Stratstones Park Lane

[ockhamsrazor]

Walked in today to take a look at the new Vantage and DB11. Must have been there a good 20 minutes. No sales folks approached me the whole time. Could it have been the shorts and t-shirt?

[Westlondondriver]

Coincidently I was asked where I purchased my DB11 this morning by someone I know. His friend has been trying to get a call back from Stratstone on Park Lane for 2 weeks on buying a DB11 on an attractive financing deal they have been advertising without any luck. Perhaps all their sales team are on holiday! Very strange.

[V8V Pete]

Having bought one car from that dealership I would never buy another. Stop wasting your time and go somewhere better (which leaves you plenty of choice).

[telum01]

Very odd... I was there earlier today around 1pm, and both the guys there were extremely helpful and friendly. One approached us and happily helped, and we ended up chatting with the other a good bit as well. We were dressed in jeans and t-shirts and looked, for good reason, like tourists.

[Buster73]

Funnily enough both my brother and I , both of us separately went in to a Stratstone LR dealership in the NE and had similar experiences of indifference and lack of interest.

3 weeks down the line I’m still waiting for a quote from both them and What Car leasing.

I’m currently waiting for the nod from a relative who works for JLR for a friends and family deal.

Edited by Buster73 on Friday 17th August 19:54

[Mewsie]

I visited 2 AM dealerships while dressed as my usual casual (aka scruffy) self. The experience in each couldn’t have been more different.

I honestly couldn’t be certain if it was the bed hair, the jeans and tank top, or even my age or gender, but either way one dealer now has a customer for life and the other won’t see me again.

[Jon39]

Mewsie said:

I visited 2 AM dealerships while dressed as my usual casual (aka scruffy) self. The experience in each couldn’t have been more different.

Fifty years ago, you could probably recognise a millionaire by their dress sense.
Successful Aston Martin dealers are well aware now, that you cannot spot a millionaire by their clothing.

Did anyone notice any cracked windows at Stratstones?
A customer made the mistake of asking for a discount. - boom boom

[anonymous-user]

Some franchises are better than other - and that tends to be the difference we experience as a customer / potential customer; I've only ever dealt with the one AM dealer, but with other marques, I found the reception you get upon visiting a dealership is often a product of the franchise, and has little to do with the cars on offer, and importantly - little to do with you as an individual. The franchise involved in my experience of Aston has other marques that interest me, and it's helped make my choice of daily driver easier, as visits to those dealers have always been pleasant, and there's no pecking order - you're treated equally as well by all of them.

Times have changed and most dealers (particularly Aston, Ferrari & Porsche) know these days to not judge someone by the clothes they wear when they make an impromptu visit to a dealer. I've faced some ageism issues a few years ago in both a VW and Audi dealership, based on their logic that I couldn't possibly afford what they were selling. I was initially petrified about walking into Aston and Ferrari dealers, for fear of being escorted back to the front door - but it's been quite the opposite.

Loosely linked to this; I heard a funny anecdote about someone walking into a Ferrari dealership, in a black trench coat, carrying a bag of fish and chips, and loitering for an hour, looking at some cars, making some Fezzas smell like a chip shop, and eventually passing his mobile to a very patient salesman, it was the customer's account manager the other end, wanting the dealer bank account to wire all the money through for the 458 Italia he wanted to buy. The whole trench coat and chips routine, he did for sport - and if the dealer played along, and was patient enough to let him stink the place out for an hour, he'd buy a car...

[anonymous-user]

I’m midway through a purchase from Stratstones right now (bought it at Wilmslow, now out of the country and will pick it up from Park Lane on my return) so don’t have a final view on them yet.

But everything to date has been very positive. Including, during he test drive as I was easing myself into finding out just how much grunt the V12VS has, the line “remember this is a test drive, not a driving test” 😀

Also dropped into Western Avenue in full scruff mode and couldn’t have been made to feel more welcome.

[David W.]

Almost stopped off at Cambridge whilst passing in my tractor this week but parking looked a bit tight!
Wanted to see what their green DB11 V8 looked like in daylight (brown on the web!). I’m sure they would have welcomed me with a coffee even though I was wearing my “dirt”.
Top team there.
DW

[V8V Pete]

Greg66 said:

I’m midway through a purchase from Stratstones right now (bought it at Wilmslow, now out of the country and will pick it up from Park Lane on my return) so don’t have a final view on them yet.

Have you seen the glass key yet? First time I saw mine was as it was passed across the desk AFTER I'd paid the full amount for my car on my card. It was a disgrace. Call me naive if you want but that is piss poor behaviour in my book.

I could go on (at length) but what's the point? Excellent AML dealers are available

[bananarob]

ockhamsrazor said:

Walked in today to take a look at the new Vantage and DB11. Must have been there a good 20 minutes. No sales folks approached me the whole time. Could it have been the shorts and t-shirt?

Speak to Cheltenham instead, not dealt with a better dealer on any marque.

[nickv8]

bananarob said:

Speak to Cheltenham instead, not dealt with a better dealer on any marque.

They were very nice there too! It was around 5 years ago when I first looked at AM’s with any intent to buy. Had my very young son with me and thought they may tell us to get lost (how I felt the Porsche dealer responded... not literally!). Instead, AM Cheltenham couldn’t have been nicer - both the receptionist and salesman. Encouraged my son to sit in the cars. Definitely not “hands off”.

It’s this kind of experience that built the basis of respect for a brand.

The only rotten apple was AM Cardiff. Not great experience there and not surprised they vanished.

[Mewsie]

This is really interesting, as Cheltenham is my “won’t be seeing me again” dealer!

[RobDown]

I’ve been a bit critical of AM dealers in the past. But then I read about the issues McLaren buyers have (see thread below) and think “perhaps we’re not so badly served after all”. (PS don’t read if you want to buy a McLaren, some of the later posts may put you off altogether!)

https://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&...

[cayman-black]

David W. said:

Almost stopped off at Cambridge whilst passing in my tractor this week but parking looked a bit tight!
Wanted to see what their green DB11 V8 looked like in daylight (brown on the web!). I’m sure they would have welcomed me with a coffee even though I was wearing my “dirt”.
Top team there.
DW

Lol, i,m sure Simon would have looked after you well at Cambridge.

As for Stratstones, never heard anything good about them.

[cayman-black]

RobDown said:

I’ve been a bit critical of AM dealers in the past. But then I read about the issues McLaren buyers have (see thread below) and think “perhaps we’re not so badly served after all”. (PS don’t read if you want to buy a McLaren, some of the later posts may put you off altogether!)

https://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&...

Thanks for the link Rob, unbelievable.

[Jon39]

RobDown said:

I’ve been a bit critical of AM dealers in the past. But then I read about the issues McLaren buyers have (see thread below) and think “perhaps we’re not so badly served after all”. (PS don’t read if you want to buy a McLaren, some of the later posts may put you off altogether!)

https://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&...

As you suggest Rob, we are certainly looked after very well in comparison.
Not a McLaren type, so looked at the later posts first.

Of course, more critical comments flow than praise, but at least the internet does give prospective customers of any product an inkling of what is going on.

I recently discovered that my local Mercedes-Benz workshop has a 3 week waiting period. Probably not surprising though, following their 100% sales increase due to PCP. Now that I know about the 3 week wait, at least I know to book a routine service earlier.

[dbzen]

Hi Ockhamsrazor - sounds like a mixed experience yesterday. We live near the dealer and have actually ordered our new car from them earlier in the year, great experience so far and have been impressed by the service and pro activity from David the senior sales person especially. The first few times we walked in their I was in shorts and flip flops unshaven and actually with my son and the dogs, got well looked after despite appearances. In think maybe you got unlucky visiting them in the August quiet period with a skeleton staff which still doesn’t excuse the lack of attention after 20mins to be fair! Given my experience I’d recommend you give them a second chance and ask for David if you visit again. Stratstone can be mixed though I know, we bought our RR sport from Stratstone Landrover on berkely square and had a terrible (almost comical) customer experience - sexist receptionist treating my wife with scorn on multiple visits despite having purchased a new car from them. Would hence never go back there but v happy w Stratstone AM so far

ockhamsrazor said:

Walked in today to take a look at the new Vantage and DB11. Must have been there a good 20 minutes. No sales folks approached me the whole time. Could it have been the shorts and t-shirt?

[anonymous-user]

cayman-black said:

RobDown said:

I’ve been a bit critical of AM dealers in the past. But then I read about the issues McLaren buyers have (see thread below) and think “perhaps we’re not so badly served after all”. (PS don’t read if you want to buy a McLaren, some of the later posts may put you off altogether!)

https://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&...

Thanks for the link Rob, unbelievable.

I have been following the mac forum as the cars do interest me. I was out with a pal and his 650s yesterday. He has just had his car in and out of MacLeeds due to a minor fault and couldnt fault the speed of dealing with the car and service he received, same at Manchester before Leeds opened. He has had the car from new for a couple of years and only had two small issues with it. Just goes to show dont believe everything you read on the internet, unless it is how well endowed I am.