Denied a GT86 test drive because I wouldn't commit to buy
Discussion
With some of this it sounds like test drives should be renamed pre purchase drives! If someone has 4 cars in a shortlist, test drives all 4 and buys one (only 1!) is that person still a 3 times time waster? A well used demonstrator would bring in many, many k in sales would it not? opposed to a lightly used one that is worth slightly more when the time comes to change it. There must be a lot of lost sales when someone just isn't quite sure and a good test drive would swing it.
POORCARDEALER said:
And that's why local dealers can be reluctant to offer test drives...punters drink their coffee, eyes up their big titted enhanced receptionist and drive their cars, then buy from the cheapest possible place.
How dare they. Nasty customers wanting to shop around for a better deal.GALLARDOGUY said:
Every business on earth has to deal with time wasters.
It seems from PH that car salesmen really seem to take offence at it.
Of course they have to deal with timewasters but it doesn't mean they shouldn't try and manage them as efficiently as possible. In this case, it's admitted that the op wasn't going to buy straightaway, regardless of how the car drove, so the salesman decided he would spend his time on someone or something else. We can argue all day about whether that was the right call in the long or medium term, but in the short term it was indisputably correct.It seems from PH that car salesmen really seem to take offence at it.
I run (own) a business - several actually being a typical pher - and I get lots of timewasters who are competitors checking our pricing. They can be difficult to differentiate from legitimate enquirers so I have decided to take a very assertive approach with all enquiries. There's a risk this will upset some genuine customers but I have calculated that it's worth losing some genuine people it to get rid of far more timewasters early.
daemon said:
GALLARDOGUY said:
Every business on earth has to deal with time wasters.
It seems from PH that car salesmen really seem to take offence at it.
On the contrary, i'm seeing some people taking offence at being qualified out as time wasters.It seems from PH that car salesmen really seem to take offence at it.
And FWIW I don't consider the OP to be a time waster.
If I was ever refused a test drive I would never set foot in that dealership again and ultimately that could cost them a lucrative sale.
CO2000 said:
With some of this it sounds like test drives should be renamed pre purchase drives! If someone has 4 cars in a shortlist, test drives all 4 and buys one (only 1!) is that person still a 3 times time waster? A well used demonstrator would bring in many, many k in sales would it not? opposed to a lightly used one that is worth slightly more when the time comes to change it. There must be a lot of lost sales when someone just isn't quite sure and a good test drive would swing it.
That's completely different to some bloke who has read that the GT86 is a cracking bit of kit, is in no position and has no intention of buying one in the next 24 months, but because it's a nice Saturday and the wife has gone shopping, decides he fancies a test drive.GALLARDOGUY said:
daemon said:
GALLARDOGUY said:
Every business on earth has to deal with time wasters.
It seems from PH that car salesmen really seem to take offence at it.
On the contrary, i'm seeing some people taking offence at being qualified out as time wasters.It seems from PH that car salesmen really seem to take offence at it.
And FWIW I don't consider the OP to be a time waster.
If I was ever refused a test drive I would never set foot in that dealership again and ultimately that could cost them a lucrative sale.
Their calculation is that it won't and that's their right to call, not yours or mine.
Another thing I find strange about some car dealers, is their attitude to competing with the internet.
"I'm not going to go out of my way to help them, because they're only going to go away and buy it cheaper on the internet".
Right.
If the price battle is lost, the only differentiator you have to win the business is service, from top to bottom. You have to convince the potential, that the extra service they can get from you that they cannot from the internet, means it's worth paying a little bit more.
Treating punters like disloyal cheating boyfriends for having the temerity to shop around is not going to convince people your service is worth a little bit more.
"I'm not going to go out of my way to help them, because they're only going to go away and buy it cheaper on the internet".
Right.
If the price battle is lost, the only differentiator you have to win the business is service, from top to bottom. You have to convince the potential, that the extra service they can get from you that they cannot from the internet, means it's worth paying a little bit more.
Treating punters like disloyal cheating boyfriends for having the temerity to shop around is not going to convince people your service is worth a little bit more.
GALLARDOGUY said:
daemon said:
GALLARDOGUY said:
Every business on earth has to deal with time wasters.
It seems from PH that car salesmen really seem to take offence at it.
On the contrary, i'm seeing some people taking offence at being qualified out as time wasters.It seems from PH that car salesmen really seem to take offence at it.
And FWIW I don't consider the OP to be a time waster.
If I was ever refused a test drive I would never set foot in that dealership again and ultimately that could cost them a lucrative sale.
If i was ever serious about buying a car and refused a test drive, i would be asking to speak to the sales manager as go the reasons for that. Other than the "and then i went next door and bought a brand new mercedes and brought the salesman who refused me the test drive back the invoice" urban myth that keeps appearing, what you tend to see is people who had no real intentions of buying anyway being a bit miffed that the salesman called them out on it.
So, just to weigh in with an opposite experience.
When I fancied a 360, saw the ideal spec in the classifieds, no pictures so emailed the dealer, he sent some through, asked if I wanted to see the car, as it was on the south coast, I said I'd come one evening from work, turned up in a 2004 golf diesel, in jeans and a shirt to look at a £50k car, while I was looking around he just piped up "let's take it out"
A 30 minute test drive later I was sold on the car, cursory check of the paperwork, everything matched up and a deal done on the spot (which I hadn't fully intended without actually thinking about it for a while)
When I fancied a 360, saw the ideal spec in the classifieds, no pictures so emailed the dealer, he sent some through, asked if I wanted to see the car, as it was on the south coast, I said I'd come one evening from work, turned up in a 2004 golf diesel, in jeans and a shirt to look at a £50k car, while I was looking around he just piped up "let's take it out"
A 30 minute test drive later I was sold on the car, cursory check of the paperwork, everything matched up and a deal done on the spot (which I hadn't fully intended without actually thinking about it for a while)
10 Pence Short said:
If the price battle is lost, the only differentiator you have to win the business is service, from top to bottom. You have to convince the potential, that the extra service they can get from you that they cannot from the internet, means it's worth paying a little bit more.
Treating punters like disloyal cheating boyfriends for having the temerity to shop around is not going to convince people your service is worth a little bit more.
Sorry, but this is rather naive.Treating punters like disloyal cheating boyfriends for having the temerity to shop around is not going to convince people your service is worth a little bit more.
The majority of people these days just go to the cheapest seller. Pretty much end of.
They dont care about the extra service they may or may not get down the line. They'll buy the car from the cheapest supplier then come back to you - their local dealer - when theres problems under warranty.
daemon said:
Sorry, but this is rather naive.
The majority of people these days just go to the cheapest seller. Pretty much end of.
They dont care about the extra service they may or may not get down the line. They'll buy the car from the cheapest supplier then come back to you - their local dealer - when theres problems under warranty.
You can't win every sale with every punter. If price is against you, price is against you. Some people will buy on the extra service, some won't. The internet is changing most areas of retail in one way or another. The majority of people these days just go to the cheapest seller. Pretty much end of.
They dont care about the extra service they may or may not get down the line. They'll buy the car from the cheapest supplier then come back to you - their local dealer - when theres problems under warranty.
Whilst it is always relative, the naive view is to assume that price is always some kind of insurmountable obstacle that cannot be overcome. That is a failure of attitude.
Any business that competes against cheaper opposition needs to fire on all other cylinders to overcome it.
- Quality of staff and service
- Ease of doing business
- Product to show and tell
- Product on the shelf to walk away with
Make it easy for people to like your business and people and to buy through impulse, loyalty, pride, fear etc. etc. etc.
Those in business who shrug their shoulders and blame price are generally the ones shutting up shop whilst others thrive.
9mm said:
GALLARDOGUY said:
daemon said:
GALLARDOGUY said:
Every business on earth has to deal with time wasters.
It seems from PH that car salesmen really seem to take offence at it.
On the contrary, i'm seeing some people taking offence at being qualified out as time wasters.It seems from PH that car salesmen really seem to take offence at it.
And FWIW I don't consider the OP to be a time waster.
If I was ever refused a test drive I would never set foot in that dealership again and ultimately that could cost them a lucrative sale.
Their calculation is that it won't and that's their right to call, not yours or mine.
A long while ago, when looking for a silver 360 spider, Lancasters couldn't help me and a suitable car came up at another garage, who shall remain nameless, some distance away.
I called the garage, explained my situation and asked to view it on Sunday. No problem they said. So I drive up there (in my then current 355 spider, which should qualify me as not being a time waster), viewed the car and asked to drive it.
"Oh, no we don't do test drives on a Sunday" Not enough staff to cover them apparently.
WTF.
So despite them knowing I've bought multiple cars from Lancasters, and am I coming to them because they have exactly what I've been searching for, and the fact they are expecting me and knowing I've come a long way, it didn't occur to them that I may want to actually drive the car?
They didn't think to mention lack of test drives on a Sunday, during our phone conversation?
They refused to budge and I left and will never use them again.
That cost them that sale and potentially a few others too.
GALLARDOGUY said:
9mm said:
GALLARDOGUY said:
daemon said:
GALLARDOGUY said:
Every business on earth has to deal with time wasters.
It seems from PH that car salesmen really seem to take offence at it.
On the contrary, i'm seeing some people taking offence at being qualified out as time wasters.It seems from PH that car salesmen really seem to take offence at it.
And FWIW I don't consider the OP to be a time waster.
If I was ever refused a test drive I would never set foot in that dealership again and ultimately that could cost them a lucrative sale.
Their calculation is that it won't and that's their right to call, not yours or mine.
A long while ago, when looking for a silver 360 spider, Lancasters couldn't help me and a suitable car came up at another garage, who shall remain nameless, some distance away.
I called the garage, explained my situation and asked to view it on Sunday. No problem they said. So I drive up there (in my then current 355 spider, which should qualify me as not being a time waster), viewed the car and asked to drive it.
"Oh, no we don't do test drives on a Sunday" Not enough staff to cover them apparently.
WTF.
So despite them knowing I've bought multiple cars from Lancasters, and am I coming to them because they have exactly what I've been searching for, and the fact they are expecting me and knowing I've come a long way, it didn't occur to them that I may want to actually drive the car?
They didn't think to mention lack of test drives on a Sunday, during our phone conversation?
They refused to budge and I left and will never use them again.
That cost them that sale and potentially a few others too.
9mm said:
CO2000 said:
With some of this it sounds like test drives should be renamed pre purchase drives! If someone has 4 cars in a shortlist, test drives all 4 and buys one (only 1!) is that person still a 3 times time waster? A well used demonstrator would bring in many, many k in sales would it not? opposed to a lightly used one that is worth slightly more when the time comes to change it. There must be a lot of lost sales when someone just isn't quite sure and a good test drive would swing it.
That's completely different to some bloke who has read that the GT86 is a cracking bit of kit, is in no position and has no intention of buying one in the next 24 months, but because it's a nice Saturday and the wife has gone shopping, decides he fancies a test drive.redtwin said:
The sales manager said that I could get a test drive when I decided that the Mondeo was the car I wanted to buy.
That is an idiotic attitude.My local dealer offers them readily, even on cars they know I'm not going to buy, it is simply part of the great customer service that takes me back to them time after time for 15 years
They even ring my father and invite him in to test drive any interesting drivers cars they get as demonstrators or trade in and he's been buying from them for nearly 30 years.
This shows what good customer service means to the bottom line.
Edited by Martin4x4 on Sunday 23 February 11:25
Edited by Martin4x4 on Sunday 23 February 11:26
10 Pence Short said:
daemon said:
Sorry, but this is rather naive.
The majority of people these days just go to the cheapest seller. Pretty much end of.
They dont care about the extra service they may or may not get down the line. They'll buy the car from the cheapest supplier then come back to you - their local dealer - when theres problems under warranty.
You can't win every sale with every punter. If price is against you, price is against you. Some people will buy on the extra service, some won't. The internet is changing most areas of retail in one way or another. The majority of people these days just go to the cheapest seller. Pretty much end of.
They dont care about the extra service they may or may not get down the line. They'll buy the car from the cheapest supplier then come back to you - their local dealer - when theres problems under warranty.
Whilst it is always relative, the naive view is to assume that price is always some kind of insurmountable obstacle that cannot be overcome. That is a failure of attitude.
Any business that competes against cheaper opposition needs to fire on all other cylinders to overcome it.
- Quality of staff and service
- Ease of doing business
- Product to show and tell
- Product on the shelf to walk away with
Make it easy for people to like your business and people and to buy through impulse, loyalty, pride, fear etc. etc. etc.
Those in business who shrug their shoulders and blame price are generally the ones shutting up shop whilst others thrive.
As an aside I also test drove the GT-86, nice car but actually fell below my expectations and the test drive killed the deal.
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