Decode VIN infront of salesperson, right or wrong?

[koh_424]

Today went to Yap Auto search for E60 525i with my boss. Saw a E60 523i in very good shape but the price is kinda high. I check for the VIN code at the door frame & decode. When decoded, i immediately told my boss where's the car origin, YOM, engine & version. On the way back to office, my boss told me next time after decoded just keep quiet & don't mention anything infront of the salesperson as the salesperson unlike customer to done like that. I was curious, why he said so? Or maybe the salesperson really feel uncomfortable when i decoded the car VIN immediately?Any comments?

 

[wingzee]

Today went to Yap Auto search for E60 525i with my boss. Saw a E60 523i in very good shape but the price is kinda high. I check for the VIN code at the door frame & decode. When decoded, i immediately told my boss where's the car origin, YOM, engine & version. On the way back to office, my boss told me next time after decoded just keep quiet & don't mention anything infront of the salesperson as the salesperson unlike customer to done like that.

I was curious, why he said so? Or maybe the salesperson really feel uncomfortable when i decoded the car VIN immediately?

Any comments?

What is wrong about decoding the VIN? It's every consumer's right to know the truth. Heck this practice should be done by all used car buyers so they won't get cheated by unscurpulous dealers who tend to take the registration year as YOM & claim every single car as "high spec" with the abundance of recond cars in the market nowadays.

 

[Mavik]

Nothing wrong with decoding the car in front of the salesperson. It gives you the added leverage for bargaining at a later stage.

Deconding a VIN is no issue, try bringing your own scanner and then start identifying the error codes you found in front of the sales guy hahahaha!

 

[koh_424]

Nothing wrong with decoding the car in front of the salesperson. It gives you the added leverage for bargaining at a later stage.

Deconding a VIN is no issue, try bringing your own scanner and then start identifying the error codes you found in front of the sales guy hahahaha!

Haha..good idea!

But i don't have the scanner to do the scanning.

Only manage to decode the VIN on the spot!

 

[koh_424]

What is wrong about decoding the VIN? It's every consumer's right to know the truth. Heck this practice should be done by all used car buyers so they won't get cheated by unscurpulous dealers who tend to take the registration year as YOM & claim every single car as "high spec" with the abundance of recond cars in the market nowadays.

U rite!

But yesterday i accidentally heard the salesperson said "the car is original spec NO NEED to be decode to check".

Sounds unhappy when customer decode & tell the truth.

Weird...

 

[antiquer]

U rite!

But yesterday i accidentally heard the salesperson said "the car is original spec NO NEED to be decode to check".

Sounds unhappy when customer decode & tell the truth.

Weird...

Maybe he felt u dont trust him.. actually most of us dont trust strangers.. I wont just swallow everything salesperson said. Everything had to be checked out.

 

[koh_424]

Maybe he felt u dont trust him.. actually most of us dont trust strangers.. I wont just swallow everything salesperson said. Everything had to be checked out.

Understood.

But then they can't stop customer to decode or unveil the truth identity of the ride. This should be the right of customer.

Maybe i should find others used car lot and try again. >

 

[wingzee]

U rite!

But yesterday i accidentally heard the salesperson said "the car is original spec NO NEED to be decode to check".

Sounds unhappy when customer decode & tell the truth.

Weird...

If unhappy then just walk away. Look for another deal unless the car is really in tip-top and is as per what the dealer claimed/advertised. They can't do anything about it lah anyway. Salesman are afraid of educated consumers/buyers.

 

[Mavik]

Yeah I agree with Wingzee, just walk away. That is your right as a customer and a consumer. Why bothered to get cheated just because of what the salesman say. Next time say you want to sell him a fake Rolex at RM50,000. Tell him because the Rolex is limited edition so it must be real.

The more a customer/consumer is educated and informed, the better service the salespeople will have to give because we aren't all "waterfish"

 

[muhaiminrahim]

Nothing wrong checking the vin against what u can see from the car..i did tat once infront of a seller for a dear friend and hooked up my bluetooth obd and scanned for error code..seller didnt mind either as he has nothing to hide.. :4:

 

[tee]

Absolutely agreed with everyone's comment above. I once helped a friend to check on the Service Records and VIN decode. The VIN decoded tallied with details provided by the Salesperson, but Service Record showed up the car was met in accident and further check on the insurance, it was claimed up till 13k MYR. We told the sales person about it and showed him the details of the Service Record. Salesperson mentioned, he himself did not know about it. Apologized and refunded the booking fee. Now, that's honest business.

But felt bad for the sales person though. He should have checked before bringing the car to his lot.

Having said that, this is never wrong. You are just surveying for the right product. Suggest to explain to the sales person that you are doing your part and he need to entertain it if he wants to have a smooth transaction, else, walkaway!