BMW Approved Used - Oh Dear

[developer]

Approved Used - where you pay a premium for a main dealer provenanced car, that has been subjected to a comprehensive mutipoint check.

As mentioned on a recent thread, a close friend of mine collected his £28,000 BMW 530d Estate as an Approved Used, with 7000 miles on the clock.

Long story short - nearside front tyre 1mm tread depth, yes 1mm, discovered on his drive after 2 days.

A subsequent discussion with the very apologetic salesman has led to them offering to have the car back tomorrow to fit four new tyres.

It appears there is a service sheet that shows 5mm, 5mm front and 4mm, 4mm rear (it's only done 7000 miles) and the salesman's view is that there had been an unexplained wheel swap between my friend securing the car and him collecting it.

It's upset him, because he was soaking up the BMW experience, including his new car presented on a revolving turntable when he arrived to collect it.

 

[Dieselman]

Typical salesman's bull...

 

[MonkeyTurnip]

Dieselman, your avatar is so true to this. it did make me LOL.

but you'd think in this ecconomy car salesmen would be making sure everything is perfect for when a customer buys/collects a car, in hope of repeat/recomemded business.

i used to be a saleman (electrical) and i would pride myself in making sure that everything went smoothly, but since i left the sales floor it seems that these "salemen" dont give a **** about the customer, before, during or after the sale. yes mistakes happen, but just a few simple checks can minimise them, and what the saleman does when a problem does happen can also change perspectives.

but when its a £28k car, you'd expect it to be perfect in every way.

i feel for your friend and i hope it gets sorted ammicably and in ap rofessional mannor, but i would recomend he checkes everything to see if there are any other "mistakes" before its too late to get them rectified

 

[MOCAŠ]

He should count himself lucky that he's getting four new tyres out of it and if anything, that should reassure him that it was worth his while buying the car from a franchised dealership. Would a back-street dealer have taken his word for this two days after the car had left their premises, bearing in mind that he could have been pulling a fast one? I doubt it.

I'd also be inclined to believe the salesman's version of events. All it takes is one scally working within the dealership who thinks he can save himself a few quid. Hopefully they'll be able to identify who it was and take appropriate action.

 

[Dieselman]

I'd also be inclined to believe the salesman's version of events. All it takes is one scally working within the dealership who thinks he can save himself a few quid. Hopefully they'll be able to identify who it was and take appropriate action.

More likely the wheel was swapped to an unsold car.

 

[LTD]

We recently had a terrible experience buying a brand new VW Polo.

The only thing right was the car. The staff were at best inefficient and at worst lying, cheating *******s. I can prove this so that's not an issue.

VW UK, on the other hand, are fantastic and their customer service department have reassured us totally.

My wife is looking forward to spending the compensation we have received ......

 

[developer]

He should count himself lucky that he's getting four new tyres out of it

I don't think after spending £28K and travelling 90 miles to collect his illegally tyred potentially dangerous car, he considers himself lucky, however, he has been appeased by the salesman's actions - so far.

 

[npuk]

Not just BMW. I had exactly the same with my car. The two front tyres were under the legal limit even though it was an 'approved used vehicle'. Apparently they knew from the inspection (but wouldnt give me the report) and they 'forgot' to change them.

 

[MOCAŠ]

I don't think after spending £28K and travelling 90 miles to collect his illegally tyred potentially dangerous car, he considers himself lucky, however, he has been appeased by the salesman's actions - so far.

The amount spent and distance travelled is immaterial: the principle of caveat emptor still applies. Your friend clearly wasn't expecting the tyre to have been illegal, but then why would the salesman have expected it to be either, if it had been OK at the time of the inspection?

Truth is that anything could have happened to the car since your friend had last seen it. The dealership can't keep repeating its inspections, so the final check before taking the car away is down to the buyer. Seems like the dealership have acted honourably (so far), which is more than can be said for whoever it was that did the dirty with the tyre.

 

[LTD]

The dealership can't keep repeating its inspections, so the final check before taking the car away is down to the buyer. Seems like the dealership have acted honourably (so far), which is more than can be said for whoever it was that did the dirty with the tyre.

Ensuring that the car was roadworthy at the point of sale rests with the dealer as they should ensure that the car meets the criteria to be driven on the road at the point of collection.

True, it is the driver's responsibility to check prior to a journey but it could certainly be argued that he had paid for a third party to ensure that this was carried out.

 

[developer]

Ensuring that the car was roadworthy at the point of sale rests with the dealer as they should ensure that the car meets the criteria to be driven on the road at the point of collection.

True, it is the driver's responsibility to check prior to a journey but it could certainly be argued that he had paid for a third party to ensure that this was carried out.

He actually took a more basic approach - it was a 7000 mile as new, approved used, prestige car from a main dealer - he didn't even consider that the tyres might have been dodgy.

Ordinarily, at 7000 miles the front tyre should have had loads left.

 

[Dryce]

Approved Used - where you pay a premium for a main dealer provenanced car, that has been subjected to a comprehensive mutipoint check.

Nope.

Whether it be BMW or MB AU

You actually pay for come back. If *you* find anything wrong.

I'm convinced they just give the cars a quick visual once over and that's it. You buy one and find something, they squirm a little and sort it. If it's really bad they squirm a bit more and replace it.

The actual quality checks beyond basic presentation are down to the customer.

 

[LTD]

... but surely roadworthyness is a criteria that the supplying dealer is legally bound to adhere to.

 

[This is Pete]

... but surely roadworthyness is a criteria that the supplying dealer is legally bound to adhere to.

Yep, I expect that the car went through a series of checks before being prepared.

And then some mechanic/manager came along and swapped the good wheel/tire for another waiting customer beleiving that the correction would be made before the car was actually picked up.

You'd have thought there would be a note placed in the car's folder to that end, but things get forgotten and overlooked.

 

[developer]

... but surely roadworthyness is a criteria that the supplying dealer is legally bound to adhere to.

Agreed - if he'd had a smash on the way home, say, in heavy rain, and the tyre was determined to have contributed, the dealer would have the book thrown at them.

 

[MOCAŠ]

Ensuring that the car was roadworthy at the point of sale rests with the dealer as they should ensure that the car meets the criteria to be driven on the road at the point of collection.

That's a fair point, but I bet hardly any dealer goes through a full roadworthiness check (ie: virtually an MoT) at the point of handover.

 

[LTD]

That's a fair point, but I bet hardly any dealer goes through a full roadworthiness check (ie: virtually an MoT) at the point of handover.

Our brand new VW Polo had a delaminated number plate as it sat on the forecourt awaiting our collection.

A number plate made by the dealer and fitted by the dealer.

That made the handover fun as I saw that when we rolled into the forecourt.

Needless to say, I went over the car with a fine tooth comb. The rest of their shambolic performance is unbelievable ....

 

[HB]

We recently had a terrible experience buying a brand new VW Polo.

The only thing right was the car. The staff were at best inefficient and at worst lying, cheating *******s. I can prove this so that's not an issue.

VW UK, on the other hand, are fantastic and their customer service department have reassured us totally.

My wife is looking forward to spending the compensation we have received ......

What dealership was it up here.

 

[st4]

Dealers do swap wheels...happened to me

 

[davidjpowell]

Dealers do swap wheels...happened to me

Was that on purpose or accidental?

I'm surprised they missed this. I sold my E65 7 series back to a dealer, which had Falcons on. Two were coming up to be due for a change, and the dealer asked for me to do this, as if they did it they would have to pay for premium rubber.