Rude car dealers
Discussion
Pwig said:
I also love the way people judge an eintre brand by one salesman at one dealership. If you don't get along with the salesman mention so and ask to speak to someone else. There are alot of different characters who work at dealerships. cos guess what, we are all different!
This is because in life, business and government the attitude and messages come from the top and filter down.If somethings rotten and the bottom 90% of the time it's rotten at the top too. You get local variations of course, but in general you'll find that is true.
The Lexus dealer getting a pasting from Lexus UK is an example of the message being pushed down the chain. It all starts at the top.
Scraggles said:
had a certain renault dealer refuse to believe that I did not want any more renaults, most likley as was driving a ford focus company car. Asked for my details to be removed from their mailing list a good 4-5 years ago. Last year got some fliers, seems they had decided to keep my details after all.
Wrote back to them asking what part of remove my details did they not understand ? Told them any more junk mail would be returned, think that cost them £1.50, the next one maybe a lot more as it was weighted down with some other pap I had gotten..
Then got put on junk mailing lists to the army, some bunch of god lovers and stannah stair lifts, the muppets used their office phone, so when the lift guys phoned me to check on some details, no-one in the renault office knew anything about it.
Tried renault uk, who were utterly useless as got more renault offers after that from the same retards
Answer is simple, contact them quoting data protection act and state that you'll be reporting them to the data protection registrar.Wrote back to them asking what part of remove my details did they not understand ? Told them any more junk mail would be returned, think that cost them £1.50, the next one maybe a lot more as it was weighted down with some other pap I had gotten..
Then got put on junk mailing lists to the army, some bunch of god lovers and stannah stair lifts, the muppets used their office phone, so when the lift guys phoned me to check on some details, no-one in the renault office knew anything about it.
Tried renault uk, who were utterly useless as got more renault offers after that from the same retards
Paracetamol - Unfortunately, my wife doesn't know what she wants and shopping for a car with her, is like shopping for a pair of shoes.
I've always found that appeasing 'her who must be obeyed' on such issues always works out for the best, not least of which, because she buys and pays for her own cars. She also lives in the countryside, so it's an appropriate vehicle to have.
I've always found that appeasing 'her who must be obeyed' on such issues always works out for the best, not least of which, because she buys and pays for her own cars. She also lives in the countryside, so it's an appropriate vehicle to have.
I once had a really glossy invite to test drive a new prestige car on a particular day, phone them for timeslot, take all my details. I turn up on said day...
them: "oh sorry, it didnt turn up"
me: "well you could have rung & told me!"
them "yeah, we'll call you when its in"
FFS!!!!!
ps, never got a call.
them: "oh sorry, it didnt turn up"
me: "well you could have rung & told me!"
them "yeah, we'll call you when its in"
FFS!!!!!
ps, never got a call.
I've spoken about my Porsche independant experiences on here before. Two years ago I tried to buy a Boxster S at two dealers and they just weren't interested. The cars were around £20k in price, and I turned up in a BMW 330ci worth about £10k trade in. I was going to pay the rest cash. One of the salesman just wondered off after I introduced myself! I called both of them first about the cars I was interested in, and am a well spoken professional guy with a laid back and friendly manner. I got one test drive out of it, in a dog eared 1999 model S up and down a straight road. I had made a two hour round trip with money in the bank to look at a car and they weren't interested. How stupid can you get? It would have been an easy sale for them - I had the money waiting in my bank account! People like that don't deserve to be in business, and it's a wonder they still are.
I wrote a letter of complaint (to which I never received a response) and bought an Elise instead.
Back when I was 25, I went to a Lotus main dealer interested in an Elise and got the brush off (ok, I got a test drive, but the guy was very condescending to me). I just bought a Caterham instead (the Caterham sales team are great!). When I went to my first Caterham club meeting, I got chatting to another owner there (we're still good friends five years later), who had exactly the same experience at the same Lotus dealer, and he went and bought a seven instead. We now both own Elises, bought from different dealers I hasten to add!
epilogue:
I'd like to add that I'm thinking of buying another car in the future to go alongside the Elise and Caterham, and went to an OPC looking at a Cayman S recently. They were incredibly polite and attentive, and the salesman that I dealt with was just brilliant. I nearly wrote a letter to his boss saying how good he was actually.
On the Lotus dealer front, I've been to three Lotus dealers since (finally finding the right car for me at Wilsons) and they were all just brilliant. The dealers were Bell and Colvill, Wilsons and then one in Poole (whose name escapes me). All superb and very helpful.
I wrote a letter of complaint (to which I never received a response) and bought an Elise instead.
Back when I was 25, I went to a Lotus main dealer interested in an Elise and got the brush off (ok, I got a test drive, but the guy was very condescending to me). I just bought a Caterham instead (the Caterham sales team are great!). When I went to my first Caterham club meeting, I got chatting to another owner there (we're still good friends five years later), who had exactly the same experience at the same Lotus dealer, and he went and bought a seven instead. We now both own Elises, bought from different dealers I hasten to add!
epilogue:
I'd like to add that I'm thinking of buying another car in the future to go alongside the Elise and Caterham, and went to an OPC looking at a Cayman S recently. They were incredibly polite and attentive, and the salesman that I dealt with was just brilliant. I nearly wrote a letter to his boss saying how good he was actually.
On the Lotus dealer front, I've been to three Lotus dealers since (finally finding the right car for me at Wilsons) and they were all just brilliant. The dealers were Bell and Colvill, Wilsons and then one in Poole (whose name escapes me). All superb and very helpful.
Edited by RobM77 on Thursday 6th December 11:15
Having failed miserably trying to get a Range Rover dealer to start negotiations, I went to get my car serviced today at my local Indy. Having spent 20 mintues or so outlining the items I wanted attending to in the service, we started talking about a Cayenne S they happened to have in stock. We spent a good hour or so chatting about it, looking it over etc, followed by a test drive for as long as I wanted & about 5 minutes of negotiation to buy it. The single most relaxed negotation I have ever had & both of us came out of it feeling happy with the result.
RobM77 said:
On the Lotus dealer front, I've been to three Lotus dealers since (finally finding the right car for me at Wilsons) and they were all just brilliant. The dealers were Bell and Colvill, Wilsons and then one in Poole (whose name escapes me). All superb and very helpful.
Edited by RobM77 on Thursday 6th December 11:15
L100NYY said:
RobM77 said:
On the Lotus dealer front, I've been to three Lotus dealers since (finally finding the right car for me at Wilsons) and they were all just brilliant. The dealers were Bell and Colvill, Wilsons and then one in Poole (whose name escapes me). All superb and very helpful.
Edited by RobM77 on Thursday 6th December 11:15
If you remember I couldn't reach the steering wheel in my car when I test drove it, and you showed me the Momo conversion in your S1 I declared it was fine and bought the car straight away TonyHetherington said:
My experience of Lexus (I've had 2 x IS200's) was, shall we say, not up to their reputation. I live in the South-East and bought the car from somewhere in the west, but a bit east of wales
Tell you what though, their head office was superb.
Ok long story short; buy car from official dealer. It comes with full service history, as stated in ad and as deemed necessary by official Lexus warranty etc.
I get the car but they say they've lost the book, don't worry we'll forward you one on it's all on computer. Months go by, I chase now and then but never too particularly worried about it. A year later a service is needed and so I start to get all snotty about it.
Turns out the car missed it's last service.
So, they offer me....a free service. Cheeky feckwits, I told him on the phone I was actually offended at that. They said "that's the best we can do".
So, got on to Lexus UK. Within 1 hour of my e-mail arrving I had a phone call from the UK director I think it was, giving me his personal mobile number and saying he'll be back to me by close of business. He phoned me at 5pm to say he was on his way down to (the dealer in question) that night, will establish a resolution first thing in morning.
Following morning I got a phone call from Mr UK director, sir we'd like to offer as a direct replacement this car which is slightly better spec, 10k miles less than yours and a year newer.
The dealer were appauling, Lexus Customer services UK were first class.
That is a staggeringly good result 12 months on. Well done Lexus Tell you what though, their head office was superb.
Ok long story short; buy car from official dealer. It comes with full service history, as stated in ad and as deemed necessary by official Lexus warranty etc.
I get the car but they say they've lost the book, don't worry we'll forward you one on it's all on computer. Months go by, I chase now and then but never too particularly worried about it. A year later a service is needed and so I start to get all snotty about it.
Turns out the car missed it's last service.
So, they offer me....a free service. Cheeky feckwits, I told him on the phone I was actually offended at that. They said "that's the best we can do".
So, got on to Lexus UK. Within 1 hour of my e-mail arrving I had a phone call from the UK director I think it was, giving me his personal mobile number and saying he'll be back to me by close of business. He phoned me at 5pm to say he was on his way down to (the dealer in question) that night, will establish a resolution first thing in morning.
Following morning I got a phone call from Mr UK director, sir we'd like to offer as a direct replacement this car which is slightly better spec, 10k miles less than yours and a year newer.
The dealer were appauling, Lexus Customer services UK were first class.
RobM77 said:
L100NYY said:
RobM77 said:
On the Lotus dealer front, I've been to three Lotus dealers since (finally finding the right car for me at Wilsons) and they were all just brilliant. The dealers were Bell and Colvill, Wilsons and then one in Poole (whose name escapes me). All superb and very helpful.
Edited by RobM77 on Thursday 6th December 11:15
If you remember I couldn't reach the steering wheel in my car when I test drove it, and you showed me the Momo conversion in your S1 I declared it was fine and bought the car straight away SpydieNut said:
Jasandjules said:
shouldbworking said:
I do like the occasional 'I spent 20 minutes looking round a car in a dealer and noone came and spoke to me!'
Yes, and that is the way I like it.If I spot a car I actually do want to buy, I will find a salesman and start asking about it. I hate it when you can't actually even look round a car due to the steady stream of salesstaff asking if you need help..
So yes, it must be hard for them to please everyone..
to try and get around this ^^, some dealers come up to you when you go in and say - hi (or something
), feel free to have a look around, i'm right over here -----------> if you need me/have any questions etc. that way the customer doesn't feel ignored and they're also not pressured.
It is easy to ask the person if they would like help without being pushy.
"Sorry to ask sir.., but can I offer my expert opinion
" Well maybe not the second question, but that first part, "Sorry to ask sir" will take all the pressure of the second question, so make it direct. "Can I offer any help"?You dont waste any time, and know immediately. And you wont offend them. I think that L100NEY is right, you will pickup quickly who wants help and who doesn't.
Best service I ever received was from a Renault dealer.
Worst was from a Porsche dealer. Arrogant, rude bastards. Second worst was Lotus where all the salesmen ignored me for about half an hour, then after I'd bought the car (new) and one of the headlights stopped raising, leaving me almost blind in the rain on the motorway at night, the guy I bought it from laughed about it when I phoned him the next day. It wasn't
ing funny at the time.
My take on this is - cars like Porsches sell themselves. With something like a Renault, the dealer has to make some effort.
And you should be able to look like a tramp and still be sussed as genuine by a salesman - surely that's their job FFS?
Worst was from a Porsche dealer. Arrogant, rude bastards. Second worst was Lotus where all the salesmen ignored me for about half an hour, then after I'd bought the car (new) and one of the headlights stopped raising, leaving me almost blind in the rain on the motorway at night, the guy I bought it from laughed about it when I phoned him the next day. It wasn't
ing funny at the time.My take on this is - cars like Porsches sell themselves. With something like a Renault, the dealer has to make some effort.
And you should be able to look like a tramp and still be sussed as genuine by a salesman - surely that's their job FFS?
Edited by zadumbreion on Saturday 8th December 23:38
Can always remember looking around Stockton performance cars years(about 15) ago. Fancied a 200SX they had in. Asked for a drive and the response was "put down the £1000 deposit and you can drive it, there's nothing wrong with it".
Explained that I didn't think that there was anything wrong with it, I wanted to know whether I actually liked driving the car, was told politely to F off!
Needless to say, no sale. Tossers.
That to young single lad with a pocket full of ICI wages.
Nice people, car salesmen!
Explained that I didn't think that there was anything wrong with it, I wanted to know whether I actually liked driving the car, was told politely to F off!
Needless to say, no sale. Tossers.
That to young single lad with a pocket full of ICI wages.
Nice people, car salesmen!
When looking for a TVR my local dealer couldn't open up the car I wanted to see as the battery was flat (fair enough, this happens and my fault perhaps as I hadn't called ahead). However, what annoyed me was that they would not listen to what I wanted and were more keen to sell me an Elise (great cars but I had had one before and wanted a change). We talked vaguely about a test drive later that week but I started to look elsewhere.
In contrast I then drove 180 miles to an independent who although busy and it being a weekend let me take out 5 cars with my wife for as long as I liked per car. This worked, and I ended up buying a better car than I had originally gone there to look at.
It amazes me how many dealers when trying to sell an enthusiast car will not allow a decent test drive. I had been considering a move to a 911, but reading many comments on the Porsche forum believe that getting a decent test drive will be difficult. Cars do vary in how they drive, even within the same model, and I will not buy without a decent drive and ideally a comparison between examples. However, I guess not everyone is like this or more dealers would struggle to keep going.
In contrast I then drove 180 miles to an independent who although busy and it being a weekend let me take out 5 cars with my wife for as long as I liked per car. This worked, and I ended up buying a better car than I had originally gone there to look at.
It amazes me how many dealers when trying to sell an enthusiast car will not allow a decent test drive. I had been considering a move to a 911, but reading many comments on the Porsche forum believe that getting a decent test drive will be difficult. Cars do vary in how they drive, even within the same model, and I will not buy without a decent drive and ideally a comparison between examples. However, I guess not everyone is like this or more dealers would struggle to keep going.
One of the guys at the main Ford dealer once told us if we wanted to test drive a Mondeo Automatic we'd have to order one to the spec we wanted, pay the deposit and wait for it to be delivered. If we didnt like it we wouldnt have to complete the sale. Funnily enough he was unwilling to actually write that on the order form.....
More recently i've been trying to sell my little smart and get a new one. My local dealer (who have had a LOT of my business) told me that a) my 04/04 25,000mile smart BRABUS was too high mileage for him to retail and that all the guide prices are wrong and its really only worth £5k and to give me that he'd be doing me a favour. Funnily enough I didnt buy my new car from him. (to put that in context, the dealer i've purchased the new car from offered £6k)
I think these days, now we have the worldwideintraweb we're having it better than ever from a deal point of view but to the detriment of customer service maybe?
But rude as in properly rude? Not really found any of those yet.
More recently i've been trying to sell my little smart and get a new one. My local dealer (who have had a LOT of my business) told me that a) my 04/04 25,000mile smart BRABUS was too high mileage for him to retail and that all the guide prices are wrong and its really only worth £5k and to give me that he'd be doing me a favour. Funnily enough I didnt buy my new car from him. (to put that in context, the dealer i've purchased the new car from offered £6k)
I think these days, now we have the worldwideintraweb we're having it better than ever from a deal point of view but to the detriment of customer service maybe?
But rude as in properly rude? Not really found any of those yet.
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