BS: Car boot sale - Bath, UK

Subject: BS: Car boot sale - Bath, UK
From: Fibula Mattock
Date: 12 Aug 06 - 03:09 PM

I'm trying to find out about flogging my junk at a car boot sale prior to my move to the Big Smoke. Rumour has it there's one every Sunday at Lansdown, near Bath, but it remains mystical and elusive as I can't find any solid information anywhere about what time it starts, how to get a pitch, or how much it costs. Anyone been, or anyone in the know?

(Car boot sale tips also welcomed.)

Subject: RE: BS: Car boot sale - Bath, UK
From: Peace
Date: 12 Aug 06 - 03:12 PM

"car boot sale"

In Canada we have both all-season radials and winter tires. I am having difficulty imagining how the boots would work.

Subject: RE: BS: Car boot sale - Bath, UK
From: Fibula Mattock
Date: 12 Aug 06 - 03:16 PM

Oh, you across-the-pond types with your crazy naming schemes!

Subject: RE: BS: Car boot sale - Bath, UK
From: Peace
Date: 12 Aug 06 - 03:24 PM

Thank you for being so gracious.

Try this link:

http://www.carboots.tk/

http://www.carboots.tk/

Subject: RE: BS: Car boot sale - Bath, UK
From: skipy
Date: 12 Aug 06 - 03:26 PM

One of the most imprtant tips is:
Get a money belt or use your pockets only, it is common for teams of 2 or more to distract you by asking about an item whilst a 3rd member takes the cash box. It is even known for the 3rd member of the team to be a child under the age of prosecution.
Skipy

Subject: RE: BS: Car boot sale - Bath, UK
From: Georgiansilver
Date: 12 Aug 06 - 03:50 PM

http://www.valuemystuff.com    try that site...loads of car boots in UK listed.

Subject: RE: BS: Car boot sale - Bath, UK
From: Fibula Mattock
Date: 12 Aug 06 - 03:55 PM

Cheers Peace - I tried that site but couldn't get the info I wanted though.

Skipy - forewarned is forearmed. My 50p pieces will be in my moneybelt!

Georgiansilver - valuemystuff wants money for information though, it seems - well, if I had money I wouldn't be selling my gear at a car boot sale so they're on a hiding to nothing...

Subject: RE: BS: Car boot sale - Bath, UK
From: skipy
Date: 12 Aug 06 - 04:04 PM

Look at www.bath.co.uk
it's all there.
Regards Skipy

Subject: RE: BS: Car boot sale - Bath, UK
From: Fibula Mattock
Date: 12 Aug 06 - 04:19 PM

Thanks Skipy, got some times off there. 7am apparently (ridiculous hour to be buying and selling!).

Subject: RE: BS: Car boot sale - Bath, UK
From: Little Robyn
Date: 12 Aug 06 - 05:28 PM

Here in NZ you would probably have a garage sale instead. (Do you have a garage to keep your car in? Maybe it would be a backyard sale?)
They're advertised in the previous day's newspaper and the trick is to just put your street name and say "Signs out at 7am" (yes, they start early). If you put your address, people will be there at the crack of dawn, or even the night before, in order to scoop the best bargains.
Put a big GARAGE SALE sign in front of your house, make sure you have: a cup of tea, lots of change and friends or family to help you when the hoards arrive.
It happens every weekend around here. (But not in my house - I'm not parting with any of my 'treasures'!)
Robyn

Subject: RE: BS: Car boot sale - Bath, UK
From: Fibula Mattock
Date: 12 Aug 06 - 06:12 PM

So far I've only got 3 boxes of junk (clothes/shoes/books/crap) and an old but fully functional laptop to sell, but I have some friends with stuff which they're hoping to get rid of too so we're pooling our lots. For some reason yard/garage sales aren;t at all popular in the UK, at least not where I am. Everyone seems to gather collectively at the crack of dawn to sell from their cars instead.

I'm going to freecycle whatever's left over. I'm optimistically pricing my laptop (5 years old but in working order) at 30 quid, including the bag... is that too optimistic d'ya think...?

Subject: RE: BS: Car boot sale - Bath, UK
From: Peace
Date: 12 Aug 06 - 06:21 PM

If 30 quid means about $60, you are underpricing. Start at 50 quid and let someone talk you down.

Subject: RE: BS: Car boot sale - Bath, UK
From: Fibula Mattock
Date: 12 Aug 06 - 06:22 PM

Oooh, excellent!

Subject: RE: BS: Car boot sale - Bath, UK
From: Peace
Date: 12 Aug 06 - 06:27 PM

Just read that Lansdown has an early start: the site said 'Be there by 7:00 AM.' No indication of pitch fee.

Subject: RE: BS: Car boot sale - Bath, UK
From: Peace
Date: 12 Aug 06 - 06:55 PM

"$399-$499 I wouldn't consider buying a second hand laptop in this range unless it was less than a year old and featured specs much better than the model above, like a super light weight (under 3 pounds), or a DVD recorder, plus a legal, licensed version of Microsoft Office. I wouldn't call it a bargain, but it's not a bad deal.

$299-$399 Same as above, except I wouldn't expect to find a DVD recorder in something this old. Any build in wireless will likely be 802.11b, which is much slower, but workable. I wouldn't touch a CPU under 1 GHz in this price range, whatever the model, and I'd still be looking for Microsoft Office to be installed.

$199-$299 I wouldn't buy a second hand laptop in this price range period, unless it was as good as the laptops listed above. It's just a really bad price point where you get conned into thinking you're saving money, but you end up having thrown away half the price of a new laptop on something you'll never be happy with.

$99-$199 A Pentium III or an AMD K6 CPU in the 350Mhz to 600MHz range, with Windows 98, 64 MB - 128 MB RAM, a 56K modem, USB 1.1, a CD Recorder and a battery that holds a charge for at least a half hour. You wouldn't throw away a hundred or two hundred bucks on a TV that couldn't receive cable, so why do it with a used laptop?
Free - $99 If I really needed a cheap laptop just to type on or get e-mail, I'd settle for anything with Windows 95 or better and an internal modem (probably 28K or 33K) that worked. If it's free, you can take it home and try it. If you're paying, make the seller demonstrate it dialing into their ISP and getting an Internet connection. Test the CD drive as well if you want to be able to try installing new software, it will be a CD-ROM (reader only)."


Just found this on a site where the folks know about these things.

Subject: RE: BS: Car boot sale - Bath, UK
From: Fibula Mattock
Date: 13 Aug 06 - 09:03 AM

Went to the car boot sale this morning, got there by 7am and there were already loads of people set up. Pitch cost 7 quid. Made over 60 quid profit!

Subject: RE: BS: Car boot sale - Bath, UK
From: Mrs.Duck
Date: 13 Aug 06 - 02:39 PM

Last time we did a car boot sale the signs said 7am but cars were queing from around 5am. We did make over £100 though so probably about time to do another.

Subject: RE: BS: Car boot sale - Bath, UK
From: Sorcha
Date: 13 Aug 06 - 02:44 PM

Good on ya, Fibs! I usually just end up giving stuff away to a Good Home

Subject: RE: BS: Car boot sale - Bath, UK
From: Fibula Mattock
Date: 13 Aug 06 - 03:16 PM

It pains me to think how much I lost out on last time I moved house and just gave bagloads away!

Subject: RE: BS: Car boot sale - Bath, UK
From: Sorcha
Date: 13 Aug 06 - 03:18 PM

Oh well....live and learn

Subject: RE: BS: Car boot sale - Bath, UK
From: Mr Red
Date: 13 Aug 06 - 05:37 PM

I am told by those that do these things that the cognicentii descend on newbies as they open the car boot and ferret around in your boxes in the car before you have set out your stall and generally pester you for prices when you haven't yet got it clear in your head. That assumes they are all perfectly honest but pushy and are not spiriting things away before you realise.
These are "traders" trying to get a deal they can make money on usually - or early birds getting the ---------

How you deal with this I have no idea but being early (they will be too) is not a bad ploy for one.

Subject: RE: BS: Car boot sale - Bath, UK
From: Peace
Date: 13 Aug 06 - 05:41 PM

Yahoo. Glad it worked out.

I still don't understand this thing about boots on cars--I understand about boots on people, dogs, cats, even iguanas, but CARS? Brits are one crazy lot if you ask me.

Subject: RE: BS: Car boot sale - Bath, UK
From: GUEST,ivan
Date: 14 Aug 06 - 04:07 AM

some suggestions
there should be two of you on your pitch
take a thermos and some sandwiches
definitely keep warm with a sweater and coat ..it often gets very cold
dont overcharge and be prepared to haggle
take plenty of change.
a chair

Subject: RE: BS: Car boot sale - Bath, UK
From: Paul Burke
Date: 14 Aug 06 - 04:13 AM

Well over here trunks are what elephants have. Have you got a stepney in your dickey?

Subject: RE: BS: Car boot sale - Bath, UK
From: Bagpuss
Date: 19 Aug 06 - 05:12 AM

Any stuff you didnt sell and you just want rid of? - join freecycle (www.freecycle.org I think) and find people who will come and collect it, and find lots of interesting things that others are giving away! We got a load of chairs, a baby monitor, and a set of cordless telephones all gratis!

Bagpuss