RE: Salesman Critical
RE: Salesman Critical
Tuesday 13th April 2004

Salesman Critical

Test drive leaves car salesman in hospital


Police have appealed for witnesses to a car crash that left a car salesman critically injured.

An Impreza Turbo left the road near Rotheram after the driver lost control and it hit a telegraph pole severely injuring the passenger. The driver of the car was uninjured.

The accident occurred on April 6th and the man is now in a stable condition in Rotherham District General Hospital.

Author
Discussion

Mark M

Original Poster:

35 posts

265 months

Tuesday 13th April 2004
quotequote all
How did this happen?

What does the driver say?

I have sold performance cars for 14 years, never allowed a situation to develop to this stage...

Danger money for carsales people?




dinkel

27,593 posts

280 months

Tuesday 13th April 2004
quotequote all
I thought awd was safe . . .

zumbruk

7,848 posts

282 months

Tuesday 13th April 2004
quotequote all
Just means you're going faster when you run out of talent.

Mr E

22,695 posts

281 months

Tuesday 13th April 2004
quotequote all
zumbruk said:
Just means you're going faster when you run out of talent.


Yup. All the clever software and active diffs in the world are not going to overcome basic physics (although having passengered a well driven Evo VII it bloody well felt like it at the time).

Poor bloke. Hope he recovers.

One would have thought the garage would have got a name off a DL for insurance purposes.

mustard

6,992 posts

267 months

Tuesday 13th April 2004
quotequote all
Very sad circumstances,

I was unfortunate to to know a colleague who had a similar thing happen serveral years ago, the driver was killed, his girlfriend was left severely disabled and the guy concern (been selling cars for years) was never the same after and passed away a couple of years ago, I believe as a result of the incident.

So people please remember to take it a bit easy in an unfamilar car, yes I know that you want to 'see what it can do' but this is what can happen as a result

>> Edited by mustard on Tuesday 13th April 17:30

_Al_

5,618 posts

280 months

Tuesday 13th April 2004
quotequote all
Salesman I once met asked me to go easy; as he'd previously left a test-driven car via the rear window - at speed.

mcflurry

9,184 posts

275 months

Wednesday 14th April 2004
quotequote all
Sorry to hear this. However IMHO the salesman is partially to blame, in the same way as a passenger is responsible for the behaviour of a Learner driver.

JonRB

79,240 posts

294 months

Wednesday 14th April 2004
quotequote all
When test-driving a car I always try to put the salesman at ease before opening the car up - try to build a little trust first.

I wouldn't let a driver I didn't know drive me in a car they didn't know at speed for all the tea in China. I take my hat off to car salesmen and driving instructors who do so on a day-to-day basis.

This is one of the reasons I'm not too keen on selling the Corrado privately.

mustard

6,992 posts

267 months

Wednesday 14th April 2004
quotequote all
mcflurry said:
Sorry to hear this. However IMHO the salesman is partially to blame, in the same way as a passenger is responsible for the behaviour of a Learner driver.


Do we live in a Nanny State?.....NOT YET... but its coming!

Theres a big differance, the passenger of a learner driver is there to TEACH the learner driver. The individual test driving a car holds a UK driving license and should be aware of the laws of the road etc

Mark M

Original Poster:

35 posts

265 months

Wednesday 14th April 2004
quotequote all
Agree with Mustard on this one.

It is the customers responsibility to drive with due care and attention.

It is my responsibility (as salesman) to establish that you have a licence, that you have driven a powerful car before and to point it out to you if you act like an idiot behind the wheel.

Needless to say, if you question a guys driving ability, he is less likely to buy a car from you. However, I do this to feed my family and pay my mortgage. I would like to go home in one piece at the end of a working day.

Before I sound too sanctimonious, If you do get someone who obviously knows what he/she is doing, I don't worry too much about a few speed limits, or opposite lock roundabouts, or keen overtakes....



mustard

6,992 posts

267 months

Wednesday 14th April 2004
quotequote all
JonRB said:
When test-driving a car I always try to put the salesman at ease before opening the car up - try to build a little trust first.

I wouldn't let a driver I didn't know drive me in a car they didn't know at speed for all the tea in China. I take my hat off to car salesmen and driving instructors who do so on a day-to-day basis.

This is one of the reasons I'm not too keen on selling the Corrado privately.



Have to confess the worst 'white knuckle' rides if been on have been Old Folk test driving Rover 100's thanks scarey!!!!!!!!!

Mark M

Original Poster:

35 posts

265 months

Wednesday 14th April 2004
quotequote all
Mustard,

have we worked together? That is exactly my worst test drive ever! Little old lady in Metro 1.1. Found it a bit quicker than the Allegro (yes really!) that she had had for 12 years.

Tried to drive into the back of an oil tanker on a dual carriage way. I had to steer the car around it from the passenger seat. She then burst into tears and took her feet of the pedals.

She bought the car though!

mustard

6,992 posts

267 months

Wednesday 14th April 2004
quotequote all
Mark, If the Nanny state continues we could be sued for supplying them with a dangerous weapon! (ie Rover 100!) LOL

If they were'nt interested in buying a car you'd want them banned and off the road

gh0st

4,693 posts

280 months

Thursday 15th April 2004
quotequote all
mustard said:
Mark, If the Nanny state continues we could be sued for supplying them with a dangerous weapon! (ie Rover 100!) LOL


THERE IS NOTHING WRONG WITH ROVER 100'S!!!

master

21 posts

271 months

Saturday 17th April 2004
quotequote all
1. I hope the salesman makes a full recovery, he tries to make a living and ends up as a casualty - that sucks!!.

2. I did a track day with [name drop approaches] with Derek Bell who accompanied each driver as they circuited Thruxton. He said "don't try to impress me, I can frighten myself anytime taking a car out on the track"

williamp

20,092 posts

295 months

Sunday 18th April 2004
quotequote all
master said:

2. I did a track day with [name drop approaches] with Derek Bell who accompanied each driver as they circuited Thruxton. He said "don't try to impress me, I can frighten myself anytime taking a car out on the track"


Fantastic!! D Bell is onme of my hero's. What was he like??

Oh, could you not have replied

"...Oh, alright then. You take my car round and impress me!!!"

rospa

494 posts

270 months

Tuesday 27th April 2004
quotequote all
mcflurry said:
Sorry to hear this. However IMHO the salesman is partially to blame, in the same way as a passenger is responsible for the behaviour of a Learner driver.


I am sorry but that is just total and utter bollox.

CarZee

13,382 posts

289 months

Tuesday 27th April 2004
quotequote all
JonRB said:
This is one of the reasons I'm not too keen on selling the Corrado privately.
Sorry about that..

gRsf12

224 posts

262 months

Wednesday 28th April 2004
quotequote all
I saw this thread and thought it was going to be along the lines of:

" Hmm, you've a couple of marks on that bumper......you ought to take more care parking......that'll affect it's value, let me see... ...no, sir, don't touch that car...

Mr Burns

1 posts

240 months

Sunday 26th February 2006
quotequote all
I worked at the same dealership. The salesman was in a coma for at least one week. He had only been working with the company for a couple of months. This was his first job in the motortrade. He eventualy came back to work after one year and worked part time but left after a month or so. The driver got out of the car without a scratch.