Caporegime
If they CBA to sell you one just thing what would happen when its discovered as stolen / crash damaged / breaks.
Used car buying... why is it so rubbish?
- Thread starter lordrobs
- Start date
![[TW]Fox](/data/man-of-honor/2009.png){kind=avatar}
If I drive 200 miles to look at a car after multiple assurances that its one thing and it is actually another thing, they have wasted my time and money. I'm probably not as aggressive as you're imagining... More sort of "Yes but you said it was X and Y but its Z" and "You said it had X and Y but it doesn't have X or Y" rather than "YOURE A ****ING LIAR IM GOING TO KILL YOU AND YOUR FAMILY"
Anyone who drives 200 miles to view a ropey old 3 series is asking for trouble.
Caporegime
I think it was actually 180 miles. And as a round trip, not each way.
In the pictures it looked immaculate, only reason we bothered. Got there and it had actually accumulated some damage since the pictures were taken, and up close in the areas the pictures didn't cover it was just a total dog. Suspension was knocking. No coolant in it. It was listed at £2000. Offered the guy £1000 and he laughed and said good luck buying a decent one of these for £1000.
So we promptly went and bought a decent one of those for £1000...
In the pictures it looked immaculate, only reason we bothered. Got there and it had actually accumulated some damage since the pictures were taken, and up close in the areas the pictures didn't cover it was just a total dog. Suspension was knocking. No coolant in it. It was listed at £2000. Offered the guy £1000 and he laughed and said good luck buying a decent one of these for £1000.
So we promptly went and bought a decent one of those for £1000...
No £2000 320d is ever immaculate. No £10,000 320d is!
Caporegime
Relative to other E46 320D's on the market at the time...........................................
Suspended
Posted about it a few times on here but was looking at m2's, 3's and 4's before I bought the porsche. The state of some 1 and 2 year old cars was utterly unreal.
Scuffs all over the place. Alloys completely borked. Interior totally shagged. Had one with cigarette burns all over it and the dealer considered it to be a minor cosmetic issue...I'm talking doors, seats and even headliner.
Scuffs all over the place. Alloys completely borked. Interior totally shagged. Had one with cigarette burns all over it and the dealer considered it to be a minor cosmetic issue...I'm talking doors, seats and even headliner.
I bought my X5 from Sytner Sunningdale yesterday. They were pretty good to deal with. No issues and helpful all the way. Taking it back next week though for some remedial cosmetic work so will see how smoothly that process goes.
Immaculate isn't a relative term.
Caporegime
Put a sock in it Fox, you're making this very difficult.
"It looked to be in very good condition compared to similar models which were on the market at the time, based on the pictures provided in the advert, combined with the description"
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Cars nowadays are shocking condition. I've lost count of the 'immaculate' cars I've travelled hours to see, only to be presented with something I would be ashamed of selling.
Unless buying from a main dealer I far prefer to buy privately (and even then I've had bad main dealer experiences). Dealers offer literally nothing for the extra money they charge. They simply slap a near worthless 3 month 'warranty' on it. They often don't even prepare the car before you view it, in case they have to punt it on again to the auction network.
Unless buying from a main dealer I far prefer to buy privately (and even then I've had bad main dealer experiences). Dealers offer literally nothing for the extra money they charge. They simply slap a near worthless 3 month 'warranty' on it. They often don't even prepare the car before you view it, in case they have to punt it on again to the auction network.
Caporegime
Main dealers are my preference. The quality of the cars I've found to be excellent. Plus and proper warranty.
Main dealers will usually fix small bits of damage they find, which is why they look in better condition.
The health of the engine is the important thing but it's very difficult to tell just by looking at it. A car can LOOK pristine, but have a time bomb under the bonnet
They might have cleaned up the interior and fixed dents, but there's no way they cracked open the engine to check that.
They say it's "approved", but what is approved about it exactly? How do we know this more expensive car is healthier than one Dave down the road is selling?
The health of the engine is the important thing but it's very difficult to tell just by looking at it. A car can LOOK pristine, but have a time bomb under the bonnet
They might have cleaned up the interior and fixed dents, but there's no way they cracked open the engine to check that.They say it's "approved", but what is approved about it exactly? How do we know this more expensive car is healthier than one Dave down the road is selling?
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I'm sure there are plenty of good dealers out there. Unfortunately I'm not in a great position for searching as I have a tight budget for what they want me to get, I need to arrange something fairly quickly and I can't take too much time out of my work day to try and sort it so its not like I can just go and browse a few places.
I did have a slight run in with the VW main dealers salesman previously and I wasn't even buying, I was getting my Passat serviced. I was sat there while they were writing up the paperwork and the salesman within earshot was giving it large to his colleagues "I'm like a machine... you know when something just builds momentum and everything starts spinning... and its like *starts spinning his arms* WHOOSH WHOOSH WHOOSH and nothing can stop it... that's me right now" after flogging some old boy a Golf or something.
Anyway, after his little performance he decided that he should probably sort the deposit from said old boy who'd been left at the sales desk. Unfortunately by this point the one chip and pin machine was being used by the guy sorting my service out. "Have you finished with that because, like some of us are trying to close a sale here." "Yeah its a shame we only have one machine isn't it. Here you are sir, take your time to check the amount and enter your pin" At this point my spider senses alerted me to the fact this guy was breathing down my neck so I turn round and he's gesticulating to his colleague. I look back and said service guy was giving looks back. At this point I kind of lost patience with the situation and wanted to asked if customers were always stuck in the middle of trying to wind each other up or was I just getting special treatment but being painfully British I just thanked them and took my keys
My boss got a quote on WBAC for mine. I told him what they were like but he asked me to get a final value in person anyway. I explained the situation and it instantly put the guy at odds because I didn't fit their "well I'm commited to the one I'm buying and this one needs to go so I'll take whatever" customer profile. Anyway, after a look, rubbing every panel with his finger and sticking a magnet on every square inch of the car we ended up naff all 'because stone chips'. After I stopped laughing I thanked him for his time and left.
I did have a slight run in with the VW main dealers salesman previously and I wasn't even buying, I was getting my Passat serviced. I was sat there while they were writing up the paperwork and the salesman within earshot was giving it large to his colleagues "I'm like a machine... you know when something just builds momentum and everything starts spinning... and its like *starts spinning his arms* WHOOSH WHOOSH WHOOSH and nothing can stop it... that's me right now" after flogging some old boy a Golf or something.
Anyway, after his little performance he decided that he should probably sort the deposit from said old boy who'd been left at the sales desk. Unfortunately by this point the one chip and pin machine was being used by the guy sorting my service out. "Have you finished with that because, like some of us are trying to close a sale here." "Yeah its a shame we only have one machine isn't it. Here you are sir, take your time to check the amount and enter your pin" At this point my spider senses alerted me to the fact this guy was breathing down my neck so I turn round and he's gesticulating to his colleague. I look back and said service guy was giving looks back. At this point I kind of lost patience with the situation and wanted to asked if customers were always stuck in the middle of trying to wind each other up or was I just getting special treatment but being painfully British I just thanked them and took my keys
My boss got a quote on WBAC for mine. I told him what they were like but he asked me to get a final value in person anyway. I explained the situation and it instantly put the guy at odds because I didn't fit their "well I'm commited to the one I'm buying and this one needs to go so I'll take whatever" customer profile. Anyway, after a look, rubbing every panel with his finger and sticking a magnet on every square inch of the car we ended up naff all 'because stone chips'. After I stopped laughing I thanked him for his time and left.
At this point I kind of lost patience with the situation and wanted to asked if customers were always stuck in the middle of trying to wind each other up or was I just getting special treatment but being painfully British I just thanked them and took my keys
I gave up with being polite British and just say whats on my mind now. It's funny how stunned people get when you bluntly call them out in this country
I gave up with being polite British and just say whats on my mind now. It's funny how stunned people get when you bluntly call them out in this country
A bit like when people call you out on the rubbish you post
A bit like when people call you out on the rubbish you post
And you.
Arnold clark haev been my worst, they knew I wanted to use the diseasel trade in
Wanted a Focus ST Diseasal Estate in Grey with a sunroof, told them that ont eh phoen adn I was looking to test drive... "come on Down"
No estates in stock
No ST's in stock
Nothing with the same engine to test drive
Offered me a lesser spec car, in the wrong colour ST-Line, no leather interior and no sunroof
Couldn't have been further from what I actually mentioned on the phone lmao
In hindsight probably a good thing as shortly after this 2 little midgets arrived haha
I've promised myself that if the lad I sold my last car to comes to sell it I'll just buy it back lol
Wanted a Focus ST Diseasal Estate in Grey with a sunroof, told them that ont eh phoen adn I was looking to test drive... "come on Down"
No estates in stock
No ST's in stock
Nothing with the same engine to test drive
Offered me a lesser spec car, in the wrong colour ST-Line, no leather interior and no sunroof
Couldn't have been further from what I actually mentioned on the phone lmao
In hindsight probably a good thing as shortly after this 2 little midgets arrived haha
I've promised myself that if the lad I sold my last car to comes to sell it I'll just buy it back lol
Suspended
The branch near Benton asda?
Nah the one on Scotswood road
Benton Asda just as bad like lol?
Benton Asda just as bad like lol?
Soldato
so the reason I hate traders etc on the cheaper end especially is the full on lies, or lack of details of every car! and the complete lack of ability to communicate with potential customers.
e.g. from 2 weeks ago when we looked for a car for under £3k for my brother and his partner.
after a bit of searching they decided that the cars that fit their needs were -;
toyota aygo
mazda 2(their favorite)
toyota iq(bottom end of the market with that budget)
so we look around, find a few for sale.
narrow it down to 3 potential ones from traders. - 10-30 car in stock kinda business.
first one the ad has no real info other than "2 owners, recent mot, full history £XXXX"
we call, guy is all chatty and super happy to brag how great the car is etc, so we go and see it first.
literally as soon as I got to the car the rear arch is covered in filler, badly repaired, bad colour match etc..
the interior trim is falling apart, the front shock is leaking etc.. told him we're not interested and we're off, he got very upset and kept repeating "but it's full SH"
so we leave that going to see the 2nd one.
under 70k miles, decent mot history, full service etc low owners, well reviewed dealer.
this guy gives us the keys and walks away, great we can have a good look around the car.
paint faded, interior disgusting even mouldy at parts, car is covered in mud and bird poo etc..
full history etc but no paper work to prove it, check oil level? way under minimum, try oil cap? screwed on so tight I couldn't undo it. Walked away from this one too.
3rd one we see, orange, they love the colour, it's a sport trim so a few fancy bits on it etc.
car looks great, guy is a proper hard on sales man talking the talk etc..
starts the car from cold, redlines it to show me how smooth the engine is - ehem thank you.
anyway, we test drive it etc and there's a very bad clunk from the rear.. i tell him about it, he jumps in the car tells me how "if you dont want it then you dont want it I got someone else to buy it" and drives off to park it up
walks off without saying anything. Oh well, we leave that too.
4th car we look at is a suzuki swift, was local to the 3rd so we though we'll have a look.
end of story, clutch gone STINKS after normal driving slips constantly etc.. guy is adamant that it is not the clutch even tho it stinks bad, I tell him it is, he gets upset tells me he's been trading since 1995 and he knows whats up.. so we leave.
5th car I find locally, private seller selling his mums toyota IQ for a bit under market value and it just gets in their budget, we go have a look the car checks out.. a few bits need doing aka it's due a service so we knock the service price down from the asking, everything else is fine.
they buy the car and drive away.
wish we went private rather than spend whole day driving around london etc trying to find a decent trader selling something as described.
e.g. from 2 weeks ago when we looked for a car for under £3k for my brother and his partner.
after a bit of searching they decided that the cars that fit their needs were -;
toyota aygo
mazda 2(their favorite)
toyota iq(bottom end of the market with that budget)
so we look around, find a few for sale.
narrow it down to 3 potential ones from traders. - 10-30 car in stock kinda business.
first one the ad has no real info other than "2 owners, recent mot, full history £XXXX"
we call, guy is all chatty and super happy to brag how great the car is etc, so we go and see it first.
literally as soon as I got to the car the rear arch is covered in filler, badly repaired, bad colour match etc..
the interior trim is falling apart, the front shock is leaking etc.. told him we're not interested and we're off, he got very upset and kept repeating "but it's full SH"
so we leave that going to see the 2nd one.
under 70k miles, decent mot history, full service etc low owners, well reviewed dealer.
this guy gives us the keys and walks away, great we can have a good look around the car.
paint faded, interior disgusting even mouldy at parts, car is covered in mud and bird poo etc..
full history etc but no paper work to prove it, check oil level? way under minimum, try oil cap? screwed on so tight I couldn't undo it. Walked away from this one too.
3rd one we see, orange, they love the colour, it's a sport trim so a few fancy bits on it etc.
car looks great, guy is a proper hard on sales man talking the talk etc..
starts the car from cold, redlines it to show me how smooth the engine is - ehem thank you.
anyway, we test drive it etc and there's a very bad clunk from the rear.. i tell him about it, he jumps in the car tells me how "if you dont want it then you dont want it I got someone else to buy it" and drives off to park it up
walks off without saying anything. Oh well, we leave that too.4th car we look at is a suzuki swift, was local to the 3rd so we though we'll have a look.
end of story, clutch gone STINKS after normal driving slips constantly etc.. guy is adamant that it is not the clutch even tho it stinks bad, I tell him it is, he gets upset tells me he's been trading since 1995 and he knows whats up.. so we leave.
5th car I find locally, private seller selling his mums toyota IQ for a bit under market value and it just gets in their budget, we go have a look the car checks out.. a few bits need doing aka it's due a service so we knock the service price down from the asking, everything else is fine.
they buy the car and drive away.
wish we went private rather than spend whole day driving around london etc trying to find a decent trader selling something as described.