Used car adventure.....

[LFB531]

Caution, modest rant coming on!

A chum asked me to go out with him on Saturday to pick up a new car for his daughter, specifically a Clio 1.2 c£2,000. Loads for sale of course so narrowed down half a dozen likely cars along the M4 between Swindon and Bristol.

We've £2k in readies in the glovebox and we're out to buy. The first 'dealer' has a couple but he can't even be bothered to talk to us. Same experience continues as the day goes on, all the cars seem uncared for by the sellers and so-say 'cambelt changed' cars have no evidence to support. On one, they'd not even bothered to empty the rubbish from the boot.

A moment of inspiration makes us look at a local Wiltshire paper, a phone call to a little garage nr Devizes puts us in contact with a dealer who not only washes the car before we get there but has all the paperwork ready for us to see and the keys available for a test drive.

I'm not a trader and I know there's not much profit in a sale at this money but for goodness sake, make an effort chaps! Clio bought, funnily enough from the Devizes dealer!

[LFB531]

I certainly didn't expect a concours car and after ten years or so the odd scratch or mark is inevitable.

It was the complete disinterest that really annoyed me. Maybe there are enough buyers out there that don't care to keep them busy? Either way, an interesting experience!

[LFB531]

Ok, car collection yesterday. All Mot'd as agreed, new discs and pads as required included. Cambelt and oil service complete. Car clean and waiting, salesman did a proper handover for the new young lady owner including a lesson in the use of central locking/immobiliser, also made sure she knew about locking wheel nut socket in the glovebox.

So it can be done, well done to Slades of Rowde Nr Devizes