Bit of a rant - Maserati don't want to sell cars

[unrepentant]

wijit said:

jeff666 said:

Why slag the salesman off ? by his own admission the OP was vague on what model he wanted, doesn't have
a budget in mind, if he walked in and said i am looking for "this model" and have X to spend he may have been treated a bit better.


Most guys looking for a car of that calibre will have done their homework on it, compared prices, read some reviews and road tests maybe ?

No disrespect meant to the OP but selling cars brings out a lot of time wasters, maybe you caught the guy on a bad day.

If you are asking about something worth more than a number of the local houses you should be able to be as vague as you like. That aside, if I have a bad day I certainly don't use my day to ps off the people who are possibly going to pay my wages.

He wasn't though was he? Reading between the lines it looks like the OP was looking at very expensive machinery but actually wanted to spend a very modest amount, maybe sub 20k, whereas the cars at the dealership were 3 or 4 times that.

Unfortunately there are a lot of tyre kickers out there. I had a guy one day looking at a late model used XJ. He had turned up in a Chevy Cavalier, possibly worth $3k. I'm not one to judge a book by it's cover but it's something to bear in mind. The Jag is $50k and the guy asks me if a $300 payment would buy it (no cash down and you're looking at $1000 a month). I asked him how much cash he wanted to put down. None. No, $300 a month would not buy it. Oh, $300 a month is his budget. Can he test drive it anyway? No, he can't. It's called qualifying and any salesman who doesn't do it is an idiot.

It looks to me, from what the OP has said, like the salesman in this case correctly qualified the OP as someone who was not going to be a buyer for anything he had in stock and dealt with him correctly.

[Andyt25]

There are Maserati dealers out there who are brilliant..... Dick Lovett in Swindon and Bowker in Preston.....I have dealt with both and have nothing but praise for them.

As someone mentioned above get on www.sportsmaserati.com as there is loads of advice on there..

[wildcat45]

unrepentant said:

He wasn't though was he? Reading between the lines it looks like the OP was looking at very expensive machinery but actually wanted to spend a very modest amount, maybe sub 20k, whereas the cars at the dealership were 3 or 4 times that.

Unfortunately there are a lot of tyre kickers out there. I had a guy one day looking at a late model used XJ. He had turned up in a Chevy Cavalier, possibly worth $3k. I'm not one to judge a book by it's cover but it's something to bear in mind. The Jag is $50k and the guy asks me if a $300 payment would buy it (no cash down and you're looking at $1000 a month). I asked him how much cash he wanted to put down. None. No, $300 a month would not buy it. Oh, $300 a month is his budget. Can he test drive it anyway? No, he can't. It's called qualifying and any salesman who doesn't do it is an idiot.

It looks to me, from what the OP has said, like the salesman in this case correctly qualified the OP as someone who was not going to be a buyer for anything he had in stock and dealt with him correctly.

As I say it comes down to class - or rather perception of money. New money. One of the richest guys I know tools round in an old Renault van. He has a very nice Merc or two along with houses in Span, the UK Ireland and France. But he wanders round looking like he's on his way to the dole.

[FalconWood]

col 4 door said:

Not sure if this is the right section, but couldn't find an Italian section of the forum to rant in.

Just been to Maserati in Leeds. I've been toying with the idea of a Quattroporte. This is a pretty big deal for me and I really want to savour the experience.

Walked in and asked if they had any used ones in stock. Was directed to a rude salesman that didn't really want to know me at all. Granted, I was vague and am unsure of which car I want exactly.

I got very little out of the guy. I even asked if all interiors were the same because the used example was a GTS. I wondered if it had sportier seats. The rsponse I received was "they're all different". That was it.

I went over to the car and tried to open the door. I received "they're all locked". Again, that was it. I had to then ask permission to have a look inside. With a grunt, the salesman walked off, followed by a beep of central locking some time later.

I'd like to point out that I've also been to the Manchester branch, which has now given up on Maserati. They were great. They had no stock, but took the time to sit with me and run through options and ideas.

Anyone got any ideas of where would be better for me to try?

Leeds was a horrible experience.

Hi. I do not believe that Manchester necessarily gave up on the brand, it has been taken over by Bowker Ribble Valley in Osbaldeston and they are a very good set of unpretentious guys there

[Butter Face]

So, the highlights...

col 4 door said:

rude salesman that didn't really want to know me at all.


The rsponse I received was "they're all different". That was it.

I went over to the car and tried to open the door. I received "they're all locked".

With a grunt, the salesman walked off, followed by a beep of central locking some time later.


Leeds was a horrible experience.

Sounds like a right tosser that salesman, not even a word? Just grunts!

col 4 door said:

Thing is, the sales guy asked if I'd heard of pistonheads and suggested I take a look at it.......

Oh, so there was some dialogue, even said have you hear about a great enthusiast website where people discuss the marque and others can help with your research as you're at an early stage. But apart from that he was a tosser.

col 4 door said:

I even asked if he'd email details of them to me when they came in. He said he didn't want to waste his time.

Ok, so he then said (in a trying to be polite way no doubt) that he didn't think anything they get in would suit your budget (and you've already said you want to buy at the cheapest end of the market), Still a tosser

col 4 door said:

He did talk to us for a little while after this and seemed to warm slightly

Ok, not so much of a tosser now. Spending time with you.

col 4 door said:

He even picked out a couple of classifieds that might suit me from specialists he liked.

And he gave you advice on what cars to buy. What a pillock. You should complain to Maserati UK. Definitely.

[col 4 door]

FalconWood said:

Hi. I do not believe that Manchester necessarily gave up on the brand, it has been taken over by Bowker Ribble Valley in Osbaldeston and they are a very good set of unpretentious guys there

When speaking with them, they said they were giving up maserati, so that they could focus on ferrari because their showroom was too small. Sorry, wasn't implying anything bad there. They were brilliant when I visited, but just didn't sell the cars I wanted to look at.

[col 4 door]

Thanks for the tips and suggestions. Will look at the forum and try other dealers/specialists.

[NPI]

unrepentant said:

The Jag is $50k and the guy asks me if a $300 payment would buy it (no cash down and you're looking at $1000 a month). I asked him how much cash he wanted to put down. None. No, $300 a month would not buy it. Oh, $300 a month is his budget. Can he test drive it anyway? No, he can't. It's called qualifying and any salesman who doesn't do it is an idiot.

Did you ask him how he intended to bridge the gap if he test drove the car and liked it?

Seems odd; if he was just a test pilot it would have been easy for him to say he could afford it, test drive it, and then walk away.

[carl_w]

col 4 door said:

The whole event was about 15 minutes.

So he spent 15 minutes with you?

[JohnG123]

Can only say when I visited that dealer in September looking at the Ferrari and Maserati cars the salesman i think was called Tony was very helpful and knowledgeable in both brands.
Although I since purchased a car from Graypaul Ferrari in Birmingham I will have my car serviced their as all the feedback seems good.

[tyrekicker2]

Its a small world, I was at a dinner party last night and this thread came up in conversation (sad I know) and the chap sat across from me who I had never met had bought a couple of cars from that place called "Brooklands" he said. Always great service, and helpful. He said the boss would be mortified to hear this thread as he runs a tight ship. So expect a call.....

[Colossus]

Interesting reading some of the comments from salesmen, who have made a number of assumptions about budget and whether there was any intention to actually buy. The OP was very open about how he was not familiar with the brand and the different models, which in turn makes it difficult to know how much he needs to spend to get a good one. Surely and salesman worth his salt would have taken the time to explain the various options available and the relative costs to assist the OP. This is basic stuff and there is simply no excuss for a failure to do that. Whilst there are always two sides to every story the OP left feeling he had a bad experience, that is not his fault but the way he was dealt with by the dealer, simple as that. I can well understand why the OP was hacked off.

[Butter Face]

Colossus said:

Interesting reading some of the comments from salesmen, who have made a number of assumptions about budget and whether there was any intention to actually buy. The OP was very open about how he was not familiar with the brand and the different models, which in turn makes it difficult to know how much he needs to spend to get a good one. Surely and salesman worth his salt would have taken the time to explain the various options available and the relative costs to assist the OP. This is basic stuff and there is simply no excuss for a failure to do that. Whilst there are always two sides to every story the OP left feeling he had a bad experience, that is not his fault but the way he was dealt with by the dealer, simple as that. I can well understand why the OP was hacked off.

Read above.

It's hardly the 'he threw me out by my scruff' story that was first portrayed.

The salesman qualified him, knew that nothing they have/will get would suit his budget/requirements (however vague they may be) and even sat him down, asked him if he know of this site, showed him other cars at other dealers that would suit him and if a cup of coffee wasn't offered I'll eat my shoe.

[HTP99]

From what I can gather and from what has come out gradually in this thread it seems that in actual fact the dealer in question was unable to supply a suitable car and in future won't be able to help with what the OP wants; seems fair to me, if that is the case, that the salesman didn't want to waste too much time when he had no chance of ever supplying a car and to be honest he advised the OP of more suitable places for the kind of car he was looking for.

I wouldn't spend any meaningful time with someone if their budget or requirements were way below what we offer; for example the cheapest QP for sale at JCT 600 Leeds is just shy of £68k, if the OP had gone in with a budget of say...£15k (a figure plucked out of the air!) there would be no chance of ever buying one from them.

[jeff666]

robsa said:

jeff666 said:

Why slag the salesman off ?

Read my post for an explanation of why I said there was no excuse for his behaviour. He wasn't buying tea-bags, he was buying an aspirational and extremely expensive luxury item.

'Having a bad day' is no excuse.

No, he wasn't buying at all, tea bags or Maseratis, maybe some of the salesman who have commented on this thread know a bit more about the situation than you, a genuine customer generally knows a bit about the car he wants and how much he wants to pay.

The OP did not.

[tyrekicker2]

jeff666 said:

No, he wasn't buying at all, tea bags or Maseratis, maybe some of the salesman who have commented on this thread know a bit more about the situation than you, a genuine customer generally knows a bit about the car he wants and how much he wants to pay.

The OP did not.

jeff666 said:

I think it is clear as all this is unfolding that in fact the salesman probably did his job properly and tried to qualify someone not in the market or at least his market, spends some time with the Op and directs him to somewhere where he can find what he is looking for and then gets publicly slated.

Poor chap, I think the OP owes him a drink

Apologies for my previous comments salesman

[MaverickV12]

HTP99 said:

in future won't be able to help with what the OP wants

Sorry HTP, I can't agree there. There was a time that I would dream of buying a 3 series, I even went into the dealership local to us and asked to look at their cars, being a young man and their lowest car was at the top of my budget...... I was treated like the dirt on the bottom of their shoe

I remember he looked up at me like his 5h1t didn't stink ...... and I can remember this, to this day.

But now I laugh they phone me up now having bought a few in the past, but am no longer interested in 3 or 5 series.

So whilst the OP can't afford a £50-60k Maser at the moment does not mean that he won't in the future ..... and when he does have this £50-60k burning a hole in his pocket desperate for a nice Maser......... I wonder which dealership he will go to .......

Having just bought from a Franchise dealer, I was treated with respect and politness, no faults ..... thanks guys ... .... But what I did notice was that at a Fezzer/Maser dealership, they are hardly run off their feet with customers coming through the doors. If it were a Ford or Vauxhall dealership you have loads of people looking at loads of cars.

I did notice that one chap was sat at his desk and for the 60 minute handover of the car he didn't flinch, no phone calls, no people, no walking around, he could have been asleep for all I know ...... a chap like that could easily spend 30 minutes talking about a car to a potential buyer (who at the mo can't buy the car)..... he could even give him some coffee, I would if it were me ...... and if I were the buyer ...... do you think I would come back when I had the money .....

PS, in my time I've bought 4 BMW's from franchise dealers, each time, I went out of my city to find a dealer and do a deal, I have never returned to the dealer that looked down on me .....

[Sierra Mike]

Whether someone is seriously interested in buying a car there and then or whether they're looking to become familiar with the marque, the dealership's role is to not just sell the cars but as a brand ambassador. Rudeness is inexcusable and whether a person is rude or not is a subjective matter so all that matters here is that the OP was offended. I never call ahead to make an appointment unless I'd like a test drive. My time is scarce and the last thing I'm going to do is waste it on scheduling a time slot to visit a dealership. If I find myself with time to spare, I'll pop in.

I've had a poor experience with Brooklands but with respect to Ferrari. I ultimately asked for my deposit back on a 458. I've also just had a bad experience buying my 991 GT3 from another JCT600 dealership. I'm not impressed.

If you'd like to still use this dealership, I suggest you contact JCT600 HQ and offer your feedback. You could maybe ask them to introduce you to the dealer principal. I think you'll find a difference in the way you are treated however, don't expect it to last long. A car dealer is a car dealer.

The JCT600 Customer First Philosophy
Jack always says that if you put customers first then they will do the same for you. JCT600 continues to hold to this tradition of putting the customer at the heart of all the company does.
http://www.jct600.co.uk/about-jct600/company-histo...

Jack Tordoff may have thought that way but some of his subsequent employees don't.

Edited by Sierra Mike on Sunday 12th January 15:30

[MaverickV12]

Sierra Mike said:

.....whether a person is rude or not is a subjective matter so all that matters here is that the OP was offended......

[samvia]

Sierra Mike said:

Rudeness is inexcusable and whether a person is rude or not is a subjective matter so all that matters here is that the OP was offended.

He was offended in his first post. Several posts in, and the sales exec has sat him down, suggested websites for him to use for research and pointed him in the direction of a few other specialists who could maybe help him further. If he really was offended, he would have walked out within a few minutes, not sat down with the sales exec and paid attention.

Sierra Mike said:

I never call ahead to make an appointment unless I'd like a test drive. My time is scarce and the last thing I'm going to do is waste it on scheduling a time slot to visit a dealership. If I find myself with time to spare, I'll pop in.

Granted, walk-in traffic is part and parcel of a main dealer, nothing wrong with that. But the absolute "last thing" you would do is arrange an appointment to discuss a six figure car purchase? Must be nice to have a purchase of that size so far down your priority list.