Car dealers do my head in

[tonupkid]

This week on Friday I bought a 3 month old VW Toerag from a main dealer. And the next day (Saturday), my son bought himself a 2009 BMW 335 from a non franchised forecourt.
These two purchases were proceeded by about 8 weeks of searching, and checking adverts.
It is astonishing just how clueless the car world is about marketing, and how almost impossible it is to discover what a car comes with.
They might mention 'Cruise' but rarely that this is actually ACC (which was a must for me). I've seen countless photo's of cars, but few really informative ones. Its like they know which bit you need to see and then ensure its missing from the picture. Some walk up to wherever the cars parked and fire off a couple of shots from the front or back and nothing else. One even had an SQ5 (on my possible list too) and it was covered, and I mean liberally smothered in what looked like bird sh1t. Copious amounts of it. Another person photographed theirs with a massive caravan sitting behind it. I don't know about you but I don't want to be buying anything that's been towing anything, never mind that gargantuan monstrosity in their advert. They then thoughtfully clarified any doubts by including a close up of the much worn and abused tow bar ball.
It has been hell tracking down the right motors, but we've finally succeeded. Now I can close all those tabs, cancel all the alerts and resume normality, until next time.
Roll on Tuesday when we pick up the Touareg. Sadly Ann will be the one driving it back (It is her car after all, and I won't have a proper chance to play with ACC, Side assist, Lane departure, heated this, automatic that and wifi (whats the point in car wifi?) until some time in May or perhaps June. Sob.
Thank you for bearing with this heartfelt whinge

BTW The BMW 335 with DSG is a revelation, and the noise!!! Its a banshee.
I've found idrive more intuitive and more detailed than MMI. Lovely car. I quite fancy one........ Aaaargh! can't face the thought of another search

[tintin]

Sounds like you've had quite a weekend. Now go and have a nice lie down...

[Turbo Tony]

Having recently experienced the same troubles, I feel your pain.

Congratulations on your purchases!

[tonupkid]

I only have to wait till Tuesday. You have a whole week before picking yours up. You'l be dreaming about it by tomorrow, but be happy because the reality is even better

[Norretal]

Originally Posted by tonupkid

I've found idrive more intuitive and more detailed than MMI

A good friend of mine chose a Beemer after years of Audi company cars, he's loving the tech that BMW offer

[tonupkid]

The weird thing with the Beemers, at least these 335's, is that you can specify them without idrive, and the number of people who do exactly that. It's well worth having, in fact I say its a, must have and brilliant system that Audi could learn from. And the DSG gearbox.... Phenomenal. Plus it has two levels of sport mode. launch and catapult, with noticeably faster and increasingly savage gearchanges. Its a lot of fun

[Artermis]

Having purchased a car for my wife in January and again recently purchased my A8 in the last month I completely know what you mean.

My wife has a Fiat Stilo Abarth; it's a proper cheeky Italian hot hatch I love it to bits but blimey was it hard work.

I went to look at one about 40 minutes away from me - only to get there and the dealer tell me sorry mate I left it at home.... facepalm. I asked some questions about it anyway and it's apparently in great condition had some good money spent on it blah blah so arranged to go back and look at the next day. Get back to see it, there is a massive dent in one rear corner, split rear light and bumper, cheap ass window tints cracking up, the interior looked like a ripspeed catalogue and it wouldn't even start - just said loose connection and refused to do anything! Told him his car was so great I thought he should keep it.

Next nearest is a car in Nottingham, a couple of hours from me. Rings dealer up and asked to come and see it - yes no problem, told him what time I'd be there and set off.

Get there and he wasn't even in, he'd gone out to lunch, despite knowing when I'd be there. When he finally arrives back the car had a flat battery. Like come on you knew I was coming to see this car! Then on test drive the entire instrument cluster does not work and it miss fires like hell. At it's advertised as an excellent clean and well driving car.... urgh!

Even when buying this A8; I was initially looked for an S4 went to view one that was supposedly in good condition well taken care of clean car, only to get there and find the lacquer peeling on the rear corner and the roof rail on passenger side rusted out across it's entire length. Again the thing was filthy as well even though the chap had 48 hours notice I was coming to see it!

I'm thankful that eBay did it's usual you might be interested in / other items nearby thing which popped up the A8 that I now own.

[Ameiseuk]

Had the same experience buying my Infiniti. Spotted one online in Birmingham at an independent dealer....... bear in mind I'm in Belfast so it's a flight and hire car to see it.
Car described as clean, fsh etc etc etc. Turned up to find a filthy car, badly kerbed alloys. No v5 no books, no history. Walked away
Came back home and happened to be on gumtree the following Saturday and found the one i now own about 15 miles up the road

[ulfilias]

Hi There,

It does seem to be the dealers tricks these days. Tag as many buzzwords and get as many people to look at it as possible, rather than accurately describe something....It's ebay views culture gone mad!

First To See Will Buy - Don't make me laugh!!!

Lee

[Burnzybubbles]

Originally Posted by Ameiseuk

Had the same experience buying my Infiniti. Spotted one online in Birmingham at an independent dealer....... bear in mind I'm in Belfast so it's a flight and hire car to see it.
Car described as clean, fsh etc etc etc. Turned up to find a filthy car, badly kerbed alloys. No v5 no books, no history. Walked away
Came back home and happened to be on gumtree the following Saturday and found the one i now own about 15 miles up the road

I live in Birmingham and Iv yet to buy a car from here, and I like changing cars frequently Birmingham cars are usually overpriced knackered old crap, I once went to see a Passat advertised as good condition and it wasn't even good enough to break, the best one, I went to see an a4 1.9tdi in Birmingham, it was advertised with 100k miles on the clock, I have a look round this thing and it's ropey anyway, it was cheap though, took it for a test drive and it's not too bad iirc but the odometer is broken, get back to look at the paperwork and previous mots have a mileage of 190k miles on them I asked him and he just said "well it drives like a car with 100k on it" I was gob smacked, i was so annoyed but I just laughed at him and walked out the room back to my car.

I'm currently selling the misses car and finding it hard as it has an honest description, I feel like I need to lie to have a chance but tbh I just don't have it in me.

Oh the closest Iv bought a car is Wolverhampton, I paid £550 for it and it had been used as a skip, I tidied it up and now use it as my daily, the bloke was really honest and even drove the hour journey to my house to drop the car off and I drove him back

I bought the misses a car at Christmas, a Zafira gsi, advertised as good condition, to be fair it was very cheap and the body work was really good, I hadn't slept properly for 3 days so I was shattered, the car was in Essex and I knew it wouldn't hang around, so I made the journey over there, I look round and it's already running (I like to see it start from cold) give it a Rev and it's a little smokey, the guy takes me for a test drive (should of seen warning signs) all seems good, so part with the asking price as it was so cheap, get in and start driving back to brum and realise the synchros in 3rd and 4th are knackered, I was mortified that I didn't see it coming or pick it up, none the less I took it on the chin as a learning experience, driving back it hated being floored and started coughing and spluttering, it needed a good bit of TLC, the end result is buying the car and fixing it up cost about £1900 and we are left with a car that's worth around 2.5k albeit I haven't factored in my time, so I did gain out of it but wasn't impressed with having to fit another gearbox in it.