anyone been lied to by a used car dealer?
Discussion
I looked at a very leggy Saab 9-3 recently (2003, 166k, MOT in 6 weeks, £1k asking). The dealer said they'd had a lot of interest in the car, yet opened up on Sunday afternoon so I could look over it and the price came down by £200 quid before I'd made any serious attempt to haggle. Kind of suggests there's been very little interest at all.
Another one plain said they didn't know anything about the car other than what came with the history, which was refreshingly honest. Pity the car wasn't up to scratch.
Another one plain said they didn't know anything about the car other than what came with the history, which was refreshingly honest. Pity the car wasn't up to scratch.
Kawasicki said:
Yes. Bought a car from a dealer with fresh MOT. Drove it home, took off the wheels, noticed badly bulging brake lines, and a few other MOT failures.
Asked dealer to rectify, he said no. Became a gigantic pain to dealer, including waiting in his reception, on his sofa, asking everyone who came through his door to steer well clear. I contacted trading standards also. He fixed the MOT failure issues. Trading standards phoned me two months later to tell me he was shut down and that the MOT centre who had been filling out certificates without even seeing any cars had been shut down also. I wasn't alone in complaining and the trading standards people did their job.
I'd be waiting to have my house firebombed. There are some pretty vindictive people out there. Asked dealer to rectify, he said no. Became a gigantic pain to dealer, including waiting in his reception, on his sofa, asking everyone who came through his door to steer well clear. I contacted trading standards also. He fixed the MOT failure issues. Trading standards phoned me two months later to tell me he was shut down and that the MOT centre who had been filling out certificates without even seeing any cars had been shut down also. I wasn't alone in complaining and the trading standards people did their job.
Muddle238 said:
I bought a car three years ago from a garage in Watford. The rear nearside wing and C pillar never had the deep reflective shine (black car) that the rest of the car has, and the handbrake cable doesn't pull both rear brakes evenly. This to me suggested damage with a previous owner to the rear nearside quarter of the car. However this I didn't notice until owning the car.
Recently I replaced a rear light cluster, upon removing the old unit I discovered some black overspray to the light unit where the panel gap is. This confirms that there was a respray done at some point, it's just a shame that someone somewhere once didn't take enough care and smashed it up.
You mean a used car had a repair carried out? I thought all used cars were all original, all the time! Recently I replaced a rear light cluster, upon removing the old unit I discovered some black overspray to the light unit where the panel gap is. This confirms that there was a respray done at some point, it's just a shame that someone somewhere once didn't take enough care and smashed it up.
How this has anything to do with a dealer lying to you I have no idea.
Once upon a time I was picking up a family member's BMW from the dealer. He'd go in every 5 or 6 years, buy an ex-demo, and trade in the old one. Thinking I was the owner, they were desperate to show me a shiny new one and I didn't want to seem rude, so got a test drive. Salesman clearly had SFA knowledge about specs on the demo car.
On the approach to a roundabout, I asked him if this car had a LSD. Apparently they all come with a LSD because they're cars for people who like to drive.
Asked him if he was sure it had a LSD. Of course he was, because he lives, breathes and s
ts BMW.
Pinned it on the exit. ESC light up, but no sign of a LSD.
Observed that it didn't seem to have a LSD fitted. He was adamant that it did. This being in East Kilbride (there are a lot of roundabouts) I offered to repeat the test on the next roundabout, but do it a bit more enthusiastically.
Dropped it into 2nd and balanced the throttle on the approach, at which point he admitted he didn't know if it had an LSD, but nobody had ever complained about it. He seemed to give up after that, and the return was pretty much in silence.
Just out of badness, I told the mechanics about the test drive in technicolour detail when I picked up the old car. They were pissing themselves; apparently none of the sales staff would be able to tell which end of the car was which if the numberplates weren't different colours.
On the approach to a roundabout, I asked him if this car had a LSD. Apparently they all come with a LSD because they're cars for people who like to drive.
Asked him if he was sure it had a LSD. Of course he was, because he lives, breathes and s
ts BMW. Pinned it on the exit. ESC light up, but no sign of a LSD.
Observed that it didn't seem to have a LSD fitted. He was adamant that it did. This being in East Kilbride (there are a lot of roundabouts) I offered to repeat the test on the next roundabout, but do it a bit more enthusiastically.
Dropped it into 2nd and balanced the throttle on the approach, at which point he admitted he didn't know if it had an LSD, but nobody had ever complained about it. He seemed to give up after that, and the return was pretty much in silence.
Just out of badness, I told the mechanics about the test drive in technicolour detail when I picked up the old car. They were pissing themselves; apparently none of the sales staff would be able to tell which end of the car was which if the numberplates weren't different colours.
I do some work for a well known car auction and I can confirm that there is very little money to be made in used cars. Even at auction these cars sell strong (some instances I've seen private sales cheaper). I have driven through my fair share of pups picked up from the local we buy any car yard. A lot of these cars have hidden problems and sometimes just don't feel right. End of the day I don't really blame traders who try hide things considering how much the repair would eat into their profits. It's a game I would never get into purely down to how tightly it's regulated and the amount of protection given to buyers.
hora said:
Edit- In addition its gobsmacking the spiel car sales staff are spun to keep them on st commission and low wages. They are flogged/made to work hard for their money- on their feet all day and being fed the line that the secondhand car only has £100 in it. bks, really. On used cars I don't believe it.
What are you babbling about? If you're on low wages as a car salesman, you're either crap at your job, or you work at a crap place that doesn't reward you for your skills. It's the same as any other job, those who can do it well earn good money, it's not rocket science. t commission and low wages. They are flogged/made to work hard for their money- on their feet all day and being fed the line that the secondhand car only has £100 in it. bks, really. On used cars I don't believe it. Edited by hora on Wednesday 22 April 07:58
Also, on our feet all day?
have you been to a dealership? We get a desk you know, and this thing called a, erm, chair. Yeah that's it, to sit on, work diaries, sell stuff. Some dealerships do work on slim chassis profits, they make their money on finance commissions (but that will soon change) and as well as you don't believe there's only £100 profit in a car, neither do salesmen, because 99% of the time there is more than that, but the boss doesn't want to give it away, business is business.
Really Hora you do say some stupid things sometimes.
hora said:
So what do you class as a decent wage (and commission) for a car salesman for any of the main/every day brands?
I would guesstimate that in a main dealer selling mainstream, around the 35-40k. Its not earth shattering. The more specialist gents, and those who have been in places for a long time, so a large database of customers can earn a fair amount more. Its not unheard of for 60-70k, but thats the top guys generally. Independent dealers, well thats very up and down. I sell New and Used Commercials for an independent, and earn more than I ever did at a main dealer. However, that figure I wouldn't wish to disclose here.
Sorry Hora, I have noticed you asked Wage and Commission. Guessing you want a breakdown. Main Dealer can range, in my experience 10-15k basic, with company car. Average is 10% commission on retained profit of the vehicle. Sometimes there is a minimum, not always. Finance commission, GAP, Paint Products is all very individual. Ive worked on 25% finance, and then on the other foot, quarterly based dependant on hitting targets for penetration. Each dealer will differ here.
Currently, at the independent, I'm on 20k basic, Company car, company fuel, and then I work on a 5%-7.5%-10% commission based on sold numbers, with a minimum guaruntee selling at screen price. This is on between 35-50 vehicles a month.
Edited by LouD86 on Wednesday 22 April 10:55
hora said:
Butter Face said:
What are you babbling about? If you're on low wages as a car salesman, you're either crap at your job, or you work at a crap place that doesn't reward you for your skills. It's the same as any other job, those who can do it well earn good money, it's not rocket science.
Also, on our feet all day? have you been to a dealership? We get a desk you know, and this thing called a, erm, chair. Yeah that's it, to sit on, work diaries, sell stuff.
Some dealerships do work on slim chassis profits, they make their money on finance commissions (but that will soon change) and as well as you don't believe there's only £100 profit in a car, neither do salesmen, because 99% of the time there is more than that, but the boss doesn't want to give it away, business is business.
Really Hora you do say some stupid things sometimes.
So what do you class as a decent wage (and commission) for a car salesman for any of the main/every day brands? Also, on our feet all day?
have you been to a dealership? We get a desk you know, and this thing called a, erm, chair. Yeah that's it, to sit on, work diaries, sell stuff. Some dealerships do work on slim chassis profits, they make their money on finance commissions (but that will soon change) and as well as you don't believe there's only £100 profit in a car, neither do salesmen, because 99% of the time there is more than that, but the boss doesn't want to give it away, business is business.
Really Hora you do say some stupid things sometimes.
If you're a volume car salesperson selling 240+ a year and you're not earning that as a minimum, you need to move.
wildcat45 said:
Salesman addressing my wife as she picked up her latest "new" MGF:
"Careful with this one love, it's the turbo model and it's really fast."
She knows about cars, and I imagine gave him the coffee beans as she drove off.
She knew about cars yet bought a "new" MGF?"Careful with this one love, it's the turbo model and it's really fast."
She knows about cars, and I imagine gave him the coffee beans as she drove off.
I know who'd have the last laugh on that one, coffee beans or not.
wildcat45 said:
Oh you are so right Marky mate. Soooo right.
Indeed he is. Bad little cars in their time, notorious for HGF and water ingress into the cabin.My wife nearly bought a 2 year old one at the time and was openly told by the Rover dealer that they leaked in water and they'd do nothing about it when they did and that bad wind noise was "normal".
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