Approved Used Oddity

[Fady]

Not posted here for a while but just thought I'd share my odd experience when wanting to go look at an approved used vehicle. Currently considering a replacement for my S212 but in no rush and waiting for the right car at the right price to turn up.

In the weekend between Xmas and New Year I spotted an approved used E53 S213 listed at Mercedes of Basingstoke which is around 75 miles from me. Red with Hazelnut interior. This is a 'not recommended' combo in the brochure, but as there was an identical car in Autotrader being sold by an independent garage, I thought that maybe people go for this regardless. Thought I'd make my own mind up on this by seeing it in the flesh.

Long story short, I spoke to someone and arranged see the car that day. I then got a call back from a salesman to say he would be expecting me, followed by further call reminding me to bring my licence if I wanted to test drive it.

I set off with my wife and journey was unexpectedly painfully slow. I had hoped that folks would be relaxed in their armchairs rather than clogging up the M25! Anyway - 70 odd miles and 2 hours in when we are within touching distance, phone rings and it's the salesman telling me not to come as the car is not available to view. What?! I took this in my stride but wife was furious and let the salesman know. He muttered something about it being out for a wheel refurb but wasn't at all convincing. Said we could come and look at any other car if we wanted but why would we do that? Turned straight back this time opting to go cross-country rather than getting back on the motorway. 150 pointless miles and 3½ hours later we arrived back home. Grrr

Got a call on the Monday with half an apology saying that the car was no longer with them as they had sent if off to auction. Do dealers do this if a car say has been sitting around for a long time - or maybe has or had something a bit wrong with it?

I mentioned earlier that I saw a similar car being advertised at the same time by an independent. Well I went back and scrutinised the ad and I believe it to be the same car. It's still on Autotrader being offered at £3000 more than the dealer was asking and with an additional 400 miles on the clock (there's a photo of one of the side badge missing the 'T' and so reading 'URBO 4MATIC+' - not sure why you'd draw attention to this ) Reg is KL68HLA which shows up as still being untaxed, however the garage has one of their blanks stuck across it. I have mentally dismissed the car anyway otherwise I might have enquired.

 

[WOODYTHEWISE]

I had a like experience with an Audi i was interested in, also from a main dealer. Phoned the number in the add and was told i could visit the dealer anytime. I asked if i was speaking to the dealership with the car in question and was told no. I phoned the dealership and was told the car had gone to auction.
The explanation was that all the listings are from Lookers HQ. The car was approved used, but on closer inspection it would be too costly to bring the car up to the required standard.
Perhaps its as well you didnt complete the purchase.

 

[AMV]

This has happened to me before except the car i had made an appointment to view was being viewed by a walk in.

I was told to wait and in the end they purchased it before i could even have a look.

This actually happened twice. The car in question was a mk4 r32 so a bit niche.

Its unfortunate what happened to you, the way i'd look at it is that they lost your business

I would agree with Woody that maybe the car had too much work required to make it meet their criteria to be sold.

GLWS for your E53

 

[John]

I had something similar previously.

Found a nice CLS400 with AirMATIC in black and just the spec I wanted.

Phoned up the independent dealer at 09:30 in the morning, spoke to him at length about the car and all sounded good.

Agreed that I would leave work a bit earlier to come and see the car at 15:30 in the afternoon.

I left work at 15:00 which was more than enough time and at 15:20.

The guy phones me whilst I am driving there (less than 30 minutes away but some annoyingly-crap country roads nevertheless) to tell me he has just gone to look at the car and the front tyres did not have enough tread to drive the car legally and the car was now at a tyre dealer and I wouldn't be able to see it today. It needed a valet too.

He said he would ring me back the next day to re-arrange when it was ready.

I told him I wouldn't be coming back regardless and he still rung me the next day leaving a message asking me to ring if I was still interested.

Why wait until 10 minutes until I am due to arrive to either check and / or action points on the car when you have had 6 hours and waste someone else's time, effort and money?

 

[bob6600]

Sounds like the cars are either P/X or ex demo. They put them up for sale as soon as they become available without checking them properly. On inspection, it would cost them too much for them to be an approved vehicle and so move them off to auction. It's not good, it's not right as it wastes people's time but probably goes on a lot.

 

[Jenko456]

I believe many of the many players in the car industry these days play these little games. My recent experience with Mercedes had me almost book a flight to Glasgow to view and buy a car. It had been up for sale for some months. I called them....yes sir the car is still here....Next day it was sold...Along with 'but call us as we have a number of others in stock'...Now this of course maybe completely true, and the car could have sold in that 24 hr period. But during that time I also noticed the price of it went down on their website....Again strange. Also should be noted it was VERY cheap compared to others in in the UK.

As it happens and back to the OP.....I ended with a C class Coupe from Mercedes in Basingstoke who were a pleasure to deal with.

 

[flowrider]

MB approved used is not all its advertised to be, I had an approved used MB with the paperwork nicely completed by a "senior engineer", the paperwork was ticked against all the items to check/confirm and yet the car was littered with faults/blemishes/missing items all which apparently had been checked.

 

[Deleted member 6183]

I was concerned I had fallen for a car sales trick last year but JBD confirmed it was legit:
What does the panel make of this?

Incidentally, why does @greenmanslk show as a deleted member in the linked thread?

 

[John]

I was concerned I had fallen for a car sales trick last year but JBD confirmed it was legit:
What does the panel make of this?

Incidentally, why does @greenmanslk show as a deleted member in the linked thread?

Shows up correctly in this one:

GLC Coupe 2017 Prem+ Side Steps Fitting/Supplier

Was it definitely greenmanslk?