Generally awful dealer descriptions
Discussion
Getting a bit fed up of trawling through car ads when the dealer either misses out important information or overexagerates the car in some way or another, for example:
Ive seen cars advertised as FSH, when i ring up they tell me it has 3 stamps in the service book and the car is 10 years old.
Some garages never bother to even mentipn service history in any of thier ads meaning you have to ring them up just to ask that, then your met with a 'ill let the car do the talking you wont be dissapointed'
Ive seen cars clearly modified advertised as unmodified standard examples.
Grr its bloody frustrating, rant over.
Ive seen cars advertised as FSH, when i ring up they tell me it has 3 stamps in the service book and the car is 10 years old.
Some garages never bother to even mentipn service history in any of thier ads meaning you have to ring them up just to ask that, then your met with a 'ill let the car do the talking you wont be dissapointed'
Ive seen cars clearly modified advertised as unmodified standard examples.
Grr its bloody frustrating, rant over.
dieseluser07 said:
Getting a bit fed up of trawling through car ads when the dealer either misses out important information or overexagerates the car in some way or another, for example:
Ive seen cars advertised as FSH, when i ring up they tell me it has 3 stamps in the service book and the car is 10 years old.
Some garages never bother to even mentipn service history in any of thier ads meaning you have to ring them up just to ask that, then your met with a 'ill let the car do the talking you wont be dissapointed'
Ive seen cars clearly modified advertised as unmodified standard examples.
Grr its bloody frustrating, rant over.
Unfortunately I think it comes from the fact that a lot of dealers probably rely on the fact that most customers won't know the questions to ask. It is also difficult if you have known a car for 5 mins, even to tell from the service history what it's actually like in reality, so I reckon most dealers struggle to write anything decent because the generally don't know much about the car.Ive seen cars advertised as FSH, when i ring up they tell me it has 3 stamps in the service book and the car is 10 years old.
Some garages never bother to even mentipn service history in any of thier ads meaning you have to ring them up just to ask that, then your met with a 'ill let the car do the talking you wont be dissapointed'
Ive seen cars clearly modified advertised as unmodified standard examples.
Grr its bloody frustrating, rant over.
I spent the last 3 months trying to buy my Mrs a car in the 3-5k bracket and I can honestly say it has been the most frustrating experience. Every weekend we go round used traders trying to flog their "genuine sourced from main dealer", or "it was part exed by one of our regulars", or "this is the cheapest Astra 1.6 in the country" etc etc. Everyone at this end of the market who I've come across is a complete shyster.
I got so bored of it, I just went and got her a brand new SEAT Ibiza.
I got so bored of it, I just went and got her a brand new SEAT Ibiza.
bmw535i said:
I spent the last 3 months trying to buy my Mrs a car in the 3-5k bracket and I can honestly say it has been the most frustrating experience. Every weekend we go round used traders trying to flog their "genuine sourced from main dealer", or "it was part exed by one of our regulars", or "this is the cheapest Astra 1.6 in the country" etc etc. Everyone at this end of the market who I've come across is a complete shyster.
I got so bored of it, I just went and got her a brand new SEAT Ibiza.
You were probably buying on price instead of going to long established businesses with a good local reputationI got so bored of it, I just went and got her a brand new SEAT Ibiza.
POORCARDEALER said:
You were probably buying on price instead of going to long established businesses with a good local reputation
not sure what you mean? Buying on price? If 5k is the limit, then that's the limit. I don't know of any traders with a good reputation - that's my point. They all misrepresent their stock. Its hard to find a good used car dealer these days, everyone of them seems to get a bad rep barring one or two which makes buying a specific model a nightmare as your waiting on a trustworthy garage aswell.
Despite the prices being overinflated i prefer buying from a main dealers forecourt.
Despite the prices being overinflated i prefer buying from a main dealers forecourt.
I only buy second hand cars on condition anyway, so main dealer, used car salesman, or private, if you go along with a slightly mechanical head on and what to listen out for, you normally end up with something ok. Works for me anyway.
Often the main dealer second hand shop is full of their worst salesmen anyway so they generally know dick all about the cars and therefore at that level I'm not sure it makes a difference who you're buying from as long as it's a solid car. I just can't stand all the turd polishing that people try to do. Just be honest.
Often the main dealer second hand shop is full of their worst salesmen anyway so they generally know dick all about the cars and therefore at that level I'm not sure it makes a difference who you're buying from as long as it's a solid car. I just can't stand all the turd polishing that people try to do. Just be honest.
dieseluser07 said:
Ive seen cars advertised as FSH, when i ring up they tell me it has 3 stamps in the service book and the car is 10 years old.
Yup, that would be the dealer who bought my Altea, which had various mechanical issues, only one key, no service history book, and just a couple of receipts for work done well over a year ago - all of which I mentioned in my ad when I sold it. It turned up on his website a week later miraculously boasting 'FSH' and in 'outstanding condition'. Spumfry said:
Yup, that would be the dealer who bought my Altea, which had various mechanical issues, only one key, no service history book, and just a couple of receipts for work done well over a year ago - all of which I mentioned in my ad when I sold it. It turned up on his website a week later miraculously boasting 'FSH' and in 'outstanding condition'.
Its ridiculous, some of them are so crooked its unbelievableTraders are a great when they buy your problem. I had a corsa and the headgasket was failing (oil in the water and vice versa). One day after work i popped into a used car dealer with quite a respectable site. Told him about the car and he told me he could shift it quick. We agreed on a price and i returned later for the cash. Before giving it to him i changed the oil and the coolant so that it was nice and clean. I did get a comeback on it but he has since sold it on in an auction for £500 less than he paid me for it.
UK345 said:
Traders are a great when they buy your problem. I had a corsa and the headgasket was failing (oil in the water and vice versa). One day after work i popped into a used car dealer with quite a respectable site. Told him about the car and he told me he could shift it quick. We agreed on a price and i returned later for the cash. Before giving it to him i changed the oil and the coolant so that it was nice and clean. I did get a comeback on it but he has since sold it on in an auction for £500 less than he paid me for it.
Haha i did that but to webuyanycarWould never do it privately though as i have some decency in me.
dieseluser07 said:
Haha i did that but to webuyanycar
Would never do it privately though as i have some decency in me.
Yeah I wouldn't want to sell it privately. Apparently the car was sold but the buyer rejected it due to the issues. The trader was not best pleased but he soon went away. I seen it in a local auction when I was looking at a suitable replacement. I doubt he fixed it.Would never do it privately though as i have some decency in me.
dieseluser07 said:
Spumfry said:
Yup, that would be the dealer who bought my Altea, which had various mechanical issues, only one key, no service history book, and just a couple of receipts for work done well over a year ago - all of which I mentioned in my ad when I sold it. It turned up on his website a week later miraculously boasting 'FSH' and in 'outstanding condition'.
Its ridiculous, some of them are so crooked its unbelievable"FSH" = Full service history.
One interpretation is that the car has been serviced as per the manufacturer spec.
Another is that "we have the full history for this car" - which might only be 3 stamps.
nickfrog said:
I would agree with that based on my experience and that includes franchised dealers - but then again you've got to do due diligence although the usual lies do generate a waste of time if you don't accept to get mugged.
A lot of these small independant traders have absolutely no morals and they are quite happy to look you in the eye and lie. It gets very awkward when you are blunt and can demonstrate that you know they are lying. Buyers should have no qualms about doing this.It was a much better experience going and buying the new car, but even then you get the lies and hard sell tactics when it comes to being sold gap insurance, smart insurance, G3 protection, alloy wheel insurance etc etc. In the end a very firm NO in a slightly raised voice was enough to stop the embarrassing patter that was coming out. Trying to sell gap insurance at £499 should be illegal - I got it for £88 from ALA in the end - using my PH 12% discount code too
I just feel sorry for the people who get that scared by the salesmans tales of people writing their car off on the way home that they take up the insurance.bmw535i said:
POORCARDEALER said:
You were probably buying on price instead of going to long established businesses with a good local reputation
not sure what you mean? Buying on price? If 5k is the limit, then that's the limit. I don't know of any traders with a good reputation - that's my point. They all misrepresent their stock. buying on price = say there is a mint 06 one owner with a FSH and someone else has a tatty 08 same model for the same price !!!!!! you think the 08 must be better value as its 2 years newer!!!
There are plenty of long established indepedents around, that wont lie, will give you proper back up, but guess what, you wont be buying from them for the same money as a bombsite dealer, it will cost more money....the ONLY way the cheapest on autotrader can sell at the prices they do is to cut corners.
So, instead of w
king yourself over how many stamps are in the servioce book, take a long look at where you are buying from instead.anonymous said:
[redacted]
If a family member approaches me for a car I can not fulfil their needs I will send them to another dealer...choice of two, both local, both family owned for years and years, I dont have to think about it them, I know they will be looked after.Personally i would choose my dealer first then the car.
POORCARDEALER said:
There are plenty of long established indepedents around, that wont lie, will give you proper back up, but guess what, you wont be buying from them for the same money as a bombsite dealer, it will cost more money....the ONLY way the cheapest on autotrader can sell at the prices they do is to cut corners.
So, instead of wking yourself over how many stamps are in the servioce book, take a long look at where you are buying from instead.
Well I bought a car from a well established trader in Stafford who specialises in modifying "prestige" cars - usually BMW, Porsche etc. The modification consists of body kits and wheels generally and he is apparently well known throughout the UK. Nice flash showroom, uniformed receptionist etc.So, instead of w
king yourself over how many stamps are in the servioce book, take a long look at where you are buying from instead.Long story short but the car he'd sold me had a failed cv joint, knackered gearbox and a string of other faults. Because of his woeful aftercare, lies and downright flouting of the law I took him to court and won. He even lied in court which was highlighted much to the displeasure of the judge. I no longer give any used car salesman the benefit of the doubt - regardless of their reputation or how nice their showroom looks.
Gassing Station | General Gassing | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff