Read our top 5 Motor Trade April Fools!
Our Motor Trade clients always seem to enjoy poking fun at each other. You have probably all heard stories of young apprentices being sent off for the likes of tartan paint and skirting board ladders.
So with April Fools’ Day around the corner, we thought it would be fun to speak to some of our motor trader insurance clients. Here is a run-down of our top 5 jokes from them.
No.1 – Bucket of electric:
A few motor traders have claimed that whilst in the work shop they have asked apprentices and new starters to move buckets of water around. However, they tell them to be very careful not spill or touch any of it. They claim that it is not water – the bucket contains electric!
If questioned the motor trader will claim it is a special type of electric that they pour into the car batteries!
It is claimed they then stand back, and watch the apprentices attempt to waddle buckets of water around the workshop.
No.2 – Bubbles for the spirit level:
Not such a common tool in a motor traders work shop. However we have been told that occasionally a spirit level will be used for fitting trim and other body panels.
So in this practical joke, a trader will say “I think the bubble has had it in this level!” – They will then ask their newbie to go off and bring back a packet of spirit level bubbles.
One trader did comment that an apprentice of his once came back with a tube of blowing bubbles. He said this was all he could get as they had sold out of spirit level bubbles!!
No.3 – Sparks for the grinder:
A bit like the packet of bubbles. The repairer in question told our insurance sales agent that he will start using a grinder and then claim it is running out of sparks!
He will turn to his colleague and say “You couldn’t do me a favour and go to the hardware shop? Ask them for a box of sparks.”
To make this one more realistic, we have been told motor traders will often say you need to get the right type of sparks for the model. A note is then supplied with the ‘correct’ model of grinder and information to take to the hardware shop.
No. 4 – Long Weight / Wait:
So we think this must be one of oldest ones around and it apparently continues to be used today by our trader insurance clients. People are still being caught with it!
Not too much of an explanation is needed for this one. However, in case you not familiar with it, this is when a member of staff is asked to go and see someone ‘for a Long Weight/Wait.’ Many motor traders claim that for this to work well, the person you are sending them to meet needs to be in on the joke also.
No. 5 – Air for the air bags:
Now, out of all the pranks, this one is our favourite. Only because of what the motor trader told the new member of staff to do.
This particular workshop carries out body work and crash repairs. He states that many vehicles that come into their workshop have had their airbags used or deployed. So this motor trader told his member staff he needed new air for the airbags.
He told him that this air cost a lot of money; but what they can do is collect their own air, as it is cheaper. He then gave the new member of staff a packet of 50 balloons and asked him to blow them up. He also asked if he could chew gum whilst doing it as because he didn’t want to have smelly air!!
Being new on the job the chap did what he was told. At least the balloons did not go to waste. The motor trader took them home for his daughter’s birthday party!!
Have any of our other clients got any better April Fools?
This is only our top 5 – and we know that there are lots of April Fools’ jokes out there that have been pulled. So if you have any others, or any other funny stories from your work shop, then feel free to comment!