Ask a car salesman anything...anything at all.
Discussion
dash23 said:
We’re picking up a brand new car at the weekend — first time we’ve bought brand new.
The salesman has been fantastic. Even answering our questions by email on his days off. Without doubt, racing straight back there and to him next time we change our car.
We’d like to give him a little something as a ‘thank you’. Without asking him and spoiling the surprise, what sort of thing usually goes down well?
The guy I bought the MINI from was part of the support crew for a team doing the Race Across America, in aid of cancer research. So I sponsored them The salesman has been fantastic. Even answering our questions by email on his days off. Without doubt, racing straight back there and to him next time we change our car.
We’d like to give him a little something as a ‘thank you’. Without asking him and spoiling the surprise, what sort of thing usually goes down well?
One for those working in New...
I’m picking my new factory-order car up (hopefully) on Saturday. It’s not at the dealer yet, and has been sitting in Immingham docks for the past few days. All cleared and no issues, I’m told, but awaiting delivery to the dealer.
Is this fairly normal, especially in the build-up to plate change time? Do they usually pull it out the bag or should I prepare for a longer wait?
I’m picking my new factory-order car up (hopefully) on Saturday. It’s not at the dealer yet, and has been sitting in Immingham docks for the past few days. All cleared and no issues, I’m told, but awaiting delivery to the dealer.
Is this fairly normal, especially in the build-up to plate change time? Do they usually pull it out the bag or should I prepare for a longer wait?
dash23 said:
One for those working in New...
I’m picking my new factory-order car up (hopefully) on Saturday. It’s not at the dealer yet, and has been sitting in Immingham docks for the past few days. All cleared and no issues, I’m told, but awaiting delivery to the dealer.
Is this fairly normal, especially in the build-up to plate change time? Do they usually pull it out the bag or should I prepare for a longer wait?
To be honest if it's not at the dealer by now I wouldn't push for Saturday delivery. It will just mean that PDI and valeting etc will be rushed.I’m picking my new factory-order car up (hopefully) on Saturday. It’s not at the dealer yet, and has been sitting in Immingham docks for the past few days. All cleared and no issues, I’m told, but awaiting delivery to the dealer.
Is this fairly normal, especially in the build-up to plate change time? Do they usually pull it out the bag or should I prepare for a longer wait?
If the dealer can still pull it out of the bag for Saturday then fair play to them but I wouldn't pressure them for it, especially if you still have a car to run around in.
dash23 said:
One for those working in New...
I’m picking my new factory-order car up (hopefully) on Saturday. It’s not at the dealer yet, and has been sitting in Immingham docks for the past few days. All cleared and no issues, I’m told, but awaiting delivery to the dealer.
Is this fairly normal, especially in the build-up to plate change time? Do they usually pull it out the bag or should I prepare for a longer wait?
That is cutting it fine, however if it arrives tomorrow or even Friday morning then I don't see an issue.I’m picking my new factory-order car up (hopefully) on Saturday. It’s not at the dealer yet, and has been sitting in Immingham docks for the past few days. All cleared and no issues, I’m told, but awaiting delivery to the dealer.
Is this fairly normal, especially in the build-up to plate change time? Do they usually pull it out the bag or should I prepare for a longer wait?
I never firm up a date until the car is physically with me; unless we are talking a couple of weeks ahead or it has been given a transport instruction and then I will be looking at organising a collection for a weeks time; had someone in today to sign finance paperwork for a collection on the 8th, their car is in the UK and has been given a transport instruction so the latest that we will receive it will likely be Monday, so plenty of time.
I guess dealers can't avoid delivering this Saturday as it's the 1st, but last new car we bought the dealer absolutely refused to allow collection on a Saturday.
Indeed, I recall we had a new Renault some years ago and that dealer would only allow collection on the first if we went at midnight! You don't hear of that these days, but it used to be common to collect at midnight.
Indeed, I recall we had a new Renault some years ago and that dealer would only allow collection on the first if we went at midnight! You don't hear of that these days, but it used to be common to collect at midnight.
I remember the time when a dealer delivery date (DDD) was given and 99% of the time it was either spot on or it would arrive a few days earlier, so you would organise everything with that date in mind and it rarely went pear shaped; it would show a DDD of 29th August so we'd get finance docs signed, insurance here, a collection time would be arranged and the happy customer would be picking up on the 1st September.
Now a DDD is given, it is never that date, it could be earlier, it invariably is later; maybe a week later, so you can't organise anything in advance of the car arriving at the dealership, you have to wait for it to arrive before organising everything, which means that we get chocked full of new cars taking up space, then it is a week before the customer can get in to sign the finance paperwork (however being able to e-mail it now has made things a bit easier), it just makes the whole process that little bit more difficult.
Now a DDD is given, it is never that date, it could be earlier, it invariably is later; maybe a week later, so you can't organise anything in advance of the car arriving at the dealership, you have to wait for it to arrive before organising everything, which means that we get chocked full of new cars taking up space, then it is a week before the customer can get in to sign the finance paperwork (however being able to e-mail it now has made things a bit easier), it just makes the whole process that little bit more difficult.
My old sales managers used to sell me stories of when he delivered 50 new cars on a plate change day.....
with march and sept now its not as big as it used to be, plus it really doesn't seem a big thing to our customers to have their new car on the 1st of a plate change anymore.
we don't have any going out on the 1st of sep.
with march and sept now its not as big as it used to be, plus it really doesn't seem a big thing to our customers to have their new car on the 1st of a plate change anymore.
we don't have any going out on the 1st of sep.
I've only got 1 going on Saturday, my colleague has 4; as the years have gone by, less and less people are bothered about a plate change, they just want their car ASAP and many still don't understand the plate system, TBH I would rather they did away with it, I don't see why there is a system of obvious plate and year changes, this August has been pretty busy for me with new car handovers.
HTP99 said:
I've only got 1 going on Saturday, my colleague has 4; as the years have gone by, less and less people are bothered about a plate change, they just want their car ASAP and many still don't understand the plate system, TBH I would rather they did away with it, I don't see why there is a system of obvious plate and year changes, this August has been pretty busy for me with new car handovers.
Must say I'm amazed at how low those numbers are. I've always thought it was dated plates that kept private car sales going in the UK, and that they caused the excessive depreciation we seem to suffer here compared to other countries.Sheepshanks said:
HTP99 said:
I've only got 1 going on Saturday, my colleague has 4; as the years have gone by, less and less people are bothered about a plate change, they just want their car ASAP and many still don't understand the plate system, TBH I would rather they did away with it, I don't see why there is a system of obvious plate and year changes, this August has been pretty busy for me with new car handovers.
Must say I'm amazed at how low those numbers are. I've always thought it was dated plates that kept private car sales going in the UK, and that they caused the excessive depreciation we seem to suffer here compared to other countries.HTP99 said:
I've always assumed that the high depreciation is due to our general love affair with having a new car and changing every three or four years...
Well yes, but I think what drives that change (to some extent) is that dated plates "age" a car, and twice yearly changes age it twice as fast.I've noticed a weird thing that as my wife's car (which I use quite a lot) is approaching 3yrs old I'm regularly being asked if we have a new one coming. If that commonly happens then there will be people who feel 'pressured' to change their cars. I never get asked about changing my 14yr old Merc, although people do ask if I'm interested in selling it.
The Mad Monk said:
Sorry. I don't buy that.
50 cars - delivered - in what, 10 hours? 5 an hour? One every 12 minutes? No.
I think your old sales manager is exaggerating just a little.
I'm less doubtful.50 cars - delivered - in what, 10 hours? 5 an hour? One every 12 minutes? No.
I think your old sales manager is exaggerating just a little.
I remember the era of people going to the showroom to collect their car at 00:01 on the day, and the "handover" in those days didn't involve an hour or so of selling GAP insurance, Tyre Insurance, Service Plans, How to work the stereo, etc.
Much more - here's your keys, there's the car <shake hands>, bye.
shtu said:
I'm less doubtful.
I remember the era of people going to the showroom to collect their car at 00:01 on the day, and the "handover" in those days didn't involve an hour or so of selling GAP insurance, Tyre Insurance, Service Plans, How to work the stereo, etc.
Much more - here's your keys, there's the car <shake hands>, bye.
Agreed. I remember rows and rows of cars being lined up ready. As you say, a 10 minute hand over and off you went. I remember the era of people going to the showroom to collect their car at 00:01 on the day, and the "handover" in those days didn't involve an hour or so of selling GAP insurance, Tyre Insurance, Service Plans, How to work the stereo, etc.
Much more - here's your keys, there's the car <shake hands>, bye.
50 cars for a big dealership was surely possible in a day.
RicksAlfas said:
shtu said:
I'm less doubtful.
I remember the era of people going to the showroom to collect their car at 00:01 on the day, and the "handover" in those days didn't involve an hour or so of selling GAP insurance, Tyre Insurance, Service Plans, How to work the stereo, etc.
Much more - here's your keys, there's the car <shake hands>, bye.
Agreed. I remember rows and rows of cars being lined up ready. As you say, a 10 minute hand over and off you went. I remember the era of people going to the showroom to collect their car at 00:01 on the day, and the "handover" in those days didn't involve an hour or so of selling GAP insurance, Tyre Insurance, Service Plans, How to work the stereo, etc.
Much more - here's your keys, there's the car <shake hands>, bye.
50 cars for a big dealership was surely possible in a day.
The Mad Monk said:
RicksAlfas said:
shtu said:
I'm less doubtful.
I remember the era of people going to the showroom to collect their car at 00:01 on the day, and the "handover" in those days didn't involve an hour or so of selling GAP insurance, Tyre Insurance, Service Plans, How to work the stereo, etc.
Much more - here's your keys, there's the car <shake hands>, bye.
Agreed. I remember rows and rows of cars being lined up ready. As you say, a 10 minute hand over and off you went. I remember the era of people going to the showroom to collect their car at 00:01 on the day, and the "handover" in those days didn't involve an hour or so of selling GAP insurance, Tyre Insurance, Service Plans, How to work the stereo, etc.
Much more - here's your keys, there's the car <shake hands>, bye.
50 cars for a big dealership was surely possible in a day.
We use 'handed over' now.
It's not unusual to deliver the cars before the 1st, particularly if there's no PX. We used to do a pre handover, controls, business manager, FSA stuff, then just sign and drive away on the day. Saved a lot of time on a tricky day.
Edited by PositronicRay on Thursday 30th August 17:17
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