Do dealers pilfer cars coming back in off lease?
 

It seems more than unusual: that so many cars that are returned from lease, then put out for auction, ending up with less than the sum of their whole. I got one key with one book and new snows on a car returned last summer. It's a great car, so I can't grumble too much.

Yet, given the cost of one new key is over $250. it would seem Porsche Leasing would require a full inventory on returned cars. You'd also think they would have a printout/audit inventory on each vehicle that would follow, or at least be stored in a central database.

The lack of accountibility in this chain raises an unpleasant order of unknown origin.

Jim

I know about this issue intimately, as much of what I do is to try to complete Boxsters that I have purchased from dealer auctions. To be blunt, it is not clear where the thievery comes in.

It could start with the leasee, but I doubt it. I believe the lease return process has a checklist for this sort of thing and you are charged if your car is incomplete.

However, it is a slippery slope from that point to the successful auction bidder. Along the way, you would not believe what is taken from these Boxsters (I bought one without a storage tray or the carpet beneath it.

So, manuals, keys, wind deflectors etc become MIA.

I just took a Boxster to auction and took out EVERYTHING that could have been stolen. I put a notice in the car telling the bidders that I had it all and would be there to give it to them if they bought the car. I was blunt and told them that I was doing this for SECURITY reasons.



My advice, when you buy a used Boxster, take an inventory and deduct from the SP everything that is missing, and I mean everything (check for jack, tools, wheel locks etc)

BTW-a tool kit costs $300 from Porshce.

Word to the wise!

Mine (2001 basic) came from a wholesale auction minus:

All manuals
Wind deflector and the grilles that go in the roll bars
Did they all come with the rear storage cabinet?
Radio code
Floor mats

and a total of one key - but how much could extra keys cost anyway? :eek:

Where does all this stuff go?

On a happier note, wetstuff is helping me out with some of the manuals

The radio manuals are available for free in PDF format from the Becker website.

http://www.beckerautosound.com/


Click the "Whats New" link.

Most likely these items go by way of the folks who move these cars from the dealer to the auctions. The black market on this stuff is there for all to see via EBAY.

That is the condundrum, they steal from the car and then sell us the stuff back.

Pisses me off no end!

:matchup: