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Mon 21 Mar 2016 21:12

VW - Extra miles on clock following a sale. - former farmer

I'm trying to get another take on something that happened after my daughter traded in a car at a VW garage.

She had a drive in a demonstrater and agreed to buy. The car, as I said was a demonstrator and had approx 7800miles on the clock. The trade in was a 10year old Focus with approx 55k on the clock. The agreement was that she would collect the VW just over a week later, 8days in fact.

During this time the VW had nearly 400miles added to its mileage, whilst her Ford had about 250 miles added.

To me for a car that had been 'sold' this seems a rich!

When this was pointed out to the sales manager his response was that if she was disatisfied the car was returnable within 30days~hardly a satisfactory outcome for either party.

Poor customer service or 'one of those things' ?

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Mon 21 Mar 2016 21:28

VW - Extra miles on clock following a sale. - RichT54

I'm not sure how common it is, but a few years ago I arranged to have a test drive in a Mazda CX-5. During the drive the salesman happened to mention that the car I was driving had just been sold to somebody earlier in the day. The test drive was probably only about 5 miles but I wouldn't have been happy if I had been the customer that had bought it.

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Mon 21 Mar 2016 22:08

VW - Extra miles on clock following a sale. - gordonbennet

No i wouldn't be happy with them using it as a pool car after selling it either.

The arrogant attitude from the dealer after your query would see me telling them what to do with it.

What make was it just remind me..

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Tue 22 Mar 2016 10:49

VW - Extra miles on clock following a sale. - Wackyracer

A very similar thing happened to me, I wanted to test drive a model that the dealer did not have so they offered me to drive a customers car that had been booked in for a service. I declined.

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Mon 21 Mar 2016 22:36

VW - Extra miles on clock following a sale. - Avant

"The car, as I said was a demonstrator and had approx 7800 miles on the clock."

That's a lot of demonstrations. It's probably been a courtesy car, a rather different matter.

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Mon 21 Mar 2016 22:47

VW - Extra miles on clock following a sale. - RobJP

They offered to unwind the deal if she was not satisfied.

I really don't see what more they could have done at that point. If she's that unhappy, take it back.

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Tue 22 Mar 2016 06:43

VW - Extra miles on clock following a sale. - oldroverboy.

I bought a Kia Venga in february, described as a demonstrator, with the registration appropriate to the area i bought it from, Turns out it was a leased vehicle for one of the staff, but, I got a good deal for a vehicle i wanted, and pricewise it was a better specification than similar cars elswhere in the country, and it was from a Kia Dealer, got a full size spare and servicing package thrown in,

For the Op, don't worry about it, or return it, simples.

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Tue 22 Mar 2016 07:35

VW - Extra miles on clock following a sale. - slkfanboy

It 400 miles which as they own the car up to the point you pay for it they are entitle to do. It's not like it's going to affect the value, but i agree annoying.

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Tue 22 Mar 2016 09:04

VW - Extra miles on clock following a sale. - FoxyJukebox

I would pleasantly point out that the mileage had increased since the "test drive" and that subsequently you would be more comfortable if the vehicle was now put through a thorough free long life service-fully itemised according to the book. This would be worth about £250(?)....if they are reluctant, then see how far you can renegotiate that £250(?) off you final bill?

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Tue 22 Mar 2016 09:58

VW - Extra miles on clock following a sale. - Brit_in_Germany

So your daughter was happy about driving her car after she had "sold" it to the dealer but unhappy about them driving her car. Sorry, but her logic seems to be somewhat onesided here.

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Tue 22 Mar 2016 15:14

VW - Extra miles on clock following a sale. - Mike H

So your daughter was happy about driving her car after she had "sold" it to the dealer but unhappy about them driving her car. Sorry, but her logic seems to be somewhat onesided here.

I don't think so. If someone buys a car from a garage, which the garage don't plan to hand over for a week, I think it would be deemed pretty unreasonable if the garage expected you to use a bike, the bus, or even walk everywhere in the intervening time so that no more miles got put on your car. It's considered normal practice for a reputable garage to put the car to one side once it's bought, and a reasonable person (as the law likes to phrase these things), would not expect any more than the miles needed for a post-workshop test drive to be added.

Mind you, I was helping my sister buy a car recently, and we found a Qashqai that looked just the ticket. We took it for a test drive, came back and went to the office to have a discussion, and the salesman couldn't find the papers. Turns out the head honcho had sold it a couple of days before and not told anyone......

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Tue 22 Mar 2016 16:25

VW - Extra miles on clock following a sale. - SlidingPillar

Most dealers will tell you what is ok about extra milage on a trade in and what isn't. And if not, I'd suggest you ask. Concentrates both your and their minds, a heck of a lot of miles are not really needed.

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Tue 22 Mar 2016 20:05

VW - Extra miles on clock following a sale. - 72 dudes

Two points:

1). Yes, it's unreasonble for the car to have an extra 400 miles on the clock. Any decent car dealer, as Mike H says, puts a sold car aside until collection.

2). A demonstrator is not just used for demonstrations. It is also the salesman's/manager's/accountant's/brand manager's company car. They usually keep them for 3 or 6 months before they are sold on. These cars are obviously used as commuter vehicles for staff that may live 30 or 40 miles from the garage. They are also family hacks at the weekend and used to collect that all important stinky KFC meal at lunchtime.

In the OP daughter's case, it sounds as though the keeper in question was racking up serious miles, and his replacement new car was not available on time, meaning he had to continue using it after it was sold. It's NOT ON, and you should have a word with the dealer principal or general manager, assuming your daughter still wants the car.

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Tue 22 Mar 2016 20:07

VW - Extra miles on clock following a sale. - Cyd

So your daughter was happy about driving her car after she had "sold" it to the dealer but unhappy about them driving her car. Sorry, but her logic seems to be somewhat onesided here.

My thoughts too

I think what would be deamed "reasonable" would very much depend upon when money was paid and ownership transfered. Detail we don't have!

All the same 50 miles a day is hardly the moon and back. I do more than that to work.

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Wed 23 Mar 2016 07:04

VW - Extra miles on clock following a sale. - former farmer

Thank you for all your replies.

It is most probable that the car has been used as a courtesy car. Someone's CD was left in the player~not many demonstration runs involve a musical background!

As for the car itself, my daughter is delighted and is thrilled to bits.

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