I miss...

[XFS 70]

Before “mobile” phones there were “portable” phones. They were almost the size of a breezeblock and just about as heavy and had an Ariel the size of a fishing rod.

In my job at the time we had to contactable at all times, so had to lug this about, however were only allowed to use it in the direst of emergencies as the costs were so high.

 

[trade vet 703]

10 hours ago, Mark101 said:

I meant Clive 

Ha Ha Brilliant Guy,had huge success with the Sinclair Spectrum home computer.Then what does he do,blew a fortune on the Sinclair C5 electric ‘pram’ which I think he expected people to drive on the M1.What a disaster.

[Mark101 536]

1 minute ago, trade vet said:

Ha Ha Brilliant Guy,had huge success with the Sinclair Spectrum home computer.Then what does he do,blew a fortune on the Sinclair C5 electric ‘pram’ which I think he expected people to drive on the M1.What a disaster.

When I was a kid, we went to a holiday resort which had three C5's available to hire, a bit of a novelty.  Much to my disapointment, the electric side didn't work it was a peddle only affair.  It was probably one of the first true hybrids pedal and leccy.

I bet they fetch a fortune now though.

[CRW 73]

1 hour ago, Mark101 said:

When I was a kid, we went to a holiday resort which had three C5's available to hire, a bit of a novelty.  Much to my disapointment, the electric side didn't work it was a peddle only affair. .

Sounds pretty much like you are referring to a Citroen C5, with electrics not working and being a pedal only affair.

Edited August 10, 2019 by CRW

[Mark101 536]

19 minutes ago, tradex said:

Was chatting to a mate yesterday about those AT acronyms, we have forgotten most but some came back. 

Post some obscure ones Tradex, let's see if our memories work.

[NOACROSS 414]

When scraping the barrel for spec, I liked RWW

[Mark101 536]

7 minutes ago, NOACROSS said:

When scraping the barrel for spec, I liked RWW

Rear Wash Wipe

[awc1000 93]

3 hours ago, Mark101 said:

Rear Wash Wipe

Lol, remember that being a good extra, got me thinking back to an incident at my vauxhall days again, mid 90's, mk1 corsas were great sellers new, the merit came with nothing and a rear wiper was a good up sell for us, we had an auto electrician who fitted them no problem, one day he fitted one to the wrong new car, no problem yeh just fit another to the right car...not us, wiper was removed and put on the right car, the hole left on the other new car was filled with a rubber grommet and simply handed over, but in those days you could get away with murder in this job.

[Anglo9 26]

3 hours ago, Mark101 said:

Rear Wash Wipe

Also known as ' Bidet'

[metcars 397]

On 10/08/2019 at 7:30 AM, XFS said:

Before “mobile” phones there were “portable” phones. They were almost the size of a breezeblock and just about as heavy and had an Ariel the size of a fishing rod.

In my job at the time we had to contactable at all times, so had to lug this about, however were only allowed to use it in the direst of emergencies as the costs were so high.

 

Transmobiles

[It's me 615]

1 hour ago, met said:

Transmobiles

one lives up my street

if i didnt know better i might fancy doing it

[metcars 397]

33 minutes ago, jason doyle motor sales said:

one lives up my street

if i didnt know better i might fancy doing it

Apparently 'recreationally trans' is a thing?

But seriously transportable mobile phone, was a cell phone built into a briefcase to improve its reception? Those were the days!

Who remembers those late nights at 'NCA' Colchester on a thursday! Sale still going at 10pm, after being at the 'day sale' since 10am. Those were the days

[trade vet 703]

27 minutes ago, met said:

Apparently 'recreationally trans' is a thing?

But seriously transportable mobile phone, was a cell phone built into a briefcase to improve its reception? Those were the days!

Who remembers those late nights at 'NCA' Colchester on a thursday! Sale still going at 10pm, after being at the 'day sale' since 10am. Those were the days

I did Tues at Colchester,we set off at 4am bought a few and got home 10pm.(660 mile round trip ) I know a guy who did the Thurs night sale.He bought scrap that was taxed and put them on his wagon and took them to London to I think it was called Belmont or Charlton auction.Apparently the immigrants down there would buy anything as long as it had a few months tax.

What was the main auctioneer called at NCA,was it Moor.The guy I am thinking of was a quick knock specialist.

[Casper 272]

Crap dinners from the auction cafe on late nights 

old timers

cheap cars with good margins 

going out early to pick up an autotrader and motor mark weekly on a Friday 

independently owned auction house with the personal touch customer service 

ffsr factory fitted sunroof is one thts springs to mind in the ads 

Edited August 11, 2019 by Casper

[stockedup! 63]

On 08/08/2019 at 7:24 AM, Mojo121 said:

Motor traders with a personality.

I swear to God everyone on my Facebook and that I'm vaguely connected to is starting a car sales business. A guy with a courier firm, some double glazing fella, the guy that does carpet cleaning, a musician, the ice cream man... seriously? It's not that I'm afraid of the competition it's just stay in your fucking lane. I don't come and start pouring out Mr Whippy's calling myself Soft Icie when times are hard thinking the grass is greener do I? 

Not to mention they're drips. All of them. Poncing around on their social media page telling you how "cool" their Mini Cooper Clubman is and how they take it home every night because it's their favourite of the 3 shitboxes they own. They pay garages labour by the hour.. retail!!? They come up to you in auction "how much do you spend on this" "where's best to advertise" "how many cars do you sell" "why do you think my red 13 plate corsa 1.2 with no air con for £5k hasn't sold?" "should I offer finance because I'm selling 3 cars a month" "look I built this website in C++ Python dick code aren't I good?". No. Just fuck off. 

After a month or so they get their first screamer. Immediate refund. No questions asked. Please don't harm my precious reviews.

"We really went above and beyond for that client". What? You're flogging cars on Facebook from a bit of space you rent in an oversized car park. Where are the sheepskin coats and that guy that smokes a pipe?

An auction and the motor trade shouldn't be a welcoming place. It wasn't when we started. Now it's a creche.

 

Thank you for starting what has to be the best thread I have seen on here. Never has a topic made me reminisce as much as this and fucking belly laugh too. I tell you what though, there aren't many jobs like this one..... the highs and the lows, what a fucking ride. I do miss all those proper old traders/dealers, if they liked you they would tell/show you a few tricks and it was like finding gold dust.

The one about the white dog poo...…… LOL LOL LOL

[trade vet 703]

1 hour ago, tradex said:

Charlton car auction, another peach of an auction, thanks TV. Along with Maidstone I saw a few scraps at these two and I'm not talking on four wheels. 

One at Maidstone was over a handpainted VW camper, it was like something out of a 30's western with tables n chairs flying everywhere, one guy thought he'd bought it, other thought he had, other guys getting involved as it grew way out of hand......thats the proper way to settle these things

Ha Ha ...Back in the 90s I am at home one night about 8 and the owner of a local auction calls going ballistic.We did a lot of business then and we had 2 guys who bought the banger swappers.Unknown to us they both used this guys auction and one of them was attacked by the other in front of the rostrum and the sale had to be closed.Apparently the aggressor was connected to some local crime family and the auction guy said we should have known that.The next day the aggressor came in and coincidently the VAT inspector was also in.So I asked him to show his proof of ID to the Vat guy and he made a sharp exit and we never saw him again.

[It's me 615]

 

used to see plenty of fights

jewellery being sold out of an attache case

mot's while you wait

jobs being planned

more deals were done in the carpark than ever went under the hammer

used to hate it when you bought cars with boots from unknown sources and find old tyres and oil cans rammed in there on collection

 

[MattR 177]

Offering customers a quid for their swapper. And them accepting. Then telling them to leave the tax in the screen at handover

[Blenheim Car Sales 111]

People  having manners being respectful and polite

 

younger people respecting their elders

 

 

I forgot.....................  Please and Thank You

[metcars 397]

22 hours ago, trade vet said:

I did Tues at Colchester,we set off at 4am bought a few and got home 10pm.(660 mile round trip ) I know a guy who did the Thurs night sale.He bought scrap that was taxed and put them on his wagon and took them to London to I think it was called Belmont or Charlton auction.Apparently the immigrants down there would buy anything as long as it had a few months tax.

What was the main auctioneer called at NCA,was it Moor.The guy I am thinking of was a quick knock specialist.

We used to do the day time sale, have a quick kip in the car and do the evening one. Plenty of guys used to buy them on a thursday night and run them to Chelmsford for the saturday sale.

Who was the old auctioneer at Colchester with the blonde hair who used to start every car with "up we go again...." or "for the sporting gentleman......"?

Also, my memory is not what it was but didn't Enfield have an evening sale back in the old days?

 

7 hours ago, Blenheim Car Sales said:

People  having manners being respectful and polite

 

younger people respecting their elders

 

 

I forgot.....................  Please and Thank You

I sometimes have the pleasure of travelling by public transport, and by far the rudest are the pensioners.

[Mark101 536]

11 hours ago, met said:

I sometimes have the pleasure of travelling by public transport, and by far the rudest are the pensioners.

And why the fuck do they do their shopping at weekends, blocking the aisles with their own tartan shopping trolley?

[JA Trader 58]

4 minutes ago, Mark101 said:

And why the fuck do they do their shopping at weekends, blocking the aisles with their own tartan shopping trolley?

This has to be the biggest annoyance of them all. You dont do f**k all in the week do your shopping then.

[metcars 397]

2 hours ago, Mark101 said:

And why the fuck do they do their shopping at weekends, blocking the aisles with their own tartan shopping trolley?

Usually, if I end up going to the supermarket i'm in a rush. Which makes it even worse that there is the usual 'gathering' of pensioners in the entrance, taking off coats and reading their shopping lists. Obviously they're there for the day?

[trade vet 703]

5 hours ago, Mark101 said:

And why the fuck do they do their shopping at weekends, blocking the aisles with their own tartan shopping trolley?

Ha Ha....I know a bit about this subject despite not having a tartan trolley.Two sides to this.I think the rude ones tend to be men.Savvy pensioners often shop every day to get the best deals as food prices constantly fluctuate. My wife often complains about ‘ time poor’ younger people who fill their trolleys and who must have no idea of the price of stuff and then pay by credit card and don’t check the till receipt ( and don’t collect points ).I am told that the best deals at Sainsbury’s are mid month.Tescos can be Sunday afternoon after 4.M&S is easy to follow,for instance for the next bank holiday weekend they might be stocked up with barbecue stuff.Bad weather means poor sales and they have to drastically reduce it on Tuesday to shift it.I have seen my wife often come home with £60 worth of foodstuff having paid £15......Just general dealer chat before anyone gets upset.!

[SC Derby 259]

I never check the price of anything in the supermarket, just cannot be bothered & never collected a point in my life.

Edited August 13, 2019 by SC Derby