Audi approved

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Fri 9 Mar 2007 08:31
Audi approved - tokyo20
Who can you really trust? I was put off by independant car dealers who quite often are pushy, and overprice their high mileage "quality" used cars. So I thought I'd go to a main dealer and pay a premium for what I thought would be better cars.
How wrong was I? I am amazed at what my local audi main dealer has the cheek to put on their forecourt. Tired old repcars, stonechipped to death, scratched by carwashes (and believe me we are not talking wear and tear here), smoked in cars with holes in the seats etc...
How the hell have they got the nerve to write a load of rubbish on their website about this 100 point check or whatever which includes bodywork and everything..
3 cars I have seen these past few days were terrible. And you have to bear in mind I am not too picky!!
Is it the same with other manifacturers?
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Fri 9 Mar 2007 08:37
Audi approved - LeePower
Ford direct scheme is very good.

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Fri 9 Mar 2007 08:52
Audi approved - DP
Ford direct scheme is very good.


Depends. When I used to sell Fords, many Ford Direct cars were those which had been returned under the "Commitment" scheme where customers could return cars if they suffered from persistent faults. They were supposed to have been through technical prep and had the faults resolved, but it depends how much you believe the blurb. I was sceptical, personally.

On more than one occasion we also had a Ford Direct Cosworth turn up on the forecourt, which had an oddly familiar reg number. A bit of research found it in most of the car mags over the past few months completely sideways with smoke pouring off the tyres, and was used in a 0-100-0 challenge, a track instruction session, and several group tests, among other things. It had done only 9,000 miles, but we reckoned it had been through more than most cars with ten times that mileage.

I don't know if this is typical or still goes on, but glossy brochures and marketing spiel are still no substitute for performing all the required checks yourself, and leaving nothing to chance. I'm sure most Ford Direct cars are excellent, but at one time at least, all were not necessarily what you might expect.

Cheers
DP
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Fri 9 Mar 2007 09:12
Audi approved - Aprilia
Totally agree with DP.
Ignore the marketing nonsense about these 'direct' schemes. You get a mix of cars, some good and some bad. Treat each car on its own merits. Every car you see advertised is 'mint' and 'carefully looked after and prepared' etc etc - where do all the rough ones go? They get tarted up in the prep centres and punted out to gullible customers.
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Fri 9 Mar 2007 09:16
Audi approved - LeePower
I looked at an approved used car many many years ago, 3 year old car at the main dealer, RAC inspected sticker on windscreen of every car.

Only on asking to see the inspection report did the salesman confess that it hadn't been inspected & half the cars on the forecourt where the same too, just the pretty sticker.

I still bought the car but only after the dealer coughed up for the RAC inspection I arranged & fixed the faults that was found.

The dealer group in question isnt around any more.
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Fri 9 Mar 2007 09:38
Audi approved - runboy
I visited a MB dealer to look at A-Class a few years ago. There were a few on the forecourt and the salesman (when they bothered to break away and come speak to us) opened up 3.

I wiped my feet when I got out of the cars. Food, wrappers, mud etc on the inside. The outside was clean so I presume they were washed so people would come in but maybe the insides were left until someone commited to buying. Needless to say I walked away-if a dealer can't get the initial experience right what is the aftersale like?
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Fri 9 Mar 2007 09:51
Audi approved - LeePower
A couple of times ive looked at cars on dealer forecourts & found the battery flat, walked away everytime.

I used to drive past a Sabb dealer on the way to work, every morning unless it was raining without fail the cars on the forecourt where being hand washed.
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Fri 9 Mar 2007 10:00
Audi approved - Roly93
Simple, Audi approved = well valeted but otherwise average second hand Audi on the forecourt of a glamorous Audi dealer premises !
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