dealer - car abuse
Discussion
Bet we've all wondered how dealers treat our cars when in their possesion.
I recently took mine to a reputable dealer in the midlands when i required the rear diffuser to be resprayed. They used a body shop on their industrial est. I collected the car a week later - the body shop insisted they clean it even though i didnt want them to. As i drove away the car was mis firing so i stopped at the dealers. One of their mechanics had a look and took it for a drive.
Bear in mind that the engine had probably not run for about a week and the oil temp hadn't even hit 20 degC, however this didnt seem to concern the mechanic as he red lined it in 2nd and 3rd gears as he thrashed round the estate.
Maybe he didnt realise what the temp was but he never took the time to check. Anyway the problem went away, must have be water from when the bodyshop cleaned but if they're prepared to drive our cars like this when we're in them makes you wonder how they drive when we're not!!!
I recently took mine to a reputable dealer in the midlands when i required the rear diffuser to be resprayed. They used a body shop on their industrial est. I collected the car a week later - the body shop insisted they clean it even though i didnt want them to. As i drove away the car was mis firing so i stopped at the dealers. One of their mechanics had a look and took it for a drive.
Bear in mind that the engine had probably not run for about a week and the oil temp hadn't even hit 20 degC, however this didnt seem to concern the mechanic as he red lined it in 2nd and 3rd gears as he thrashed round the estate.
Maybe he didnt realise what the temp was but he never took the time to check. Anyway the problem went away, must have be water from when the bodyshop cleaned but if they're prepared to drive our cars like this when we're in them makes you wonder how they drive when we're not!!!
I know what you mean, I am so worried about the guys from the bodyshop picking my Tam up next month for a front stone chip re spray,,, to the point where I even thought about taking it there myself. however, as my friend pointed out, they'll still have to move it when I'm not there anyway!!! I guess we just have to trust these people, wouldn't mind in anything else but our S6 cars.
often thought that we need a discreet rev limiter set to say 3000 rpm for service & bodyshop work.
after the cerb had the engine rebuild, this was a particular worry. all the careful running in & strictly observed warming up counts for nothing if some twat guns it from cold to impress his mates.
Took my M3 for a tyre balance once (while u wait type), the forman duly gave the keys to the fitter doing the work who proceed to jump in & spin the wheels into the workshop!!
I politely suggested he should refrain from said behaviour, particularly if the owner is sipping a coffee & watching from the curtoesy(?) area. Monkey.
after the cerb had the engine rebuild, this was a particular worry. all the careful running in & strictly observed warming up counts for nothing if some twat guns it from cold to impress his mates.
Took my M3 for a tyre balance once (while u wait type), the forman duly gave the keys to the fitter doing the work who proceed to jump in & spin the wheels into the workshop!!
I politely suggested he should refrain from said behaviour, particularly if the owner is sipping a coffee & watching from the curtoesy(?) area. Monkey.
Just about everytime I've been for a test-drive the salesman has always gunned it from cold....tossers.
Oddly enough the only exception to this was when I had 3 demo's in a T350, then they always warmed them up carefully.
It's a real eye opener if you pop round to the service/valeting bay, if it's a sports car everytime it gets moved the twats rev the nuts of them, I guess its just a quick thrill in a car they know they will never own, they don't seem to give a sh@t that its someones pride and joy.
Oddly enough the only exception to this was when I had 3 demo's in a T350, then they always warmed them up carefully.
It's a real eye opener if you pop round to the service/valeting bay, if it's a sports car everytime it gets moved the twats rev the nuts of them, I guess its just a quick thrill in a car they know they will never own, they don't seem to give a sh@t that its someones pride and joy.
This is why I'd never buy an ex-demo sportscar - you're inheriting the abuse of the sales people who will have taken the car home at the weekend and thrashed it for their mates.
Actually, I bet the service dept. could produce a rev range readout from the ECU. This would be very interesting for before and after a service and evaluating a demo "bargain".
Cheers
Grape
Actually, I bet the service dept. could produce a rev range readout from the ECU. This would be very interesting for before and after a service and evaluating a demo "bargain".
Cheers
Grape
Hows this then, take the brand new unregistered Caterham to be checked over before it's registered. It's got 60 miles on the clock when I drop it off. Pick it up the next day and check the tell-tale on the stack dash. Max figures are 122mph and 7,000rpm (red-line is 7,250) on a 60-mile old £8,000 engine
Thing is the mechanic must have know the Caterham stack dash recorded the maximums, he would have known how to clear the memory after his blat, but clearly didn't even give a toss that I'd find out - w@nker
Thing is the mechanic must have know the Caterham stack dash recorded the maximums, he would have known how to clear the memory after his blat, but clearly didn't even give a toss that I'd find out - w@nker
MikeE said:
Hows this then, take the brand new unregistered Caterham to be checked over before it's registered. It's got 60 miles on the clock when I drop it off. Pick it up the next day and check the tell-tale on the stack dash. Max figures are 122mph and 7,000rpm (red-line is 7,250) on a 60-mile old £8,000 engine
Thing is the mechanic must have know the Caterham stack dash recorded the maximums, he would have known how to clear the memory after his blat, but clearly didn't even give a toss that I'd find out - w@nker
What did they say when you mentioned it?
This is why i always note the mileage down when my car's with a garage. When i drop it off i ask whether they'll need to road test it and why. If not i inform them that i've recorded the mileage and expect it to be the same when i collect it. If they do need to i'll give them 2 miles before i ask questions.
agent006 said:
This is why i always note the mileage down when my car's with a garage. When i drop it off i ask whether they'll need to road test it and why. If not i inform them that i've recorded the mileage and expect it to be the same when i collect it. If they do need to i'll give them 2 miles before i ask questions.
You can still do a lot of damage in 2 miles if you're bouncing off the redline when cold...........
Still think a user selectable rev limiter is the way to go. Demon tweeks sell various ones, would be easy enough to hide the switch.
One thing i always do when my T350c goes in for any work, is have the service manager walk round the car with me, and mark on the service sheet any defects on the body, and even more the wheels, as most of you know how easy it is to kerb the wheels on a T350c (am i right???)
I know it sounds a tad sad, but they do the same to us when taking a courtesy car, and it could save a lot of hassle if you get home and find a bloody great gash in your alloys!!!!
Dave
I know it sounds a tad sad, but they do the same to us when taking a courtesy car, and it could save a lot of hassle if you get home and find a bloody great gash in your alloys!!!!
Dave
darreni said:
Still think a user selectable rev limiter is the way to go. Demon tweeks sell various ones, would be easy enough to hide the switch.
Don't know what you would set it at though - was at dealer when they were checking cooling fans, and to do that, they have to rev the engine quite a bit to get it properly up to temp to test the system.
There was a case of the Evo 7/8 that Autocar ran a year or so ago - took it for a service at a leggit Rallisport dealer (genuine Mitsubishi one). Anyway, journo went to pick it up and saw spotty yoof from said dealer thrashing it up and down the high street. Wheel spins, stupid speeds - the lot....
Rather silly thing to do as the dealer must have known it was a press car (it will say it on the plate, and I doubt the journo was picking up the tab!). Dealer, when confronted, didnt do much so journo reported them to Mitsubishi UK. From what I understand, said dealer was stripped of the Rallisport franchise and nearly lost the Mistubishi dealer altogether....
Makes you wonder what they do when you arent around....?
Rather silly thing to do as the dealer must have known it was a press car (it will say it on the plate, and I doubt the journo was picking up the tab!). Dealer, when confronted, didnt do much so journo reported them to Mitsubishi UK. From what I understand, said dealer was stripped of the Rallisport franchise and nearly lost the Mistubishi dealer altogether....
Makes you wonder what they do when you arent around....?
AlexRWD said:
My only TVR test drive experiences were in a T350 and a Tamora at Dream Machines, and they always warmed them up very carefully
When I went to see about buying my Griff from Mole Valley the car was well warmed up before the salesman took me out in it for a test drive. Then is was left running for about 10 minutes before they switched it off.
I was very pleased with the service I got from them.
Grouch.
grape said:
This is why I'd never buy an ex-demo sportscar - you're inheriting the abuse of the sales people who will have taken the car home at the weekend and thrashed it for their mates.
Grape
Bit of a generalisation there. From what I've seen, demos are treated with a lot of decorum and tend to be very well looked after. If I was going to abuse a car (which i wouldn't) I'd do it in one that I at least own ! Some of us are actually enthusiasts !
Gassing Station | Tamora, T350 & Sagaris | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff