Brownie points not cash... - New used car for friends

Honest John Back Room » Motoring discussion
View Threaded
Wed 10 May 2017 14:42
Brownie points not cash... - New used car for friends - oldroverboy.

Walking the dog, I have met new friends and 2 of them are in there 70's a good gust of wind could blow them over, and not up to speed with buying a car in this day and age and were telling me of the Skoda they went to see in their price range in Bury st Edmunds...

Got there for a test drive having taken my advice to use the filters on Auto trader using price/distance/make/model/year etc etc and the car broke down on the test drive... driving off the forecourt...abandoned that one.. (car had allegedly not been prepared)

They went to quite a few within 20 miles of home and disappointed in the condition of cars for sale, or sold when they got there, (even after phoning) (oh.. we can offer you something else..)

they asked me what I would get for their budget and I let them test drive mine (yes we are all insured with LV) found 2 cars i liked the look of, one a 6 year old hyundai ix20 nearby 51000 miles, full service history, will be sold (trade) with a free 6 month warranty £5125. phone up, car available (promise er what... well its for my friends who are elderly and 3 times they have been to places and cars sold just before they get there, so checking. Oh! yes it is here, Thanks.

I am sure you all know that when you are really looking for a car it's never there when you want it..

So in the evening before going checked again and found a Kia venga 2 1.4 petrol 49000 miles at a main dealer near Enfield with 6 main dealer service stamps and being offered at £500 off ( very close to the 60 days in stock) so £4990 with a 1 year kia warranty, paid a holding deposit and took them to the dealership, (having checked the MOT history, no advisories) told the salesman, (who was very patient) to explain things simply and off they went on a test drive. On their return they asked me about the gear box, ( but he had made a pigs ear of changes in my car, nothing serious) so off i went for a test drive found nothing wrong, clutch fine, explained the gearshift likes to be fairly precise, and did the deal with the salesman for them. Will go with them to Collect friday, after a fresh MOT.

Result!

On the way home the lady made me smile when she said "How much do we owe you for finders fee and driving us here" Zero... but invite swmbo for a cuppa with the dogs........

Edited by oldroverboy. on 10/05/2017 at 14:48

Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Wed 10 May 2017 16:22
Brownie points not cash... - New used car for friends - badbusdriver

Feels good to help others doesnt it?

Good on ya!

Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Wed 10 May 2017 16:39
Brownie points not cash... - New used car for friends - RobJP

Good on you.

Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Wed 10 May 2017 18:06
Brownie points not cash... - New used car for friends - SLO76
"if you do one good deed your reward usually is to be set to do another and harder and better one."

C.S. Lewis.

Good on you. It's a nerve-wracking for older drivers who probably haven't bought a motor in a decade to run the gauntlet of dealers and salesmen. They're easy meat for the dishonest. It's nice to see someone willing to help out of the kindness of their heart.

Be careful though, this is the same good deed that started me on a life of home trading. I was a salesman (a rare honest type) working for a large multi branch dealer before I bought a high street newsagents/convenience store for my sins. As my punters got to know me the subject of motors would frequently pop up and before long I was being asked to help find and view cars for them and I was quick to buy their old cars when dealers offered buttons for them then I helped negotiate a discount and if finance was required I'd advise on the cheapest route. Before long it was a part time job on top of working 70-80hrs a wk in the paper trade.

I'm currently having a nightmare trying to find a dirt cheap motor for one who needs a car to commute to work 50 miles each way but wants to spend less than a grand thanks to a divorce! Might be time to retire...

Edited by SLO76 on 10/05/2017 at 18:06

Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Wed 10 May 2017 18:25
Brownie points not cash... - New used car for friends - oldroverboy.
I'm currently having a nightmare trying to find a dirt cheap motor for one who needs a car to commute to work 50 miles each way but wants to spend less than a grand thanks to a divorce! Might be time to retire...

Bit far away but someone here has an ultra low mileage rover 25 1.6 for few hundred... nice nick too, even if in banger territory, No HGf problems, but not sure it would stand the trip 400 miles up the A1...

Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Wed 10 May 2017 18:55
Brownie points not cash... - New used car for friends - SLO76
"Bit far away but someone here has an ultra low mileage rover 25 1.6 for few hundred... nice nick too, even if in banger territory, No HGf problems, but not sure it would stand the trip 400 miles up the A1..."

This will have to cope with a Kilmarnock to Edinburgh commute and a heavy lead boot. A challenge indeed.
Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Wed 10 May 2017 18:28
Brownie points not cash... - New used car for friends - bathtub tom

I've only been asked to find a car once and the result was not to their satisfaction, although it met the parameters given to me. Since then I now refuse all such requests.

I have been asked to look over cars, but have always advised to reject those I've seen. The one occasion the buyer decided to ignore my advice was wriiten off within a few days of them buying it. I think they had a lucky escape.

Reckon I've got a reputation as a fussy old so and so.

Many years ago it took me over six months to find a car to my satisfaction for personal use. When the missus asked what colour it was, I honestly didn't know. I'm not bothered about colour (within reason).

Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Wed 10 May 2017 20:04
Brownie points not cash... - New used car for friends - oldroverboy.

I did show them how to use the filters in autotrader and also the carbycar Honest John guide, and the HJ guide opened their eyes a bit.

I helped two of the hospital Doctors buy cars, one new, one used, and both are happy. I don't mind helping as long as it does not cost me!

Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Wed 10 May 2017 22:49
Brownie points not cash... - New used car for friends - Wackyracer

Well done ORB, it's nice to help people but, sadly whenever I help people, it usually has a nasty habit of coming back to bite me.

Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Thu 11 May 2017 13:12
Brownie points not cash... - New used car for friends - Andrew-T

I've only been asked to find a car once and the result was not to their satisfaction, although it met the parameters given to me.

When my mother-in-law was widowed she asked me to find her a Metro (this was some time ago) which I did. She ran it for a few years until deciding to give up driving, then I had to sell it again ....

Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Thu 11 May 2017 20:47
Brownie points not cash... - New used car for friends - oldroverboy.

Off to get it in the morning, friday... Dealer has been exceptionally good, there is a stone chip in the windscreen (repaired but obvious noted as an advisory) and has discounted the car by the insurance excess in case it fails)

Has had a fresh MOT, so Mot'd till 27/05/2018...2 new front tyres.. rears at 6mm.. all brake pads in acceptable tolerances and pollen filter replaced as a part of the service.

i went to see them and said (kindly) (that they looked like two little lost chilren when i went back in after the 2nd test drive) (they said "we were")

However, my faith in the motor trade has been restored a bit by the attitude of the Reception staff, the salesman and the sales manager.

Last but not least.... How many other manufacturers offer a full 1 year warranty on a 6 year old car.

Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Thu 11 May 2017 20:53
Brownie points not cash... - New used car for friends - SLO76
Good staff make all the difference and enough of them so they're not snowed under and under too much pressure to give customers the right level of service.




Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Thu 11 May 2017 20:58
Brownie points not cash... - New used car for friends - Wackyracer

Last but not least.... How many other manufacturers offer a full 1 year warranty on a 6 year old car.

I assume it's the last year of the 7 year warranty they are giving?

Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Thu 11 May 2017 21:12
Brownie points not cash... - New used car for friends - oldroverboy.

Last but not least.... How many other manufacturers offer a full 1 year warranty on a 6 year old car.

I assume it's the last year of the 7 year warranty they are giving?

Correct! but still nice to know that it really is a 7 yr warranty..

Go and buy a 6 year old vag product from a main dealer.. You can't!

not allowed to stock more than 4 years old to give 1 year warranty.

Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Thu 11 May 2017 22:39
Brownie points not cash... - New used car for friends - RobJP

Go and buy a 6 year old vag product from a main dealer.. You can't!

not allowed to stock more than 4 years old to give 1 year warranty.

That speaks to a terrifying lack of belief from VAG in the quality of their cars.

My local BMW dealer, for example, has a number of cars from as far back as 2010 on their forecourt, all on the AUC programme, so carrying 1 year of warranty.

Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Sat 13 May 2017 12:13
Brownie points not cash... - New used car for friends - Steveieb
Sounds a much better experience than our local Hyundai dealership who repeatedly refused to accept there was a problem with my partners 80 year old aunt.
The battery kept discharging and the dealer assumed that it was Auntie leaving the interior light on.
So the bulb was removed and it still discharged so Auntie so scared to be harassed by the dealer used to charge the battery every night.
Eventually went with her to the dealers and insisted they kept it in over the weekend and try to start on Monday.
Low and behold it would not start and after investigation gave up and phone the importers who confirmed a problem with the miring harness.
No apologies no courtesy car , no lift home and a very bad example of ageism which has told me to avoid this dealership at all costs.
Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Sat 13 May 2017 16:07
Brownie points not cash... - New used car for friends - Avant

If they had just said politely in the first place 'Sorry, we don't deal with problems with aunts', it would have saved you trouble. :)

Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Sat 13 May 2017 17:07
Brownie points not cash... - New used car for friends - oldroverboy.

Just remembered once when I didn't get any brownie points..Paid for 50% of the net price to me of a Rover 25 for my ex (Oldrovergirl?) from my employer and almost immediatey complaining about how underpowered it was.. Only 3 door... blue... (one of the leftovers when Rover stopped selling them in Switzerland, so actually an excellent low priced bargain..) (strangely enough even with her driving, no HGF problems. (84hp model)

Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Sat 13 May 2017 22:05
Brownie points not cash... - New used car for friends - Steveieb
Glad to see you are on the ball Avant.

Should have read my partners auntie's Hyundai I 10 which claim to be a paragon of reliability.
Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Sun 14 May 2017 17:48
Brownie points not cash... - New used car for friends - barney100

Some blokes I are well into their 70's and 80's and are well aware of how to choose a car and get a good deal. There are some serial changers to some hang on 'til it falls apart types and many in between.

Reply | Report as offensive | Link

Looking for a garage you can trust? Honest John's Good Garage Guide has thousands of reader recommended garages, plus how-to guides and tips on servicing.

The Good Garage Guide