Autotrader

L0rdMike · 10 Oct 2006 at 13:54

Anyone else unhappy with the adverts on Autotrader.

Just gone 15miles to look at a car that looked good in the 2 pics provided and was pretty much a standard type of advert.

Went down and had a look from a distance the car looked great. As I got closer I noticed that the sidemirrors had been colour coded and quite badly too. Looked down and the front splitter and a smal crack in it.

So far not so bad no big problems. The car ad said leather seats, had a look inside and well where was the leather? :eek:

It was so ripped to bits with massive holes in you couldnt really call it a seat let alone leather.

The car looks like its had the windscreen replaced at sometime and the seals look taty and rust had kicked in around them.

Work my way to the rear and have a look at the arches, bubble city.

Overall the car wasnt all that bad I guess but if the car had been say on ebay I wouldnt of had to go look at a car that would have been described better and would have a load of pics of the problems so I could make a choice from the comfort of my falling apart computer chair.

Does this happen often with Autotrader ads? Are the cars general not described to the extent they should be?

Firestar_3x · 10 Oct 2006 at 13:55

I like looking through autotrader but i've never used it to buy a car, guess its Mk1 shopping then

kaiowas · 10 Oct 2006 at 13:56

From that description it sounds like you're looking at mk1s again.....

moss · 10 Oct 2006 at 14:01

L0rdMike said:
Does this happen often with Autotrader ads? Are the cars general not described to the extent they should be?

I made a thread about this a couple of weeks ago, I viewed a few cars, which were nothing like the way they were described. Spent a fair bit on petrol and wasted lots of time.

L0rdMike · 10 Oct 2006 at 14:50

Yep was a MK1. Had the Tbar blinds missing too.

Serj · 10 Oct 2006 at 14:50

I think with the majority of trade adverts, the car is usually as described. Tends to be a different story with private ads however.

[edit] Ah it was trade...

kaiowas · 10 Oct 2006 at 14:57

Those wheels are minging

Not sure that it's just an autotrader thing though, people on IMOC are always complaining about people 'ignoring' common faults when advertising a mk1. Personally I'd ask all sorts of questions about the obvious bits before going to view the car then I could get REALLY mad at them if they've still managed to waste my time.

kaiowas · 11 Oct 2006 at 20:18

Mike, just seen this one on eBay, looks nice (mk1b in silver is very unusual) although the main pic was taken ages ago as there's snow in it! and the price is good atm as well.

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=290037126357

[TW]Fox · 11 Oct 2006 at 20:31

You are trying to buy a 20 year old cheap sportscar (Heaven only knows why)

What are you expecting, concours condition?

agw_01 · 11 Oct 2006 at 20:35

[TW]Fox said:
You are trying to buy a 20 year old cheap sportscar (Heaven only knows why)

I was going to ask exactly the same thing.

JRS · 11 Oct 2006 at 20:42

[TW]Fox said:
You are trying to buy a 20 year old cheap sportscar (Heaven only knows why)

Same reason that I hang my nose over ludicrously large pieces of American pig iron, or you hang your nose over cars that a lot of people on here wouldn't consider until they were 35 maybe?

[TW]Fox said:
What are you expecting, concours condition?

I know that I'd expect an honest advert to point out problems the car has. When I saw the Olds on Ebay, the seller had taken photographs of the bits that were fairly grotty and was completely honest about her condition. Which is why I won the auction, took £460 in cash with me and a toolbox, got the car running properly and bought it without having an argument with the seller

[TW]Fox · 11 Oct 2006 at 21:47

JRS said:
I know that I'd expect an honest advert to point out problems the car has.

It's Autotrader, not Ebay.

When was the last time you saw:

1995 Ford Fiesta 1.3 LX

Low mileage for year, usual refinements, rusty rear arch, dent in door, covered in swirlmarks, lots of stonechips and interior that has seen better days. MOT and Tax, £599 ONO

Oh wait, you never do

JRS · 11 Oct 2006 at 21:51

[TW]Fox said:
snip

Point taken

kaiowas · 11 Oct 2006 at 22:01

[TW]Fox said:
It's Autotrader, not Ebay.

When was the last time you saw:

1995 Ford Fiesta 1.3 LX

Low mileage for year, usual refinements, rusty rear arch, dent in door, covered in swirlmarks, lots of stonechips and interior that has seen better days. MOT and Tax, £599 ONO

Oh wait, you never do

Which if you were paying attention instead of doing your usual trick of making snide remarks about any car which isn't a BMW or Mondeo is the whole point of this thread.

Considering autotrader is supposed to be the 'main' way of selling a car privately it has failed dismally to respond to newer competitors such eBay who offer sellers the means to be honest and give a full description of a car. All you get on autotrader is room for a whole bunch of acronyms which tell you nothing meaningful about the car which for what it costs is very poor value compared to eBay.

[TW]Fox · 11 Oct 2006 at 22:02

kaiowas said:
Which if you were paying attention instead of doing your usual trick of making snide remarks about any car which isn't a BMW or Mondeo is the whole point of this thread.

And had you not been quite so keen to jump in with that ridiculously inaccurate yet oft-repeated snide jibe, you'll have realised that isn't actually what he was moaning about at all, he was claiming the car was not as described.

Which, IMHO, is not the case.

gc123 · 12 Oct 2006 at 01:41

[TW]Fox said:
And had you not been quite so keen to jump in with that ridiculously inaccurate yet oft-repeated snide jibe, you'll have realised that isn't actually what he was moaning about at all, he was claiming the car was not as described.

Which, IMHO, is not the case.

sorry for derailing this thread . but i for one am getting more than a bit fed up with this backbiting.

i have never met fox and probably never will, ( i have even had the odd heated disagreement with him) but i have noticed off late, certain members seem to enjoy just having ago at him for no reason.
this spoils the atmosphere.

now back to the post.....yes there are a lot of time wasting adverts in the autotrader, this is why i normally end up phoning at different times of the day and sometimes 2 or 3 times, its amazing what little facts come out.

willd58 · 12 Oct 2006 at 01:50

gc123 said:
i have never met fox and probably never will, ( i have even had the odd heated disagreement with him) but i have noticed off late, certain members seem to enjoy just having ago at him for no reason.
this spoils the atmosphere.

Weve had big threads on it, people dont like his criticism, i think its fairly funny, swings and roundabouts, some people need to learn that whilst others have a different opinion it doesnt mean there trying to insult anyone, the guy gives as good as he gets, and you dont see him crying out for a waaaambulance.

gc123 · 12 Oct 2006 at 02:00

willd58 said:
Weve had big threads on it, people dont like his criticism, i think its fairly funny, swings and roundabouts, some people need to learn that whilst others have a different opinion it doesnt mean there trying to insult anyone, the guy gives as good as he gets, and you dont see him crying out for a waaaambulance.

thanks, i am not defending him, (he can do that himself) its just its happening all too often now. you get half way through a thread and bang goes off at 90 degrees. everybody is allowed there own veiws, but it gets beyond a joke.

Duke · 12 Oct 2006 at 08:10

So when can I pickup your MR2, L0rdMike?

Lashout_UK · 12 Oct 2006 at 08:29

It will happen wherever you go - the way some sellers can get carried away is amazing - I guess you turn a blind eye to your own cars defects and if you want to get the most attention, you assume it'll be better not to mention the bad points!

Finding a true advert for a car that reflects on or excels what is said, now that, that's something