Do you let customers do this??

[Max Branning 149]

Had a right tricky customer in today.

Came bowling onto my forecourt like he owned the place and quite arrogantly asked me to "grab the keys" to a car he wanted to look at. I bit my tongue at first then gave him the keys and let him have a look round the car. I left him alone for a few minutes while i was chatting to another couple who had popped in for a look round.

When i went back over to the car this bloke was looking at he was crawling around under the dashboard in the car pulling at bits of trim. I asked what he was doing and he said "im looking for the obd port" he had a small obd code reader in his hands.

Now i dont know about anyone else here but i find this a bit of a liberty as he should be asking for permission before plugging anything into the car. I told him quite clearly that i dont allow people to do this, he got very taken a back by this and said either i let him check with the code reader or he is going.

I had enough of his attitude by now and told him to go... Just wondered what others would do here would you just let them get on with it?

[Rory RSC 596]

I wouldn't let them. 

 

They can cause problems if not used correctly or disconnected properly or so I am led to beleive. That's how some keys are cloned aswell. Happily let my mechanic plug in and show him our own diagnostics reading if pre arranged. To be fair anyone like that will be an arse it the car loses 3 psi out of a tyre. 

Some olk are just plain strange. Personally hate customers that have been in the trade and try to take control and act like the one you have described. 

 

[Steve92 80]

Out of interest does anyone read the codes on certain cars before accepting them as a px ?

[jimreidvehicle 255]

I would have done the same!

I'm all for open and honest policy and have no issues in showing a customer if they ask however helping themselves without even asking is taking a liberty. I think you have managed to get a lucky escape from a potential problem customer !

[umesh 336]

I had similar a while a go , but after a conversation with the buy I agreed he could plug and check , he had been caught out with this previous purchase was was a bit cautious .. i left it to him to have a look / plug in etc .. after about 15/20 minutes he said I'd like a drive , I asked him if he was happy with the 'read out' etc , All ok a few things but nothing major if it drives OK I'm buying ... 10 mins later sold ! [ I also put on the invoice that he had done his own diagnostics and was happy to proceed with his findings etc ] 

But in your case Max, its all down to attitude ! as Jim says potentially a lucky escape ! 

[ivanhamillcars 1]

No way I would let a potential customer do this. If the car was not displaying the engine warning light in the first place then there is very little the obd scanner would show up anyway.  The problem is: people buy cheap scanners off the likes of eBay and have no idea how to use them or what the actual fault codes mean! I would be of the opinion a customer who comes armed with a fault code reader is going to be nothing but trouble further down the line! If they want a diagnostic report on the car then all they have to do is ask the dealer to provide one. 

[It's me 612]

the customer is saying he doesn't trust you,for me that's it ,i wouldn't  want the sale

Edited September 28, 2015 by s and b

[James Bush 95]

Yep I think you've escaped one there.....I'd happily let a customer see my technicians plug one in and explain if/what any codes mean.

I fell out with a customer at the weekend who came to look at a BMW 3 series and while the car was running removed the oil cap, which then led to oil spitting out and the car running rough (like most BMW's do if you remove the cap while running) and him commenting how it must be over filled with oil and he wouldn't buy a dodgy car!! In the politest way I told him to do one and never come look at one of my cars again.

[Wood235 36]

We had this a few yrs ago, bloke asked to plug in his scanner, we allowed him to, it read ok. A month down the line he took it to a main dealer for a check over, then came to me with a list inc dampness from the head gasket  around the block area(not leaking but just stained in the area like normal discolouration), rust on exhaust, again, not bad but what you would expect on maybe a 3yr old exhaust.

i ended up getting the head gasket done to keep him happy. A couple of months later he was back with more complaints all written out inc a threat to get a solicitor involved. After a heated row I gave him his money back and told him where to go and never come anywhere near us again!

We then went on to sell the car to a lady a couple of weeks later who was over the moon with the car when we spoke to her at a later date.

My advice is to not go down the road of letting them plug in scanners, the warning signs are there and you know you are setting yourself up for a problem further down the line!

Next time it happens we will escort them off the premises!

 

 

 

[James Bush 95]

It is difficult because as dealers we try and be as helpful as possible and sometimes bend to a customers wishes but there has to be a point where enough is enough.

I was chatting to somebody else about my BMW guy and this tread and he told me if a customer asks to plug in a scanner, take caps off under the bonnet or generally do anything out of the ordinary he asks them what qualifications they have. If they turn round and say they're a mechanic, in the trade etc he explains to them if he lets them inspect the car he will then have to sell it as a business to business trade sale and all warranties become null and void. He's never had a customer come back that agreed to this but I wonder how it would stand up if it every got to court?