Why, oh why do I bother...
As someone who is pretty keyed up on cars (time served mechanic, all my own servicing incl major works) and a former business manager for a couple of main dealers, I ALWAYS get asked advice by family/friends who are considering a prospective purchase, if I will go along and have a look, and help with negotiations etc. So much so, that for instance, my Mum's last two cars, I bought without her even seeing them online via Manheim (I have an account) and she's been pleased as punch with them..
Enter my Sister.... Recently, she was looking to replace her VW Touran (sourced by me) after 8 yrs, and over 100,000 miles, despite general neglect but with regular servicing in that time, it has been 100% dependable. As I was busy in work, she went to the local Arnold Clark, and looked at a 10 plate Passat Tdi Auto with 75,000 miles on it for £6k, they offered her £900 for her Touran, and she rang me to ask if that was ok. I told her I'd have the Touran and pay the £900 into her bank, which I did, she paid some cash and financed the rest, driving it away there and then.
The following day, she asked me to have a look at it, as it was "sluggish" compared to her Touran (same Tdi 140 DSG) so I took it for a spin, and yes it was down on power, and I managed to get the EML on too, plus the A/C was not working. Further investigation revealed prev accident repair to the front, which is prob why the A/C was inop. I told her to take it back, and their response? We don't have the money in it to be paying out...
Cue getting her to reject the car on the spot, which they refused to accept. She returned home and authorised me to speak to the finance co on her behalf, so I rejected the car, confirming via email. The following day Arnold Clark collected it and returned her money by cheque, so we began again...
So she toddles off to the local Fraud main dealer to look at S-Max's at my suggestion. I get a phonecall to say she's seen a 59 plate Titanium Auto 140 TDCI with 60k on it for £10,400. I pop down to look at it, and straight away can see it has had paint, a LOT of it all down one side and the opposite front corner, and it was not good paint, full of orange peel, that plus the fact it had no leather/elec heated seats, no pan roof and a god awful dark blue colour, led me to tell her to walk away...
After spending HOURS trawling the net, I found a LOVELY 09 plate S-Max Titanium X Sport TDCi 140 Auto at a trade dealers around 70 miles away, 75k miles, one owner and around £7k of extras, it had the LOT. "Individual" Leather, heated and electric, active Xenons, twin pan roofs etc, and a nice bright silver. So we arranged to drive up, in the Zed last Monday. Car was mint, drove A1 and I negotiated a price of £8,750 and she left a deposit so she could arrange some finance. Job done, or so I thought...
So she borrowed my XC90 as I had the Touran in the Auto Trader, and I've just called her to see if she's picked it up....
FFS! She's only gone and bought the DOG with the bad paint, from Ford, for almost £2,000 more...
I fooking GIVE UP!
No more looking at cars for other people from now on, they can all sort their own mess out!
Rant over...
Mike
As someone who is pretty keyed up on cars (time served mechanic, all my own servicing incl major works) and a former business manager for a couple of main dealers, I ALWAYS get asked advice by family/friends who are considering a prospective purchase, if I will go along and have a look, and help with negotiations etc. So much so, that for instance, my Mum's last two cars, I bought without her even seeing them online via Manheim (I have an account) and she's been pleased as punch with them..
Enter my Sister.... Recently, she was looking to replace her VW Touran (sourced by me) after 8 yrs, and over 100,000 miles, despite general neglect but with regular servicing in that time, it has been 100% dependable. As I was busy in work, she went to the local Arnold Clark, and looked at a 10 plate Passat Tdi Auto with 75,000 miles on it for £6k, they offered her £900 for her Touran, and she rang me to ask if that was ok. I told her I'd have the Touran and pay the £900 into her bank, which I did, she paid some cash and financed the rest, driving it away there and then.
The following day, she asked me to have a look at it, as it was "sluggish" compared to her Touran (same Tdi 140 DSG) so I took it for a spin, and yes it was down on power, and I managed to get the EML on too, plus the A/C was not working. Further investigation revealed prev accident repair to the front, which is prob why the A/C was inop. I told her to take it back, and their response? We don't have the money in it to be paying out...
Cue getting her to reject the car on the spot, which they refused to accept. She returned home and authorised me to speak to the finance co on her behalf, so I rejected the car, confirming via email. The following day Arnold Clark collected it and returned her money by cheque, so we began again...
So she toddles off to the local Fraud main dealer to look at S-Max's at my suggestion. I get a phonecall to say she's seen a 59 plate Titanium Auto 140 TDCI with 60k on it for £10,400. I pop down to look at it, and straight away can see it has had paint, a LOT of it all down one side and the opposite front corner, and it was not good paint, full of orange peel, that plus the fact it had no leather/elec heated seats, no pan roof and a god awful dark blue colour, led me to tell her to walk away...
After spending HOURS trawling the net, I found a LOVELY 09 plate S-Max Titanium X Sport TDCi 140 Auto at a trade dealers around 70 miles away, 75k miles, one owner and around £7k of extras, it had the LOT. "Individual" Leather, heated and electric, active Xenons, twin pan roofs etc, and a nice bright silver. So we arranged to drive up, in the Zed last Monday. Car was mint, drove A1 and I negotiated a price of £8,750 and she left a deposit so she could arrange some finance. Job done, or so I thought...
So she borrowed my XC90 as I had the Touran in the Auto Trader, and I've just called her to see if she's picked it up....
FFS! She's only gone and bought the DOG with the bad paint, from Ford, for almost £2,000 more...
I fooking GIVE UP!
No more looking at cars for other people from now on, they can all sort their own mess out!
Rant over...
Mike
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