Do car salesmen have the same poor reputation in Europe as in the US? (people, pay)

[kanhawk]

Is buying a car from dealers in Europe the same unpleasant experience as so many Americans deal with? The phony sales pitches, the deceptive financial offerings, the high pressure tactics when you walk into a dealership just to look at the cars?

[Jesse44]

Kein kredit?

KEIN PROBLEM!!!!!

[cattledog69]

Originally Posted by kanhawk

Is buying a car from dealers in Europe the same unpleasant experience as so many Americans deal with? The phony sales pitches, the deceptive financial offerings, the high pressure tactics when you walk into a dealership just to look at the cars?

No, the unpleasant experience usually starts AFTER you bought the car

We don't really have those tactics here (Netherlands that is). It doesn't work here 'cos it scares people away. Also the crazy financial offerings like in the States are not allowed here.
But in the car maintenance buissenes, the garages, it's pretty bad. We had a few big scandals over the past years of how garages would rip people off. They would charge people way too much for simple repairs or charge them for repairs that weren't even done at all. Some garages went even that far as damaging certain parts from peoples cars and then charge them big bucks for fixing it.

[culinaryfan]

'No, the unpleasant experience usually starts AFTER you bought the car '

ROFL ... yes. My experience: You will get a free tank full but you will not be able to drive it empty before it breaks down. When you go back this just does not fall under the 10 year guarantee they had. When they repair it, they break some other things and steal a few items or replace them with broken ones they have in the garage. You are not allowed to stay with your car during the repairs. When you want to sell them the car back they pay you 500 and you had just bought it at 4000.
There are however plenty of people selling their car private in newspapers and online papers.