Business advice

[Lambchop 4]

Hi , been a long time browser of this forum and this is my first post . I currently own a ex car sales pitch in the north. But I have been using it as a car wash and valeting. If u have any questions on detailing valeting I’d be happy to answer them!.However after a lot of other shall I say “cheaper” car washes opening and to be honest getting sick of the type of workers you have to work with in this game. I’m looking to start selling a few cars up here to see how it goes and hopefully change to doing just that in the future. I haven’t got an amazing amount of money to spend so I’ll be selling cars for around 2 to 3 k at first , aiming to buy some scruffy 1s at first , clean them up and sell them at some sort of profit. 
Anyway if you were looking to try to make money  on cheap cars this way where would you recommend buying them from, and is there any makes/models  you’d either stay away from or recommend? Any advice would be great thanks.

[15Cars 16]

Welcome aboard mate, I’m sure many of the vets on here will advise you better, but I will say older motors don’t appear to be plentiful right now. Back in the summer I was easily buying 2-5k stuff from various auctions and making sensible money on them. Now anything older in decent condition and solid service history is fetching well beyond book and often upto forecourt price at the auction houses I’ve been watching. Saying that, October was a blinding month for me, but I didn’t take a full day off and clocked up a few thousand miles simply buying the stock.

I started off with cheap cheap crap, but it can be way more trouble than it’s worth. 

I certainly wouldn’t ditch the existing business for now, but do some leg work and find some sources for the right cars. The profit is in the buying.

Good luck 

[Rory RSC 596]

27 minutes ago, Lambchop said:

Hi , been a long time browser of this forum and this is my first post . I currently own a ex car sales pitch in the north. But I have been using it as a car wash and valeting. If u have any questions on detailing valeting I’d be happy to answer them!.However after a lot of other shall I say “cheaper” car washes opening and to be honest getting sick of the type of workers you have to work with in this game. I’m looking to start selling a few cars up here to see how it goes and hopefully change to doing just that in the future. I haven’t got an amazing amount of money to spend so I’ll be selling cars for around 2 to 3 k at first , aiming to buy some scruffy 1s at first , clean them up and sell them at some sort of profit. 
Anyway if you were looking to try to make money  on cheap cars this way where would you recommend buying them from, and is there any makes/models  you’d either stay away from or recommend? Any advice would be great thanks.

I started for the same reason and running the same business. Worked out alright for me so far.

[EPV 631]

Just now, Rory RSC said:

I started for the same reason and running the same business. Worked out alright for me so far.

Yeah but only cos you paid for an award etc etc. 

OP, if you only need to buy a few a month, buy privately or off other traders. When you need to buy 8+ a month, you’ll need the convenience and volume that auctions have. 

[Casper 272]

Good luck and welcome . Auction part exchanges for cheaper stuff  put a fresh mot on everything and make sure its mechanically sound and also clean and tidy

my advice to anyone starting in the game is if you wouldn't drive it yourself or put your family in it don't sell it    

[Lambchop 4]

Thanks for the reply , well the pitch is pretty big. So can keep car wash and valeting open and probably  fit close to ten up there without it affecting it much . I actually have sold a few cars up there in the past for a family member as a favour really but they were cat d’s and used to get headaches from them and that’s why I stopped, however circumstances have changed and quite frankly running a car wash and making a profit nowadays with English workers is just about impossible.

[Casper 272]

25 minutes ago, Lambchop said:

Thanks for the reply , well the pitch is pretty big. So can keep car wash and valeting open and probably  fit close to ten up there without it affecting it much . I actually have sold a few cars up there in the past for a family member as a favour really but they were cat d’s and used to get headaches from them and that’s why I stopped, however circumstances have changed and quite frankly running a car wash and making a profit nowadays with English workers is just about impossible.

Hope it works out for you remember we are all here to help on this small community of forum members .

[Lambchop 4]

Thanks for the reply’s ,  stuck between two ways  to stock the place really, I could get cheap cat d’s with low miles that probably have a few good years in them or high mileage ones with clear histoy’s that’ll prob pack in shortly and have a lot of problems . Problem is as soon as a customer hears damaged repaired they want to run a mile . Even though when ur paying 1 to 2 k cat d really isn’t that much of a problem .

[Casper 272]

Just now, Lambchop said:

Thanks for the reply’s ,  stuck between two ways  to stock the place really, I could get cheap cat d’s with low miles that probably have a few good years in them or high mileage ones with clear histoy’s that’ll prob pack in shortly and have a lot of problems . Problem is as soon as a customer hears damaged repaired they want to run a mile . Even though when ur paying 1 to 2 k cat d really isn’t that much of a problem .

I agree the cat is less of a-stigma at a certain age .  

[awc1000 93]

Try building a relationship with a local trader who will look after you if you show willing to buy all his decent cheapies, they will bring them too you once they realise you are serious, you'll even get to drive them first before buying too, and they'll even give you a few bits on sale or return once they like you, if your running a busy car cleaning company you will not have time to go to auction, whatever you do don't buy cheapies at online auction, you'll end up a busy fool.

[Mojo121 229]

4 minutes ago, awc1000 said:

Try building a relationship with a local trader who will look after you if you show willing to buy all his decent cheapies, they will bring them too you once they realise you are serious, you'll even get to drive them first before buying too, and they'll even give you a few bits on sale or return once they like you, if your running a busy car cleaning company you will not have time to go to auction, whatever you do don't buy cheapies at online auction, you'll end up a busy fool.

I’ve never met one of these “local traders”... any tips for finding one?

[awc1000 93]

 

1 minute ago, Mojo121 said:

I’ve never met one of these “local traders”... any tips for finding one?

depends where you are lol, most traders who are buying out the main agents have the problem of having to take all the cheapies away too, it can be a real pain finding someone to buy these on a regular basis.

[justina3 518]

Dont think you will get much luck with auctions dealers already paying way over the odds for this kind of stock who are well established and can offer a perceived added value for the stock and therefore charge more than you will be able to.

As epv suggested i would be looking to buy private and build from there.

[Casper 272]

Thing is you need to build up a relationship with local traders which can be hard at first once your in there its fine as many have there buyers already to start with you would need to attend auctions in person and fit it around your busy schedule ..  its the one option unless you try the damaged repairable route 

Or as epv suggested private is good shout to ebay private's gumtree  classifieds etc  

or other traders who maybe specialise in certain cars prestige etc with cheap pxs 

Edited November 12, 2019 by Casper

[EPV 631]

35 minutes ago, Mojo121 said:

I’ve never met one of these “local traders”... any tips for finding one?

Facebook groups 

[Rory RSC 596]

59 minutes ago, awc1000 said:

Try building a relationship with a local trader who will look after you if you show willing to buy all his decent cheapies, they will bring them too you once they realise you are serious, you'll even get to drive them first before buying too, and they'll even give you a few bits on sale or return once they like you, if your running a busy car cleaning company you will not have time to go to auction, whatever you do don't buy cheapies at online auction, you'll end up a busy fool.

Its not 1981 pal.

 

In terms of thinking Cat D's are the way forward then maybe for short term gain. Long term wise how do you scale that up? do you want to be associated with that stuff when trying to build a long term business? do you want a pitch full of cat damage stuff 5 years down the line.

[Mark101 536]

1 hour ago, Mojo121 said:

I’ve never met one of these “local traders”... any tips for finding one?

This /\/\/\

57 minutes ago, awc1000 said:

most traders who are buying out the main agents have the problem of having to take all the cheapies away too, it can be a real pain finding someone to buy these on a regular basis.

I don't know anyone who buys directly or trades on (except Casper). Back in early noughties, I could buy stock from everywhere and underwrite gear.

[awc1000 93]

4 minutes ago, Rory RSC said:

Its not 1981 pal.

 

In terms of thinking Cat D's are the way forward then maybe for short term gain. Long term wise how do you scale that up? do you want to be associated with that stuff when trying to build a long term business? do you want a pitch full of cat damage stuff 5 years down the line.

well 1981 was my first year, its 2019 now and i'm still trading cheapies out which come to me from main agents, why would you think things are different now? granted the oppurtunities of buying this way have shrunk, but there's still plenty of business to be had this way, and it's not just me who's still making a living this way.

[Lambchop 4]

Exactly my thinking Roy , I don’t want to be associated with selling cat d’s but for the £1000 to £3000 price range I think you get a good deal however , there is a real stigma with damaged cars for example the car I’m driving at the moment is a 2011 1.4 fusion diesel  with 65000 miles , I reckon someone would get 4 good years from this I want £1400, however a trader I know is selling the same car but with clean history but done 110000 miles on a 2007 plate for £1800 I know what I’d prefer but as soon as I tell someone cat d they run a mile , it literally had 2 doors replaced 

[grant8064 219]

A couple of the small traders around our way specialise and buy privately.

One only does 107/C1 & Aygos, the other's into small autos.

Limits the buying opportunities but once you've had a dozen of the same make/model you soon get to know the pitfalls, common issues, rough recon costs for bits etc. Handy if you're only doing a few a month and starting out.

[Lambchop 4]

The pitch is in a pretty good location, busy road a lot of signage etc , was going to put a “we buy your old car” sign up turn away the 1s I can’t afford has anyone got experience with this? 

[Casper 272]

2 hours ago, Mark101 said:

This /\/\/\

I don't know anyone who buys directly or trades on (except Casper). Back in early noughties, I could buy stock from everywhere and underwrite gear.

I only buy the occasionally one or two from traders I've got to know as friends now same guys I buy for from time to time more to help them out  used to do more but scaled it down with caring for dad and my own health problems 

i think it would be hard to get in the door now with most having there own guys and auction contracts 

its like the others have said years ago you could get the stuff no problem we were getting stuff from landrover but the contact left to sell three piece suites 

And the other main dealer closed its door 

32 minutes ago, Lambchop said:

The pitch is in a pretty good location, busy road a lot of signage etc , was going to put a “we buy your old car” sign up turn away the 1s I can’t afford has anyone got experience with this? 

What you should do there is makes friends with a few local dealers who would buy the stuff you don't want or put up to £1500 paid on the sign 

Edited November 12, 2019 by Casper

[Lambchop 4]

Ye good idea Casper , as it seems a lot of the problems dealers are having is getting good priced stock . So maybe they’d be willing to take the ones I couldn’t afford . To be honest I’ve had 2 cars up for sale up there for bout a month and already had 2 people in asking me to buy their cars . That’s without a sign up . 

[Screenman 47]

Have you thought of other add on's to the wash, I supply  a couple with windscreen repair kits who upsell nicely, or engage the services of a dent man or smart repairer and take a percentage off of them. 

[SC Derby 259]

I had a full time valeter for a while and so offered to do some local valeting for people in the village and the local businesses.

didnt make owt from the valets as no one wanted to pay proper price but found it a nice supply of cars being offered each month.