8th May 25. Bolton and Back

A long day driving today. But two long jobs to Bolton Lancashire and back to Aylesbury make the day very lucrative, but long.

First job is to go to the huge prep centre in Leighton Buzzard to collect a new Peugeot 3008 to take to a retail customer who leased the car through a separate leasing company and the car supplied by a main dealer, who doesn't even touch the vehicle.

The car wasn't clean, as obviously had been sitting for a while in the compound until sold.

I also couldn't find it. I was given the keys and location as usual. But no luck

I went back into the collection area which also houses two huge vehicle photo booths and many people running around checking cars and polishing out small marks. It's a huge very well run operation.

I asked a bunch of people where I might find the car and two ladies asked for the keys and they would go and get the car. One was an Eastern European lady in her 40s who seemed to run the yard. The other a young girl around 20 ish

They took a car and went to look. A few minutes later the car drove round to the front and the older lady gave me the keys.

I was about to start the (lengthy) appraisal this app requires I opened the door to find the younger girl sitting in the passenger seat.

She smiled at me and asked if I would like to take her home. I wasn't shocked, more taken back by the question at this point. Her smile made me suddenly realise what she meant.

I have to say her looking at me, made it more and more obvious what she wanted.

Maybe I missed out. But girl's weren't this way when I was in my 20s. What was she thinking? What issues did this girl have?

I politely told her I had a long day to deliver this car and she just replied "Shame, your loss"

I couldn't believe her approach to be honest.

Obviously for many reasons I would never have done anything like this. But I was actually quite shocked. Or am I getting far to sensible 🤣

The journey to Bolton was off to a strange start and got even more so, when I stopped to fuel up.

The Peugeot 3008 is a very good car in many ways. It's extremely comfortable. The small steering wheel Peugeots have is strange to begin with. Then when you get accustomed to it it really makes sense and adds to the comfort.

I stopped for fuel and the car flashed up telling me it needed a system update. I tapped yesterday to start the update. Without reading it properly. Maybe my mind was scrambled by previous events.

I paid for the fuel grabbed a coffee and got back in the car.

Wouldn't start. Now what? If I had actually read the update it says it will disable the car and take 23 minutes!!

So, I'm on the forecourt in a car that won't move with a growing queue behind me.

I went to explain to the forecourt operator and sat in the car waiting. 23 minutes is a long time when you are waiting for this and nothing else.

I eventually got going and headed to the M1 North.

It was about three and a half hours drive. M1, M6, M62 and M61.

Leighton Buzzard to Bolton

I arrived at around 1 pm and the customer wasn't home but a phone call told me she would be there in five minutes.

I did my appraisal and noticed, now the car was cleaned. (After my initial appraisal) Some roof damage.

She didn't see it. And it's not my job to point it out. However I called the job provider and sent them, before and after photos and they had the ability to see it was there on collection.

Again brain scramble on initial appraisal.

This is a great lesson to show the importance of a good appraisal system. One that's available to you if you join our program.

Luckily this job provider app includes their insurance. So any claim is theirs. Had that been different. This missed damage could have been my cost and my problem.

A quick Uber to the dealership seven minutes away to collect the FIAT 500 to go back to my independent dealer in Aylesbury.

FIAT 500

The car was ready to go and a quick appraisal and away. Back then way I came down the various motorways and got back to Aylesbury at 17.45. just in time to hand the car over and find the bus home.

A really well organised day for two big jobs.

But a very strange one in a few ways.

This work is an adventure every day.