Glasgow car dealers in the 60's -70's
Discussion
From the Verve website. http://www.verve.net/news/view.php?postid=29
"Verve would like to make it known to all of our friends and loyal customers that we no longer have our branches in Rutherglen or Wishaw.
Arnold Clark have bought these sites and will continue to keep them active trading under their name. We still have branches in Coatbridge, Crookedholm, Kilmarnock and Bathgate as well as a Van Centre in Baillieston so be sure to pay us a visit when you're needing a change of vehicle."
Speaking of Reg Vardy. I knew a sales manager at another dealership in Coatbridge, who sold a car to a woman that had tried to buy a Fiesta in cash from Vardys in the town and was refused. They were insisting she took out finance and all the other stuff, so she walked out.
"Verve would like to make it known to all of our friends and loyal customers that we no longer have our branches in Rutherglen or Wishaw.
Arnold Clark have bought these sites and will continue to keep them active trading under their name. We still have branches in Coatbridge, Crookedholm, Kilmarnock and Bathgate as well as a Van Centre in Baillieston so be sure to pay us a visit when you're needing a change of vehicle."
Speaking of Reg Vardy. I knew a sales manager at another dealership in Coatbridge, who sold a car to a woman that had tried to buy a Fiesta in cash from Vardys in the town and was refused. They were insisting she took out finance and all the other stuff, so she walked out.
Edited by IainW on Tuesday 7th August 22:06
I had a salesman colleague who was looking for a smallish car for his wife, so he played the sales guys at their own game by negotiating a price based on the fact he would be financing the car, knowing they were discounting the car by offsetting the discount against making money on the finance deal.
Once the price was agreed, he then told them he had decided to pay using his credit card, rather than using their finance, at which point they said they couldn't do the deal at that price, so he walked out, only to be called up by the sales manager to say they would do him the car at the agreed price with no finance!
Once a salesman.............
Once the price was agreed, he then told them he had decided to pay using his credit card, rather than using their finance, at which point they said they couldn't do the deal at that price, so he walked out, only to be called up by the sales manager to say they would do him the car at the agreed price with no finance!
Once a salesman.............
Macklin Motors are bad for finance rip offs too, and I believe Robert Forrester who's in charge was high up in Vardys.
In March my Astra was written off so before I bought my Clio I almost bought a 09/58 Mazda 3 1.6 Takara from them at the ex Shields site in Darnley, the car was very cheap at £5495 when Arnie, Parks etc were selling almost identical cars for a grand more than that. Anyway, I waited a couple of weeks and they had this "deal" weekend promotion on where you could choose from 2years free warranty, no payments for 6 months, 5 years 0% finance, or £500 off screen price so I decided to go for it, went down, told the guy I wanted the car and if he could do me a good deal he was guaranteed a deal, i told him I would like the £500 off screen price deal, which was when I found out you could only get any of the deals as part of a 4 or 5 year repayment plan, when I wanted to pay about £2K cash deposit and the rest over 3 years, however I insisted I wanted it off the price anyway, they agreed. Then I told them I wanted an extended warranty, £500 for 2 years !!!! I though Arnie and Parks were dear at £349 for 2years.
Anyway, the monthly payment worked out at around £150 a month over 36, I asked what the rate was and the boy had to get the sales manager, who said it was 7% flat. I told them I wanted 5.5% to which his reply was that it would only make £250 difference overall, to which I said that was £250 extra I'd have in my pocket and he tried to swing it by saying that his car was so cheap that I'd still be saving a packet even with his inflated finance rate and that if I went to another dealer and got 5.5% flat then I'd need to buy a car for less than £5500 to even match the total cost of his deal, and that I had no chance of getting another identical car elsewhere for less than £6500 he knew as he'd checked ( this was the only true statement he made) I told him to stick his car I wasn't being talked down to or ripped off by him he was a rude arrogant cheeky sod, threw the paperwork down on the desk and walked out.
So beware Macklin too.
In March my Astra was written off so before I bought my Clio I almost bought a 09/58 Mazda 3 1.6 Takara from them at the ex Shields site in Darnley, the car was very cheap at £5495 when Arnie, Parks etc were selling almost identical cars for a grand more than that. Anyway, I waited a couple of weeks and they had this "deal" weekend promotion on where you could choose from 2years free warranty, no payments for 6 months, 5 years 0% finance, or £500 off screen price so I decided to go for it, went down, told the guy I wanted the car and if he could do me a good deal he was guaranteed a deal, i told him I would like the £500 off screen price deal, which was when I found out you could only get any of the deals as part of a 4 or 5 year repayment plan, when I wanted to pay about £2K cash deposit and the rest over 3 years, however I insisted I wanted it off the price anyway, they agreed. Then I told them I wanted an extended warranty, £500 for 2 years !!!! I though Arnie and Parks were dear at £349 for 2years.
Anyway, the monthly payment worked out at around £150 a month over 36, I asked what the rate was and the boy had to get the sales manager, who said it was 7% flat. I told them I wanted 5.5% to which his reply was that it would only make £250 difference overall, to which I said that was £250 extra I'd have in my pocket and he tried to swing it by saying that his car was so cheap that I'd still be saving a packet even with his inflated finance rate and that if I went to another dealer and got 5.5% flat then I'd need to buy a car for less than £5500 to even match the total cost of his deal, and that I had no chance of getting another identical car elsewhere for less than £6500 he knew as he'd checked ( this was the only true statement he made) I told him to stick his car I wasn't being talked down to or ripped off by him he was a rude arrogant cheeky sod, threw the paperwork down on the desk and walked out.
So beware Macklin too.
HendryG said:
Macklin Motors are bad for finance rip offs too, and I believe Robert Forrester who's in charge was high up in Vardys.
In March my Astra was written off so before I bought my Clio I almost bought a 09/58 Mazda 3 1.6 Takara from them at the ex Shields site in Darnley, the car was very cheap at £5495 when Arnie, Parks etc were selling almost identical cars for a grand more than that. Anyway, I waited a couple of weeks and they had this "deal" weekend promotion on where you could choose from 2years free warranty, no payments for 6 months, 5 years 0% finance, or £500 off screen price so I decided to go for it, went down, told the guy I wanted the car and if he could do me a good deal he was guaranteed a deal, i told him I would like the £500 off screen price deal, which was when I found out you could only get any of the deals as part of a 4 or 5 year repayment plan, when I wanted to pay about £2K cash deposit and the rest over 3 years, however I insisted I wanted it off the price anyway, they agreed. Then I told them I wanted an extended warranty, £500 for 2 years !!!! I though Arnie and Parks were dear at £349 for 2years.
Anyway, the monthly payment worked out at around £150 a month over 36, I asked what the rate was and the boy had to get the sales manager, who said it was 7% flat. I told them I wanted 5.5% to which his reply was that it would only make £250 difference overall, to which I said that was £250 extra I'd have in my pocket and he tried to swing it by saying that his car was so cheap that I'd still be saving a packet even with his inflated finance rate and that if I went to another dealer and got 5.5% flat then I'd need to buy a car for less than £5500 to even match the total cost of his deal, and that I had no chance of getting another identical car elsewhere for less than £6500 he knew as he'd checked ( this was the only true statement he made) I told him to stick his car I wasn't being talked down to or ripped off by him he was a rude arrogant cheeky sod, threw the paperwork down on the desk and walked out.
So beware Macklin too.
So unless I am reading this wrong, you were getting a car that was £1500 cheaper than anywhere else but you felt you were getting ripped off?In March my Astra was written off so before I bought my Clio I almost bought a 09/58 Mazda 3 1.6 Takara from them at the ex Shields site in Darnley, the car was very cheap at £5495 when Arnie, Parks etc were selling almost identical cars for a grand more than that. Anyway, I waited a couple of weeks and they had this "deal" weekend promotion on where you could choose from 2years free warranty, no payments for 6 months, 5 years 0% finance, or £500 off screen price so I decided to go for it, went down, told the guy I wanted the car and if he could do me a good deal he was guaranteed a deal, i told him I would like the £500 off screen price deal, which was when I found out you could only get any of the deals as part of a 4 or 5 year repayment plan, when I wanted to pay about £2K cash deposit and the rest over 3 years, however I insisted I wanted it off the price anyway, they agreed. Then I told them I wanted an extended warranty, £500 for 2 years !!!! I though Arnie and Parks were dear at £349 for 2years.
Anyway, the monthly payment worked out at around £150 a month over 36, I asked what the rate was and the boy had to get the sales manager, who said it was 7% flat. I told them I wanted 5.5% to which his reply was that it would only make £250 difference overall, to which I said that was £250 extra I'd have in my pocket and he tried to swing it by saying that his car was so cheap that I'd still be saving a packet even with his inflated finance rate and that if I went to another dealer and got 5.5% flat then I'd need to buy a car for less than £5500 to even match the total cost of his deal, and that I had no chance of getting another identical car elsewhere for less than £6500 he knew as he'd checked ( this was the only true statement he made) I told him to stick his car I wasn't being talked down to or ripped off by him he was a rude arrogant cheeky sod, threw the paperwork down on the desk and walked out.
So beware Macklin too.
Craigie said:
So unless I am reading this wrong, you were getting a car that was £1500 cheaper than anywhere else but you felt you were getting ripped off?
That's the point though, their rip off finance would've meant the total cost was just the same as buying a much more expensive car, you've just fell for the "the screen price is much cheaper" line they were trying to con me with. HendryG said:
cardigankid said:
The worst motor car purchase experiences of my life were with the Reg Vardy operation, then run by Sir Peter Vardy. I think they definitely assume all their customers are mentally deficient, and they NEVER give a sucker an even break.
...I'll be honest I have heard very bad things about the old Reg Vardy group, probably worse than what I've heard of AC...Peter now operates similar schemes, and the Motherwell Vauxhall branch are liars...
I would however sooner cross the threshold of Castle Dracula than a Vardy dealership. A few years back I went into one of their Jaguar branches, looking for a nice year old second hand XJR. The salesman wouldn't let me back out of the door until I test drove a two year old XJ6 3.0 he happened to have. He then suggested that the only way I would get what I wanted was to buy a car from them, at which point I became a 'customer' and they would tell me if a nice XJR became available. I thanked him for his time and made to leave. At this point the Sales Manager became involved and said they would find me the car I was looking for. He tried to sell me a high mileage car 'from one of their other dealerships' for £45k. That was at least £5k over the top in my view. Their solution was to offer me 'very competitive' finance. Furthermore, I would have to commit myself to it unseen. They attempted pressure similar to what you used to get from a timeshare operation. They had found me the car I had asked for, what was my problem? I had to sign on the line that very day. The level of unpleasantness was extreme. I managed to push my way past them to the door and left.
Naturally, I had a look at the Jaguar Approved website. The car they had been offering me was on the web, but from a totally different dealer, who were retailing it at a very reasonable £37k. I subsequently bought a mint low mileage example from Swain & Jones of Farnham, for £41k, a much more pleasant experience.
cardigankid said:
Arnold's and Park's are hard cases, I've said I don't like their management and I meant it. I don't think that Joe O'Donnell of Shields is any different. But it is possible to get a reasonable deal with them if you adopt a sensible approach, particularly Arnold, in my view, added to which some of Arnold's salesmen are human beings, which is always pleasant.
I would however sooner cross the threshold of Castle Dracula than a Vardy dealership. A few years back I went into one of their Jaguar branches, looking for a nice year old second hand XJR. The salesman wouldn't let me back out of the door until I test drove a two year old XJ6 3.0 he happened to have. He then suggested that the only way I would get what I wanted was to buy a car from them, at which point I became a 'customer' and they would tell me if a nice XJR became available. I thanked him for his time and made to leave. At this point the Sales Manager became involved and said they would find me the car I was looking for. He tried to sell me a high mileage car 'from one of their other dealerships' for £45k. That was at least £5k over the top in my view. Their solution was to offer me 'very competitive' finance. Furthermore, I would have to commit myself to it unseen. They attempted pressure similar to what you used to get from a timeshare operation. They had found me the car I had asked for, what was my problem? I had to sign on the line that very day. The level of unpleasantness was extreme. I managed to push my way past them to the door and left.
Naturally, I had a look at the Jaguar Approved website. The car they had been offering me was on the web, but from a totally different dealer, who were retailing it at a very reasonable £37k. I subsequently bought a mint low mileage example from Swain & Jones of Farnham, for £41k, a much more pleasant experience.
I've been subjected to similar pressure selling techniques from AC before, it's horrible, I especially hate it when they say "what can we do to get your business/what can we do to make you buy the car" well what they are doing is a sure fire way of making me definitely not buy.I would however sooner cross the threshold of Castle Dracula than a Vardy dealership. A few years back I went into one of their Jaguar branches, looking for a nice year old second hand XJR. The salesman wouldn't let me back out of the door until I test drove a two year old XJ6 3.0 he happened to have. He then suggested that the only way I would get what I wanted was to buy a car from them, at which point I became a 'customer' and they would tell me if a nice XJR became available. I thanked him for his time and made to leave. At this point the Sales Manager became involved and said they would find me the car I was looking for. He tried to sell me a high mileage car 'from one of their other dealerships' for £45k. That was at least £5k over the top in my view. Their solution was to offer me 'very competitive' finance. Furthermore, I would have to commit myself to it unseen. They attempted pressure similar to what you used to get from a timeshare operation. They had found me the car I had asked for, what was my problem? I had to sign on the line that very day. The level of unpleasantness was extreme. I managed to push my way past them to the door and left.
Naturally, I had a look at the Jaguar Approved website. The car they had been offering me was on the web, but from a totally different dealer, who were retailing it at a very reasonable £37k. I subsequently bought a mint low mileage example from Swain & Jones of Farnham, for £41k, a much more pleasant experience.
I also hate when you go to dealers wanting to browse the stock and hope something catches your eye, the salesman obviously always asks what sort of car you want, a budget etc and when you answer they immediately show you a car they think meets your criteria and push you into it and before you know it you are in the showroom being shown finance figures for a car you don want and you end up leaving with a migraine, similar happens when you even show slight interest in a car, and in both cases you don't get to view the rest of their stock, because they are so determined to get you to buy the car they want, even though letting you browse their stock might mean you picking a more expensive car and them getting more commission. Arnold's go one step further by after trying to force you to buy a particular car, when they finally realise you don't want it they take you to the stock locator on the computer and make you browse hundreds of cars that don't meet your criteria and try to force them on you too. So much so I now either browse for a car online and go to the dealership, hang around for 10mins until all the salesmen disappear then rush a quick look round the car and leave or go browsing dealers forecourts late at night or early morning when they are closed to get peace to look around.
When AC were doing some (what appeared to be) good bargains on nearly new Fiat Puntos a couple of years ago, we went along with the express intention of buying one for my son who had just passed his test and his mother was keen for him to have a "reliable" newish car. All seemed fine until I found a rental agreement in the glove box! The cars' "1 previous owner" had actually been Hertz car hire!!!
At not time was this mentioned to us. We were led to believe it had been a "management" car, so needless to say I was furious and decided to walk. When asked why, I explained that I felt that I had been misled into thinking the car had been used by an individual and not every Tom, Dick & Harry, to which I was informed that rental cars are some of the best looked after cars on the road!
At this point I almost lost the plot with the salesman and his boss, who was such an arrogant tw@t that it took both my son and my wife to hold me back from punching him in square in the face!
Needless to say, I've never darkened an AC showroom since!
At not time was this mentioned to us. We were led to believe it had been a "management" car, so needless to say I was furious and decided to walk. When asked why, I explained that I felt that I had been misled into thinking the car had been used by an individual and not every Tom, Dick & Harry, to which I was informed that rental cars are some of the best looked after cars on the road!
At this point I almost lost the plot with the salesman and his boss, who was such an arrogant tw@t that it took both my son and my wife to hold me back from punching him in square in the face!
Needless to say, I've never darkened an AC showroom since!
S2red said:
Have you ever had the "block the door" trick?
No, how does that work?By the way, it is and always has been a fairly common way to acquire a load of nearly new cars at a keen price is both to supply them to and buy them back from car rental agencies. It doesn't offend me, though I appreciate that one shouldn't be misled. Did you not wonder what the management were about running around in Fiat Puntos? I have no reason to believe that rental cars are not correctly maintained.
The line "What do we have to do to get you to do a deal today?" is music to my ears, particularly if they have got the car you want. Just tell them. If they are under a little pressure themselves they might just agree to your outrageous terms. What's not to like?
Perhaps I naively trusted what I was told, but the thing that angered me most was the fact that they deliberately concealed this information from me, and I would have been totally oblivious to it all had I not found the evidence for myself.
having had several rental cars from Heathrow airport and seeing the way that people not used to driving a right hand drive car with a manual gearchange drive, I wouldn't touch one!
having had several rental cars from Heathrow airport and seeing the way that people not used to driving a right hand drive car with a manual gearchange drive, I wouldn't touch one!
[quote=cardigankid]
No, how does that work?
quote]
They have you at desk you dont want their offer/car/deal whatever salesmen asks manager over to give you the "what can we do to get a sale" pitch salesman stands just close evough to keep you in seat but far enough away not to be intrusive then when you do make bolt for door try everything the can to keep you there steer you to another car. Springburn tried this when I was looking for car for daughter I am too polite to say which part on NO do you not understand but they were close to it
No, how does that work?
quote]
They have you at desk you dont want their offer/car/deal whatever salesmen asks manager over to give you the "what can we do to get a sale" pitch salesman stands just close evough to keep you in seat but far enough away not to be intrusive then when you do make bolt for door try everything the can to keep you there steer you to another car. Springburn tried this when I was looking for car for daughter I am too polite to say which part on NO do you not understand but they were close to it
AC used this exact approach with my friend and I a couple of weekends ago but it was Sunday, it was approaching closing time and I had already overheard the sales manager on the phone (whilst he was watching the Rangers game on the TV) agreeing to meet his pals at 6.30 for a pint.
So when he came over to see "what he could do to seal a deal" we already knew he wasn't wanting to hang around haggling!
So we got a good deal "so good he is worried about telling the general manager on Monday how much of a trade in he gave us". Bull, I know, but it genuinely did beat every other offer that we had received so she took the deal.
So when he came over to see "what he could do to seal a deal" we already knew he wasn't wanting to hang around haggling!
So we got a good deal "so good he is worried about telling the general manager on Monday how much of a trade in he gave us". Bull, I know, but it genuinely did beat every other offer that we had received so she took the deal.
Abarthgp said:
Hendryg,what did you want the salesman to do? sit in silence?
Listen to me when i said i didnt like the car/didnt want to buy it and maybe offer me something else rather than try to force me into it. especially when ive told him i want a 3 door petrol car under £8K and not a Ford and he tries to offer you a 5 door diesel Fiesta at £10K then try to force you into it.or repeatedly ask "what can we do to make you buy the car" then when you tell him you want a tank of fuel, 12 months tax, warranty, car serviced and mot'd, the scratches repaired and low rate finance and he says "nah we cant do that, but what can we do to make you buy the car" and then you are saying "ive told you what will make me buy the car and youve said you cant do it thus im not buying the car" and he goes "yeah i know but what can i do to make you buy the car" going round in circles for ages.
alanm_3 said:
When AC were doing some (what appeared to be) good bargains on nearly new Fiat Puntos a couple of years ago, we went along with the express intention of buying one for my son who had just passed his test and his mother was keen for him to have a "reliable" newish car. All seemed fine until I found a rental agreement in the glove box! The cars' "1 previous owner" had actually been Hertz car hire!!!
I bought an ex-Avis Clio from AC in 2001. 6 months old, 12k on the clock and in extremely good nick. Had some issues with it later in life, but nothing related to it being ex-rental. My old man did buy a Seat Ibiza from the Netherton Motorstore a few years later which was an ex-AC contract hire car and it was a shed. If I had been there that day, I'd have told him no way. Disgusting condition for a 3 year old car. I had to go up and hand in his insurance details one day and they pounded on me as I walked from the car to the showroom. A mate of mine went there to look at a specific Astra SRi and they were trying to get him to look at a line of tatty ex-contract SportHatches with scuffs and kerbed wheels, rather than what he wanted.I was in Inverness yesterday and my mate wanted to look at an Astra at Autovision. He looked round it for a good ten mins before the salesman even came over to see if he could help. No pouncing on him and trying to get him to look at something else.
Never really seen the problem with salesmen, bought the wife's Seicento from.Arnie, wife liked the car, we ended up at a price I was happy with the salesman did the need to see the manager routine, I did the walking out the door routine, we came to a deal ( after I pointed out how the need to see the manager bit was flawed as his name tag mentioned his position as manager as well as his name....) They' re there to do a job, if you dont like the deal walk away( honestly theyre car salesmen how are they going to stop you walking away?)
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