DO DEALERS WANT TO SELL CARS AT THE MOMENT?
Discussion
Sorry but I need to rant here.
Several times now I’ve asked for more information on a car that I’ve found on Autotrader before I make the trip up to see it and the dealer ignores me, even after I’ve chased them.
Do they just want to sell to locals that visit the showroom and aren’t interested in people further away? Or are the majority of dealers just useless at following up leads?
What gives!?
Several times now I’ve asked for more information on a car that I’ve found on Autotrader before I make the trip up to see it and the dealer ignores me, even after I’ve chased them.
Do they just want to sell to locals that visit the showroom and aren’t interested in people further away? Or are the majority of dealers just useless at following up leads?
What gives!?
That's exactly what I was thinking....
I've been trying to get a walk around video of a car 5 1/2 hours away. Despite them originally saying it was sold, then came back to me to say it was now available i've still to receive an idea of its service history - i just want to know if the gearbox oil has been changed and a quick whats app video.
stevemcs said:
I've been trying to get a walk around video of a car 5 1/2 hours away. Despite them originally saying it was sold, then came back to me to say it was now available i've still to receive an idea of its service history - i just want to know if the gearbox oil has been changed and a quick whats app video.
5 and a half hours away!We sometimes will shy away from long distance buyers if there are local buyers showing interest, as having to deal with a long distance screamer who wants to authorise his own repairs under warranty at some other dealer (usually a main dealer), and rejection issues etc, can be and generally is a massive ballache.
Sometimes, we would rather sell locally, rather than long distance, given the choice.
It does seem that used car sales are booming at the moment.
Maybe dealers can’t be bothered with lots of questions or any complicated enquires if they feel like someone else will come along and just buy the car?
Personally I wouldn’t buy a car that was too far away. I know a lot of people do, but I like to be in a position to go and see it easily and also feel secure in the knowledge that if anything goes wrong I don’t have far to take it back.
As the cars I looked at were fairly local I just said I was interested and arranged to go and view the same day.
Maybe dealers can’t be bothered with lots of questions or any complicated enquires if they feel like someone else will come along and just buy the car?
Personally I wouldn’t buy a car that was too far away. I know a lot of people do, but I like to be in a position to go and see it easily and also feel secure in the knowledge that if anything goes wrong I don’t have far to take it back.
As the cars I looked at were fairly local I just said I was interested and arranged to go and view the same day.
Mexman said:
What additional info are you requesting?
Basics like service history and availability etc, or chapter and verse, waffling on about matching premium tyres, dot codes, a full itinerary of ownership, blah, blah, waffle, waffle?
The type of email you are sending may be your own downfall
For me, I just want to know if its had a gearbox service and thats it, it hasn't got a dsb (its a merc) and I can see it last visited mercedes at 93k and its now on 100k. Given the distance a quick walk around video.Basics like service history and availability etc, or chapter and verse, waffling on about matching premium tyres, dot codes, a full itinerary of ownership, blah, blah, waffle, waffle?
The type of email you are sending may be your own downfall
If you have any E Class estates, ideally with a sunroof, less than 120k on the clock with heated front seats and ideally memory seats for around 4k i would be interested, needs to be the face lift S211.
Mmm, I can see the issue here...
I would not be ideally, want to be sending a 100k mile, 4k car, 5 hours away to it's new owner.
Its got future warranty and comeback grief written all over it.
At least if its sold locally, and it goes wrong, the dealer has some kind of control over returning/recovering it at a reasonable cost and minimal inconvenience to all concerned.
I am guilty of this also, I will prioritise a local interested party over a long distance buyer mostly always.
Once bitten, twice shy, going from past experiences, not worth the (potential) grief I'm afraid.
I would not be ideally, want to be sending a 100k mile, 4k car, 5 hours away to it's new owner.
Its got future warranty and comeback grief written all over it.
At least if its sold locally, and it goes wrong, the dealer has some kind of control over returning/recovering it at a reasonable cost and minimal inconvenience to all concerned.
I am guilty of this also, I will prioritise a local interested party over a long distance buyer mostly always.
Once bitten, twice shy, going from past experiences, not worth the (potential) grief I'm afraid.
Edited by Mexman on Monday 20th July 22:58
Mexman said:
Mmm, I can see the issue here...
I would not be ideally, want to be sending a 100k mile, 4k car, 5 hours away to it's new owner.
Its got future warranty and comeback grief written all over it.
At least if its sold locally, and it goes wrong, the dealer has some kind of control over returning/recovering it at a reasonable cost and minimal inconvenience to all concerned.
I am guilty of this also, I will prioritise a local interested party over a long distance buyer mostly always.
Once bitten, twice shy, going from past experiences, not worth the grief I'm afraid.
I get that, but having spent 2 years travailing the country buying and selling and now working on the service side I know just how pointless warranties are and providing it didn't go bang on the way home they would never hear from me again even in the event of a claim, i'd just fix it myself.I would not be ideally, want to be sending a 100k mile, 4k car, 5 hours away to it's new owner.
Its got future warranty and comeback grief written all over it.
At least if its sold locally, and it goes wrong, the dealer has some kind of control over returning/recovering it at a reasonable cost and minimal inconvenience to all concerned.
I am guilty of this also, I will prioritise a local interested party over a long distance buyer mostly always.
Once bitten, twice shy, going from past experiences, not worth the grief I'm afraid.
Phil Dicky said:
We bought an SLK from 170 miles away, loads of speaking via phone and email. So no complaints here.
Perhaps you were lucky enough to find a decent dealer. I’ve been ignored by 3 dealers over the last week, it’s just frustrating.
Edited by Cl4rkyPH on Monday 20th July 23:39
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