Timewasters

[umesh 336]

Had one when i was just learning back in 1983 - Customer on a Morris 100 [ Yeap one of those ! ] Guy came in looked at it said Can I come back in a couple of days and take it for a long test drive - I explained I would have to be with him- He said Of course you do , but I need to make sure it drives well up those hills.

Comes in to the dealership as appointed , was based in leek , Staffs  - we start driving out of Leek towards Buxton , No major concern at this stage as that'e the most hilly part [ Very Scenic ! ] 

We continue , continue ..right into Buxton some 12/13 Miles - Centre of Buxton he pulls over , walks around the car - Thanks I'll be in touch ! Never saw him again !! 

[D&M 66]

We're a small dealer and work on appointments only. We carry out our appointments at home, but store the cars in a unit 4 miles away.

We do explain this to customers, but still have the occasional person who doesn't care at all that we've gone out to collect and prep the car for them to just come and kick the tyres - or better yet, call 30-40 AFTER their appointment time to tell us they aren't coming (yeah, we guessed!) or not bother turning up at all.

3 that stick out are 1 person who came to view a C-Max. Wouldn't buy it as it didn't have a spare wheel, despite the car never having a spare wheel as it had an inflation kit. Another was a 2002 Skoda Fabia for £680. We had a family come 60 miles to view it. They had another car to look at, they called a day later and said they wanted it - Great! I asked a £200 deposit. Couldn't afford that, so we agreed a £50 deposit to be transferred that day so I sent the bank details across. No funds that day, next day a phone call - Death in the family, couldn't transfer the funds until that afternoon. That afternoon, no funds. As soon as the car sold and was taken offline they email to ask if it is still for sale!

The last one the sticks out was a p/x 2004 Honda Civic CDTi, was faulty and advertised as such for £400. Had one person asking if I would take a part exchange and someone else asking if I would give it a warranty!

Baffles us how you'll easily spend over an hour with a customer on a sub £1000 car, but the higher value cars, we seem to have deals done and dusted in 20-30 minutes!

 

On the flipside, one customer called about a little Fiat Panda - Could we bring it to him - Sure, thats fine. Delivered the car, and he paid the asking price plus costs for delivery. Didn't test drive the car. Didn't even open the doors!

[have a word with the wife 299]

The government's been looking into this for 18 months now and are considering compensation based on half hourly slots of compensation [dependant on your turnover at year end ]  for time wasters.

the rates will be between £18 to £25 per hour or part thereof.

 The time wasting must be done on your premises , you cant claim for phone calls or replying via text, neither can you claim for replies by social media or emails,based on a hourly rate [to be yet fully confirmed] as i say you can claim once the time wasting goes past half hour slots, [maximum you can claim is up to two and a half hours] you can only apply if you employ five or less, a sole trader, and you dont have to be vat registered to apply.

In order to apply you must take the contact details of the timewaster, make a statement relating to what the time wasting was about, [sale of a car] and have a signed witness statement, applications while this is being set up will be by post [ takes approximately two hours to complete the form ] but its hoped to go online in the future. 

timewaster.gov.uk 

[BHM 994]

I think I'll start a petition to get the government to include emailers & phone call dreamers. I'd be quids in this week!

[It's me 615]

I rarely give timewasters more than 5 minutes of my time and very rarely do i bother even getting the keys for them so they can hear a motor run,i find 98% of my customers dont even look under the bonnet until i show them on collection where the mucky bits live and where it might need feeding and watering

[BHM 994]

Messermeter 

[MAP 5]

I'd been in the job as a Sales Consultant for a couple of years, early 2000's, had a guy and his wife make an appointment to test drive a used Sonata. Came on time asked the right questions, made the right noises so thought I was on to a winner.

Went out for a drive, and we started on our usual test drive route, but they wanted to go a certain way, fine. They'd also brought their 6 mth old baby along, and so I'm sitting in the back with the little bundle of joy, again fine.

Then they turn into a side street and pull up. Both get out and say we've just got to pop into that house for a minute! So now there's just me and a baby in the back of a Sonata!!! Half an hour goes by, and they reappear, turns out they'd been to view the property, obviously couldn't find a babysitter so decided to use me!!! 

Needless to say they didn't buy the Sonata, not sure about the house!!!! 

He came in a couple of times of the next few years, cheeky t**t, so I just blanked him, I think he got the message.

One of my colleagues had a lady ring and enquire about the i30 range, and would it be possible to take one to her house so she could have a look and a drive.

Of course, being the lovely kind of people we are, my colleague takes the car over as requested. The lady asks if she can test drive the i30 back to our dealership, great! My colleague thinks that's a good sign, she wants to talk numbers / deal! WRONG, she arrives at the dealership gets out, says thanks, and wonders across the road to Enterprise Rent A Car to collect for hire car!! Free taxi service!!! 

[BHM 994]

 Customers! Don't you just love them!?!!

Unfortunately MAP I can believe everything you just said. The cheek of the general public beggars belief. There is absolutely no home viewing service offered here, if they can't get themselves here then they can go elsewhere cos those that want their arses wiped before a viewing are a pain if they do buy.

I learnt my lesson within the first few months after taking an early Smart car to someone's house. A lovely thing, they fucked about for four hours then eventually bought. A week later they decided the standard fitment cassette player wasn't good enough for them & started demanding a CD unit. It went on for months with Trading Standards involved (in hindsight obviously biased but I was as green as grass then), phone calls, texts, threats to come down (funnily enough I'm still waiting - I've yet to get the second visit from any of these gobshites) and eventually I paid them off - all of this for a couple of quid. 

Now I'm wise to these chancers & wiser with regards to consumer legislation that's why I take a fair but very hard line otherwise the average buyer will saddle you up & ride your arse til it bleeds. 

[It's me 615]

last vehicle i took to a punters house was a chevette so you can see its at least 25 years ago since i last did a fools run

[Arfur Dealy 823]

I can honestly say I've never taken a car to a viewing. 

[BHM 994]

Just now, Arfur Dealy said:

I can honestly say I've never taken a car to a viewing. 

I can honestly say "don't start doing so now" 

[Arfur Dealy 823]

46 minutes ago, BHM said:

I can honestly say "don't start doing so now" 

No chance 

[Mojo121 229]

10 hours ago, Arfur Dealy said:

I can honestly say I've never taken a car to a viewing. 

Me neither. It's like deliveries. I'm not moving that car unless the FULL balance is looking at me from my account. The amount of time I've explained this to people who "wouldn't mess you around, mate" only for them to promise to transfer the balance and it never materialise.