RE: New European directive gives customers more rights

[umesh 336]

I won't change in anyway how I operate, I believe I have always sold the best cars, provided service to my customers and in reality I think most customers are quite reasonable and will allow dealers who are genuine and honest to resolve the problem without shouting about it.

The major issues will be all the 'do gooders ' [Mates in the pub] jumping on the band wagon telling the world what the rights are!

The rules are just bizarre 30 days if it suffers a fault ! what happens when its 'driver' issues ? as we know slight hiccup and a light comes on !

[AutocarsHull 7]

I have to say , during David Combes presentation from Lawgistics at CDC14, I was stunned to the level the new consumer directive has altered the consumers rights. As Umesh quite rightly points out, most customers are quite reasonable, and for those of us who prepare our cars correctly there shouldn't be an issue, even when small things happen, its how you put them right and in those circumstances they can become your best customers, however I had a very worrying thought...... What happens if the media, someone such as Watchdog or another consumer programme, highlights these new laws on a national level, in detail to handing cars back and opens the doors to the masses, is there not the potential for each and every one of us to be in trouble by the possible abuse of the law by unscrupulous 'customers'? 

[metcars 397]

It is a worry, although many EU countries seem to be at war with businesses. Try and start a small business in France!

 

But there does seem to be a new breed of savvy customer who knows just enough about consumer rights to be able to 'work it' for themselves. My ex wife had a friend who would always complain after any purchase. Even if she was completely happy with the service and the procuct, complaining was the last piece of the transaction that she hoped would always bring a good will discount. She was particularly good at complaining about holidays; inventing the smallest problem to use as a lever for a discount. Who protects 'traders' from customers like that?

[Gavin@Rousdon 137]

Maybe is time for the UK Govenment and the EU to bring in a 'Business Protection Act', a simple act where a business is legaly entitled to charge a customer for time spent on figthing flase claims. It would make the customer more open minded to what a product should do and why it does it.

 

Half the problem with car is that they are so complex, you buy most items i.e clothing, food and even white goods and its easy to see if it's right or not. If a TV turns on then turns itself off it's not right, but if a modern car does it (start/stop) it's normal. Certain customers get fearfull when faced with new technology and when a car acts differnet to what they are used to it becomes a 'fault' in there minds. A good hand over when they pick up their new car helps but most gets forgotten once they drive off, sell VW Passat and most people worry so much about the electric handbrake the other features of the car arn't worth going into detail about.

 

We have all had it before when a customer returns with a list of 'fault' which turn out to be just items requiring a bit of education.

[Chris@Glass 2]

I am not a car trader myself, however if word gets out as Umesh says, surely its open to abuse by the "knowledeable" car buyer.

[Wheelerdealer1 91]

I think us used car dealers should be very worried, this new hand back system is open to abuse, and I'm afraid it's the honest dealers that will get that abuse.

The delboys will carry on as usual and this won't bother them one bit!