Dealers and car mats

[PugwasHDJ80]

Is there a massive blackmarket for car mats and second keys?

Seems that more often than not cars don't have mats in them- even a 20k XKR- where have they gone?

an why do all the spare keys seem to disappear?

[davepoth]

PugwasHDJ80 said:

Is there a massive blackmarket for car mats and second keys?

Seems that more often than not cars don't have mats in them- even a 20k XKR- where have they gone?

an why do all the spare keys seem to disappear?

People take the mats out when the dealers gouge them on P/X price. I know people who have siphoned nearly all the fuel out of their cars when P/Xing too.

[hman]

yes there is a market for them - ebay.

[PugwasHDJ80]

seriously- people and dealers keep the mats and flog them on ebay? is it really worth the hassle?

suchs a ballache for little old me too

[Mr GrimNasty]

More likely that they're worn out and dirty and would put you off. Removing them is the quickest/cheapest option.

[oldcynic]

More likely they remove the mats so they can sell you another set 'to protect your investment'. Selling the old ones on ebay would be a neat way to keep the showroom tidy.

[cheesesliceking]

hman said:

yes there is a market for them - ebay.

This, lots.

[CYMR0]

oldcynic said:

More likely they remove the mats so they can sell you another set 'to protect your investment'. Selling the old ones on ebay would be a neat way to keep the showroom tidy.

£20 of margin/vehicle ... helps pay the salesman's commission.

[PugwasHDJ80]

CYMR0 said:

£20 of margin/vehicle ... helps pay the salesman's commission.

on a £20k car there is a £20 margin?

Friend in the trade makes 10% margin most sales and only sells stuff above 10k

[CYMR0]

PugwasHDJ80 said:

on a £20k car there is a £20 margin?

Friend in the trade makes 10% margin most sales and only sells stuff above 10k

£20 margin in mats, I mean.

[PugwasHDJ80]

CYMR0 said:

£20 margin in mats, I mean.

Ahh that makes more sense

[rossmotorpoint]

most of the time at are place either the valet company bin them or the company previous to us owning the car takes them very few dealers will sell them on, far to much hassle

[Vladimir]

Spam.

Spam.

Spam.

[chrisw666]

Very spammy, but oddly struck a chord.

We viewed the OHes car and it was fitted with ford mats, when we collected it they denied all knowledge of them so I bought a new set for £25 from a different ford dealer. It isn't the £25 that bothered me its that something that was in the car when it was on their forecourt was taken out, clearly they hadn't paid for them so why would they begrudge giving them away with the car?

[R26Andy]

hmmm, 3 car mat threads in the space of a few hours.

Ive had nothing but trouble with these car mat websites that are spamming us

[Toaster Pilot]

I don't get why so many nearly new cars only have one key though - is it because hire companies lose the 2nd key in a back office somewhere?

[Fast Bug]

A lot of customers take everything out of the car that isn't bolted down when they part exchange it. I've had people take the spare wheel out before, it's not like it would fit their new car either (which had a spare wheel!).

Lots of cars turn up without spare keys as well. Ex lease/hire cars are the norm for not having them.

Although a dealership that I used to work at would take £200 from a customer for a lost key which was refuded when they bought it back in. Everyone managed to bring the spare key with them when we started doing that

[KTF]

davepoth said:

People take the mats out when the dealers gouge them on P/X price. I know people who have siphoned nearly all the fuel out of their cars when P/Xing too.

Any car I have traded in has always been dropped off running on fresh air. I dont see any reason to give them a free half tank of fuel or whatever.

[dave7692]

I had that when I bought the Pug, when I viewed it it had really nice "Verve" embroidered car mats in (which in the brochure were £55 IIRC) and when I took delivery they weren't there.

As a result of that I kicked up such a fuss and made them send me a free set in the post, because after all I bought the car with, to my knowledge, the mats included and I wasn't going to spend more of my own money, especially after they refused to tax the bloody thing!

[dapearson]

When the turbo went on my 320d i sold it "as is" to a trader. Before he saw it i stripped out the parcel shelf (big piece of kit that was!), the rechargable torch, and i kept the owner's manual.

I got about £150 for that little lot off ebay!