Why are some used car dealers so rude?
Discussion
M4cruiser said:
He wouldn't even look at my car as a part exchange. Ok, so he didn't want to retail it, I can understand that, but there are gentler ways of explaining that.
I've had variations of "what would I want with rubbish like that?" twice when describing my potential p/xs. I just wanted someone to take the old one off my hands to make the transaction easy, not turn changing cars into a right faff.A friend of a friend runs a used car lot and he is a bit "edgy" - he's a candidate for a mental hospital if he hasn't sold a car for a few days.
Terminator X said:
Not an excuse but it has been said on here before, phone callers are generally time wasters certainly vs people stood in front of them eg prepared to come in for a viewing.
I have bought new cars since 2015^ and to be fair the new car sales people seem to be ok.
^no more though as I don't want one with nannying speed limit controls
TX.
This surprises me. Other threads suggest dealers see email enquiries as time wasters and telephone approaches as genuine buyers.I have bought new cars since 2015^ and to be fair the new car sales people seem to be ok.
^no more though as I don't want one with nannying speed limit controls
TX.
I thought dealers preferred you to make an appointment rather than just turning up.
Sometimes they write people off for time wasting on appearance, like do buyers look young for the car. Two years after I past my driving test I was interested in a mk1 Volvo C70 2.0T - I’d always liked them as a teenager and went to look at a fairly local one at an independent garage and the guy abruptly said “are you wasting my time? I’d have to move everything to let you drive it and close up shop” - on the test drive he criticised the car I was looking to part ex (tidy Civic 3 door) and said the town I lived “was a right dump” among other things. The car drove well but due to the attitude I didn’t buy the car. Went to a Volvo dealer and bought from there instead, was treated really well despite probably being the youngest customer they’d had 
Another time I was looking to part ex a Scirocco 2.0TSI GT against another car, did the test drive and all was good, when we got back I could see they’d valued my Scirocco as a diesel - I told them it was petrol and the salesman exclaimed “even worse then!”, became very rude and wouldn’t budge on the low ball offer. Appreciate they would have auctioned it as it had around 100,000 miles on the clock but the car was mint with all invoices and service history. In a twist the car I looked at got bought by a main dealer and they offered me a very good part ex and the salesman was great so did the deal there.
And once I remember going with my dad to a family run car supermarket type place, my dad was interested in something they had and wanted a valuation on his 2 year old Volvo S40, the rude abrupt owner said “it’s been hammered hasn’t it” - my dad is the slowest driver ever but keeps his cars clean and in great condition. Just didn’t match the reality. Just ended up leaving. This stuff will have happened to everyone but those places lose sales. Maybe sometimes the PXes are too much hassle for them
Another time I was looking to part ex a Scirocco 2.0TSI GT against another car, did the test drive and all was good, when we got back I could see they’d valued my Scirocco as a diesel - I told them it was petrol and the salesman exclaimed “even worse then!”, became very rude and wouldn’t budge on the low ball offer. Appreciate they would have auctioned it as it had around 100,000 miles on the clock but the car was mint with all invoices and service history. In a twist the car I looked at got bought by a main dealer and they offered me a very good part ex and the salesman was great so did the deal there.
And once I remember going with my dad to a family run car supermarket type place, my dad was interested in something they had and wanted a valuation on his 2 year old Volvo S40, the rude abrupt owner said “it’s been hammered hasn’t it” - my dad is the slowest driver ever but keeps his cars clean and in great condition. Just didn’t match the reality. Just ended up leaving. This stuff will have happened to everyone but those places lose sales. Maybe sometimes the PXes are too much hassle for them
IMO buying from "traders" is about the worst way to buy a car. You're buying from someone who knows and cares nothing about the actual history of the car and you pay over the top for a warranty that often turns out to be worthless.
There's a good reason traders don't want your old car in PX. It's worth precisely nothing if they send it to auction and if they sell it to a punter it has to have that theoretical warranty on it. It's simply not worth selling a car with any warranty on it if any repair could cost more than the car. It's all part of reality that cheap old cars cost just as much to fix as fancier, newer cars.
There's a good reason traders don't want your old car in PX. It's worth precisely nothing if they send it to auction and if they sell it to a punter it has to have that theoretical warranty on it. It's simply not worth selling a car with any warranty on it if any repair could cost more than the car. It's all part of reality that cheap old cars cost just as much to fix as fancier, newer cars.
Terminator X said:
croyde said:
Harry b
d said:
d said: I’m on the lookout for a car and the amount of traders that I call who don’t return my call is crazy. I’m up in Scotland so a lot of the stuff is down south. I’m a genuine buyer and give them time to callback usually a hour. If they don’t then I’ll not phone back as I Rybinsk to myself they’d be a nightmare to deal with if there was a problem.
I have had this today. Got the day off, it's not the weekend, and I want to secure a car by the end of the day for cash.Spent yesterday compiling a shortlist of what I want from dealers within 10 miles.
Called a few and all have taken my number because the sales guy is currently busy. No return calls yet, and I bet I don't get any.
Last two cars of mine I've bought new mainly due to not wanting the faff of dealing with the small guys but today is buying for a friend.
I just wonder how they stay in business.
I have bought new cars since 2015^ and to be fair the new car sales people seem to be ok.
^no more though as I don't want one with nannying speed limit controls
TX.
They did eventually call back.
Richard-390a0 said:
Yep you can see why the Police have to attend so many incidents of 'hurty words'. Personally I think rather than national service they should make everyone do a stint in customer facing retail roles to see just how difficult / stupid the average person can be to deal with.
I deal with clients at work sometimes. Very few seem to be stupid or rude.I suppose investment banking is quite different to fluffing though.
Having recently tried to sell a couple of cars myself, I certainly wouldn't want to do it as a job! He's probably just very frustrated
The timewasting idiots is unreal now! They want photos of everything and a million questions answered, which you do, never to be heard from again!
No shows on viewings and general messing about.
The best are the ones who start their messages " I'm not a timewaster " you can guarantee they are! Idiots.....
I'm sure it wasn't like this when I last sold a car (pre-Covid)
Oh and there's some great stories of supercar selling on this thread:-
https://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&...
The timewasting idiots is unreal now! They want photos of everything and a million questions answered, which you do, never to be heard from again!
No shows on viewings and general messing about.
The best are the ones who start their messages " I'm not a timewaster " you can guarantee they are! Idiots.....
I'm sure it wasn't like this when I last sold a car (pre-Covid)
Oh and there's some great stories of supercar selling on this thread:-
https://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&...
Edited by PoorCarCollector on Wednesday 12th June 16:53
Well our local BMW dealership went over and beyond yesterday in their sales technique.
I had a test drive a few weeks back, didn't like it. 128ti.
A knock on the door yesterday and the same salesman had reversed a new 2 series up my drive and with a big grin said " what do you think" ?
I said I didn't like it. He looked deflated. He asked where my car was, I said getting the wheels refurbed - he looked really confused.
I'm thinking why's this guy cold called me for a test drive and brought this minger to my house and planted it on my drive.
It transpired he'd sold this car to someone and was delivering it, expecting to drive off in their part ex.
Amazingly the paperwork was in someone elses name but had my address, phone number, e mail address.
Anyway he was very rude as he didn't apologise or say goodbye :-)
I had a test drive a few weeks back, didn't like it. 128ti.
A knock on the door yesterday and the same salesman had reversed a new 2 series up my drive and with a big grin said " what do you think" ?
I said I didn't like it. He looked deflated. He asked where my car was, I said getting the wheels refurbed - he looked really confused.
I'm thinking why's this guy cold called me for a test drive and brought this minger to my house and planted it on my drive.
It transpired he'd sold this car to someone and was delivering it, expecting to drive off in their part ex.
Amazingly the paperwork was in someone elses name but had my address, phone number, e mail address.
Anyway he was very rude as he didn't apologise or say goodbye :-)
Edited by DT1975 on Wednesday 12th June 19:24
OnionBhaji99 said:
This place edges closer and closer to Mumsnet by the day!
My partner refers to this place as Mansnet so not that far from the truth.If a dealer is treating you like this and they haven't even got your money, imagine what they would be like if anything went wrong with the car.
ThingsBehindTheSun said:
If a dealer is treating you like this and they haven't even got your money, imagine what they would be like if anything went wrong with the car.
That's a very good point, (and thank you to those others who said the same thing earlier). I guess that dealer would tell me to f off. He was offering an AutoGuard Warranty (but charging for it), presumably precisely because he could then deny any responsibility for anything wrong.
I've not heard many good things about after-market warranties.
WeirdNeville said:
You got off lightly. A local import place leaves it's cars on the street. I was having a look at an FQ-360 on the roadside whilst my car had geo done. The owner of the import place drove by and saw me. Stopped his car in the middle of the road, filmed me, called me a thief and threatened to post the video on Facebook. When I asked what channel as I'd like to see it he chased me back into the tyre shop and threatened to knock me out!
Was it Ronnie Pickering Motors? 
I'm a bit of a serial changer of performance cars, usually bought and sold privately, or for my wife's more sensible cars from a main dealer.
For servicing I avoid main dealers if at all possible but their used stock is generally in reasonable condition.
I do have a rule of not buying from back streets dealers, I've considered breaking that a couple of times when one has had a car I'm interested in but on each occasion my experience has reinforced the rule!
Most recently I arranged to test drive a Megane RS265, arrived at the appointed time, the guy I had spoken to had popped out, while I waited I looked around the car which was still blocked in by several others, it had 4 different brands of tyre, 3 of which I had never heard of and one of the front tyres was almost flat on a high performance front wheel drive car!
No idea if the guy would have been rude or polite, I just drove away.
For servicing I avoid main dealers if at all possible but their used stock is generally in reasonable condition.
I do have a rule of not buying from back streets dealers, I've considered breaking that a couple of times when one has had a car I'm interested in but on each occasion my experience has reinforced the rule!
Most recently I arranged to test drive a Megane RS265, arrived at the appointed time, the guy I had spoken to had popped out, while I waited I looked around the car which was still blocked in by several others, it had 4 different brands of tyre, 3 of which I had never heard of and one of the front tyres was almost flat on a high performance front wheel drive car!
No idea if the guy would have been rude or polite, I just drove away.
DT1975 said:
Well our local BMW dealership went over and beyond yesterday in their sales technique.
I had a test drive a few weeks back, didn't like it. 128ti.
A knock on the door yesterday and the same salesman had reversed a new 2 series up my drive and with a big grin said " what do you think" ?
I said I didn't like it. He looked deflated. He asked where my car was, I said getting the wheels refurbed - he looked really confused.
I'm thinking why's this guy cold called me for a test drive and brought this minger to my house and planted it on my drive.
It transpired he'd sold this car to someone and was delivering it, expecting to drive off in their part ex.
Amazingly the paperwork was in someone elses name but had my address, phone number, e mail address.
Anyway he was very rude as he didn't apologise or say goodbye :-)
I think I’d phone the dealer principal and request a restraining order. That’s more than a bit weird.I had a test drive a few weeks back, didn't like it. 128ti.
A knock on the door yesterday and the same salesman had reversed a new 2 series up my drive and with a big grin said " what do you think" ?
I said I didn't like it. He looked deflated. He asked where my car was, I said getting the wheels refurbed - he looked really confused.
I'm thinking why's this guy cold called me for a test drive and brought this minger to my house and planted it on my drive.
It transpired he'd sold this car to someone and was delivering it, expecting to drive off in their part ex.
Amazingly the paperwork was in someone elses name but had my address, phone number, e mail address.
Anyway he was very rude as he didn't apologise or say goodbye :-)
Edited by DT1975 on Wednesday 12th June 19:24
Best experiences were with the local Mazda dealer. They were polite, helpful, and forthcoming with test drives. First one was an MX-5 my wife bought, and then a few years later I went in to look at RX-8s. I don't think they recognised us, different salesman anyway. I only really wanted to look inside at the rear seat setup to see if I could get my fishing gear into one, but the salesman was very keen to chuck me the keys to the demonstrator. We took it out unaccompanied, loved it, came back and said to give me a ring if they got a used one in. Couple of weeks later they did exactly that, 12 months old, low miles. "Only thing is, it's got viper stripes, and we're not sure if they'll come off without leaving a mark". "Oh. Not sure about that. Well I'll look at it anyway." Loved it, bought it, stripes and all.
Crappy buying experiences - every bunting, portakabin and sheepskin lot. None of them as rude as the OP's, but there have been occasions when I've thought "are you actually interested in selling this?".
Crappy buying experiences - every bunting, portakabin and sheepskin lot. None of them as rude as the OP's, but there have been occasions when I've thought "are you actually interested in selling this?".
Which is why the likes of Cazzo / Motorway / Cinch are preferred.
I know Cazoo have gone but I purchased my G30 from them.
Very good online photos
7 day money back guarantee
Purchased and delivered within a few days
No hassle purchasing
Did my due dil by popping to the local Bimmer dealer and checking out a similar specced model knowing what I wanted.
One of the reasons folk lease, costs more but a new shiny motor every few years delivered to home.
Also we have a generation of workforce coming through who don't want to talk on the phone, they are used to social media / webchat etc. we must adapt to the service being offered as st as that is it isn't going to improve.
I know Cazoo have gone but I purchased my G30 from them.
Very good online photos
7 day money back guarantee
Purchased and delivered within a few days
No hassle purchasing
Did my due dil by popping to the local Bimmer dealer and checking out a similar specced model knowing what I wanted.
One of the reasons folk lease, costs more but a new shiny motor every few years delivered to home.
Also we have a generation of workforce coming through who don't want to talk on the phone, they are used to social media / webchat etc. we must adapt to the service being offered as s
t as that is it isn't going to improve.Gassing Station | Car Buying | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff