Second hand car query
Discussion
I sell used cars. Currently have a bit of a situation involving an unhappy customer and would like to know what the masses think regarding the situation. It may change my view on things. It's a 2008 prestige German 4x4 on around 70k miles and purchased at a reasonable price.
Sold a car to a customer who was 200/250 miles from us.
Customer experienced an issue around 2 weeks and 1000 miles after purchase and ended up taking the car into a main dealer to have it looked at.
Customer proceeded to have them do a dpf regen and replace a dpf sensor and ended up with a bill of around £700.
Customer never contacted us to report an issue, nor did he contact the warranty company that the vehicle had been supplied with ( in fairness it would not cover a dpf regen ).
Customer has sent us bill demanding we reimburse him.
Are his actions reasonable?
Sold a car to a customer who was 200/250 miles from us.
Customer experienced an issue around 2 weeks and 1000 miles after purchase and ended up taking the car into a main dealer to have it looked at.
Customer proceeded to have them do a dpf regen and replace a dpf sensor and ended up with a bill of around £700.
Customer never contacted us to report an issue, nor did he contact the warranty company that the vehicle had been supplied with ( in fairness it would not cover a dpf regen ).
Customer has sent us bill demanding we reimburse him.
Are his actions reasonable?
A) What's the DPF replacement schedule on the car? I seem to recall some are 72,000 miles anyway?
B) Is the supplying dealer not supposed to be given the chance to make good first?
C) Is there no requirement, similar to with insurance claims, for the customer to only incur reasonable expenses? Taking an eight year old car to a main dealer seems to me to be unreasonable, when you could probably take it to an indy for half the price.
B) Is the supplying dealer not supposed to be given the chance to make good first?
C) Is there no requirement, similar to with insurance claims, for the customer to only incur reasonable expenses? Taking an eight year old car to a main dealer seems to me to be unreasonable, when you could probably take it to an indy for half the price.
JimmyConwayNW said:
Sold a car to a customer who was 200/250 miles from us.
His choice, and he took it in full awareness of where you were.JimmyConwayNW said:
Customer experienced an issue around 2 weeks and 1000 miles after purchase and ended up taking the car into a main dealer to have it looked at.
Customer has sent us bill demanding we reimburse him.
Are his actions reasonable?
Not even close.Customer has sent us bill demanding we reimburse him.
Are his actions reasonable?
9yo premium brand, bought out-of-chain, taken to franchise dealer without any referral to the supplier? Nope. What was the hourly rate compared to what you'd expect to pay (retail rate, not trade) out-of-franchise around your way for a reputable garage?
"Customer has sent us bill demanding we reimburse him."
Sure anyone could do that. Take a used car bought private and got any minor niggles fixed then send the bill to the previous owner.
If your not a trader then he should have got in touch and ask if you could fix it and if you could your being more than generous.
I would tell him to whistle for it now.
Sure anyone could do that. Take a used car bought private and got any minor niggles fixed then send the bill to the previous owner.
If your not a trader then he should have got in touch and ask if you could fix it and if you could your being more than generous.
I would tell him to whistle for it now.
POORCARDEALER said:
Interesting some customers buy a car from a non main dealer, usually because they dont want to pay a main dealer price BUT when (they think) someone else is footing the bill they put it in the most expensive place on earth for repairs
Completely agree. I have never had a customer think it's ok just to buy a car from me, have an issue and just go and get some work done and think it's fine to just send me a bill with the only contact being made once he has settled a bill with franchised dealer.
I'd say his actions were totally unreasonable too, the question now is what do you want to do to end the matter?
If he'd have come back to you first, would you have repaired it yourself or at your local garage- if so I would say you'd be very reasonable to offer a contribution towards his costs- maybe the full amount your local garage would have charged.
Or, depending on how much you value them as a (repeat?) customer, if its not a great deal extra, pay the full amount but discuss how they should reasonably expect warranty/goodwill repairs to be handled.
Of course there are always customers who think option 2 is their "legal right" and any other outcome is going to involve them getting upset/ threatening legal action. If you think thats likely, you'll never make them happy and I'd be inclined to refuse to pay anything as they didnt let you fix it and recommend they speak to their lawyer and go from there.
If he'd have come back to you first, would you have repaired it yourself or at your local garage- if so I would say you'd be very reasonable to offer a contribution towards his costs- maybe the full amount your local garage would have charged.
Or, depending on how much you value them as a (repeat?) customer, if its not a great deal extra, pay the full amount but discuss how they should reasonably expect warranty/goodwill repairs to be handled.
Of course there are always customers who think option 2 is their "legal right" and any other outcome is going to involve them getting upset/ threatening legal action. If you think thats likely, you'll never make them happy and I'd be inclined to refuse to pay anything as they didnt let you fix it and recommend they speak to their lawyer and go from there.
JPJPJP said:
No
Should have contacted you to report the problem & ask you to sort it
This totally, first thing they should have done is bring back to you or give you the opportunity to arrange and inspection local to the customer by a 3rd party of your choice or warranty co choice.Should have contacted you to report the problem & ask you to sort it
The customer should have contacted you before spending any money directly.
Jasandjules said:
Its not a tricky one and that one off story from 2011 means nothing, just some crazy decision from a county court that does not set a precedent.BlueHave said:
marshalla said:
BlueHave said:
If your not a trader then he should have got in touch and ask if you could fix it and if you could your being more than generous.
JimmyConwayNW said:
I sell used cars.
Used car business selling over 40 a month.
Again I was looking for whether most normal reasonable non motor trade connected folk thought this customer has gone about things correctly.
It's got my back up so didn't want to be jaded in my response by appearing to be personally annoyed.
Again I was looking for whether most normal reasonable non motor trade connected folk thought this customer has gone about things correctly.
It's got my back up so didn't want to be jaded in my response by appearing to be personally annoyed.
JimmyConwayNW said:
I sell used cars. Currently have a bit of a situation involving an unhappy customer and would like to know what the masses think regarding the situation. It may change my view on things. It's a 2008 prestige German 4x4 on around 70k miles and purchased at a reasonable price.
Sold a car to a customer who was 200/250 miles from us.
Customer experienced an issue around 2 weeks and 1000 miles after purchase and ended up taking the car into a main dealer to have it looked at.
Customer proceeded to have them do a dpf regen and replace a dpf sensor and ended up with a bill of around £700.
Customer never contacted us to report an issue, nor did he contact the warranty company that the vehicle had been supplied with ( in fairness it would not cover a dpf regen ).
Customer has sent us bill demanding we reimburse him.
Are his actions reasonable?
Not reasonable. The DPF may have been salvageable so even pricing up what it would have cost you isn't possible now. Sold a car to a customer who was 200/250 miles from us.
Customer experienced an issue around 2 weeks and 1000 miles after purchase and ended up taking the car into a main dealer to have it looked at.
Customer proceeded to have them do a dpf regen and replace a dpf sensor and ended up with a bill of around £700.
Customer never contacted us to report an issue, nor did he contact the warranty company that the vehicle had been supplied with ( in fairness it would not cover a dpf regen ).
Customer has sent us bill demanding we reimburse him.
Are his actions reasonable?
Sounds like you've sold a car to a weapons grade f
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