Encountered a very rude used car dealer at the weekend!
Discussion
I went to see an E60 535D M-Sport at the weekend, thinking from the Auto Trader as that I had found "The One" , and luckily for me it was local. Even better!
So the ad starts off with this:
I go and have a look around the car. It's parked right outside the office and we inspect it thoroughly. Unmatched budget tyres (Sunny, Triangle etc.), MOT expiring 1st Dec, but I knew about that, rear bumper visibly deeply scratched and with a slight crack on it, one door with deep grooves/scratches on it, paintwork in general looking like it had been washed with a brillo pad, and alloys had a few marks on them. Oh and the leather looked saggy as hell.
I talked to my OH about all of this as we walked around it and I decided that, despite the issues, I'd still take it at the right price if it drove well and seemed sound mechanically.
I went up into the office and the guy told me right away he'd been listening to us outside. Didn't think to come out and say hello then? Sneaky t
t. Anyway, I didn't have anything to hide so I asked about driving it and he said "before we do that, how much do you want to pay for it?". I told him in light of everything it needed doing, I'd be looking to pay less than £8k, fully expecting him to negotiate with me.
Instead he pretty much asked me to leave! He told me I wanted a new car for 2nd hand money and all that sort of crap. Offered to direct me to the local BMW showroom etc. His attitude was appalling. I actually thought he was just trying to banter at first, in his own strange way, and asked him what he thought it was worth then, bottom line?
Well that set him off even more then. He told me I was just the first of about four people that were coming today. He had a guy coming from the Lake District (Ooh!) who was "definitely going to have it for £8600 so long as it drives fine".
When I pointed out that this bloke wasn't there but I was, he said "no but he's coming! £8600 cash!! So thanks for your time and for coming but it's not the car for you."
Said OK then and left.
Now, I can fully understand someone not agreeing with a potential buyer's valuation of a car, but surely you'd negotiate? If truth be told, I'd have paid £8200 and sorted it out myself. I'm glad I didn't now, as I later realised it would have been a huge mistake and I'd been blinded by the lovely colour (beneath the swirls and scratches
), but he would have had my money if he'd not been a total prick.
I ended up going home, having a think and then taking a trip to the midlands to see another one, up at a shade below £10k, which I've bought, subject to test drive and inspection.
Stupid. His car is still up for sale, so I guess matey boy from the Lakes and the other two people thought the same as I did when they saw it.
So the ad starts off with this:
AT Ad said:
Metallic BLUE, THIS 535 TWIN TURBO,NEEDS TO BE SEEN AND DRIVEN, YOU WILL NOT BE DISSAPOINTED, Next MOT due 01/12/2013, Last serviced on 12/12/2012 at 82,097 miles, Full service history, Excellent bodywork, Black Full leather interior - Excellent Condition
It also states "Unmarked Alloys" in the title. The car is up at £8795 and I decide to get down there early after emailing to see that it's still available etc. the day before. I go and have a look around the car. It's parked right outside the office and we inspect it thoroughly. Unmatched budget tyres (Sunny, Triangle etc.), MOT expiring 1st Dec, but I knew about that, rear bumper visibly deeply scratched and with a slight crack on it, one door with deep grooves/scratches on it, paintwork in general looking like it had been washed with a brillo pad, and alloys had a few marks on them. Oh and the leather looked saggy as hell.
I talked to my OH about all of this as we walked around it and I decided that, despite the issues, I'd still take it at the right price if it drove well and seemed sound mechanically.
I went up into the office and the guy told me right away he'd been listening to us outside. Didn't think to come out and say hello then? Sneaky t
t. Anyway, I didn't have anything to hide so I asked about driving it and he said "before we do that, how much do you want to pay for it?". I told him in light of everything it needed doing, I'd be looking to pay less than £8k, fully expecting him to negotiate with me. Instead he pretty much asked me to leave! He told me I wanted a new car for 2nd hand money and all that sort of crap. Offered to direct me to the local BMW showroom etc. His attitude was appalling. I actually thought he was just trying to banter at first, in his own strange way, and asked him what he thought it was worth then, bottom line?
Well that set him off even more then. He told me I was just the first of about four people that were coming today. He had a guy coming from the Lake District (Ooh!) who was "definitely going to have it for £8600 so long as it drives fine".
When I pointed out that this bloke wasn't there but I was, he said "no but he's coming! £8600 cash!! So thanks for your time and for coming but it's not the car for you."
Said OK then and left.
Now, I can fully understand someone not agreeing with a potential buyer's valuation of a car, but surely you'd negotiate? If truth be told, I'd have paid £8200 and sorted it out myself. I'm glad I didn't now, as I later realised it would have been a huge mistake and I'd been blinded by the lovely colour (beneath the swirls and scratches
), but he would have had my money if he'd not been a total prick. I ended up going home, having a think and then taking a trip to the midlands to see another one, up at a shade below £10k, which I've bought, subject to test drive and inspection.
Stupid
. His car is still up for sale, so I guess matey boy from the Lakes and the other two people thought the same as I did when they saw it. 
Yeah I'm glad I didn't now. Can't wait to pick up the one I did buy. That one had only just come in and wasn't ready for the forecourt yet, but they let me go see it anyway. They informed me I couldn't drive it until it had been through an AA inspection and that the marks it did have would be seen to before it was allowed to be sold.
Since putting down my deposit they have now let me know it has been inspected and needs new brake pads, which they'll sort, the body work is being done and the car will have a fresh MOT put on it.
It's also got almost everything as well. Comfort seats with an insane level of adjustability, HUD, Xenons, front and rear PDC, iDrive, 19" Spyder alloys etc. etc.
Only downer is it's silver and doesn't have privacy glass, but it's such a clean car I can cope with that
I really am struggling to stop myself emailing at least to ask how come it didn't sell?
Since putting down my deposit they have now let me know it has been inspected and needs new brake pads, which they'll sort, the body work is being done and the car will have a fresh MOT put on it.
It's also got almost everything as well. Comfort seats with an insane level of adjustability, HUD, Xenons, front and rear PDC, iDrive, 19" Spyder alloys etc. etc.
Only downer is it's silver and doesn't have privacy glass, but it's such a clean car I can cope with that
I really am struggling to stop myself emailing at least to ask how come it didn't sell?
this stuff is a joke and makes me hate buying cars even though I will keep doing it!
He was clearly going on the fact he overheard you saying you would but it at the right price.
IMO when you are selling cars at both ends of the £1k to £10k spectrum habits only go one way and its unlikely you are going to give your cheap cars an amazing valet and polish, especially when you can apply some cheap tricks to more expensive cars like ditch finder tyres etc!!
He was clearly going on the fact he overheard you saying you would but it at the right price.
IMO when you are selling cars at both ends of the £1k to £10k spectrum habits only go one way and its unlikely you are going to give your cheap cars an amazing valet and polish, especially when you can apply some cheap tricks to more expensive cars like ditch finder tyres etc!!
Indeed. He was a nut. I was going to put down £6k deposit, which I would imagine he'd have liked in his pocket very much.
Thank god I thought he was a wker and just left. Imagine the trouble I'd have had if anything had gone wrong with it. I bet he's one of those that's "not there" when you call etc.
I'm still quite annoyed at the way he was with me, but I may well go back just to tell him I'd like to thank him as without his rotten attitude I wouldn't have gone and found such a lovely example.
Then spray half of his stock with gravel as I leave
Thank god I thought he was a w
ker and just left. Imagine the trouble I'd have had if anything had gone wrong with it. I bet he's one of those that's "not there" when you call etc. I'm still quite annoyed at the way he was with me, but I may well go back just to tell him I'd like to thank him as without his rotten attitude I wouldn't have gone and found such a lovely example.
Then spray half of his stock with gravel as I leave
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