Would a dealer get uppity?
Discussion
If I turn up with my £20,000 OBD computer would you let me insert it into your car?
markmullen said:
We're always happy to take a car to our workshop and get it up on a ramp, with one of our marque expert mechanics, to show a customer around. Included in this we'll show them through the car's diagnostics with our specialist systems tester which cost many thousands of pounds (and is constantly updated, also at a cost of thousands of pounds a year).
There is a massive difference between that and letting a customer loose with their own tools (of unknown provenance) and hoping they know how to use them without damaging the car.
To those decrying this approach, look at it another way, if you were selling your car privately how would you feel about some random having a play with a fleabay special Mickey Mouse tester on it? Only the scale is difference when working in a dealer.
There is a massive difference between that and letting a customer loose with their own tools (of unknown provenance) and hoping they know how to use them without damaging the car.
To those decrying this approach, look at it another way, if you were selling your car privately how would you feel about some random having a play with a fleabay special Mickey Mouse tester on it? Only the scale is difference when working in a dealer.
Ari said:
Will it show up knackered suspension? A whining diff? An oil leak? A dripping sunroof? That the tracking is out? That a nasty smell has been covered up by the air freshener? That the air con has a leak and will need the entire dash pulling out to fix? That the car hasn't been serviced properly? That the spare tyre is punctured?
Get away from my car you!
Vyse said:
If I turn up with my £20,000 OBD computer would you let me insert it into your car?
You would have no reason to bring your own £20,000 computer when Mark has already said one of his technicians would use their up to date software, allow you to watch and run through the diagnostic software and even inspect the car on their ramps.markmullen said:
We're always happy to take a car to our workshop and get it up on a ramp, with one of our marque expert mechanics, to show a customer around. Included in this we'll show them through the car's diagnostics with our specialist systems tester which cost many thousands of pounds (and is constantly updated, also at a cost of thousands of pounds a year).
There is a massive difference between that and letting a customer loose with their own tools (of unknown provenance) and hoping they know how to use them without damaging the car.
To those decrying this approach, look at it another way, if you were selling your car privately how would you feel about some random having a play with a fleabay special Mickey Mouse tester on it? Only the scale is difference when working in a dealer.
There is a massive difference between that and letting a customer loose with their own tools (of unknown provenance) and hoping they know how to use them without damaging the car.
To those decrying this approach, look at it another way, if you were selling your car privately how would you feel about some random having a play with a fleabay special Mickey Mouse tester on it? Only the scale is difference when working in a dealer.
More than generous.
I'm really struggling to see why you wouldn't let someone check the codes on a car? A £15 quid ebay code reader is precisely that, a cheap code reader. You'll be lucky if the things connects, let alone doing some form of damage. I'm struggling to think of many ways you could use fully fledged dealer systems to cause accidental 'damage', let alone the cheap tat out there.
Question to those dealers that say no to a diagnostic check, but would say yes to a AA/RAC inspection - Would you let a trained mechanic with decent gear who was interested in buying one of your vehicles run a diagnostic check?
Question to those dealers that say no to a diagnostic check, but would say yes to a AA/RAC inspection - Would you let a trained mechanic with decent gear who was interested in buying one of your vehicles run a diagnostic check?
Vyse said:
If I turn up with my £20,000 OBD computer would you let me insert it into your car?
Are you being pedantic for the take of it? It would take an oddball to do such a thing given how well regarded Specialist Cars of Malton are. I think pretty much all dealers would tell you to jog in if you asked to plug in a diagnostics machine or generic obd reader into a car they were selling. I got some odd looks when I asked to check over a car with my PTG a few years back!
LayZ said:
If I go and visit a dealer with my bluetooth ODB2 reader in hand expecting to scan the car for faults how is that going to go down?
Like a s
t sandwich in the vast majority of situations as it's saying right from the off: "I don't trust you, the quality of the vehicles you sell, the workmanship of your technicians, your equipment, have no faith in your aftercare or the manufacturer you represent, I'm only here because you might just have a suitable car at an agreeable price, bit I know better than you if it's one worth buying".
The logical response to which is: "That's your prerogative to have no faith in me as a dealer or in the quality of my stock. Please exercise it elsewhere".
When you go into a restaurant, do you go and plonk a temperature gauge in your meat as it's cooking because you don't trust the chef to know what they're doing? of course not and if you asked to, I'd expect you to be politely asked to find an alternative dining establishment.
So yes, a dealer would likely be affronted.
Howard- said:
A fault of any significance will show up as an engine management warning light on the dashboard, so I don't see the point? The dealer probably won't care, but you might look a bit silly.
BMW faults don't show on the dash.A friend of mine in the trade takes his reader with him and plugs it in before buying, who cares if it looks silly to some? He's far from daft I know that.
Zwolf said:
LayZ said:
If I go and visit a dealer with my bluetooth ODB2 reader in hand expecting to scan the car for faults how is that going to go down?
Like a st sandwich in the vast majority of situations as it's saying right from the off: "I don't trust you, the quality of the vehicles you sell, the workmanship of your technicians, your equipment, have no faith in your aftercare or the manufacturer you represent, I'm only here because you might just have a suitable car at an agreeable price, bit I know better than you if it's one worth buying".
The logical response to which is: "That's your prerogative to have no faith in me as a dealer or in the quality of my stock. Please exercise it elsewhere".
When you go into a restaurant, do you go and plonk a temperature gauge in your meat as it's cooking because you don't trust the chef to know what they're doing? of course not and if you asked to, I'd expect you to be politely asked to find an alternative dining establishment.
So yes, a dealer would likely be affronted.
Other than the slightest possibility of 'damage' being caused to the vehicle it is absolutely no different from checking the bodywork, interior condition or tyre tread depths. Do you get upset when customers check those when purchasing a car, or do you expect them to trust the 'workmanship of your technicians' on that front too?
Zwolf said:
Like a st sandwich in the vast majority of situations as it's saying right from the off:
"I don't trust you, the quality of the vehicles you sell, the workmanship of your technicians, your equipment, have no faith in your aftercare or the manufacturer you represent, I'm only here because you might just have a suitable car at an agreeable price, bit I know better than you if it's one worth buying".
The logical response to which is: "That's your prerogative to have no faith in me as a dealer or in the quality of my stock. Please exercise it elsewhere".
Well yeah, and for good reason. I go to car dealers expecting they are trying to get one over on me and most punters and all the threads where dealers have been involved on PH have done nothing to change my mind on that.t sandwich in the vast majority of situations as it's saying right from the off: "I don't trust you, the quality of the vehicles you sell, the workmanship of your technicians, your equipment, have no faith in your aftercare or the manufacturer you represent, I'm only here because you might just have a suitable car at an agreeable price, bit I know better than you if it's one worth buying".
The logical response to which is: "That's your prerogative to have no faith in me as a dealer or in the quality of my stock. Please exercise it elsewhere".
If it was 2 year old approved used Lexus I can see your point, but buying average age stock on modern cars, which are hugely complex is a minefield.
My boss would rather be fked up the arse with a bargepole than let someone use a code reader of dubious pedigree on one of our cars. We will, however, get a technician to plug our kit in and run through it with the customer present.
EFA: on page 1 someone mentioned PIWIS being the only way to check over revs on a Porsche. Not so - Autologic does it just as well, and i think Snap-On also make something similar.
ked up the arse with a bargepole than let someone use a code reader of dubious pedigree on one of our cars. We will, however, get a technician to plug our kit in and run through it with the customer present. EFA: on page 1 someone mentioned PIWIS being the only way to check over revs on a Porsche. Not so - Autologic does it just as well, and i think Snap-On also make something similar.
the e60 I bought had about 20 faults which didnt show any dash lights - but did on a bmw code reader, i would urge anyone buying a 2nd hand beemer to get a fault code check before and after the test drive.
Remember that a fault code can be reset and some wont show until you drive the car.
Remember that a fault code can be reset and some wont show until you drive the car.
hman said:
the e60 I bought had about 20 faults which didnt show any dash lights - but did on a bmw code reader, i would urge anyone buying a 2nd hand beemer to get a fault code check before and after the test drive.
Remember that a fault code can be reset and some wont show until you drive the car.
So what repairs had to be carried out in order to delete 20 fault codes?Remember that a fault code can be reset and some wont show until you drive the car.
Or where they historic codes that had not been cleared in the past?
I struggle to see why some of you think you're better with an aftermarket scanner than a trained mechanic with the correct software? All of us have agreed that we would get mechanic out of the workshop to run a diagnostic check with a customer.
So why is this thread still rumbling on?
So why is this thread still rumbling on?
When I sold my previous car, I had a good feeling about the first bloke who came to see it, he was clearly ready to buy, and had money. So I spent over an hour showing him around the car, explaining various things to him and what to look out for. Had he wanted to do an scanner check he would have been my guest.
POORCARDEALER said:
hman said:
the e60 I bought had about 20 faults which didnt show any dash lights - but did on a bmw code reader, i would urge anyone buying a 2nd hand beemer to get a fault code check before and after the test drive.
Remember that a fault code can be reset and some wont show until you drive the car.
So what repairs had to be carried out in order to delete 20 fault codes?Remember that a fault code can be reset and some wont show until you drive the car.
Or where they historic codes that had not been cleared in the past?
2 x fuel injectors,
glow plug relay
fuel filter
fuel filter heater
Intelligent Battery Sensor
fuel pump (intermittent pressure regulator fault)
map sensor
regen of dpf inhibited by low engine temp ( failed thermostats)
Auto box valve position incorrect (intermittent)
electric window safety cut off position incorrect
Had I have known these faults I would have walked away - instead I learnt the hard way, never buy a beemer without a code check first.
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