Customers 'hearing' and 'seeing' things?

[M.J 35]

I'm going through a patch of difficult and paranoid customers over the last few weeks.

Had a 4 year old Qashqai with less than 25k sell last week, the next morning the customers turns up at 9am with the car saying its got 2 oil leaks, i go over the car with the customer and tell him to show me, he points to a small bit of oil on a cable directly under the oil fill cap, there is no oil anywhere else so obviously its a little bit of spillage where its been filled with oil at some point, i explain that to the customer.  He then takes me to the middle underside of the car and shows me another 'oil leak'. I touch it, its bone dry and just a bit of road crud/tar. I explain that also. He doesn't look convinced but leaves.

I get another call yesterday from a Mini Cooper S that i recently sold, this time he can 'hear' a slight rattle coming from the engine and he thinks its the timing chain and tensioners that need changing. Baring in mind that the car is 8 years old with nearly 80k on the clock i'm sure it may have a slight rattle in places but again he'll bring the car back and i've got to send it to my mechanic to get checked over.

The problem is these type of customers always ask about the 3 month warranty as if its their window of opportunity to bring the car back at the slightest rattle.

I've got a feeling this Mini buyer is going to be a total pain in the arse over the next 3 months and the car will come back to be checked multiple times. He phoned me after 10 mins of collecting the car to tell me the sun visor mirror cover was loose, yep that kind of customer!

Am i being too nice by allowing customers to drop cars off to be checked over? How do you guys deal with this type of customer?

[TDB 31]

Absolute joke they are nowadays!We do the same as you!

 

[M.J 35]

Also is there anyway of limiting the amount of warranty claims a customer can do within the 3 months, or limit the repair costs? Something we can add into the invoice that the customer signs?

I'm not trying to worm my way out of any genuine warranty claim but whats to stop somebody ragging the tits out of the car within the 3 month period and bringing it back 10 times with claims that they have caused by not looking after their car? We could end up with thousands worth of repair bills on a few thousand pound car.

[Rory RSC 596]

My honest answer is no one knows. It's all open to interpretation and this new consumer right act just muddies the water further. 

Customers spend 5 minutes researching the act and the next minute are an expert quoting their rights and what dealers should and shouldn't do. I'm sure they are all thinking they are the first ones to bring up  gettig trading standards on you. 

 

I try try and treat every customer fairly and responsibly. 95% of customers find this to be enough. You just can't please all of them all the time and I do feel the ones who feel hard done by just do not have the right expectations for buying a used car.

 

treat people fairly, try and assist but something you just cannot win. 

Also I have had a dreadful day today and warranty/issues all come in waves . You get your warranty Monday's sometimes it's just the job. 

 

Edited July 11, 2016 by Rory RSC

[Steve92 80]

Good luck with the mini, if it's the n14 engine and has the death rattle on start up it could be the timing chain or even just the tensioner. It's why my mini has the n18 engine.

 

[M.J 35]

Its the N18 engine

[Max Branning 149]

Get a PDI inspection pad and make sure you list any rattles or leaks if any on the inspection prior to sale. Make sure the customer reads it and signs to say they are happy with the car at the point of sale. State on it that the car has been test driven and is free of any faults.

It is very hard for the customer to then after 2 weeks come back and say the car had a fault at the point of sale. Do your bit and treat the customer fairly but dont be pushed into a corner by them.

If you dont think a repair is called for or your responsibility then refuse.

Thick skin required in this job !

[Tom 164]

As above!

Treat them all as royalty and your business will shine. 

[Jack Regan 116]

These type of customers , should only be allowed to buy brand new cars .... I try and deal with them fairly, but really I want to punch them.

[M.J 35]

I always treat my customers very well, i bend over backwards for them, often deliver cars for them free of charge, stay open late so they can pop down after work, i'm always on the end of the phone to answer any questions, even potential customers that don't end up buying cars from me, i've pointed them in the direction of ebay ads or other dealers that i think may have a suitable car for them, etc, etc, etc.

The Mini customer for example, he got the Mini for a great price, lowest priced anywhere at the time, i just had a new clutch/flywheel fitted, new tyres, nice little car, no issues, full Mini service history. I even took his scooter in PX which nobody else would touch, gave him a good price on that also.

Its for this reason that i take it personally when i feel a customer is trying their luck, i'd rather just refund them, can't be arsed with the endless complaints and i don't want anything to do with this kind of customer.

 

[TDB 31]

Jack.....FFS LOL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Steve92 80]

Timing chains can be an issue on the n18 but they are much better than the n14, clutches are crap still and the hpfp can still fail.

 Just get the car back get it inspected and give them a piece of paper to say it's all good  

[JKG 16]

10 hours ago, Jack Regan said:

These type of customers , should only be allowed to buy brand new cars .... I try and deal with them fairly, but really I want to punch them.

We all have customers we would like to punch, dare I say some of them probably deserve it

I give myself a big pat on the back for making it through another day in the motor trade without being arrested or dragged off in a straight jacket

[andymc1973 199]

violence is the way forward, big guns and dogs