Do people look after their cars!?
Discussion
Hi all,
Just thought I’d share my findings from the last few weekends…
I've been taking Mrs SteveS Cup to look at cars.
We're looking at circa 3 year old 207 CC's. We've looked at 8 now and I can honestly say I have never been so astonished by the poor condition of a 3 year old car!
Now I'm guessing these have been female owned (1.6 207 cc, GT spec but still, it is a bit girly!) and potentially bought on a 3 year PCP deal... but these cars are battered!!!!
I mean, fag burned seats (I've smoked in every single on of my cars and I've never ever damaged the interior), curbed wheels, cheap nasty tyres, scuffs, scratches, dents, edge of doors bashed badly, service book not stamped although there are the invoices to prove servicing...
Do people buy new cars just to batter them and get rid in 3 years for a shiny new one!?
Finally we've found one which has been loved!!! Hurrah! (I’m guessing the woman’s husband made sure she (he) looked after it!!!)
I've never come across this problem before as I guess the cars I've owned have been "enthusiast" owned. So is this normal thing to expect with an “Average Joe” type of car???
When an advert says "1 lady owner", do you see that as a positive or a massive negative??? From what I've seen recently, it can only be a negative!!!
Just thought I’d share my findings from the last few weekends…
I've been taking Mrs SteveS Cup to look at cars.
We're looking at circa 3 year old 207 CC's. We've looked at 8 now and I can honestly say I have never been so astonished by the poor condition of a 3 year old car!
Now I'm guessing these have been female owned (1.6 207 cc, GT spec but still, it is a bit girly!) and potentially bought on a 3 year PCP deal... but these cars are battered!!!!
I mean, fag burned seats (I've smoked in every single on of my cars and I've never ever damaged the interior), curbed wheels, cheap nasty tyres, scuffs, scratches, dents, edge of doors bashed badly, service book not stamped although there are the invoices to prove servicing...
Do people buy new cars just to batter them and get rid in 3 years for a shiny new one!?
Finally we've found one which has been loved!!! Hurrah! (I’m guessing the woman’s husband made sure she (he) looked after it!!!)
I've never come across this problem before as I guess the cars I've owned have been "enthusiast" owned. So is this normal thing to expect with an “Average Joe” type of car???
When an advert says "1 lady owner", do you see that as a positive or a massive negative??? From what I've seen recently, it can only be a negative!!!
J4CKO said:
206 CC are owned by young girls, not generally renown for their car care skills and why the used market is full of cars that have loads of kerbed wheels and dents, too busy twittering, texting and jabbering on the phone and just get a new one one its looking ropey.
207! 206's are a bit old now!doogz said:
We're selling Laura's MINI just now.
It has a scuff on the NS corner of the front bumper, and a scratch on the drivers door, that she worked her magic on, on Saturday, and now it doesn't look nearly so bad.
But these happened when the car was parked up in a car park, possibly by someone that doesn't look after their new car, possibly by someone with an old s
tbox that doesn't give a rats ass.
The age of car, and sex of owner don't make it any more or less susceptible to being scratched.
Ok, my OP was very sweeping! I know some ladies out there love their cars and care for them and you're right, others can damage them. It has a scuff on the NS corner of the front bumper, and a scratch on the drivers door, that she worked her magic on, on Saturday, and now it doesn't look nearly so bad.
But these happened when the car was parked up in a car park, possibly by someone that doesn't look after their new car, possibly by someone with an old s
tbox that doesn't give a rats ass.The age of car, and sex of owner don't make it any more or less susceptible to being scratched.
But if someone else scratches your 2 year old car would you not get it sorted!? I bloody would!
As a female I would like to say that I care and look after my cars.
This actually payed off:
My first car was a little corsa sxi. I loved it and would clean it and wax it and spare no expense to keep it looking good.
To the point that when I very ashamedly kerbed my alloys, I took it to the bodyshop the same week to get them sorted.
When I put it up for sale, I priced it quite high and was at the highest point for a car of my spec and age.
A father and daughter came to look at it and liked it, bit wanted to haggle down on price.
I refused and they walked. I got a call 3 days later saying that they had been to see all the other local ones for sale and the were covered in scratches and kerbed wheels. They payed full asking price.
However- there are many other females & males i know who do not look after their cars and don't understand why I do.
One of my close friends just decided to sell their 1 series be aide it was dented and needed new brakes!
This actually payed off:
My first car was a little corsa sxi. I loved it and would clean it and wax it and spare no expense to keep it looking good.
To the point that when I very ashamedly kerbed my alloys, I took it to the bodyshop the same week to get them sorted.
When I put it up for sale, I priced it quite high and was at the highest point for a car of my spec and age.
A father and daughter came to look at it and liked it, bit wanted to haggle down on price.
I refused and they walked. I got a call 3 days later saying that they had been to see all the other local ones for sale and the were covered in scratches and kerbed wheels. They payed full asking price.
However- there are many other females & males i know who do not look after their cars and don't understand why I do.
One of my close friends just decided to sell their 1 series be aide it was dented and needed new brakes!
SteveS Cup said:
Ok, my OP was very sweeping! I know some ladies out there love their cars and care for them and you're right, others can damage them.
But if someone else scratches your 2 year old car would you not get it sorted!? I bloody would!
Having looked at my wifes car, I'm amazed how many dings and scratches one person can aquire.But if someone else scratches your 2 year old car would you not get it sorted!? I bloody would!
Sorting them out is rather pointless, they would magically reappear shortly after no doubt.
We bought the wife a R56 Mini Cooper S. The previous owner (chap) had kept it immaculately. Not a blemish on it.
Within 3 weeks, where she probably only used it a total of 6 times, she had a vertical crease in both doors and an additional trolley dink in the driver's door.
One of the creases was when she flung the driver's door open onto a kerbside bollard. She couldn't deny fault for that one as I was in the passenger seat.
She's getting a skip on wheels for her next motor.
Within 3 weeks, where she probably only used it a total of 6 times, she had a vertical crease in both doors and an additional trolley dink in the driver's door.
One of the creases was when she flung the driver's door open onto a kerbside bollard. She couldn't deny fault for that one as I was in the passenger seat.
She's getting a skip on wheels for her next motor.
Ilikebeaver said:
However- there are many other females & males i know who do not look after their cars and don't understand why I do.
One of my close friends just decided to sell their 1 series be aide it was dented and needed new brakes!
I went to see 1 series for sale, recently. I walked away because it was dented and needed new brakes! One of my close friends just decided to sell their 1 series be aide it was dented and needed new brakes!
Nice username for a girl too, lol.
Yes, it's incredible how people treat their cars. They'll vac the carpets in their house twice a day and spray st over their hobs at similar intervals, yet the £20K car in the drive is left to rot. I saw a woman down the road getting out of a new £20+K Astra and the door was creaking like mad. Three weeks later, same woman, same car, and she had to lean against the door to get it to close with the accompanying grinding of metal. GET THE fkING THING FIXED YOU LAZY bh!
t over their hobs at similar intervals, yet the £20K car in the drive is left to rot. I saw a woman down the road getting out of a new £20+K Astra and the door was creaking like mad. Three weeks later, same woman, same car, and she had to lean against the door to get it to close with the accompanying grinding of metal. GET THE fkING THING FIXED YOU LAZY bh!The other thing... when advertising a car privately (if there are any faults, even stone chips) I'll list every "bad point"... Everything, so that when someone looks at it they can't pick fault with it.
Why on earth do dealers not do this!?
1 of the cars we looked at was a real sack of ste... up for the same money as the one we finally went for with more miles!!!! Do they expect people to say "oh well, it's 3 years old, you'd expect the rear bumper to have a bodged semi repair, 3 badly kerbed wheels, a big scuff on the front wing and 4 fag burns in the front seat"!!?? (the 2 rear tyres were also the wrong way round!!!!)
I'm actually a bit shocked!
I appreciate a dealer will have to put money in to something to make it mint with the risk of still not being able to sell but I'm certain that 99% of the people who walk away from a car like that due to it's condition would buy it if it had been sorted out before they viewed the car (a lot of dealers are saying, "oh we'll sort that out for you if you buy it"... which I dont't think is right at all).
Sorry for the rant!
Why on earth do dealers not do this!?
1 of the cars we looked at was a real sack of s
te... up for the same money as the one we finally went for with more miles!!!! Do they expect people to say "oh well, it's 3 years old, you'd expect the rear bumper to have a bodged semi repair, 3 badly kerbed wheels, a big scuff on the front wing and 4 fag burns in the front seat"!!?? (the 2 rear tyres were also the wrong way round!!!!) I'm actually a bit shocked!
I appreciate a dealer will have to put money in to something to make it mint with the risk of still not being able to sell but I'm certain that 99% of the people who walk away from a car like that due to it's condition would buy it if it had been sorted out before they viewed the car (a lot of dealers are saying, "oh we'll sort that out for you if you buy it"... which I dont't think is right at all).
Sorry for the rant!
Unfortunately a lot of people have the attitude to cars of get in, drive, get out and that's it. "It's a means of getting from A to B why should I worry about keeping it clean" was something a girl I used to work with said. I never understood this attitude, a car is your second biggest purchase and the better kept it is the more it will be worth in years to come! Also on a 207cc, a car primarily used for posing with top down, surely you would want to keep it looking clean otherwise why not buy an XR3 convertible for £700?
6potdave said:
Also on a 207cc, a car primarily used for posing with top down, surely you would want to keep it looking clean otherwise why not buy an XR3 convertible for £700?
This is what I don't get! It's a posers car... so surely scuffed wheels and body work would be rectified!? If it was a bog spec VW Fox or something then I'd understand more... but a 207 CC is surely bought by a female who likes cars!?
Ian1976 said:
I dread to think what state our cars would be in if I didn't keep on top of the cleaning and maintenance. Left to her own devices my Mrs would just run them into the ground as she has zero mechanical sympathy or understanding.
Seconded! Women just don't seem to care. The other thing they do is use the boot as an extension of their wardrobe. My missus has shoes and all sorts in there!St John Smythe said:
Seconded! Women just don't seem to care. The other thing they do is use the boot as an extension of their wardrobe. My missus has shoes and all sorts in there!
Funny you should say that... my Mrs's exact words about getting a new car was "I'm most worried about clearing my old car out...!!!"... Her boot probably has 15 pairs of shoes, 3 umbrella's, the camping chairs we used at Biggin Hill Air Show 3 years ago, coats, dresses she was going to give to her mate etc etc etc... I've told her that the 207cc will be kept mint and I'll throw any s
t she leaves in it in the bin if/when I clean it on a weekend! She did go through a phase when she'd come out with me on a saturday morning and help me clean the cars... it didn't last long!
Gassing Station | General Gassing | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff