I'm sure another poster mentioned there being a problem getting a test drive in a petrol Mazda, a 6?

It was me, same dealer, different idiot.

VAG are the only manufacturer who appears to actively promote petrols.

But it gets better.

Been on Autotrader like the salesman suggested and there are 10 petrol CX5's within 50 miles.

The closest is 6 miles away - at the dealer I visited yesterday. Not the correct spec but at least its a petrol to drive.

Think I will be ringing tomorrow and playing it as dumb as the salesmen clearly are. Or perhaps I should simply ask for the sales manger and ask him why his staff treat customers like idiots.

I'm sure another poster mentioned there being a problem getting a test drive in a petrol Mazda, a 6?, have they got something to hide,

They have a budget for demonstrators and get "deals" from the manufacturer to have the higher spec ones as demos, so that people can be tempted into buying that model.

Example, when we were looking initially at a kia venga when we were still in wales, we were able to test drive a venga 2, but it was a diesel. (same for the dacia Stepway sold at the same dealer, only diesel demos available,

No dealer will have the poverty spec (usually petrol) model available for a test drive. I was told by a volvo dealer that "they do not sell petrol engined cars as nobody wants them."

so elsewhere i went... There is still the attitude that "salesman knows best" so I decide what i want and if they want to supply it at a price i am willing to pay, then i'll buy it, if not adios senor..

'Well' he said 'they're OK if you want cheap and nasty'.

Classic.

Wonder if his older brother worked at a Northants BMW dealer a few years ago, this bod told a chap i know who went in with a view to buying a 3 series (probably E46) to come back when he could afford one.

Had he looked out the palace window at the car this chap drove up in, he might have noticed a profession number plate on it worth roughly the price of a new 5 series, he also owns a good part of the village where he lives but you'd never know it, not brash enough to pass muster? chap never did buy a BMW.

A further story about the same franchise.

When we went a year ago to look at Dacias, we found the franchise split on two sites. The Renault place is a bit of a palace (who pays for that?), the Dacia place is probably their original premises. OK, but nothing special.

Salesman was a bit world-weary, no pointy shoes, and we explained what we were looking for. No exact demo available, but he gave us the keys to a 12 month old Sandero 1.2 Access (the basic one) and said there's half a tank of petrol in it, give it a go, see you later. So we did. A good test drive on motorway, country roads, etc., no salesman to distract. And went back and bought one (the Ambience). When we got back he said ;no point in buying a used one, a new one is only x more, PCP, etc. Which was true.

Car was ordered, deal was done, could not have been better treated if we were buying a new Merc (except coffee was instant).

When the time comes, I shall be seeking out that salesman at that franchise. Trust is a big thing, buying a car is a big thing.

SLO76 - certainly no offence intended here.

What pains me, I think, is that for most of us 'ordinary' people buying a car is a big investment. One which, in some circumstances, can make or break you, let you in for a world of trouble.

I like to be honest and open in my dealings, and I respond well to people who are. I tend to search out people I can trust.

I am happy to pay the going rate - I'd rather do that than shave the cost to the bone and take a gamble. Peace of mind is important to me.

I mentioned the Dacia salesman earlier. He is a local bloke trying to get by, and his commission is fairly minimal. But he's honest and fair and I am happy to put business his way, perhaps pay a bit over the odds for some stuff, and he hasn't let us down. He's actually the sort of bloke you'd be happy to go out for a pint with.

Going back to the original question - Skidpan, out of interest, why didn't you put the Golf and Octavia estates on your list? Both can be had with the 1.4 TSI engine, and both arwe bigger then the Leon ST.

They are on the shortlist. At this stage there is still everything to play for. The Golf SV also features.

Problem with the VW's is the cost (even using brokers). To get the 150 PS engine you have to go to GT spec and then you get such niceties as big wheels and rubber band tyres, lowered stiffened suspension and (I think) shiny wheels and hateful Alcantara seats. What you don't get is a £0 option for white and climate control. VW call it "manual climate control", its air conditioning. If you want propper climate control its another £340. Using Carfiles prices for comparrison its £21400. The Mazda, which is bigger and far better equipped as standard is £19400 with a lowish% PCP deal available.

Problem with Skoda is our past experience when test driving them. On each occation the road noise has been deafening (and that was with 16" wheels. All the road tests I have read still comment that the Skoda is noisier than the Seat and VW so I have low expectation of being impressed even though the size is perfect.

1990 ish. Me, we like the car (Fiat Panda) if we can do a deal I'll pay cash so how much? Salesman, 'can't tell you how much or you will go somewhere else and try to get a better price, just say you'll buy it and sign up and we''ll tell you the price' 'Please buy the Croma instead, I get a Rolex if you do'.

When I was making my mind up to buy an auto I went through the process of finding out how to handle the auto gearbox. When I asked a salesman, and I asked a few, they knew all about the range of colours and the finance plans but couldn't tell me what I wanted to know. Finally, at a Jaguar franchise, I saw the garage foreman. He heard me out, smiled a secret smile, then told me almost everything that I needed. I had to experience for myself what an auto box could do, like how to select a low gear before going down steep hills. I know that some of the BRs don't approve, but I don't like riding the brakes when going down steep hills.

I find the door marked exit the best way to deal when idiots try their shabby methods of extracting my hard earned, i don't balme them trying to earn a crust without having to dirty their hands, but don't insult me by assuming i'm just another lowest common deniminator and can't see straight through this rehea***d waffle.

I think I may have already told this story on here previously, but here goes:

I was in the market for a new estate car back in 2006/2007 to replace my 100,000 mile Passat. I had a fair wedge to spend and fancied a new Merc "E" class and was wandering around their brand-new glass palace.

After about five minutes wandering around the showroom of locked cars and not being approached by any staff, I came across a gaggle of them around a reception desk:

Me: ......... excuse me. do you have any details..............

Them: ............ we are busy making a video at the moment, can you wait...

I brought an ex-demo Subaru Legacy (from a Subaru dealer)!

Edited by nick62 on 16/09/2016 at 17:20

What really p****s me off is this. AFAIK, my annual (retirement) income is just about, or just a bit more, than the UK average annual salary.

To me, £7.5k is a big chunk. (That would pay for a new Dacia Sandero Ambience). AFAIK, most car salesman probably don't make a guaranteed £28k a year.

I don't appreciate being treated as a second-class citizen because I won;t contemplate buying a £30k potential money pit.