Newbie - How are used cars tested?

[Christian 1]

Hi all, knew of Car Dealer magazine but only stumbled across the forums so I thought I'd sign up! I think being part of a car dealer community sounds quite reassuring to me given Im completely new to the industry.

Dont want to give you my life story here but basically Ive been buying and selling cars from home for about 6 months and I moved out into my own premises last month with a substantial workshop and forecourt with office, washing facilities, etc. Everything I need to do what Ive been wanting to do - go proffesional. Things went well at home, otherwise I wouldnt have made the plunge into starting a car dealership. This past month I thought things were going well, having sold 4 cars until 2 of them came back this week for mechanical issues (one lossing coolant with a leak at a thermostat and another with coilpack issues).

Things went so well at home because I bought the cars at auction and insured them to drive them so that I knew over say a couple of hundred miles whether they were solid and reliable and could sell them on with peace of mind. However, car dealers dont work like that...so how do dealerships test cars purchased from auctions or elsewhere? Im currently doing the usual x-point inspection and road tests but this isnt enough to monitor fluid levels and general reliability? Might be a stupid question, but if anyone could give me some advice Id appreciate it!

Edited April 9, 2017 by Christian

[Reggaj 12]

I generally drive mine mine around for a bit before there advertised for sale, but I'm a mechanic to trade so kinda know what it's about. It's a tough game fella good luck.. 

[metcars 394]

.... and I do the same as 'Reggaj'. If mine make it back from the auction at all its a good start!

[MrC 142]

I drive home from he block, usually I use them for a day or so, if they have less then 6 months MOT they gt 12 months and if its due a service within a few months it gets a fresh service. 

That said I had a 40k mile one owner corsa that I drove 30 miles home, I used for a day or so. Sold it.. but within a week it terminally shat itself!.  If you want a guarantee, Buy a Toaster

[Christian 1]

Thats reassuring to hear! Although since moving in last month I've already had a real shocker - the one car out of 9 so far that I trusted more than any let me down - I was driving it for 2 weeks, done around 300 miles and put it up for sale, knowing it was absolutely perfect. Sold it within 24 hours at a price myself and the buyer was very happy about. Buyer was very keen after the test drive but phoned me less than 60 seconds after leaving in the car saying it randomely decided to stop using a cylinder and the dash lit up like a christmas tree. He was right, and my humblest of appoigies seemed to have worked in that hes actually still happy to take the car tomorrow night after I get the weekend to make sure its ok all over again. The sheer coincidence of the car failing at the absolute worst time like that will hunt me for along time! Clearly no matter how long you drive the car, you can never be assured that it will behave with the customer. Suppose thats just the way cars are though!

Edited April 9, 2017 by Christian

[Scooby who 40]

Welcome to the motor trade!

 

 

What I tend to do is:

Buy low mileage cars

Buy or retail nothing over 9 years old, unless its a Japanese or Korean car

Never buy trouble (known faults)

Drive and scrutinise everything before it's advertised

Do a multipoint check on paper so you know everything functions

 

And with all that stuff WILL still go wrong. Squeaks, rattles, vibrations are what annoys me the most. They can be hard to diagnose. An EGR of flywheel can be diagnosed over the phone.

Warranty issues tend to come in cycles and usually on a Monday morning before 10am after you've had a hard weekend down the pub

 

Good luck!

Edited April 9, 2017 by Scooby who

[It's me 611]

keep a record of your checks even if you dont want to give the customer a copy

try and make sure cars have no faults before retailed as something stupid like a non working ciggie lighter for the snowflakes daughters smilipod could cause other issues on return when customer brings a sheet of silly faults also needing attention

if not sure give the car a full global scan too to pick up any previous issues

never let customers find the fault, find it yourself, even if it means stocking lower numbers of cars,your reputation stands on the last washing machine with wheels on you sold

 

[Christian 1]

Thanks for the advice! Means alot, especially from people on the inside 

I did make up my own 45-point check which covers pretty much everything inside and out so I'll have a stockpile of them for the cars going through, that makes me feel abit better and more organised. I take them on a 30 mile drive as part of that check monitoring the fluids when cold. At 23 years of age I've been informed that its practically impossible to get a motor trade quote so I'm in the process of getting my dad a motor trade insurance policy so that he can be my guinea pig and drive the cars I want to be sure of or have doubts about.

Another quick question for you guys, I currently offer a 7 day change your mind period. Good idea or not? I have it with the intentions of giving customers piece of mind that can definitly influence a sale, having been in different sales roles, I've seen a change your mind period policy make people happier to take the plunge! However, it basically failed with a customer last week who brought a jeep back because it was thirstier than he thought!

[grant8064 219]

12 hours ago, Christian said:

 

Another quick question for you guys, I currently offer a 7 day change your mind period. Good idea or not? I have it with the intentions of giving customers piece of mind that can definitly influence a sale, having been in different sales roles, I've seen a change your mind period policy make people happier to take the plunge! However, it basically failed with a customer last week who brought a jeep back because it was thirstier than he thought!

Never going to get that from us! There are far too many dreamers, chancers and timewasters out there who would love that option. I tell all my customers the same; a car is a big purchase, make sure it's what you want before you sign that order form because once you sign it your deposit isn't coming back full stop, weeds out some of the idiots.

Best of luck with it btw, sounds like you're approaching the business sensibly. I started a couple of years ago and it is a steep learning curve but if you do things right from day one and keep taking on advice it seems to pay off. 

Cars are fine all the time we drive them or have them on the forecourt but seem to always throw up a EML or issue once sold. Live with it and just try to resolve it for the customer as quickly as poss would be my advice.

[justina3 518]

Yikes 7 days to change your mind no way not happening on my watch, far to open to abuse i think once you get up and running with more stock ect that policy would just be a nightmare to live with.

 

[It's me 611]

YIPEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE

FREE CAR HIRE FOR A WEEK AND NO CHARGE

what cars do you have in stock and where are you

 

dont do it,you will be abused 

Edited April 10, 2017 by s and b

[andymc1973 199]

like an old tug cushion

[Ocsltd 133]

To be fair, most consumers think they've got 6 months to change their mind, so perhaps 7 days isn't a bad shout?!! 

[Mojo121 229]

One of the lessons I'm still struggling with is that you can't trust customers one bit. I wouldn't go anywhere near the idea of a 7 day change your mind policy.

People will abuse it and you. This job seems to change you for the worst if you let it and people in this country seem to resent the idea that you sold them a car and made a profit.

[SC Derby 259]

Agreed with most, I'd rather get out of the industry than offer 7 day money back guarantee?

Would be a total nightmare.

[whitestone679231 113]

Wow nice clean car, that will go well with my new marks n sparks suit ,,,and I can hand them both back for a refund after 7 days,,, HAPPY DAYS... Will you fill it with fuel as well,, oh not forgetting 7 day drive away insurance

[betginge 73]

8 hours ago, Mojo121 said:

One of the lessons I'm still struggling with is that you can't trust customers one bit. I wouldn't go anywhere near the idea of a 7 day change your mind policy.

People will abuse it and you. This job seems to change you for the worst if you let it and people in this country seem to resent the idea that you sold them a car and made a profit.

 

Agree

 

IMO most customers are liars, and none of them can be trusted. Some of the customers around my neck of the woods would swap their kids for a 3 series as long as they could keep the child tax credits. 

[metcars 394]

8 hours ago, Mojo121 said:

......... people in this country seem to resent the idea that you sold them a car and made a profit.

If you want to experience hate, just mention that you are a car dealer on a 'non' motoring forum?

[Christian 1]

Ok guys I think I get it! 

I'm entering this bright eyed and bushy tailed with excitment and hope so we'll see how that goes downhill over the next few years if I make it that far! My limited experience with 20 odd customers since I started from home last August has been fairly good. I know that out of the 3 cars I had returned, I deserved to have returned due to unforeseen faults and those three cars had all had money spent on them in the short amount of time owned by the customer, so I didn't really lose out. The rest of my customers left happy and haven't heard from them since so no news is good news...I think I still want to offer a 7 day change your mind period but claim a 5% deposit that is non-refundable? surely that would sieve out the free riders.

[MrC 142]

49 minutes ago, Christian said:

I think I still want to offer a 7 day change your mind period but claim a 5% deposit that is non-refundable? surely that would sieve out the free riders.

Dont.... Just Dont

[Rory RSC 596]

8 hours ago, MrC said:

Dont.... Just Dont

Really don't.  Not all customers are bad most really are good people, but some will maliciously damage used cars because they know their rights. 

I try to see the best in folk but in all honesty people think and expect that the 10 year old car they buy off you is brand new. They do. They don't understand or take into account it's a fraction of the new price. They don't care. They expect everything on it to last for ever and if they have a problem with it then it's your fault. Somehow you should have foreseen it going wrong.

i have known some fairly shady and unscrupulous people in my time before being a car dealer and they have nothing on some of the customers I have dealt with 

[betginge 73]

11 hours ago, MrC said:

Dont.... Just Dont

Agree Agree Agree, 

If you want to struggle and have sleepless nights then fine but you're mad to try this. I understand what you are trying to do , Your trying to find a USP over other dealers in your area.  As a marketing idear it's fantastic advantage to the customer but not for the dealer as the law is stacked in the consumer's favour and they will use it against you. 5% deposit will not make any difference as the customer can just reject the car within the 30 days anyway if they want to cause issue, and if they want out of a car they will find a way, also you have to return the full amount which would include the holding deposit as you can't affect their statutory rights.

In this cut throat market if it was that easy to offer 7 days return then AC, EH, Lookers, etc etc would be doing it. They have offered 48 hour test drives in the past but this is completely different. 

 

Great to hear you have been doing ok and moved up a peg,  But don't Run before you can walk. 

 

 

[Christian 1]

23 minutes ago, betginge said:

Agree Agree Agree, 

If you want to struggle and have sleepless nights then fine but you're mad to try this. I understand what you are trying to do , Your trying to find a USP over other dealers in your area.  As a marketing idear it's fantastic advantage to the customer but not for the dealer as the law is stacked in the consumer's favour and they will use it against you. 5% deposit will not make any difference as the customer can just reject the car within the 30 days anyway if they want to cause issue, and if they want out of a car they will find a way, also you have to return the full amount which would include the holding deposit as you can't affect their statutory rights.

In this cut throat market if it was that easy to offer 7 days return then AC, EH, Lookers, etc etc would be doing it. They have offered 48 hour test drives in the past but this is completely different. 

 

Great to hear you have been doing ok and moved up a peg,  But don't Run before you can walk. 

Ok then I'll drop it completely, I'm not fully aware of what consumers statutory rights are, I've done a lot of research but wasn't aware that they had 30 days to reject the car and get a full deposit!

[MrC 142]

4 hours ago, Christian said:

I've done a lot of research but wasn't aware that they had 30 days to reject the car and get a full deposit!

Only if it has a serious fault that was proved by the buyer to have been there at the point of sale. Not just because they suddenly get buyers remorse. 

[betginge 73]

Yes its for faults but it can easily be manipulated.

If your not on top of your obligations under the CRA2015 then I suggest you look into it, there are some helpfull discusions and insight on this forum and lawgistics is also one to look into going forward.