I think you should be flattered you're on their radar enough for them to get twitchy! It shows the reach of your channel and just how much you've helped us all save some money. BCA's loss is Aston Barclay and Shoreham's gain. Incidentally, for those reading this, my Leaf came from Shoreham and my e-Niro came from Aston Barclay (both through Eco-cars of course) so I'm pleased I didn't give BCA any business!
I was a driver for BCA for 5 years, what an awful company to work for. Im still a driver and regularly collect from their auction sites. They are manned by work prevention officers who will put up as many barriers to getting a car as possible. I now take a walk round video on collection as there have been several instances where damage was not shown in the online sale. There is generally very little fuel in them and I would flat refuse to collect an EV from them. In short, a massive concern who do not care a jot about employees, contractors or customers. Wouldnt buy a mars bar from them.
that's where they got you the cars are not there's to put fuel in so you have to buy there's at inflated price, the only cars they had a contact to put fuel in was bmw and merc most employees are contractors when I was there they had security watch you trying to catch you not working you would have thought watching the cars and property would be more important they don't trust anyone worst employers I have ever worked for.
I used to maintain some of their car transporters, there was one thing they asked us to do, which we couldn't do, as we wouldn't comply with the regulations, we lost the work soon after.
As an ex part time antiques trader I know the majority of antiques auction houses have online auctions,catalogues and prices achieved. Anybody can register and bid . The used car trade has always been secretive . Did any member of the public ever get a glimpse of a Glass's guide? Car trade has never been any different. BCA is Arthur Daily with a bigger forecourt.
I knew a mechanic who showed me glasses guide in 2000 as you say very secretive but in 2010 I went to a Peugeot dealer who showd me that their car was below glasses price. The Internet changed a lot of things car prices in stoke on trent could be £500 to £1000 more this is down to £200 - £100 more because of places like car wow
Once I was out for a car that came up several times at auction with in BCA..... All the tricks from the book where used to raise my limit...... It was surprising when they started waiting for my higher bid on it..... No I did not get it because I was not at the circus when it was sold dirt cheaper then I was willing to pay some time earlier.
@@Fizzoidyes trotting , taking cars outta one auction and to another for a profit that’s Jockying,raising your hand to buy and changing your mind once the gavel drops is Welchin . Motor trade is and has always been murky and I’ve been in the game since the late 80’s and the last 7 years only by classic cars whic are basically cars I liked as a kid or when I couldn’t afford them in then 90’s now I can and they were the most reliable era . Neo Classics I call them lol… full of it me but whaddya expect 😉
Doing it online means they can hide their hands and make more money The only reason that second values rose wasn't demand it was greedy auctions inflating prices so their commissions were amazing. Bca are bullying and I have up my account after being continually being ripped off and picking up vehicles with clearly missed major faults
I remember when any member of the public could turn up at a trade auction, register and bid if they wanted to -- sold as seen of course! It was only really car enthusiasts who did though, and this was long before the internet and streaming.
Constellation Group need to think very hard about this type of behaviour. With their level of market ownership within the motor industry, secretive behaviour that could be seen as counter to consumer interests could easily attract the attention of the Competition Commission. The result of that would be much more of a problem for them than a re-broadcast of the on-line auction.
Absolutely me too and can assure you nothing has changed,auctioneer’s taking bids off the wall knowingly taking bids off dealers own vehicles,one dealer blatantly did it and every other dealer walked away from that vehicle knowing full well some private purchaser would end up paying an inflated price for it but that’s the way it worked. Private punters didn’t realise they were being taken for a ride,they hadn’t a clue and very rarely got a bargain.
Great opportunity Johnathon, to promote the other auction houses over the larger competition. Keep up the good work, we need people like yourself to provide this kind of service to the public.
The problem is that most people do not understand that most garages have ginormous overheads, and when they see a car being bought for xxx and sold for xxxxx (alot more) they think the garage is ripping them off. I've been in the trade for years and the behind the scenes bills are eye wateringly high, most people just don't want to know.
Its 2024, most people care more about value for money than shiny tiled floors, 'free' coffee and "big windows" to see us coming, used car buyers don't want to pay for that! We buy plenty of other stuff online, why not cars?
What I've seen of a number of local car dealers is that they buy any old wreck, stick a price ticket in the window, and wait for some mug to buy it and then fob them off later when the car breaks down. There's a BCA auction place just a mile up the road from where I live, but I've not even considered trying to buy a car there because the reality seems to be that it's "dealers only".
Well, if you haven't got anything better to do with your time, it takes about 30 minutes to register a company at Co Ho (and £30 or so the last time I looked). Create yourself a 'car dealer company' join BCA and pop along to one or more of their auctions...!
BCA want their buyers protected from the public knowing the trade values and retail price mark ups. I suspect some of their big buyers were not to happy and put pressure on them to cancel you 🤣
As an ex buy-to-order customer I really appreciate this alternative option. Not everyone enjoys the buying process at a dealership. That's why some are preferring the manufacturers direct online sales process, think Tesla. Lastly thank you for shedding some light on the market information.
Having worked in the motor trade for 23 years, 19 years at a major manufacturer the economics of the average motor dealer would shock their customers. Most dealers make virtually no profits from new car sales, they might get a kickback from the manufacturer if they meet their often astronomical targets and also have a high customer satisfaction rating. The profit that keeps main dealers afloat are used car sales and Aftersales service and parts. Manufacturers impose their standards on dealers and hence the proliferation of glass and steel palaces selling their new products. It has to be paid for somehow with dealers on the hook for massive overheads. With this in mind I’d expect to pay an average of £2k over trade value for a used car and probably £150 per hour for main dealer service work. Supply and demand innit!
I had a feeling BCA might voice their concerns. Shame as it only throws doubt and distrust on their dealings. Thanks for your coverage and I look forward to the other auctions. Stay safe and well.
Really good video. For over 30 years I've been buying cars from a main agent which gives you someone to go back to. After all this time, I've never had a problem until recently when we purchased a Honda from a main dealer in Cardiff, which was a nightmare but did manage to get it sorted out in the end after a conversation with the MD who was excellent 👍 I'll NEVER buy an EV mind 😂😂
We went to a used car auction in the early 2000s in Leominster, you could walk in, register to bid and buy. I was very surprised that you aren't allowed to do the same under BCA's regime, it's very sad.
We bought many cars from bca in london. Bidding along with dealers. Used to be the mix of over 2 yr old on Saturday. Dealers no doubt had a discount at payment but who knows.. But we paid the hammer price. We seldom found dealers bidding on the same cars that we wanted. Did see lots of dodgy activity to make a car they wanted look less desirable as it went through. However, after some years dealers objected to the Saturday mix. The cars we bought all lasted well and I don't think we were a threat to anyones livlihood. Maybe every 5 years we renewed.
As a private dealer who doesn’t provide the fancy warranty etc. but my prices are fairly undercut from dealers because I sell sold as seen but then again people are too skeptical thinking it might be a scam, I always say if you want all the fancy warranty and etc then definitely look at showrooms. Instead of looking for a complete bargain.
A lot of BCA platers jobs were sent to Westbury to get tarted up for repairs and then resale Along with the same tarting up they use a depot in HOO Medway for Mercedes along with livery for AA and RAC learning vehicles
Having just been to a car sales room and will say the experience was so bad that I walked away. It shouldn’t be difficult for car dealers to Provide a selling price they are willing to offer. I do not want to be asked how much u want to pay! If they have a price offer it and don’t change the spec to meet a price band or to sell something different without it being completely transparent. Keep up the good work and hopefully see you soon.
Ditto! Dropped into a Marshall BMW dealership and it was laughable. Fast Show style fast talking and they opened negotiations with a demand of a £1000 deposit to ensure the car was available for a test drive the next day. Last I did this was a decade ago and it was just as bad then.
I used to go to BCA auctions but after being ignored several times by the auctioneers in favour of dealers, the penny dropped, they don`t want the public there.
You could carry on with the live auctions from Shoreham and have the BCA prices scroll across the screen; Make, Model, Trim, Year, Mileage, Grade, Price.
Love what you do and made me more likely to buy at auction but not now from BCA group. Tie up with blackbelt barrister and maybe share your vid with competition authority - if they do control more than 50% of market it's not in the public interest. Keep up good work.
Just subscribed to support you for your kind work and sharing your knowledge of the used car market and in helping people/families purchase their car. Thank you.
Extremely well handled there JP. I did wonder if you'd get comeback for the live broadcasts. Think BCA have probably shot themselves in the foot as you say. I was one of those who would have been anxious about buying without the cover provided by a dealer but equally anxious about the reality of any support they may or may not provide. At least they have a physical building you can go and see people in though. For which service I obviously (isn't it obvious?) expect to pay a premium. Your videos made me more confident about buying by auction through ecocars because I would trust their judgement and experience to acquire a decent vehicle. Showing all the checks and balances of how the vehicles are graded with all their faults pointed out was really helpful. On the one hand I guess they've got a point in that most live events would require permission to be sought to broadcast them. On the other hand the more people who know about how they work surely the more people are likely to want to buy from ecocars and therefore their sales will be enhanced. I suspect it's the former that is the problem, I hope it's not big dealers twisting the knife anyway....🤔 I think your response is absolutely right, measured and reasonable. I'd suggest asking the others if you can broadcast live auctions just to see what answers you get.👍
I went along to my local BCA Auctions in Bridgwater, Somerset about a year ago. Just to have a look. My last visit was just before Covid in 2020. This time round, they wouldn't let me in. Seems to be a dealer only place now. If so, and from this video here, there seems to be some fairly hefty restrictive trade practices going on, very much to the detriment of the car buying public. Maybe that has something to do with the way that user car prices have rocketed in the last 3 and 4 years.
Having worked for some big players in the motor trade, including for the Marshall Motor Group, this doesn't surprise me one bit. All the motor trade stereotypes are true and are used for a reason. I left that world for one reason. It is a toxic and greedy sector to work in. There are some good ones out there but they are the minority so if you find one, support them!
Another factor to consider. When I worked for a big premier main dealer, I quickly learned that all the profit was in after sales. Service department was king for profit, followed by the parts department, car sales was the vanity turnover but didn't produce the sanity profit to sustain an expensive showroom by itself, even with their healthy margins on cars. Now that we have EVs that don't require expensive servicing, dealers are looking at their existing business model and realising that they will quickly be out of business in coming years unless they can make significantly higher margins on car sales. I was in a regional training meeting in 2016 when this issue was discussed. National level management/directors just scoffed and basically instructed us to keep spreading the seeds of doubt for EVs to prolong the profitable ICE servicing...
In that case should we be surprised about all the misinformation being spread by the dealers and the mainstream media? Clearly not! By the way... When are you getting your electric car to go with those solar panels and heat pump? 😜 Keep up the good work! Love watching your videos.
So the parent company own WBAC and Cinch? Hmmmm, makes me now wonder if Cinch get the good ones from WBAC and BCA put the poor ones through the auction. I would never have thought that until they went heavy handed on you. So a double negative for BCA in my mind.
Yes they do, you see bca and cinch transporters out our local wbac, it's why cinch have done better than other on line dealers as they've got a good supply of stock
Lovely to have my comment read out on video! It’s a shame that BCA auctions can’t be live-streamed anymore because they probably have the largest selection of vehicles and their EV only auctions are convenient. Didn’t realise how all those companies are tied together. It is somewhat disturbing to know that the motor trade is so monopolistically controlled by corporate giants with their own special interests. It’s why I would always buy from a good independent seller like yourself over a car supermarket any day of the week because the customer service is going to be way better and I’m not lining the pockets of some greedy execs!
Good but sad video this week JP. I was glad when BCA closed in Kinross because they were not a nice employer or good for the area. Glad their old site is being redeveloped. Also stuff them as their costs for buying and selling were way more than other auctions.
Jonathan, you're great. You've done so much for the EV world. You were there at the start and you're too highly-regarded and well-established for this to be anything other than "water off a duck's back". All the best! 👍🤗
You've said it all here Jonathan and you were very much on my radar over the next 3 years or so to make the leap. Your work is incredibly appreciated though, thank you.
Your not a naughty boy. I am happy you did what you did. It just shows how much money they are making regardless of what powers the vehicle. I will consider a second hand EV after the PCP deal ends on my Niro EV. Greed is what drives BCA and you exposed them for what they are doing. Good on you JP
I used to buy cars at bca for personal use, I can no longer do so ever since bca changed during covid. My last purchase at BCA was a hybrid, they have closed out the public, reducing the number of people who can afford Ev's.
Unless you use us to buy your ev , with our reduced fees ( trade account) even with our fee , you'll buy at around the same prices / fees as if it was a member of public buying direct from BCA
So BCA haven't given a reason for stopping you from livestreaming their auctions? Your videos were excellent at showing how vehicle auctions are conducted and now I have seen how the process works, makes me consider buying a car through eco-cars when I eventually change my EV.
Great work, shame about the live auctions, was great to see the real World basic costs of the cars. Thanks has been very informative. TBH Most people if they knew the margins they would be ok if they weren't extortionate. I always thought if a dealer showed you how they'd made and it was reasonable you'd walk away happy.
I bought cars from BCA back in the day as a normal retail customer. Why have they made it trade only now. DODGY is probably the answer. Should be cash speaks and the dealers aren’t the only ones who can buy cars
Keep it up it’s called freedom of speech,you will never stop RUclipsr. That’s what it’s all about helping people and educating people ev you will lose loads of money on them, and all these big garages are pressured to sell them and may be losing £15,000 a month if they don’t sell enough of EV’s keep up the good work and don’t don’t be bullied by them 💪and I would never buy a car without seeing it first, and always do your checks never take anyone’s word and trust no one 👌
Oh BCA !!!! What have you done all the free and potential new customers will now be driven towards more friendly car auction houses that don't mind people filming. Thier PR and marketing needs sacking I cant imagine how much money they spend on advertising only for them to ignore the most powerful type and use it to help their competitors. They should literally be offering free drinks and snacks to anyone wanting to film if they have a big online presence.
Eco cars and their successors are a brilliant scource of top quality EVs and provide an excellent service. We will certainly be looking to them to supply a replacement for our 24kW Leaf when it finally meets its end! Well done Johnathan ❤
CAP values are from HPi , totally independent of car dealers and zero influence on values. Only BCA with their HUGE used stocks could 'possibly' hold certain vehicles back in order to create demand andvthus affect CAP values , but im sure they'd never do such a thing ....eh 😉 😀 😜
You're correct , leaseplan SOLD carnext to constilation group , my error , but it wouldn't suprise me if leaseplan had a 'special' deal with bca to sell their vehicles "you scratch my back ......." 😉
I must be a similar age to yourself, I discovered car auctions in my early 20s , some 30 odd years ago. Yes the car trade was and I guess still is , a bit secretive. I never turned into a car dealer, I just saved myself thousands on buying 3 year old ex-fleet cars with about 50,000 on the clock.
You have to be a registered car dealer , and pay a membership fee per year to be eligible to attend and buy at their auctions , BCA , I know as I wanted to buy at their Bristol branch a year or 2 ago . I think the membership was around £400 per year .
There's no membership fees ,but you have to buy a certain number of vehicles per year , that gives you different levels of fees , the more you buy the less fees you pay 😉
Hi Jonathan, Sorry to hear you've been gagged. I used to enjoy having the livestream on in the background and hearing the values of the cars. You were nearly always spot on with estimating the winning bid. So I don't understand what their issue is. Hopefully, they'll review this decision and ungag you! 9:31 I agree. I really think there is quite a small subset of car buyers who will 'risk' buying from an auction. If someone buys from a dealer, they are getting a lot of security in the case that the car is a dud. If I buy a car as an individual from a car buying service, I take the risk. The worst case being if the car has a fault which could cost thousands to fix. So I really don't think the bricks and mortar dealers need to worry about everyone suddenly wanting to buy a car from an auction.
I'd just like BCA to know that if we ever need to replace our ID.3 we'll be doing it through Eco Cars. I might just ask them not to try and source any replacement through BCA. Why would BCA be so salty? They are huge and Reflex / Eco Cars represents barely a gnat's nadger squished on the nose of their commercial juggernaut. Massive knee jerk over reaction if you ask me.
The middleman hates being cut out but people are sick of being ripped off.The price of a new car in the UK is scandalous hence why the public are more keen than ever to cut out the middle man to try and get a fair price.
Went to look at a car at a main dealer and the quality (or lack of) interpersonal communication was appalling. They denied they had the car in question in stock (until I proved it with a screenshot taken from autotrader) and came up with the car for me to view. Then they told me I needed to put a £1000 down as a deposit to ensure the car was available for a test drive the next day. I walked and I skip all cars being sold by this group and its brands.
prior to owning a Tesla… I bought all my cars at BCA ! You could often pick up a one year old BMW 520D for a super price ! These BMW’s (prior to driving a Tesla !) were bloody reliable and good for long journeys and high mileage
I have always,without exception,bought my vehicles privately. I will not under any circumstance,go near any of the on-line sites flogging cars-just don't trust them.
Nice one,you’ve really ruffled BCAs feathers,someone needed to do it their a law unto their own the way they have run their business,like you say they are part of a massive business with deep pockets which would be a nightmare to take to court should you wish to chance your arm for some of the stunts they’ve pulled over the years and this is why some dealers won’t risk taking action against them, they would crush a small independent dealer without a second thought and enjoy doing it,they are ruthless.
Shame about BCA requesting their auctions not be broadcast. I understand protecting dealers but I and I suspect many younger people don't care about big shiny dealerships. Do we buy iPhones from the apple store? No, we order them online from whichever retailer has the best price. That said I would like to be able to sit in various cars and see if they're comfy, that info isn't on spec sheets. I'd rather rent a few cars for a week at a time than pay thousands extra at purchase time. Dealers could pivot to that?
Having attended car auctions many years ago with a trader friend it always struck me at the prices some cars were selling for and were then refurbished and sold at retail prices. But as my friend pointed out, at auctions you are restricted to a visual inspection and seeing the car go through, so unless it looks and sounds bad, you are taking a big risk. The car trade is not for everyone, but the likes of BCA don't want the public knowing the truth. Just keep doing your video's and forget about BCA.
I know someone who used to work for BCA up until recently. They told me that BCA are deliberately starving supply in the used car market, by buying up all pre-owned vehicles and storing them in fields all over the country in their tens of thousands, so they can resell them at over inflated prices.
I watched a few of the streams, oh well, fun while it lasted. I guess I'll get my first Tuesday of the month back! 😂😂 Perhaps you could do a round up of the market monthly with a few still screenshots of typical hammer prices for good examples of the popular models under "fair use". I suspect they can claim some intellectual property rights over their stream.
I had a very similar issue with Solar. Once you know exactly the costs associated for the parts (like the car), you get a LOT of pushback when you start asking whether a 50-100% markup is really worth it... Companies have overheads (training, professional memberships, building, utilities and staff - and a fair profit). But, tell them the part cost and the total cost difference and the comments are wild! And guess who it commenting, the solar installers of course! If there isn't effective backhanders from BCA to the dealers, that would be a surprise!
My preference would be to buy direct from a private seller, as I can see who's had the car, and chat to them, and hopefully pay a fair price. Dealers add no value. They add at least 10% on the car, obscure its history, and usually do a hard sell on a whole raft of other products I don't want. Problem is only 3% of cars less than 3 years old are on the private market. Dealers have everything sown up. I'm not even allowed into BCA now as a private buyer. There's just no fun in buying a car nowadays!
Hi John, good informative vlog, get your point but! I bought my last 3 cars from a Vauxhall main dealer, all 3 years old which came with a full inspection, serviced,MOT and a full 12 months guarantee. My next car will be a 3 yr old Toyota hybrid from our local Toyota dealer which provide a comprehensive 3yrs guarantee on their premiere used vehicles. I don’t mind paying a little extra for such service. Take care
A perfect example of freedom of choice for the consumer. BCA should have nothing to worry about and be more relaxed about consumers knowing prices etc. Those who want to use an auction house will use an auction house and those who want to use a dealership will do so. Freedom of consumer choice cannot and should not be suppressed.
BCA driver ragged my Motability car from Merthyr to Bridgewater Auctions. I read the inspection report on the auction listing and the damage listed wasn’t on it when it left Merthyr. Dodgy. Made my car look like a right shed. Where I take pride in my cars.
How do you know they “ragged” it😂you can’t live track 99% of motab cars and from your picture I assume yours isn’t going to be one you can. They are put under a lot of pressure as drivers, don’t blame them blame BCA for instilling this mentality into staff under the threat of the sack.
Many of us remember Glasses Guide for 2nd hand car prices, only available to traders - before you could buy the same "off the shelf" in WH Smiths. It's not about livestreaning the actual auction - they want to stop you telling us the final sale price. They might have the legal ability to restrict the reproduction of auctions not open to the public but they can't stop anyone reporting the prices - different matter entirely.
Why us traders still buy from BCA (I no longer do) it’s really bad there now. They’ll realise soon whilst they ride out on the last peak. Why buy We buy any cars lemons!
As my uncle was a car dealer I'm up to speed on buying and selling cars. Recently decided to sell my Mercedes-Benz to trade for something different. I rang a Mercedes-Benz dealer who said that he could only offer what We buy any car would give, which was £7350. So I emailed a well known used car dealer, who also has a very popular RUclips channel. He said that he'd give me slightly over book price: £10,000. He came and took it the following week.
Beautifully passive aggressive response to BCA. Am I remembering rightly that they tended to charge higher than other dealers? Maybe that's why they don't want people to know how high their markup is. I know you couldn't possibly comment. But, it occurs to me that when you watch a program like The Apprentice or Dragon's Den you see directly and first hand how much products are marked up. The actual all inclusive per unit cost can be quadrupled by the time the customer shells out the readies. Buy low, sell high. Ironically that's what EV owners with Vehicle To Grid capability are being advised to do with their excess battery power. I think a lot of people in legacy industries are scared that they won't be able to adjust to the sea change quick enough to fleece, er, I mean profit from customers in quite the same way. You'd think by now they'd work out that treating your customers well gets you more business and higher profits even with lower retail prices. 10,000 customers buying a car for £15,000 makes you £150m. Lower your price to £12,000 and you might get 15,000 customers putting £180m your way. Greed and short term thinking are often self defeating. That's why so many in the car industry are struggling now.
Spreading awareness of a business can only ever be a good thing for them because it will encourage more custom and thus higher prices for their sellers. It is not as if you say anything negative about them. The consequences of being heavy handed will not be good for their reputation or that of the wider trade imo. EV Puzzle has it for me. The trade is a dark and murky place.
BCA used to allow public on live auction at the sites. They stopped public to come and buy because of covid. Online is only for traders. Is this remaining still, or BCA allows public back to the sites now; Does anyone know?
I think you should be flattered you're on their radar enough for them to get twitchy! It shows the reach of your channel and just how much you've helped us all save some money.
BCA's loss is Aston Barclay and Shoreham's gain. Incidentally, for those reading this, my Leaf came from Shoreham and my e-Niro came from Aston Barclay (both through Eco-cars of course) so I'm pleased I didn't give BCA any business!
I was a driver for BCA for 5 years, what an awful company to work for. Im still a driver and regularly collect from their auction sites. They are manned by work prevention officers who will put up as many barriers to getting a car as possible. I now take a walk round video on collection as there have been several instances where damage was not shown in the online sale. There is generally very little fuel in them and I would flat refuse to collect an EV from them. In short, a massive concern who do not care a jot about employees, contractors or customers. Wouldnt buy a mars bar from them.
If you eat a man's bread you should sing his song. If it is so bad quit and end up on the dole.
that's where they got you the cars are not there's to put fuel in so you have to buy there's at inflated price, the only cars they had a contact to put fuel in was bmw and merc most employees are contractors when I was there they had security watch you trying to catch you not working you would have thought watching the cars and property would be more important they don't trust anyone worst employers I have ever worked for.
I used to maintain some of their car transporters, there was one thing they asked us to do, which we couldn't do, as we wouldn't comply with the regulations, we lost the work soon after.
As an ex part time antiques trader I know the majority of antiques auction houses have online auctions,catalogues and prices achieved. Anybody can register and bid . The used car trade has always been secretive . Did any member of the public ever get a glimpse of a Glass's guide? Car trade has never been any different. BCA is Arthur Daily with a bigger forecourt.
I knew a mechanic who showed me glasses guide in 2000 as you say very secretive but in 2010 I went to a Peugeot dealer who showd me that their car was below glasses price. The Internet changed a lot of things car prices in stoke on trent could be £500 to £1000 more this is down to £200 - £100 more because of places like car wow
Used to be a common practise to keep raising the bids when no one was bidding. It was called bouncing them off the wall in the trade.
Still goes on 😉
Yes, I know it as trotting bids, used to see it often back in the 90's when I was at car auctions
Once I was out for a car that came up several times at auction with in BCA..... All the tricks from the book where used to raise my limit...... It was surprising when they started waiting for my higher bid on it..... No I did not get it because I was not at the circus when it was sold dirt cheaper then I was willing to pay some time earlier.
@@Fizzoidyes trotting , taking cars outta one auction and to another for a profit that’s Jockying,raising your hand to buy and changing your mind once the gavel drops is Welchin .
Motor trade is and has always been murky and I’ve been in the game since the late 80’s and the last 7 years only by classic cars whic are basically cars I liked as a kid or when I couldn’t afford them in then 90’s now I can and they were the most reliable era .
Neo Classics I call them lol… full of it me but whaddya expect 😉
Doing it online means they can hide their hands and make more money
The only reason that second values rose wasn't demand it was greedy auctions inflating prices so their commissions were amazing.
Bca are bullying and I have up my account after being continually being ripped off and picking up vehicles with clearly missed major faults
I remember when any member of the public could turn up at a trade auction, register and bid if they wanted to -- sold as seen of course! It was only really car enthusiasts who did though, and this was long before the internet and streaming.
You won't silence a RUclipsr! Keep up the great work mate.
RUclips silences RUclipsrs all the time.
@@Jack-hy1zqyou beat me to it!
They may have substantial costs, doesn't mean that i want to pay for them. Rather get a bargain than a free coffee and a fancy showroom.
Reminds me of how the water companies pass on the "substantial cost" of cleaning up the sewage to the customers while raking in record profits.
Very true and this is why it should remain closed off and secretive. The customer does not care or understand costs.
@@Jeremycorbin or they may choose a business which bypasses those costs like eco cars.....
Constellation Group need to think very hard about this type of behaviour. With their level of market ownership within the motor industry, secretive behaviour that could be seen as counter to consumer interests could easily attract the attention of the Competition Commission. The result of that would be much more of a problem for them than a re-broadcast of the on-line auction.
Do it!!!!!
Wouldn't that be a shame for them
You saved me writing that :-)
John... One thing I can tell you for sure is that the next time I will be ordering a car through eco-cars I will specify NOT FROM BCA!!!
Used to spend a lot of time in the auctions in the 60’s / 70’s and it was a bent as a nine bob note then !
Absolutely me too and can assure you nothing has changed,auctioneer’s taking bids off the wall knowingly taking bids off dealers own vehicles,one dealer blatantly did it and every other dealer walked away from that vehicle knowing full well some private purchaser would end up paying an inflated price for it but that’s the way it worked. Private punters didn’t realise they were being taken for a ride,they hadn’t a clue and very rarely got a bargain.
Looking forward to the Shoreham and Aston Barkley live streams. It's good publicity for them.
Great opportunity Johnathon, to promote the other auction houses over the larger competition. Keep up the good work, we need people like yourself to provide this kind of service to the public.
Thanks Dan for your comments 👍
The problem is that most people do not understand that most garages have ginormous overheads, and when they see a car being bought for xxx and sold for xxxxx (alot more) they think the garage is ripping them off. I've been in the trade for years and the behind the scenes bills are eye wateringly high, most people just don't want to know.
Correct !
When I was a dealer master tech. The service dept kept the whole building afloat as the money made on new and used cars was a pittance.
Its 2024, most people care more about value for money than shiny tiled floors, 'free' coffee and "big windows" to see us coming, used car buyers don't want to pay for that! We buy plenty of other stuff online, why not cars?
Stop it. You've got me crying in my porridge!
What I've seen of a number of local car dealers is that they buy any old wreck, stick a price ticket in the window, and wait for some mug to buy it and then fob them off later when the car breaks down. There's a BCA auction place just a mile up the road from where I live, but I've not even considered trying to buy a car there because the reality seems to be that it's "dealers only".
Well, if you haven't got anything better to do with your time, it takes about 30 minutes to register a company at Co Ho (and £30 or so the last time I looked). Create yourself a 'car dealer company' join BCA and pop along to one or more of their auctions...!
BCA want their buyers protected from the public knowing the trade values and retail price mark ups. I suspect some of their big buyers were not to happy and put pressure on them to cancel you 🤣
As an ex buy-to-order customer I really appreciate this alternative option.
Not everyone enjoys the buying process at a dealership.
That's why some are preferring the manufacturers direct online sales process, think Tesla.
Lastly thank you for shedding some light on the market information.
Thanks for sharing!
Having worked in the motor trade for 23 years, 19 years at a major manufacturer the economics of the average motor dealer would shock their customers. Most dealers make virtually no profits from new car sales, they might get a kickback from the manufacturer if they meet their often astronomical targets and also have a high customer satisfaction rating. The profit that keeps main dealers afloat are used car sales and Aftersales service and parts. Manufacturers impose their standards on dealers and hence the proliferation of glass and steel palaces selling their new products. It has to be paid for somehow with dealers on the hook for massive overheads. With this in mind I’d expect to pay an average of £2k over trade value for a used car and probably £150 per hour for main dealer service work. Supply and demand innit!
I continue to recommend your buying service whenever anyone on the EV forums I follow asks about where to get bargains, keep up the good work!
I will continue to follow you and your work JP.
I had a feeling BCA might voice their concerns. Shame as it only throws doubt and distrust on their dealings. Thanks for your coverage and I look forward to the other auctions. Stay safe and well.
Really good video. For over 30 years I've been buying cars from a main agent which gives you someone to go back to. After all this time, I've never had a problem until recently when we purchased a Honda from a main dealer in Cardiff, which was a nightmare but did manage to get it sorted out in the end after a conversation with the MD who was excellent 👍 I'll NEVER buy an EV mind 😂😂
We went to a used car auction in the early 2000s in Leominster, you could walk in, register to bid and buy. I was very surprised that you aren't allowed to do the same under BCA's regime, it's very sad.
Me too. They brought trade only in during lockdown, and stuck with it. I used to buy loads of cars from them years ago.
We bought many cars from bca in london. Bidding along with dealers. Used to be the mix of over 2 yr old on Saturday. Dealers no doubt had a discount at payment but who knows.. But we paid the hammer price. We seldom found dealers bidding on the same cars that we wanted. Did see lots of dodgy activity to make a car they wanted look less desirable as it went through. However, after some years dealers objected to the Saturday mix.
The cars we bought all lasted well and I don't think we were a threat to anyones livlihood. Maybe every 5 years we renewed.
Dealers do get a discount on fees , depending on how many you buy per year
As a private dealer who doesn’t provide the fancy warranty etc. but my prices are fairly undercut from dealers because I sell sold as seen but then again people are too skeptical thinking it might be a scam, I always say if you want all the fancy warranty and etc then definitely look at showrooms. Instead of looking for a complete bargain.
That was my business model too !
A lot of BCA platers jobs were sent to Westbury to get tarted up for repairs and then resale
Along with the same tarting up they use a depot in HOO Medway for Mercedes along with livery for AA and RAC learning vehicles
Being a ex BCA driver.. the state of cars picked up were such a state, especially mobility vehicles
Having just been to a car sales room and will say the experience was so bad that I walked away. It shouldn’t be difficult for car dealers to
Provide a selling price they are willing to offer. I do not want to be asked how much u want to pay! If they have a price offer it and don’t change the spec to meet a price band or to sell something different without it being completely transparent. Keep up the good work and hopefully see you soon.
Ditto! Dropped into a Marshall BMW dealership and it was laughable. Fast Show style fast talking and they opened negotiations with a demand of a £1000 deposit to ensure the car was available for a test drive the next day. Last I did this was a decade ago and it was just as bad then.
After viewing your streams I considered going to BCA for a car. Why would they not want free advertising?
I used to go to BCA auctions but after being ignored several times by the auctioneers in favour of dealers, the penny dropped, they don`t want the public there.
We buy any car gave me a great deal on my 62 reg Honda Jazz back in 2022 and everything went really smoothly
You could carry on with the live auctions from Shoreham and have the BCA prices scroll across the screen; Make, Model, Trim, Year, Mileage, Grade, Price.
Love what you do and made me more likely to buy at auction but not now from BCA group. Tie up with blackbelt barrister and maybe share your vid with competition authority - if they do control more than 50% of market it's not in the public interest. Keep up good work.
Just subscribed to support you for your kind work and sharing your knowledge of the used car market and in helping people/families purchase their car. Thank you.
Thank you , appreciate it 👍👍
Extremely well handled there JP. I did wonder if you'd get comeback for the live broadcasts. Think BCA have probably shot themselves in the foot as you say. I was one of those who would have been anxious about buying without the cover provided by a dealer but equally anxious about the reality of any support they may or may not provide. At least they have a physical building you can go and see people in though. For which service I obviously (isn't it obvious?) expect to pay a premium. Your videos made me more confident about buying by auction through ecocars because I would trust their judgement and experience to acquire a decent vehicle. Showing all the checks and balances of how the vehicles are graded with all their faults pointed out was really helpful. On the one hand I guess they've got a point in that most live events would require permission to be sought to broadcast them. On the other hand the more people who know about how they work surely the more people are likely to want to buy from ecocars and therefore their sales will be enhanced. I suspect it's the former that is the problem, I hope it's not big dealers twisting the knife anyway....🤔
I think your response is absolutely right, measured and reasonable. I'd suggest asking the others if you can broadcast live auctions just to see what answers you get.👍
Any one who tells the truth they try to silence, even if its in a subtle way!, Great channel.
Thanks Mark 👍
Great video 👍 Funny when a big company etc needs to have a chat they get in touch.But when you want to get in touch email phone etc good luck😂
I went along to my local BCA Auctions in Bridgwater, Somerset about a year ago. Just to have a look. My last visit was just before Covid in 2020. This time round, they wouldn't let me in. Seems to be a dealer only place now. If so, and from this video here, there seems to be some fairly hefty restrictive trade practices going on, very much to the detriment of the car buying public. Maybe that has something to do with the way that user car prices have rocketed in the last 3 and 4 years.
Having worked for some big players in the motor trade, including for the Marshall Motor Group, this doesn't surprise me one bit.
All the motor trade stereotypes are true and are used for a reason.
I left that world for one reason. It is a toxic and greedy sector to work in.
There are some good ones out there but they are the minority so if you find one, support them!
Another factor to consider. When I worked for a big premier main dealer, I quickly learned that all the profit was in after sales. Service department was king for profit, followed by the parts department, car sales was the vanity turnover but didn't produce the sanity profit to sustain an expensive showroom by itself, even with their healthy margins on cars.
Now that we have EVs that don't require expensive servicing, dealers are looking at their existing business model and realising that they will quickly be out of business in coming years unless they can make significantly higher margins on car sales.
I was in a regional training meeting in 2016 when this issue was discussed. National level management/directors just scoffed and basically instructed us to keep spreading the seeds of doubt for EVs to prolong the profitable ICE servicing...
In that case should we be surprised about all the misinformation being spread by the dealers and the mainstream media? Clearly not!
By the way... When are you getting your electric car to go with those solar panels and heat pump? 😜
Keep up the good work! Love watching your videos.
Monopoly springs to mind
Yes , BCA are a powerfull player in the trade
Feel free to attend City Auction Group Peterborough we would be delighted to welcome you to our centre 🙌
Thank you 😊 👍👍
This is sad to see but keep up the good work!. You have made me want to get my first ev this year. Hopefully through you guys.
You're crazy
Two questions….
1. Can you not record the livestream and show it the day after?
2. Can any private customer tune into BCA?
I guess it might be to stop people seeing them taking bids from the ceilings and walls
Hi Jonathan, thank you for sharing your thoughts, hopefully you'll be able to create some more dynamic content throughout. Cheers Peter 🙂
The great thing about 'no publicity is bad publicity' is that your viewing and subs figures will grow nicely after this intervention. Thanks BCA! :)
So the parent company own WBAC and Cinch? Hmmmm, makes me now wonder if Cinch get the good ones from WBAC and BCA put the poor ones through the auction. I would never have thought that until they went heavy handed on you. So a double negative for BCA in my mind.
Yes they do, you see bca and cinch transporters out our local wbac, it's why cinch have done better than other on line dealers as they've got a good supply of stock
Lovely to have my comment read out on video! It’s a shame that BCA auctions can’t be live-streamed anymore because they probably have the largest selection of vehicles and their EV only auctions are convenient. Didn’t realise how all those companies are tied together. It is somewhat disturbing to know that the motor trade is so monopolistically controlled by corporate giants with their own special interests. It’s why I would always buy from a good independent seller like yourself over a car supermarket any day of the week because the customer service is going to be way better and I’m not lining the pockets of some greedy execs!
I used to buy all my personal cars from BCA I was narked when they made auctions trade only.
I’m glad you continue making videos on the ev market. Appreciate it a lot. Hopefully will be a future customer of yours. 👍🏻
Thanks for your comments and support 👍😊
Good but sad video this week JP. I was glad when BCA closed in Kinross because they were not a nice employer or good for the area. Glad their old site is being redeveloped. Also stuff them as their costs for buying and selling were way more than other auctions.
Jonathan, you're great. You've done so much for the EV world. You were there at the start and you're too highly-regarded and well-established for this to be anything other than "water off a duck's back". All the best! 👍🤗
You've said it all here Jonathan and you were very much on my radar over the next 3 years or so to make the leap. Your work is incredibly appreciated though, thank you.
Thank you for your comments and support 👍
i used to work at bca i remember a buyer landing in the car park in his helicopter buying 100 BMWs and flying off
Derek Cook (DC Cook) used to do that. He died in a car accident near Monaco a few years ago.
BCA, cinch, we con everyone, & now Marshall’s all owned by the same company
Your not a naughty boy. I am happy you did what you did. It just shows how much money they are making regardless of what powers the vehicle. I will consider a second hand EV after the PCP deal ends on my Niro EV. Greed is what drives BCA and you exposed them for what they are doing. Good on you JP
I used to buy cars at bca for personal use, I can no longer do so ever since bca changed during covid. My last purchase at BCA was a hybrid, they have closed out the public, reducing the number of people who can afford Ev's.
Unless you use us to buy your ev , with our reduced fees ( trade account) even with our fee , you'll buy at around the same prices / fees as if it was a member of public buying direct from BCA
So BCA haven't given a reason for stopping you from livestreaming their auctions? Your videos were excellent at showing how vehicle auctions are conducted and now I have seen how the process works, makes me consider buying a car through eco-cars when I eventually change my EV.
Great work, shame about the live auctions, was great to see the real World basic costs of the cars. Thanks has been very informative. TBH Most people if they knew the margins they would be ok if they weren't extortionate. I always thought if a dealer showed you how they'd made and it was reasonable you'd walk away happy.
I bought cars from BCA back in the day as a normal retail customer. Why have they made it trade only now. DODGY is probably the answer. Should be cash speaks and the dealers aren’t the only ones who can buy cars
Keep it up it’s called freedom of speech,you will never stop RUclipsr. That’s what it’s all about helping people and educating people ev you will lose loads of money on them, and all these big garages are pressured to sell them and may be losing £15,000 a month if they don’t sell enough of EV’s keep up the good work and don’t don’t be bullied by them 💪and I would never buy a car without seeing it first, and always do your checks never take anyone’s word and trust no one 👌
More power to you; Flaubert springs to mind.
Thank you for watching 👍
Oh BCA !!!! What have you done all the free and potential new customers will now be driven towards more friendly car auction houses that don't mind people filming. Thier PR and marketing needs sacking I cant imagine how much money they spend on advertising only for them to ignore the most powerful type and use it to help their competitors. They should literally be offering free drinks and snacks to anyone wanting to film if they have a big online presence.
Good points 👍 thanks for watching and your comments
Eco cars and their successors are a brilliant scource of top quality EVs and provide an excellent service. We will certainly be looking to them to supply a replacement for our 24kW Leaf when it finally meets its end! Well done Johnathan ❤
Thanks Craig 👍
Thank you
Great video insight about how all these car dealers are connected
I believe it’s like car price fixing index sort off
Maybe I am wrong 🙏🏻
CAP values are from HPi , totally independent of car dealers and zero influence on values.
Only BCA with their HUGE used stocks could 'possibly' hold certain vehicles back in order to create demand andvthus affect CAP values , but im sure they'd never do such a thing ....eh 😉 😀 😜
Lease plan is not part of, or linked to Constellation group.
You're correct , leaseplan SOLD carnext to constilation group , my error , but it wouldn't suprise me if leaseplan had a 'special' deal with bca to sell their vehicles "you scratch my back ......." 😉
I must be a similar age to yourself, I discovered car auctions in my early 20s , some 30 odd years ago. Yes the car trade was and I guess still is , a bit secretive.
I never turned into a car dealer, I just saved myself thousands on buying 3 year old ex-fleet cars with about 50,000 on the clock.
Yes ,thats how i started, i got the 'bug' in my late 30's when i set up eco cars 🚗 😉👍
Keep up your great work Jonathan 👍
Thanks, will do!
You have to be a registered car dealer , and pay a membership fee per year to be eligible to attend and buy at their auctions , BCA , I know as I wanted to buy at their Bristol branch a year or 2 ago . I think the membership was around £400 per year .
There's no membership fees ,but you have to buy a certain number of vehicles per year , that gives you different levels of fees , the more you buy the less fees you pay 😉
Hi Jonathan, Sorry to hear you've been gagged. I used to enjoy having the livestream on in the background and hearing the values of the cars. You were nearly always spot on with estimating the winning bid. So I don't understand what their issue is. Hopefully, they'll review this decision and ungag you!
9:31 I agree. I really think there is quite a small subset of car buyers who will 'risk' buying from an auction. If someone buys from a dealer, they are getting a lot of security in the case that the car is a dud. If I buy a car as an individual from a car buying service, I take the risk. The worst case being if the car has a fault which could cost thousands to fix. So I really don't think the bricks and mortar dealers need to worry about everyone suddenly wanting to buy a car from an auction.
I'd just like BCA to know that if we ever need to replace our ID.3 we'll be doing it through Eco Cars. I might just ask them not to try and source any replacement through BCA.
Why would BCA be so salty? They are huge and Reflex / Eco Cars represents barely a gnat's nadger squished on the nose of their commercial juggernaut.
Massive knee jerk over reaction if you ask me.
What a shame big corporate feels the cinch pinch.
The middleman hates being cut out but people are sick of being ripped off.The price of a new car in the UK is scandalous hence why the public are more keen than ever to cut out the middle man to try and get a fair price.
Went to look at a car at a main dealer and the quality (or lack of) interpersonal communication was appalling. They denied they had the car in question in stock (until I proved it with a screenshot taken from autotrader) and came up with the car for me to view. Then they told me I needed to put a £1000 down as a deposit to ensure the car was available for a test drive the next day. I walked and I skip all cars being sold by this group and its brands.
Odd that this came up, was only yesterday that I found out Constellation owns Marshall's when taking a Buzz for a test drive
Very interesting, I am happy for dealerships to make a profit to cover all their costs but most do not.
But what’s the point of having the stress of running a business just to cover costs? Absolutely pointless.
@@Jeremycorbin do businesses not like competition? Just seems an alternative business is offering a cheaper streamlined service.
prior to owning a Tesla… I bought all my cars at BCA !
You could often pick up a one year old BMW 520D for a super price !
These BMW’s (prior to driving a Tesla !) were bloody reliable and good for long journeys and high mileage
I have always,without exception,bought my vehicles privately. I will not under any circumstance,go near any of the on-line sites flogging cars-just don't trust them.
@carukchannel have you seen this. Would be interested to know if you have also been stopped.
Nope, however I do not film at bca or deal with them. They are not a company, auction house I would want to deal with.
Disruptions upset the establishment as they have the most to lose.
Nice one,you’ve really ruffled BCAs feathers,someone needed to do it their a law unto their own the way they have run their business,like you say they are part of a massive business with deep pockets which would be a nightmare to take to court should you wish to chance your arm for some of the stunts they’ve pulled over the years and this is why some dealers won’t risk taking action against them, they would crush a small independent dealer without a second thought and enjoy doing it,they are ruthless.
Shame about BCA requesting their auctions not be broadcast. I understand protecting dealers but I and I suspect many younger people don't care about big shiny dealerships. Do we buy iPhones from the apple store? No, we order them online from whichever retailer has the best price.
That said I would like to be able to sit in various cars and see if they're comfy, that info isn't on spec sheets. I'd rather rent a few cars for a week at a time than pay thousands extra at purchase time. Dealers could pivot to that?
Having attended car auctions many years ago with a trader friend it always struck me
at the prices some cars were selling for and were then refurbished and sold at retail prices.
But as my friend pointed out, at auctions you are restricted to a visual inspection and seeing
the car go through, so unless it looks and sounds bad, you are taking a big risk.
The car trade is not for everyone, but the likes of BCA don't want the public knowing the truth.
Just keep doing your video's and forget about BCA.
Thanks Barbara 👍 😊
BCA need to be very careful as they can be fined 10% of turnover for what can only be seen as meddling in pricing.
I know someone who used to work for BCA up until recently. They told me that BCA are deliberately starving supply in the used car market, by buying up all pre-owned vehicles and storing them in fields all over the country in their tens of thousands, so they can resell them at over inflated prices.
Wouldn't suprise me , they want to control the whole used car market !
It will backfire on them big-time the court cases pending
I watched a few of the streams, oh well, fun while it lasted. I guess I'll get my first Tuesday of the month back! 😂😂
Perhaps you could do a round up of the market monthly with a few still screenshots of typical hammer prices for good examples of the popular models under "fair use".
I suspect they can claim some intellectual property rights over their stream.
I had a very similar issue with Solar. Once you know exactly the costs associated for the parts (like the car), you get a LOT of pushback when you start asking whether a 50-100% markup is really worth it...
Companies have overheads (training, professional memberships, building, utilities and staff - and a fair profit). But, tell them the part cost and the total cost difference and the comments are wild!
And guess who it commenting, the solar installers of course!
If there isn't effective backhanders from BCA to the dealers, that would be a surprise!
My preference would be to buy direct from a private seller, as I can see who's had the car, and chat to them, and hopefully pay a fair price. Dealers add no value. They add at least 10% on the car, obscure its history, and usually do a hard sell on a whole raft of other products I don't want. Problem is only 3% of cars less than 3 years old are on the private market. Dealers have everything sown up. I'm not even allowed into BCA now as a private buyer. There's just no fun in buying a car nowadays!
Hi John, good informative vlog, get your point but! I bought my last 3 cars from a Vauxhall main dealer, all 3 years old which came with a full inspection, serviced,MOT and a full 12 months guarantee. My next car will be a 3 yr old Toyota hybrid from our local Toyota dealer which provide a comprehensive 3yrs guarantee on their premiere used vehicles. I don’t mind paying a little extra for such service. Take care
A perfect example of freedom of choice for the consumer. BCA should have nothing to worry about and be more relaxed about consumers knowing prices etc. Those who want to use an auction house will use an auction house and those who want to use a dealership will do so. Freedom of consumer choice cannot and should not be suppressed.
If only you knew what that full inspection entailed!
Love this vid ! What’s the best way I can message you directly or privately please, kind regards Steve
Please e mail info@reflexorkney.co.uk and mark for my attention 😉
BCA driver ragged my Motability car from Merthyr to Bridgewater Auctions. I read the inspection report on the auction listing and the damage listed wasn’t on it when it left Merthyr. Dodgy. Made my car look like a right shed. Where I take pride in my cars.
How do you know they “ragged” it😂you can’t live track 99% of motab cars and from your picture I assume yours isn’t going to be one you can. They are put under a lot of pressure as drivers, don’t blame them blame BCA for instilling this mentality into staff under the threat of the sack.
trust is the most mportant thing in any business,
Very true , trust is everything 🙌 👌
Many of us remember Glasses Guide for 2nd hand car prices, only available to traders - before you could buy the same "off the shelf" in WH Smiths. It's not about livestreaning the actual auction - they want to stop you telling us the final sale price. They might have the legal ability to restrict the reproduction of auctions not open to the public but they can't stop anyone reporting the prices - different matter entirely.
Why us traders still buy from BCA (I no longer do) it’s really bad there now. They’ll realise soon whilst they ride out on the last peak. Why buy We buy any cars lemons!
Maybe see if your other auction contacts mind you doing live streams. When was your business you stopped using BCA for a time.
Actually I was surprised how slim the dealer margins were. As a result I'm more likely to buy from a dealer.
As my uncle was a car dealer I'm up to speed on buying and selling cars. Recently decided to sell my Mercedes-Benz to trade for something different. I rang a Mercedes-Benz dealer who said that he could only offer what We buy any car would give, which was £7350. So I emailed a well known used car dealer, who also has a very popular RUclips channel. He said that he'd give me slightly over book price: £10,000. He came and took it the following week.
CCD?
Interesting! In the past dealers used to bid up their own cars they put in auctions until it met their reserve price. Does this still go on?
Good
Thanks
Beautifully passive aggressive response to BCA. Am I remembering rightly that they tended to charge higher than other dealers? Maybe that's why they don't want people to know how high their markup is. I know you couldn't possibly comment. But, it occurs to me that when you watch a program like The Apprentice or Dragon's Den you see directly and first hand how much products are marked up. The actual all inclusive per unit cost can be quadrupled by the time the customer shells out the readies. Buy low, sell high. Ironically that's what EV owners with Vehicle To Grid capability are being advised to do with their excess battery power.
I think a lot of people in legacy industries are scared that they won't be able to adjust to the sea change quick enough to fleece, er, I mean profit from customers in quite the same way. You'd think by now they'd work out that treating your customers well gets you more business and higher profits even with lower retail prices. 10,000 customers buying a car for £15,000 makes you £150m. Lower your price to £12,000 and you might get 15,000 customers putting £180m your way. Greed and short term thinking are often self defeating. That's why so many in the car industry are struggling now.
Spreading awareness of a business can only ever be a good thing for them because it will encourage more custom and thus higher prices for their sellers. It is not as if you say anything negative about them.
The consequences of being heavy handed will not be good for their reputation or that of the wider trade imo.
EV Puzzle has it for me. The trade is a dark and murky place.
BCA used to allow public on live auction at the sites. They stopped public to come and buy because of covid. Online is only for traders. Is this remaining still, or BCA allows public back to the sites now; Does anyone know?
Still just the trade , bca had a physical sale at their Nottingham site a few weeks ago as a trial , for what i dont know 😐