Car Dealers - Start up advice?

[daemon]

Has anyone looked into regional price variances with cars as a means of buying stock?

I've been doing some investigating of prices and i've noticed that there are certain cars that are retailing for around £2500 less in scotland than they are local to me. EG Car A for sale here at £7495, same car for sale in Scotland for slightly over £5000 from main dealers. Mileage same, model same, condition same, service histories same, etc. I obviously dont want to give out the specific models involved, but with my checking so far its holding water.

[spikeyhead]

A year or so ago, there were a lot of Irish flying into Luton and buying cars to drive back.

I've been away from the game for too long to know if it's still going on.

Many years ago when there were three marks to the pound, a group of us would pile across to Germany, buy a few cars and drive them back. Lot's of hassle for a reasonable profit, but barely worth the effort.

[BarnatosGhost]

daemon said:

Has anyone looked into regional price variances with cars as a means of buying stock?

I've been doing some investigating of prices and i've noticed that there are certain cars that are retailing for around £2500 less in scotland than they are local to me. EG Car A for sale here at £7495, same car for sale in Scotland for slightly over £5000 from main dealers. Mileage same, model same, condition same, service histories same, etc. I obviously dont want to give out the specific models involved, but with my checking so far its holding water.

Given that a cars can be moved from one end of the country to the other for £100, it's surely too easy?

[daemon]

BarnatosGhost said:

daemon said:

Has anyone looked into regional price variances with cars as a means of buying stock?

I've been doing some investigating of prices and i've noticed that there are certain cars that are retailing for around £2500 less in scotland than they are local to me. EG Car A for sale here at £7495, same car for sale in Scotland for slightly over £5000 from main dealers. Mileage same, model same, condition same, service histories same, etc. I obviously dont want to give out the specific models involved, but with my checking so far its holding water.

Given that a cars can be moved from one end of the country to the other for £100, it's surely too easy?

I live in Northern Ireland. Flight over £40, £120 back on the ferry. Theres 3 models i've found so far that are more than £2000 cheaper on the mainland.

[1987]

V8mate said:

Who did you go with for motor trade insurance?

Peacock Insurance.

They were all very similar in price, just the level of cover which varied slightly.

There goes another couple of grand!

[V8mate]

1987 said:

V8mate said:

Who did you go with for motor trade insurance?

Peacock Insurance.

They were all very similar in price, just the level of cover which varied slightly.

There goes another couple of grand!

Thanks. Always interesting to know which companies are competitive.

[POORCARDEALER]

1987 said:

V8mate said:

Who did you go with for motor trade insurance?

Peacock Insurance.

They were all very similar in price, just the level of cover which varied slightly.

There goes another couple of grand!

Who is the actual cover provider? The reason I ask is we went with a company several years ago who were not mainstream, when we had a claim it took 7 months to sort.

If you can stick to Norwich Union or Axa, I would.

[1987]

MMA. I did check the underwriter before going ahead for the reasons you mentioned.

Spending my life browsing the classifieds at the moment. Managed to get in with a main dealer so the cars are coming in nicely.
Finished with my current job on Wednesday so I really should be down at the forecourt painting the whole place but it's too cold!

Starting to become very real now.

If anyone could help on the following i would be grateful:

Trade hpi checks. (experian want £3.33 a go. Is that any good?)
Invoice templates for Microsoft Word.
Card machine which charges per transaction and not a percentage on the total amount.

[V8mate]

1987 said:

Card machine which charges per transaction and not a percentage on the total amount.

I don't think it works like that. IIRC, there's a simple transaction charge for debit cards but credit cards are always a percentage.

[POORCARDEALER]

1987 said:

MMA. I did check the underwriter before going ahead for the reasons you mentioned.

Spending my life browsing the classifieds at the moment. Managed to get in with a main dealer so the cars are coming in nicely.
Finished with my current job on Wednesday so I really should be down at the forecourt painting the whole place but it's too cold!

Starting to become very real now.

If anyone could help on the following i would be grateful:

Trade hpi checks. (experian want £3.33 a go. Is that any good?)
Invoice templates for Microsoft Word.
Card machine which charges per transaction and not a percentage on the total amount.


Exciting time ahead for you, best bit of advice is, its all in the buying. Get the right cars and you will have no problem selling them.

Trade Hpi checks, that isnt a bad rate, check to see if its gives you an insurance idemnity in case you buy a wrong un.

Card machine....I think they all charge a % for credit cards. Our rate is 1.45% for credit cards and 26p for debit cards. Our monthly charge is £11 for the machine I think.

Good Luck

[renorti]

hope your car sales go well,sounds like your doing well. amazed to see you sold a fiesta on an 02 plate for 3k.tried to sell my wife's 2007 fiesta {low mileage/tidy spec},could't get £4250 for it,as a private sale,best of luck to you though.

[1987]

Matt, any chance you could give me your card machine supplier name and number? Sounds cheap.

[1987]

renorti said:

hope your car sales go well,sounds like your doing well. amazed to see you sold a fiesta on an 02 plate for 3k.tried to sell my wife's 2007 fiesta {low mileage/tidy spec},could't get £4250 for it,as a private sale,best of luck to you though.

Unfortunately the majority of the general public think that buying privately is not an option. I sold my Clio 200 to a dealer as despite being the cheapest for the age, mileage etc. Selling privately is only for people with the patience of a saint or if your selling a car that is worth less than a grand.

A forecourt makes all the difference to joe bloggs.

[POORCARDEALER]

1987 said:

Matt, any chance you could give me your card machine supplier name and number? Sounds cheap.

No problem, will mail you supplier tommorow.

[daemon]

1987 said:

Unfortunately the majority of the general public think that buying privately is not an option. I sold my Clio 200 to a dealer as despite being the cheapest for the age, mileage etc. Selling privately is only for people with the patience of a saint or if your selling a car that is worth less than a grand.

A forecourt makes all the difference to joe bloggs.

Just had a hunt around around for this thread. Hows it going now?

[DHE]

Interesting read, any updates on the first months trading?

[BarnatosGhost]

daemon said:

BarnatosGhost said:

daemon said:

Has anyone looked into regional price variances with cars as a means of buying stock?

I've been doing some investigating of prices and i've noticed that there are certain cars that are retailing for around £2500 less in scotland than they are local to me. EG Car A for sale here at £7495, same car for sale in Scotland for slightly over £5000 from main dealers. Mileage same, model same, condition same, service histories same, etc. I obviously dont want to give out the specific models involved, but with my checking so far its holding water.

Given that a cars can be moved from one end of the country to the other for £100, it's surely too easy?

I live in Northern Ireland. Flight over £40, £120 back on the ferry. Theres 3 models i've found so far that are more than £2000 cheaper on the mainland.

Crack on then. A round trip every two days, share the profit with the selling dealer, you'll be making £2k a week.

[daemon]

BarnatosGhost said:

daemon said:

BarnatosGhost said:

daemon said:

Has anyone looked into regional price variances with cars as a means of buying stock?

I've been doing some investigating of prices and i've noticed that there are certain cars that are retailing for around £2500 less in scotland than they are local to me. EG Car A for sale here at £7495, same car for sale in Scotland for slightly over £5000 from main dealers. Mileage same, model same, condition same, service histories same, etc. I obviously dont want to give out the specific models involved, but with my checking so far its holding water.

Given that a cars can be moved from one end of the country to the other for £100, it's surely too easy?

I live in Northern Ireland. Flight over £40, £120 back on the ferry. Theres 3 models i've found so far that are more than £2000 cheaper on the mainland.

Crack on then. A round trip every two days, share the profit with the selling dealer, you'll be making £2k a week.

Yeah its going to have to happen - though i've had a bit of a run on decent cars here at good profit.

Edited by daemon on Wednesday 9th February 22:07

[BarnatosGhost]

daemon said:

BarnatosGhost said:

daemon said:

BarnatosGhost said:

daemon said:

Has anyone looked into regional price variances with cars as a means of buying stock?

I've been doing some investigating of prices and i've noticed that there are certain cars that are retailing for around £2500 less in scotland than they are local to me. EG Car A for sale here at £7495, same car for sale in Scotland for slightly over £5000 from main dealers. Mileage same, model same, condition same, service histories same, etc. I obviously dont want to give out the specific models involved, but with my checking so far its holding water.

Given that a cars can be moved from one end of the country to the other for £100, it's surely too easy?

I live in Northern Ireland. Flight over £40, £120 back on the ferry. Theres 3 models i've found so far that are more than £2000 cheaper on the mainland.

Crack on then. A round trip every two days, share the profit with the selling dealer, you'll be making £2k a week.

Yeah its going to have to happen - though i've had a bit of a run on decent cars here at good profit.

Edited by daemon on Wednesday 9th February 22:07

Genuinely, good luck to you. If it works, you'll have a ball. And if the cars you think you can turn a profit on are Fords, Renaults, or MGRovers, drop me a PM.

[Big Tav]

Keen to watch this thread. Good luck!