Car advice

[alta-pete]

16 minutes ago, HTG said:

I wouldn't bother with them again. I tested the market with my wife's car and their first offer was £6k. Over the next 2 - 3 weeks it went up to £8k by ignoring them. I can't be fucked with that.

Also, I contacted to sell them a van which was off the road. They said they wouldn't buy it unless I took it to their Falkirk base. From that I deduce that they don't buy any car. 

Charlatans. 

I think you’re being a tad unreasonable here. Seems to me like you’re selling scrap, not a car. 

[HTG]

3 hours ago, alta-pete said:

I think you’re being a tad unreasonable here. Seems to me like you’re selling scrap, not a car. 

Nope. It was absolutely capable of revival and even after they moved from £6k to £8k on my wife's car, they were still undervaluing it. £6k was taking the piss and when businesses do that I just wonder how many times they get away with it. They're c***s. 

[8MileBU]

22 hours ago, Ekhibee88 said:

Looking to trade in my car soon. Are webuyanycar any good or better off to go to dealership?

I’ve sold three cars to them over the years and found them to be no bother to deal with. Well, certainly the Falkirk branch anyway. Back in the day there always used to be so much time spent shopping around for prices plus no-end of time-wasters when selling a motor, so in that respect WBAC are excellent if you want a fairly quick, hassle-free sale.

My old Focus had a couple of issues needing fixed when I sold it, but WBAC actually outbid a couple of dealerships and I ended up with around £500 more than I expected based on the then “going rate” and what I was offered elsewhere. The guy a WBAC said he’d pay more to guarantee the sale because he’d make a profit on the car either way because their mechanics could either fix it at peanuts rates. Worst case was they’d write it off, strip it down and make money by either reusing and not having to buy-in parts, or selling on parts. He said thats what happens with probably half the cars the “disposable” brands i.e. Ford, Vauxhall, Citreon, Peugeot once they’re over about 8 years old or more.

Edited December 10, 2022 by 8MileBU

[TxRover]

4 hours ago, 8MileBU said:

Worst case was they’d write it off, strip it down and make money by either reusing and not having to buy-in parts, or selling on parts. He said thats what happens with probably half the cars the “disposable” brands i.e. Ford, Vauxhall, Citreon, Peugeot once they’re over about 8 years old or more.

That’s the kicker these days, any popular type of vehicle can easily be worth more broken up than whole if there are some issues. Straight body panels and a clean interior and it doesn’t matter what mechanical condition it’s in, there’s money in that junker!

[Ekhibee88]

On 10/12/2022 at 18:17, 8MileBU said:

I’ve sold three cars to them over the years and found them to be no bother to deal with. Well, certainly the Falkirk branch anyway. Back in the day there always used to be so much time spent shopping around for prices plus no-end of time-wasters when selling a motor, so in that respect WBAC are excellent if you want a fairly quick, hassle-free sale.

My old Focus had a couple of issues needing fixed when I sold it, but WBAC actually outbid a couple of dealerships and I ended up with around £500 more than I expected based on the then “going rate” and what I was offered elsewhere. The guy a WBAC said he’d pay more to guarantee the sale because he’d make a profit on the car either way because their mechanics could either fix it at peanuts rates. Worst case was they’d write it off, strip it down and make money by either reusing and not having to buy-in parts, or selling on parts. He said thats what happens with probably half the cars the “disposable” brands i.e. Ford, Vauxhall, Citreon, Peugeot once they’re over about 8 years old or more.

I noticed exact same model of my car for sale at Arnold Clark but a year younger on sale for over £2 to £3k more than what webuyany car or what evans halshow quoted for my car. I take it there is a mark up?

[alta-pete]

45 minutes ago, Ekhibee88 said:

I noticed exact same model of my car for sale at Arnold Clark but a year younger on sale for over £2 to £3k more than what webuyany car or what evans halshow quoted for my car. I take it there is a mark up?

Eh? Of course there is. Sale prep, staff to pay, cost of holding it, premises costs, warranty liabilities and - utter the dirty word - a profit required for all that endeavour. I’m surprised it’s only a £2/3k mark up! 

[TxRover]

3 hours ago, Ekhibee88 said:

I noticed exact same model of my car for sale at Arnold Clark but a year younger on sale for over £2 to £3k more than what webuyany car or what evans halshow quoted for my car. I take it there is a mark up?

 

2 hours ago, alta-pete said:

Eh? Of course there is. Sale prep, staff to pay, cost of holding it, premises costs, warranty liabilities and - utter the dirty word - a profit required for all that endeavour. I’m surprised it’s only a £2/3k mark up! 

Consider that some of these companies make between £750 and £1,500 (or more) profit on each vehicle they sell, and each vehicle needs prepped. The prep is an inspection, repairs, cleaning, minor adjustments, etc. The scope of the preparation often depends on the warranty (if any) to be offered on the vehicle and the type of vehicle (luxury sedans and SUV’s are prepped differently than a Sprinter). You figure, even with savings from doing such jobs in house, they have to mark a vehicle up by an easy £1,000-£3,000 over what they paid you, minimum. The companies offering the best prices are often doing so for the best vehicles offered, the cream puffs with a service history and not needing any real reconditioning. As you drop down the food chain, the amount of work some vehicles need becomes a huge cost of business.

[8MileBU]

3 hours ago, Ekhibee88 said:

I noticed exact same model of my car for sale at Arnold Clark but a year younger on sale for over £2 to £3k more than what webuyany car or what evans halshow quoted for my car. I take it there is a mark up?

Don’t need to add much to what @alta-pete said there to be honest. As per any business, it wouldn’t be worthwhile if they’re not turning (and trying to maximise)a profit.

The only time you might see less of a mark-up is where the car market (used or new) is a little more saturated with that particular type of vehicle. For example; my old Ford Focus that I was talking about above - I saved just shy of £2k buying it new down in Nottingham instead of from a dealership up here. Simply put - There’s far more people, far more stock and far more dealership’s trying to flog cars down in England and so the market was far more competitive. 

ETA: Had great fuel consumption up the gears that car. This was 2010 and it only cost about £50 to fill the tank with diesel and being pretty much motorway the entire journey, IIRC I think it only used about 1/4 of the tank to get back to Falkirk from Nottingham.

Edited December 13, 2022 by 8MileBU

[alta-pete]

@Shandon Par, what you done with your Z4 this winter?

I’ve got my 3 in the garage but every time I go in to refill the bottle recycling bin (about thrice a day) I look longingly at it wishing on the Spring hurrying up. Think it’ll be getting used a load more next year…

 

Edited December 26, 2022 by alta-pete

[Shandon Par]

26 minutes ago, alta-pete said:

@Shandon Par, what you done with your Z4 this winter?

I’ve got my 3 in the garage but every time I go in to refill the bottle recycling bin (about thrice a day) I look longingly at it wishing on the Spring hurrying up. Think it’ll be getting used a load more next year…

 

Got it out today for first time in ages (not euph) and gave it a wash. Was going to garage it but  just wanted to have it handy for the odd nice day. Heater/seats/wind deflector etc are so good that it’s fine to take out on a cold day. It was frozen shut for a fortnight recently. Couldn’t get the doors open.

[Shandon Par]

11 hours ago, alta-pete said:

@Shandon Par, what you done with your Z4 this winter?

 

Enjoying the sleet and sheet ice of Fife backroads this morning.

[alta-pete]

Hope the heater works!

3.0 too.

[Andy Dufresne]

Arnold Shark have had my wifes car since the 15th October,it is in for the 6th time a fuel gauge fault.They have already replaced the ECU and now say it is the wiring loom and here is the kicker the part is on back order and they don't know when they will get it as the part is made in and wait for it UKRAINE.

 

They are a wee bit busy over there. 

[RandomGuy.]

On 10/12/2022 at 16:59, HTG said:

Nope. It was absolutely capable of revival and even after they moved from £6k to £8k on my wife's car, they were still undervaluing it. £6k was taking the piss and when businesses do that I just wonder how many times they get away with it. They're c***s. 

Webuyanycar don't pretend they'll give you market value for your car, thats not the point. They exist for people who want a quick, relatively easy, sale without the bother of advertising.

They send your car to auction and don't receive market value for it either (or they didn't until the last 2 years) tbf.

I don't know why anyone expects to sell their car, or trade it in, and get the price they'd expect to buy it for, thats not how it works.

27 minutes ago, Andy Dufresne said:

Arnold Shark have had my wifes car since the 15th October,it is in for the 6th time a fuel gauge fault.They have already replaced the ECU and now say it is the wiring loom and here is the kicker the part is on back order and they don't know when they will get it as the part is made in and wait for it UKRAINE.

 

They are a wee bit busy over there. 

What kind of car is it?

[Andy Dufresne]

Just now, RandomGuy. said:

Webuyanycar don't pretend they'll give you market value for your car, thats not the point. They exist for people who want a quick, relatively easy, sale without the bother of advertising.

They send your car to auction and don't receive market value for it either (or they didn't until the last 2 years) tbf.

I don't know why anyone expects to sell their car, or trade it in, and get the price they'd expect to buy it for, thats not how it works.

What kind of car is it?

Vauxhall Adam,we have also reached out the Vauxhall but have not heard back from them.

[RandomGuy.]

8 minutes ago, Andy Dufresne said:

Vauxhall Adam,we have also reached out the Vauxhall but have not heard back from them.

Does it read empty even when full?

Autodata lists it as a common fault, caused by the fuel sender/level sensor in the tank. Might be worth asking if thats something they've investigated?

They could be getting no fault codes anywhere, as technically the car thinks everything is working, and they're just guessing the ECU is faulty because of that.

Edited December 27, 2022 by RandomGuy.

[Andy Dufresne]

1 minute ago, RandomGuy. said:

Does it read empty even when full?

Autodata lists it as a common fault, caused by the fuel sender/level sensor in the tank. Might be worth asking if thats something they've investigated?

They could be getting no fault codes anywhere, as technically the car thinks everything is working, and they're just guessing the ECU is faulty because of that.

It would suddenly drop from half to empty the slowly climb back up,the sales manage in Kia Cumbernauld is an ex mechanic and said the sender unit unit as did a pal of ours who wroks for Arnold Clark,My wife has had the car a year and only done less the 3k in the car.

She is paying for a car she does not have,she has a Kia Rio as a courtesy car by by god it is a horrible car.

It is like The loaner from The Mask

[die hard doonhamer]

50 minutes ago, Andy Dufresne said:

Arnold Shark have had my wifes car since the 15th October,it is in for the 6th time a fuel gauge fault.They have already replaced the ECU and now say it is the wiring loom and here is the kicker the part is on back order and they don't know when they will get it as the part is made in and wait for it UKRAINE.

 

They are a wee bit busy over there. 

Worried I’m about to experience similar. The check engine light came on on my wife’s 18 month old Fiat 500 on Christmas Eve. Waiting on it going back in to Arnold Clark and, tbh, I’m fearing the worst. 

[Loonytoons]

1 hour ago, Andy Dufresne said:

Vauxhall Adam,we have also reached out the Vauxhall but have not heard back from them.

 

Mods...ah f**k.

[TxRover]

1 hour ago, Andy Dufresne said:

It would suddenly drop from half to empty the slowly climb back up,the sales manage in Kia Cumbernauld is an ex mechanic and said the sender unit unit as did a pal of ours who wroks for Arnold Clark,My wife has had the car a year and only done less the 3k in the car.

She is paying for a car she does not have,she has a Kia Rio as a courtesy car by by god it is a horrible car.

It is like The loaner from The Mask

Not to be cynical, but why not tell them you’ll drive it until the get the new wiring loom in, get out of the Rio and have her (or, more likely, you) refill the car every time you hit 1/2 the range you get by multiplying the gas tank size by the mileage you got before. Example, if it’s an Astra with a 48 litre tank, and rated at about 9 miles per litre, you would expect 430 miles from a full tank…so fill up to full every 200 miles or so. It sucks, but it beats driving a Rio…and your comment suggests the gauge is good above half a tank.