Chris Boardman has sold the car

[screenman]

I'll wager you don't pay £350 for a service

I do my own, but as you know I am in the motor trade so get to see what people are paying, my brother was pleased with his £360 bill for a service on his 2009 Mazda a few weeks ago.

 

[screenman]

Of course depreciation should be factored into any costs of running a vehicle, I buy well and sell well and normally that cost me on average £1200 to £1500 a year.

 

[Gunk]

Our 12 year old Mini Clubman diesel £120 a year insurance, £20 a year tax, £150 a year MOT and maintenance and about £40 a month in fuel. Depreciation now minimal about £250 a year.

So £85 a month, and it’s a really nice car.

 

[Deleted member 26715]

Of course depreciation should be factored into any costs of running a vehicle, I buy well and sell well and normally that cost me on average £1200 to £1500 a year.

Agreed but I suspect Mr Boardman hadn't taken that into account, but as you say buying & selling well its the key. Last 5 cars I've sold for more than I bought them for after also running them for a few months. But I play at the cheap end of market & add value by fixing things which take time & not money which fit me is not accountable

 

[raleighnut]

I do my own, but as you know I am in the motor trade so get to see what people are paying, my brother was pleased with his £360 bill for a service on his 2009 Mazda a few weeks ago.

My first job was in the 'trade', I started as a 'saturday lad' at 14 in 76,and then worked all the summer cleaning/polishing. new cars for the 1st of August then cleaning/valeting all the ones taken in part exchange, same again in 77 til I started 'full time' in 78 and went to tech passing my 1st year with 'Distinctions' and a recommendation for the 'Technician' level 2nd year instead of the 'MVCS' 'grease monkey' level. At 17 I was servicing prestigious (SAAB) cars totally unsupervised and the 'Service Manager' said "Ah there's no need for you to go to college" There is a long story but suffice it to say I'm glad my life took a different direction but it taught me that all cars are a 'money pit'

 

[screenman]

My first job was in the 'trade', I started as a 'saturday lad' at 14 in 76,and then worked all the summer cleaning/polishing. new cars for the 1st of August then cleaning/valeting all the ones taken in part exchange, same again in 77 til I started 'full time' in 78 and went to tech passing my 1st year with 'Distinctions' and a recommendation for the 'Technician' level 2nd year instead of the 'MVCS' 'grease monkey' level. At 17 I was servicing prestigious (SAAB) cars totally unsupervised and the 'Service Manager' said "Ah there's no need for you to go to college" There is a long story but suffice it to say I'm glad my life took a different direction but it taught me that all cars are a 'money pit'

Bit different for me I was mechanicing at 15, working for myself at 19 and got my first car site a year later, by the time I was 23 I had two sites, full time staff and was turning 500 cars a year, 10 years in I got rid of everything moved up north and now get payed to play with dents and glass, still getting a lot of pleasure but with no stress. This is my 49 year in the trade.

 

[screenman]

I should add that there are times when I wish I had chosen a softer career path.

 

[LeetleGreyCells]

I wonder how much Boardman will be paying in rail fares for the year when going out of his locality, and if that will be cheaper for him. Train tickets are very expensive in this country. I hope going car-free works for him. Saying that, the article says he's got rid of his car - that doesn't mean he doesn't have access to a car when he needs it.

I would love to go car-free, but it's not practical currently and besides my wife would never go for it

 

[avecReynolds531]

This year is my 23rd without a car. I was influenced early by northern European cycling infrastructure, and could never take sitting in a traffic jam. Plus, the love of the bike, not just as a sport, but as practical transport, from when I was a tot 'til now, meant it was an easy decision- one I've never regretted.

 

[raleighnut]

Bit different for me I was mechanicing at 15, working for myself at 19 and got my first car site a year later, by the time I was 23 I had two sites, full time staff and was turning 500 cars a year, 10 years in I got rid of everything moved up north and now get payed to play with dents and glass, still getting a lot of pleasure but with no stress. This is my 49 year in the trade.

So you're only 4 years older than me then, I started at 14 though. Basically the entire 'motor trade' is a con, the number of times I've heard the term "I had his legs away" regarding what profit they'd made is unreal. It taught me that I'd never own a car even when my Father died and Mum tried to give me his car (a 4-5 year old Rover 620i 'fastback' Coupe) I told her "What do I want with a Car"

I've had nothing but Cycles as my transport since 85 although a girlfiend of mine had a car (Peugeot 205) that I was a passenger in (and drove home 200 miles, after she hurt her knee whilst we were camping up in the Lake District, on L plates) for a few years til we split up.

 

[screenman]

So you're only 4 years older than me then, I started at 14 though. Basically the entire 'motor trade' is a con, the number of times I've heard the term "I had his legs away" regarding what profit they'd made is unreal. It taught me that I'd never own a car even when my Father died and Mum tried to give me his car (a 4-5 year old Rover 620i 'fastback' Coupe) I told her "What do I want with a Car"

I've had nothing but Cycles as my transport since 85 although a girlfiend of mine had a car (Peugeot 205) that I was a passenger in (and drove home 200 miles, after she hurt her knee whilst we were camping up in the Lake District, on L plates) for a few years til we split up.

Do not listen to all the talk about money, the motor trade has a very low profit to turnover percentage, the guy that made £1,000 on a car forgot to tell you it cost him most of that to prep and sell it. I would hate to be without a car, my life would be no where near as busy and I like busy.

 

[Drago]

When my Dad bought himself a new car and one for Mrs D, he managed to hammer the dealer down from £77,000 each to £59,000 each. 18 grand off list and they still made a profit. They had used ones on the forecourt a few months old with a sticker price more than the old man was able to buy them for new. Pandemic readjustment notwithstanding, theres no shortage of profit to be had for those bold enough to try it.

 

[raleighnut]

Do not listen to all the talk about money, the motor trade has a very low profit to turnover percentage, the guy that made £1,000 on a car forgot to tell you it cost him most of that to prep and sell it. I would hate to be without a car, my life would be no where near as busy and I like busy.

I never mentioned the salesmen who 'Made a grand on a car' although that's a 'trade' minimum on a 'motor' (I've come across the odd 'Arthur Daley' though) and yes 'premises' are expensive.
But, the motor trade is a complete rip off, the 20-21st century version of a horse market where you're sold a broken down 'nag' as a 'thoroughbred'

 

[mjr]

Volvo XC90 2.4 D5 185 R Design SE:

Insurance - 205
Tax - 325

With that low insurance on that big a car, you can tell you're a retired ex copper living in Poshshire, not a 51 year old government commissioner living in the Wirral!

 

[screenman]

I never mentioned the salesmen who 'Made a grand on a car' although that's a 'trade' minimum on a 'motor' (I've come across the odd 'Arthur Daley' though) and yes 'premises' are expensive.
But, the motor trade is a complete rip off, the 20-21st century version of a horse market where you're sold a broken down 'nag' as a 'thoroughbred'

I completely disagree, 2% profit on turnover is considered a good deal at the moment. Premises are just the very beginning of the cost of selling a car, do you consider a pint of beer in a pub a rip off or the an apple in a shop both have bigger percentage margins than cars. A grand maybe starting point, vat man has £200, prep £300, advertising £100 warranty £100 etc.