Try to help but get told to pay traders fees?
 

Every time there has been something I have wanted to try and help with on this forum in the past, I have been reluctant to do so because as soon as someone does they get told they have to pay traders fees!

Right so, I have the VT4, can do ZCS coding, 116 to 135, 160 to 177. And coding in things such as BBUS, Cruise etc. This is not my main source on income, and would only be able to do it occasionally if someone really needed it doing.

I saw the T4 map had gone up so got in touch with Steve about going on the map (can't fault the guy, this post isn't aimed at him in any way!). To be told that the people higher up have said that I can't be listed because I don't pay traders fees.

Just to make it clear, I wouldn't be pushing services, wouldn't be putting threads up saying I offer this and that. All I wanted was to be put on the map as there isn't really anyone around the midlands that is offering to plug a T4 into peoples cars. I just thought it would be nice for people around here to know that someone is more local if they wanted something as simple as giving the car a quick health check. Testing fan speeds. Checking injector compensation etc.

With this club quite often if anyone tries to offer something to people they immediately get told to stop or pay traders fees. I didn't think the point of a car club is for people to make money? I thought it was to try and help each other with common issues and sources to parts. And possible ways to have parts re-manufactured that are no longer available.

Does everyone think that this is a fair thing to do?

I assumed you only had to pay traders fees it it WAS a main source of income? :shrug:

That's what I would have thought? Or if you were making a significant amount from it. I would have been putting threads up offering services. I would have been listed if people wanted to try and find someone local.

I think there has to be some common sense. It depends on how you are setup, what you are charging and how much work you are doing.

There's a big difference between doing 1 car a month to help someone out for a tenner or a pack of beers, to someone setup properly with trade insurance, public liability insurance and charging the same as other T4 guys.

I don't think it's anything to do with main source of income as some of the T4 guys have other jobs as well. A lot of the traders don't make much money from it but their fees help the club survive.

What we don't want, is for someone such as yourself to not offer services as he is paying more in traders fees than he is making helping people, thus the help to people in your area wouldn't be there because of the club rules.

All just my opinion of course, I've no idea how the rules are made/changed or why they were put in force in the first place.

I would have thought it is pretty obvious that if you want to trade on this forum you have to pay traders' fees full stop.

If you just want to help out on the forum then offer your services for free - many of us do. :}

It would be more the helping out for a drink kind of thing. I wouldn't be in it for the money. As long as I am free and not busy I honestly wouldn't mind helping people with things such as fault code reading, dealer options, and if I have time ZCS coding for things like remote boot release, cruise activation etc.

If someone were to offer a drink for it then I wouldn't say no. The only time I would ask for money would be if I were to travel to someone to cover fuel which I think would be fair. But people would need to know I don't have much free time so would only be as and when I can do it.

Sorry but I didn't mention anything about trading on the forum. So say if I had some parts made that were no longer available and wanted to sell them on here without being a trader, I wouldn't be able to unless I sold them at cost price? Regardless of the time / money spent on getting them reproduced?

You most certainly did:

If you are taking any income out of it then you are trading.


If you want to offer free services then fine - many people do this with no problem at all; Harry and Steve (Arctic) spring to mind.

As far as I know you are free to offer parts or cars for sale if you are a member, so no problems there - of course you have to pay to be a member!

The rules tend to be quite strict, I’m guessing that it’s not how little you do but the fact that for every car you look at a trader who pays to advertise isn’t getting that custom. With this post everybody now knows that you have a T4 and where you are located so I’m guessing you will get pm’s anyway.

I said it wouldn't be my main source of income. I didn't say I would charge. If people offer a drink or say a tenner or something for doing it then I wouldn't say no. So if I said I wouldn't charge but someone offered me some money would I be expected to say no?

The club has been here before regarding T4 and the biggest issue is that what happens when something goes wrong mid session when programming. I’m not suggesting that the original poster isn’t au fait with T4 but we know the traders are and will always have some sort of back up plan