Rant about attitudes towards customers by dealers.
Discussion
After a week of pulling my hair out, I wanted to share my experiences of three dealers.
Dealer 01
Called regarding an advertised vehicle. Asked for details relating to service history, eg service dates, mileage and type of service plus an honest overview of the car before travelling to see it. Was told the car was off site, but to call back the following day. Details of my p/x were given and I answered alot of questions on its overall condition, service history and tyre depths. Within 10 minutes I'd been offered an acceptable price range for a trade in subject to viewing my car.
Call back when asked, too busy to talk and the car was off site. Requested a call back. Nothing
Called back the following day several times, now to be told the car was back but it was dirty after a test drive. Reluctantly sales person started to walk round the car and couldn't give me any useful information except the tyres were at 2mm and that's what it was. After probing further, was told that the car simply wasn't for me and was promptly hung up on.
Dealer 02
This time I decided to head to a franchised dealership after finding a similar specified car for only £600 more. Lovely salesman, sent through spec and history immediately. Called me back with a part exchange on my car. I asked him to give me a few moments to check with the wife but could he hold the car. Boss gave her approval, then I called back, dodged by the salesman for several hours to then get an email saying my Px was valued too high due to an error and the deal had now gone up by £1500stated " sorry, better we found out now hey! "
Dealer 03
Enquiry placed Tuesday, for a totally different type of vehicle. Asking for basic info. All my details were taken. I've chased twice a day, and still don't have a reply.
How do these people stay in business and what's happened to the trade in recent years.
Don't get me wrong I've dealt with many great dealerships that have gone the extra mile, but am I just unlucky ?
Dealer 01
Called regarding an advertised vehicle. Asked for details relating to service history, eg service dates, mileage and type of service plus an honest overview of the car before travelling to see it. Was told the car was off site, but to call back the following day. Details of my p/x were given and I answered alot of questions on its overall condition, service history and tyre depths. Within 10 minutes I'd been offered an acceptable price range for a trade in subject to viewing my car.
Call back when asked, too busy to talk and the car was off site. Requested a call back. Nothing
Called back the following day several times, now to be told the car was back but it was dirty after a test drive. Reluctantly sales person started to walk round the car and couldn't give me any useful information except the tyres were at 2mm and that's what it was. After probing further, was told that the car simply wasn't for me and was promptly hung up on.
Dealer 02
This time I decided to head to a franchised dealership after finding a similar specified car for only £600 more. Lovely salesman, sent through spec and history immediately. Called me back with a part exchange on my car. I asked him to give me a few moments to check with the wife but could he hold the car. Boss gave her approval, then I called back, dodged by the salesman for several hours to then get an email saying my Px was valued too high due to an error and the deal had now gone up by £1500stated " sorry, better we found out now hey! "
Dealer 03
Enquiry placed Tuesday, for a totally different type of vehicle. Asking for basic info. All my details were taken. I've chased twice a day, and still don't have a reply.
How do these people stay in business and what's happened to the trade in recent years.
Don't get me wrong I've dealt with many great dealerships that have gone the extra mile, but am I just unlucky ?
I work in twith franchised dealers, they are actually 80% pretty good, but what I didn't realise was how bad the non-franchise guys were
I recently tried to buy a sports car from a well known dealerships that's been selling TVR and Lotus for many many years. Awful service, even when I turned up (200 miles from home) and was ignored and left in the showroom on my own for 25 minutes, then shown the car that was in the workshop and the guy walked off. After 2 more contacts he finally admitted he couldn't value my car properly and I should sell it privately......a F'ing joke. So disappointed.
Turn up and they will pay you some attention, as long as you don't ask questions they cant answer....like what day it is
I recently tried to buy a sports car from a well known dealerships that's been selling TVR and Lotus for many many years. Awful service, even when I turned up (200 miles from home) and was ignored and left in the showroom on my own for 25 minutes, then shown the car that was in the workshop and the guy walked off. After 2 more contacts he finally admitted he couldn't value my car properly and I should sell it privately......a F'ing joke. So disappointed.
Turn up and they will pay you some attention, as long as you don't ask questions they cant answer....like what day it is
Looking for a new (lease) car for the missus and I popped into a Fiat dealership with the kids on the way to watch a movie. Chap was super helpful and I've been chased up several times since. Same dealership has a Ford department so a few days later I went to look at a Ford Ranger. I have a hobby-based (non VAT registered) business, work for my father-in-law (VAT registered) or could look at a personal arrangement. I probably was clearly a 'not signing up today' customer but the different scenarios seemed to be too much trouble for the salesman to work through. The Fiat and the Ford sit about 5 metres apart either side of a partition but the sales people were a world apart.
Missus though has now decided she wants a Kia Sportage (I rung the Fiat guy to thank him and explain), so we all popped into two dealers last weekend. First dealership the bloke was a muppet. Said the deals we'd seen online were impossible, told the missus what spec she should and shouldn't have and generally rubbed us both up the wrong way within a few minutes.
Second dealership and young lad was smashing. My six year old daughter offered him one of her sweets which set the tone for the chat (she walked out with a new cuddly toy too). He explained how the online offers were possible (kickback from the manufacturer due to volumes etc) and would do his best find a good deal for us. Haggled a decent deal then right at the death I dropped the name of a Kia bigwig who I know very well. Good deal turned into a smashing deal (after a call back on the Monday).
4 different sales people over a few days with only 50% of them I could tolerate another 5 minutes in their company.
Missus though has now decided she wants a Kia Sportage (I rung the Fiat guy to thank him and explain), so we all popped into two dealers last weekend. First dealership the bloke was a muppet. Said the deals we'd seen online were impossible, told the missus what spec she should and shouldn't have and generally rubbed us both up the wrong way within a few minutes.
Second dealership and young lad was smashing. My six year old daughter offered him one of her sweets which set the tone for the chat (she walked out with a new cuddly toy too). He explained how the online offers were possible (kickback from the manufacturer due to volumes etc) and would do his best find a good deal for us. Haggled a decent deal then right at the death I dropped the name of a Kia bigwig who I know very well. Good deal turned into a smashing deal (after a call back on the Monday).
4 different sales people over a few days with only 50% of them I could tolerate another 5 minutes in their company.
Had a good one last year,saw car online,phoned dealer & arranged to view.Had no p/x as it was going to be 2nd car.
We all liked it and the price was what we wanted to pay,after trying lots of reduced prices he wouldn't budge so we agreed to pay the asking price,left a deposit(luckily by credit card) & headed home feeling pleased.
Get a call after an hour saying car was priced wrongly & we HAD to pay the difference,er no,we said.
Get another call later again saying we just have to pay half the difference now,still no,so told the boss will ring us.!!
Get a call from aggressive man demanding money & f'ing at us for wasting his time.
Got deposit back & have bought cars privately since,much friendlier experience.
Good luck to all searching.
We all liked it and the price was what we wanted to pay,after trying lots of reduced prices he wouldn't budge so we agreed to pay the asking price,left a deposit(luckily by credit card) & headed home feeling pleased.
Get a call after an hour saying car was priced wrongly & we HAD to pay the difference,er no,we said.
Get another call later again saying we just have to pay half the difference now,still no,so told the boss will ring us.!!
Get a call from aggressive man demanding money & f'ing at us for wasting his time.
Got deposit back & have bought cars privately since,much friendlier experience.
Good luck to all searching.
In Feb went to a main dealer in S Wales to part/x my car. Salesman had about 6 stock sayings which he annoyingly repeated throughout the experience. He took my number and email....still waiting for him to contact me.
Went to a main dealer in Bristol after looking at their website and seeing a car we wanted. When we arrived at showroom, the salesman did not know the price of the car and went to find out, offering us coffee. Twenty mins later he still did not know but asked my wife and me to join him and look at the car outside. We had a look and he left us whilst he went to find out if his manager had found the price..............twenty minutes later whilst we were left standing outside in the cold he came to tell us they were still not sure but it would be around the £8,000 mark.
We left and did not return.
Eventually, bought a lovely car from a very good dealer in Weston super Mare. Salesman was friendly, helpful and had all information at his finger tips. Needless to say, he got the sale.
I was shocked at how bad some BIG car names treat prospective customers.
Went to a main dealer in Bristol after looking at their website and seeing a car we wanted. When we arrived at showroom, the salesman did not know the price of the car and went to find out, offering us coffee. Twenty mins later he still did not know but asked my wife and me to join him and look at the car outside. We had a look and he left us whilst he went to find out if his manager had found the price..............twenty minutes later whilst we were left standing outside in the cold he came to tell us they were still not sure but it would be around the £8,000 mark.
We left and did not return.
Eventually, bought a lovely car from a very good dealer in Weston super Mare. Salesman was friendly, helpful and had all information at his finger tips. Needless to say, he got the sale.
I was shocked at how bad some BIG car names treat prospective customers.
I spent 2 years on a Ducati because Ocean BMW couldn't be bothered talking to a cash buyer stood in their showroom.
I also went to buy an Aston martin but the chap at Grange was such a complete and utter tool we left, and came home via Carrs.
They knew we were tyre kicking a bit, and that they had nothing in our budget, but still showed us around, gave us coffee, and gave us a test drive. They didn't sell me a car, but I've spent over £3k in their service dept since.
I also went to buy an Aston martin but the chap at Grange was such a complete and utter tool we left, and came home via Carrs.
They knew we were tyre kicking a bit, and that they had nothing in our budget, but still showed us around, gave us coffee, and gave us a test drive. They didn't sell me a car, but I've spent over £3k in their service dept since.
I have something similar, except it's about getting my XK8 repaired,. My dad reversed his x-type out the drive and managed to hit my front bumper.
I thought I'll take it to a well known place in Filton as I want a proper job doing. I've been waiting three weeks for a quote! Have emailed and phoned up to get the quote, seems they don't want my business? That's that one done then?
I've gone to a very nice place in Hirwaun,Wales (gf lives in Cardiff) who couldn't of been more helpful! Plus he had some gorgeous classics inside to gawp at! Customer service today seems all over the place!!!
I thought I'll take it to a well known place in Filton as I want a proper job doing. I've been waiting three weeks for a quote! Have emailed and phoned up to get the quote, seems they don't want my business? That's that one done then?
I've gone to a very nice place in Hirwaun,Wales (gf lives in Cardiff) who couldn't of been more helpful! Plus he had some gorgeous classics inside to gawp at! Customer service today seems all over the place!!!
I had some rust on an old car that needed doing (not MOT failure, but looked terrible) and I phoned around a couple of garages and said I would be down at time x.
visited a main dealer - ignored for half an hour, got fed up and walked out.
an accident approved place - looked over briefly, pointed out work that didn't need doing and then wouldn't tell me a price, wanted to email it over. No wonder, it was £950!
and a one man band type place - Arrived impromptu, had a thorough look around, recommended another bit of work, and offered to repair the rust mentioned and mop the whole car for £150. £800 less than the accident centre.
Went to go and have a look at a new car.
Pulled up, looked around trying to find the car I was looking for, went into the office asked the bloke "Oh, it's at our other site, we'll have to get it in for you" Which was fine, but he wanted me to come back the next day. So begrudgingly I went back the next day, low and behold, it wasn't there. Spoke to the same bloke again, who denied all knowledge of the conversation and then said "well we can get it in for you" I simply said "well if your this bad when I want buy a car, christ knows what you're like should I have a problem, no thanks" and walked away.
Best thing I did, bought a better car from a dealer 3 weeks later.
visited a main dealer - ignored for half an hour, got fed up and walked out.
an accident approved place - looked over briefly, pointed out work that didn't need doing and then wouldn't tell me a price, wanted to email it over. No wonder, it was £950!
and a one man band type place - Arrived impromptu, had a thorough look around, recommended another bit of work, and offered to repair the rust mentioned and mop the whole car for £150. £800 less than the accident centre.
Went to go and have a look at a new car.
Pulled up, looked around trying to find the car I was looking for, went into the office asked the bloke "Oh, it's at our other site, we'll have to get it in for you" Which was fine, but he wanted me to come back the next day. So begrudgingly I went back the next day, low and behold, it wasn't there. Spoke to the same bloke again, who denied all knowledge of the conversation and then said "well we can get it in for you" I simply said "well if your this bad when I want buy a car, christ knows what you're like should I have a problem, no thanks" and walked away.
Best thing I did, bought a better car from a dealer 3 weeks later.
I used to be in the 'trade' so have lots of experience of car dealers... a lot of them not fantastic. But, last year I had the car buying experience of a lifetime and am now a 'good customer' their words!).
I needed an economical, petrol auto car from a local dealer with a great warranty (I'm now disabled so can't mess around with cars/bikes anymore) and that spec is near impossible to find - everything is flaming diesel!
Called Speedwell Honda in Newton Abbot and spoke to a guy called Richard, explained that I was probably a 'time waster' but wanted to know about the CVT boxes they have in Hondas. He invited me for a test drive so I made an appointment, then thought better of it and cancelled.
After a couple of more weeks looking with a lot of agro and bugger all joy from any of the local franchised dealers, I called him back. He remembered me straight away, I went over and tested a couple of cars (he even let me put the dogs in the back seats so they weren't left alone!) did me a brilliant deal and I bought a Honda. From meeting him to doing the deal was about 90 minutes and was a totally pleasant experience.
Since then, I've had a couple of dealings with them and every time they have been utterly brilliant - lending me a courtesy car (same deal, dogs no problem) charging sweet F.A. doing everything I've asked, on time and have never tried to upsell me on anything. Just had the car serviced (last week) and again, exactly the same and the car was washed and hoovered, courtesy car (dogs in the back) they painted my discs as they had surface rust (the bells only natch!) and it annoyed me at no charge and the whole lot cost me £155!
In thirty odd years of driving/buying cars I have never had such great service and I am a right fussy old bugger.
I needed an economical, petrol auto car from a local dealer with a great warranty (I'm now disabled so can't mess around with cars/bikes anymore) and that spec is near impossible to find - everything is flaming diesel!
Called Speedwell Honda in Newton Abbot and spoke to a guy called Richard, explained that I was probably a 'time waster' but wanted to know about the CVT boxes they have in Hondas. He invited me for a test drive so I made an appointment, then thought better of it and cancelled.
After a couple of more weeks looking with a lot of agro and bugger all joy from any of the local franchised dealers, I called him back. He remembered me straight away, I went over and tested a couple of cars (he even let me put the dogs in the back seats so they weren't left alone!) did me a brilliant deal and I bought a Honda. From meeting him to doing the deal was about 90 minutes and was a totally pleasant experience.
Since then, I've had a couple of dealings with them and every time they have been utterly brilliant - lending me a courtesy car (same deal, dogs no problem) charging sweet F.A. doing everything I've asked, on time and have never tried to upsell me on anything. Just had the car serviced (last week) and again, exactly the same and the car was washed and hoovered, courtesy car (dogs in the back) they painted my discs as they had surface rust (the bells only natch!) and it annoyed me at no charge and the whole lot cost me £155!
In thirty odd years of driving/buying cars I have never had such great service and I am a right fussy old bugger.
Just to show they aren't all bad. I took the MIL and FIL to go look at a couple of newer cars. His had died a death and hers had 200k on the clock.
Went to a small dealer which had 2 sites a few miles apart. Said we wanted to look at the golf at this site and the fabia at the other site. The sales guy simply got trade plates, asked if we wanted him to accompany us which we didn't. So he rang ahead and asked them the ready the fabia.
We drove the golf to the other garage, was handed the keys to to the fabia and simply said to not sell the golf until we got back. Then drove the fabia back to the original garage. Then sat down and thrashed out a deal on the golf and decided as the 200k mk4 wasn't worth a toss we might as well drive it till it broke.
Picked up the golf a week later, all good, stress free and zero hard sell. I tell you what it almost made me want to go back to selling cars again it was that nice
Went to a small dealer which had 2 sites a few miles apart. Said we wanted to look at the golf at this site and the fabia at the other site. The sales guy simply got trade plates, asked if we wanted him to accompany us which we didn't. So he rang ahead and asked them the ready the fabia.
We drove the golf to the other garage, was handed the keys to to the fabia and simply said to not sell the golf until we got back. Then drove the fabia back to the original garage. Then sat down and thrashed out a deal on the golf and decided as the 200k mk4 wasn't worth a toss we might as well drive it till it broke.
Picked up the golf a week later, all good, stress free and zero hard sell. I tell you what it almost made me want to go back to selling cars again it was that nice
I have had bad and good dealings with dealers over the years,
I dealer I would recommend from personal experience was Honda in Brislington. Bought a FRv back in 2005. Had the car for 6 years. I bought a 5 year service plan at the time for £300!! for the 5 years and they did a great job. Never a issue. Always helpful. ok I can't comment on them in the past 4 years
I dealer I would recommend from personal experience was Honda in Brislington. Bought a FRv back in 2005. Had the car for 6 years. I bought a 5 year service plan at the time for £300!! for the 5 years and they did a great job. Never a issue. Always helpful. ok I can't comment on them in the past 4 years
A saying I love is "dead horse and donkey dealers" and for the rudest and most unhelpful of them all, try buying a second hand crane lorry!!!!! An utter nightmare, trust-me!!! I have now found one, in Scotland!! told the very helpful owner that it must be spot-one, don't send anything down that hasn't had a full inspection, test etc........ It came down with a full crane test (allegedly) a full MOT and test (allegedly) but with knackered brakes, rams, fuel tank, dodgy wiring etc etc etc on a 2008 plate. The only reason I have kept it is due to us having sold my old lorry and the buyer had already waited 6 months for me to find a replacement, the new owner had already paid in full for my old truck!!! The nice owner does not return my calls, so I change phones, we have lots!!!
Like many, I have no idea how theses companies keep going and the amount of pissed-off customers they end up dealing with on a daily basis must be a nightmare!!!
I've always said I'm in the wrong trade and give my customers far too good a service!!!!!
I feel a bit better for getting that off my chest, thanks!!!
Like many, I have no idea how theses companies keep going and the amount of pissed-off customers they end up dealing with on a daily basis must be a nightmare!!!
I've always said I'm in the wrong trade and give my customers far too good a service!!!!!
I feel a bit better for getting that off my chest, thanks!!!
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