How not to sell a car

roboffer

roboffer

roboffer

Soldato
Joined
18 Oct 2002
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Location
Sunderland
May as well start with a link to the car in question.

http://www.red-line-racing.co.uk/motor_details.asp?id=984

Was off to Spain last Saturday afternoon, and my brother thought that due to the price, reasonable mileage and the description of the car as being "immaculate" by the sales guy we should pop down and have a butchers. Turned up at 9am on the dot, manager turns up in the T-Sport.

First apologies that he has no fuel in the car, garage has its pumps closed (which Im sure was not the case when we drove past it 2 minutes before hand) then apologies again for not having the car valeted, as they said they would before we got there.

So started to nose about, and found numerous scratches, some minor, some not so minor, scrapes on the alloys, carpets and mats were filthy, stitching coming away on the drivers seat.

That got me annoyed to begin with, having spent ~3 hours on a trip to Leeds and back and to find the condition probably hovering around good didnt exactly get us in the mood to buy. My 12/13 year old FTO is in better condition that that car, how can dealers get away with describing things as immaculate when they blatently arent?

Anyway, guy went off with my brother to view his Leon for a part-ex so I kepy having a nose around. Picked up the service book, checked the intervals, where they were done etc etc and then picked up a folder the salesman had left in the car too.

Flicking thorugh receipts for services, came across a recipt from a bodyshop for a rear lisght cluster, bumper and bodywork! Couldnt believe the garage would be so stupid to leave something indicating accident damage in the car with the service receipts!

So decided against it on all the above points, what a joker the salesman was and I'd certinaly cross it off my list of places to ever visit again!

So a tip for budding salesmen out there - check what receipts you leave with the car when you come to sell!
 
I had experience of similar events myself. Last year myself and a friend set off to Bradford to see a "mint" E class. When we got there the dealer was ever so slightly less than helpful, and the car was a POS at best. We had a little bit of a rant at the guy before we set about on our merry way home, 10 mins after we got there.
 
To be fair at least the receipt was there for you to look at. It shows that they are honest and up front about it, better than them binning the receipt and denying all knowledge!!
 
[TW]Fox said:
Lucky escape there, TSports are rubbish compared to everything else for similar cash.
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See Im not really sure what he should be buying, top end of the budget is probably around £8,000 - Ive previously tried to steer him in the direction of a Type-R. You thoughts?

And I know what this place is like with recommendations and I echo a lot, but high mileage is out of the question as is anything bigger than a hatch I would think.
 
wonder_lander said:
To be fair at least the receipt was there for you to look at. It shows that they are honest and up front about it, better than them binning the receipt and denying all knowledge!!
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Im not so sure it wasnt just incompetence, it makes no sense to anyone to include such a receipt. I nearly asked him about if he knew there had been any damage in the past, but I didnt bother in the end as we really werent all that interested anyway.
 
[TW]Fox said:
Seat Leon Cupra, Octavia vRS, Focus ST170, Civic Type R, Clio 182, all better than the T-Dreary
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Currently on a Leon so I think that would be out, Im buying a vRS so he aint allowed one of them, and has previously owned a Clio too. Slower, inferior models of the Leon and Clio granted but I think going back to a previous car is a no go for a lot of people.

That leaves the Focus, and the one I keep pointing him towards. The Type-R. I think I need to get him out in one, and hope that sways him!

Mohinder said:
My sister's got one, she was really disappointed with it.
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Was? Or is? Im not the biggest fan of them by a long shot, I dont dislike them massively - there are just other things I personally would buy with the money.
 
roboffer said:
Was? Or is? Im not the biggest fan of them by a long shot, I dont dislike them massively - there are just other things I personally would buy with the money.
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Is, I think. She's had troubles with it, and they've tried to fob her off a bit. They've not had much luck though, seeing as she's been in the car trade for about ten years and has worked at probably 8 dealerships in this town, she knows her rights :D

I think she just feels a bit let down overall, I think it's her first brand new car and it's not been what she hoped for in any way. Like you say, she'd buy something else given the choice again.
 
roboffer said:
That leaves the Focus, and the one I keep pointing him towards. The Type-R. I think I need to get him out in one, and hope that sways him!
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The ST170 is a nice car, quickish hatch for very little money. The Civic however is in a completely different league in terms of performance.
 
Had a similar experience a few weeks ago with a main Lotus dealer, "Dream Machines" in Sussex. Everything sounded great over the phone, "immaculate" "mint" "like new"... got down there after a 120mile trip and the car was nothing like described. Rips to the seats, paint work chips in unusual places, doors rattled terribly, oil was low, coolant was below minimum...

Not happy.
 
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