Test drove the RS6 saturday

[OJ]

I can't believe this went 5 pages without someone saying 'If you thought the RS6 was good standard, imagine what it would be like mapped!!!'

[markmullen]

longblackcoat said:

How nice of you to entertain people with a demo. If, of course, you can spare some of your valuable time.

Not that I'm looking to buy in the near future, but your attitude has ensured that Specialist Cars of Malton would be one of the last places on my list.

I think you have misunderstood me.

If you are interested in buying a car then we will go for the best test drive you've ever had, I've been on some truly epic drives around North Yorkshire with customers.

I am saying I will take someone who isn't buying a car out if I have time.

[Mr Whippy]

markmullen said:

militantmandy said:

markmullen said:

militantmandy said:

I can tell ye the noo, I'm a million miles away from affording a motor like that, but if i was wandering round a showroom and tought I could get a test drive, I most certainly would!

Another messer.

Great.

Why so serious!?

Because working in the trade the more time I spend wasting my time with children who like to demo cars they have no intention of buying the less time I have to spend with proper customers who will buy cars and earn me commission.

Grow up.

I agree with your sentiment Mark, but there is always that chance that someone might love the car to bits, and go that little bit further to afford it. They might think you are a great garage and send people your way, or bring their business to you in future even if it is at a lower cost level the business is still business.

I won't defend those who purely joy ride for the hell of it. I wouldn't go try a Gallardo or new M3, as I don't want either, nor can I afford them...

But, if for example, I'd been offered a drive out in say an M Z4, having been interested in a Z4, I would have tried one out... double my desired budget, more than I would want to spend, and I'd make that clear... BUT, who knows, I might have been blown away and put a deposit down there and then... I would expect a dealer of cars to offer me that irrespective of my existing budget etc, afterall, dealers are there to sell cars
I'd go as far to say as those who don't seem to want to get you buying something a bit more out of your budget or try different things out to be a bit TOO timid or just retarded to be honest. I've never been sold on a car until I've driven a few and know it's what I want. Pictures, and sitting in it making brum brum noises doesn't sell me a car. (pet hate are dealers who say you can only test drive it if you are going to buy it, nobbers!)

Dave

[dibbers006]

Mr Whippy said:

markmullen said:

militantmandy said:

markmullen said:

militantmandy said:

I can tell ye the noo, I'm a million miles away from affording a motor like that, but if i was wandering round a showroom and tought I could get a test drive, I most certainly would!

Another messer.

Great.

Why so serious!?

Because working in the trade the more time I spend wasting my time with children who like to demo cars they have no intention of buying the less time I have to spend with proper customers who will buy cars and earn me commission.

Grow up.

I agree with your sentiment Mark, but there is always that chance that someone might love the car to bits, and go that little bit further to afford it. They might think you are a great garage and send people your way, or bring their business to you in future even if it is at a lower cost level the business is still business.

I won't defend those who purely joy ride for the hell of it. I wouldn't go try a Gallardo or new M3, as I don't want either, nor can I afford them...

But, if for example, I'd been offered a drive out in say an M Z4, having been interested in a Z4, I would have tried one out... double my desired budget, more than I would want to spend, and I'd make that clear... BUT, who knows, I might have been blown away and put a deposit down there and then... I would expect a dealer of cars to offer me that irrespective of my existing budget etc, afterall, dealers are there to sell cars
I'd go as far to say as those who don't seem to want to get you buying something a bit more out of your budget or try different things out to be a bit TOO timid or just retarded to be honest. I've never been sold on a car until I've driven a few and know it's what I want. Pictures, and sitting in it making brum brum noises doesn't sell me a car. (pet hate are dealers who say you can only test drive it if you are going to buy it, nobbers!)

Dave

Would Sir like an upgrade to M-Sport Spec Sir... M3 wheels Sir...

Lets not forget that once someone is hooked into a Brand... through whatever means, most Dealerships have that Golden Money Printing Area called Service Whether it is a 1.6i or a RS something... it still needs it's Oil changed

[btdk5]

markmullen said:

longblackcoat said:

How nice of you to entertain people with a demo. If, of course, you can spare some of your valuable time.

Not that I'm looking to buy in the near future, but your attitude has ensured that Specialist Cars of Malton would be one of the last places on my list.

I think you have misunderstood me.

If you are interested in buying a car then we will go for the best test drive you've ever had, I've been on some truly epic drives around North Yorkshire with customers.

I am saying I will take someone who isn't buying a car out if I have time.

Can i have a go in the bubble car!??

[eowen]

markmullen said:

eowen said:

Making it worse Mark.

Thanks for the advice.

Out of interest what do you do for a living

Sales. If you cant stand the heat, get out of the kitchen. It is part of the sales process to identify customers and deal with them accordingly. It stikes me that if you cant spot a customer you shouldnt be in sales. Treat everyone with respect and courtesy to a point and even if they arent a customer - one day they may be, and they'll also reccomend you.

Comparing yourself to the emergency services is just laughable.

Edited by eowen on Wednesday 4th February 16:54

[V6]

markmullen said:

eowen said:

Making it worse Mark.

Thanks for the advice.

Out of interest what do you do for a living and how enthusiastic would you be people deliberately wasting your time? If someone is interested in the marque and an enthusiast and, most importantly, I've got the time I will entertain them with a demo. It is the serial test drivers that wind me right up.

Let's go over to the SPL section and see how the coppers on there respond to false 999 calls shall we? Or ask KingRichard how happy he is when people call his cab company up, make a false booking for a cab.

It is pretty obvious from his post that he is 'interested in the marque and an enthusiast'...

[slippery]

I think there is world of difference between the OP who was invited to drive the car as a friend and the person who has parked their 10 year old Corsa around the corner to go and get a joy-ride. However, there are a huge number of people out there who thought they would go and kill some time test driving/looking at a car and consequently ended up buying it because of a properly trained and talented sales person. These types know never to pre-judge the outcome of an enquiry and just work every opportunity that comes their way to death. In contrast to these professionals are the dinosaur types that call themselves sales people but are really nothing more than order takers, standing at the end of a decision that has already been made and taking the customer's money. They are the types that are all too ready to dismiss people as 'messers', without realising that even 'messers' have to buy their cars from somewhere, if they don't manage to sell them a car. Easier to blame the customer than to admit that perhaps they just weren't good enough! I know not every enquiry can be turned in to a sale, but you only have to read the numerous posts on PH to see just how bad some sales people are. Even the sales person that spent two hours with a customer, only to lose the deal to someone else has only got themselves to blame, they certainly can't say they didn't have the best chance. TWO HOURS!!! Anyway, just thought I'd add my 2p worth!

[Twincharged]

dibbers006 said:

Seeing as this Thread has already been resurrected AND hijacked...

Brand Awareness... While I fully appreciate that wasting a Salesmans time on pointless test drives is out of order (I think we can all sympathise with wasted time)... for the Brand as an Overall entity a chancer taking something so aspirational for most pub goers for a bit of a blat is worth more than all the ITV half time adverts you can muster.

He will wax lyrical till the cows come home about its epic acceleration, fantastic handling and light speeds with an exaggerated statistic that is neither here nor there.


Who hasn't finished this Thread without a small want for an RS?!

Word of mouth is the best advertisement, especially if enhancing the desirability of a brand within a social group. Some companies are even hiring actors now to go out in public and have slightly louder than usual conversation about how excellent their products now. Funnily enough in one of the Splinter Cell games when you approach some of the guards they are talking about how brilliant some of EA's other games are!

Mr Whippy said:

(pet hate are dealers who say you can only test drive it if you are going to buy it, nobbers!)

Agreed! I once went with a friend to look at a car he was considering. Turned up at one forecourt first and had a look around, and then drove a few miles down the road to another owned by the same company. There was no-one there, so he called the guy from the first place so we could have a better look around the car. Salesman turned up about 40 minutes later, let us have a look around the car and start the engine but when asked for a test drive cam out with "You can only have a test drive if you're going to buy it". WTF? How are you supposed to tell if that model of car is good to drive in the first place? It was only a Peugeot 306 FFS, and surely waiting 40 minutes for him to get over there had shown a fair level of commitment? Apparently not though- nothing short of a verbal contract to buy it will allow you a short run around the block in such rare exotica

[Mr Whippy]

Twincharged said:

Mr Whippy said:

(pet hate are dealers who say you can only test drive it if you are going to buy it, nobbers!)

Agreed! I once went with a friend to look at a car he was considering. Turned up at one forecourt first and had a look around, and then drove a few miles down the road to another owned by the same company. There was no-one there, so he called the guy from the first place so we could have a better look around the car. Salesman turned up about 40 minutes later, let us have a look around the car and start the engine but when asked for a test drive cam out with "You can only have a test drive if you're going to buy it". WTF? How are you supposed to tell if that model of car is good to drive in the first place? It was only a Peugeot 306 FFS, and surely waiting 40 minutes for him to get over there had shown a fair level of commitment? Apparently not though- nothing short of a verbal contract to buy it will allow you a short run around the block in such rare exotica

My response to the place I bought my current car was, it won't be a test drive if I've agree'd to buy it, it'll be me simply driving MY car... of course I can drive it if I fecking own it!

Unless they just want you to say yes, then not buy it

Dealers that do this should ideally be avoided... how bloody thick must they be to qualify prospective buyers with that remark?

If you DO want to buy it if it's what you want and is right, you say YES.

If you DON't want to buy it full stop, but are there asking, you say YES.

What do the retards think the question will ever get them from a time waster? All it does is piss of prospective buyers who have to argue the case for even having a test drive!


Cocks!

[AUDIHenry]

Comparing an RS6 to an EVO is stupid on so many levels.

[Crimson Tide]

dxb335d said:

The car pulls like a train.

You are Mike Brewer and I claim my five pounds. Lucky chap - that sounds like a fun test.

[vinnie83]

slippery said:

Even the sales person that spent two hours with a customer, only to lose the deal to someone else has only got themselves to blame, they certainly can't say they didn't have the best chance. TWO HOURS!!! Anyway, just thought I'd add my 2p worth!

Exactly what happened to me when I brought my E55 AMG, took one out for a spin with the most obnoxious sales person ever, constantly suggesting I was just out for a waste of time test drive, with no intention of buying!

After going for 1 hr drive, going back to the showroom, explaining I needed time to think, and then calling the following day saying I will be dropping a deposit cheque off that afternoon, and the remaining cash in 3-4 weeks, he said no! he said I can only buy it straight away with full cash, or finance!

So I rang their other branch on the other side of town, explained all to a sales person there - and result was a VERY happy salesman who made some comission without even taking me for a test drive....

I have NO sympathy for the 1st salesman in this case...

[aeropilot]

I see Rowen Atkinson has got a new RS6 in silver.

Would be amusing to think he could have gone into his Audi dealer and asked for a test drive in full 'Mr Bean mode'......

[TOENHEEL]

Lovely car but i cant hide the fact i laughed when you mentioned it drives like the 335D

[Quaint]

Mr Whippy said:

pet hate are dealers who say you can only test drive it if you are going to buy it, nobbers!)

Quite. A couple of years ago I was in the market for something 2-seated and fun, so was keen to try out a Z4 3-litre (or possibly, if I could justify it financially, an "M"). My local BMW dealer's salesmonkey was utterly hopeless, and eventually came out with "I can't let you have a demonstration drive of the car until you've paid a deposit". Quite why he thought I was a messer is unclear, but the net effect was that I laughed and walked away. Who the hell buys a car for fun and weekends without driving it?

The episode annoyed me so much that I ended up spending my deposit money on an old banger instead - and has (irrational as this may be) contaminated BMW's brand in my eyes. I wrote to the dealer principal and explained that the salesman's attitude had cost them a potentially-lucrative customer, but (shockingly...) heard nothing back.

[Vario-Rob]

Time waster or not unless I am very much mistaken this car is from the Audi dealer in Bury St. Edmunds, if so to the best of my knowledge the RS6 is still there six months later.

Given the rate at which their stock is changing hands I would think the idea of a time waster is quite appealing really, at least it gets them out of the showroom. Nice bunch none the less

Many moons ago the local Fiat dealer had an Argenta that sat there for so long its original set of wheels had corroded and only went when a 126 got thrown into the deal, I would imagine the Audi dealer might need to follow their example?

[Faz_ITR]

Is this thread about the new RS6 and the OP's experience driving it or about test-drive etiquette?

[jatinder]

Does this mean there are going to be a load of thrashed secondhand RS6's about?

Good writeup


|Apart from comparing it to your 335D

[btdk5]

jatinder said:

Does this mean there are going to be a load of thrashed secondhand RS6's about?

Good writeup


|Apart from comparing it to your 335D

Why because of the test drives??

You always get buckets off for a showroom/test car