31st March 25. The End Of Month. And an attempted Fraud.

Today is a day, which, I don't miss in the automotive retail industry. Month end. But being March, it's also end of the first quarter. And the end of another new car registration month. So all systems go and everyone waiting to count the beans to see where they stand. And if it's in the the job centre.

As a senior manager you are wired into both sides and above and below at this time.

Your boss, the Head of business. Is sitting in front of accounts spread sheet packages. Trying to make the numbers work for each department. Occasionally summoning the department manager to explain something missing or demand that the budget you told them back in October the previous year is hit. Occasionally getting a call from the regional director. Never to congratulate the good times. Always to blame when things go wrong. that you have been trying to tell them for weeks or months are going to actually go wrong.

These people have drained the life of the business and all that's left. And I see it everywhere I go. Sad looking, grumpy older, broken people, simply trying to do a job. Or sub 25 year old flash kids all dressed in the same.flash, but cheap suits. Wanting to sell cars because they like cars. Never a good reason to be in the industry. I would never employ a sales exec if the line. "Because I love cars" was the answer to why they want the job.

So today the pressure on all staff in car dealerships is immense. It's a toxic environment today.

That's why I now do this.

I answer to myself, the only pressure is what I apply to myself. I travel. I see the country. I'm out in the open a lot of the time and getting some exercise too. Great for the mind .

Today I'm delivering a car from Aylesbury to a customer in East London. Dartford to be exact.

Then jumping on a train to Lincoln, Hykeham to be exact. To collect a Kia Sportage for my customer in Oxford to be delivered tomorrow morning.

First part of the day should have been simple.

Having collected the Vauxhall Mokka to go to Dartford at 8.30am The sales exec is not one who has a great attention to detail. He told me he couldn't get hold of his customer. But assured his manager the car was paid for. So I did my appraisal and headed for the address.

Alarm bells......

The address I was only given on route was actually a hotel just off the M25. My instincts took over. I immediately knew this was a scam happening. I called the exec who now confirmed the car wasn't actually paid for. (Idiot)

Locked and safe. Hotel informed.

My instructions had been from the sales exec to leave the car in the hotel car park and keys with reception.

I emailed the manager right away and told him. "It's too late I'm nearly there". I'm going to leave the car at the hotel but not the keys. All the time the exec, couldn't get hold of this mysterious customer.

I told the senior manager I think this is a scam. If, it turns out it's not. Then after I collect my second car of the day. I will go back with the keys. But I knew this wouldn't happen. It didn't. And they had to pay me again to collect the car next day.

An Uber to Dartford station and then a train into St Pancras. Changing at London bridge. Which always offers spectacular views of the Shard . Arriving at St Pancras.

Sun streaming onto a Eurostar in St Pancras station

Then change for a train north to East Midlands Parkway then boarding a train to Lincoln. But stopping at a place called Hykeham

East Midlands Parkway station has views of a Power station which was quite spectacular In the beautiful sunshine of the day

Ratcliffe-on-Soar power station

Very close to the station at East Midlands Parkway

The train to Hykeham was uneventful and I arrived still in warm sunshine. So I decided to walk the 30 minutes to the dealer who sold the car to The Oxford dealer who's my very good customer.

There I collected a 23 plate Kia Sportage . For the drive back.

2023 Kia Sportage

This involves a journey, firstly on the A46 towards Newark. Then continuing on the A46 to Leicester, skirting around the north of the city to the M1 and South. The A46 is a constant 40-50mph. Due mainly to the number of trucks and occasional tractors. So it's slow going. Once on the M1 it's the usual 100% concentration. As the traffic is heavy and usually there are the percentage of bad drivers to watch out for. I can't say how big that percentage is. But it's significant.

M1 to Milton Keynes. Then navigate the multitude of roundabout's to get to Aylesbury on the A418

And home. Another good day. Quite lucrative and I saved my Aylesbury customer from losing a car to an obvious fraudster.

Dartford station