Ask a car salesman anything...anything at all (Vol. 2).
Discussion
Many years ago I sold a car to someone, signed order, deposit paid, paperwork up to admin for processing, car taken off sale and moved around the back. Job jobbed. Colleague comes in and says he had sold it earlier, turns out he had, but nobody told me and the car was still out on the pitch all stickered up. I had to cancel the sale and my man was not happy. Next day I was off and severed a main artery in my arm in an accident, guess who was in the ambulance crew? He told me I could bloody well bleed to death! 
Fair do’s. Lord Sugar’s search continues in that case. First experience of such dickery. Www.moving-on.com
RUSSELLM said:
You may have missed it in the news, and on this thread 
But there’s also a global shortage on semiconductors. JLR’s release a few weeks back, suggesting things are going to get worse in the second quarter, before they get better. 110,000 back order to fulfil and rising.
All manufacturers having the same problem, but obviously on a larger scale.
Unless you’re buying a pedal cart
I've just been quoted 12 months delivery time on a Discovery Sport PHEV. They are offering top dollar for my year old Diesel MHEV DS. The only problem is they want it now. I can't be without our main car for that long, and I don't fancy having to drive a shorter for a year then have the hassle - and potential loss - of selling it.But there’s also a global shortage on semiconductors. JLR’s release a few weeks back, suggesting things are going to get worse in the second quarter, before they get better. 110,000 back order to fulfil and rising.
All manufacturers having the same problem, but obviously on a larger scale.
Unless you’re buying a pedal cart
It's a very odd state of affairs.
Buster73 said:
My brother has just bought his wife an E Pace from a dealer about 90 minutes drive away after apathy from his local Stratstone branch.
When he went to pick it up , the salesman told him he’d now sold 13 cars to customers who live in the North East area so far this year .
Does this apparent apathy with certain dealerships out of your area lead any of the sales folk on here benefiting in a similar way ?
I probably use the same LR dealer as your brother after a similar experience. I also had a similar conversation with the Salesman.When he went to pick it up , the salesman told him he’d now sold 13 cars to customers who live in the North East area so far this year .
Does this apparent apathy with certain dealerships out of your area lead any of the sales folk on here benefiting in a similar way ?
Maybe these big dealer chains are too big, and too bogged down in conforming to a corporate model to notice, or care.
The dealership I now use has all the corporate look, but with a great attitude. For me, it isn't just about getting a good deal. It's about good communication and relationships.
I had cause to use my old dealer for recall work. The service member couldn't understand how the car was a different colour from the one on their system. We've had many LRs and like many owners have our own plate. Said the car was out of warranty. It was in for a mod to the Hybrid system. It didn't occur to her to actually look at the car which was sitting behind her to see it was a 3 month old latest model not a 2018 and that my model didn't exist in 2018.
While in for the work I got a video from the tech showing me the tyres exhaust and brakes were fine. On a car with about 2 K on the clock. Why bother? To tick a corporate customer service box?
Weeks later when topping up the screen wash I discovered missing clips on covers. If the tech hadn't been pissing about filming new parts under a new car, maybe he'd have finished the job he was supposed to be doing properly.
A shoddy couldn't give a s
t attitude.Their sales experience was equally disappointing. Having bought from them regularly for about a decade, I was "qualified" by a receptionist. Introduced to someone to show me round the cars who didn't really know their stuff. Then I was asked to make an appointment to see someone in sales.
At the appointment we sat in an office with our backs to the cars while a guy used the same configurator I used to show me the I had already specified.
It was about as rewarding as applying for a mortgage .
What I wanted was the price of a deal. Stock availability lead time for a factory order.
He knew I was going to buy a car - the latest model of my last 3 LRs, yet he insisted on "selling" me the virtues of the car. All very polite, but there's only so much free coffee fizzy drinks and fairy cakes I can eat.
By contrast the new geographically distant dealer instantly wanted to build a relationship and immediately reacted to my needs with clear, simple offers. I don't think paint guard or tyre insurance were ever mentioned.
On hand over which was COVID distanced it was a case of if you bring it back for servicing well lend you something special for a couple of days. Can I call you in a year or so to try and sell you a new one? And would you like me to put you on our corporate schmooze list?
I took it back the other week for a minor warranty job. True to their word a new hi spec Velar was there for me. Full tank. Don't bother filling it when you return it. Have it for a couple of days. The salesman clocked that I was in and spent a good 15 minutes shooting the breeze about craft beer and cars.
Playing a long game with great customer service. Absolutely brilliant.
Super_GP said:
Why do some traders/sellers blur out/blank the number plates in the advert?
Very annoying, I just move onto the next one. The first thing I do if I am interested in a car is put the registration number into Vehicle Smart so I know the MOT history, cost of Road Tax and when the V5 was last issued.Super_GP said:
Why do some traders/sellers blur out/blank the number plates in the advert?
To stop you looking up the MOT history. Makes it harder to track the sale history of the car.
To stop you googling the reg for images of the car on track, on fire etc.
And probably others I can't think of.
Dolf Stoppard said:
To stop you looking up the MOT history.
Makes it harder to track the sale history of the car.
To stop you googling the reg for images of the car on track, on fire etc.
And probably others I can't think of.
It is a sure sign to me that the dealer is the sort of person who just expects someone to turn up and buy the car with zero checks. I know for a fact that I am not the sort of customer they want at all.Makes it harder to track the sale history of the car.
To stop you googling the reg for images of the car on track, on fire etc.
And probably others I can't think of.
Wildcat45 said:
RUSSELLM said:
You may have missed it in the news, and on this thread
But there’s also a global shortage on semiconductors. JLR’s release a few weeks back, suggesting things are going to get worse in the second quarter, before they get better. 110,000 back order to fulfil and rising.
All manufacturers having the same problem, but obviously on a larger scale.
Unless you’re buying a pedal cart
I've just been quoted 12 months delivery time on a Discovery Sport PHEV. They are offering top dollar for my year old Diesel MHEV DS. The only problem is they want it now. I can't be without our main car for that long, and I don't fancy having to drive a shorter for a year then have the hassle - and potential loss - of selling it.But there’s also a global shortage on semiconductors. JLR’s release a few weeks back, suggesting things are going to get worse in the second quarter, before they get better. 110,000 back order to fulfil and rising.
All manufacturers having the same problem, but obviously on a larger scale.
Unless you’re buying a pedal cart
It's a very odd state of affairs.
Dolf Stoppard said:
Super_GP said:
Why do some traders/sellers blur out/blank the number plates in the advert?
To stop you looking up the MOT history. Makes it harder to track the sale history of the car.
To stop you googling the reg for images of the car on track, on fire etc.
And probably others I can't think of.
I declined to test drive it based on the dishonesty of the seller, rather than the track history.
Countdown said:
For any car sales people
What's the longest you've had a car before you've managed to sell it or alternatively decided to cut your losses and auction it instead?
When I used to spend time round my mates car lot, we headed off to a mechanic a few miles away that was excellent at big jobs. We dropped off a car and the mechanic asked when my mate was going to supply a replacement engine for a Multipla that had been sitting at the back of the yard for nearly a year and had been forgotten about.What's the longest you've had a car before you've managed to sell it or alternatively decided to cut your losses and auction it instead?
Super_GP said:
Why do some traders/sellers blur out/blank the number plates in the advert?
Not sure a common thing now apart from some dealers like their stock to look consistent. One of the biggest reasons was cloning, either direct copying of the advert on a clone page or to steal a car, find a similar one for sale elsewhere in the country via Autotrader and use that reg to either apply for a V5 (the car will be in trade so this can instantly be done at the post office) or just copy the plates as the car is likely to be taxed and insured soon. Other reasons are some cars are mid cherished plate transfer and it upsets anoraks who want to see if a car failed an MOT five years ago for a light bulb.
Wildcat45 said:
I've just been quoted 12 months delivery time on a Discovery Sport PHEV. They are offering top dollar for my year old Diesel MHEV DS. The only problem is they want it now. I can't be without our main car for that long, and I don't fancy having to drive a shorter for a year then have the hassle - and potential loss - of selling it.
It's a very odd state of affairs.
It's God sending you a message. It's a very odd state of affairs.
Can't you see that?
Jag quoting a year for an F Type, no new cars in the system. Can't even sell me their showroom model because they can't get one to replace it and they have to have one for customers to look at!
Amazing situation, very frustrating for me, as the gap between used and new is much smaller right now with these booming used prices I'd rather get a new car with full warranty. At least I know the value in a few years (minimum) whereas buying used now could be a horrible hit if things ever even out.
Amazing situation, very frustrating for me, as the gap between used and new is much smaller right now with these booming used prices I'd rather get a new car with full warranty. At least I know the value in a few years (minimum) whereas buying used now could be a horrible hit if things ever even out.
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