Used car adventure.....
Discussion
Caution, modest rant coming on!
A chum asked me to go out with him on Saturday to pick up a new car for his daughter, specifically a Clio 1.2 c£2,000. Loads for sale of course so narrowed down half a dozen likely cars along the M4 between Swindon and Bristol.
We've £2k in readies in the glovebox and we're out to buy. The first 'dealer' has a couple but he can't even be bothered to talk to us. Same experience continues as the day goes on, all the cars seem uncared for by the sellers and so-say 'cambelt changed' cars have no evidence to support. On one, they'd not even bothered to empty the rubbish from the boot.
A moment of inspiration makes us look at a local Wiltshire paper, a phone call to a little garage nr Devizes puts us in contact with a dealer who not only washes the car before we get there but has all the paperwork ready for us to see and the keys available for a test drive.
I'm not a trader and I know there's not much profit in a sale at this money but for goodness sake, make an effort chaps! Clio bought, funnily enough from the Devizes dealer!
A chum asked me to go out with him on Saturday to pick up a new car for his daughter, specifically a Clio 1.2 c£2,000. Loads for sale of course so narrowed down half a dozen likely cars along the M4 between Swindon and Bristol.
We've £2k in readies in the glovebox and we're out to buy. The first 'dealer' has a couple but he can't even be bothered to talk to us. Same experience continues as the day goes on, all the cars seem uncared for by the sellers and so-say 'cambelt changed' cars have no evidence to support. On one, they'd not even bothered to empty the rubbish from the boot.
A moment of inspiration makes us look at a local Wiltshire paper, a phone call to a little garage nr Devizes puts us in contact with a dealer who not only washes the car before we get there but has all the paperwork ready for us to see and the keys available for a test drive.
I'm not a trader and I know there's not much profit in a sale at this money but for goodness sake, make an effort chaps! Clio bought, funnily enough from the Devizes dealer!
How many of them were described as "mint" or "immaculate"?
I can't count how many times i have turned up to buy a car, taken 90 seconds to look at it and walked away.
An unloved car can be disguised with some window dressing, but if you don't make the effort do you really expect to sell the car?
I can't count how many times i have turned up to buy a car, taken 90 seconds to look at it and walked away.
An unloved car can be disguised with some window dressing, but if you don't make the effort do you really expect to sell the car?
I try and mirror this in my car detailing too. Usually works. Unfortunately all the good salesmen, who care about the customer & the car, are working for franchise dealers or in their own businesses selling 10k cars.
The lower down the car budget, the lower the interest (or intellect) of the gimp selling.
The only exception is most BMW salesmen, who although selling 30k cars, still act like 3k car salesmen and ignore the customers.
The lower down the car budget, the lower the interest (or intellect) of the gimp selling.
The only exception is most BMW salesmen, who although selling 30k cars, still act like 3k car salesmen and ignore the customers.
To be fair just had a great experience with a certain BMW dealership in Swindon, however walked out of same dealer 5 years ago due to " that look up and down" treatment. As in any sales business front line sales staff DO make the difference, and that comes from an estate agent! Recommendations are so important when one has good service it is great to put the word about.
On the less expensive front had similar when buying car for son two tears ago, in the end bought C1 privately after driving all over Wiltshire and Gloucestershire.
On the less expensive front had similar when buying car for son two tears ago, in the end bought C1 privately after driving all over Wiltshire and Gloucestershire.
VerySideways said:
I can't count how many times i have turned up to buy a car, taken 90 seconds to look at it and walked away.
I'm sure I've mentioned this in other threads before but I went to look at an "immaculate" Leon which had a fist-sized dent in the passenger-side sill, complete with extensive paint damage, that was clearly a result of it being driven off (and in the process grounded on) a high kerb, scratches and sizeable paint chips all over the front bumper, a sodden boot lining and four part-worn P6000s.I had a good mind to call Trading Standards.
ManOpener said:
I'm sure I've mentioned this in other threads before but I went to look at an "immaculate" Leon which had a fist-sized dent in the passenger-side sill, complete with extensive paint damage, that was clearly a result of it being driven off (and in the process grounded on) a high kerb, scratches and sizeable paint chips all over the front bumper, a sodden boot lining and four part-worn P6000s.
I had a good mind to call Trading Standards.
Matching set of tyres? You were lucky! I had a good mind to call Trading Standards.
Ok, car collection yesterday. All Mot'd as agreed, new discs and pads as required included. Cambelt and oil service complete. Car clean and waiting, salesman did a proper handover for the new young lady owner including a lesson in the use of central locking/immobiliser, also made sure she knew about locking wheel nut socket in the glovebox.
So it can be done, well done to Slades of Rowde Nr Devizes
So it can be done, well done to Slades of Rowde Nr Devizes
LFB531 said:
Ok, car collection yesterday. All Mot'd as agreed, new discs and pads as required included. Cambelt and oil service complete. Car clean and waiting, salesman did a proper handover for the new young lady owner including a lesson in the use of central locking/immobiliser, also made sure she knew about locking wheel nut socket in the glovebox.
So it can be done, well done to Slades of Rowde Nr Devizes
Sounds like a Result. So it can be done, well done to Slades of Rowde Nr Devizes
BuzyG said:
LFB531 said:
Ok, car collection yesterday. All Mot'd as agreed, new discs and pads as required included. Cambelt and oil service complete. Car clean and waiting, salesman did a proper handover for the new young lady owner including a lesson in the use of central locking/immobiliser, also made sure she knew about locking wheel nut socket in the glovebox.
So it can be done, well done to Slades of Rowde Nr Devizes
Sounds like a Result. So it can be done, well done to Slades of Rowde Nr Devizes
BuzyG said:
LFB531 said:
Ok, car collection yesterday. All Mot'd as agreed, new discs and pads as required included. Cambelt and oil service complete. Car clean and waiting, salesman did a proper handover for the new young lady owner including a lesson in the use of central locking/immobiliser, also made sure she knew about locking wheel nut socket in the glovebox.
So it can be done, well done to Slades of Rowde Nr Devizes
Sounds like a Result. So it can be done, well done to Slades of Rowde Nr Devizes
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