A "Trying to buy a car" story

YouTube · Post by **Sailor** » Mon Mar 31, 2014 12:14 am

My wife has concluded that it's time to retire the ATR from its daily driver duties. (18k miles last year.) But what to take its place? She was going for a sensible option at first: a 530d estate. But then she had a go in the lad's MX-5 with the top down and everything changed. Her short list was now all soft-tops:-
- A4 cabrio
- 330Ci cabrio (or perhaps M3?)
- Boxster
- S2000

Where the money's going to come from, I've no idea, but that isn't the point of the story.

We found a dealer who has one of each of these up for sale, presenting the perfect opportunity for her to look them over and shorten the list.
The roads were busy today and it took us 2 hours to do about 75 miles, so we were pretty miffed when we didn't find the place. The website's street name doesn't match the post code. The street name doesn't appear to exist: there's a Broad Street but not a Broad Road. There's a dealer on the Street, but for bikes.

I phoned to find out where they were.
"What car are you interested in?"
"S2000 and BMW."
"They're in the lock up."

Apparently, despite the website's exhortation of "Don't delay visit us ... " and its listing of opening hours, an appointment is needed. Despite the website's "Our showroom ..." the cars are in a lock-up.
Fair enough, the site does caution "Contact us today to arrange a test drive", but we didn't need to drive today, so thought it a safe bet to just turn up to have a look.
Three times I was told about the lock-up and there was no suggestion that we might be able to see a single car. Instead, I was told to read the web page again.

If anyone here knows the person who runs Independent Motors of Chesham, please tell him from me that his website is misleading and he's lost a five grand sale before it had a chance to get going.

W1ggz · Post by **W1ggz** » Mon Mar 31, 2014 7:33 am

im afraid thats how most small traders are operating now. a guy i used to valet for his website was very similar and he used to shout at people for turning up at the shitty farm(his fully lit showroom open 7 days week)

Post by **rob quilter** » Mon Mar 31, 2014 8:57 am

Dude sounds like a jerk.

Shiny · Post by **Shiny** » Mon Mar 31, 2014 1:09 pm

Sounds like a vehicle broker or someone with next to no stock working from home.

They big it all up to sound like they have a massive stock and a glittering premises to get you interested, but it isn't the case.

89 UKDM BA4 4WS (resto job!) · Post by **wurlycorner** » Mon Mar 31, 2014 1:13 pm

Shiny wrote:They big it all up to sound like they have a massive stock and a glittering premises to get you interested, but it isn't the case.

And pay no business rates and other such things that they should be paying, either...

Scott560 · Post by **Scott560** » Mon Mar 31, 2014 6:32 pm

Its all too easy these days to masquerade as something your not.

When behind the keyboard, imagination and a modicum of IT skill is all it takes to pretend your in with the big boys. I blame the 1&1 brigade for making it too easy to look impressive.

Had a similar experience when my friend needed to buy a car sharpish. Half the places we visited were a joke (on autotrader), round the back of a garden center one of them was, wierd place lol.

Then there's the old go to a dealer but its a private sale malarky, had that twice lol. At his house but i'll bring it round.

Given that the recession has hit most forms of retail, you're probably more likely to find a reasonable private seller than you are a reasonable dealer these days.

YouTube · Post by **Sailor** » Mon Mar 31, 2014 11:16 pm

All true!