Volvo S80 - Car Dealers & Fear of the AA!

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Tue 18 Feb 2014 22:24
Volvo S80 - Car Dealers & Fear of the AA! - smf333

Hi All,

Could be something could be nothing, has anyone else had this happen? For the last 2 years I've been using my old cars MOT and tax renewal times as a period to find a more modern replacement for it. So far I've had every trick in the book played at me by a variety of car dealers, and seen some proper wrecks for cars, the result of which has seen me keep my money and walk away.

However today I thought for once I might have landed on a good car. It was a 2002 Volvo S80 with only 53,000 miles on the clock. It's been in the dealer for a couple of weeks but hasn't been taxed since November of last year. I did all the usual checks of the car as well as checked the V5 for water marks etc. I couldn't find anything wrong, the test drive was perfect everything worked (something none of my last 10+ test drives managed) so I asked the dealer if he minded if I could let the AA inspect the car before I bought it as a second opinion. He was fine with this, and so as soon I returned home I checked the MOT history of the car which again checked out but showed no advisory notes ever in its life (again something I've never had before)

Happy that I'd at last found a honest car dealer and a spot on car I called the AA to arrange an inspection. With details at hand I immediately called the dealer back to confirm that the AA were going to go look at the car, he said before I had chance to say anything else "sold it mate"

This was like 2 hours after I'd seen the car and they wern't exactly busy! He then said he was getting an exact same one owner model of similar mileage from a vicar later in the week!! I almost burst out laughing!

I'd got alarm bells and little red flags waving like mad in my head, and so declined the offer of a viewing. Now I know that he could well have 'just so happened' to have sold the car in the short period of time after I left, but I can't help thinking I dodged a potential bullet.

Has anyone else had this sort of thing happen to them, and is there a scam that some car dealers have going that they don't want a qualified AA technician to find out about?

In the end it's cost me £30 to cancel my AA inspection, but in the end I'm happy to lose that rather than potentially £2500 for a dodgy car!

smf.

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Wed 19 Feb 2014 00:42
Volvo S80 - Car Dealers & Fear of the AA! - Cyd

Maybe he did sell it!

A couple of weeks ago we turned up at Sturgess Fiat in Leicester, test drove a C1 they had on the forecourt (we'd spotted it advertised) and well within 2 hours we left them with our old Rover and drove the C1 home. Even beat the price down a few hundred. Anyone else interested in the car would have been left disappointed!

Whilst you're right to check out a cars history, it sounds to me like you were too cautious and missed out on a good buy as a result.

ATEOTD first to put money on the table gets the goods. You could have done the MoT check and contacted the AA whilst still at the dealers and left him with a returnable deposit.

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Wed 19 Feb 2014 07:42
Volvo S80 - Car Dealers & Fear of the AA! - Collos25

Why would he have not sold it after all it his business to sell cars,

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Wed 19 Feb 2014 08:11
Volvo S80 - Car Dealers & Fear of the AA! - craig-pd130

As the others said, he may have sold it. S80s are very well-built and robust cars, and the petrol engines (especially the non-turbos) last forever. They're not everyone's cup of tea but I believe they're currently in demand as a large, plush car for small money.

My sister bought a 170bhp non-turbo auto a couple of years back, the previous owner was an exec private hire firm. All it's needed on top of routine servicing is a new cam cover gasket, which was weeping. Interior is immaculate, as is the exterior. It looks like a 4-year old car, not a 12-year old one.

It isn't quick or economical but it's certainly relaxing to drive.

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Wed 19 Feb 2014 16:15
Volvo S80 - Car Dealers & Fear of the AA! - tony g
Hi,
The problem dealers have with aa inspections is that the aa doesn't differentiate between 3 year old cars and 12 year old cars in terms of quality and faults .

Inevitably on a car of that vintage their are going to be some minor issues ,a potential buyer will want those rectifying after an aa inspection ,that will cut into the dealers profit margin or reduce it to nil .

What I do when I get a buyer who wants an aa inspection ,is simply say no problem your welcome to organise one .However I won't take a deposit on the car or sign an order form ,that way I'm not committed to selling the car to an unrealistic buyer .

If i get another buyer in the time it takes for the aa to turn up I sell it to them .

If however another buyer doesn't arrive and the list of faults that the aa find , can be repaired and leave a decent margin then I will sell the car ,if the repairs that the aa find are too expensive then I'm not committed to selling the car .

Their is no hidden agenda as the OP suggests with car dealers , most are not trying to hide anything ,they simply want to make a profit .
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Wed 19 Feb 2014 18:29
Volvo S80 - Car Dealers & Fear of the AA! - oldroverboy.

I remember asking too many questions about a car i wanted and the dealer undervalued my car by so much i was obliged to walk away. I agree that dealers should make a profit, but a few less cars delivered with glaring faults would be nice, Which is why personally i buy nearly new with full main dealer warranty only. I realise not everyone can do that but the OP was right to ask the questions he asked, better to lose £30 and perhaps a HPI check than to end up with a real lemon.

And (asking nicely) How does Tony G deal with a case where the car has such faults that he would not be able to make a profit on it? Back to auction?

And as an aside, I think Tony G may well be one of the better dealers.

Edited by oldroverboy. on 19/02/2014 at 18:30

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Wed 19 Feb 2014 23:36
Volvo S80 - Car Dealers & Fear of the AA! - tony g
(And (asking nicely) How does Tony G deal with a case where the car has such faults that he would not be able to make a profit on it? Back to auction?)

Bite the bullet and stand the loss ,by repairing the car then retailing it .

I try to to find any faults and have them sorted before I offer a car for sale .

The problems generally arise from unrealistic buyers who expect perfection on 10 year old cars .

Before I sell a car I explain to a potential buyer that I will stand the cost of any major failure on a car up to three months . Engine gearbox etc ,but not exhaust , alternator etc .when it's explained before purchase most buyers seem content to buy on that basis .

Being honest like that seems to work for me and my buyers !
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Wed 19 Feb 2014 20:25
Volvo S80 - Car Dealers & Fear of the AA! - Andrew-T
If however another buyer doesn't arrive and the list of faults that the aa find , can be repaired and leave a decent margin then I will sell the car ,if the repairs that the aa find are too expensive then I'm not committed to selling the car . There is no hidden agenda as the OP suggests with car dealers , most are not trying to hide anything ,they simply want to make a profit .

Tony - if I am right in assuming you are in the used-car trade, buying at auction (or taking part-ex), how much do you try to learn about your cars before putting them on the forecourt and trying to answer punters' awkward questions? If you are a reasonably busy trader I don't believe you would have the time to find out a great deal?

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Wed 19 Feb 2014 23:50
Volvo S80 - Car Dealers & Fear of the AA! - tony g
( If you are a reasonably busy trader I don't believe you would have the time to find out a great deal?)

Hi please see previous reply for my previous answer.

In addition because I've been in the trade most of my life ,it takes me about twenty minutes including a two or three mile test drive to figure out what major faults a car has ,

Things like wheel bearings ,alternators , bodged exhausts can be missed ,but generally items like these can be repaired at reasonable cost and the cost of repairs can be covered within the profit margins .

Finally I always put a new mot on a car I sell .Buyers are encouraged to buy when a car has a new mot ,Just as important , an independent source has verified the car to be safe as it leaves me ,that's really important for me .


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