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GREENI



Member Since: 22 Aug 2010
Location: staffs
Posts: 10379

United Kingdom 
Car dealers....we can't buy a car.
We've been trying to buy a car for the past 2 weeks. Just a crappy tax free Toyota IQ or an Aygo.
Something we can dump at the train station or run to the butchers in, or nip to our local auto factors (who are so close I usually ride there on my BMX) if we need something that can't carry...oil for eg.

We went to one dealer and asked how much he could do the IQ for. (Been for sale for a couple of months) I said it was a cash, easy sale, we aren't interested in warranties or px, that we were local people.
He simply stood in his doorway, pointing over all his cars and stated:
"There is no movement in any of these cars"

He at least spoke some truth, that IQ didn't move from his forecourt that day!!!!

Now what happened to the idea of 'repeat customers'? When we want any car, we always check stock and ask one dealer to see if he can source us the car we want, we brought a Scirocco off a dealer and he was fantastic, we want to buy from him again, if he had what we want..

We tried to buy a Cayman S the other week from a dealer and he couldn't be bothered call us with a price on the RS for a px, he then dismissed a cash offer ( was more than reasonable) then never replied to an email and it was only when I rated the company on Facebook as one star, that we got any response.... We would have bought his car, a friend wants a 997 etc etc. we could have been long lasting customers.
Are dealers becoming short sighted and want the 'fast buck'?
Post #539533 12th Jun 2016 7:41am
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GREENI



Member Since: 22 Aug 2010
Location: staffs
Posts: 10379

United Kingdom 
I'll just add, Jonathan who we had the 90 from was more than fantastic, traded from his own home. That's a guy you know you can trust!
Post #539537 12th Jun 2016 7:44am
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Likeomg



Member Since: 29 Jun 2012
Location: Lake District / Newcastle
Posts: 2638

2010 Defender 90 Puma 2.4 HT Stornoway Grey
we went to buy a new audi 2 weeks ago, ready to just tell them the options and colour and pay, waited 15 minutes for a salesperson then left, went to the other audi dealer told him the spec list then he started going on about leases this that and the other, all we wanted to do was pay for the bloody thing..

not a nice experience considering the money being spent.
Post #539550 12th Jun 2016 8:35am
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Retroanaconda



Member Since: 04 Jan 2012
Location: Scotland
Posts: 2637

Scotland 
Car dealers all being pricks cannot be news to you surely?
Post #539551 12th Jun 2016 8:36am
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dunc



Member Since: 31 Dec 2015
Location: surrey
Posts: 132

United Kingdom 2016 Defender 90 Puma 2.2 XS CSW Corris Grey
Over the years I have had many experiences of going into dealerships - and being ignored by sales staff far too busy and important to lift their head up tapping away on their computer keyboards.

Now I go to dealers to decide what I want - then buy through drivethedeal.com. We have bought several cars through them, all with a good discount. You deal direct with a UK dealership, no grey imports etc.

I have no affiliation with this company - I'm just a very satisfied customer.
Post #539554 12th Jun 2016 8:58am
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X4SKP



Member Since: 29 Nov 2013
Location: Berkshire
Posts: 2295

United Kingdom 2010 Defender 90 Puma 2.4 SW Stornoway Grey
Last year my wife and I went to our local Audi dealer...and were met initially with complete
indifference, followed by effectively a one approach route to buying a new Audi.

1. Nobody approached us, which initially i didn't mind, but there is a way to convey
we are here if you need us!
2. Eventually we approached reception to see if we could speak to sales
'have you an appointment sir?'
3. Spoke to sales guy, I ended the conversation after 3 minutes,
having said exactly the car we wanted, that it would be a cash buy, and no part exchange
was required. He tried the lease pitch, which I repeated we were not interested in.
4. You could see the dis-heartened look on his face as he knew at that point
it was all about the deal.
5. What completely sealed his loss of a sale was commenting that, most people
decide sooner or later 'to trade up to an Audi'...you just knew the way he said it
that this was one of his sales lines.
6. My wife really wanted a TT but she lead the way out the dealership...worryingly
suggesting that we now pay a visit to a famous marque that has its base in Reading!
7. We went home... Thumbs Up SKIP
https://www.defender2.net/forum/topic83242.html
Post #539556 12th Jun 2016 9:08am
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defender9



Member Since: 12 Mar 2016
Location: Fylde Coast
Posts: 1629

United Kingdom 2015 Defender 90 Puma 2.2 SW Keswick Green
I recently had a good experience when buying a second hand Skoda Yeti 4x4. I had no trade in and we did haggle a bit over the price but all things considered it was a pleasant experience from Simpsons Skoda at Preston and they delivered it FOC.
Post #539557 12th Jun 2016 9:09am
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JJ



Member Since: 18 May 2009
Location: Winchester
Posts: 932

United Kingdom 1987 Defender 110 V8 Petrol CSW Corris Grey
The problem is the salesman hasn't lost anything as there is very little profit in the metal so no reason to sell it to you ,no skin of his nose if you don't buy. If you take a lease or buy gap insurance , extra warranties etc then there is a profit in it for the salesman ( commission ) and the franchise.

If you understand that then you can play the game to your advantage.

Cash sales at a discount are very yesterday. It even costs the dealer to bank cash. HR064 Hampshire and Berkshire 4x4 Response
Post #539564 12th Jun 2016 9:49am
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uncas



Member Since: 22 Nov 2012
Location: Wentworth near Rotherham
Posts: 340

United Kingdom 
We've just upgraded our motorhome we traded our older kne in and the sales director did his level best to get us to finance the outstanding amount but I insisted that the remainder would be by bank transfer I'd never be able to sleep if I owed money on it.
A while ago I took my Aunt and Uncle to buy a sar from a local Suzuki dealer I must say that the sales people were excellent the deal was again by bank transfer but then they tried to sell us Gap insurance why?


Barry
Post #539566 12th Jun 2016 10:07am
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Projectblue



Member Since: 22 Nov 2011
Location: Devon
Posts: 1096

England 
Standard stuff to be honest.

I took my mother to buy a small car and two dealers, including the Toyota where she had been going for years were just very less than bothered.
Stupid things like "we would like a test drive" was met with 'yes, tomorrow we open at 10, so 10am?' Got there and they weren't open and the car was buried 3 deep. Took 30 minutes to sort and by then there were four lots of people waiting to do test drives.
Unsurprisingly she bought a Ford from a really helpful, really friendly chap who went out of his way and rang her back when he said he would.

Later, back down South I went to a completely different dealer and test drove new Ford Mustang, salesman was spot on (I had been recommended to him) and everything was organised and smooth. Test drive was booked for an hour and there were no restrictions other than the legal stuff like speed limits etc. Weirdly I bought the car.

It's not rocket science to us, but apparently it is Laughing New project and it's green: www.projectoverland.info
Post #539597 12th Jun 2016 12:06pm
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Cupboard



Member Since: 21 Mar 2014
Location: Suffolk
Posts: 2971

United Kingdom 2011 Defender 110 Puma 2.4 HT Corris Grey
Nissan too. Talked to our local Nissan dealership about buying a new Leaf. Top spec, cash sale. Tried to get us to lease it or take out finance or this and that. Wouldn't sell it to us. Kept saying he'd ring back, never did. After a week or two gave up and went to a different dealer who sorted it out straight away.

I always thought that car salesmen were there to sell you a car, but apparently some aren't.

When I bought my Defender (second hand) the chap was delighted I was taking the bloody thing off his hands Rolling with laughter It had attacked two pairs of his trousers and he was having to put it away each evening to stop people from nicking it.
Post #539615 12th Jun 2016 1:20pm
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shipbadger



Member Since: 10 Jan 2016
Location: Royal Forest of Dean
Posts: 19

United Kingdom 2011 Defender 110 Puma 2.4 HCPU Galway Green
I'm afraid another Audi dealer story, though from many years agp. My brother stopped off at the dealership on the way home from work and in his work clothes. He only wanted to make some initial enquiries with a view to a test drive the next day. The salesman completely ignored him. Next day he went back in smart shirt, leather jacket etc.. Salesman was all over him like a rash.

I've mainly used just two local garages for the last thirty years. They know I know what I want, that I'll haggle for money off or useful things like mudflaps or towbars and we get on well. When buying the latest LR had to travel much further afield. Poor slaesman was new to the firm and had previously sold Mercs and Beemers. Was totally taken aback when I fetched the old cloth from the boot and rolled underneath the vehicle. Was even more amazed when on the test drive I found a potholed lane, turned up it and tried out the transfer box. As they had several more LRs on the forecourt I gave him a 20 minute lesson in what to look for when buying. He was actually very appreciative, and yes, I did buy the 110.

Tony Comber
Post #539658 12th Jun 2016 4:56pm
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bluebottle



Member Since: 08 May 2015
Location: Not in my Landy enough!
Posts: 705

United Kingdom 
Another thumbs down for Audi here too... Not sure what it is with them, but it seems endemic.

A while ago we were shopping for a convertible, I liked the A3 and my wife liked the BMW 1 series. The Audi guys were so disinterested and unhelpful that the poor A3 never got a chance. We were, grudgingly, allowed to test drive a base model with a terrible under-powered engine plus the usual spiel about leases or finance schemes etc.

I really don't get it. If you want to sell cars, sell cars. If you want to broker complex and poor value finance schemes, go and work in a bank.
Post #539769 13th Jun 2016 7:19am
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couplands



Member Since: 31 Aug 2011
Location: Peak District & Cornwall
Posts: 1826

United Kingdom 2001 Defender 90 Td5 HT Oslo Blue
JJ wrote:
The problem is the salesman hasn't lost anything as there is very little profit in the metal so no reason to sell it to you ,no skin of his nose if you don't buy. If you take a lease or buy gap insurance , extra warranties etc then there is a profit in it for the salesman ( commission ) and the franchise.

If you understand that then you can play the game to your advantage.

Cash sales at a discount are very yesterday. It even costs the dealer to bank cash.


What's the best way to play the "If you take a lease or buy gap insurance , extra warranties etc then there is a profit in it for the salesman ( commission ) and the franchise." ...game..?

I've always bought cash, but wondered if there is a better trick to a good deal by leveraging (good US term..Wink) the finance/GAP stuff..?

cheers

simon
Post #539772 13th Jun 2016 8:20am
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Butchers Boy



Member Since: 10 Jan 2016
Location: Essex
Posts: 426

United Kingdom 2010 Defender 90 Puma 2.4 HT Stornoway Grey
I've brought 5 new Audi's in the last four years the last one I had for 2 weeks when it developed a problem with the paintwork Audi said they would respray the front end - I said you Censored wont!! I demanded a new car they agreed said it would take up to 5 months to be built and delivered! I asked for my old Audi back which was still for sale on their forecourt it was less than a year old They refused to let me have it back! When I inquired what was I going to do for five months while the new car is being built the sales manager replied 'Not our problem!' Thud 2010 Defender 90 HT

The longer I live..... The better I was!
Post #539774 13th Jun 2016 8:42am
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