Buying Selling Cars- London

[AKHT]

Hi Guys,

Want to get a few replies as to where car traders get their stock from mainly?

I know people mention BCA/Manheim auctions etc

But getting main dealer part ex's a difficult circle to get into?

Currently I source good quality cars from private classifieds but would want a more consistent stream of goods cars and not ones that customers will be crying after owning them for a few months.

All replies/comments welcome!

AKHT

[itaa]

also want to know is there a place where a general public can bid on the cars? Or at least see the sales prices online?
Just checked that BCA/Manheim and none of the fukers allows to even check the auction process/prices..

[TallPaul]

Ask any motor trader and they'll all tell you the same thing- selling cars is easy, buying them is the tricky bit...

[vikingaero]

I'd argue that if you don't know then you are already at a disadvantage. My neighbour used to be a car dealer and still sells cars on the side. Looking at AT he currently has 5 cars for sale. He gets cars from building relationships with dealers over a long period of time. He gets dealer part exes that are only good enough for auction. It saves the dealers transport and auction fees if he buys off them.

[shake n bake]

Very few dealer groups can trade direct any more, most have an auction only policy.
If you're going to buy out of auctions register as a trade buyer otherwise the fees as a public buyer will absorb a big chunk of your potential profit, they're steep as a trader with one group worse than others.

[itaa]

bump for u.

[POORCARDEALER]

Its all in the buying...very few garages to buy out of directly, the ones that do trade out will have been dealing with the same traders often for years/decades.

Your options are go the the auctions and compete with "traders" paying way too much for cars and working for a silly low margin.

Not sure what price bracket of cars you are buying but if you must auction buy I would only buy stuff declared with no major faults from BCA, however you pay extra for them...allows you in SOME circumstaances to get your money back

Good luck

[datum77]

There is no sweeping statement that tells you where car dealers buy their stock from. Some buy from main dealers and these people have built up a relationship with their suppliers over many years. Some of this stock turns out to be a bit "doggy", but to maintain the relationship, they have to take the good with the bad. Mostly good.
The auctions are a dangerous place to be. Why the auctions are still so clogged up with buyers I cannot understand. Auctions, in general, are NOT a guarantee of a "good buy". Anything over 2 years old or so, are there, usually, because it is of questionable quality. The very large main dealers herd ALL their undesirable part Xs through the auctions. That, in itself should tell you something.
I have a gripe. It is the "traders" who deal out of their Mums back garden/garage. They are ignoring the legal necessities, not paying the taxes that are required of a "real motor trader", and pocketing ALL of the profit. Any REAL motor trader, with all the associated overheads that go with trading legally, have to mark up any stock with at least a margin of around £1000. The "back street traders" in our midst can survive on £200-£500, AND pocket the whole of that profit.
The auctions are rife with these sorts of people, and steps ought to be taken to remove them from our society

[andymc]

with all due respect if you have to ask you'll get your pants pulled right down on every car, it's an awful game for loyalty