Car Finding Service

motorguy

rhino_horn said:

Grumpy_chap said:

rhino_horn said:

I run a car search business.... we're busier than we've ever been -  got loads of customers at the mo 

What does a "car finding service" do?

I mean, if I am looking for a fairly common family hatchback (as the OP seems to be), what does the car finding service do that I can't do simply enough using readily available on-line services?

I can understand the car-finding service if I am looking for something slightly out-of-the-ordinary.  Does not have to be extreme, but maybe specifically a Golf VR6 4-Motion (rather than just one of the plentiful Golf R Mk7 or Mk8) - I can see why that might be harder to locate and the car finding service needs to work to locate a pristine example that has not been thrashed or crashed.

For most buyers, I do not know what a buying service would do.

So... we have two type of customers. 

1 - has got a budget, a vague idea of what they want, open to suggestions etc - we talk them through their requirements, offer them some options, tell them to sit in one / have a test drive - let us know what they prefer... then we go and find them that car. We find it, show them the pics etc, they pay a deposit - refundable! - and we then go and buy it. We actually walk away from 20% of the cars we view - once our driver has inspected it.... we get the car back, PDI it, service it, remove dings and dents, make the alloys nice, do whatever needs to be done. Customer turns up (or we deliver) they have a look, pay the balance. 

2 - our customer knows exactly what they want. Go and find it for me! (As long as budget realistic!)

Our customers want a hassle free life. And they want to buy from someone they trust. We look after our customers. They want a car, they want us to find it. They don't want to deal with main dealer rubbishness. Or deal with car sales people. Or pour over Autotrader ads.

Our after service is 5*... which is why we have such good reviews and we don't advertise. Our business is 100% word of mouth. We don't charge for our service but our customers will pay main dealer prices. That's how we make our margin. We've never had a car returned, we prep them properly. 

We don't source cars over 6/7 years old. Too much hassle. 

That's pretty much the rough and dirty of it all. 

Very interesting, and it sounds like a great service you offer.

Out of curiosity, how do you deal with people "committing" to buying a car, then declining it when you've it bought and prepared?  

And do you buy your cars retail priced or through the trade?  If the former is it not tricky to actually get a margin on top, given you seem to (further) prepare cars when bought?

gord115

Grumpy_chap said:

rhino_horn said:

I run a car search business.... we're busier than we've ever been -  got loads of customers at the mo 

 can understand the car-finding service if I am looking for something slightly out-of-the-ordinary.  Does not have to be extreme, but maybe specifically a Golf VR6 4-Motion (rather than just one of the plentiful Golf R Mk7 or Mk8) - I can see why that might be harder to locate and the car finding service needs to work to locate a pristine example that has not been thrashed or crashed.

.

I'd love to know where these plentiful used MK8 Golf Rs are. I can't find many at all. Are you confusing them with the mk 7 facelift (sometimes referred to as the mk 7.5?)

Grumpy_chap

gord115 said:

Grumpy_chap said:

rhino_horn said:

I run a car search business.... we're busier than we've ever been -  got loads of customers at the mo 

 can understand the car-finding service if I am looking for something slightly out-of-the-ordinary.  Does not have to be extreme, but maybe specifically a Golf VR6 4-Motion (rather than just one of the plentiful Golf R Mk7 or Mk8) - I can see why that might be harder to locate and the car finding service needs to work to locate a pristine example that has not been thrashed or crashed.

.

I'd love to know where these plentiful used MK8 Golf Rs are. I can't find many at all. Are you confusing them with the mk 7 facelift (sometimes referred to as the mk 7.5?)

I only used the Golf R vs VR6 as an example.  The Golf R is quite easy to locate as they are current, whereas if you specifically wanted the earlier VR6 I suspect finding a good example would be somewhat tricky.

I don't want either, but the Golf VR6 / Golf R did strike me as the type of semi-specialist car that you may wish to engage the services of a Car Finding Service.  Given that I am currently in Bangernomics territory and if I do change from that I'll go for a mass-market family hatchback I am unlikely to become the target client of a Car Finding Service.