The Joy of Running an Old Shed (Vol 2)
Discussion
r3g said:
Hoofy said:
Hm. That's a good idea - do they charge much, typically?
We will occasionally do them if requested but it's the same price as doing an MOT as it obviously takes the same amount of time, so we just say have the MOT done instead. But obviously if we do the latter and it fails then that gets immediately updated on the system that your car has just failed. I can't speak for other stations but unless it's a regular customer and we know the car, we don't generally take on pre-MOTs because if the car fails then that's on our conscience that you're still driving around in an unroadworthy vehicle even though the last test is still legally valid.bearman68 said:
Shedlease'tastic has been busy in the last few weeks / months.
It's been a bad year really - I spend 5 weeks in NZ not looking after the business, to come back to find my business partner had pretty much decided to dismantle the business car by car, as well as being rude to customers and anyone who came through the door (including my apprentice who was I really think, close to suicidal when I came back). Having sorted much of that out we were hit by the massive increase in insurance costs, and having sorted that out 6 months after returning, we are just about back to where we were, with low stock levels, reasonably stable customers, and cars that are working for their living. All good.
So, time to take a little gamble to spice life up a bit.
2 weeks ago I bought a Audi A4 convertible, with the 2.0t engine and 200 bhp - goes well, and is in nice condition, and a bit of work later has an MOT, all for £760. Not too bad. (In fact I bought the Audi with no MOT, and sat on the drive for ages, and a really low mileage MG TF, also no MOT and sat on the drive for ages for £800)
So I stuck it (The A4) on marketplace to attract some business. I had nearly 300 messages about it in 2 days, and on the back of the ad, leased a Clio 1.5 dci, a Volvo, and a Mito. And the advert is still live and running. I leased the Volvo for a month in exchange for an Audi TT, with a hole in the exhaust, and a leaking power steering pipe, so by the time I've done the belts, and MOT'd it, it should be quite the attraction. No doubt it will lease another Clio, or a Scenic or something.
'm rather looking forward (?) to see how the A4 performs over the next few months. I'm fairly sure that there will be money to be made on it, but I'm sure the ride could be bumpy
If.... that TF would be one you'll be MOTing and moving on, I'd like to hear more about it - nudge nudge, wink wink, etc.It's been a bad year really - I spend 5 weeks in NZ not looking after the business, to come back to find my business partner had pretty much decided to dismantle the business car by car, as well as being rude to customers and anyone who came through the door (including my apprentice who was I really think, close to suicidal when I came back). Having sorted much of that out we were hit by the massive increase in insurance costs, and having sorted that out 6 months after returning, we are just about back to where we were, with low stock levels, reasonably stable customers, and cars that are working for their living. All good.
So, time to take a little gamble to spice life up a bit.
2 weeks ago I bought a Audi A4 convertible, with the 2.0t engine and 200 bhp - goes well, and is in nice condition, and a bit of work later has an MOT, all for £760. Not too bad. (In fact I bought the Audi with no MOT, and sat on the drive for ages, and a really low mileage MG TF, also no MOT and sat on the drive for ages for £800)
So I stuck it (The A4) on marketplace to attract some business. I had nearly 300 messages about it in 2 days, and on the back of the ad, leased a Clio 1.5 dci, a Volvo, and a Mito. And the advert is still live and running. I leased the Volvo for a month in exchange for an Audi TT, with a hole in the exhaust, and a leaking power steering pipe, so by the time I've done the belts, and MOT'd it, it should be quite the attraction. No doubt it will lease another Clio, or a Scenic or something.
'm rather looking forward (?) to see how the A4 performs over the next few months. I'm fairly sure that there will be money to be made on it, but I'm sure the ride could be bumpy
bobiwine said:
r3g said:
Hoofy said:
Hm. That's a good idea - do they charge much, typically?
We will occasionally do them if requested but it's the same price as doing an MOT as it obviously takes the same amount of time, so we just say have the MOT done instead. But obviously if we do the latter and it fails then that gets immediately updated on the system that your car has just failed. I can't speak for other stations but unless it's a regular customer and we know the car, we don't generally take on pre-MOTs because if the car fails then that's on our conscience that you're still driving around in an unroadworthy vehicle even though the last test is still legally valid.I simply run three sheds for the two of us.
Yes, it costs me the road tax and insurance to run the third car (I tend to SORN and de-insure what's not running).
But it means I always have enough running cars for me and my best-beloved.
I pay for the extra cost of having a third car out of the zero depreciation I have paid on all three in the last 6 years.
I do have the space to park the three cars, plus my fun car, plus a caravan and 3 trailers, all out of sight of the road and visible from my front windows.
Joys of living in the country and compenation for having been left off Openskive's plans for fibre internet installation.
mercedeslimos said:
Hoofy said:
The coolant container loses about 1cm every 30 minute journey because the water pump is leaking (it only leaks when the engine is running). As a reminder, it's about £400 to change the pump and £400 to change the belt (and I don't have a record of it being changed).
Somebody's trying to pull your pants down there. Pump and belt are the same amount of work to change. Literally 5 mins more. And the pump comes with the belt kit. Edited by Hoofy on Sunday 30th June 10:25
bearman68 said:
2 weeks ago I bought a Audi A4 convertible, with the 2.0t engine and 200 bhp - goes well, and is in nice condition, and a bit of work later has an MOT, all for £760. Not too bad. (In fact I bought the Audi with no MOT, and sat on the drive for ages, and a really low mileage MG TF, also no MOT and sat on the drive for ages for £800)
So I stuck it (The A4) on marketplace to attract some business. I had nearly 300 messages about it in 2 days, and on the back of the ad, leased a Clio 1.5 dci, a Volvo, and a Mito. And the advert is still live and running. I leased the Volvo for a month in exchange for an Audi TT, with a hole in the exhaust, and a leaking power steering pipe, so by the time I've done the belts, and MOT'd it, it should be quite the attraction. No doubt it will lease another Clio, or a Scenic or something.
'm rather looking forward (?) to see how the A4 performs over the next few months. I'm fairly sure that there will be money to be made on it, but I'm sure the ride could be bumpy
I thought you didn't touch old German cars. And now you're leasing two?So I stuck it (The A4) on marketplace to attract some business. I had nearly 300 messages about it in 2 days, and on the back of the ad, leased a Clio 1.5 dci, a Volvo, and a Mito. And the advert is still live and running. I leased the Volvo for a month in exchange for an Audi TT, with a hole in the exhaust, and a leaking power steering pipe, so by the time I've done the belts, and MOT'd it, it should be quite the attraction. No doubt it will lease another Clio, or a Scenic or something.
'm rather looking forward (?) to see how the A4 performs over the next few months. I'm fairly sure that there will be money to be made on it, but I'm sure the ride could be bumpy
Hoofy said:
True.
"A bit."
Has he not read the clusterf
k that is my Audi TT?
True, but I've not really paid hard cash for the TT, so just the months lease of the Volvo. So even if I scrap it, it should be reasonably in my favour - but I hope not to scrap it - Fix the exhaust, and the power steering, and either lease or sell it, or maybe just use it to be glamourous in an advert. It should be good enough for something like that."A bit."
Has he not read the clusterf
k that is my Audi TT?bearman68 said:
Hoofy said:
True.
"A bit."
Has he not read the clusterfk that is my Audi TT?
True, but I've not really paid hard cash for the TT, so just the months lease of the Volvo. So even if I scrap it, it should be reasonably in my favour - but I hope not to scrap it - Fix the exhaust, and the power steering, and either lease or sell it, or maybe just use it to be glamourous in an advert. It should be good enough for something like that."A bit."
Has he not read the clusterf
k that is my Audi TT?Where Bearman is really a top man is that he shares with us his experience of keeping a fleet of 100+ sheds on the road and working.
So he knows which models of which cars to applaud and which to avoid, and the likely things to go wrong, as well as what costs money to maintain and what is easy.
So he knows which models of which cars to applaud and which to avoid, and the likely things to go wrong, as well as what costs money to maintain and what is easy.
r3g said:
What is this "lease" nonsense? Who is "leasing" 20 year old sheds?
I have several customer groups.....1) Clever people who have literally sat down and crunched the numbers, and have a car off me rather than either buying one or leasing a new one because it's cheaper. One for example has a decent Volvo rather than a new BMW, and pays his mortgage off with the remainder. When his wife's Merc comes to the end of the term, he will have another one off me. LotI service it and take the breakdown and repair risk. I lend hm another car f it needs servicing. He can get to work without worrying about cars.
2) Lots of women who know nothing about cars, and are fed up with buying rubbish cheap second hand rubbish.
3) Eastern Europeans for some reason, who seem to like the service and the risk reduction I offer - I deal with the V5 for example and the tax, and will make sure they are legal and correct, as well as sorting out the servicing.
4) Poor people who cannot get enough money together to put down for something £3 or £4k that will buy something reliable. These people are usually wedded to the idea that German stuff and range rovers are the best things to buy, so a lease Volvo or Toyota is a miracle of reliability and economy compared to a modified and neglected Audi.
5) People who have some crisis going on in their life - divorce, moving, catastrophic failure of some type with their car, and don't car what they drive, but want something cheap and reliable NOW.
6) This area is starting to grow - companies who want cars for 5 or 6 months to support their business activities.
7) A few crooks, idiots, shysters and ne'do'wells. Spotting these is the biggest issue I normally face.
I have 100 odd cars out and about at the mo, so my fleet does close on 100k a month - which gives me a pretty decent insight into what runs well, and what doesn't. Hence thinking the Audi A4 is a bit of a gamble, as I don't usually run German stuff.
bearman68 said:
2) Lots of women who know nothing about cars, and are fed up with buying rubbish cheap second hand rubbish.
I think this is what puts a lot of people off running a shed and hence why they end up just leasing something instead. Most people on this thread run sheds because they understand what they are doing and can often fix issues themselves. I would also say that most people on here can afford to run something new but don't want to, and it if all goes tit's up will just shrug their shoulders, weigh it in and just buy something else.My ex wife when we were married had a cheap car provided by me with the full backup of me looking after it and my Father being a retired mechanic.
When we got divorced I was running an E46 shed so she decided to buy one too, mine was running the M43 engine, hers was running the N42. It started showing all sorts of engine lights pretty much immediately so I offered to take a look for her. It drove like a saggy piece of crap, and on connecting it up to ISTA I could see it had been clocked by 70k miles.
Every month she was having to spend £300 to £400 on repairs. She got so sick of this she scrapped it and ended up getting a nearly new Toyota on finance.
I think there are a lot of people out there who can barely afford to run a new car but do so because they have had bad experiences with cheap cars in the past and have no idea what they are buying. Having someone to supply and fix the car for a cheap monthly price is exactly what a lot of people are looking for.
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