"You can test drive if you put a deposit down afterwards"
Discussion
So I went to view a car at a trader today, and upon asking about taking it for a test drive was answered with "what we want to do is get you into a position where you'll put a deposit down when you get back if the car drives OK."
WTF? Is this commonplace? I'd already visited two other places who fell over themselves to let me take their cars out for a drive. Who in their right mind commits to buying a car before they've even driven it?!
Helpfully, he hadn't bothered to put any photos up (on the phone "It's surrounded by other cars mate, I'll try and take some next week"), so the journey to see it was a bit of gamble and the car did turn out to be an utter shed in the end (bits of trim/bodywork missing, mismatched door mirror, didn't start to begin with, misfiring, etc.)
As he wouldn't let me drive without agreeing on a price I made him a lowball offer and was then described as a 'f
king joker' and shown the door. No negotiation. I told him he was the joker for asking as much as he was for such a sorry looking car and wished him a good day.
WTF? Is this commonplace? I'd already visited two other places who fell over themselves to let me take their cars out for a drive. Who in their right mind commits to buying a car before they've even driven it?!
Helpfully, he hadn't bothered to put any photos up (on the phone "It's surrounded by other cars mate, I'll try and take some next week"), so the journey to see it was a bit of gamble and the car did turn out to be an utter shed in the end (bits of trim/bodywork missing, mismatched door mirror, didn't start to begin with, misfiring, etc.)
As he wouldn't let me drive without agreeing on a price I made him a lowball offer and was then described as a 'f
king joker' and shown the door. No negotiation. I told him he was the joker for asking as much as he was for such a sorry looking car and wished him a good day.Makes me wonder how some of them stay in business.
I once made a cheeky offer on a car that I intended to buy either way, even it meant paying the list price. It was supposed to be a joke and at least I thought it came across as just a joke but I got told in these exact words to "fk off" and the door pointed out to me.
I once made a cheeky offer on a car that I intended to buy either way, even it meant paying the list price. It was supposed to be a joke and at least I thought it came across as just a joke but I got told in these exact words to "f
k off" and the door pointed out to me.kris450 said:
Any reason you couldn't have said:
'yeah, sure, no problem'
Taken it for a drive, returned and just not paid him ?
Forgot to add, just tell him it didn't drive right if he kicks up a fuss. Sounds like part of the original deal...
Classic ad from the eighties...'yeah, sure, no problem'
Taken it for a drive, returned and just not paid him ?
Forgot to add, just tell him it didn't drive right if he kicks up a fuss. Sounds like part of the original deal...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pIQ-283wKgg
Wacky Racer said:
kris450 said:
Any reason you couldn't have said:
'yeah, sure, no problem'
Taken it for a drive, returned and just not paid him ?
Forgot to add, just tell him it didn't drive right if he kicks up a fuss. Sounds like part of the original deal...
Classic ad from the eighties...'yeah, sure, no problem'
Taken it for a drive, returned and just not paid him ?
Forgot to add, just tell him it didn't drive right if he kicks up a fuss. Sounds like part of the original deal...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pIQ-283wKgg
You think that's good? One dealer local to me in Gothenburg (indie) who point blank refused to let me take out a 330i Touring or a Corolla T-sport (don't ask) that I was seriously interested in chopping our V70 in for. We're weren't talking shed money, but £15k.
"I have old customers that come back to me. If something goes wrong it gets fixed."
"Yes, but I only have your word on that, besides which I need to feel if the car will suit me."
'What the hell's he going to do when he needs to get 'new' customers?' I thought.
I insist on a test drive, from £50 to £5m. If I get refused then I walk.
"I have old customers that come back to me. If something goes wrong it gets fixed."
"Yes, but I only have your word on that, besides which I need to feel if the car will suit me."
'What the hell's he going to do when he needs to get 'new' customers?' I thought.
I insist on a test drive, from £50 to £5m. If I get refused then I walk.
Dracoro said:
Wacky Racer said:
kris450 said:
Any reason you couldn't have said:
'yeah, sure, no problem'
Taken it for a drive, returned and just not paid him ?
Forgot to add, just tell him it didn't drive right if he kicks up a fuss. Sounds like part of the original deal...
Classic ad from the eighties...'yeah, sure, no problem'
Taken it for a drive, returned and just not paid him ?
Forgot to add, just tell him it didn't drive right if he kicks up a fuss. Sounds like part of the original deal...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pIQ-283wKgg
Wills2 said:
Dracoro said:
Wacky Racer said:
kris450 said:
Any reason you couldn't have said:
'yeah, sure, no problem'
Taken it for a drive, returned and just not paid him ?
Forgot to add, just tell him it didn't drive right if he kicks up a fuss. Sounds like part of the original deal...
Classic ad from the eighties...'yeah, sure, no problem'
Taken it for a drive, returned and just not paid him ?
Forgot to add, just tell him it didn't drive right if he kicks up a fuss. Sounds like part of the original deal...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pIQ-283wKgg
slippery said:
Bemmer said:
What was wrong with the first two you test drove?
Good question. 
I asked to test drive a Corsa VXR once. I always remember it being unusual because we were sat at the desk looking at the computer screen going through the ads together for about 10 minutes. Then the following happened within seconds:
Me: "can I test drive one?"
Him: "no, I don't believe you're going to buy it"
I stood up and walked off with my back towards him saying "can't buy a car I can't test drive" and that was it lol!
Can't be arsed with politeness towards people who are just plain rude.
Me: "can I test drive one?"
Him: "no, I don't believe you're going to buy it"
I stood up and walked off with my back towards him saying "can't buy a car I can't test drive" and that was it lol!
Can't be arsed with politeness towards people who are just plain rude.
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