Stratstones.

Author
Discussion

cayman-black

Original Poster:

12,625 posts

215 months

Tuesday 14th October 2014
quotequote all
What is it with this dealer, they seem to have there cars priced not to sell and if they can sell anyone wanting to get rid of there car should get in touch with them as hopefully they will be paying more. I dont think!

MrLizard

261 posts

182 months

Tuesday 14th October 2014
quotequote all
went there last week inquiring after a N430 - completely disgusted with the service i received and really annoyed me - certainly would not buy a car from them

DAVIDOXE

494 posts

113 months

Tuesday 14th October 2014
quotequote all
Bought my 4.7 from them (cardiff) pre sales was very good.
Trouble is i only had it for 3 days and its been back with them since 12 days!!!

140 point inspection my arse!

cayman-black

Original Poster:

12,625 posts

215 months

Tuesday 14th October 2014
quotequote all
DAVIDOXE said:
Bought my 4.7 from them (cardiff) pre sales was very good.
Trouble is i only had it for 3 days and its been back with them since 12 days!!!

140 point inspection my arse!
DAVID perhaps its your car they are advertising, dont worry they will never sell it!

bomberh

634 posts

136 months

Tuesday 14th October 2014
quotequote all
Don't get me started on Stratstones......grumpy

Pre-buying and build up to buying really good.

After care and after sales customer service....poor....poor. Things went wrong with the car, never answered my e-mails, never returned my calls....only did half of what they said they would do and it went on and one.... That bad I had to go well over the Dealership Principle and to the parent company and their Aston Director to get anything done.headache

I wouldn't go anywhere near them now, removed their sticker from the rear window and changed the numbers plates (they needed changing, as they were pealing), but it got rid of their name on the plates too.

Having said the above, I am sure there are a lot of people who had a good experience with them, however, mine and after sales care wasn't good at all. irked

shropshireAston

204 posts

128 months

Tuesday 14th October 2014
quotequote all
Stratstone Derby have been excellent with me so far - sales was easy - they got hold of manual and TT for me to try to help me decide - delivered on time with very tight timescales.. really happy with them.
I've got a little problem.. which they responded to and will see how it pans out but so far all good..

Sales wise - speak to Gerald at Derby - he's damn fine fella

V8 Animal

5,914 posts

209 months

Tuesday 14th October 2014
quotequote all
shropshireAston said:
Stratstone Derby have been excellent with me so far - sales was easy - they got hold of manual and TT for me to try to help me decide - delivered on time with very tight timescales.. really happy with them.
I've got a little problem.. which they responded to and will see how it pans out but so far all good..

Sales wise - speak to Gerald at Derby - he's damn fine fella
+1 smile

StephenP

1,886 posts

209 months

Tuesday 14th October 2014
quotequote all
V8 Animal said:
+1 smile
Indeed. Another +1 from me. Always had great pre- and post-sales service....

rjn21

289 posts

163 months

Tuesday 14th October 2014
quotequote all
Stratstone is a division of Pendragon PLC, which is a huge company. However the dealers are randomly clumped in different entities, not by brand or location, as a result of Pendragon's acquisitions splurge. Hence 1 dealer of 1 brand can be in a totally different entity to another of the same brand, or the brand next door. Because of their divisional accounting, same brand dealerships actively compete against one another, even though part of the same group. It would seem they are incentivised in the race to the bottom - ie volume of sales and % business for service appear to count for more than quality / customer satisfaction. Their archaic accounting inefficiencies requires "sales" at a dealership to physically transfer cash to "service" to pay for things like PDIs or winter health checks. Cash pooling and book entry internal accounting must be horrific. Last I heard their sales staff were remunerated on the same basis, irrespective of brand. Sell a Fiesta, get x. Sell an F12 also get x, but because you can't sell many of those, 'premium' dealer brands tend to attract the less effective personnel - why bust your ass to sell 1 car, when you can shovel fiestas or a higher volume brand off the lot all day for (net) more money. Given their turnover, their net margins are razor thin. Whatever the reason, some people are good, some are not so, just like any group. Personally, in my area, not too keen on one of their brand's dealer, but 3 others are ok.

Edited by rjn21 on Wednesday 15th October 10:34

J12MOC

802 posts

143 months

Tuesday 14th October 2014
quotequote all
Mixed bag really. I bought both my Astons from Cardiff. The salesman was great....but he's now left. I enquired a couple of months ago about a V12V. No one got back to me so rang again...still waiting. Had a service last month and asked them to look at drivers window wind noise...said they had sorted it but it's exactly the same. Not inclined to go back.

Fellover

2 posts

113 months

Tuesday 14th October 2014
quotequote all
shropshireAston said:
Stratstone Derby have been excellent with me so far - sales was easy - they got hold of manual and TT for me to try to help me decide - delivered on time with very tight timescales.. really happy with them.
I've got a little problem.. which they responded to and will see how it pans out but so far all good..

Sales wise - speak to Gerald at Derby - he's damn fine fella
I couldn't disagree with you more I'm afraid. I've experienced what i consider to be really poor after sales service since taking delivery of my V8V earlier this year. An initial issue with documentation getting lost followed by emails and phone messages being ignored; the issue was only resolved after escalating to the dealer principle (who was excellent). Since then i've sent several chasers for the car cover that i was promised which have all been ignored. Not impressed with what i had originally assumed to be a 'high-end' dealership providing a 'high-end' customer experience.

rjn21

289 posts

163 months

Tuesday 14th October 2014
quotequote all
If you do agree anything to be included with your purchase, it must be on the invoice eg - Millbrook full day £0. Or External Car Cover £0. Or 10,000 mile Service £0. If its not on the invoice, be ready for some arguing. Emails will all be discounted as they provide in the email footer, that nothing is binding unless it's sent by a company director (of which there are few and certainly none at any dealer).

Fellover

2 posts

113 months

Tuesday 14th October 2014
quotequote all
rjn21 said:
If you do agree anything to be included with your purchase, it must be on the invoice eg - Millbrook full day £0. Or External Car Cover £0. Or 10,000 mile Service £0. If its not on the invoice, be ready for some arguing. Emails will all be discounted as they provide in the email footer, that nothing is binding unless it's sent by a company director (of which there are few and certainly none at any dealer).
Yes, you live and learn! I just [naively] assumed a greater level of integrity from a main dealer especially considering the sums of money involved.

roughrider

975 posts

185 months

Tuesday 14th October 2014
quotequote all
rjn21 said:
Stratstone is a division of Pendragon PLC, which is a huge company. However the dealers are randomly clumped in different entities, not by brand or location, as a result of Pendragon's acquisitions splurge. Hence 1 dealer of 1 brand can be in a totally different entity to another of the same brand, or the brand next door. Because of their divisional accounting, same brand dealerships actively compete against one another, even though part of the same group. It would seem they are incentivised in the race to the bottom - ie volume of sales and % business for service appear to count for more than quality / customer satisfaction. Their archaic accounting inefficiencies requires "sales" at a dealership to physically transfer cash to "service" to pay for things like PDIs or winter health checks. Cash pooling and book entry internal accounting must be horrific. Last I heard their sales staff were remunerated on the same basis, irrespective of brand. Sell a Fiesta, get x. Sell an F12 also get x, but because you can't sell many of those, 'premium' dealer brands tend to attract the less effective personnel - why bust your ass to sell 1 car, when you can shovel fiestas or a higher volume brand off the lot all day for (net) more money. Given their turnover, their net margins are razor thin. Whatever the reason, some people are good, some are not so, just like any group. Personally, in my area, not to keen on one of their brand's dealer, but 3 others are ok.
Great thread.
In my opinion, sales specialists of low volume Luxury brands should be paid on a percentage of the profit margin. This motivates them!! It makes customer service way better. It improves profitability at the dealership. It leads to strong residual values. Which in turn inspires confidence in prospective buyers. Eventually improves new car sales, and makes the factory happy. Its a win/win/win situation..................

MrMoonyMan

2,582 posts

210 months

Tuesday 14th October 2014
quotequote all
I worked within the Stratstone group (jaguar/AM) for a short while.

My eyes were opened in a way that they'd never been before in the motor industry.

Suffice to say I'd never go back or take a car there. The way they have their used car sales scheme set up is frankly crazy.

bomberh

634 posts

136 months

Tuesday 14th October 2014
quotequote all
Fellover said:
shropshireAston said:
Stratstone Derby have been excellent with me so far - sales was easy - they got hold of manual and TT for me to try to help me decide - delivered on time with very tight timescales.. really happy with them.
I've got a little problem.. which they responded to and will see how it pans out but so far all good..

Sales wise - speak to Gerald at Derby - he's damn fine fella
I couldn't disagree with you more I'm afraid. I've experienced what i consider to be really poor after sales service since taking delivery of my V8V earlier this year. An initial issue with documentation getting lost followed by emails and phone messages being ignored; the issue was only resolved after escalating to the dealer principle (who was excellent). Since then i've sent several chasers for the car cover that i was promised which have all been ignored. Not impressed with what i had originally assumed to be a 'high-end' dealership providing a 'high-end' customer experience.
I don't really need to say anymore, looks like we had the same service,from the same dealership, exactly a year a part.

The G Kid

562 posts

122 months

Tuesday 14th October 2014
quotequote all
MrMoonyMan said:
I worked within the Stratstone group (jaguar/AM) for a short while.

My eyes were opened in a way that they'd never been before in the motor industry.

Suffice to say I'd never go back or take a car there. The way they have their used car sales scheme set up is frankly crazy.
Anything you can disclose here? I've always wondered what really goes on in a dealership!

steveatesh

4,893 posts

163 months

Tuesday 14th October 2014
quotequote all
The G Kid said:
Anything you can disclose here? I've always wondered what really goes on in a dealership!
My son worked for two before he gave it up as it didn't meet his values.
In one he was told to add an extra months Finance in the calculations and if the customer noticed say it was a slip of the fingers on the calculator.
In another a woman brought her car in for a problem. It was left all day then it was moved to another bay before she was due back. They then gave her a large bill for several hours labour when they had replaced several parts and diagnosis.

These were both main dealers.

For clarity, neither were Aston.

snuffy

9,661 posts

283 months

Tuesday 14th October 2014
quotequote all
shropshireAston said:
Sales wise - speak to Gerald at Derby - he's damn fine fella
This is a long shot, but when I bought my Lotus Esprit V8 from Peter Smith Sports cars near Derby, the sales guy was called Gerald (and how many people are called Gerald ?). Is he quite a small chap, must be late 50s now I would guess.





montecristo

1,043 posts

176 months

Wednesday 15th October 2014
quotequote all
I bought mine from Stratstone in Durham and they were perfectly fine. Professional and courteous.

I've dealt a few times with Stratstone Western Avenue and they've seemed fine too. Their hourly rate for repairs is high, but that's not bad service, they can charge what they like and I can take it or leave it.

As for prices, the 07 V8V I bought was well priced vs the market. They do a sort of price matching within 40 or 50 miles (I say sort of because the cars aren't identical), but even nationally, the car was priced on a par with what other dealers had. In any case, they can charge whatever they like - I don't have to buy the car. I presume they charge the most that the market can bear, that's just good business.