Devil's out to play

[tradegirl 112]

Another one bites the dust. S-Max 1.8 TDCI sold at 104k FSH including cambelt at 96k. Customer called 3 months to the day to say the car "cut out" and not has no lights on the dash and won't start. It was "knocking", he pulled over and it's now dead.

Ali with his 3 uncles/brothers came to view "it's for me", (No it's actually for the other guy) "it's for a taxi", then "it's going in my mom's name she's disabled", and went in his name. I'm assuming it was a taxi, but has only done 1.5k miles in 3 months. Sold £1k below any other Smax of similar spec, now he wants to know what I'm going to do about his Smax.

Not looking for advice here, just ranting.

[Del Boy 76]

Did these chaps barely speak English by any chance? 

[tradegirl 112]

Just now, Del Boy said:

Did these chaps barely speak English by any chance? 

No they spoke alright English. Not sure if that makes any difference, they all read from the same script.

[Stalker 180]

What age is it?

Also, it really needs ironing out at point of sale, was it sold for a taxi or not? And if it was did you note it on the invoice?

i think the instrument cluster gives grief, and it’s a easy fix.

[tradegirl 112]

Just now, Stalker said:

What age is it?

Also, it really needs ironing out at point of sale, was it sold for a taxi or not? And if it was did you note it on the invoice?

i think the instrument cluster gives grief, and it’s a easy fix.

2010 stalker. Didn't note it unfortunately as he switched between it's for a taxi and it's for his mom. It's my fault to be fair for not clearing it up.

[It's me 615]

i really dont want to say this but if you did a proper pdi you would know what the tread depths were when it went out,this would tell you whether its been clocked since theyve had it

[andymc1973 199]

did they not barter

[tradegirl 112]

Just now, andymc1973 said:

did they not barter

You mean on the price andy? Of course, but it was already low priced and I wasn't budging. He even tried after he'd completed the logbook online, to haggle me down.

2 minutes ago, chief nut job said:

i really dont want to say this but if you did a proper pdi you would know what the tread depths were when it went out,this would tell you whether its been clocked since theyve had it

...I'm putting my hands up. Just buggered all around.

[andymc1973 199]

bloody hell, he must still be bitter

[Stalker 180]

The belt isn’t due on the, until 10 years or 125k, somebody’s wasted their money.

id be getting a look at it and seeing the whole story.

[tradegirl 112]

1 minute ago, andymc1973 said:

bloody hell, he must still be bitter

Lol! That riles me me up though. Had another taxi driver recently for a Skoda. Over eBay.

"£3200 cash today"

"No thanks, £3400"

"What's your lowest price?"

"£3400"

"I'll give you £3200"

"No thanks, £3400."

He tried it again and I told him to get lost and not message me again. He turned up with another 2 people in tow, and he tried to haggle me down again. Honestly if we weren't going through such a dry patch I would have told him to F off.

[tradegirl 112]

18 minutes ago, Stalker said:

The belt isn’t due on the, until 10 years or 125k, somebody’s wasted their money.

id be getting a look at it and seeing the whole story.

I know Stalker, but some people at the cautious "belt needs doing at 80/100k" types. Services all from the same garage and same owner the past 3 years. Genuinely sound no expenses spared car. Anyway, all in a day's work!

[trade vet 703]

14 minutes ago, tradegirl said:

I know Stalker, but some people at the cautious "belt needs doing at 80/100k" types. Services all from the same garage and same owner the past 3 years. Genuinely sound no expenses spared car. Anyway, all in a day's work!

I would be suspicious.1500 miles,3 months and talk of taxi’s etc,check the name and address on the doc is the same on your invoice.Check with the local authorities near where they live to see if it has been regd as  a taxi.....keep us informed !

[sparky 274]

53 minutes ago, Stalker said:

The belt isn’t due on the, until 10 years or 125k, somebody’s wasted their money.

id be getting a look at it and seeing the whole story.

Aren't they a 'wet" belt on those? Terrible engines since they went down that route and a bit like  tradegirl's ds3 with a thp engine, I wouldn't touch one with a barge pole.

[tradegirl 112]

7 minutes ago, tradex said:

They do, but they don't knock when they fail

Don't mention before collection, but with phone camera on video pull the dipstick, these tight arses may have run it out of oil. Injectors gives problems but the bottom end is tough as old boots. 

If he is telling the truth and it knocked while driving and now no power at all, I'm reckoning the alternator belt snapped?

5 minutes ago, sparky said:

Aren't they a 'wet" belt on those? Terrible engines since they went down that route and a bit like  tradegirl's ds3 with a thp engine, I wouldn't touch one with a barge pole.

Sparky, I'm doing a sterling job of picking cars then? Lol.

12 minutes ago, trade vet said:

I would be suspicious.1500 miles,3 months and talk of taxi’s etc,check the name and address on the doc is the same on your invoice.Check with the local authorities near where they live to see if it has been regd as  a taxi.....keep us informed !

They changed the registration number, and the one he told me isn't bringing up any vehicle. I'll call the DVLA tomorrow to see if they can give me the reg with the VIN.

[Stalker 180]

16 minutes ago, tradex said:

They do, but they don't knock when they fail

Don't mention before collection, but with phone camera on video pull the dipstick, these tight arses may have run it out of oil. Injectors gives problems but the bottom end is tough as old boots. 

It would have a diesel knock whilst it ran out of injected fuel? 

I agree, they usually are very strong, however we sold a mondeo a few years ago that had a very slight noise on the engine we weren’t sure what it was... it came back three months later with a conrod through the block! 

14 minutes ago, tradegirl said:

  12 minutes ago, sparky said:

Aren't they a 'wet" belt on those? Terrible engines since they went down that route and a bit like  tradegirl's ds3 with a thp engine, I wouldn't touch one with a barge pole.

They are a wet belt... and nobody ever wants to pay the real price to get them changed. 

[ik1980 11]

I would do what trade vet has suggested and ring the local authority to see if it has been registered as a taxi. 

[Frankieola 22]

11 hours ago, tradegirl said:

If he is telling the truth and it knocked while driving and now no power at all, I'm reckoning the alternator belt snapped?

Sparky, I'm doing a sterling job of picking cars then? Lol.

They changed the registration number, and the one he told me isn't bringing up any vehicle. I'll call the DVLA tomorrow to see if they can give me the reg with the VIN.

I think the DVLA will be as unhelpful as they possibly can be on this score, And it will seem as if whoever youare talking to will take real delight in it too! I think your best bet is to HPI the vehicle again and that will pull up the new reg number?

[It's me 615]

1 hour ago, tradex said:

You can generate a plate off a VIN with a puka HPI account, the details which you will hold. 

 

or do it for free by logging into your omnipart account and putting chassis no in

some of us save our brass you know

this is why my receipts always include chassis numbers as part of any paper trail recquired

[RHO 15]

We always put the Vin on our Lawgistics receipts. Engine number also. 

[BHM 994]

I’d of already told him I’m doing f.a., you’re on your own. 

1500 miles in 3 months with them boys. Hmmm.

Can’t supply you with the current registration no. Hmmm.

If/when the reg. no. arrives the first thing I’d do is check the no. of keepers. If it came in I’d check the engine’s the same one. There’s always a tale with them lads.

 

[tradegirl 112]

4 minutes ago, BHM said:

I’d of already told him I’m doing f.a., you’re on your own. 

1500 miles in 3 months with them boys. Hmmm.

Can’t supply you with the current registration no. Hmmm.

If/when the reg. no. arrives the first thing I’d do is check the no. of keepers. If it came in I’d check the engine’s the same one. There’s always a tale with them lads.

 

In all honesty I did. It's probably prejudice of me but if I hear "taxi" anywhere in the conversation then I'm going to be suspicious when they come back. He said his friend was saying HE'S a taxi driver and that it would be a good car for a taxi. I said that's not what I recall.

He called me a cheat and a fucking bitch and a dog....so...there goes any guilt I had.

[BHM 994]

GOOD!!!!! Once they reduce down to that level you know they’ve ‘switched off’ to coming back to you. It’s very unlikely he’ll be back in touch.

In the unlikely event he’s on the phone again just verbally abuse the c*** - and I’m NOT joking. 

Youve dodged that bullet. Well done.

[tradegirl 112]

5 minutes ago, BHM said:

GOOD!!!!! Once they reduce down to that level you know they’ve ‘switched off’ to coming back to you. It’s very unlikely he’ll be back in touch.

In the unlikely event he’s on the phone again just verbally abuse the c*** - and I’m NOT joking. 

Youve dodged that bullet. Well done.

Lol first time I've gotten any praise in this forum. I'd love to help people out, and when people are happy with us, but not people like that.

[MattR 177]

trade girl, back to your first point, no lights on the dash - does that mean you can see what the mileage actually is? if he has verbally abused you, make a note of the exact time and date of the call and make notes as to what was said. He can complain about the car, but he cant say that to anyone without some sort of comeback.