How do you tell someone that their car is...

Joshy

Joshy

Joshy

Soldato
Joined
15 Jun 2009
Posts
5,016
Location
London
Well... ****.

One of the first year lads pulled his new purchase into the workshop the other day. This gem actually:

http://www.gumtree.com/p/cars-vans-motorbikes/vw-golf-gti-mk4/78310801

Looks wonderful doesn't it. You really have no clue.

We're well past the 'It's a bit tatty' stage with this one. The car is absolutely ******. An engine mount has collapsed to the point where the engine sits about 20 degrees on the ****, blown exhaust, indicators don't work, a nice big crease in the chassis, mismatched tyres on all four corners, rust, paintwork, that looks like someone has tried cleaning it with a pan scrubber, various oil leaks, the new pads and discs mentioned in the ad must have been fitted in 1999 because they aren't new now, and he hasn't even had it on a ramp for a proper inspection yet :eek: . It's shameful to think that anyone would actually PAY money for it, much less a mechanic, but that's another debate.

Problem is that this is a bit of a sensitive subject. Well, not for most of our techs who have spent the week taking the complete mick out of him, but the problem with me is that I care a little too much, I like the guy and I've been at the butt of 'You're are is ****' jokes myself, although with the main difference with mine being tatty and his being dangerous.

I've tried talking him around a little but it seems like the 'First car' goggles won't let him take a proper look. 'Oh, it's a run about' & 'I'm fixing it up slowly' is usually all i get.

So... Do I give up or do I persist? I'm just worried that this car plus his lax attitude towards speed limits (You heard it here first, it's okay to do 80MPH in a 30MPH zone if nobody is around...) things are going to end in tears.

Alternatively I could ignore the situation and enjoy the fact that I no longer have the 'worst' car in the car park :p.
 
Sometimes Josh you got to be cruel to be kind, its the bus for him, you can drop him at the right bus stop after work as a sign of good will :D
 
He's already bought the car, so giving 'advice' on a future purchase it out, so it begs the question; why do you feel the need to tell him at all?

I guess he already knows how most of his colleagues feel about the car, without someone acting like a self righteous arse to make him feel even worse.
 
What does he expect for 800 notes from a mk4 GTI, I'm pretty sure you need to spend 3k+ for a decent one still. Just tell him, he's not gunnna fall out with you, it ended in a little argument and us not speaking for the rest of the day but she knew what was coming in terms of repair cost at least
 
mk1_salami said:
He's already bought the car, so giving 'advice' on a future purchase it out, so it begs the question; why do you feel the need to tell him at all?

I guess he already knows how most of his colleagues feel about the car, without someone acting like a self righteous arse to make him feel even worse.
Click to expand...

I'm not trying to be self righteous because I haven't got anything to be self righteous about. I know how **** his wages are, I know how difficult it is to save up for a nice car when a self stacker at sainsbury's earns more than you do and I know how it feels to be proud of something and yet still have people take shots at it. I'm there right now. Main difference being is that with my cars they've been tatty but mechanically speaking pretty sound, his is tatty which I'm sure he sees, but his is dangerous too. Something that I'm not sure he quite comprehends.

It is all too easy to make the 'Your car is ****' comment once in a while, talk behind his back and generally ignore the situation like the rest of the workshop, but being me, I want to help him mainly because I've been there and done it.
 
Just because you have little to no money to spend on a car it doesn't mean you have to buy a **** heap though. My first car was £900 and was not tatty, it was also mechanically sound. But then I don't work in the motor industry...
 
I'd just be honest and tell him he's bought a dog, if he wants to do it up he can - but it'll cost more than just buying a decent one. So, if you were him, you'd bang it into an auction and move on :D
 
Told my brother fair and square the Rover Metro convertible he'd bought was a ****ing deathtrap. Meh, that's what mates are for.

Point and laugh heartily.. I did. :D


Then we went down to the beach in it. :D
 
Should've got a scabby mk2 for that money. Would've been a better bet as a fixer-upper and a hell of a lot more fun to drive.
It'll be a good learning experience if it doesn't kill him!
 
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