Wouldnt let me test drive a car ?

jayunot777

Hi everybody, I am back in the market looking for a clean golf Mk5 Gti. I went to look at this car a few weeks ago and the car sales man wouldnt let me drive the car, I told him I had insurance in the car with me but his response was you might not be able to handle the power..I asked could I speak to someone else about the car and he said No any questions you want to know about the car you can ask me, I began to ask the questions you would ask when buying a car and asked if it was a trade in etc and a orignal IRISH car, His reply was thats none of your business, I had the deposit to leave on the car and all with me but its safe to say I walked away. This is the first time this has ever happened to me and I found it very strange.. Has this ever happened to anyone else ?. This is the link of the car

http://cars.donedeal.ie/cars-for-sale/volkswagen-golf-2-0-gti-turbo-200-bhp-f/5921678

Patrickheg

I struggle to believe that the events occurred exactly as you have set out. You must have done something for this guy to label you as a time waster otherwise he wouldn't be a salesman as he wouldn't sell anything.

Could it be your age, maybe he has seen your type into him multiple times, waste his time as the subsequently check an insurance quote

Gokei

I can believe the events as told. These lads are, well I can't say, but if you're ever back in there, ask him why he's not simi anymore.

corktina

Well I suppose it is none of your business whether it was a trade in and a Cartell report would have shown you it's origins...having said that, it's an odd way to try selling a car.

Odd that it's taxed, did you note the date of NCT? I can't see a dealer taxing it (at the start of October or earlier) at a cost of €200! I'd say it was traded in with tax on it.

M5

Had similar happen to me a few years ago at a dealership... again, just took my money elsewhere!

Supergurrier

Oh Irish motor trade you do amuse me so.

Maybe his plan was to sell you a daysul

ironclaw

Are you under 25? And what car are you currently driving? Both of those could labelled you as a 'test pilot' and he decided you could be a) Wasting his time or b) Dreaming.

Either way, just walk away and buy else where. I don't see the need to shame the dealer, he decided not to make a sale and I don't think he should pay for it on the internet especially with only one side of the story. A shop keeper has no obligation to sell anything to anyone, its entirely at their discretion. Yes they would be making a loss but theres no legal obligation to sell.

For the record, I ain't the dealer and have no commercial interest in the motor sales industry.

jayunot777

Patrickheg wrote: »

I struggle to believe that the events occurred exactly as you have set out. You must have done something for this guy to label you as a time waster otherwise he wouldn't be a salesman as he wouldn't sell anything.

Could it be your age, maybe he has seen your type into him multiple times, waste his time as the subsequently check an insurance quote

I arrived at the garage took a look around the the car and asked to see the service history etc.. He said such and such was changed on the car and when asked where was the reciepts for it he said I dont know, I was just making conversation with him and said was it a trade it if you dont mind me asking and said Directly "its none of your business".. My mate who was a car sales man couldnt believe it when I told him.. I am 25 years old not 18 and have insuance to drive any car..He said I couldnt be able to handle the power of this car..

jayunot777

ironclaw wrote: »

Are you under 25? And what car are you currently driving? Both of those could labelled you as a 'test pilot' and he decided you could be a) Wasting his time or b) Dreaming.

Either way, just walk away and buy else where. I don't see the need to shame the dealer, he decided not to make a sale and I don't think he should pay for it on the internet especially with only one side of the story. A shop keeper has no obligation to sell anything to anyone, its entirely at their discretion. Yes they would be making a loss but theres no legal obligation to sell.

For the record, I ain't the dealer and have no commercial interest in the motor sales industry.

I have asked this question many times when buying a car how many previous owners etc and not in 7 years in buying cars has someone giving me that answer, His whole attitude was wrong towards me and was asking has this happened to anyone previous on here, Because I find it very very strange

pippip

Did you find out if he was the manager? Or catch his name so you could at least check?

ironclaw

Seems very strange alright. Only thing I would say is that it seems a little cheap. Going rate seems closer to €10k. Best piece of advice I ever heard about GTI's is most are bought by young lads to drive the absolute end out of and then sold off. You'd want to be really careful when purchasing one and my impression only going from your story, is the dealer is not keen for too many questions to be asked about it. That dealer also seems to have a fairly mixed bag of cars for sale, all of which are well below the average asking price in my opinion.

jayunot777

pippip wrote: »

Did you find out if he was the manager?

I asked could I speak to someone else about the car and he said no any questions about the car you can ask me, I never asked if he was the manager or not , I just had enough at this stage and left..

Gary ITR

Do you look like this fella?

Patrickheg

Gary ITR wrote: »

Do you look like this fella?

Would you talk to that fella in the way the OP was talked to?

Gary ITR

Patrickheg wrote: »

Would you talk to that fella in the way the OP was talked to?

I would fully expect to be ****eing into a bucket for two weeks if I did

BMJD

Gary ITR wrote: »

Do you look like this fella?

or did the "sales"man?

jayunot777

Ah big jones davy sound bloke

Nonoperational

ironclaw wrote: »

Seems very strange alright. Only thing I would say is that it seems a little cheap. Going rate seems closer to €10k. Best piece of advice I ever heard about GTI's is most are bought by young lads to drive the absolute end out of and then sold off. You'd want to be really careful when purchasing one and my impression only going from your story, is the dealer is not keen for too many questions to be asked about it. That dealer also seems to have a fairly mixed bag of cars for sale, all of which are well below the average asking price in my opinion.

€9k for a 2007 manual, cloth seats sounds about right. Especially from a backstreet place like this.

GTIs are well able for a bit of "hard driving"!

chrismon

Why don't you ring and ask to speak to a manager.
Ask about the car and if it can be brought for a test drive or not.
I don't know why a salesman would feck up a potential sale.
He could have been in the car with you when you brought it for a spin if he didn't trust you.

jayunot777

chrismon wrote: »

Why don't you ring and ask to speak to a manager.
Ask about the car and if it can be brought for a test drive or not.
I don't know why a salesman would feck up a potential sale.
He could have been in the car with you when you brought it for a spin if he didn't trust you.

Tell you the truth I wouldnt bother going back to deal with people like that, I will just hold out for a different one, Just wanted to see if this kind of carry on happened to anyone else.

pippip

Whatever about not wanting to sell the car for whatever reasons or perhaps not trusting the op based on looks, I just can't get my head around why the sales person would insult the op saying "you couldn't handle the power"

Op could have been a racing driving in modello for all they knew.

There are many others ways they could have handled the situation.

jayunot777

pippip wrote: »

Whatever about not wanting to sell the car for whatever reasons or perhaps not trusting the op based on looks, I just can't get my head around why the sales person would insult the op saying "you couldn't handle the power"

Op could have been a racing driving in modello for all they knew.

There are many others ways they could have handled the situation.

I didnt really take it as a insult TBH I just found that part funny , As I said its the first time this happened to me and just wanted to know If anyone had any Incidents like this before in the past when trying to buy a car.

AltAccount

Looks like an MPH speedo when you zoom in. I don't know ME regs, but I'd guess 10k+ is an import.

Would being a UK car have been a deal breaker?

fletch

Did you ring up and enquire about the car in advance or just show up out of the blue? Any time I want to test drive a car I always ring up in advance to show I'm genuinely interested as I look young for my age.
And the OP bought a car off me before and I can confirm he's not a test pilot...If anything I was shocked at how easy he drove the car on the test drive.

jayunot777

fletch wrote: »

Did you ring up and enquire about the car in advance or just show up out of the blue? Any time I want to test drive a car I always ring up in advance to show I'm genuinely interested as I look young for my age.
And the OP bought a car off me before and I can confirm he's not a test pilot...If anything I was shocked at how easy he drove the car on the test drive.

Thanks Fletch .. no i didnt ring in advance I like to go out and start the car from cold etc if possible and do the usually routine checks.. anyways ill look elsewhere.. :rolleyes:

colm_mcm

Might have been going you a favour you should never have to make an effort to buy something like that.

dazza161989

In my opinion, it all sounds a bit suspect!!

best advice i can give you is stay away from it........too many alarm bells ringing.

djimi

I guess its possible that he may have had a bad experience in the past with a young lad test piloting a car like that and not being able to handle it (although lets face it, its a GTI Golf, not a bloody Koenigsegg CCX!), but ultimately thats his problem, not yours. If you are in the business of selling cars then you have to put a certain degree of trust into the people who go on test drives. Otherwise youre not likely to sell many cars.

bazz26

If the salesperson behaved like a knob for no reason then I'd still find out who his/her manager is and make a complaint. There is no way that someone in retail who deals with the public should treat a potential customer like that. Even if that customer is only time wasting or rude (not suggesting the OP was either btw) there is a professional and more courteous way of dealing with difficult people like that, being ignorant and a knob is not the way to do it.

dazza161989

djimi wrote: »

I guess its possible that he may have had a bad experience in the past with a young lad test piloting a car like that and not being able to handle it (although lets face it, its a GTI Golf, not a bloody Koenigsegg CCX!), but ultimately thats his problem, not yours. If you are in the business of selling cars then you have to put a certain degree of trust into the people who go on test drives. Otherwise youre not likely to sell many cars.

have to agree with djimi here

grainnewhale

used to be an opel dealership beside us. you couldn't meet a more ignorant shower of *****. in every department. would leave you standing for half hour and then act like they were doing ya a favour.

Sobanek

And I, at 17 was able to take a Focus ST for a test drive... times change

Carson10

Think I seen a lady selling that Gti on donedeal during the summer. Looked like a nice house etc..Looks like a genuine GTi.

If I was treated like that at a garage, its a sure sign to walk away. You could loose money, or if you had a problem in the a few weeks after buying it.

Atlantic Dawn

My guess is from the questions you asked it appeared to the dealer that you would actually check the previous history of the car and not purchase it simply because it matched the colour of your new glasses.

Lots of buyers of cars in Ireland do zero previous history checks on the cars they buy and regularly buy them with zero service history, this leads to an increase in dodgy motors being sold.

BorneTobyWilde

Were you carrying the money in a brown paper bag.

Atlantic Dawn

BorneTobyWilde wrote: »

Were you carrying the money in a brown paper bag.

Nothing wrong if he was, it's only sums of €15k in cash and above that there's any responsibility on the dealer to report as suspicious.

jippo nolan

grainnewhale wrote: »

used to be an opel dealership beside us. you couldn't meet a more ignorant shower of *****. in every department. would leave you standing for half hour and then act like they were doing ya a favour.

We're they on the Malahide road?

Bigus

It's a taxed GTI, it's the salesmanship Christmas car, he didn't want it sold til new year.

Any garages with "link "in the title have a poor history

Bohrio

It is very odd. Either you said something you shouldnt that might have annoyed him or he just didnt want to sell the car yet. It is quite odd.

I have had no issues testing high performance cars in the past, when I bought my car I was wearing my crappy old motorbike gear, I looked like one of those cyclone messengers, I arrived on foot with my old helmet and the guy had no problem letting me drive the car. I dont know how he allowed me to drive it, I wouldnt! We went from ballsbridge up to monkstown and back.

Once day I went to a car dealer and asked If I could drive an 2010 M5 they had. We went for a test drive just around the block. Then I noticed a 911 Turbo and I asked about the car, he asked me if I wanted to go for a test drive, and he let me drive it on my own!

But one day I was with a friend who was looking to buy a 00 celica. He asked if he could test drive the car and the guy said the same thing, "I dont think you could handle the power" I was laughing because he actually wouldnt! he is the worse driver I have ever seen, so maybe he had like a radar to detect bad drivers or something, not saying this is the case of the OP