My first screamer

[EPV 631]

23 minutes ago, Earunder said:

You've already gone and done more than what I would have.  Seriously the OBC changing the MPG.

IMO you're dealing with someone who can't afford to run the car and wants to return it.  Best thing to do.  Book it in, do a little Oil & Filter and Fuel filter service (If you haven't already) then send him on his way.  That is way above generous IMO.

I’ve no intention of doing that, besides it was serviced just before I sold it. 90% of the time I MOT a car, oil and filter service and properly worded PDI. I have no doubt i’m 100% covered in that respect it was just me wondering what others would do in my shoes, especially when i’m trying to build a rep. The consensus is jog him on which is what I will do but not before i’ve let him conduct a manual test which will hopefully prove the reading from the OBC is within a reasonable range of the actual mpg. After i’ve let him say his piece i’m going to advise him to modify his driving style which may see an improvement in his consumption and beyond that, I can’t see there’s anything else I can do. 

 

Above all else, he left me with a mondeo in chop that has a horrible idling issue at cold, runs fine when hot. Obviously that escaped his mind when he drove it all the way from Essex (thus making the car piping hot) and proudly told me he’d just spent a fiver having the outside of the car washed (with a coal sack and a chisel by the look of it)

I’m tempted to remind him of that if he starts getting lairy, I know I have no legal recourse but I can at least take the moral high ground. 

[Arfur Dealy 823]

24 minutes ago, EPV said:

I’ve no intention of doing that, besides it was serviced just before I sold it. 90% of the time I MOT a car, oil and filter service and properly worded PDI. I have no doubt i’m 100% covered in that respect it was just me wondering what others would do in my shoes, especially when i’m trying to build a rep. The consensus is jog him on which is what I will do but not before i’ve let him conduct a manual test which will hopefully prove the reading from the OBC is within a reasonable range of the actual mpg. After i’ve let him say his piece i’m going to advise him to modify his driving style which may see an improvement in his consumption and beyond that, I can’t see there’s anything else I can do. 

 

Above all else, he left me with a mondeo in chop that has a horrible idling issue at cold, runs fine when hot. Obviously that escaped his mind when he drove it all the way from Essex (thus making the car piping hot) and proudly told me he’d just spent a fiver having the outside of the car washed (with a coal sack and a chisel by the look of it)

I’m tempted to remind him of that if he starts getting lairy, I know I have no legal recourse but I can at least take the moral high ground. 

When I said, he’s a Mondeo man and it speaks volumes I meant it.....bottom feeders

[andymc1973 199]

a jock who bought a petrol auto Passat, probably been disowned

[Earunder 69]

52 minutes ago, EPV said:

I’ve no intention of doing that, besides it was serviced just before I sold it. 90% of the time I MOT a car, oil and filter service and properly worded PDI. I have no doubt i’m 100% covered in that respect it was just me wondering what others would do in my shoes, especially when i’m trying to build a rep. The consensus is jog him on which is what I will do but not before i’ve let him conduct a manual test which will hopefully prove the reading from the OBC is within a reasonable range of the actual mpg. After i’ve let him say his piece i’m going to advise him to modify his driving style which may see an improvement in his consumption and beyond that, I can’t see there’s anything else I can do. 

 

Above all else, he left me with a mondeo in chop that has a horrible idling issue at cold, runs fine when hot. Obviously that escaped his mind when he drove it all the way from Essex (thus making the car piping hot) and proudly told me he’d just spent a fiver having the outside of the car washed (with a coal sack and a chisel by the look of it)

I’m tempted to remind him of that if he starts getting lairy, I know I have no legal recourse but I can at least take the moral high ground. 

Like I said, you're doing more than I would do.

I wouldn't bring up anything legal at all.  Let him do that if it escalates that way.

What he part exchanged is your responsibility to check.  He has no obligation to tell you anything about his car.

1 hour ago, Rory RSC said:

Why should he thats even worse.

Customer bought a car armed with enough info to make the decision. Buys big petrol auto and now is not getting great mpg....no shit  Not like you can trust VW group to be honest with their quoted figures either is it...

Not really, you're going to do something as a gesture of goodwill (As I said, only if he hadn't serviced it at the time of sale).  I do things as a gesture of goodwill quite frequently.  From Free Valets, to Free Oil & Filter services at 5,000 miles.  Valets cost peanuts and an oil and filter is less than 20 quid.  High customer satisfaction and retention is priceless, but everyone is different and has their own business model.

[EPV 631]

Yes mate I realise what he part exchanged is my responsibilty to check, hence why I said I have no legal recourse but when someone is crying to me about something like MPG and they have knowingly offloaded a bucket to me, it gives me the satisfaction of taking the moral high ground, even if just in my head

32 minutes ago, andymc1973 said:

a jock who bought a petrol auto Passat, probably been disowned

It's ironic, as when I asked him why he was looking to get out of the car he had just spent £900 on having the injectors replaced (the Mondeo) his response was "I don't want another diesel, I'm finished with them"

 

[grant8064 219]

Rare thing a petrol DSG Passat...not an estate is it?

On the subject we had one recently, a solicitor, moaning about MPG figures, CD not working and a smelly clutch. Got the car back and sat them down next to us to go for a little drive. CD worked, clutch doesn't smell if you don't ride the life out of it and we managed to get pretty close to factory MPG which even I was surprised with. 

They were sheepish but still a moaning pain so I simply refunded and resold. Don't need screamers like that in my life. Best thing is car sold a week later at for £200 more than originally because we realised it was under priced! Just a thought...

[Darkbluecars 10]

If this is your first "Screamer" it seems like a very gentle introduction...Good luck when the real nutters come calling.

[trade vet 704]

2 hours ago, grant8064 said:

Rare thing a petrol DSG Passat...not an estate is it?

On the subject we had one recently, a solicitor, moaning about MPG figures, CD not working and a smelly clutch. Got the car back and sat them down next to us to go for a little drive. CD worked, clutch doesn't smell if you don't ride the life out of it and we managed to get pretty close to factory MPG which even I was surprised with. 

They were sheepish but still a moaning pain so I simply refunded and resold. Don't need screamers like that in my life. Best thing is car sold a week later at for £200 more than originally because we realised it was under priced! Just a thought...

You did well Grant,Solicitors and barristers you have to be carefull with them,sometimes these guys will try and ‘ do you’ on a technicality to get money off or a refund months later.Saying that,I recall a barrister who wanted an SLK,so we got one for her and even showed what we paid for it.So she paid up and off she went.Days later she returned.....with a bottle of champagne for us,can’t remember what type but it was a good one...that was a first in many years trading.

[EPV 631]

3 hours ago, grant8064 said:

Rare thing a petrol DSG Passat...not an estate is it?

On the subject we had one recently, a solicitor, moaning about MPG figures, CD not working and a smelly clutch. Got the car back and sat them down next to us to go for a little drive. CD worked, clutch doesn't smell if you don't ride the life out of it and we managed to get pretty close to factory MPG which even I was surprised with. 

They were sheepish but still a moaning pain so I simply refunded and resold. Don't need screamers like that in my life. Best thing is car sold a week later at for £200 more than originally because we realised it was under priced! Just a thought...

They’re rare as mate and sold within 6 days of me having it up, plus 3 calls on it just after I took a deposit. So rare and very desirable. 

Its a decent thought, i’ll have to see how it goes when he rings next. Part of me thinks “fuck it i’ll sell it easy” but part off me thinks if that’s what he’s angling at in a roundabout way then why give it to him?

Will see what happens! Cheers for the advice mate. 

58 minutes ago, Darkbluecars said:

If this is your first "Screamer" it seems like a very gentle introduction...Good luck when the real nutters come calling.

I don’t mind the black and white scenarios it’s just this one was a bit unusual. 

[grant8064 219]

Like all customers, you get good ones and you get bad ones. The one we had-had a real smell of 'five months later i'm gonna try backing this and i'll be a real pain in the arse' so it was best to nip it in the bud.

EPV - I only mention it because sometimes it's better business for you to just refund and resell, rarely, but sometimes and only when it suits you. Sometimes you can just tell it's gonna be cheaper and easier in the long run, especially on something rare that you know you won't struggle with. If this is your first screamer as you say then just use it as a good learning curve because it won't be the last!

[BHM 994]

What’s all this nonsense about refunding because of a phone call or two from an arsehole? You boys don’t make the job any easier for people such as me who stand by my word, my cars & my deals.

As for valeting cars, changing oil etc for goodwill!?!!  What goodwill will that garner from a greedy bastard hundreds of miles away?

If he hasn’t already been so, this customer should be f...ed off at the next opportunity. END OF.

 

[EPV 631]

Update; he rang this morning, results of the manual test confirmed the trip computer marries up with the actual MPG he’s getting. 

“It should be getting more” cried the customer

”according to who though?”

”well the manufacturer”

”Volkswagen? Well we all know what their reputation is like with figures about cars and the car is 8 years old so it’s not likely to reflect one straight out of the box anyway. I’m not sure what more I can do in this instance”

”well I think it’s got a fault and needs to be repaired under warranty”

”it’s not a fault mr customer, 23mpg on a 8 year old saloon with a 1.8 petrol engine driven in 5 mile bursts isn’t a fault”

That was pretty much the end of it. I’m sure if I offered to take the car back for a refund he’d bite my hand off, buyers remorse. I’m not going to obviously. 

[BHM 994]

Here! Here! Well done. It’s good to see someone standing by their deals & expecting the customer to do the same. F*** him, if the punter wanted more MPG for short runs he shouldn’t of bought a petrol auto estate.

How refreshing after all of the ‘refunding’ nonsense many on this forum seem to think is the correct course of action - too many on here need a spine transplant for the rubber snake they obviously currently have.

[MattR 177]

Good confident answer, and well done for standing strong. Manufacturers MPG is only ever for comparison anyway