Moaning Customer

[Frankieola 22]

Recently sold a car to a guy who lives a fair way away from us, He has been a pain to deal with from the outset and I would have told him to do one but my boss wanted the car gone so I've been all sweetness and light to him whilst secretly thinking he is a w*nker.

Anyway, We were going to deliver but he came down to collect the car (unannounced!) on my day off on Friday. He moaned about us having to get finance paid out before he left, about a few marks on the car, the cost of the train fare, moaned about everything really.

The car itself is a 64 plate Audi estate with 28000 miles, really really nice car but just hasn't shifted. We've prepped it to a very high standard and I doubt you'd find a nicer one for the age and miles, never mind what we have ended up selling it for.

He's been on the phone today complaining about the tyres, they only have 2mm on them apparently. My workshop report says the fronts had 5mm and rears were on 6mm. We replace tyres that are below 3mm as a matter of course when we prep the cars.

I've given him the workshop report showing the tyre tread and he's still moaning. He's now come back saying they are only 2mm above the wear bars!! I trust my workshop implicitly and I know he's trying it on.

He's just stated that he has 14 days to return the car under the finance agreement, I'm thinking that he's confused and has 14 days to settle and pay by other means??

I want to take a hard line with this guy but where do I stand and what do you guys think I should do?

[Dan W 57]

Tell him he has 14 days to cancel the finance but he has to pay them for the car still.

and then say you have done everything to the car as promised and have the proof, I cant see what else you should or have to do.

he has signed all the paperwork and was happy when he left site if he wasn't he wouldn't have taken delivery of the car. end of

[trade vet 697]

If he has taken out a big balance on finance,will he not still be liable for any early settlement charges.If he had a good swapper,I would just keep that and charge him 45p per mile for the Audi......I have found that  with  these types who are completely unreasonable,there often is another story and they won’t come clean.

[andymc1973 199]

was it PDI'd and did he sign it??

[Rory RSC 596]

Tell him to send you a picture of all 4 tyres and you will have management look into it.

 

When it proves that the tyres are legal explain how his 14 day finance cooling off period works. You are right he has to pay for it by other means.

I would then insist you are satisfied the car is all good and refer to internal check/pdi, independent MOT and how customer satisfaction is number 1 priority.

Invite him to return to have the car given 1 hour workshop time for a full check over and ensure he is happy ( won't take you up on it is my bet).

 

Polite way of saying F.O.

 

Had pretty much the same thing recently on a car  we sold and he claimed tyres were bald and with no tread on,  tyres were nearly new he was just a bit daft. 

[Mojo121 229]

Classic buyer's remorse. Maybe because you were so nice to him he's thought you were a soft touch... it seems it's time to become a bit more Mr Hyde and explain how he's done nothing but moan.

Regardless of the tyre's condition, 2mm or 8mm, they're legal and therefore he's no recourse to return the car. Depending on how far away he is I'd get the car back, carry out an inspection and (upon finding nothing) get him to sign that on collection. Diligence and duty of care above and beyond box ticked.

[EPV 631]

1 hour ago, Dan W said:

Tell him he has 14 days to cancel the finance but he has to pay them for the car still.

and then say you have done everything to the car as promised and have the proof, I cant see what else you should or have to do.

he has signed all the paperwork and was happy when he left site if he wasn't he wouldn't have taken delivery of the car. end of

This.

The car hasn't developed a fault, he has no right to return it, end of story. If he wants to cancel his finance that's up to him but he'll be paying the finance off himself. 

I assume you have a PDI stating the tyre tread is acceptable (read legal) and beyond that, you don't owe him a bean.

 

[NOACROSS 414]

Did you have it Mot’d after taking the order?

[Stalker 180]

2 hours ago, Frankieola said:

He moaned about us having to get finance paid out before he left, about a few marks on the car, the cost of the train fare, moaned about everything really.

Was he from Scotland?

[MattR 177]

He doesnt have a leg to stand on. Tyres which he has stated are legal (and very much so if they have 2mm above the wear bar) are fine. In my main dealer days we worked off 3mm so nothing to worry about there.

Be firm. Very firm. Inform him as stated above about what the 14 days on the finance means. He will go away unless you are a soft touch, in which case he will be a constant irritation. 

Offer him the opportunity to have the tyres inspected by your workshop but inform him before he sets off that nothing will be entertained if the tyres are above 3mm. He will work out the trip is pointless and move on.

 

[EPV 631]

1 minute ago, Matt Reid said:

He doesnt have a leg to stand on. Tyres which he has stated are legal (and very much so if they have 2mm above the wear bar) are fine. In my main dealer days we worked off 3mm so nothing to worry about there.

Be firm. Very firm. Inform him as stated above about what the 14 days on the finance means. He will go away unless you are a soft touch, in which case he will be a constant irritation. 

Offer him the opportunity to have the tyres inspected by your workshop but inform him before he sets off that nothing will be entertained if the tyres are above 3mm. He will work out the trip is pointless and move on.

 

That would be more than I would do. I'd inform him about the 14 days relating to the finance not the rejection of the car for spurious reasons and advise him he signed a PDI confirming the tread level of the tyres are acceptable. 

He could easily swap the tyres over for ones as bald as a coot and drive the car back saying they are below 3mm if you entertain him.

[MattR 177]

Just now, EPV said:

That would be more than I would do. I'd inform him about the 14 days relating to the finance not the rejection of the car for spurious reasons and advise him he signed a PDI confirming the tread level of the tyres are acceptable. 

He could easily swap the tyres over for ones as bald as a coot and drive the car back saying they are below 3mm if you entertain him.

Yes, he could. Hopefully the PDI lists that its got michelins or whatever on it. 

You saying that reminds me of a Gypsy family that did that to me at a main dealer on their part ex. Didnt argue, there were a lot of them and the showroom windows were expensive to replace!

[Arfur Dealy 823]

27 minutes ago, Stalker said:

Was he from Scotland?

                

 

                                                        LIKE 

[Frankieola 22]

No, He was in Yorkshire!

I've had a conversation, He is basically moaning that he has spent £23000 on a car and the tyres are "only" 5 and 6mm, Wanted to go 50/50 on replacing all 4 but I said no.

Put him straight on the 14 days thing as well and he sounded shocked, I'm so glad that he ended up coming to us to collect and that we are not into distance selling regs.

My only worry now is that he'll post some shitty review online about how we conned him.

[SC Derby 259]

Who the hell would replace a 6mm tyre?

Does he buy a pint of milk, drink a 1/4 then chuck the rest?

[Dan W 57]

18 minutes ago, Frankieola said:

No, He was in Yorkshire!

I've had a conversation, He is basically moaning that he has spent £23000 on a car and the tyres are "only" 5 and 6mm, Wanted to go 50/50 on replacing all 4 but I said no.

Put him straight on the 14 days thing as well and he sounded shocked, I'm so glad that he ended up coming to us to collect and that we are not into distance selling regs.

My only worry now is that he'll post some shitty review online about how we conned him.

All you reply with is mr customer, no one forced you to travel to see us and no one forced you to sign the paperwork.

these people have a tantrum they should be treated like children.

Edited April 10, 2018 by Dan W

[EPV 631]

5 minutes ago, Frankieola said:

No, He was in Yorkshire!

I've had a conversation, He is basically moaning that he has spent £23000 on a car and the tyres are "only" 5 and 6mm, Wanted to go 50/50 on replacing all 4 but I said no.

Put him straight on the 14 days thing as well and he sounded shocked, I'm so glad that he ended up coming to us to collect and that we are not into distance selling regs.

My only worry now is that he'll post some shitty review online about how we conned him.

Sounds like the tree the rubber came from is still growing, from 2mm to 5/6mm depth overnight. I've got to get me some of those tyres!

The only other thing that is growing is his fucking nose, the lying c**t.

[Stalker 180]

7 minutes ago, Frankieola said:

No, He was in Yorkshire!

Explains quite a lot.... are you from the south?

If so... They dont like southerners

[MrC 142]

Call him a cunt then hang up.

 

 

[AutoJacob 34]

14 minutes ago, MrC said:

Call him a cunt then hang up.

 

 

I like this idea.

[justlooking 48]

16 hours ago, Frankieola said:

No, He was in Yorkshire!

I've had a conversation, He is basically moaning that he has spent £23000 on a car and the tyres are "only" 5 and 6mm, Wanted to go 50/50 on replacing all 4 but I said no.

Put him straight on the 14 days thing as well and he sounded shocked, I'm so glad that he ended up coming to us to collect and that we are not into distance selling regs.

My only worry now is that he'll post some shitty review online about how we conned him.

Buyers remorse, pathetic

[BHM 994]

Absolutely true. £x only buys £x worth of goods irrespective of your financial standing.

[MattR 177]

18 hours ago, Frankieola said:

No, He was in Yorkshire!

I've had a conversation, He is basically moaning that he has spent £23000 on a car and the tyres are "only" 5 and 6mm, Wanted to go 50/50 on replacing all 4 but I said no.

Put him straight on the 14 days thing as well and he sounded shocked, I'm so glad that he ended up coming to us to collect and that we are not into distance selling regs.

My only worry now is that he'll post some shitty review online about how we conned him.

Dont worry about a review. Its a chance to show what you do well when you respond. Include information such as your minimum tyre depths you work to, your comprehensive workshop checks etc. as long a syour reply is calm and professional, it is more likely to win you business than cost you business.

[BHM 994]

2 hours ago, Matt Reid said:

Dont worry about a review. Its a chance to show what you do well when you respond. Include information such as your minimum tyre depths you work to, your comprehensive workshop checks etc. as long a syour reply is calm and professional, it is more likely to win you business than cost you business.

True. I’ll use this as yet another opportunity to state that I do not give a f*** about reviews but if you do then this is the only course of action. Whinging like babies won’t change reviews & tbh I don’t think a few bad reviews lose anyone a sale.

[grant8064 219]

9 hours ago, Matt Reid said:

Dont worry about a review. Its a chance to show what you do well when you respond. Include information such as your minimum tyre depths you work to, your comprehensive workshop checks etc. as long a syour reply is calm and professional, it is more likely to win you business than cost you business.

+1 We've got a few hilarious reviews. One completely ridiculous and two from people we've never even met. Replied to all professionally, calmly but not certainly not happily. They've been commented on by a few customers how funny it all is....good for a bit of handover banter!