When it comes to getting rid of their old car, some sellers will stop at nothing to part-exchange a vehicle that isn’t fit for the road.
Talking to the pool of car dealers on their books, the vehicle auction specialist has put together a list of the top 10 stunts pulled by the public when trading in their old cars, turning on its head the traditional notion of car dealers being the dishonest party.
Here are the top ten tricks that people try when chopping in their old motor – which could cost an unsuspecting trader up to £1,700 to put right!
- Dead battery
It’s very common for a dealer to go out to move a part-exer and find that the battery is, well, terminal, as the previous owner has swapped it out to keep the good one for another car.
Repair estimate: £80
- Illegal tyres
When customers know they’re about to change cars, it’s common for them to switch out good tyres with some part-used or fully worn tyres. Most dealers have to factor a new set of rubber into the refurbishment cost.
Repair estimate: £240 (four tyres)
- Worn brakes
It’s very rare that a dealer will value a part exchange with anything more than a visual inspection. Grinding brakes and worn discs are a common find when it comes to trade-ins.
Repair estimate: £200
- Where’s the spare?
Look under the boot carpet of a part-ex car and quite often you’ll find the spare wheel has gone… on eBay, most likely, along with the inflation kit.
Repair estimate: £80
- No fuel
You wouldn’t expect a part-exchange to come with a full-tank, but many people take their old car in with just fumes left in it. “We’ve even seen customers siphoning petrol out into a jerry can,” said one dealer.
Repair estimate: £20
- A load of rubbish
G3 heard from one dealer whose customer had loaded their old car up ready for a tip run, then just dumped it at the dealership…
Repair estimate: £10
- Mechanical faults
Visual valuations don’t pick up running problems and for many owners the time to trade in their car is when it’s starting to play up – without telling the unsuspecting dealer. “Back in the day a piece of black tape on the dashboard could hide a warning light long enough to do the deal!” said one of our dealers.
Repair estimate: £300
- Daylight robbery
Some punters are so tight that they’ve been known to remove the headlight bulbs from part-exchanges before chopping their car in, leaving the dealer in the dark…
Repair estimate: £20
- Back to the wall
It’s a common trick for a customer bringing in a part-exchange to park it close to a wall in the hope that a dealer doesn’t notice obvious body damage – even better if they time it for when the rain starts to pour!
Repair estimate: £500
- Radio ga-ga
Removing a car’s in-car entertainment system is another fast-one pulled by some punters, no doubt to make a fast buck selling it second-hand.
Repair estimate: £150
Anthony Matthews, Branch Manager at G3 Remarketing said: “We work directly with the trade so we hear a lot of horror stories. That’s why every car we sell, whether it’s £200 or £20,000, comes with a realistic appraisal of its condition and we even offer 30-point mechanical checks on qualifying vehicles to de-risk the process as best as we can.”
G3 Remarketing is one of the most innovative and dynamic vehicle remarketing companies in the UK established to dispose of vehicles direct from fleet companies, finance houses and car supermarkets. With over sixty years’ experience within the automotive industry and a growing database of 15,000 buyers G3 sources the best vehicles from the best suppliers from across the country.
G3 has also compiled a selection of dealers’ true stories, for use alongside this release.
To find out more, either as a buyer or a vendor, go to: www.g3remarketing.co.uk
