Test Pilots & Time Wasters
Discussion
Don’t let them drive unless they have full insurance for your car. It may sound a bit silly but you try getting 13k etc off them when they have only 3rd party, wrap it into a car and you are going to be struggling to get the rest back.
When I was looking at buying my car, I went out with my dad we first went through the entire car .. i.e. I asked for advice from a TVR specialist b4 hand so we knew what sort of things to look for .. outriggers, bushes on top front etc etc.
So you will tell who has half a clue, if they are still interested take them out in the passenger seat, if they are still interested and insist on a drive make them get full temp cover on the car first.
That may sound extreme but you could stand to loose a lot if the test-drive went wrong.
Advertising in places like the TVRCC Sprint and Pistonheads will help target more of the audience, rather than autotrader test pilot manual
When I was looking at buying my car, I went out with my dad we first went through the entire car .. i.e. I asked for advice from a TVR specialist b4 hand so we knew what sort of things to look for .. outriggers, bushes on top front etc etc.
So you will tell who has half a clue, if they are still interested take them out in the passenger seat, if they are still interested and insist on a drive make them get full temp cover on the car first.
That may sound extreme but you could stand to loose a lot if the test-drive went wrong.
Advertising in places like the TVRCC Sprint and Pistonheads will help target more of the audience, rather than autotrader test pilot manual
I always go from one end of the car to the other with the 'punter' telling him everything about it. I'm the sort of bloke who can natter on for ages (if required 
), so there's never been any trouble there. See how quickly they want to go out in it, if they want to go out as soon as they arrive, then stall them and try boring them rigid with the history of TVR/the world as you see it etc., if they're genuine they'll hang about, but you might have to wake them up!
Have they come far or not? I drove over 200 miles to view the one I ended up buying. If I was driving that far, I'd be pretty pi$$ed off at not getting a test drive (this was at a dealer tho'). If I was a buyer and I had a guy coming 200 miles I'd tend to think he was pretty serious about buying my car
To sum up, delay the test drive as much as possible – and unless you think they're serious about buying, don't even suggest one - you're not a charity.
), so there's never been any trouble there. See how quickly they want to go out in it, if they want to go out as soon as they arrive, then stall them and try boring them rigid with the history of TVR/the world as you see it etc., if they're genuine they'll hang about, but you might have to wake them up! Have they come far or not? I drove over 200 miles to view the one I ended up buying. If I was driving that far, I'd be pretty pi$$ed off at not getting a test drive (this was at a dealer tho'). If I was a buyer and I had a guy coming 200 miles I'd tend to think he was pretty serious about buying my car
To sum up, delay the test drive as much as possible – and unless you think they're serious about buying, don't even suggest one - you're not a charity.
Best tips I can give is look at what they arrive driving. If it's a people carrier, a Rover, or is just utter crap then don't let them get there hands on the keys and push for decisions befote thinking of letting them drive it and of course making sure they are insured to drive one. If not ask them for a letter from their Insurance company covering them temporarily for the test drive. (Like track day cover)
Anyone who tries to haggle the price down before they've seen the car can get lost - it's downright rude. I swapped many e-mails with a guy who alleged to be interested in my old Griff 4.0. He was only interested in price, couldn't be arsed to see the car - and I subsequently found out he bought a BMW M3. Nowt wrong with those, but it shows he was never a serious TVR buyer (IMHO).
quote:
Best tips I can give is look at what they arrive driving. If it's a people carrier, a Rover, or is just utter crap then don't let them get there hands on the keys and push for decisions befote thinking of letting them drive it and of course making sure they are insured to drive one.
What?!?!?! My advice would be 'dont judge a book by its cover'. If I'd followed this advice I would never have sold my GTV and DB7 as one owner turned up with his dad in a Rover and bought the Alfa and the other in a clapped out old motor he bought to see him through before he bought the Aston. Sorry but this is as bad as saying 'if they speak with a regional accent or wear jeans then lock yer door' - utter arse. I'm still looking for my next TVR and am driving the family 4x4 and the wifes Mitsubishi estate - and I aint no test-pilot!
Advice would be take your time, dont offer the test drive unless 100% sure they are insured, check out their knowledge (if your buying a TVR this would is a must anyway), and dont always judge people purley by your own snobbish values!
Tommo
quote:
Anyone who tries to haggle the price down before they've seen the car can get lost - it's downright rude.
Don't agree here, at all. If someone's a serious buyer with a limited budget and a fair way to travel, then it's reasonable for them to find out if you're interested in their budget before they waste a day coming to see your car.
On the other hand if they are serious then you should expect a lot of questions about the car first.
quote:
quote:
Anyone who tries to haggle the price down before they've seen the car can get lost - it's downright rude.
Don't agree here, at all. If someone's a serious buyer with a limited budget and a fair way to travel, then it's reasonable for them to find out if you're interested in their budget before they waste a day coming to see your car.
On the other hand if they are serious then you should expect a lot of questions about the car first.
Anyone who only has a limited budget should look at cars priced within that budget!!! - You always get the jokers who try and offer you peanuts over the phone in an attempt to get a cheap deal from a desperate seller!!
And of course you never get any jokers who advertise their cars at twice their value in the hope that some dopey lottery winner will say, of course I'll pay up whatever you ask without question, it must be the right price if that's what you say.
If someone has their car advertised for months without a sale, then their price probably is too high. They might be coming to that conclusion, or they might arrive at that conclusion if they get a lower offer.
And in fact it's not just if someone has a limited budget. If they've a long way to travel they won't want to go away enpty handed, so negotiating on the spot puts them at a disadvantage and the seller will know it. And going away to think about it then negotiating afterwards would mean an extra journey.
At the end of the day a car's only worth what someone's willing to pay for it. It's obviously in a seller's interest to try to get more for it, just as much as it's in a buyer's interest to try to get it for less.
>> Edited by JohnLow on Monday 20th May 10:31
If someone has their car advertised for months without a sale, then their price probably is too high. They might be coming to that conclusion, or they might arrive at that conclusion if they get a lower offer.
And in fact it's not just if someone has a limited budget. If they've a long way to travel they won't want to go away enpty handed, so negotiating on the spot puts them at a disadvantage and the seller will know it. And going away to think about it then negotiating afterwards would mean an extra journey.
At the end of the day a car's only worth what someone's willing to pay for it. It's obviously in a seller's interest to try to get more for it, just as much as it's in a buyer's interest to try to get it for less.
>> Edited by JohnLow on Monday 20th May 10:31
I think the replies so far have summed it up
- How far have they travelled to see it?
- Have they done much research into the type of car?
- How eager are they to just jump behind the wheel?
- Have they got a baseball cap on the wrong way around?
It's tricky as you don't want to let someone out in your pride and joy and in reality they're not going to have insurance that lets them drive any car.
Set the parameters before you go on a test drive. Tell them that you'll drive them up to a main road/quiet road and they can drive a little distance and back again (just make out that you're paranoid - although I guess you might be!). Then if they drive sensibly then let them carry on.
- How far have they travelled to see it?
- Have they done much research into the type of car?
- How eager are they to just jump behind the wheel?
- Have they got a baseball cap on the wrong way around?
It's tricky as you don't want to let someone out in your pride and joy and in reality they're not going to have insurance that lets them drive any car.
Set the parameters before you go on a test drive. Tell them that you'll drive them up to a main road/quiet road and they can drive a little distance and back again (just make out that you're paranoid - although I guess you might be!). Then if they drive sensibly then let them carry on.
there are always exceptions.....take the guy who bought my 924S over the phone! he lived in darkest Cornwall, i live in Kent! took him 12 hours on a bus to get here with the bank draft in hand! lucky for him the car was a corker....and me? i saw the light and bought a stunning TVR S3C. mark (i even asked him on the phone..."so you are going to buy a car you havent seen?"
. I don't agree with the comment about the car the potential buyer turns up in says a lot about how genuine they are.
If you are buying a car like a TVR privately it probably means you've sold something else privately. That doesn't usually all fall into place over a weekend so people buy stop gap cars while they're looking for the next purchase.
When I bought my Chimaera I turned up in a beaten up F-Reg 1.1L Fiesta Popular. I'd paid 300 quid for it after selling my previous car, if the seller had judged me on that basis alone he wouldn't got a sale.
quote:
Best tips I can give is look at what they arrive driving. If it's a people carrier, a Rover, or is just utter crap then don't let them get there hands on the keys and push for decisions befote thinking of letting them drive it and of course making sure they are insured to drive one. If not ask them for a letter from their Insurance company covering them temporarily for the test drive. (Like track day cover)
Porsche dealer made this mistake with me and I took my £90k else where, you need to be careful with this one...
Not all is sweet from a buyers point of view either!
I have spent all week trying to get my hands on a newer TVR and made several appointments. I always call before i leave the house... and they had all sold the cars.... despite being promised i would get the first viewing!!!
Such people have wasted loads of my time, which could have been spent driving with the roof down on my S
Matt
I have spent all week trying to get my hands on a newer TVR and made several appointments. I always call before i leave the house... and they had all sold the cars.... despite being promised i would get the first viewing!!!
Such people have wasted loads of my time, which could have been spent driving with the roof down on my S
Matt
quote:
Not all is sweet from a buyers point of view either!
I have spent all week trying to get my hands on a newer TVR and made several appointments. I always call before i leave the house... and they had all sold the cars.... despite being promised i would get the first viewing!!!
Such people have wasted loads of my time, which could have been spent driving with the roof down on my S
Matt
Fair point BUT how many times have sellers been told "i will be over first thing" only to be left hanging around all day for some twat not to turn up
Gassing Station | General TVR Stuff & Gossip | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff