Part-ex-ing car. Radio needs code. ???

philatio

I've just ordered a new car from a main dealer. Part of the deal is part-exchanging my current car.

At the moment I have an expensive, quite new stereo fitted. I plan to take this out and eBay it.. putting the standard factory fit stereo back in it's place.

However I've noticed the Radio Code section in the manual has been left blank and there's no security code marked anywhere.. so once I've fitted it, it won't work, it'll just say ENTER CODE.

My question is.. is it OK to leave it like this when I part-ex the car or will the dealer be miffed?
I've tried the thread on here to get the code but it's not available, so to get the code it would be £25 at the dealer or find somewhere that will decode for a bit cheaper. But as I'm just getting rid of the car, I don't really want to spend any money on it.

Dippypud

Give us a clue, what car, model and what radio type?

philatio

I'm NOT asking for the code.. I've already been told in the codes topic that it's not available online.

Dippypud

Do you know for a minute there I thought I was wasting my time.

BM-AK

If you are part exchanging the car then i'd leave it as it is.

You've already said you can't obtain it online and must go through the official channel (i.e. via the dealer/manufacterer) to obtain it.

Worst case scenario - when the dealer checks your car during the handover, they may notice that the radio needs a code. As you do not have it they may take off the value to obtain it from your Part Exchange price or may even let it go.

Either way to correct the problem you need buy the code from the dealer so by leaving it as it is you may get away with it.

From my past experiences, dealers do not look to this much detail when looking at cars they are taking in for PX. They mainly concentrate on condition and bodywork.

s_b

you will get away with it so long as it isnt listed on the extras as fitted sheet at perusal of p/x time
however seeing as dave in valeting baggsed it when you parked it up to do the paperwork i feel some prawns are coming your way at first service
daves good at fitting prawns behind the dash
hes done it before see
ps why not take the ciggy lighter,locking wheel nut key,spare wheel as much petrol as you dare and all the handbooks as well like most people do ,then dump them 5 years later when they find them on the shelf in the back bedroom..........:)

bigjl

Personally if i valued a partex and it turned up withiut the expenaive stereo the deal would be off.

What would the board members do if they bought a car, but when they went to pick it up the dealer had changed the top spec stereo for some pup of a stereo with no code?

Funny how everybody moans about dealers but has nothing to say about a bait n switch being done by a person trading in.

philatio

But he just looked at the trade price for the mileage and condition on a website and thats the offer he gave me. No mention was made of the stereo.
And it's not "some pup of a stereo". Its the original factory fit stereo in mint condition. Just needs a code.
It's not like I'm shoving some Matsui £20 jobby in there.

bigjl

You say whatever makes you feel better.

When he valued the car he would have looked inside to ascertain the interior condition, he would then have seen the fancy stereo.

Ask the question i wrote above, what would you do if the dealer swapped the stereo out of the car you were buying, you would put a thread up here about how the dealer stitched you up.

My opinion is what is good for the goose is good for the gander.

I think the dealer is entitled to value your car as you intend to sell it, simple as that.

You may think i am being overly harsh, but it is just the way i see it.

Run it past the dealer, he may have no issues and be happy to get the code issue sorted out to make the new car sale, i just think it fairer to give the dealer the benefit of the doubt and he may have no issue. But he may also have a customer lined up for your car, a regular ounter looking for a car like yours and the salesman may have explained that the car has a nice stereo to encourage a deal.

I know people that swap new tyres for bald and all kinds of things when pxing a car, personally i see this from both perspectives.

pitkin2020

Have to agree, you shouldn't take the stereo out unless you made it clear that you would be doing so when the PX price was agreed. You may aswell go the whole hog and strip it i'm sure the dealer would still give you the agreed price. When ever I part ex I make it clear what I will be removing and what is not included if I plan to change, say alloys back to steels, top spec radio to standard.

That being said though, if the dealer is giving you scrap value i.e £200 then I very much doubt they are expecting you to leave a top spec stereo in there and they will just have it crushed anyway.

flashg67

bigjl - I suppose you'll be telling us next that the nice car dealer has factored in the expensive stereo and has upped his part-ex offer to account for it too...... yeah right - more like he pulled the old !!!! about 'its the wrong colour/make/model/spec/mileage' etc and offered below bottom book. Perhaps he may now even have to reduce the £1000 he sticks on the price for giving it a wash & sticking back on sale? If I was buying a s/h car, the stereo wouldn't be a deal breaker, if it had at least the standard one in it, so why should it be for the dealer?

I'm sure there are some dodgy people who remove/swap items before trade in but IMO, the motor trade has itself to blame as there are many more traders willing to maximise their profit with litle or no care for customer services.

Sorry if I sound cynical, but I've been in the motor trade in various ways for 20+ years and all most dealers want (quite rightly you may say) is to maximise their profit/commission and it's the customer's job to reduce that where they can.

In short, unless the stereo was mentioned on the order form, take it out!