You might have gathered from other threads that I am interested in a 75 Tourer CDT auto, but I have doubts about certain issues on the manual and need a longer drive in an auto than I have been able to manage so far (1 mile).
So when I saw in the local rag my soon to be ex local Rover dealer advertising the very car second hand on a Y heres my chance to have a go, that model is not often on demo methinks.
To cut a long story short, and call me a muppet if you wish, but the attitude of the salesman was "As you will be wanting a Company car and as your fleet manager is not based round here we won't have a chance of the sale, so sod off, we are not going to work for nothing"
None of us like to work for nothing, true, but my question is this, if all Rover dealers have this attitude, then how is Rover going to sell its cars to the fleet market? Does Rover and other manufacturers not provide their franchises with some budget for this very reason?
Maybe someone in the trade can answer, beyond calling me a muppet that is.
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Over to you David Lacey (Service Mgr) of HJ Fame..........
I wait with baited breath.
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A muppet you are not, I secured a deal a couple of years ago with a company with a small fleet over 60 miles away, leapfrogging other dealers of the same marque to get the job. Reason it was a lean quarter and I shifted tin. He came to us on word of mouth and we have a good relationship with him It involves some outlay but what do they say about speculation and accumilation. I employed a dedicated company sales bod on the strength of this job on a short term contract (6months) and he is still here and will be getting his next six months contract next week. So in simple terms more fool Rover.
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If you ever get a test drive, make sure you fill the car with the equivalent of 5 adults and their luggage and include some long motorway inclines. The BMW 2.0D fitted to the 75 has a restricted power output anyway, so lumbering it with an autobox is hardly likely to be conducive to performance or economy. Meanwhile BMW has upped the poert of the same engine for its latest E46 Compact. If you go for an automatic 75 Tourer, go for the 2.5 KV6.
HJ
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Stuart,
I think the fault lies in the fundamentals of how sales staff are paid and valued at their dealerships. It is most common to pay commission on sales, and spending time giving a demo to someone you cannot sell a car to, could prevent catching a real customer or phone lead: no dosh! It's also common for sales people to earn bonuses and points/holidays etc for top dealer or area sales, and you can lose it by one sale. I firmly believe that manufacturers should pay rewards for out of area demos, and give the sales people the credit towards any target. Even dealers are forced to compete against dealers in the league tables for sales. I have to admit to not giving demos to a lot of people because of that, but if someone asked very nicely, when it was quiet, and I'd a few sales under my belt for the month...... The worst aspect was that most demos were asked for at the weekend, and I was in retail, working each weekend, and the fleet department, (who gave cars away rather than sold them!), finished at five on Friday.
Could you not hire one for a day? That would give you a really good test for very little considering how long you will have the car.
Regards
Mike
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As the title says nice one Guy, bet nobody noticed that one!
Thanks for the comments. So it seems as Mike indicates manufacturers make no support for out of area sales, or what I might call pure and simple markeing. Or is it that the dealer principal gets it but nothing is passed down from the chief to the indians?
Just for the record, I was the only customer in the place, the rest of the sales staff were either wandering about in the sunshine or blowing up balloons for some jolly. Oh there were a couple in the corner using the balloon gas so they could talk in that squeaky voice like Ashley in Coro. Hmm, busy day at the coal face obviously.
As the car was not there at the time, management mota, I was prepared to do the test at their convenience, insure it, and even put gas in it to replace what I used. If they wanted to accompany that was up to them. Not sure what else they want apart from a purchase order.
Now the concept of hiring one for a day, while it could be the solution it just rankles a little. What other product of ~20k would you have to PAY to take a decent look at considering you going to spend the next 100k+ in it? (BTW house surveys dont count in that question)
might just point Rover at this website?
Best regards to all,
Stuart
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It's hard work buying a car these days. Been looking around, discount? Pah. Test drive? Uuuum. Delivery? Oh...5 weeks. Colours? Green. They don't seem to be busting a gut to sell you anything.
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