Buying Cars - Are People Mental?
Discussion
Girlfriends parents bought a 'new' car the other day. They had a 2006 Renault Laguna Estate which they've just exchanged for a 2008 Fiesta Zetec S. "Did they take it for a test drive?" I asked my OH, "No" she replied, "They're picking it up tomorrow".
I found it utterly bizarre that people would just buy a car 'blind' without driving it first, for all they know it could be a complete dog.
The madness didn't end there though. Her 21 year old brother has been desperate trying to get finance on any car to replace his 1.1l '98 Saxo. A month or two ago it was a 1.6l Citroen C4. He was waiting to find out if he'd been accepted for finance on it and was rather excited about it "It'll be faster than my Saxo" he says. "Tested it?" I asked. "No", he replies. "So how do you know it'll be faster?". "Well it's a 1.6 innit!". "Yes but it weighs more, doesn't it?" He was declined on the finance.
Yesterday he was acting all excited "Just been accepted for finance on a 2007 Peugeot 107". Again he comes out with the belief it'll be faster than his Saxo. "Have you taken it for a test drive" I ask, already knowing by now the answer. "No" he says.
Why?! Why just buy a car that you don't really want, without even trying it, just for the sake of having something 'new'. Over the next 42 months he'll have paid £8500 for this 107. It has 68bhp, he likes driving about with his mates, wait till there's four of them trying to get up a hill in it!.
I'm utterly astounded.
I found it utterly bizarre that people would just buy a car 'blind' without driving it first, for all they know it could be a complete dog.
The madness didn't end there though. Her 21 year old brother has been desperate trying to get finance on any car to replace his 1.1l '98 Saxo. A month or two ago it was a 1.6l Citroen C4. He was waiting to find out if he'd been accepted for finance on it and was rather excited about it "It'll be faster than my Saxo" he says. "Tested it?" I asked. "No", he replies. "So how do you know it'll be faster?". "Well it's a 1.6 innit!". "Yes but it weighs more, doesn't it?" He was declined on the finance.
Yesterday he was acting all excited "Just been accepted for finance on a 2007 Peugeot 107". Again he comes out with the belief it'll be faster than his Saxo. "Have you taken it for a test drive" I ask, already knowing by now the answer. "No" he says.
Why?! Why just buy a car that you don't really want, without even trying it, just for the sake of having something 'new'. Over the next 42 months he'll have paid £8500 for this 107. It has 68bhp, he likes driving about with his mates, wait till there's four of them trying to get up a hill in it!.
I'm utterly astounded.
I mainly buy at auction so often won't have driven one. If I fit then that'll do for me. Obviously buying something like a Ferrari would require a test, however I've not driven a 530D BMW for example, can I imagine how it drives? Totally.
If you don't overly care about cars then you probably don't need to test them.
The only two cars I've ever driven and been surprised by are the Renault R26 (so much better than the 225) and the Toyota IQ (dangerously s
t)
If you don't overly care about cars then you probably don't need to test them.
The only two cars I've ever driven and been surprised by are the Renault R26 (so much better than the 225) and the Toyota IQ (dangerously s
t)sday12 said:
Oakey said:
I'm utterly astounded.
I'm utterly bored.
As others state, a lot of people have a very simplistic view on cars! This ranges from people thinking a newer car must be better, a car that has done over 50k miles is worn out, but my recent favourite was a woman at work who thought a friends 1993 mx5 must be worth at least £10k "cos it's a convertible"!
It's a game we play on the forecourt. 1 point for a sale, 2 points for a sale without a test drive and 3 points for a sale without them sitting in it (obviously just for fun). We do quite a few cars 'to order' which means the customer doesn't see it either.
Test drives are only important if your criteria includes 'how does it drive' which for many people is a concept that doesn't even compute. Most people who want to test drive are only checking for things like 'will it give me back ache' or 'does it feel too big' or 'can I reverse it' etc
Pistonhead type people are (luckily, because they are often picky PITAs) still a minority
Test drives are only important if your criteria includes 'how does it drive' which for many people is a concept that doesn't even compute. Most people who want to test drive are only checking for things like 'will it give me back ache' or 'does it feel too big' or 'can I reverse it' etc
Pistonhead type people are (luckily, because they are often picky PITAs) still a minority
SClarke said:
It's a game we play on the forecourt. 1 point for a sale, 2 points for a sale without a test drive and 3 points for a sale without them sitting in it (obviously just for fun). We do quite a few cars 'to order' which means the customer doesn't see it either.
Test drives are only important if your criteria includes 'how does it drive' which for many people is a concept that doesn't even compute. Most people who want to test drive are only checking for things like 'will it give me back ache' or 'does it feel too big' or 'can I reverse it' etc
Pistonhead type people are (luckily, because they are often picky PITAs) still a minority
These are used cars, I'd at least want to make sure it runs okay before I splash out on it.Test drives are only important if your criteria includes 'how does it drive' which for many people is a concept that doesn't even compute. Most people who want to test drive are only checking for things like 'will it give me back ache' or 'does it feel too big' or 'can I reverse it' etc
Pistonhead type people are (luckily, because they are often picky PITAs) still a minority
pits said:
My mate knows someone who will buy a car just buy opening the passenger door and having a look inside it briefly
I've had someone turn up at my door, then made me the offer. I asked if he wanted me to open it up or take him for a drive and he said no thanks, he'd looked at it outside (as in, through the windows!) and it was in good condition, so he was happy enough. He picked her up a week later.
Think white goods.
People buy fridges without testing them to see if it makes things cold, and they don't 'test toast' a toaster before purchase either.
Many, many people see cars as white goods, what do they want to drive it for? they wouldn't know if it was any good or not, and pretty much everything available will be 'OK' for them anyway.
People buy fridges without testing them to see if it makes things cold, and they don't 'test toast' a toaster before purchase either.
Many, many people see cars as white goods, what do they want to drive it for? they wouldn't know if it was any good or not, and pretty much everything available will be 'OK' for them anyway.
Balmoral Green said:
Think white goods.
People buy fridges without testing them to see if it makes things cold, and they don't 'test toast' a toaster before purchase either.
Many, many people see cars as white goods, what do they want to drive it for? they wouldn't know if it was any good or not, and pretty much everything available will be 'OK' for them anyway.
Exactly. I bought my fridge and washing machine by looking at the website, and then phoning someone up. I still don't know what half the things do on the washing machine.People buy fridges without testing them to see if it makes things cold, and they don't 'test toast' a toaster before purchase either.
Many, many people see cars as white goods, what do they want to drive it for? they wouldn't know if it was any good or not, and pretty much everything available will be 'OK' for them anyway.
A Polish guy came, looked at and bought our Audi A4. '99 T with 160k with Audi history up to 100k and serviced every 10k after that with every single receipt for everything in a file.
He poked around the engine with a fine toothcomb, checked the brakes (brand new), pulled hoses off and put them expertly back - sat in the car, started the engine and put it in to and out of gear (no test drive) and bought it without ever driving it - pointed out a broken hose (he wasn't bothered) and that I'd not topped the oil up (again, he wasn't bothered). 2 days later, I picked him up and brought him to the car and he drove off happy - paid £1100 for it too
If he wasn't a PHer, I'd be surprised.
He poked around the engine with a fine toothcomb, checked the brakes (brand new), pulled hoses off and put them expertly back - sat in the car, started the engine and put it in to and out of gear (no test drive) and bought it without ever driving it - pointed out a broken hose (he wasn't bothered) and that I'd not topped the oil up (again, he wasn't bothered). 2 days later, I picked him up and brought him to the car and he drove off happy - paid £1100 for it too
If he wasn't a PHer, I'd be surprised.
A few years ago I advertised the wifes 6 year old Golf TDI 150 on PH. Usual moron calls and a few silly offers. A week later a guy calls, asks the right questions about service history, I describe the cars condition which was excellent. He then asks if I would knock anything off the price to which I answered "no, as it was priced correctly". Then he say's "Ok, I'll send you a cheque for the full amount less 800 quid which I will pay in cash when I collect it" And the sale went ahead as planned.
I like the "white goods" analogy.
'round where I live, there are many new / new-ish Fiats and Peugeots; always have been. Uncoincidentally, the two nearest new car dealers are..........So it seems that i) people want a new / newer car ii) they are not fussy about what make it is so iii) go to their nearest dealer. Then, they like the seats, they like the kit and the button-count on the dash, like the finance deal and off they trot. Unconcerned that the car may look like a bad dose of piles, and that the consensus in the motoring press is that it's the worst steer since a 1908 Panhard.
'round where I live, there are many new / new-ish Fiats and Peugeots; always have been. Uncoincidentally, the two nearest new car dealers are..........So it seems that i) people want a new / newer car ii) they are not fussy about what make it is so iii) go to their nearest dealer. Then, they like the seats, they like the kit and the button-count on the dash, like the finance deal and off they trot. Unconcerned that the car may look like a bad dose of piles, and that the consensus in the motoring press is that it's the worst steer since a 1908 Panhard.
We spent 19 grand on a Galaxy sight unseen, Ford Direct a year old, they have high standards and we had the chance to reject it if it wasnt right, we had a Sharan before and the Galaxy got way better reviews, its an MPV, it does a job and its prooved to do it well, it was a mainstream car , diesel engine, based on a Mondeo, we had a good look round one in the local dealers and it was fine.
I decided I wanted a Clio 182, now I drove that, what a dissapointment, thought that was a no brainer but I hated it, gutless, stupid driving position, couldnt see what the fuss was about.
I decided I wanted a Clio 182, now I drove that, what a dissapointment, thought that was a no brainer but I hated it, gutless, stupid driving position, couldnt see what the fuss was about.
kiteless said:
the worst steer since a 1908 Panhard.
You surely jest Sir!http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R-YxrJVZ85I
Edited by Balmoral Green on Wednesday 31st March 20:13
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