there. And the daily hits went from 4 to 6!

[Nick M.K. 574]

BMW i3 bought in March '18 for £18K (£1000 above Cap Clean but very high spec). Sold late October for £19K. At least the p/x earned me decent profit on the overall deal. 

2002 VW Golf 1.9 TDI Bought in 2016 for £3000 (!), sold a year later for £4K (!!!!!). It was very well modified cosmetically, matt paint, full read and black leather re-trim, grey cross spoke 19in alloy wheels, the car looked absolutely spectacular so I paid a lot in p/x but at least I can confidently say that in 2017 I sold the dearest 15 year old Golf TDI anywhere :-)

[Arfur Dealy 823]

5 hours ago, Mark101 said:

What's the longest you have ever had a car in stock?

I shall start:

Citroen DS3 in red - 47K been priced between £5-6k (I fluctuate to gain interest/or not).  2 Owners, 2 Keys, FSH and timing belt (had it done before I read the intervals )

Nothing wrong with the car and people visiting always comment on what a lovely looking mint car it is (whilst they have come to view something else).

Purchased in May 18

Audi TT 3.2 Quattro since 14/05/18, it’s started to laugh at me every morning when I arrive.... 

[grant8064 219]

May 2018...pah! Amateurs!

 

I have a beautiful green machine bought in very early 2017. She gets her second birthday soon and i'll have a cake and card ready. 

Got a 1 series in the corner that we've had similar time but it won't f**king move and has a seasonal Christmas tree dash so I can't blame that one for not selling.

[MAP 5]

Used to know/dealt with, a guy called Lester Stacey, LJ Motors in Eccleshall nr Stafford. He was a lovable rogue putting it politely!! He used to buy a lot of high mileage ex Swan National lease cars in the late 80’s early 90’s. Mainly Citroen Xantias. And always had lots of French stock, probably 80-100 cars. I remember looking through his stock list, around 1995/96, and he had a 1987/8 D or E reg 90k Silver 1.9 D Citroen BX, 5dr on for something like £1995, nothing particularly unusual about that, apart from the fact it’d been in stock for over 5 years!!!! Was very high mileage when he took it in, about average when it was eventually sold in late 1996!!!! I don’t think it made it to a 6th birthday on the pitch!  

[Mark101 536]

13 hours ago, Arfur Dealy said:

Audi TT 3.2 Quattro since 14/05/18, it’s started to laugh at me every morning when I arrive.... 

You acquired that car around the same time as I bought the exact same model (in red). Naively, I didn’t consider the RFL fee or the colour at the time, I fell in love with the sound. I panicked it wouldn’t sell but that one right person bought it and tipped me £1800 plus a newer silver TT 1.8 roadster in chop, which sold 2 days later to a repeat customer for another healthy drink.

Not boasting, this was one of my best deals to date; it was to labour the point that there is no rhyme or reason to this game.

[SC Derby 259]

We had the phone melt on the same car in grey just before summer this year, but it was only 80k miles and super mint.

 

[AAM90 22]

Current sticker is... Renault Twingo RS Cup in red. No air con is the issue with this I think!

In the past... Saab 9-5 Diesel in stock nearly 2 years! Gearbox ate itself a month after we sold it

[Contracts 68]

After 8 weeks we just start reducing the price, put on ATM etc until it goes, sometimes leaves cars at WBAC money.

One thing we do have are boomerang cars, have quite a few that we have sold more than 3 times but come back after a few years

[Mark101 536]

9 minutes ago, tradex said:

I don't know if this happens with other dealers, but when ever we get one 'stuck up our plums' it's always a real peach, never a shita...go figure that?

Exactly my issue too.  The DS3 is lovely (I’m using it, the one that the injector failed but now 100%).

I’m taking the day off today and guess what, someone wants to see it (called twice) - I shall call him tomorrow because I really am not in the mood to drive to the unit, clean it in the hope he proceeds when I promised myself a day off (wedding reception tonight).

[grant8064 219]

2 hours ago, tradex said:

I don't know if this happens with other dealers, but when ever we get one 'stuck up our plums' it's always a real peach, never a shita...go figure that?

+1

Just adds to the head scratching

[Arfur Dealy 823]

9 hours ago, Mark101 said:

You acquired that car around the same time as I bought the exact same model (in red). Naively, I didn’t consider the RFL fee or the colour at the time, I fell in love with the sound. I panicked it wouldn’t sell but that one right person bought it and tipped me £1800 plus a newer silver TT 1.8 roadster in chop, which sold 2 days later to a repeat customer for another healthy drink.

Not boasting, this was one of my best deals to date; it was to labour the point that there is no rhyme or reason to this game.

I'm glad yours sold quickly, mine even got a full Audi history, I've only had two sniffs both declaring themselves as pondlife immediately... I think its the interior colour on mine, it looks green but its actually grey........ The CD system doesn't work aswell, so I think I'll get a cheap bluetooth satnav thingy fitted at Halfords and put up the price. I've just reMOT'd it and will re-advertise it shortly.  

[Mark101 536]

1 minute ago, Arfur Dealy said:

I'm glad yours sold quickly, mine even got a full Audi history, I've only had two sniffs both declaring themselves as pondlife immediately... I think its the interior colour on mine, it looks green but its actually grey........ The CD system doesn't work aswell, so I think I'll get a cheap bluetooth satnav thingy fitted at Halfords and put up the price. I've just reMOT'd it and will re-advertise it shortly.  

To be fair, mine only had 83k with very full history and was the nav version, had full discs and pads (just before I bought it).  Only one person interested and they were desperate for a rare? red one.

Good idea re Halfords nav system.

[EPV 631]

Interesting thread.

Haven't some of you ever considered that a car sitting in stock for say 12 months, at a cost of say £50 per month in advertising (assuming you don't actually advertise on AT in which case it would more likely be £100 per month and some) that this car has cost you £650-£1200 in advertising? If so, do you still consider it has made you a profit when it eventually sells?

[Mark101 536]

31 minutes ago, EPV said:

Interesting thread.

Haven't some of you ever considered that a car sitting in stock for say 12 months, at a cost of say £50 per month in advertising (assuming you don't actually advertise on AT in which case it would more likely be £100 per month and some) that this car has cost you £650-£1200 in advertising? If so, do you still consider it has made you a profit when it eventually sells?

No mate, it’s an overall loss because I accrue £10 per day in stock (covers overheads on top on recon) and take that figure off the gross margin.  So, I don’t lose on the initial capital outlay but I won’t draw a wage from the car because it hasn't really earned it.

I know what I mean but just to help, here’s a hypothetical example

Metal cost - £1,000

Sell - £3,000

Gross Profit = £2,000

Less Vat - £333

Less Recon - £500

Less 20 days in stock @ £10 per day - £200

Pre tax profit - £967

The DS3 will show at least a £2k loss pre tax but still positive over acquisition and recon.

 

[ExCouncilJobsworth 27]

Audi A3 1.8tfsi 2009 in silver...

A virgin mistake...it was about a grand under cap...thought wow a bargain lol

Had it for 5 months ended up getting a new water pump (the little crappy hard to get to pump) in month 4 lol

[JimmyGlen 13]

Our current champ of the days in stock (and longest ever car in stock) 2007 Jaguar XK 4.2 Cab with 26k miles and 7-Jag stamps. The car is an absolute peach of a thing. Gave just under CAP av (18500) in part-ex and was actually pretty excited, as the cheapest comparable car, age/mileage wise, was 21995 at the time. Its now 19485 and now has a broken roof pump. 3700 from Jaguar!! Thankfully we have it away for repair (Roofpumps.com) but as of today - 109days and two enquires in that time :'-[

Its certainly going to be a pretty expensive learning curve this one! 

[BHM 994]

On 01/12/2018 at 0:04 PM, tradex said:

I don't know if this happens with other dealers, but when ever we get one 'stuck up our plums' it's always a real peach, never a shita...go figure that?

Yep, a clean, tidy car with FSH that drives right. 

On 30/11/2018 at 2:49 PM, MattR said:

I sold a Corsa last week which was just about to hit 6 months in stock.

These peasant-type cars aren’t worth a toss. A month ago I finally sold mine (2009 5 doors, FSH, new tyres, new brakes, drove like brand new, 98K miles, A/C but wheeltrim specification) after 5mths & 3wks. I just kept slicing the price until I could get a horrible Corsa buyer around. These small car punters are absolute arseholes, either kids or single-mothers who need to speak to Dad OR Dads who need to speak to their kids/single-mother-daughter. Funnily enough, a nice older man bought it, no messing about & realise it was cheap cos as HE said to me “There’s no money in these small cars”!!! I honestly think he was the only ‘normal’ person who contacted me in 5mth 3wks. 

I’ll not mention the 6mth Laguna going today. Making about £100 on it but glad to see the back of it. Note to self: On run of the mill mid range cars stick to estates otherwise all you’ll get is bottom feeding vultures with no manners & even less money.