Prep then sell or sell then prep?

[JKG 16]

I was just wondering what your process is regarding servicing, fault repairs, mot's e.t.c

 

I currently prep then sell as most customers if coming some distance seem to want to drive away the same day.

 

however if I wanted to trade a car off I would obviously have prep money tied up in it, so I'm having a re-think.

[umesh 336]

You have to decide what you want to go I guess, I prep all my cars ready and pretty much every car is 'ready to drive away' instantly ! as you say most want to drive away especially if they are travelling some distance. I think you still need to prep them and if you trade them you have to point out the benefits of that it is ready to retail and hopefully get your money back/make profit moving it on in the trade. 

[Beautiful South Martin 24]

I always have my cars fully prepped before sale, mainly because you can allocate all your recon charges against the car. That way you know exactly how much margin you've got before you decide on overwrite or discount. Also it eradicates any noises/clunks on test drives, dirty oil etc.

Also as you mentioned, a lot of customers who travel a fair distance, especially on a Saturday/Sunday, want to drive it away there and then.

It does have the occasional downside I had a customer a couple of months ago who came to look at a  28k Super star 58 plate Toyota Yaris I had, for his elderly mother. I had advertised  the car with 12 months MOT. On inspecting the paperwork he noticed that 4 weeks had expired since it was tested therefore its was not a full 12 months  It had done       6 miles since it was MOT'd!!!.

I had to pay for another MOT or he would of walked!

Chris

[jamslug 91]

On inspecting the paperwork he noticed that 4 weeks had expired since it was tested therefore its was not a full 12 months  It had done       6 miles since it was MOT'd!!!.

I had to pay for another MOT or he would of walked!

Chris

I always prep so I know exactly where I stand with each car. Since I have been prepping then selling I have been making more profit as you know exactly where you stand. 

I had exactly the same the other day. Advertised with a new mot, by the time it was sold it had an 11 month mot. I just sucked it up and learnt for next time.

[Rosemotors 31]

Everything is ready to go. It just removes one objection from the process. Re MOTs, I take advantage of the expiry date in Dealer Portal (same for service date).

Clarity sells cars.

[James Bush 95]

I prep all mine for he two main reasons already mentioned......ease of selling, a customer can turn up and drive it away and also because you know exactly what margin you have in the car.

Customers are strange though, I had a Mazda that I sold a couple of weeks ago with 11 months and 1 week MOT left and because I advertise all my cars with a new MOT he wanted a fresh MOT putting on it, small price to pay for a sale though I suppose.

I hardly ever trade a retail car, I prefer to discount it for a retail sale as I think you'll always get more money back this way and the chance of going again with their PX

[Rory RSC 596]

Every car is ready for same day drive away. 

Cant budget what's needed without doing that. The MOT situation has never been an issue for me as the stock cars will only do a couple of miles once MOT tested. 

Helps cash flow instead of having loads of cars sat in our yard waiting for collection. 

[Gavin@Rousdon 137]

I believe that legally every car should  be checked before it is put on sale, it also covers you if an incident occurs on a test drive in so much as you can prove the car was roadworthy. Allowing a customer to drive an unsafe car I'm guessing is a criminal offence. 

[It's me 615]

I believe that legally every car should  be checked before it is put on sale, it also covers you if an incident occurs on a test drive in so much as you can prove the car was roadworthy. Allowing a customer to drive an unsafe car I'm guessing is a criminal offence. 

yes never take a car out unles pdi.d this is why i never drive cars back from the auction anymore as ive had some real scary things done to cars prior to them being entered at auction from all sources

anyway why let the customer hear the rattle before you do

i always equate it to a record from the 1970,s ie first impressions are lasting impressions,99% of customers cannot get a vista of a fully prepped ready to go car so if its not ready for retail dont offer it,it just confuses the poor loves

[JKG 16]

Thanks guy's.

 

I guess I'm doing it the right way round.

 

My Mot tester asked me why I bother putting a fresh Mot on a car that isn't sold and said most dealers sell then prep, it got me thinking, but I guess this isn't the case.

 

I shall continue as I am.

[SC Derby 259]

Prep then sell is better for fast turnover when they sell and also so you can tweak margins on certain cars.

But, one thing I have always found is that if you prep it 100% i.e. MOT, Service and all marks removed this can work against you as some customers just want stuff thrown in and won't deal until they get something on top. This is where sometimes if you haven't MOT'd and serviced you can manoeuvre the deal so it appears you are 'throwing it in' but in reality you would have done it anyway.

 

[Max Branning 149]

The problem i find sometimes is a car that comes in with say 8 months mot, would you bother retesting it before advertising it or would you just put it up at your retail price but offer a fresh mot to the customer if they ask for it? 

 

[Steve92 80]

I know when I purchased my mini I was annoyed when the dealer put an mot on it when it was 2 3/4's old ... It messed with my OCD. I've not come across anyone who has made us mot the car for having 11 months .... Not 12, I'm probably fussy when it comes to being a customer but even I wouldn't nit pick over that.

[Cornish Guy 45]

Having an unroadworthy vehicle up for sale on your forecourt can lead to problems with Trading Standards!