Question for Henry-F
Discussion
hermanthegerman said:
Greg, Buster & James: 
Never forget, this is the guy (not just you Henry, all dealers) that buys the car you could have bought yourself (if you could be bothered to get off your arse and go and see it), then sells it to you with his 30% tagged on just for keeping it locked up in a barn for a few weeks. If you want all the problems with it fixed you get to pay for that privelege too.
Henry,
You can only get away with all this free publicity if you start offering PH'ers discounts
Is it true that you don't allow test drives by the way ?
Dunno why you pick on me. I've already got a Boxster thanks.
However, come 911 time I shall book a time with Henry and bring lots of Jammy Dodgers. Quite how he will respond to some Mercedes driving barrow boy remains to be seen.
johnfm said:
350 cars a year!!!!! With, I guess, £1k per car for your troubles, its no surprise you're racing a GT3 & pootling about in a Cayenne!!!
Still, as an Aussie, I quite enjoy your frankness.
I think it's fair to say £1K is very conservative. Have you ever phoned Henry with a car to sell ?
Most of the private people we purchase cars from have either tried to sell their cars privately and can`t be doing with the hassle or simply don`t want the bother of dealing with the private buyer and call us directly.
We (and by that I mean some dealers), are easy to sell to in that we know what we`re looking at, the whole process doesn`t take that long and you know who you`re dealing with. There is no chance you are going to be swindled out of you car through theft or fraud and if the car blows up the next day you won`t have an irate man banging on your door.
In terms of buying privately you can do that and many people have purchased with great success. We do I`m afraid to say see the fruits of more unsuccessful purchases as well. People duped into buying cars that aren`t quite what they thought. Stolen cars, badly damaged cars, or simply cars that weren`t the model people thought they were.
We do indeed have a very odd (for a dealer) way of selling cars. If someone pays our retail price we get the car serviced from top to tail and stand to the car but we also offer a price to take the car as it stands. We`ll talk you through it telling you bad as well as good and hopefully you`ll be an educated buyer. At least you`ll know what you`re buying.
We do test drives. If you want to go out in one of our vehicles we`ll drive you. That way you know it works and hear any strange noises. If there is a specific car you wish to purchase and want to place a deposit but wish to drive it first then that can be arranged. But no, in terms of casual test drives I`m afraid we`re not the people.
2 things to consider. If I can`t make the car drive properly then there is a problem with it. Not bragging but I`ve driven a few Porsches now so I should know what to do. If you drive the car and it lurches down the road it might be the car but it could also be you.
I own pretty much all the cars on the site. How would you feel about letting people drive your pride and joy not knowing anything about their driving record. I have sat in with some scary drivers. By scary I don`t mean good drivers going faster than I feel comfortable, I mean crap drivers driving way beyond, their, the car`s and the road`s capabilities. You actually don`t have to go very fast to see if a car drives well (we can normally tell a good car just moving round the yard) but people tend to get the red mist and want to make the most of their 10 minutes of Porsche ownership.
It seems to work well. It may have cost us a few sales but I suspect we`ve saved more in damage to property and life.
Discount. Is that a Spanish word I`ve not heard of ?
Henry
We (and by that I mean some dealers), are easy to sell to in that we know what we`re looking at, the whole process doesn`t take that long and you know who you`re dealing with. There is no chance you are going to be swindled out of you car through theft or fraud and if the car blows up the next day you won`t have an irate man banging on your door.
In terms of buying privately you can do that and many people have purchased with great success. We do I`m afraid to say see the fruits of more unsuccessful purchases as well. People duped into buying cars that aren`t quite what they thought. Stolen cars, badly damaged cars, or simply cars that weren`t the model people thought they were.
We do indeed have a very odd (for a dealer) way of selling cars. If someone pays our retail price we get the car serviced from top to tail and stand to the car but we also offer a price to take the car as it stands. We`ll talk you through it telling you bad as well as good and hopefully you`ll be an educated buyer. At least you`ll know what you`re buying.
We do test drives. If you want to go out in one of our vehicles we`ll drive you. That way you know it works and hear any strange noises. If there is a specific car you wish to purchase and want to place a deposit but wish to drive it first then that can be arranged. But no, in terms of casual test drives I`m afraid we`re not the people.
2 things to consider. If I can`t make the car drive properly then there is a problem with it. Not bragging but I`ve driven a few Porsches now so I should know what to do. If you drive the car and it lurches down the road it might be the car but it could also be you.
I own pretty much all the cars on the site. How would you feel about letting people drive your pride and joy not knowing anything about their driving record. I have sat in with some scary drivers. By scary I don`t mean good drivers going faster than I feel comfortable, I mean crap drivers driving way beyond, their, the car`s and the road`s capabilities. You actually don`t have to go very fast to see if a car drives well (we can normally tell a good car just moving round the yard) but people tend to get the red mist and want to make the most of their 10 minutes of Porsche ownership.
It seems to work well. It may have cost us a few sales but I suspect we`ve saved more in damage to property and life.
Discount. Is that a Spanish word I`ve not heard of ?
Henry
Right, as soon as I can lay my hands on a replacement set of Service history (see other post :| )
I will get the car down so you can dribble over it.
I note you have an almost identical one due in...
Will be fun to see how much your asking for it
now.... time to call clive and see if he managed to rustle up replacement service history!
I will get the car down so you can dribble over it.
I note you have an almost identical one due in...
Will be fun to see how much your asking for it
now.... time to call clive and see if he managed to rustle up replacement service history!
In Henry's defence on buying punters cars, I would have to say he offered me a very fair price for my 993, it was about £3k more than most traders had offered me (I wasnt even buying a new car from him as replacement). Plus some useful tips on F355's as at the time this was what I was going to replace the 993 with. In the end I held out for a private sale, and whilst I did get more, it wasnt a huge amount more than Henry offered.
However I did ring a couple of years back about a 993TT when I was looking for one - enquired about the mileage - and was told 'its whatever is on the clock' in a fairly contemptuous manner
To an extent yes mileage isnt everything when its a 7 year old car or whatever, condition is a major factor, *but* you have to say if a car has 60k on the clock or 160k on the clock, it is a consideration!
>> Edited by ek993 on Wednesday 5th November 16:34
However I did ring a couple of years back about a 993TT when I was looking for one - enquired about the mileage - and was told 'its whatever is on the clock' in a fairly contemptuous manner
To an extent yes mileage isnt everything when its a 7 year old car or whatever, condition is a major factor, *but* you have to say if a car has 60k on the clock or 160k on the clock, it is a consideration! >> Edited by ek993 on Wednesday 5th November 16:34
ek993 said:
To an extent yes mileage isnt everything when its a 7 year old car or whatever, condition is a major factor, *but* you have to say if a car has 60k on the clock or 160k on the clock, it is a consideration!
If nothing else a 100K miler is somewhat closer to a £5000 top end rebuild than a 50K miler!
But I do admire Henry's business 'formula' which results in him shifting a lot of high milers for top dollar!
ing shovel? Behave Merkin Man.
(You will see you can still say Merkin, though )
I'm not sure punters do begrudge those two points, however, Henry's straight talking is quite unique. Normally dealers tell you the mileage when you ask it, rather than reeling off (a potentially valid) reason why you were silly to ask it.
I can remember Scottster once being told by the noble Henners:
"You can't get a [LHD] 3.2 Carrera for less than 12k"
Whereupon Dave went out and bought a beautiful example for £10,500
So I suppose the moral is, listen to Henry unless you can prove him wrong. Most of what he says is pretty true, but he is only mortal and a few of us have begged to differ over the years
(You will see you can still say Merkin, though
) I'm not sure punters do begrudge those two points, however, Henry's straight talking is quite unique. Normally dealers tell you the mileage when you ask it, rather than reeling off (a potentially valid) reason why you were silly to ask it.
I can remember Scottster once being told by the noble Henners:
"You can't get a [LHD] 3.2 Carrera for less than 12k"
Whereupon Dave went out and bought a beautiful example for £10,500
So I suppose the moral is, listen to Henry unless you can prove him wrong. Most of what he says is pretty true, but he is only mortal and a few of us have begged to differ over the years
more power to your elbow Henry - an honest trader - you'll be telling us what your mark up is next. 
...and a measured and humorous tone to your responses too...
I think your sales model is good too - I have to say that I know traders who think nothing of filling that nice shiny Mobil 1 dispenser in the corner of their workshop with cheapo oil and charging the punter Mobil 1 prices for their oil change. Do you give a warranty BTW and is that conditional upon your servicing the car first?...just curious.
Bit of a buyer's market though - even Porsche Post features some sensibly priced private cars right now...
I have to say that I personally wouldn't buy any car without being able to test drive it first - and even one of your (perhaps) closest competitors not a million miles from Mill Hill allows punters to test drive his cars (or he did last time I called in on him)...
He does get around young Henry. For what its worth I have both bought and sold with him. I think he is pretty honest and he does know his stuff.
Don't use him if you wnat someone to agree with all the marketing spin and half troughts that we, as Porsche enthusiast, love to collect.
Do go and see him (by appt of course!) if you want to learn something and want an honesyt car reasonably priced.
Last time I went for a car - a 968 CS for track use he more of less told me it was great but I might be better just getting some track tyres for my 944 turbo. That I did and haven't looked back.
I first met in in 1998 and he seems to have more than doubled the size of his outfit since then - probably the best evidence we need.
If you new to Porsche you could do a lot worse
J
Don't use him if you wnat someone to agree with all the marketing spin and half troughts that we, as Porsche enthusiast, love to collect.
Do go and see him (by appt of course!) if you want to learn something and want an honesyt car reasonably priced.
Last time I went for a car - a 968 CS for track use he more of less told me it was great but I might be better just getting some track tyres for my 944 turbo. That I did and haven't looked back.
I first met in in 1998 and he seems to have more than doubled the size of his outfit since then - probably the best evidence we need.
If you new to Porsche you could do a lot worse
J
roygarth - that`s just the point, a 100k mile car isn`t necessarily closer to a "£5k" top end than a 50k mile car. The lowest mileage car I`ve had to do a wear (rather than damage)top end on was 27,000 miles (and to look at the car it was brand new). Similarly I`ve had lots of 200k plus mile cars that have never been opened up.
Don`t assume just because we don`t advertise the mileages they`re all high. We have 50k 993`s for instance but I don`t want people buying them because of the numbers. I want them to buy based on the car.
Re: Price of cars. If we give a price it`s a guide, I know you people trawl through the private ads looking for distressed sellers, weaken them for days then kick them in the nuts and run away with a bargain.
Obviously being the gentleman I want to part company as freinds just in case they come onto say piston heads and say what a nasty bloke I am !
Anyway I must go for my tea. Mrs Firman has got a fresh turnip and and bit of rabbit I managed to catch last night waiting. We simple country folk.
Henry
Don`t assume just because we don`t advertise the mileages they`re all high. We have 50k 993`s for instance but I don`t want people buying them because of the numbers. I want them to buy based on the car.
Re: Price of cars. If we give a price it`s a guide, I know you people trawl through the private ads looking for distressed sellers, weaken them for days then kick them in the nuts and run away with a bargain.
Obviously being the gentleman I want to part company as freinds just in case they come onto say piston heads and say what a nasty bloke I am !
Anyway I must go for my tea. Mrs Firman has got a fresh turnip and and bit of rabbit I managed to catch last night waiting. We simple country folk.
Henry
hermanthegerman said:
Greg, Buster & James:
Never forget, this is the guy (not just you Henry, all dealers) that buys the car you could have bought yourself (if you could be bothered to get off your arse and go and see it), then sells it to you with his 30% tagged on just for keeping it locked up in a barn for a few weeks. If you want all the problems with it fixed you get to pay for that privelege too.
Case in point , a nice blue 968 tip purchased by Henry for £10.5k trade and on sale for past few weeks at £12k 'millenium bug price' - not 30 % mark up , but not bad little earner if your shifting 350 cars year. I've no issue with anybody making profit - but that car was advertised on pistonheads site and there for anybody willing to get off there a$$ and buy it before Henry did.
The only time I've phoned Henry/Tom to enquire about a LHD T2, I got their same bog standard response stating that mileage and service history aren't important on LHD cars. I'm sorry but that is total b*llox.
I am now on my 3rd LHD Porsche. Before purchasing each car, I checked the service history by phoning the OPC's in Germany, to ensure the stamps in the book were genuine. Contrary to what Henry says, most OPC's in the Fatherland do have english speaking staff so apart from the international call cost it really wasnt that difficult to do. Verification of the service history also convinced me the odometer readings were correct.
I think Henry/Tom's problem is that they talk to all of their customers as if they were "911 Virgins". There's plenty of muppets out there who like being domineered by somebody whose opinion is so forceful, it MUST be correct but for the rest of us an acknowledgement that just perhaps, we might know what we're talking about too, would be nice.
I am now on my 3rd LHD Porsche. Before purchasing each car, I checked the service history by phoning the OPC's in Germany, to ensure the stamps in the book were genuine. Contrary to what Henry says, most OPC's in the Fatherland do have english speaking staff so apart from the international call cost it really wasnt that difficult to do. Verification of the service history also convinced me the odometer readings were correct.
I think Henry/Tom's problem is that they talk to all of their customers as if they were "911 Virgins". There's plenty of muppets out there who like being domineered by somebody whose opinion is so forceful, it MUST be correct but for the rest of us an acknowledgement that just perhaps, we might know what we're talking about too, would be nice.
Come on don't get your hopes up,,Henry seems like a reasonable enough guy,but from the banter and B/S spun would you really want to buy a car from him?
Totally disagree on the reluctance to quote mileage,absolute tosh...why not quote it and then make points about condition being important.
These guys fulfill a role and can gloat about how easy it is to make money while many lazy Porsche owners are at work keeping in a certain lifestyle,but it is worth considering this is a public profile and although quoted in jest some things can be taken in different ways by prospective purchasers.
>> Edited by Clubsport on Thursday 6th November 09:03
Totally disagree on the reluctance to quote mileage,absolute tosh...why not quote it and then make points about condition being important.
These guys fulfill a role and can gloat about how easy it is to make money while many lazy Porsche owners are at work keeping in a certain lifestyle,but it is worth considering this is a public profile and although quoted in jest some things can be taken in different ways by prospective purchasers.
>> Edited by Clubsport on Thursday 6th November 09:03
Whoa there big boy. Nobody`s gloating or saying it`s easy. Even last night I was out until 11.00pm looking at a car (uncussesful - didn`t buy it). My work resume makes interesting reading and even now when a lesser bloke would back off and enjoy the spoils of war I`m still beavering away.
Re: the mileage. What I say if based on fact and owning over 2000 Porsches !! It would be the easiest thing in the world to simply buy on the number on the speedo. That way I could train a monkey to do the buying and put my feet up.
You must remember we sell very little stuff under 3 to 5 years old and some of our cars are over 20 years old.
I make a very good living out of this business, I`m not embarrased by that. But I do it by working hard and selling a lot of cars. To do that I have to ensure we keep old customers coming back.
You try selling the "ultra low mileage" car you bought off the "main dealer" type dealer back to them after you`ve had your use out of it and see them wriggle.
Case in point this morning. 996, paid 51k 9 months ago at main dealers. Trying to get 38k now. Main dealers not interested !!
Don`t think too many of our customers have done 13k in 9 months (actually he hasn`t sold it yet so it may be more). We feel moraly obliged to buy back any of our old cars.
Henry
Re: the mileage. What I say if based on fact and owning over 2000 Porsches !! It would be the easiest thing in the world to simply buy on the number on the speedo. That way I could train a monkey to do the buying and put my feet up.
You must remember we sell very little stuff under 3 to 5 years old and some of our cars are over 20 years old.
I make a very good living out of this business, I`m not embarrased by that. But I do it by working hard and selling a lot of cars. To do that I have to ensure we keep old customers coming back.
You try selling the "ultra low mileage" car you bought off the "main dealer" type dealer back to them after you`ve had your use out of it and see them wriggle.
Case in point this morning. 996, paid 51k 9 months ago at main dealers. Trying to get 38k now. Main dealers not interested !!
Don`t think too many of our customers have done 13k in 9 months (actually he hasn`t sold it yet so it may be more). We feel moraly obliged to buy back any of our old cars.
Henry
Henry,not denying you work hard..and enjoy the rewards.
This mileage thing is a tricky one,I understand a 5 year old car that has 10k miles driven in central london with a poor service history will probably turn out to be more of a liability than a well serviced 50k motorway mileage car that has been chersished..
I am not in your league,but have bought quite a few cars many of them Porsches. When i go to look at a car i try to find the reason to walk away from buying it.If it all checks out at the right price then I make no excuses to myself and buy the car.
I would imagine you work on principles that are pretty close to this.
Back to the mileage,,I enquired about the mileage on the T4 as I may have been interested (note past tense), you reply that it is not important and that condition counts....From my buying procedure,a direct question was side stepped,you embelished that condition was important and not mileage.
Alarm bells sound for me straight away that i am being fobbed off.
Maybe it is becuase you assumed that i was a 911 virgin that you thought such an approach was valid.
This really does show lack of respect for a potential purchaser,i really would have thought it would be better to try to establish am initial relationship of trust rather than disdain.
This mileage thing is a tricky one,I understand a 5 year old car that has 10k miles driven in central london with a poor service history will probably turn out to be more of a liability than a well serviced 50k motorway mileage car that has been chersished..
I am not in your league,but have bought quite a few cars many of them Porsches. When i go to look at a car i try to find the reason to walk away from buying it.If it all checks out at the right price then I make no excuses to myself and buy the car.
I would imagine you work on principles that are pretty close to this.
Back to the mileage,,I enquired about the mileage on the T4 as I may have been interested (note past tense), you reply that it is not important and that condition counts....From my buying procedure,a direct question was side stepped,you embelished that condition was important and not mileage.
Alarm bells sound for me straight away that i am being fobbed off.
Maybe it is becuase you assumed that i was a 911 virgin that you thought such an approach was valid.
This really does show lack of respect for a potential purchaser,i really would have thought it would be better to try to establish am initial relationship of trust rather than disdain.
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