Just an observation.....
We sell new and used cars at our Dealership site in Devon. Used cars 'appear' to know when they have changed hands. An example follows. M reg Metro - one owner - full history with us etc., comes in as a part-exchange. It goes through the workshops and is fully serviced/MOT'd.
The new owner drives to London and breaks down (cuts out) at Bristol. Why does this happen? The car had performed faultlessly for the last 6/7 years for the previous owner.
We have another example of another car knowing when it has changed owners - it was faultless with the previous owner - but the battery now drains down overnight. I have personally inspected the car when in a flat condition and can confirm NOTHING is left on. It sounds as though the alternator is draining the battery.
One question - why does it always seem to happen when the car changes hands?
David
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I had agreed a trade in price for my 1996 Renault Laguna Auto, 6 weeks before taking delivery of my new car. What happens? The auto gearbox failed dramatically. Cost of new unit - around £2,000 inc labour. Ended up disposing of it "as seen" for £400! And it left me with no car for 6 weeks.
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Cars are not just machines - my wife equates them with dishwashers and vacuum cleaners, but I have always found that talking appreciatively to your car (with no passengers present!) has paid dividends. I've never bought a 'lemon' and have kept all my cars for 100K+ (all 2nd.hand except for a Renault 4(127K) and Minivan(130k)
P.
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Yes, and when the AX or the Synergie overtakes anything the dash gets patted by way of encouragement.
Sad or what?
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I'm not the only one, then. I say thanks and give them a pat after a run; they have names, too.
Absolutely silly, except it seems to work - one logical explanation would be that we are kind in other ways. Still, perhaps one should be particularly nice to a car which is upset at being torn from those it knows!
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David,
.....One question - why does it always seem to happen when the car changes hands......
Have you considered the tiny possibility of the customer forgetting to mention the real reason they changed it was because it used to........
David
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Yep,
I bought my car from a chap who had two baby children, wife etc.. Only had about 1 months MOT and tax left on it. Got it pretty cheap as it 'seemed' in pretty good condition. Only discernable problems prior to purchase were rear shocks and possible tyre wear.
Quickly figured out why the bloke sold it. Within a week it looked like it had managed to dump the entire contents of its gearbox oil onto the garage floor.
An MOT failed all 4 tyres, rear shocks, front pads. With the gearbox leak fix, a precautionary cambelt change, and ooh look the rocker cover gaskets also leaking plus service set me back about £700. I didn't really mind as the amount l paid originally plus this £700 was still a reasonable price.
David's right. In this case there was at least a good £400+ needed spending on it and l expect SWMBO wasn't having any of it.
No regrets,
dan
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Cars are living things. Once you understand that, looking after them becomes a lot easier.
Rob
PS I pinched this idea from Alan Clark
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History repeating itself.
Ask, if there are any left, a WWII Spit/Hurri/Lanc RAF Pilot and he will tell you its the green Gremlins and these should be appeased.
Just how, I do not know, but someone out there will tell us.
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Cars and even vans are sensitive creatures. They soon realise when they are not wanted and can get terminal depression! Looking at older vehicles at auction, some just seem to have given up. Even the auction driver refrains from positive comments despite car seeming mechanically sound.
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Maybe that explains why our Viva was such a pig of a car: didn't like us as owners. I'm pleased to report that when we sold it on to a friend who knew its history with us, it behaved much better!
We haven't had this problem with any car since. I think this means we are quite nice to our cars.
But the ancient photocopier at my new job is behaving even less well since it heard me say I wanted a new one. I have tried being nice to it since but it isn't having it. Maybe it heard the treasurer say she agreed with me that we needed a new one?
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I can answer Andy S. There is a fundamental fault with Renault automatic transmissions.
HJ
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I too have experienced the human characteristics of cars when about to be sold. These include a Mini which suddenly lost all its rattles and did 10mpg more than normal, and, later, an Austin Princess whose windscreen wipers deceided to park mid-screen at the end of the first potential purchaser's test run but then, after the sale was lost, behaved properly.
A recent variation involved my daughter's, about-to-be-sold Fiesta which managed to lose its keys for 3 days and only allowed her to find them after replacements had been bought.
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i think it all comes under the famous
law of sod.
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And of course we all remember "Christine"?
Colin
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