German cars

[Pip 12]

I've always liked buying Bmw, vw and Mercedes and done very well with them over the years. I had a gearbox go on a Merc once and had a couple of bmw's with oil leaks and that's as bad as it's ever been. Vw's i have had some good ones but recently everytime I have a vw in it has some sort of dash light on. It's usually  abs. Sometimes air bag or eml.

Reading this foram has really put me off German cars. Are the mercs and bmw's really that bad? I know vw are. I havn't dealt in this sort of stock  for a few years I have been leaning more towards anything Japanese. 

I have so much faith in Toyota and especially Honda. Never get a comeback. I use to do countless Vauxhalls without problems but even they are with their problems now. 

I'm sure cars years ago were so much more reliable. I suppose it's because modern cars have so much more on them nowadays. 

Bring back the good old days 

 

[Mark101 536]

I do a lot (relatively) of BMW stock and Merc.

Speak as you find, I haven't (touch wood) had any serious issues with BMW or Merc.  My most expensive warranty to date was a Scirocco requiring both EGR valve and EGR cooler to fix the fault.

Vauxhall on the other hand, not a chance, not here, not ever (unless in chop).

Edited October 21, 2018 by Mark101

[NOACROSS 414]

Yup. Used to be great but from about the turn of the century they’re crap. The longer you do the job the more you realise they are dreadful things as you write the cheques for the doom  

I avoid all German and diesel where possible and especially auto diesel German. Have done for years now and, as you say, the comebacks are now negligible. 

Speak to any of the mechanics and sparkys we use and they all agree. 

Vauxhall is crap too but I’d still prefer them over the German junk. 

[EPV 631]

Speak as you find as Mark says. 

If you deal in one type of car sooner or later you will get comebacks. 

The fact remains that German cars are extremely popular. As a dealer it’s risk vs reward. For me i’m happy to take the risks as I know the margins are generally better and the speed of sale quicker. 

[NOACROSS 414]

Popular. Maybe. Extremely popular no, I wouldn’t agree any more. 

Punters are becoming wise to the junk too and there’s def been a big sea change the last few years where I’m hearing them realise they’re crap. Especially VW stuff and to some extent Audi. 

Pretty much every tale of doom on here is German related.

I think as T.V? said very eloqently a while back: ‘style over substance’. 

Also, with regard to the poor bugger with the 1 series engine doom on the other thread pointing out that why shouldn’t the manufacturer be on the hook for the junk- well they don’t build them to last as there’s little benefit to them making something last 20 years plus, as they want it to be disposable like a washing machine so you buy a new one. 

Also, for a bit of balance, the punters who buy the junk are often the sort who don’t service them properly or can’t afford to. For example, has that 1 series got full BM history I wonder. 

I still have some German cars and diesel autos, but I wouldn’t fill the site up with 50 of them for sure and they don’t sell any quicker. 

Up to three/for years old with FDSH and /or within warranty is the way to go like Nick does. 

[BHM 994]

NOACROSS - 2 posts & I think you’ve totally summed up the situation with German wonder wagons.

PS give me a Zafira any day of the week over a frigging Golf. They may have their problems but they’re cheap to fix and the owners are generally pleasant. Do the phrases “occasional problem”, “cheap fix” and “pleasant punters” remind you of VW? As the old thread asked something along the lines of “Are Golf owners wired up different?” 

[EPV 631]

29 minutes ago, NOACROSS said:

Popular. Maybe. Extremely popular no, I wouldn’t agree any more. 

Punters are becoming wise to the junk too and there’s def been a big sea change the last few years where I’m hearing them realise they’re crap. Especially VW stuff and to some extent Audi. 

Pretty much every tale of doom on here is German related.

I think as T.V? said very eloqently a while back: ‘style over substance’. 

Also, with regard to the poor bugger with the 1 series engine doom on the other thread pointing out that why shouldn’t the manufacturer be on the hook for the junk- well they don’t build them to last as there’s little benefit to them making something last 20 years plus, as they want it to be disposable like a washing machine so you buy a new one. 

Also, for a bit of balance, the punters who buy the junk are often the sort who don’t service them properly or can’t afford to. For example, has that 1 series got full BM history I wonder. 

I still have some German cars and diesel autos, but I wouldn’t fill the site up with 50 of them for sure and they don’t sell any quicker. 

Up to three/for years old with FDSH and /or within warranty is the way to go like Nick does. 

Obviously we all have our own experiences but I was just using Autotraders top 10 list of most searched cars and 7 from 10 are German cars.  I also realise AT aren't the be all and end all but the fact is they are by some distance the most viewed platform in the industry so I'd say if 7 from 10 of their most viewed cars are German, that makes German cars extremely popular.  Of course we all have our own view and preferences and worse at times, our own experiences!

For balance, I had a pair of polish lads rock up last night, bought a 9 year old C Class Estate with 103,000 miles on, bought it with a few cosmetic issues I'd told them I'd sort (they wanted the car ASAP for work) and didn't mention a warranty. Paid and gone within the hour.

[NOACROSS 414]

Awesome. How it should be. Love the Polish (and the Bulgarians now-thanks again Nick). No fuss normal people. 

My Mrs is always looking at houses, holidays, houses in Sicily. Does it mean she’s gonna buy. (I hope!) Plenty of dreamers out there.  My most ‘popular’ car never sells first. 

[Nick M.K. 574]

39 minutes ago, BHM said:

PS give me a Zafira any day of the week over a frigging Golf.

Slit my wrists RIGHT NOW if I have to start selling Zafiras or Astras again. I hate the things. I hate the part exes that they bring, I hate how indecisive their buyers can be and how price sensitive they always are as if their life depends on that last £20 and how insulted they look when you mention finance... 

I love German cars, I am not scared of them, my last 5 or 6 personal cars have all been high mileage diesel automatic Mercs which have given me many thousands of miles of sterling service and I dread the day when we won't be allowed to drive them anymore. At over 5 years old they CAN BE very inexpensive to run and maintain if you bought well. 

When you are in traffic on or inside the M25 you really see how popular German cars are at least around London. 

On the flip side I want to see anyone's face when you call the Hyundai parts department and they tell you the cost for a complete mirror assembly for a Santa Fe for example :-) "Are you sitting down?"

Edited October 21, 2018 by Nick M.K.

[Dave2302 387]

35 minutes ago, Nick M.K. said:

Slit my wrists RIGHT NOW if I have to start selling Zafiras or Astras again. I hate the things. I hate the part exes that they bring, I hate how indecisive their buyers can be and how price sensitive they always are as if their life depends on that last £20 and how insulted they look when you mention finance... 

I love German cars, I am not scared of them, my last 5 or 6 personal cars have all been high mileage diesel automatic Mercs which have given me many thousands of miles of sterling service and I dread the day when we won't be allowed to drive them anymore. At over 5 years old they CAN BE very inexpensive to run and maintain if you bought well. 

When you are in traffic on or inside the M25 you really see how popular German cars are at least around London. 

On the flip side I want to see anyone's face when you call the Hyundai parts department and they tell you the cost for a complete mirror assembly for a Santa Fe for example :-) "Are you sitting down?"

Spot On !!

[NOACROSS 414]

The number of times you’ll be calling them over German Crap is negligible. Plus I’ve always found those sort of ancillary bits cheap second hand on eBay etc and ironically often from Poland or Bulgaria. Plus plenty of old people buy them so there’s often loads written off. 

My ‘problem’ (unlike Nick et al) is I don’t buy stuff I like, or actually neither do I particularly like anything. Except a sold car. That’s where the buzz is. :o) That and it not coming back and avoiding idiot, unrealistic cheap customers. 

The thread is about ‘are they any good’. No. Not really. Do they sell? Yes. I know that. 

I used to be less grumpy. Honest. 

[David Horgan 564]

Nothing wrong with German cars  Skoda , SEAT , inc of course 

As long as you have 10k invested in special tools and an understanding of diagnostics beyond a Master Tech level 

Plus the knowledge to replace chains , Tensioners , Manifolds , repair DSG megatronic units , plus a dozen extra parts that affect other parts that bring lights on for no reason

If you know all that they are ok . Because god knows how traders afford to fix these things with 3rd party bills and then make a profit . 

Beggars belief why traders in auctions are so slow to pick up on these failures and how much they cost to fix .   

Actually watched a Golf R go into BCA with a rattle " needed new chain " , EML declared on  and the code on report was not the chain code but a manifold fault .

Made £1,050 over CAP clean , Seriously heard said trader say " be a lamba " WOW will he be surprised when he gets the bill

Soon need to be a mechanic to sell cars nowdays . 

[Nick M.K. 574]

23 minutes ago, David Horgan said:

Soon need to be a mechanic to sell cars nowdays

Most mechanics I know hate selling cars because they understand them well and they know how much there is that can go wrong. 

I am glad that I don't know what they know. Ignorance is a bliss 

 

Edited October 21, 2018 by Nick M.K.

[David Horgan 564]

1 minute ago, Nick M.K. said:

Most mechanics I know hate selling cars because they understand them well and I know how much there is that can go wrong. 

I am glad that i don't know what they know. Ignorance is a bliss 

 

Haha spot on Nick. 

My sons one of those , can rebuild anything , great on one hand , but can be restrictive when buying as he spots things most of us don't even know exists . 

On other hand we get some proper cheap cars that are declared non runners , Swings and roundabouts  i suppose  

Long as we all have fun and make a few quid hey , happy days 

[Dave2302 387]

19 minutes ago, NOACROSS said:

Plus I’ve always found those sort of ancillary bits cheap second hand on eBay etc and ironically often from Poland or Bulgaria. Plus plenty of old people buy them so there’s often loads written off. 

Bang on, exactly how I repair Sales Cars, and depending on the punter, sometimes used Modules etc on Workshop Retail work !!

 

19 minutes ago, NOACROSS said:

I used to be less grumpy. Honest. 

 LOL I don't believe that 'cos I didn't, I used to be more grumpy 

 

16 minutes ago, David Horgan said:

As long as you have 10k invested in special tools and an understanding of diagnostics beyond a Master Tech level 

Plus the knowledge to replace chains , Tensioners , Manifolds , repair DSG megatronic units , plus a dozen extra parts that affect other parts that bring lights on for no reason

Nope, all you need is a good Indie

 

16 minutes ago, David Horgan said:

Actually watched a Golf R go into BCA with a rattle " needed new chain " , EML declared on  and the code on report was not the chain code but a manifold fault .

Made £1,050 over CAP clean , Seriously heard said trader say " be a lamba " WOW will he be surprised when he gets the bill

I think whoever that was, as you rightly said, doesn't have a clue, but they will be the sort of fly by night who will retail it, and then when billy brings it back they will tell him to fuck off !!

You don't need to be a Mechanic, but a very good knowledge of the product you are selling is essential.

Nick is correct, the more you know, the worse selling these seems, but it's not the problem that's the problem, it's how we deal with it.

I honestly don't know how new guys in this trade stay in business, nor do I understand why the fuck they would want to !!

The noobies must all think every Car dealer is having it off !!

I have donkeys years of experience and contacts to get good used parts etc etc, but tbh if I didn't have all that no way would I be doing it

1 minute ago, David Horgan said:

On other hand we get some proper cheap cars that are declared non runners

That is exactly my buying model, I will not buy it unless it is for peanuts, thus a good profit .......................

Then if it shits itself within a reasonable time frame / mileage I have no problem repairing it !!

Lower Sales numbers but much higher margins .

[lastyboy 23]

Yes some later VAG group cars can be troublesome. BUT with so many Skodas, Seats, Audi;s and VW;s around, spares are so plentiful its very rare to find a horrific bill in my experience but you have to mechanically know what you are doing to keep the prices on repairs down.

Ive not had many issues with Mercs nor BMW's apart from that shockingly pathetic and evil 1 series "Prince" petrol engine that in my experience goes with the 1.9 CDTi Fiat/Vauxhall engine as the worst 2 engines ive encountered in the past 10 years.

[Dave2302 387]

3 hours ago, lastyboy said:

Ive not had many issues with Mercs nor BMW's apart from that shockingly pathetic and evil 1 series "Prince" petrol engine that in my experience goes with the 1.9 CDTi Fiat/Vauxhall engine as the worst 2 engines ive encountered in the past 10 years.

Absolutely !!

I think the only reason that Mercs and BMW's have a bad rep is because many many Mechanics do not understand them, and the only way they work is by playing parts darts, and thus expensive repair bills give them a bad rep !!

VAG, like some others, have models to avoid, but again with the right mechanic / Parts contacts they don't have to cost buckets to fix.

Anything post 2000's is a cunt to repair, and the newer they are, the more complex they have become, it won't get better, will surely get worse, you wait till ya all start playing with Hybrids and Electric Cars, we are all gonna have to at some point 

[Dave2302 387]

NO !!

Have you scanned one yet and seen how many ECU's are controlling the whole chebang

I have 

There's one lives in Plockton, (about 14 miles from me arrrrrrgh !! 

Along with the odd flux capacitor 

[lastyboy 23]

5 hours ago, Dave2302 said:

Absolutely !!

I think the only reason that Mercs and BMW's have a bad rep is because many many Mechanics do not understand them, and the only way they work is by playing parts darts, and thus expensive repair bills give them a bad rep !!

VAG, like some others, have models to avoid, but again with the right mechanic / Parts contacts they don't have to cost buckets to fix.

Anything post 2000's is a cunt to repair, and the newer they are, the more complex they have become, it won't get better, will surely get worse, you wait till ya all start playing with Hybrids and Electric Cars, we are all gonna have to at some point 

Totally agree with this.

12 hours ago, Mark101 said:

I do a lot (relatively) of BMW stock and Merc.

Speak as you find, I haven't (touch wood) had any serious issues with BMW or Merc.  My most expensive warranty to date was a Scirocco requiring both EGR valve and EGR cooler to fix the fault.

Vauxhall on the other hand, not a chance, not here, not ever (unless in chop).

If that Scirocco was recent Mark, VW have been refunding EGR valve/ cooler repairs on some models if you replaced the part with genuine.

[Grantlfc81 88]

I only ever sell German, bmw, mini, VW Audi, merc. We have had a lot of bad ones but of course that’s all we sell.

as per a previous poster. It’s risk verses reward. Our buying is much better now and we only buy good grade cars at the auction or the assured ones at Aston Barclay.  We also buy a fair few private cars from eBay and Facebook but when we sell we aim for £2000 per chassis but we put on a very strong warranty so not to get caught with our trousers down.

bmw especially are extremely good sellers and never hang around for more than 30 days.

Edited October 21, 2018 by Grantlfc81