....looking for a little runaround . not an expensive car ,generally about £2000-£2500.
in the last week and a half ive replied to at least 7 or 8 adds online for specific cars and the only one that's bothered to reply from was a private seller.
6 or 7 dealers didn't bother getting back to me even though the cars are still up for sale and id emailed them to their stated sales departments.
is that normal practice? business must be good these days!

 

On the handful of occasions I've bought a car I've always HATED dealing with used car dealers. Rarely answer the phone, never bothered about answering questions about the car you're interested in, 'oh you want to test drive it?', and then act really REALLY shocked and hurt when you try and negotiate with them on price or extras - I don't give a toss about your profit margins when you're trying to sell me an overpriced shed.

Private sellers every day of the week for me.

 

As someone who used to sell cars on the side I never used to reply to emails as 9 times out of 10 it was either time wasters, foreigners or a scam. Phone calls and actually talking to people was all I was interested in as time wasters will never phone normally.

 

I can understand that but as a buyer your not the only person im contacting and I prefer to have things in writing to read over in case ive missed or forgotten something specific to each car.ive been looking at 8 of the same car from different sellers, or you turn up to view to find its not as described and they deny saying that......its on an email in my phone here.
if your a dealer and you put a sales@email address under a contact us heading then id expect common courtesy would be to at least reply ? baring in mind im emailing properly formed questions not asking 0-60 times in abbreviated yo bruv text speak.
ive got a long way to travel before I view anything so I want simple questions answered before I decide if itll be worth the 250+ mile journey.

 

I'm sorry to say it but dealers at that price point aren't going to be Investors In People or whatever.

They won't have a customer service department and can probably sell enough to folk walking in to worry about upsetting someone 250 miles away.

We HAVE to respond to web enquiries because they come through the manufacturer and they kick us if we don't, but I haven't had an email or web enquiry lead to a sale in over 2.5 years.

 

I also understand that but at this point they don't know where im from.
seems a strange way to me to do business to totally ignore a specific avenue for possible sales especially as its advertised on the adds. It doesn't take long to read through emails on a daily basis and respond to those that seem reasonable? even if it does only bring one sale its still one sale.

 

What type of car are you after?
i currently have a car for sale that id take £2500 for, i wont say what etc as ill get banned no doubt lol

 

specifically an older 2003/2004 mercedes A210 amg

 

Fair play, mine isnt one of those lol

 

yes its quite a specific car in looking for....got an email back from a Scottish seller though, who answered my questions ,emailed me the pics of specific areas id asked for and gave me his number for any more info i needed.obviously common courtesy is different north of the border and there you go....a sale from an email enquiry.....

 

ha, well done

 

ive got the urge to do another project...I wonder if I could fit a cossie engine into an A class merc....?

 

We are a bit more civil mate lol 😂