How to Avoid Getting Overcharged by Car Dealers

Did you know that ADS are able to provide the same main dealer quality parts (under the original equipment manufacturer legislation) at a considerable reduction in cost and NOT void any warranties active on the vehicle?

Can you imagine the money you will save by having the job not done at the dealership? but still get dealership parts and customer service?

We pride ourselves on delivering the best possible service at the best possible prices. And this is what makes us stand out as experts. But over the years, we’ve played witness to some poorly executed jobs and only at that point have our customers then spent the time finding ADS to fix what other garages can’t.

As with any industry, there will always be a few cowboys and a few poorly educated people who will try to swindle people for their money, and then charge them to rectify the garages own mistakes.

More recently, we’ve had a lot of cases where second hand car buyers have been massively overcharged by their car dealers. And many of our customers have come to us with used cars that are simply not roadworthy and need a lot of work doing!

An example is a recent customer who bought a car for £500 (sounds like a great deal, right?) but the car dealer tried to charge them £3,000 to fix the issues with the vehicle. To add insult to injury, the dealer was also unable to explain exactly what was wrong with the car, which didn’t give the customer in question much confidence. He later brought the used car over to ADS and we were able to diagnose and repair for the total of £200!

There are two reasons why car dealers may provide massively inaccurate quotes for work to be done on used cars. The first is that they don’t have the expertise to properly diagnose the issues, meaning that much more work is required. And the second is that they throw parts at the car whilst its stripped down to hope and pray it resolves the issues, if it doesn’t, guess what, cars on a ramp and they can’t proceed without fitting even more parts! they’ve got you in a position then where you can’t back out!

In light of this, we have created some tips below to help you avoid situations like this.

Buying a used car has many money-saving benefits but there is always a level of risk involved when parting with your money. Here are our tips for buying a used car from a dealer:

1. Ask About Service History
This goes without saying – never buy a used car unless you have looked into the car’s service history.

2. Don’t View Cars at Night
Always view your second hand car in broad daylight. Poor lighting conditions could mean that you miss vital warning signs that something is wrong!

3. Beware of Clocking
Clocking is when a car’s odometer is illegally tampered with to show less mileage than it’s actually accumulated. It’s hard to know when this is happening as even digital technology can be meddled with. But if you are suspicious, check the front of the bonnet for signs of chips (an indication of lots of motorway journeys), worn pedal rubbers or a worn steering wheel.

4. Beware of a Bargain
Check car price guidelines by doing a bit of research on the internet. Anything that seems too good to be true usually is!

5. Always Get a Quote from a Trusted Garage
Don’t just take your dealer’s word for it – get a quote from a reliable, honest garage like ADS to avoid paying over the odds for repairs.

6. Test Drive Before You Buy
One of the most essential parts of buying a car (new or used) is a test drive. Consider everything about the car’s mechanical condition as you drive around and never buy anything unless you’re sure you are happy.

If you have any questions about diagnosis and repair for your used car, contact us on 0113 277 4943 today and we’d be happy to help!