Cheeky or acceptable?

JokerD · 22-12-2008 7:49pm #1

Hey everyone, Happy Christmas! I've a question for you, just been up viewing the car I'm about to buy,now it has minor faults but I was wondering is it acceptable to expect the garage to sort these particular faults. Well firstly they are sorting this one, I noticed quite a bit of rust on the top of one of the side mirrors, they said they can fix it up(hopefully they can). Secondly the leather on the gear stick and surrounding areas is ripped in some places. Now being a bit of a perfectionist, this would bother me(i know it shouldn't). Are they obliged to fix this or am I being picky?

Wishbone Ash · 22-12-2008 8:02pm

JokerD wrote: »

Are they obliged to fix this or am I being picky?

I would usually use such minor things as a method of reducing the price a little. in fairness to the seller, it may not be economically viable to fix everything (aesthetic wise) and sell the car for a reasonable price.

su_dios · 22-12-2008 8:03pm

They're not obliged but a bit of hmm-ing and haw-ing on your part wouldn't be a bad idea. I would insist the work gets done otherwise you're not interested in buying. You will only end up sorting these things yourself down the line at your own cost.

Also what Wishbone has said is a good point, but still..see what they can do.

Berty · 22-12-2008 8:04pm

Have you agreed on a price?

uberwolf · 22-12-2008 8:05pm

JokerD wrote: »

. Secondly the leather on the gear stick and surrounding areas is ripped in some places.

what mileage are they advertising?

JokerD · 22-12-2008 8:10pm

uberwolf wrote: »

what mileage are they advertising?

52000 is what is advertised

JokerD · 22-12-2008 8:13pm

Berty wrote: »

Have you agreed on a price?

yea and in fairness its a very good deal, just seeing if i could push my luck anymore, defo won't get anything more off as its very good value and is in good nick

Alanstrainor · 22-12-2008 8:16pm

What car is it?

uberwolf · 22-12-2008 8:18pm

uberwolf wrote: »

what mileage are they advertising?

JokerD wrote: »

52000 is what is advertised

random website I just found wrote:

Look for signs of wear. Check the carpet, steering wheel, arm rests and pedals. A lot of wear could be a sign the car has more miles on it than the odometer indicates. If any of these looks brand new, too new, it could be a sign the owner is attempting to mask the vehicle's real age.

website here -> http://www.fraudguides.com/tips/june11.asp

so get comfortable with your dealer. Could be perfectly legit, but a worn apron around the gear stick is one of the things I was looking for when I was looking at cars

JokerD · 22-12-2008 8:20pm

Alanstrainor wrote: »

What car is it?

03 polo 1.2

Ferris · 23-12-2008 9:32am

Neither problem that you mentioned will cost a dealer a lot to put right. A gearstick gaitor cover is just a replacement part that would take 2mins to fit and the mirror could also be replaced/refinished easily.

Dealers should be doing anything to shift cars, and your money is better in your pocket then theirs. Best of luck.

JokerD · 23-12-2008 7:35pm

Ferris wrote: »

Neither problem that you mentioned will cost a dealer a lot to put right. A gearstick gaitor cover is just a replacement part that would take 2mins to fit and the mirror could also be replaced/refinished easily.

Dealers should be doing anything to shift cars, and your money is better in your pocket then theirs. Best of luck.

Thanks for your reply, just say that they don't replace the gearstick gaitor cover, is it expensive to get a new one plus the leather surrounding, do you know?

dogmanjon · 23-12-2008 7:54pm

hi you are being picky. ring around the scrapers or brackers and see what the parts would cost and get the garage to fix it for you or knock the price of the parts off the price of the car.thats what i would do.

junkyard · 23-12-2008 8:23pm

That's nothing, I was up in Kearys in Little Island this morning and I saw a few brand new cars covered in green slime as if they were sitting around for years. Either this is the case or the valetor's been laid off too, pretty poor show considering it's a new garage and all.

Anan1 · 23-12-2008 8:29pm

Simple answer - if you're a perfectionist then don't buy a tatty car.

JokerD · 23-12-2008 8:38pm

Anan1 wrote: »

Simple answer - if you're a perfectionist then don't buy a tatty car.

very true, in all honesty the car aint tatty at all, its in very good nick but I accept I can be a bit picky. Just really seeing if I should ask though. Happy with the deal overall:)

Anan1 · 23-12-2008 8:51pm

JokerD wrote: »

very true, in all honesty the car aint tatty at all, its in very good nick but I accept I can be a bit picky. Just really seeing if I should ask though. Happy with the deal overall:)

In my experience, though, the kind of little faults you mention are indicators that the car wasn't owned by someone as fussy as yourself. This may well mean that there are other niggly little things waiting to be discovered by the new owner. I'm picky myself, and I find it's easier and cheaper just to wait for a car whose previous owner was at least as fussy as I am.

If you do want that particular car though then definitely make the repairs a condition of sale.

Ferris · 24-12-2008 10:04am

JokerD wrote: »

Thanks for your reply, just say that they don't replace the gearstick gaitor cover, is it expensive to get a new one plus the leather surrounding, do you know?

I shouldn't think so. VW interiors are a bit like that, certain bits (door handles for example) wear quickly to make the interior look worn so the owner will trade up. Mostly they are easily replaced. With the gaitor cover you pull or twist off the gearnob off, unclip the gaitor and pull it off and simply refit the new one, five minute job.

kazul · 25-12-2008 9:53pm

I doubt if there's rust on the mirror casing as it's made of plasic. Is there rust on the A pillar above the mirror?

re. The "Slime" on the brand new cars, they're covered in this coating for transportation. Of course it should be washed off and the cars waxed before display.

Voodoomelon · 26-12-2008 1:59am

I think it will depend on the car and the garage in question. The garage where I bought mine stuck two brand new tyres on the front which would have set him back a fair whack and he didn't have to do it, I didn't even ask.

Seth Brundle · 26-12-2008 2:24am

kazul wrote: »

re. The "Slime" on the brand new cars, they're covered in this coating for transportation. Of course it should be washed off and the cars waxed before display.

I hear you but in junkyard's defence, given that he works within the trade, I'd presume that he knows the difference between a wax coating and slime.

S.I.R · 26-12-2008 5:41am

JokerD wrote: »

Hey everyone, Happy Christmas! I've a question for you, just been up viewing the car I'm about to buy,now it has minor faults but I was wondering is it acceptable to expect the garage to sort these particular faults. Well firstly they are sorting this one, I noticed quite a bit of rust on the top of one of the side mirrors, they said they can fix it up(hopefully they can). Secondly the leather on the gear stick and surrounding areas is ripped in some places. Now being a bit of a perfectionist, this would bother me(i know it shouldn't). Are they obliged to fix this or am I being picky?

the leather ??: twist the knob off the gear stick and its a straight swap.

the rust: grind it back, iron fill it then spray...

all in all not big issues.

JokerD · 26-12-2008 5:54pm

S.I.R wrote: »

the leather ??: twist the knob off the gear stick and its a straight swap.

the rust: grind it back, iron fill it then spray...

all in all not big issues.

thanks for putting the mind at ease S.I.R, I'm a bit new to the car game but I'm learning. Forgive my ignorance, the leather I was talikn about is the Gear Stick Gaiter Cover with a bit of research. Probably should have found that out before posting

Cheeky or acceptable?

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