New stuff I like…

Better search functions - Much improved, really like the option to search for cars nearest me.  This was my biggest bug-bear with the old site, as it meant searching through all the cars in the North or South lists. You can now also search through listings based on closing soonest, newly listed, lowest price first, or highest price first.

Vehicle details pages - Huge improvement, pictures are much easier to navigate through, and bids on each vehicle are much easier to view.

Previous total loss – Gives details on when/if the car has previously been involved in an accident/written off.

Stuff that needs improvement

Site Map - Doesnt seem to be clickable, not a big issue, just a niggle.

Cookies cleared - Just a frustration, as I never remember passwords.

Overall, a great set of improvements. Well done BlueCycle team. Check the revised site out at www.bluecycle.com

Porsche 911 (993) Cabriolet

Cat D.
1995 – N reg
white
55,000 miles

NO DAMAGE. Cat D light n/s side damage 10 years ago. Fully repaired, low mileage Full service history. Drive away.

www.s-w-s.co.uk

Porsche 911 (997 carerra 2s) Cabriolet

Cat C
2009- 09 reg
white
11,403 miles

Damage: NN/S DOOR, N/S QRT, GLASS, REAR AXLE, N/S MIRROR, BACK BUMPER, O/S DOOR, O/S WING AND INNER, O/S SILL, O/S STEERING AND SUSPENSION, O/S HEADLAMP, FRT PANELS, RAD, FRT BUMPER, BONNET, AIRBAGS, WHEEL, DENTS AND SCRATCHES, STARTED

www.bluecycle.com

Vauxhall Astra SRI

Cat U – unrecorded
2009- 59 reg
white
6,763 miles

£6,750

Damage: Light Front & Rear Damage, No Airbags or Suspension Damage, Drive Away, 2xKeys, V5 & Complete Service Pack.

www.ebay.co.uk

As a bit of background on this car just to highlight what a salvage find it is! The 911 (993) RS follows in the tradition of previous Porsche ‘RS’ models by losing over 100kg in weight vs the standard  Carrera model. Most of the weight loss was through the removal of ‘luxuries’ such as the leather seats, airbags, electric windows and sound insulation. This added to the ‘RS’ reputation as a  racer for the road. The first Porsche to use the new (but still air cooled) 3.8 litre engine pumping out  300bhp. 60mph now arrived in under 5 seconds then on to a 173mph top speed.

Salvage 911 (993) RS – availabe on www.bluecycle.com

Previously CAT D repaired.

History and V5 reg doc

Tracker fitted

Right hand drive

One of only 41  – 911 (993) RS worldwide!

Taxed and tested

Current bidding £90,000

Available on www.bluecycle.com,

Auction ends 21/1/2010 10.44am

Details on the 911 (993) RS

Porsche produced further cariatnts of the RS, in particular Carrera RS ‘Clubsport’, which only offered limited road usability. This variant had a welded roll cage, with a lot of the usual Porsche creature comforts removed, ensuring a 100% focussed drive!

The Carrera RS was produced in model year 1995 and 1996. It was street legal in European and many other countries, but was not exported to the USA. As with the low-quantity RS variants of previous 911 types, owners sometimes attempt to turn their Carreras into RS clones due to the high market value of the RS

Fiat 500 Lounge 1.4

Service history
2008 – 08 reg
White
9,240 miles

www.s-w-s.co.uk

£4,250

Lovely spec inc e/glass sunroof, leather multifunction steering wheel, twin digi climate, mp3, USB connection, alloys etc. n/s wing, door and suspension damage. Small dent on n/s rear arch.

Auto Salvage - Fiat 500

BMW M5 5.0 Reg Doc.

Heads up display. Navigation
2006 – 56 reg
Mauve / Purple ( Chameleon)
40,437 miles
Petrol

£17,950

Possibly not recorded on hpi. NS front including suspension. The brake caliper is attached. Light NS side scrape. Ns rear suspension including disc. Only the curtain & door air bags are blown. Engine starts. Front suspension in boot.

Avaliable at www.s-w-s.co.uk

BMW M5 salvage

The new site is now up and running, and is better than ever. Were still busy developing the site, so keep an eye out for new features coming soon!

Hope you like the new design, and please let us know if there is anything additional you would like to see..

Any comments much appreciated… Let us know what you think.

And the next 5 to give you the top 10

The Top 10 most valdalised cars

1. BMW Z3
Insurance group 14 – 19

2. Chrysler Crossfire
Insurance group 17 – 19

3. Porsche Cayenne
Insurance group 18 – 20

4. Porsche Boxster
Insurance group 18 – 20

5. BMW Z4
Insurance group 15 – 19

6. Ford StreetKa
Insurance group 7 – 9

7. Honda S2000
Insurance group 20

8. Smart Forfour
Insurance group 6

9. Audi TT
Insurance group 17 – 19

10.MG F/TF
Insurance group 12 – 14

Seemingly, looking at the top 10, its still convertibles which are the main targets for vandalism.

Car vandalism is also on the up – apparently due to “recession envy”. In 2007 4.3 million UK motorists were a victim of car vandalism (Source Direct Line) This is up from just over 3.5 million in 2006. This is due to rise further for 2009!

This equates to an estimated total repair bill of £659 million, up over £100 million on the previous year.

Most common acts of vandalism

The most common acts of car vandalism are scratched paintwork and/or being ‘keyed’, affecting 43% of victims. Closely followed by damage to wing mirrors (23%), often through being kicked off, or by accident damage and driving off. Then followed by smashed windows (21%).

63% of victims having discovered stated that the vandalism had taken place at night. Street lighting proved no deterrent, as a total of 49% of victims’ cars were targeted while parked on well lit roads or driveways.

Firstly, apologies if this sounds like a scam, it truly inst meant to sound that way.
As winter fast approaches, I’m finding I’d like a project to work on and keep me busy over the winter months.

I’m looking for a salvage project specifically, and one which will hopefully provide some profit from selling on as soon as the weather improves.

I’m also hoping that one of the many salvage yards out there, will be kind enough to help me out in return for some promotional activity.

I’m looking for a car which I can repair, and demonstrate that buying, repairing and selling a salvage vehicle is do-able by just about anybody, not just specialists. I’m going to do all the work myself, and will be hoping to sell the car on once I’ve finished, hopefully for a profit.
Each week, I will be documenting my progress, and will posting updates here on wrecks2riches.

Its a real-life example, of how salvage could potentially take a wreck and turn it into riches…

The opportunity…
For any salvage yard willing to either donate or subsidise a salvage vehicle, I will happily commit to providing substantial marketing support, and on sale of the vehicle, a split of the profits.
(I’m not asking for anything fancy, just something which is a relatively easy repair, and has the potential to sell on for a modest profit once repaired)

Why?
Its a great opportunity for a salvage yard to get their name out there, in a very niche market. Likewise, the write-ups and guides produced off the back of the project will help spur on many other potential buyers. Potential buyers of your salvage vehicles.

If you are a salvage yard, and are interested in the above opportunity, please feel free to contact me. Just leave a comment, and I will come back to you within 24 hours.

2007 PORSCHE 997 GT3 – OAKLEY DESIGN

A very rare and sought after 911 GT3 with some amazing history is currently available for sale on e-bay. Built by Oakley Design, and upgraded in almost every area, its had an amazing £60k of upgrades!

For sale at £44,950.00

ebay auction – Porsche 911 GT3 oakley

ebay auction – Porsche 911 GT3 oakley

Damage:
LIGHT PANEL & SUSPENSION DAMAGE
RECORDED AS A CAT D
CAR STARTS & IT WILL DRIVE FOR LOADING
COMES WITH KEYS AND THE LOG BOOK.
41K MILES

This is a very special Porsche indeed.

Youtube clips detail all the additonal extra’s on the car.

Check out www.oakleydesign.co.uk for more details and specs on this car!

ebay auction – Porsche 911 GT3 oakley

The site’s navigation and functionality has changed completely, and seems to have gone all web 2.0 overboard. With unnecessary sliders, & drop downs all over the place.

I’m all for the improvement & evolution of websites, but unfortunately I just don’t the new site works well. Its just not as clear and easy to find a car as it was on the old version.

Unfortunately, with online advertising for cars being a complete monopoly ruled by Autotrader, it looks like we have little choice but to put up with it for the time being.

If you do want to try elsewhere to sell your car. I can thoroughly recommend the below sites.

Ebay – www.ebay.co.uk
PistonHeads – www.pistonheads.com

The old autotrader site is still available in the background for a while, so if you want to go back to the perfectly good, old version. Use the below link.

http://search.autotrader.co.uk/es-uk/www/cars/AdvertSearch/N-0/search_form.action