Would a dealer get uppity?
Discussion
I've recently had a sour experience buying a bit of a duffer on eBay (privately) and next time have resolved to do a better job thoroughly checking any car I buy.
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? Anyone else done this?
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? Anyone else done this?
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?
Depending on the dealer facilities, if you're really serious about buying on the car could you not just offer to pay £25 or whatever it is for a diagnostic check to be ran on the car by them while you're present, with the deal being it's free if you buy the car, but you'll pay if you decide not to buy the car?
Covers their time and marks you out as a serious buyer, also protects you should anything go wrong as they'll be checking the car.
Covers their time and marks you out as a serious buyer, also protects you should anything go wrong as they'll be checking the car.
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.
This without doubt, you'd have to take an expensive reader to pick up the 'no light on dash' faults.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.
Well any significance in terms of the car's operation, I'll give you, but fixing any of the rest of the complex electronic systems in modern cars would be distinctly not cheap.LayZ said:
Well any significance in terms of the car's operation, I'll give you, but fixing any of the rest of the complex electronic systems in modern cars would be distinctly not cheap.
.. And would be evident with or without a generic OBD2 code reader.It's pointless IMHO. If something doesn't work or there's a warning light, either make the dealer fix it or walk away.
Playing Devils Advocate...
A PIWIS reader would be the only way to find out if a Porsche had overrevs recorded if the dealer isn't forthcoming in telling you about, and overrevs in certain ranges could be a barrier to taking out an extended warranty on it as well as make it harder to sell on.
(I realise that's not OBD, and PIWIS readers aren't cheap, but it's a similar principal)
A PIWIS reader would be the only way to find out if a Porsche had overrevs recorded if the dealer isn't forthcoming in telling you about, and overrevs in certain ranges could be a barrier to taking out an extended warranty on it as well as make it harder to sell on.
(I realise that's not OBD, and PIWIS readers aren't cheap, but it's a similar principal)
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.
What if the bulb has been removed? The aBS or ESC lights on VAG cars are often removed as there is a fault on the stability systems that isn't cheap to replace.I suppose the trick is to ensure those lights illuminate when the ignition is turned on. Answered my own point there.
As you were!
Steve
Steve vRS said:
What if the bulb has been removed? The aBS or ESC lights on VAG cars are often removed as there is a fault on the stability systems that isn't cheap to replace.
Does that *really* happen that often in the real world these days?Steve vRS said:
I suppose the trick is to ensure those lights illuminate when the ignition is turned on. Answered my own point there.
Yep 
Steve vRS said:
What if the bulb has been removed? The aBS or ESC lights on VAG cars are often removed as there is a fault on the stability systems that isn't cheap to replace.
I suppose the trick is to ensure those lights illuminate when the ignition is turned on. Answered my own point there.
As you were!
Steve
Then you should be checking for it when you switch the ignition on they should all come on and then go off, if you dont see the light it means it has been removed and you should walk away.I suppose the trick is to ensure those lights illuminate when the ignition is turned on. Answered my own point there.
As you were!
Steve
Seriously i cant see a dealer of an expensive car letting you plug in an ODB reader, if you are parting with serious wedge then a £40 check from someone like the RAC should be an easy cost to swallow for peice of mind.
That said the dealer I bought my shed from didnt mind me plugging in an ODB reader but then it was a cheap car with a known fault and the EML was on, i was looking to see what it was, he was happy to let me and watch what it came up with.
Dr Interceptor said:
I'd tell you to do one.
It'd be akin to the ones who walk into my shop, pick something up, scan the barcode on their phone and compare the price to what's online, then ask me to match it. No.
It's not quite the same. It's more like taking an X-ray machine to a can of beans to figure out how many are in there.It'd be akin to the ones who walk into my shop, pick something up, scan the barcode on their phone and compare the price to what's online, then ask me to match it. No.
Anyway, if doing this is that important then why not just go round to a dealer and see?
Dr Interceptor said:
I'd tell you to do one.
It'd be akin to the ones who walk into my shop, pick something up, scan the barcode on their phone and compare the price to what's online, then ask me to match it. No.
O/T but this does my fIt'd be akin to the ones who walk into my shop, pick something up, scan the barcode on their phone and compare the price to what's online, then ask me to match it. No.
king head in. Wandering round the sales, can't get close to the rack/shelf to look because some family of 27 are huddled round the sale shelf scanning everything on their phones, and chucking anything that comes up cheap in their basket. Seriously, they were taking ipad cases, phone docks, all sorts. And several of each. Tenner says they run a market stall in Luton or Coventry or something and that's where it'll all end up. ModernAndy said:
Dr Interceptor said:
I'd tell you to do one.
It'd be akin to the ones who walk into my shop, pick something up, scan the barcode on their phone and compare the price to what's online, then ask me to match it. No.
It's not quite the same. It's more like taking an X-ray machine to a can of beans to figure out how many are in there.It'd be akin to the ones who walk into my shop, pick something up, scan the barcode on their phone and compare the price to what's online, then ask me to match it. No.
Anyway, if doing this is that important then why not just go round to a dealer and see?
However a dealer MAY be wary as there's plenty of bad things that can be done with gubbins plugged into an OBD socket... like on the BMW's you can make a new key. I'd be nervous of someone plugging into my car, in case they made a key and came back to nick it. (PS, it might not be obvious if the cable runs up their arm into their jacket where the key and coding machine is.)
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