Buying from dealers with bad reviews/reputation
Discussion
So, the time is fast approaching where I am going to be needing to purchase a new (to me) car. Like most of you here I have sat there on the likes of Autotrader looking through dozens of cars trying to narrow my choice down to a few that are reasonably local to me. One of the potential problems I am coming across is that when I find a car I like the look of I will have a quick look online for more information about the dealer selling it (providing it is not a private sale) and more often than not it leads to a glut of negative reviews from various folk about how the dealer has mugged them off, sold them a car which broke down within a matter of days or was dodgy from the beginning etc.
Do you take these with a pinch of salt and trust yourself to spot a decent motor from a nail? In essence, the car should be judged on its individual merits like MOT failure history, service history, whether it is has decent matching tyres and isn't covered in dents and scratches and such like?
Or would you be extremely cautious when dealing with these types of car dealers and basically write them off as cowboys based on other people's experiences? After all, they can't all be wrong, or can they? If all these reviewers have bought 15 year old Citroens or ropey old BMWs then they only have themselves to blame don't they, for example?
Do you take these with a pinch of salt and trust yourself to spot a decent motor from a nail? In essence, the car should be judged on its individual merits like MOT failure history, service history, whether it is has decent matching tyres and isn't covered in dents and scratches and such like?
Or would you be extremely cautious when dealing with these types of car dealers and basically write them off as cowboys based on other people's experiences? After all, they can't all be wrong, or can they? If all these reviewers have bought 15 year old Citroens or ropey old BMWs then they only have themselves to blame don't they, for example?
Shominy said:
So, the time is fast approaching where I am going to be needing to purchase a new (to me) car. Like most of you here I have sat there on the likes of Autotrader looking through dozens of cars trying to narrow my choice down to a few that are reasonably local to me. One of the potential problems I am coming across is that when I find a car I like the look of I will have a quick look online for more information about the dealer selling it (providing it is not a private sale) and more often than not it leads to a glut of negative reviews from various folk about how the dealer has mugged them off, sold them a car which broke down within a matter of days or was dodgy from the beginning etc.
Do you take these with a pinch of salt and trust yourself to spot a decent motor from a nail? In essence, the car should be judged on its individual merits like MOT failure history, service history, whether it is has decent matching tyres and isn't covered in dents and scratches and such like?
Or would you be extremely cautious when dealing with these types of car dealers and basically write them off as cowboys based on other people's experiences? After all, they can't all be wrong, or can they? If all these reviewers have bought 15 year old Citroens or ropey old BMWs then they only have themselves to blame don't they, for example?
1. If you aren't happy - don't buy Do you take these with a pinch of salt and trust yourself to spot a decent motor from a nail? In essence, the car should be judged on its individual merits like MOT failure history, service history, whether it is has decent matching tyres and isn't covered in dents and scratches and such like?
Or would you be extremely cautious when dealing with these types of car dealers and basically write them off as cowboys based on other people's experiences? After all, they can't all be wrong, or can they? If all these reviewers have bought 15 year old Citroens or ropey old BMWs then they only have themselves to blame don't they, for example?
2. Are you buying for the dealer service/after service or the car?
3. Most dealers will not know the cars intimately. Many will be sourced through auctions. Personally unless it's a cheap banger or cheap enough not to worry about, I'd avoid any of these large car supermarket places. Small family run traders or independents are probably better. But you need to take each on a case by case basis.
4. Are you able to inspect the car to your satisfaction? If not, is there anyone you can ask?
5. In business there will always be unreasonable customers, so take negatives reviews with a pinch of salt. Grumpy unhappy people tend to shout a lot louder than happy ones, even if they are an exception. Basically, every car trader on the planet will have at least one or more unhappy customers. That's just reality.
300bhp/ton said:
1. If you aren't happy - don't buy
2. Are you buying for the dealer service/after service or the car?
3. Most dealers will not know the cars intimately. Many will be sourced through auctions. Personally unless it's a cheap banger or cheap enough not to worry about, I'd avoid any of these large car supermarket places. Small family run traders or independents are probably better. But you need to take each on a case by case basis.
4. Are you able to inspect the car to your satisfaction? If not, is there anyone you can ask?
5. In business there will always be unreasonable customers, so take negatives reviews with a pinch of salt. Grumpy unhappy people tend to shout a lot louder than happy ones, even if they are an exception. Basically, every car trader on the planet will have at least one or more unhappy customers. That's just reality.
I think generally the gut feeling is the one to follow and I agree that if you aren't happy then you shouldn't buy.2. Are you buying for the dealer service/after service or the car?
3. Most dealers will not know the cars intimately. Many will be sourced through auctions. Personally unless it's a cheap banger or cheap enough not to worry about, I'd avoid any of these large car supermarket places. Small family run traders or independents are probably better. But you need to take each on a case by case basis.
4. Are you able to inspect the car to your satisfaction? If not, is there anyone you can ask?
5. In business there will always be unreasonable customers, so take negatives reviews with a pinch of salt. Grumpy unhappy people tend to shout a lot louder than happy ones, even if they are an exception. Basically, every car trader on the planet will have at least one or more unhappy customers. That's just reality.
I wouldn't be buying for the dealer service or after service, I just want the car to be as described and not seconds from going kaput.
Most of the places I've seen cars advertised have been small indies or family run places, they still all seem to have plenty of bad reviews. I agree that there will always be people moaning. I read one review saying they sold a car without an oil cap on the engine. Well if that's the case then surely the buyer didn't even look under the bonnet in which case they only have themselves to blame.
I am no mechanic but I'm reasonably savvy in that whatever I go and look at I will know the common faults so can check everything is as it should be.
Go in with eyes open is the order of the day I suspect.
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