If I'm liable for this I'm closing the doors

[jimreidvehicle 255]

4 hours ago, umesh said:

Personally I'd get the car back , check out what the issue is and HELP the customer after all does it matter if its 28 days - 32 days , its not a long time since they trusted you? Even if it costs you a CAT Just think of the goodwill and future business ... but that's just how I would deal with it Mr C.

I say to all my customers even after the warranty has run out should something go wrong obviously it won't be covered however please let me know and if I can help in any way I'll do it , it doesn't have to be financially, can be advise / recommendation etc and that again builds customers and recommendations. 

Like a proper dealer Umesh! 

[justina3 518]

5 hours ago, umesh said:

Personally I'd get the car back , check out what the issue is and HELP the customer after all does it matter if its 28 days - 32 days , its not a long time since they trusted you? Even if it costs you a CAT Just think of the goodwill and future business ... but that's just how I would deal with it Mr C.

I say to all my customers even after the warranty has run out should something go wrong obviously it won't be covered however please let me know and if I can help in any way I'll do it , it doesn't have to be financially, can be advise / recommendation etc and that again builds customers and recommendations. 

yep this for me also, i even arranged some mot work this week for a customer from last year and had a drink out of it and a big thank you text, that said she did get a quote for brakes from kwik fit not to hard to half there price

[Gavin@Rousdon 137]

I can see it from both sides, especially at the lower end of the market where a £2000 car can't be prefect, but people buy off dealers because they want a level of protection. Whats a CAT for a Peugeot, £50 plus £35 for an O2 sensor. Try and be fair with the customer, offer to split the cost maybe explaining its a consumable item. Clearly when the purchase price is more expensive just fix it. 

Is it really worth the stress of arguing over £100? Less if the customer pays a bit to. Most people are fair to a point and just want someone to help them out. 

[BHM 994]

1 hour ago, Gavin@Rousdon said:

Most people are fair to a point and just want someone to help them out. 

Of course they do, it's all down to money. I'd like someone to help me out when I next get caught out on a trade car!

[Arfur Dealy 823]

I think we are all forgetting this customer didn't bother to contact the MrC initially, he's taken it elsewhere got it scanned and then sent a TEXT demanded a repair. His first communication should have been with MrC. 

[BHM 994]

43 minutes ago, Arfur Dealy said:

I think we are all forgetting this customer didn't bother to contact the MrC initially, he's taken it elsewhere got it scanned and then sent a TEXT demanded a repair. His first communication should have been with MrC. 

Snap. Exactly.

And it wouldn't be the first chancer shaking the tree to see what falls out. 

[Arfur Dealy 823]

We all help customers who treat us with respect. When they treat us like a PPI claims company, that friendship ends.

I would normally agree with Jim & Uemesh's approach. But the customer didn't communicate politely and showed no loyalty to MrC. 

 

 

[Arfur Dealy 823]

22 hours ago, jimreidvehicle said:

The customer has come to a dealer in good faith to purchase a vehicle.

Regardless of the price or age of that vehicle it is safe to say that it should be fit for purpose. I fully understand that the light may or may not have been on just before the customer purchased the car however the facts are that the car is not operating properly and it should be even though it is now (just) into the 2nd month of ownership.

If I were in the same situation then I would pay for the CAT not because I have to, but because I should, to do the best by your customer. If the CAT went after 8 or 12 months then yes I agree there is a responsibility to be taken by the customer but 32days???

Sorry, you may hate me for this but my advice is , pay up and look after your customer!

Jim  

Jim, the customer bought an old used car, they didn't buy a comparative nearly new car like your stock. With respect, you miss the point, its a 10 year old car with 10 year old parts and the customers expectations should be realistic with the expectations of the CRA. When selling older cars, you cannot expect the same coverage and the CRA is very clear disclaiming age mileage use etc.  You are comparing chalk and cheese and I am afraid Mr Customer does not get Gold for the price of Silver. 

[Scooby who 41]

On 23/6/2017 at 8:58 PM, jimreidvehicle said:

The customer has come to a dealer in good faith to purchase a vehicle.

Regardless of the price or age of that vehicle it is safe to say that it should be fit for purpose. I fully understand that the light may or may not have been on just before the customer purchased the car however the facts are that the car is not operating properly and it should be even though it is now (just) into the 2nd month of ownership.

If I were in the same situation then I would pay for the CAT not because I have to, but because I should, to do the best by your customer. If the CAT went after 8 or 12 months then yes I agree there is a responsibility to be taken by the customer but 32days???

Sorry, you may hate me for this but my advice is , pay up and look after your customer!

Jim  

Sorry but I have to agree with Jim on this. Fix it and move on, hoping nothing else gives up until the warranty expires. How long was the warranty period?

Get the car back and fit a used one from the breakers, it won't cost the earth and they might even put another sale your way if you've nice about it.

I don't think it's worth the grief  

 

[trade vet 702]

On 23/06/2017 at 11:43 PM, MrC said:

I'm not going to have any of this, how can I realistically be liable for this. I have had a record year of repairing other people cars and I'm getting tired of it. If I have a car that needs work before it goes out then it gets done, everything is sold in good faith. As a rule I spend a couple of days using them myself. 

What do I do from now on, replace any wear and tear item on a car just in case it goes! We are talking about 10 year old motors FFS.

People just don't seem to want to take responsibility for their own cars. 

Mr C,you appear to be having a bad year with merchandise problems.Without being diplomatic,may I suggest it could be down to the buying or your business model and not the punters.You must know that this job consists of lousy margins,long hours and plenty of aggravation/stress ,it always has done.Get this car in,sort it out,things will get better.Good luck.

[MrC 142]

1 hour ago, trade vet said:

Mr C,you appear to be having a bad year with merchandise problems.Without being diplomatic,may I suggest it could be down to the buying or your business model and not the punters.You must know that this job consists of lousy margins,long hours and plenty of aggravation/stress ,it always has done.Get this car in,sort it out,things will get better.Good luck.

Not sure what you mean about the way I buy? I sadly dont have a car buying crystal ball, however I try to avoid the shite as we all do. Ok im at the subprime end of the market but I can still be fussy when buying.

This is the car in question.

Very late 2007 51k miles fsh 10 Months mot when sold. Nice spec, full leather etc. £2100 it when for. I actually bought it off a girl i know who was offered a very low px price at Evans Halshaw. 

Im taking a hard stand with this. Not because im a dodge pot trying to shirk out of my responsibilities. But for the fact that the fault was not there at the time the car was sold. 

Its way to easy to crumble straight away and fix things that legally I don't have to just for the easy life, Im guilty of that. But who's to say in another 6 weeks he's not back on the phone with another unreasonable request. Some see kindness as weakness. 

We now live in a compensation culture. There is an element of society that will seek a way to get money or get someone else too pay for something. 

 

 

Edited June 25, 2017 by MrC

[andymc1973 199]

a lot of the confusion stems from the "grey areas", we need test cases for what is and what isn't covered

[LISL 7]

Tbh MrC I completely get where you're coming from, some people are out there and if you give them an inch they'll try to take a mile. I used to get monumentally pissed when I had these but as times gone on I just boil it down to whether it's worth my time or not. 

If the customer has already had it repaired I would personally offer to half the bill (provided it was a realistic price) just to get them off my back and keep some goodwill there. I had a customer a few months back that bought an M3 and a fortnight ago called me up that his battery went flat. He had it changed and "told" me it was only right I paid it. I spoke to him once and could see it becoming an issue so offered him £50 goodwill (battery was £165) and an Amazon voucher of £50 (buy them in bulk) and he was happy. His brother came in last week and bought a Q5. 

I think, no matter what stock you have or trade you'll always have chancers, but I personally will go a little bit further than most for peace of mind and to keep my name positive. 

The car looks good and is bloody low mileage for a vehicle that age so it seems like the customer could just be angling for something, try something unconventional and you could be pleasantly surprised. 

Rish

[SC Derby 259]

Could you have gone £2390, looks a bit cheap to me!?

[MrC 142]

52 minutes ago, SC Derby said:

Could you have gone £2390, looks a bit cheap to me!?

Had it up at £2450.. Not a sniff

£2350.. Not a sniff

£2250.. Not a sniff

Dropped to £2100 No offers. 

Edited June 25, 2017 by MrC

[trade vet 702]

3 hours ago, MrC said:

Not sure what you mean about the way I buy? I sadly dont have a car buying crystal ball, however I try to avoid the shite as we all do. Ok im at the subprime end of the market but I can still be fussy when buying.

This is the car in question.

Very late 2007 51k miles fsh 10 Months mot when sold. Nice spec, full leather etc. £2100 it when for. I actually bought it off a girl i know who was offered a very low px price at Evans Halshaw. 

Im taking a hard stand with this. Not because im a dodge pot trying to shirk out of my responsibilities. But for the fact that the fault was not there at the time the car was sold. 

Its way to easy to crumble straight away and fix things that legally I don't have to just for the easy life, Im guilty of that. But who's to say in another 6 weeks he's not back on the phone with another unreasonable request. Some see kindness as weakness. 

We now live in a compensation culture. There is an element of society that will seek a way to get money or get someone else too pay for something. 

 

 

Hi Mr C,I agree looks like nice straight car.But if you are into subprime chucky,maybe that is the problem-nightmare punters.I would say,unwind the deal,advertised properly it will do £2500 to a proper punter who is looking for one and not just a subprimer who just looks at the weekly cost.

[have a word with the wife 299]

mr c, yes i can see where your coming from, but it was quite close being 32? days. 

stage one 

ignore the text............if he phones, you need to see the claim in writing [ garage bill/estimate, print out from scanner if poss too ] .

stage two 

if he has phoned and he has supplied you with a bill thats hes paid before he contacted you then your not liable in my opinion, if hes not paid the bill and sent a estimate, then you need to see the car yourself, you need to get at least plug it in, you need to see lights on before you plug it in too ! 

stage three 

the bluff? lets assume light is on and its saying cat, what will happen if you offer him his money back at this point ? less usage of car so far ? does he love the car and not wanting to give it back at all ? this would give you wiggle room, he pays half of cost, get it in writing signed that hes accepted those conditions. If hes a total toss, and kicking off, repair the car, make it clear you maybe using used parts as its a used car, and most definitely get him to confirm the work in writing ON ONE OF YOUR INVOICES that says on it  replacement part fitted as goodwill gesture AT NO COST TO CUSTOMER, this covers any possible future screaming and shows your a genuine dealer who looks after his customers.

then put a kipper under back seat  [  JOKE !  ]

[jimreidvehicle 255]

On ‎24‎/‎06‎/‎2017 at 8:22 PM, Arfur Dealy said:

Jim, the customer bought an old used car, they didn't buy a comparative nearly new car like your stock. With respect, you miss the point, its a 10 year old car with 10 year old parts and the customers expectations should be realistic with the expectations of the CRA. When selling older cars, you cannot expect the same coverage and the CRA is very clear disclaiming age mileage use etc.  You are comparing chalk and cheese and I am afraid Mr Customer does not get Gold for the price of Silver. 

Completely disagree.

My view is this, you either do it right or don't do it at all. Regardless of how old a car is we treat our customers exactly the same, the £1000 it cost you customer for this car may well take the same amount of time and effort to save for as the gut that spends £10000 on his upgrade. It's not the cost of money, that is all the same, it's the value of that money that is important.

My advice is (for what it is worth) , if it's a dog of a car , bin it! Take it the auction and let the private man bid on it there. At least that way he knows that he is taking a chance buying it. 

The Consumer Right's Act was brought in for this exact reason.  

[andymc1973 199]

ring him up first and foremost, see what the score is, i just do the jobs or before you know it you'll have a mountain of screamers taking over your life

[Mat C 77]

41 minutes ago, jimreidvehicle said:

Completely disagree.

My view is this, you either do it right or don't do it at all. Regardless of how old a car is we treat our customers exactly the same, the £1000 it cost you customer for this car may well take the same amount of time and effort to save for as the gut that spends £10000 on his upgrade. It's not the cost of money, that is all the same, it's the value of that money that is important.

My advice is (for what it is worth) , if it's a dog of a car , bin it! Take it the auction and let the private man bid on it there. At least that way he knows that he is taking a chance buying it. 

The Consumer Right's Act was brought in for this exact reason.  

Wholeheartedly agree with Jim, 

£1000 to some people is £100,000 to others. If its breaks, fix it and most of all look after your customers. Customer service is the biggest issue in this industry, and its easy to see why we have a problem when there are people telling customers to F off and ignoring messages/problems. I say get the car back, check it over / get it checked over by your mechanic and go from there. Its not the problem thats ever the problem, its how you deal with the problem....

I had an X3 31 days in, DPF clogged - Wear and tear on a 12 year old car with 110,000 on the clock. Nope, I got he car back ( 200 miles ) sorted the problem and delivered the thing back myself to ensure I was happy with it. A £3000 car, but to these people they'd saved for years and it was a big deal to them.

[justina3 518]

Lots of different views here some surprising to see how over people think

[It's me 615]

ive just had a customer return in a £600 p/x i sold 3 weeks ago.the serpentine belt is delaminating

ive told him to get the belt and i will fit it,it looks like a right job to do but hes gone away happy

im sure i will get a recommendation out of it

ive said before and will say again just as jim has we are in a service business give service or get out the fire

if you know you are right go to court get your paperwork in order and the judge finds in your favour

this is how i run my life/business and im never afraid of what might be coming as i tell all my customers advice is always free 

[Arfur Dealy 823]

1 hour ago, jimreidvehicle said:

Completely disagree.

My view is this, you either do it right or don't do it at all. Regardless of how old a car is we treat our customers exactly the same, the £1000 it cost you customer for this car may well take the same amount of time and effort to save for as the gut that spends £10000 on his upgrade. It's not the cost of money, that is all the same, it's the value of that money that is important.

My advice is (for what it is worth) , if it's a dog of a car , bin it! Take it the auction and let the private man bid on it there. At least that way he knows that he is taking a chance buying it. 

The Consumer Right's Act was brought in for this exact reason.  

I see, so when he needs some fuel, tyres, brakes, bulbs, insurance renewal, holiday, we should pay for that as well....(for what it's worth) my opinion is no. 

[Mojo121 229]

I suppose the difference here is some people work on their moral feeling of what they think is right and others work on what their legal obligation is and do no more than that. The difficulty is the law seems to a bit grey with things like this.

[SC Derby 259]

Even morally and legally sometimes you are somewhere in the middle.

In this instance I would have it back and if a part had failed after this limited timescale then I'd replace, maybe asking customer for a contribution if fitting a new part - usually then everyones happy and you are not massive out of pocket. If they really felt this was unfair we'd probably replace at our cost and draw a line under it.

But I sort of disagree with the same service for every car, whether new, £150k, £15k, £1,500 or even £250? I just don't think thats fully feasible and obviously you have to expect a much more 'used' product subject a lot more wear and tear towards the bottom end of the market (imo).