Adam C
Premium Member
Registered: 10th Jan 07
Location: Cornwall UK Drives:Arden Blue Gsi T
User status: Offline
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Today was meant to be a really good day, found a MK4 Astra Gsi in the southwest decided I wanted to have a look at it and if it was a decent one then I would go ahead and buy it.
Was a 100 miles there and back so didnt want to be let down really, so rang the place up (GMO Cars in Penzance) and spoke to the manager, he said he was happy to hold it back for me for when I come and see it, and that it was a great example, ideal! sounds good to me!
So got there early this morning, very excited and couldn't wait to see this prime example of a Gsi, Black, 49k miles and up for £5295.
Manager was very friendly on the phone but when we got there it seemed like he didnt want anything to do with us, just handed us the keys.
So we found it and tbh i would say it was the worst example of a Gsi in the country, we had been told it was a really clean example, yet it had been keyed on every panel, random deep scratches all over the boot, spoiler and roof, engine looked like it hadn't been touched ever, very rusty, coated in thick dirt and leafs everywhere.
Engine sounded dog rough aswell, funny idle and tapped loudly.
Very gutted and p*ssed off at the fact we came all this way to see it and it turned out it was a complete dog and he had blatently lied to us.
And when we questioned him on it, he just agreed with us, said it needed work and a respray, yet over the phone he said totally different.
Normally I get worried about buying cars from the public but this really does put me off buying from a Garage.
Anyone had similar experiences? As its really put me off buying a Gsi.
My Arden Blue Astra GSi MK4 on BBS LM's Project Thread
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Lynny
Member
Registered: 3rd Jan 03
Location: oop north! Where people talk properly
User status: Offline
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Me and my partner went into a vaux garage to look at getting a vectra VXR and a Astra VXR. I was 21, and dressed in my farm stuff, he was 26 and dressed in jeans and t-shirt. We walked around trying to get some attention, totally ignored by everyone, eventually had to go and ask for some help, just got handed a brochure and told to come back 'in a few months when we know exactly what we want' and she just walked off.
So we went to a different Vaux garage, got good service, and bought £30k worth of car off them. They were appauled at the other garages service
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Kano
Member
Registered: 29th Aug 04
Location: Fife
User status: Offline
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quote:
Originally posted by Green Thing
Today was meant to be a really good day, found a MK4 Astra Gsi in the southwest decided I wanted to have a look at it and if it was a decent one then I would go ahead and buy it.
Was a 100 miles there and back so didnt want to be let down really, so rang the place up (GMO Cars in Penzance) and spoke to the manager, he said he was happy to hold it back for me for when I come and see it, and that it was a great example, ideal! sounds good to me!
So got there early this morning, very excited and couldn't wait to see this prime example of a Gsi, Black, 49k miles and up for £5295.
Manager was very friendly on the phone but when we got there it seemed like he didnt want anything to do with us, just handed us the keys.
So we found it and tbh i would say it was the worst example of a Gsi in the country, we had been told it was a really clean example, yet it had been keyed on every panel, random deep scratches all over the boot, spoiler and roof, engine looked like it hadn't been touched ever, very rusty, coated in thick dirt and leafs everywhere.
Engine sounded dog rough aswell, funny idle and tapped loudly.
Very gutted and p*ssed off at the fact we came all this way to see it and it turned out it was a complete dog and he had blatently lied to us.
And when we questioned him on it, he just agreed with us, said it needed work and a respray, yet over the phone he said totally different.
Normally I get worried about buying cars from the public but this really does put me off buying from a Garage.
Anyone had similar experiences? As its really put me off buying a Gsi.
Typical sales to be honest.. I drove 5hrs to Liverpool to collect my astra on the salesmans word it was spotless only to be greated by a dirty car with 4 kerbed wheels.. 2 hrs later I left with the car, a cheque to have the wheels refurbed and a serious dose of rage... I think the garage actually lost 2 sales when I was in there due to me telling the manager what a shower of twats they were. 
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Adam C
Premium Member
Registered: 10th Jan 07
Location: Cornwall UK Drives:Arden Blue Gsi T
User status: Offline
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Quality, I should have had a more serious word tbh but just didn't want to waste anymore time as I didnt even want the car after all the work it needed doing.
Think I'll look privately tbh and hope I find a decent one that way
My Arden Blue Astra GSi MK4 on BBS LM's Project Thread
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Kano
Member
Registered: 29th Aug 04
Location: Fife
User status: Offline
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quote:
Originally posted by Green Thing
Quality, I should have had a more serious word tbh but just didn't want to waste anymore time as I didnt even want the car after all the work it needed doing.
Think I'll look privately tbh and hope I find a decent one that way
When I sold cars at vauxhal I was amazed at the poor quality of cars that were not even a couple of years old. My 16 year old cavalier got more attention than half of the year old cars because it was so clean.
Private is definately the way to go, dealerships just dont care because someone will come along and buy cars whatever there condition.
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daymoon
Premium Member
Registered: 1st Aug 08
Location: Selby, North Yorkshire
User status: Offline
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having same troubles... looked at 20+ cars in total now... mainly 206 pugs... ,ost are scratched to death but apparently thats to be expected on "old" car??? WTF! oil all over the eninge? thats due to age aswell apparently... thats on 60-ish k miles 8-7 year old cars! next time i'll ask them to come over and look at my 10 year old escort, and rephrase what they said...
in one garage we didnt get testdrive
in another - i didnt get the keys, straight after test drive salesman took them away and i couldn't test the electrics etc... just majorly pissed of really, between me and my dad we spent 100+ on petrol in a week going to places.....
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andys sxi
Premium Member
Registered: 19th Jan 06
Location: Chester Drives:Scirocco tdi bluemotion
User status: Offline
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i havent bought a car yet from a garage mainly because of that they say on the fone they are in good condition just to get you there when i was looking for my golf last year i seen a few at a garage and they was in bad condition so i walked away what a waste of time they are.
i would look on ebay i have sold 1 car on ebay and bought 3 of my cars off ebay i ask if i can go to view the car and ask before i leave my house if they are willing to take it off ebay before i make the journey to go and see it.
April 08 feature car
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Twiggy
Member
Registered: 15th Oct 04
User status: Offline
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I went to see an escort around 100 miles round trip
Advert on the trader basically said it was a minter FSH low miles just had service and cambelt yada yada...
got there and it had 2 massive dents, the car was coverd in a dusty haze, got in side and stunk of fags and the final straw was test drive brakes were on the floor and my knee was touching the roof the bite on the clutch was that high!!!
I just and walked away when he said have we got a deal
[Edited on 29-08-2009 by Twiggy]
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Ben G
Member
Registered: 12th Jan 07
Location: Essex
User status: Offline
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always had a good experience when buying my fords.
only because i go to the same lad each time, he's the same age as me (21) and is highly regarded as a very good salesman who won't beat around the bush.
you get good and bad though whether it's a private or trade sale, just depends who you get to speak to.
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John
Member
Registered: 30th Jun 03
User status: Offline
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It's the same as buying it privately tbh, you get good and bad everywhere.
You need to ask the right questions, not just is it clean.
Some people genuinely think the car is immaculate when it's not.
I've been worried about stupid things I would spot straight away when selling cars and the people coming to buy haven't even thought about it.
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davieslim
Member
Registered: 15th Sep 08
Location: Glasgow City
User status: Offline
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evans halshaw in glasgow sold my mums boyfriend a black ford fiesta, he doesnt know much about cars so when he wasnt happy with a few things the salesman said he would sort it and he picked up the car and arranged to get the bits and bobs sorted, got it to my house and it had been accident damaged, it had a new full quarter,rear panel and the tailgate was all 40 and 60 grit makes that the laquer had sunk into, and the rear bumper damaged as well, the salesman said he was stuck with it basically because he seen it and drove it and was happy so when i went in and seen the branch manager and explained that because he doesnt know alot about cars does that means he has to just get any old damaged piece of shit and the manager agreed and replace the car which was good of him
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AK
Member
Registered: 5th Jul 00
Location: Aberdeen City
User status: Offline
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....this is why you go and look at cars!
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AK
Member
Registered: 5th Jul 00
Location: Aberdeen City
User status: Offline
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saying that
I've bought a few cars unseen
Green corsa, R32 GTR, R33 GTSt, Punto GT, White Supra
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davieslim
Member
Registered: 15th Sep 08
Location: Glasgow City
User status: Offline
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i wont let him go again, problem with me is i go in looking for imperfections but all he seen was a shiney fiesta, thankfully its gone now but god knows were too
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AndyKent
Member
Registered: 3rd Sep 05
User status: Offline
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I've also always had good experiences with dealers. Only used a limited few but in many ways its far safer than buying privately.
No need at all for a salesman to be off-hand with you though. If they want a sale they have to be nice or I'll walk. I've got no problem with telling a dealer to get stuffed
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J da Silva
Member
Registered: 10th Apr 03
Location: The FACTory
User status: Offline
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I always ask whether or not the particular bad salesman is getting commission on the potential sale, if he is I will allow him to continue to give details of the car, then walk upto the front desk and ask for another salesman, I will then offer the ultimatum to that new salesman "Give me the car for less or I'm gone". I usually get it or if I don't I get the deal I want elsewhere.
So the nob salesman doesn't get the sale, someone else does, and I get the devalued car for a devalued price. 
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mattk
Member
Registered: 27th Feb 06
Location: St. Helens
User status: Offline
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I went into a Fiat dealer as a freshfaced 19 year old to ask about a blue 1.9 grande punto sporting and got asked "are you sure you can afford it?" I just chuckled at him, walked off and went a mile down the road to a honda garage were another grande punto was advertised and bought it
[Edited on 29-08-2009 by mattk]
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J da Silva
Member
Registered: 10th Apr 03
Location: The FACTory
User status: Offline
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quote:
Originally posted by mattk
I went into a Fiat dealer as a freshfaced 19 year old to ask about a blue 1.9 grande punto sporting and got asked "are you sure you can afford it?" I just chuckled at him, walked off and went a mile down the road to a honda garage were another grande punto was advertised and bought it
[Edited on 29-08-2009 by mattk]
Ah they are the best ones, I did it at Polar Ford...
I have my own business and have a fleet of Transits belonging to the company and since I've taken more men on I needed some more, I went in one day and enquired about 5 of the new Transit LWB 2.2 TDi's, I was met with " This is a joke right? " to which the manager of the dealer walked out the toilets (He'd dealt with me before) and concluded the business, he then asked this 'monkeh' to go to the shop for the sandwiches and I said " Are you sure you can afford 3 bacon butties pal? " He was horrified!
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Ben G
Member
Registered: 12th Jan 07
Location: Essex
User status: Offline
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quote:
Originally posted by mattk
I went into a Fiat dealer as a freshfaced 19 year old to ask about a blue 1.9 grande punto sporting and got asked "are you sure you can afford it?" I just chuckled at him, walked off and went a mile down the road to a honda garage were another grande punto was advertised and bought it
[Edited on 29-08-2009 by mattk]
what a prick i can't believe they think they can get away with saying things like that and still expect a sale.
because i'm in the ford employees magazine the dealership next to my work know me so i don't really have that problem, although i bet if i went to one further away they'd have laughed at me if i said i wanted an st3 a year ago.
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Bonney
Member
Registered: 14th Nov 04
Location: St Helens
User status: Offline
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the only dealer i got a car from, i went in with my dad to look at it, and they knew eachother through where my dad works. was allowed to look around it on our own and with no preassure. when we had decided we went into the showroom and did the deal.
The worst place i have been to was arnold clark in ashton in makerfeild. Basically got laughed at and virtually escorted to my car. It was like they were saying, sorry don't want your money here.
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Daveskater
Premium Member
Registered: 29th Apr 08
Location: Oxford, UK Drives: Jap wagon
User status: Offline
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It's funny how on the news they're always going on about car sales dropping, it's no wonder with salesmen like this about
Numberwang!
Originally posted by AlunJ
I like you Dave, you are a man of men
Originally Whatapp'd by Neo
Dave's maybe capable of a drive-by cuddle
Look at my pictures
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Joe
Member
Registered: 20th Jun 04
Location: Hesketh Bank, Lancashire
User status: Offline
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To be fair if you had to deal with the amount of idiots they probably have to then you'd see it from another point of view.
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Daveskater
Premium Member
Registered: 29th Apr 08
Location: Oxford, UK Drives: Jap wagon
User status: Offline
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Well yeah that's true, but they should give people the benefit of the doubt and not ask stupid questions like "are you sure you can afford it". If you go in and are wanting to buy a particular car, you're not going to turn around before you sign and say "yeah all I have is a fiver" are you.
Numberwang!
Originally posted by AlunJ
I like you Dave, you are a man of men
Originally Whatapp'd by Neo
Dave's maybe capable of a drive-by cuddle
Look at my pictures
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broster
Premium Member
Registered: 6th Dec 02
Location: Drives: E39
User status: Offline
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went to go and buy a vw jetta, wanted a 2ltr tdi, the garage had one but they wouldnt let me test drive it as they neededto move some other cars out the way, told me to test drive the 1.9 tdi instead...
this was an actual vw dealer, drive 25miles down to road to another dealer ,test drove one, real helpful guy, did a deal on the price, happy days!
some are cocks who dont think your interested, but then again they must get alot of test drivers just after a bit of weekend fun! others are really helpful!
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Jake
Member
Registered: 24th Jan 05
User status: Offline
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there's arrogance in all walks of life but with salemen their personality shows through so you'll get the odd one or two. like Joe said 80% of people they deal with probably waste their time so you'd expect them to be the way they are.
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