Strange Conversation with Dealer - or is it me?

[Billc]

I rang one of my local stealers today about a second hand Roc advertised on the VW Used search page as "UK Stock". He told me that any dealer could claim it (yes, I thought that, that's why I rang you!). However he said that he couldn't get it in for me to look at and drive unless he had an order for it, taken a deposit and then he'd ship it in.

Now, me being me, I thought you can take a hike on that idea. No way am I parting with dosh on a car I've never seen and about which you can only tell me what it says on the website (which is often not correct about specs, only vague history info etc. etc.). He "assured" me that that is how most of their sales are done now but, needless to say, he is not getting this sale.

Seriously, would you do that with a second hand car? Or is it me getting a bit too old fashioned?

[blower]

Never, never in a million years.....got to ask yourself the question; would you marry someone without seeing them, or without at least checking their engine is in good working order?

[Phil]

This a VW garage???? Not that I've ever bought through them, but if that's true i'm likely too either haha

[Billc]

Bizarre isn't it? I said to him there was a potential deal to be had on it but I wasn't going to progress on the basis he described. I expected him to say "I'll see if I can persuade the manager to get it in" but no, he just said there's nothing we can do then! Very strange.

[robinalex]

I bought mine for around £19k without seeing or driving it! Did that with my last Roc too and an Audi A1 for the missus. I was quite particular about what i wanted and found the car around 150 miles away. I got detailed photo's emailed, saw service history and had assurance from the seller (not vw but independant) that it was showroom condition and no faults. I noticed many bits and pieces from the photo's that the seller didnt know were extras and had not advertised as such so he was actually selling something better and of more value than he thought. Paid £300 deposit over the phone and arranged insurance before i even set off to go look on the promise that the deposit would be returnable if the car was not exactly as had been described. Got there, test drive, inspected thoroughly and handed over my part ex and the balance and drove the beauty home. He had even bought my car subject to seeing in part ex from photo's too. Would do it again, no issues at all.

[Cuprabob]

It's pretty common these days for them to ask you to put down a refundable deposit for them to move a stock car around the franchise dealer network. Not just VW large dealerships like Evan Halshaw are the same if you want a car from another part of the country.

[Billc]

Well they aint going to sell me a car that way. Maybe there are enough people out there who will but I won't if I have any doubts about the car at all.

[super cowboyjon]

This is the way it works.

Look at it from the garages point of view - if it wasnt for the fact you have placed some kind of deposit down, punters could have them paying for transport all over britain on a whim, many of those punters no even bothering to come back and see the car

[blower]

This would be fine if the description was accurate - but VW are absolutely useless at telling you what options the car has.
You can go on the used car locator on the VW website - look at pictures and can see equipment not in the options list, or the reverse (equipment listed not being there)

If they can't even get the options list right, I wouldn't trust them even getting the mileage right (which I have seen wrong before, along with wrong model altogether).

I suppose you can get your deposit back if you argue when the inevitable errors occur in description. However as indicated, sometimes they won't give you any more details and so you will have to fight more to get the deposit back - they give you the 'take it or leave it' line, trying to push you into a sale.

I'd rather go drive to wherever my choice car is and see/test drive it....or at least make sure a dealer has it already and checked it over so you can probe them on the details.

This whole buying blind from 'uk stock' is a bad idea, especially when the dealers haven't even seen the car yet.

[edwheels]

This is the way it works.

Look at it from the garages point of view - if it wasnt for the fact you have placed some kind of deposit down, punters could have them paying for transport all over britain on a whim, many of those punters no even bothering to come back and see the car

I can see both sides of the argument. I think a small (refundable) payment would be enough to put off people not serious about buying. Say £50 - refundable when you turn up to view the car..... but a deposit to buy a used car unseen - not for me.

[robinalex]

Well ive bought blind three times now, never from VW, but had detailed photo's and every time have got a car less than its market value due to the seller not realising the optional extras it had. My first ROC from EMG motors which I got for £12k was advertised as attached, no mention of pano roof, rns510 satnav, folding mirrors. After two and a half years of ownership I still got £10k for it which I dont think is bad. I hit them with a low offer as it was all i could afford at the time and then said no way but Manager phoned next day and said if i could get there today with cash it was mine as last day of month and needed to move some cars.

[ash.mtl]

That is just what I was told billc , I went into a robinsons vw and was told practically the same that if a car was in Bedford that without paying a deposit I'd have to go say there to look at it, to be fair I understand slightly as potentially they could be shipping cars about all over the place and not selling them , so from a business point of view I kinda get it however yes it is slightly inconvinient to customers , one of those things unfortunately

[OllieMK]

Also, many of the stock cars on VW approved website are cars that have been used by staff for six months and then put up for sale through the dealer networks. These cars may not be quite ready to go to a specific dealer or are being stored at a central location. The cars are in perfect condition as that is how they have to be returned. Any slight scuffs and wheel marks are rectified before being released. These vehicles are very good value for money. They often have no more than 6000 on the clock and they are usually pretty well specced.

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