MINI - a hard thing to buy
Discussion
Wife is looking to buy a new MINI Cooper. We have visited two showrooms, one in Birmingham and the other in Wolverhampton. In both cases we spent at least 20 minutes looking at the cars in the showroom and in neither case did anyone speak to us or give us the time of day.
Is this some new 'anti sales' strategy ? I mean, no-one likes 'pushy' but isn't completely ignoring potential buyers taking things a little too far ?
OC
Is this some new 'anti sales' strategy ? I mean, no-one likes 'pushy' but isn't completely ignoring potential buyers taking things a little too far ?
OC
I had some different experiences.
Cambridge - Nice (very) young chap. Approached us in the showroom. Was super helpful and not pushy at all. Very nice. Well informed. Gave me a test drive when I came back to choose between two engine sizes. All excellent...
...Until I started to negotiate - then he didn't really "get it". They had a car that was just the right spec but, looking online, there was another one at a main dealer that was spot on, £3k less, same mileage and 6 months older. I tried to give the nice young chap the business by seeing if there was something he could do on price - and would have paid a lot more than the other car. He did the "I need to speak to the Sales Manager" spiel and said he would call me back the next day. A week later and no call, so I give him a bell. I had to remind him that he was supposed to call but apparently the conversation with the sales manager had not delivered any real discount, so it wasn't worth calling me.
Pity as I would have liked to give him the business.
Cheltenham - They had the spot-on car. I called and got a straightforward chap. Negotiated a deal in two phone calls. Left a deposit. Collected the car two days later. The sales chap was pleasant without being pushy or overly matey. Efficient and "on it". Hand over was a dream. Probably the best car buying experience I've had to be honest.
Cambridge - Nice (very) young chap. Approached us in the showroom. Was super helpful and not pushy at all. Very nice. Well informed. Gave me a test drive when I came back to choose between two engine sizes. All excellent...
...Until I started to negotiate - then he didn't really "get it". They had a car that was just the right spec but, looking online, there was another one at a main dealer that was spot on, £3k less, same mileage and 6 months older. I tried to give the nice young chap the business by seeing if there was something he could do on price - and would have paid a lot more than the other car. He did the "I need to speak to the Sales Manager" spiel and said he would call me back the next day. A week later and no call, so I give him a bell. I had to remind him that he was supposed to call but apparently the conversation with the sales manager had not delivered any real discount, so it wasn't worth calling me.
Pity as I would have liked to give him the business.
Cheltenham - They had the spot-on car. I called and got a straightforward chap. Negotiated a deal in two phone calls. Left a deposit. Collected the car two days later. The sales chap was pleasant without being pushy or overly matey. Efficient and "on it". Hand over was a dream. Probably the best car buying experience I've had to be honest.
OddCat said:
Apologies.
Clearly I am old fashioned. There are no salesmen anymore. Only "order takers" !
No wonder the country is going to the dogs !!
Yes, the country is clearly going to the dogs because a MINI dealer doesn't harass customers as soon as they step through the door!Clearly I am old fashioned. There are no salesmen anymore. Only "order takers" !
No wonder the country is going to the dogs !!
Open mouth, ask for assistance. Problem solved.
Big difference between harassment and common courtesy.
Maybe MINI are blazing a trail and moving towards a strategy similar to that of convenience stores where you can go in and self serve, pay and leave without needing to interact with anyone ?
They should just have unmanned showrooms and a pile of order forms. You go in, have a look round, if you fancy one then fill in a form, staple a cheque to it, and wait for a text message telling you your car is ready to collect. Genius !
MINI showrooms I visited are already doing this - except they forgot to tell the sales staff not to bother coming in..........
Maybe MINI are blazing a trail and moving towards a strategy similar to that of convenience stores where you can go in and self serve, pay and leave without needing to interact with anyone ?
They should just have unmanned showrooms and a pile of order forms. You go in, have a look round, if you fancy one then fill in a form, staple a cheque to it, and wait for a text message telling you your car is ready to collect. Genius !
MINI showrooms I visited are already doing this - except they forgot to tell the sales staff not to bother coming in..........
I'm with the OP here. I have been shopping for a car for SWMBO over the last 12 months.
Alfa dealer completely ignored us (on 2occasions) and trying to get anyone's attention doesn't work if people seem to be actively trying to be unapproachable. It is always polite to acknowledge someone entering the premises, even if it's just to say hello, help yourself and I'm here if you need me. It is not good form to stare straight through people, not so much as acknowledge a presence and continue with your little chat with your colleague.
Big mistake really as not only was I considering a Mito QV for the wife but I was also toying with the idea of chopping my Evora in for a 4C.
Similar experience from Kia, Vauxhall and Ford dealers. Merc were good and so were Mini, welcome, please look around and were here when you need us.
That said Mini are not so great at calling back now that I have signed on the dotted line on a JCW for SWMBO.
No doubt it depends on the dealers, but many similar stories on one of the Lotus Forums.
Alfa dealer completely ignored us (on 2occasions) and trying to get anyone's attention doesn't work if people seem to be actively trying to be unapproachable. It is always polite to acknowledge someone entering the premises, even if it's just to say hello, help yourself and I'm here if you need me. It is not good form to stare straight through people, not so much as acknowledge a presence and continue with your little chat with your colleague.
Big mistake really as not only was I considering a Mito QV for the wife but I was also toying with the idea of chopping my Evora in for a 4C.
Similar experience from Kia, Vauxhall and Ford dealers. Merc were good and so were Mini, welcome, please look around and were here when you need us.
That said Mini are not so great at calling back now that I have signed on the dotted line on a JCW for SWMBO.
No doubt it depends on the dealers, but many similar stories on one of the Lotus Forums.
I'm with the OP here. I have been shopping for a car for SWMBO over the last 12 months.
Alfa dealer completely ignored us (on 2occasions) and trying to get anyone's attention doesn't work if people seem to be actively trying to be unapproachable. It is always polite to acknowledge someone entering the premises, even if it's just to say hello, help yourself and I'm here if you need me. It is not good form to stare straight through people, not so much as acknowledge a presence and continue with your little chat with your colleague.
Big mistake really as not only was I considering a Mito QV for the wife but I was also toying with the idea of chopping my Evora in for a 4C.
Similar experience from Kia, Vauxhall and Ford dealers. Merc were good and so were Mini, welcome, please look around and were here when you need us.
That said Mini are not so great at calling back now that I have signed on the dotted line on a JCW for SWMBO.
No doubt it depends on the dealers, but many similar stories on one of the Lotus Forums.
Alfa dealer completely ignored us (on 2occasions) and trying to get anyone's attention doesn't work if people seem to be actively trying to be unapproachable. It is always polite to acknowledge someone entering the premises, even if it's just to say hello, help yourself and I'm here if you need me. It is not good form to stare straight through people, not so much as acknowledge a presence and continue with your little chat with your colleague.
Big mistake really as not only was I considering a Mito QV for the wife but I was also toying with the idea of chopping my Evora in for a 4C.
Similar experience from Kia, Vauxhall and Ford dealers. Merc were good and so were Mini, welcome, please look around and were here when you need us.
That said Mini are not so great at calling back now that I have signed on the dotted line on a JCW for SWMBO.
No doubt it depends on the dealers, but many similar stories on one of the Lotus Forums.
We bought a new Mini Cooper a couple of monthes ago, without doubt the best new car buying experience I've ever had. Young chap salesman knew pretty much everything about the car and how to decipher the option packs 
and the handover a couple of weeks later took at least 30 mins with everything about the car explained in detail. Didn't get much of a discount though. Got a follow up phone call after a few days to check if we were happy with the car and asked if we have any issues with it.
and the handover a couple of weeks later took at least 30 mins with everything about the car explained in detail. Didn't get much of a discount though. Got a follow up phone call after a few days to check if we were happy with the car and asked if we have any issues with it. I was in the market for a used Mini, a very lovely (and attractive) lady couldn't be nicer to me. We had almost agreed a deal on a used JCW, but the car in question had absolutely smooth outer edges on both rear tyres. I said I would want them changed but the sales manager point blank refused.
We left, that afternoon I found another one for sale and bought it. The next morning, the lovely lady called me all jolly and bubbly saying that the sales manager has had a change of heart and he will now change the tyres as part of the deal. I apologised to her that I had bought another car, and said it was a shame for her that the sales manager didn't see sense at the time. She went from the loveliest person in the world to speaking to me like I was something she had just trod in and then hung up!
I have bought 4 minis since then, 2 new and 2 used. All from somewhere else despite that dealer being 4 miles from my house!
We left, that afternoon I found another one for sale and bought it. The next morning, the lovely lady called me all jolly and bubbly saying that the sales manager has had a change of heart and he will now change the tyres as part of the deal. I apologised to her that I had bought another car, and said it was a shame for her that the sales manager didn't see sense at the time. She went from the loveliest person in the world to speaking to me like I was something she had just trod in and then hung up!
I have bought 4 minis since then, 2 new and 2 used. All from somewhere else despite that dealer being 4 miles from my house!
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