Who was the previous owner of a second-hand car?

czenda · Post by **czenda** » 28 Jun 2005, 19:58

This is not relating to Cits directly, but I hope you will forgive me, because the topic is very interesting - at least for me.
I just finished a humorous paperback novel which says that "if you come to a 2nd hand car dealer in UK, you will find out that the previous owner of any of the car offered was a vicar who used the car for commuting to his church on Sundays, while the church was 10 miles from where he lived. The truth is that any such car develops a serious failure within two weeks from its purchase. Obviously, the only right thing to do is to perform an exorcism ordered from competing Catholic church, which is extremely beneficial to the ball bearings."
The quotation seems to be an interesting example of a local, non-globalized culture. While it is a vicar who had the car in GB, here it is almost ALWAYS "an elderly gentleman who used the car to drive him to his weekend-house" or "a lady in her late forties who used the car for transporting her friend for their purchases". Any deformed bumper is the result of "looking the other way while driving the car into garage at the 0,000001 km/h speed," i.e. accidents never happen in the parallel universe of the 2nd hand car dealers.
Are there any other fairy-tale creatures or paranormal activities like those mentioned mentioned before of which I do not know?

Robin · Post by **Robin** » 28 Jun 2005, 20:41

If the car has intergalactic mileage irrespective of age then it is always 'motorway mileage so the clutch and brakes will be fine'!
R

Ross_K · Post by **Ross_K** » 28 Jun 2005, 20:58

I was looking in the Auto T****r a few weeks ago for a small car for my little sister, when I spotted a cheap 99 Saxo: "26,000 genuine miles FSH, one careful lady owner, <b>new engine and gearbox</b>". [:0][:0]
Now I'm not usually one for making sweeping generalisations (and I'm sure there are any number of reasons it had a new engine and clutch), but a careful lady owner is probably the last person I'd buy a car from... [8D]

bxbodger · Post by **bxbodger** » 28 Jun 2005, 21:09

If it was my wifes it would have read "one lady owner.....with absolutely no mechanical sympathy"..... the saucepans get treated better!!
I suspect many of these 'lady owners' are like her, the warning lights on the dash are a nice colour and do brighten it up a bit, thats if she can see them through the clutter of sunglasses, ornaments, sweeties, air fresheners, etc..........I hope she doesn't see this![B)]

Oscar Too · Post by **Oscar Too** » 28 Jun 2005, 21:30

Car dealers use plenty of ellipsis in their claims i.e. "one careful lady owner" should always be followed by the phrase "and fifteen who didn't give a monkey's" [:)]

Post by **Richard Green** » 28 Jun 2005, 22:28

standard patter in the trade that is mate, the best one I have seen is ( low mileage "showing" on the clock ) so does that mean he has a laptop and sets it to what you want hahaha I can do that as long as you don't say "guaranteed low mileage" its legal.

JohnD · Post by **JohnD** » 28 Jun 2005, 23:08

You'll not need reminding of the story - Punter to dealer, "What mileage has it done?" Dealer to punter, "What mileage would you like?"