Pfizer's Coin

All staff at US Pharmaceuticals Company Pfizer are issued with a coin. On one side it says OWN IT on the other STRAIGHT TALKING. Various newspapers have dismissed this as a gimmick, but it seems good to me to have an ethos like this where if you speak up with some straight talking it's expected.

From today's Telegraph Newspaper: 'The Business, Innovation and Skills Committee questioned Pfizer chief executive Ian Read and asked him about the coin, which is used within the company to initiate difficult conversations.

Mr Read said the coin, which on one side says "straight talk" and on the other side says "own it", was part of a "cultural change" at Pfizer.

"I believe strongly that everybody in the company needs to have a sense of ownership, hence "own it", and to own it we need to have the ability to do straight talk," said Mr Read.'

Motor Dealer Truisms 1

Never price a car until it's been cleaned. The least likely sounding person is the most likely to buy. No matter how hard you try and filter test pilots, a few will slip under the radar. In the trade, a mint car is rarely mint. Always check a competitor bank's APR. If someone says "If I say I am going to buy something I will". They won't. I've always thought about putting these down when they come to mind.. more to follow.

Back To The Future

I have been working with a colleague on a new and used van sales and finance project. By combining our resources we have most of the popular makes available from reliable suppliers. We also have very competitive finance so putting the two together makes sense. The best deals around at the moment seem to be on Renault, Ford and Vauxhall, so that's what we have majored on for now.

It's quite staggering just how much it is possible to discount some of these vehicles, particularly when there is a large cancelled order. This is the case with the delivery mileage Master Platform Long Wheelbase Luton vans and the unused Master Long Wheelbase Medium Roof dCi 100 vans where there is anything up to nine thousand pounds off them.

The web page is here if you're in the market for a light commercial it's worth a look.

The title is apt as it was in 1987 that I started my full time sales career selling van leasing. How long!

Our Friends In The North

Bankers may have a reputation for being boring, but recent events have shown that even they can be creative when their backs are against the wall. The recent trend of increasing mortgage rates when the Bank of England are reducing theirs is unprecedented as far as I can recall. We should all ensure we have long memories. Next year it would be interesting to see which banks are reporting record profits despite writing off so called sub-prime debt. In one way or another we are all refunding them the money they gambled and should vote with our feet. I dare say the safest place to save and the cheapest to buy a mortgage from would be Northern Rock, as if anyone should pass on the £15bn added to the banking system by the B of E in the last month, it should be our friends in the north, aka the now cast iron Government Bank.

High Hopes

I've been placing 'Your Cared For Car Wanted' adverts recently to some effect. It's certainly apparent that cars purchased directly from the owners are far better described and arrive often with less work required than anticipated. To the contrary, one or two cars purchased recently from dealers have arrived needing more work than the margin will stand - meaning selling the stock just to get the money back. So, it's worth the effort to try and source enough cared for cars with little or no preparation required and see what a difference this has to the accounts in the coming months. As the song goes "He had, high hopes!"

Wanted: Your Cared For Honda Civic Type R

Bump Start

Might start a more regular day to day blog over at Curb Your Enthusiasm. See you there.

MOT Madness

Here's something that may be news to you! My Renaultsport Clio V6 255 failed it's MOT yesterday and I'll give you a second to think of a reason that a beautifully prepared low mileage car such as this would be refused a certificate?

OK, here's why... The car registration plates did not have the suppliers postcode printed on them!

So, an hour later, clasping my Passport, Driving Licence, a utility bill and the car's V5 Certificate I organised some replacements and managed to obtain the new MOT.

Seems that any car registered after September 2001 has to have the correct number plate configuration as well as the suppliers postcode. So now you know - don't get caught out!

Here's a picture of the Blue Meanie! And here's my old V6 255.

Temporary Membership to the Touareg Tribe

Been running a VW Touareg 2.5 TD Auto for the last couple of weeks until the road tax expires, so just two days to go! Which is a shame as it would have been great for my holiday in Scotland. You sit up nice and high in there and get to see all the scenery. With plenty of standard specification and technology surrounding the 4x4 power train, computerised hill-starts etc. It's also got durable and easy to keep clean full leather seats, which fold flat in the rear creating an absolute cavern in the back, as well as full screen DVD Sat Nav in the dashboard. That's all linked into a pretty impressive radio with ten speakers and good amplification.

A few people have said that a 2.5 isn't a big enough engine. Obviously they are hankering for a 5.0 V10 TD, (or even a Porsche Cayenne which is near identical) but the 2.5 TD has a sport mode in the auto box, but I haven't even used that and it still has a turn of speed when you let the kick-down operate.

There's some pictures of the car here. It's in really great condition and with 19200 miles hardly been used over it's two and three quarter year life.

One Year Two Months Later

It only took me fourteen months to find this car. I tagged it on the trade systems and have seen many similar ones come and go, but they all missed the boat - either too many owners, no air conditioning, wrong colour, too expensive, too many miles. Or I was simply a moment too late calling the seller.

Finally at six thirty the other evening this showed up. Friendly vendor appreciated some feedback on the car and what it was worth and voila, a few days later it's in stock, cleaned and photographed.

It's already sold to it's new owner so don't get too excited it might take another year to find exactly the right car again!

Described as a 'Bad Boy' by one of the forum contributors on one of the many I subscribe to here's some pictures of my much sought after 2004 Lotus Exige Touring with Air Conditioning in Storm Titanium with Silk Black Alloys and Yokohama road legal AO46 trackday tyres. Fabulous.

Lotus Exige Touring in Storm Titanium

No Spin

I just thought I'd post since I've received some great testimonials this week which are very rewarding and go some way to make up for all the effort that goes into producing the finished article that prompted the feedback. It's a bit of a nightmare trying to keep cars clean in this weather, you just have to pick your moment to move something from A to B to photograph it or have it ready to hand-over. Shuffling cars around at the unit late into the evening has become a bit of a habit, but hopefully the help I have in hand to assist in some of the logistical stuff will avoid some of that.

Here's the first paragraph from a customer who picked his Clio Trophy up yesterday.

"Thanks again for sorting us out with the Clio, in short the car is epic, had an absolute riot getting home, didn’t get back until gone 9pm (left here about 3pm and lives 2 hours max) and did a tank and a half of fuel in the process!"

Classic.

Mixing a Metaphor

They say that turnover is vanity and profit is sanity... I'm inclined to say that a rise in turnover can lead to a bout of insanity if the last five weeks are anything to go by! A quite astonishing start to the year having nearly turned over in five weeks what was a quarters business in 2006 has highlighted a deficiency in the business. Cash. Being in the wrong gear causes excessive wear to the engine, being incorrectly geared in business leads to excessive wear on proprietors too:) The situation will be addressed in the next few weeks.

Having been so busy I've handed over the refurbishment of the new office to Wheelgirl. She's going to project manage the refurb while I concentrate on the business. Wheelgirl is actually a pretty talented interior designer so I'll leave the scheme to her, within reason. As Mr T might have said, "I don't want no Kath Kidston in there sucker!"

Some lovely stock in and out already in 2007, with some newcomers that will be just superb with a little fettle here and there and a proper valet. Look out for pictures on the website of a superb Honda S2000 - very affordable 240bhp roadster. Also another import Honda Integra DC5 Type R, this time a silver facelift car with very low mileage. The last one now having found a home locally, would be great to see some of these cars around in the next few months. On Saturday, just prior to hand-over I parked the Teg in the town. It was truly the best looking car there and a guy in a shop commented on it - his jaw dropped when I told him the price - it really was only £12995.

Hopefully back sooner than the last gap between 'blogs.

The Proclaimers

Collected BB a new customer living in Edinburgh this morning from Gatwick Airport Terminal. His one hour twenty minute flight became a seven hour journey home, but the net result a car from my stock that local Reg Vardy and other dealers thought would take him a year to find - a low mileage Renault Scenic Dynamique dCi 120 with Panoramic Sunroof, Centre Storage Console and Full Service History. Texted me about 8pm to say home and the family already love the car. (That model is a hell of a dynamic improvement over it's predecessor) All very rewarding. To coin the title of the blog, driving to Gatwick to pick up a customer going the extra (thousand miles, get it?) isn't work but a pleasure. Especially on a lovely sunny Saturday morning, with little traffic, driving a car with a great stereo and some great tunes. BTW, I have found another one and it's coming in next week...

Really just blogging this evening while coming up for air. It's been a hell of a busy week for sales. I've also agreed terms on a new office and working on a refurbishment to come 'in budget'. I need ambience to work in!

On Friday I sold my BMW M3 to CV from East Sussex. It was the one with the CSL model carbon fibre front bumper and enhanced air filter etc. It looked truly immaculate after Tristan had SupaGarded it and treated the leather etc. CV wants to remap it now, about £500 buys another 30 bhp taking it close to 400 bhp, having driven it with 350+ I can't see it really needs it! As with all customers I like to send them off with a take care message. It must have fallen on deaf ears as it was only the traction control that prevented two long black lines up the road. "Erhhm." I know it's a boy thing but don't M3's sound awesome on full chad....

Bought some lovely rare and sought after stock during the week so will kick off again Monday updating the site with new photos and details - looking good for February.

Came on to quickly blog on the last few days but they have been so busy I have almost forgotten exactly what I've been doing - a very foggy and tired mind. The winter weather makes hard work of preparing cars to a high standard and when they need servicing, MOT, bodywork or tyres - or all of the above, there's a lot of running around to fit in. The rain and dirty roads makes valeting very awkward too. However, all things taken into account, all three cars handed over today looked superb. Particularly the blue metallic RS Megane 225 and bright red RS Clio Trophy which both having had new tyres looked just like new but with a better coat of polish!

My Integra is in truly special condition, it will photograph so well. Under the bonnet is also absolutely immaculate. That car gives the impression of having spent a lifetime being valeted every week. I am tempted to leave the three tiny stone chips to the front spoiler and tiny mark on the Recaro backrest just to add some used car provenance.

Run into some very rewarding comments from customers and supporters of my business amongst the Internet car forums. There are some real idiotic comments that I'm just too diplomatic to comment on myself, although they really get my back up sometimes - especiallsy from so-called Renault dealers who may sell renaults but are most definitely not dealers! You know where I am coming from :) & I admit to a pathological dislike to lazy trading. It's no wonder the car dealer industry is in such bad shape.

Otherwise some really excellent music on television the last couple of days. The whole California folk rock retrospective (BBC4 if you want to watch online) and tonight's Royal Albery Hall recording of the George Harrison Tribute (Artsworld Channel) were both superb and put into perspective the talent that eminated from the Sixties and Seventies. Bands may have been manufactured, but the term had a slightly different meaning then! To be in a manufactured band you had to be a proven virtuoso - show me someone in a current manufactured band as talented as Jackson Browne, Neil Young, Stephen Stills or even Eric Clapton from another genre.

Catching up on All Things Must Pass by George Harrison on iTunes. Buy it on my recommendation ;)

Wild Goose Chase

Took a forty minute spin north with the 'Wheelgirl' to collect a Chilli Red MINI Cooper Chilli - someone in BMW MINI marketing got a bit carried away by the word Chilli when they were launching that model range. Especially as Chilli means 'Hot' and not that it has Air Conditioning, which incidentally is not standard on a Cooper. On arrival a nice car, as described and pretty much OK. Checked the service history and it's a German import - the German PDI giving it away where the Experian Gold Check didn't. I'm not against imports, but they have to be sufficiently cheaper to buy and stock for the time needed to find the right buyer and/or to compete with other cars for sale. This one was out of warranty, so in hindsight maybe not such an issue, but I can't be stocking cars I have no idea when they will sell. Or to be overcoming objections before you even start on the spec and colour that may not be what's really wanted etc.

On the way back, empty handed, took a detour to collect my Blue Metallic Honda Integra DC5 Type R or as owners call them Teg. What a lovely car that is. Because it has no number plates on, with the original plastic still covering the door shut running strips with Type R logos, new tyres and temp plastic seat covers flapping, Wheelgirl thought it was a new car. Except it's a 2002 car with 43500 miles. As Arthur Daley might say whilst patting the over-sized boot spoiler, "Not your usual smog infested fodder from the land of the rising sun. This is real quality". Or as he said in the episode (driving through the Sussex countryside as we were today) when they were trying to find the Prize Bull they had lost while in their possession "There's none of your cosmopolitan hoi polloi 'round 'ere Terrence"

Acorns and Oak Trees

Took a call last week that resulted in a meeting yesterday with a business development consultant. This is part of a 'Start Up' business development initiative by the Government to give people advice on self-employment, starting a business and ongoing development. If you're in a similar position you may, or may not know that you are entitled to ten hours free consultation with experts in the fields of business law, accountancy, sales & marketing, development etc. Thereafter you pay, but I would say that getting a third person perspective on the first eighteen months was interesting and other views and ideas are welcome. In hindsight I would have paid for the information. I don't have a monoploy on good ideas, despite what former colleagues might think!

Anyway, a few ideas to take forward with regard branding, affiliates and a vision of where this is going. Self fulfilling prophecies actually tend to be so be careful of what you wish for!

Took ten minutes at lunchtime to watch Working Lunch on the beeb. A good programme to drop in and out of. The item involved the renaissance at Marks and Spencer, 'M&S' since Stuart Rose took over as CEO. What I find amazing is that the share price increased the day he took over and they are now worth four times the value. The synopsis by the economist interviewed of what he has done since taking over seemed like what anyone would do with the slightest acumen. I'm sure Philip Green has/is making enough money not to be crying too much about his offer not being accepted prior to the Rose takeover but that business was an absolute sitter for improvement. "It's not just any business development plan, it's a Marks and Spencer development plan" :)

My desktop computer hard-drive has started playing up. First the thing would not give me access to the folder I use mostly, the message bumbling something about invalid directories and corrupted disc, then this morning the computer insisted on performing a hard drive analysis before it would start up. This all reminds me of the last time my PC went down so I'll have to drag the most important files onto a CD just in case. It's a scandal though that these things seem to last less than two years.

The delivery mileage Clio Trophy I bought this week will be here on Friday. That's a real one-off and the price will surely set up some chatter in the Internet forums. Always amusing to see every armchair car dealer imparting their knowledge of pricing :) It's £13495 or near offer - find me another one!

Deja Vu Vu Vuum

It seems like I have bought countless Renaultsport Clios from the Southampton, Romsey and Salisbury region. The thought crossed my mind yesterday as I travelled home from Amesbury having purchased a lovely Clio Trophy from a customer who is going on a world trip next month. Something had to give, and it was the car - he's hopefully going to check out the website on his return.

There's either some pro-active dealers in that area who like to sell the sporty hot-hatches, or just a good following for that kind of car. On my way back I also saw a sign for Janspeed in Salisbury so i guess they have their business there.

Just took a call from a customer looking to dispose of his car. He had offered it to a number of BMW dealers who all offered (in our agreed estimation) about £1500 less than it's real value. I can't say this is a surprise, there's a certain amount of arrogance that goes with the marque, but probably just as likely one of the ways that they pay for those £7M showrooms you buy BMWs from.

Received a car yesterday that I had bought in the trade. All this kind of business is done on description and you have to trust the other party to describe accurately the condition and status of the car on offer. Disappointed to report that the car arrived with a checklist from the logistics company describing the car as too dirty to check properly, no service book in the book pack and four tyres needed. Needless to say I was 'disappointed' the vernacular not quite as polite as that. Luckily the previous owner lived in Cheltenham and a call to the local dealer resulted in a stamped service book already in my possession less than twenty-four hours later. Top marks to all the staff at Hylton Renault in Cheltenham for coming up with the goods for me and being incredibly efficient considering the sum total of my bill was £7.25! Oh, they have lost the franschise as far as I know, so it just goes to show the thin line between holding a franchise and relinquishing it, even with good staff in after-sales. The point is that I would never send a car off to anyone in the kind of condition this one set off in. It's blatantly obvious from the new V5 that the car had been bought cheap at an auction with no V5 and history but they are content to sell it on and blag their way through excuses for the missing history and bald tyres. Postscript, they will pay for the tyres (as long as they are mid-range) and 'have no idea' what happened to the history. Having valeted the car it's actually a very nice bit of kit and should do the trick for anyone wanting that particular model.

I had the conversation with a garage owning friend this moring that we're convinced you have to be dishonest to make any real money in business, and that accordingly we may be condemned to only 'make a living' as long as we trade ethically.

BMW M3 on M4 M5 and M25

Drove the Vee (trade slang for Renault Clio V6) to Weston Super Mare (WSM) yesterday, across country via Salisbury and Taunton (M5) to rendez-vous with customer on seafront. Pulled into The Grand Atlantique Hotel - it looks just as it sounds, desperate for a 'jimmy' only to find the doors locked and a note to say only open to residents until Jan 6th! More like keeping the inmates in if the convalescent home my daughter works in is anything to go by! It's OK, I survived. BTW, the seafront at WSM looks just like Eastbourne or any other generic retirement seaside town, but thought the whole place was as welcoming as the customers I went to see. All very civilised. When DP pulled up in his M3 alongside the Vee it looked like something out of Evo Magazine comes to Costa Geriatrica though!

On the way across country I stopped at a Little Chef, having heard on the news that the chain is in financial trouble, (and read that in the Daily Express while eating) I have to say that I think anyone who travels quite a bit would miss the opportunity to stop somewhere like that. The food, cleanliness and service were fine, but maybe the staff have had a wind up and are all working full tilt. The place concerned could do with a bit of a revamp and that might include the presentation and menu, but I wouldn't think a lost cause. Between there and the M5 though I passed two more and if they were as apparently overstaffed as the one I visited then there's a good place to start to control the costs?? Possible thin out the premises too boys. Perhaps Mc D's or BK might take some off your hands....

Home in the BMW M3 (awesome machine and an absolute performance bargain if you have the money) via the M5 Motorway around Bristol, Bath and along M4 to M25 and home A24. That's 200 miles or so in about three hours. The average speed was testiment to the ease at which I drove around the extra wide M25 around Heathrow , although maybe more people are on holiday until next week then the queues will start again. Quite honestly, having driven one, I couldn't imagine buying anything else but an M3 with (say) a £25K budget. I'll post some pictures of the car once it's valeted etc.

The used car page on the website is looking pretty sad with my being SOLD OUT! of Renaultsport Clio stock - I am desperately on the hunt for the right cars and have been working full tilt on that today.

Random thought of the day, reading back through this you can see a clash between BMW models and UK motorways!

Back To The Future

Happy New Year!

Thought I would resolve to do something I could actually achieve. That is to streamline my Internet activity to a couple of weblogs and a website. Earlier I began to make a list of the weblogs and websites that I regularly update and it was a struggle to remember all the usernames and passwords. If ever there was evidence of Attention Deficit Disorder this proliferation of weblogs is it. Also, why do we all persist in trying to outwit an unknown and highly unlikely hacker to our web activity with ever more complicated passwords? Anyway, the upshot is that I am going to use this weblog and link to some of my other and older publications which until now have been living in my favourites list. I would apologise in advance as my language may slip a bit the more underground or infuriating the subject I was commenting on in past text.

It's surprising how many people have either told me or I have realised from things they have said that they used to read my allvehicles weblog and have encouraged me to continue with a new one. However, I would as an alternative recommend buying a Bill Bryson book if you want to be amused and entertained!

I've also started jogging again. Despite that getting back into this kills you for the first few weeks until you begin to run so far as the endorphins begin to ease the pain, I have been forced by the fact that I can no longer fit into large (L) shirts and need an XL to hide the tum (just like all the blokes on Trinny & Suzanna!). I have definitely added a size, in complete contrast to those hoardings you see outside Health Clubs in the run-up to Christmas that encourage you to 'Drop A Size for the New Year'. In the past I've managed to lose a couple of inches around the waist and generally improve my well being along the way so it can only be a good thing. Living 400 yards from the seafront makes for an enjoyable run in fresh air. Of course going out jogging (for the second time in a few days) around New Years Day flies in the face of my almost pathological dislike of anything 'predictable' or 'conformist'. I could only imagine a few fingers pointed at "That bloke has started running again as a New Years Resolution" Paranoia? Probably as well!

Good start to 2007 work-wise as today offered an ultra low mileage Clio Trophy and a Subaru Impreza STi Prodrive by someone who may be emigrating to the USA. There's a trend there. I recently bought three low mileage cars from another migrant to the States. Will be confirming a purchase during the coming week.

All The After Eights Have Been Eaten

A mix of enquiries, presentations, test drives and a few trade sales over the Christmas and New Year period has left me quite short of my best selling stock. To make matters worse, I've priced a few 'perfect stock' cars for dealers over the period, been the best bidder, but for one reason or another they haven't managed to get together with their customer. Good that most have had the courtesy to let me know so I might employ my money elsewhere.

Delivering my Renaultsport Clio V6 255 to Weston Super Mare on the 3rd January and have taken a BMW M3 back in part exchange. It has to be said that this is not a bad way to be making a living, to be driving these pocket supercars around the country. Having said that, I have only been able to price the BMW on description, and often one man's mint condition is not anothers!

In conversation yesterday a local enquirer for a new or nearly new Renault Megane Diesel told me he thought I was missing a trick or two by not promoting my business more locally. Particularly the broker side which in his opinion should be going down a storm with local clientelle who would appreciate my spin on which model and the best deals available - as well as my prices which he was complimentary about. He has been into the local Renault dealer twice as well as the Brighton dealer and come away without the replacement car he wants. He's putting it down to a) overpriced cars and b) apathetic salesman. I can empathise with him. Having spent at least five years in a dealer group 'troubleshooting' role, there's also a lot of mismanagement that's also preventing people like him coming away with a new car.

The same enquirer commented that my website would scare off (for example) your typical middle-aged female buyer, he is alluding to my predeliction towards high performance hatchbacks. Having said that, if you advertise the more run of the mill cars, there are so many of them on the market that you just don't get the calls. At least the stock I cherry pick is often amongst just a half-dozen or so advertised nationally ensuring they sell quickly and for a price that enables me to continue. But I will be taking the comments on board and maybe develop a sister website for the more high performance cars and allow the current site to drift back to more affordable family and utility fodder.

It's New Year's Eve so will be out tonight. Hoping to be developing the business still further in 2007 and wish all those reading this a very happy and successful New Year.

A Return To Form...

Been a busy few days in the run-up to Christmas. With car logistics companies now quoting the New Year to move anything it's been a bit of a rush to pay for cars and organise the movements.

Happy to have bought, from the description, a very nice lower mileage 2001 Honda S2000GT in Blue Metallic as well as a very desirable high specification Renault Scenic dCi 120 diesel with lots of factory options. Agreed delivery in the New Year, but if a driver is nearby they will try and get them back to me sooner.

Took the recently acquired 2006 Ford Focus ST2 to Guildford yesterday via the B roads connecting the A24 with the A281. Dropped by Geoff Sizzey (long established Peugeot specialist) on the way to catch up. It's the first ST2 that's come my way and have to say it makes very light work of this kind of journey. The turbocharged 2.5 lite 20v engine, as fitted to Volvo Estates is very responsive, with the inlet and exhaust system tuned to make a rewarding growl when you apply the throttle in the right circumstance. Supportive Recaro seats keep you in place during faster corners. I have to say, it's been a while since I dabbled in fast Fords, but depending upon how this one sells, I might get into a few more. This car certainly feels as well screwed together as the Golf GTI. As they say in the music press, 'a return to form'.

A Little Less In Your Face Maybe

Somewhere to post the day-to-day goings on of car dealing for a living - and other stuff of interest. My old blog still exists if it's bookmarked or you know where it is - maybe a good resource, but having been described as 'too commercial' by the keepers of the Interweb I'll try and keep this one a little less in your face barrow boy. "Cars for sale, Cars for sale"!