Motor dealers are bad-mouthed over bad deals

publication date: Sep 12, 2008

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author/source: Robin Roberts

Car dealers failing to meet a customer’s expectations for a valuation on an older part-exchange vehicle stand to lose out on more than one sale, with word-of-mouth reports spreading negative experiences to the friends and families of disheartened customers.

Amid reports of customers being offered below-scrap prices for retailable older cars, EurotaxGlass’s is advising dealers to do whatever is necessary, within reason, to secure a deal and to retain business in the medium and long term.

John Glynn, older car editor at EurotaxGlass’s, said: “All car retailers are finding things tough at the moment. It is unfathomable, therefore, that some won’t take the time to do a bit of desk research - scanning Auto Trader or eBay, for example - or make a call to an older car buyer or scrap merchant.

“This would not only provide useful information on a vehicle’s value but also demonstrate to the customer that the dealer is making reasonable efforts to arrive at a price which approaches the customer’s expectations.”

Mr Glynn warns that, while it is not appropriate to meet unrealistically high demands, dealers and older car buyers need to be sensitive to the bond people have with their vehicles.
He said,“When it comes to valuing an older part-exchange vehicle, dealers should remember that many people are often emotionally attached to their cars. Undermining this attachment by making what could be seen as a derisory offer may well lead to a lack of business in future - word spreads fast among prospective buyers who feel they have been ‘ripped off’ by the motor trade.”

Now more than ever dealers should stretch themselves for their customers, he said and added, “Referrals are the key to maintaining sales momentum in the midst of an economic downturn, so dealers should be treating customers properly.