Why do dealerships take cars home

[Matt_E_Mulsion]

If I was going to look at a demonstrator then I would make sure it was in and free before travelling to see/drive it. If I'd made an appointment to view that specific car and it wasn't available when I got there I'd be very naffed off.

If it wasn't a 'new' car and was just a normal second hand car that the dealership had for sale, I'd expect it to be on site unless it had been sold.

[Deep Thought]

Matt_E_Mulsion said:

If I was going to look at a demonstrator then I would make sure it was in and free before travelling to see/drive it. If I'd made an appointment to view that specific car and it wasn't available when I got there I'd be very naffed off.

If it wasn't a 'new' car and was just a normal second hand car that the dealership had for sale, I'd expect it to be on site unless it had been sold.

+1

Ring up and make an appointment to view.

[Alucidnation]

Jimny33 said:

It was more of the fact that we’d rung twice before and to be told that it wouldn’t be in but such is life. Basically instead of buying, say a 1 owner car, it’s a two owner car because someone is using it regularly.

Just got back from looking at the rivals - GLC 63S etc. All very nice!

So you knew it wasn’t going to be there but went anyway?

Edited by Alucidnation on Sunday 28th June 17:01

[L3090]

It’s not a “free” car either.

The staff pay for these cars via BIK allowance.

Dependant on what they earn, it can be £250 - £500 per month.

Just because it’s for sale doesn’t mean it’s going to be on site if it’s in use.

But to answer your question, they take them home because they pay for it.

You should have rung before hand...

[GTiWILL]

alorotom said:

This thread and responses just further reiterates the utter disregard for customers that car sales people have

You mean some car sales people. Let’s not use blanket statements.

People can be good or bad, whether they are the customer or the salesperson.

[anonymous-user]

Jimny33 said:

Wow nice reply. Thanks - based on what. When buying any car I’d kinda expect it to be there, during a weekend when people would be coming in to look at cars. I thought that was why garages were there?Not a place where the sales people can take them home when they want to?

Having worked in the trade previously, all the car salesmen I know say that it’s the weekends when the timewasters and tyre-kickers come in.

The serious buyers make time during the week or take time off work to buy a car.

[RammyMP]

It’s quite normal. My current car was the dealers accountants company car, it was 6 month old and because I was in the dealers on the weekend the car wasn’t there, he didn’t work weekends. The first time I saw the car was when I picked it up. I know it wasn’t a demo car as it came with a tracker so when they transferred the tracker account to me I could see his journey from home to work and back every day.

[21st Century Man]

Alucidnation said:

Jimny33 said:

It was more of the fact that we’d rung twice before and to be told that it wouldn’t be in but such is life. Basically instead of buying, say a 1 owner car, it’s a two owner car because someone is using it regularly.

Just got back from looking at the rivals - GLC 63S etc. All very nice!

So you knew it wasn’t going to be there but went anyway?

What? He rang twice and they told him it wouldn't be there anyway?

As for 1 owner, my wife has had her car from new and when it's sold it'll be described as 1 owner, although I drive it every now and then and our son went on holiday in it once too, that doesn't make it a 3 owner car.

[SmoothCriminal]

I don't understand some of the responses the op is getting.

If the car is advertised for sale and is then not onsite when it should be or is out for the weekend then don't advertise the fking thing for sale.

I would understand if it's a demo and the sales people are using it of an evening to go home etc but you're using it for weekend jollys then it shouldn't be for sale

[Alucidnation]

21st Century Man said:

Alucidnation said:

Jimny33 said:

It was more of the fact that we’d rung twice before and to be told that it wouldn’t be in but such is life. Basically instead of buying, say a 1 owner car, it’s a two owner car because someone is using it regularly.

Just got back from looking at the rivals - GLC 63S etc. All very nice!

So you knew it wasn’t going to be there but went anyway?

What? He rang twice and they told him it wouldn't be there anyway?

Ah, i read it that he had actually gone to look at it after calling.

[21st Century Man]

Alucidnation said:

21st Century Man said:

Alucidnation said:

Jimny33 said:

It was more of the fact that we’d rung twice before and to be told that it wouldn’t be in but such is life. Basically instead of buying, say a 1 owner car, it’s a two owner car because someone is using it regularly.

Just got back from looking at the rivals - GLC 63S etc. All very nice!

So you knew it wasn’t going to be there but went anyway?

What? He rang twice and they told him it wouldn't be there anyway?

Ah, i read it that he had actually gone to look at it after calling.

So did I, because that's what was written. Perhaps he meant "wasn't in" rather than "wouldn't be in". No wonder there's confusion when folks can't speak/write English.

Edited by 21st Century Man on Sunday 28th June 18:08

[Bonzo1930]

Hang on a minute have I got this right you've rung twice to be told its not there and you then turn up and it's not there and you've got an arse on about it?
I thought most dealers were doing appointment only with COVID-19 ? I went to look at a used Mercedes at the local main dealer last weekend made an appointment and guess what it was sat outside the showroom doors waiting for me!
Sounds to me the dealer has either dodged a bullet with a difficult customer or a time waster or I am missing something?

[Tall_Blk]

Once I wanted to have an extended test drive on a VW Touareg. They ended up giving me the managers car for the entire day to test drive. It was spec’ed with every option available

[CRA1G]

Tall_Blk said:

Once I wanted to have an extended test drive on a VW Touareg. They ended up giving me the managers car for the entire day to test drive. It was spec’ed with every option available

Did you buy...?

[Tall_Blk]

CRA1G said:

Tall_Blk said:

Once I wanted to have an extended test drive on a VW Touareg. They ended up giving me the managers car for the entire day to test drive. It was spec’ed with every option available

Did you buy...?

No. It was way too expensive and went for an E220 estate in the end due to mpg. One thing though, i fell in love with digits dash but not so much with head up display as I didn’t even noticed it was on until I took my glasses off

[Baked_bean]

Demonstrators at car dealerships are nearly always allocated company cars for staff, from service managers through to accountants. Maybe it was phrased badly by the dealer, but people are allowed time off and to take the car home that they pay tax on.....

It isn't always a jolly, like you when sales people have time off they will be popping to the shops, or visiting family.

I am sure the OP and the industry they work in is perfect, with no issues.

[Turbobanana]

alorotom said:

This thread and responses just further reiterates the utter disregard for customers that car sales people have

I worked in the trade for 18 years. Most of the people I worked with were utter professionals and valued customer retention very highly. I quickly learned to tolerate all kinds of customer, and some of the responses on here remind me why I was glad to get out.

The OP is right to be frustrated if he / she did indeed make an appointment to see a specific car which turned out not to be there, but received an apology and, correctly, the offer to leave a holding, refundable deposit to buy first refusal on said car. He / she refused and then posts on here to seek validation of his / her decision. The best car in the world may have just got away, who knows?

Treat sales people like humans: they might just treat you like a human too, and they're only doing their job.

[Mexman]

alorotom said:

This thread and responses just further reiterates the utter disregard for customers that car sales people have

Yep, and the public never have utter disregard for us do they? See PH.
Irony.

[ruggedscotty]

Onelastattempt said:

My local Ford dealer lost a sale because of this, spotted he had a 2016 Fiesta ST200 up for sale and my son was looking for one. We made an appointment to view it, got there to be told car was not there as one of the managers had borrowed it for the weekend.
Salesman then told us we could leave a deposit on it if we wanted, we just looked at him as if he was stupid and walked out.
Found another 2 ST200s at car supermarket 40 miles away, phoned them up, when asked if the cars were actually on site they said of course they are, where else would they be?
Drove down , viewed and drove both cars and they got the sale, that's why you have the car you advertised for sale available, not being ragged around by some manager who thinks it's more important for him to have a different car to play with every weekend instead of having it ready for sale to someone who has actually made an appointment to view it .

sadly those that think cars are going to be sitting in a showroom polished and unused are dreaming....if its a sports car and its a demo then its going to be out there and it going to be ragged silly.... thats the way it is. thats what car showrooms and sales are. the guys working in them dont usually get a company car that is theirs, they get what is in stock, and of course if it special it will get punted about a bit.

if your going into buy it you have not bought it, so its up to the dealer what they choose to do with it, if the salesman has taken it out then fair do's to them.

had a guy buy a car out a deposit on it and was going to clear the funds on monday and come in and buy it. salesman took it home on the friday night skidded on ice and hit a wall.... trailered back in and through saturday and sunday it was worked on, damage repaired and as good as new. guy came in on the monday paid for it and drove off, not an issue. its just a lump of metal afterall....

[hyphen]

ruggedscotty said:

sadly those that think cars are going to be sitting in a showroom polished and unused are dreaming....

often its sat in a muddy field somewhere. As soon as a customer rings up, they go and jump start it and give it a quick clean.

Till you buy it, its their car. And if they want to drive their car home, then thats up to them. A buyer judges a car based on its condition at the time.