how are car traders surviving?

[bananaman1970]

What's going on with the used car market? hobby for me to watch car prices.

Most private ads are now at the same price as dealers are offering, without any of the facilities that a dealer will offer.
its a big risk buying a car from a driveway.

seems the day of picking up a car below market value are over. take auto trader, it gives a value from the reg number and even then sellers are bumping that value to match the car dealers prices.

must be hard for the smaller trader, i suspect larger traders are still by below market value through part exchanges.

sites like we buy any car must be taking alot of stock

How are traders surviving would love to hear from car traders

[GiantCardboardPlato]

I’ve been reading another thread and I think the answer is new brake discs and pads.

[krisdelta]

I don't think anything has changed, margin on the car + commission on additional products. I've found the AT "suggested prices" to be at or below the WBAC price, so no wonder people are bumping them up.

at the disk and pad comment.

[paddy1970]

Don't forget about replacing the OEM cat with a cheap one from eBay.... a trader favorite...

[MustangGT]

Looking at it the other way around:

Why would you buy privately when you can go to a dealer for the same price?

[BertBert]

A relative of mine is a smallish-mediu, scale trader - has premises and employs a few staff. It appears to be that you have to be very clever and fast to buy stock and then you need the most appealing add on products you can find. Being fleet of foot, clear on what you do and don't do and sticking to it seems to work well for him. He does find stock and turns it over very quickly.