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A Brief History of Skoda Auto

Established in 1859, Skoda Auto is the largest automaker in the Czech Republic. With annual sales of around seven hundred thousand, the company is relatively small by international standards. In 1991, Skoda was acquired by the Volkswagen Group, though they continue to sell vehicles under their name. In this brief article, we are going to take a look at the history of Skoda Auto.

With Europe in a near constant state of war, Skoda started in the only business that was a guaranteed money maker, the manufacturing of arms. A few decades late when the war clouds cleared, the company turned its attention to transportation. Like many future automakers, Skoda manufactured bicycles.

By 1899, the company started selling motorised bicycles and later motorcycles. The European press even incorrectly credited them with producing the first motorcycle. A few years later, Skoda made its first prototype car and by 1905 they were competing in the rapidly growing automotive market. Should you buy a used skoda saloon cars ? (more...)

How to Find Out About Cars for Sale

Buying a car can be a difficult process. There always seem to be plenty of great cars for sale until you are in a position where you are looking to buy one yourself! When buying second hand, there is a choice of either buying a car privately or buying from a garage or dealer and in either case the old saying 'buyer beware' applies.

The prices of cars for sale can vary a great deal and one way for the prospective customer to carry out preliminary research is to consult a price guide, available from the newsagents, look at price comparison websites or visit online auction websites such as eBay.

A good price comparison guide dealing in cars for sale will give a rough guide as to how much you should be paying for a particular model, according to age, condition and mileage. (more...)

Suddenly Cool

When I bought my first used Skoda many years ago, they were the height of embarrassment. The car looked fine, it was a great runner, yet there was some sort of stigma attached to being a Skoda owner and they were the butt of many jokes.

Long after the cars became a good and inexpensive option, people still had this idea of a badly manufactured East European disaster on wheels, with bits falling off and none of the mod cons!

However, slowly, public opinion started to change, especially after Skoda became part of the Volkswagen Group in 1991. It took a while, but as the Volkswagen influence was brought into the market by way of design and technology, people – and critics – started to look up. (more...)

Preconceptions of Certain Careers

There are many different career choices which many people have complete misconceptions about. They have a stereotypical idea of the type of person that chooses this career path which is often very wrong indeed.

Many people, when asked to picture a shifty and often dishonest character, would plump for a used car sales person, or maybe an insurance salesman or a holiday timeshare agent. This is usually not the case – nowadays these types of professions require their employees to be professional and knowledgeable and there is no room for dubious practices.

Then there are professions such as teaching, doctors and dentists, where people imagine them to be ultra-serious at all times. Let me tell you that many of these people, while 100% professional, love to let their hair down at a good party. (more...)

A new House or a Car?

Ferrari sports cars is most people's absolute dream, a signal that they have made it in life or something that they would buy if they won the pools. Depending on the model even some second hand Ferraris can cost over £100,000. When you think of what that would buy you compared to other items, it is scary money indeed.

£100,000 would buy you a well-equipped two-bedroom apartment in a decent area in the North of the country such as York or Manchester. Or else a new build two-bedroom villa near the sea with private swimming pool in Turkey. Or maybe a renovation project in rural France. Whichever way you look at it, you have to be seriously rich to buy a Ferrari!

However, all is not lost if you are prepared to go for an older model. Many models still retain a price tag of around £50,000 even at 15 years old (but who could resist a red Spyder convertible..) BUT if you keep your eyes and options open, you could find a 25 year old Ferrari at just under the £20K mark. (more...)

Can you find Used Ferrari Cars?

When Enzo Ferrari founded his Scuderia Ferrari (Ferrari Stable) he had no intention of ever producing road cars. The Ferrari Stable was essentially a training facility for talented amateur drivers who were interested in competitive racing. As an experienced driver himself, Ferrari trained and sponsored many famous Italian drivers.

His drivers always competed in Alfa Romeo cars and the company was so impressed with his success that Alfa Romeo hired him to run their motor racing department in 1938.

During the war years, Alfa Romeo was confiscated by the Fascist Regime of Benito Mussolini. Ferrari lost his job and was unable to sponsor or train competitive drivers for over four years. Money was understandable tight, and since the only thing Enzo Ferrari knew was cars, he decided to design one of his own. Is it possible to find used Ferrari cars? (more...)

Where to Buy a Second Hand Skoda

When you look for a second hand car there are many options on the market today. Every car dealership you go to will try and offer you something that you are not interested in. This is why it is important for you to have an idea of a car you want to purchase before you enter the used car lots.

Searching the internet will yield many results on different types of brands and models. One of the best used types on the market today is Skoda. A second hand Skoda is one of the best used cars you can buy because they are known for their quality and longevity.

By looking on the internet you can check out all of the different models that Skoda has to offer which will help narrow down your search. Once you have a few ideas in your mind, go to a local car dealership and see what they have to offer. (more...)

Motivate Your Staff

In whatever line of business you are in, it is a 100% necessary to motivate your staff. Whether you have a forecourt of cars to be sold or a container of photocopiers, your staff have to be sufficiently interested in the product and process to go that extra mile to close the deal.

Firstly, you must instil a sense of discipline. This is crucial, as you rarely reach successful sales from running a sloppy ship. If you have just one member of staff who does not follow instructions or performs badly, then this can permeate throughout the whole company.

Secondly, good training is a must. I say 'good' training as it has to be structured and well thought out. It should have specific objectives, inspire passion in the product and test the candidates' knowledge. (more...)

The Market for Used Cars in the UK

Contrary to popular belief, used car and new car sales are not equal. Used cars typically outsell new cars by a wide margin. This is especially true when the economy begins to falter. In fact, when the global recession hit, the new car market in the UK was almost obliterated. Sales fell for thirteen consecutive months before the government offered aid.

At the same time, sales of used cars predictably declined, but dealers still managed to post a profit. When the recession ended in 2009, secondhand sellers reported an impressive sales increase of six percent. How did they do this?

Believe it or not, there are a number of advantages to buying a used car. The first, of course, is the price. A pre-owned vehicle can often be purchased for a thirty to forty percent discount to the new model. That is because new cars start losing their value the second they leave the car lot. By the fifth year of ownership, the average vehicle is worth only half of what the owner paid for it. (more...)