After being shafted by my local Peugeot dealer, I e-mailed other dealers about cars in stock (and advertised) and for info on a new car purchase. I don't think you could get a more serious buyer than myself and I've clearly stated I'm looking to buy. All the dealers have nice, shiney websites with big 'contact sales team' buttons for e-mails.
NOT ONE dealer has bothered to reply. Do these people ever read them? Are they consigned to the junk mail bin? It turns me off buying on the basis that if they can't be bothered to put some effort into selling, what's their post-sales performance going to be like!
I'm getting quite depressed. Isn't car buying supposed to be pleasurable!
|
I don't think they like doing business over the internet - they want to see the whites of your eyes and smell your cash before they get interested.
Having experienced similar to yourself the only difference I found was with Toyota and Lexus.
|
|
If it's a new car, why not contact some of the internet brokers? You should get a better deal as well.
|
Yes, forget these indiffernt dealers and use a broker (I can recommend drivethedeal.com) - save money and get a personalised service (ironically via a dealer! - they seem to take their business with brokers seriously).
Pat
|
I don't think they like doing business over the internet -
I've had the opposite experience & would recommend initiial contact via telephone after checking out & shortlisting their offerings via their website or AutoTrader - you can then see the whites (yellows? euurrgh!) of their ears. The email route, I imagine, for them was something thought up by their manufacturer marketing depts. & probably not something they 'engage' with. Why sit back and be passive waiting like the bridesmaid - ring 'em up! I've bought several cars (via main dealer - with manufacturer's/approves used warranty) - I have the trade-in/retail values etc. beforehand, I give an accurate description/provenance/history of my trade-in car, together with registration mark - they can HPI it, even check the the central manufacturer database record of the car - it's easy nowadays.
I find if you use a bit of 'jargon' or trade talk they don't mess you around & treat you seriously. In fact when you think about it - negotiating/buying distantly takes away a big advantage they have when you're sitting in their showrooms - it equalizes things.
You may say ' Oh, I wouldn't buy a car without driving/prodding/pushing etc, etc' but the manufacturer/approved used warranties take care of things - and I've never been ripped-off or sold a lemon - I always reserve the right to refuse a car on final inspection/test when they deliver - and retrieve my deposit - in writing, before the fact.
Act professionally & you'll be treated as such, is my experience.
|
|
|
|
That's certainly not how they operate in the states. I emailed a Ford dealer over here about some deals they had when looking to buy a Taurus. I got a call straight back, the guy was trying to get me to go over there and see for myself. I got a few follow up calls to see how I was getting on and I'd obviously been added to some kind of CRM system, because I would get an email every couple of days with their updated stock list. When I let them know I'd bought one from a more local dealer, the calls and emails did stop promptly though.
On a related subject you may be as surprised as I was to discover that at least in Illinois, all car dealerships are forced to close on Sundays by law, so you have to fit all your car buying in on Saturday.
|
Try this company - www.businesscarcontracts.co.uk
I can highly recommend them as my father used them to buy the directors cars for his company and they also supplied a new Daewoo for me back in 1998.
The got money off a Subaru Impreza Turbo in 1996 and in 1999 they got my father a discount on a Honda Integra Type-R - neither of which was possible at a dealer back then.
Also when I had my Daewoo, mine broke down and sat around for two weeks. One call to BCC and they lent on the dealer which resulted in my car being ready the next day having been told by the dealer that they couldnt fix it for another two weeks.
They do private and business purchases along with finance.
Ring them and see what they can do for you.
|
Unfortunately, Drive the deal advertised cars they haven't got and cannot supply. Why advertise a price, when they know that a buyer will have to pay at least £1500 extra for 'options'. I'm sure they're ok for 'run of the mill' cars, but not it seems for less common cars.
|
Just used drivethedeal and they were excellent - they don't own any cars so it's wrong to say they advertise cars they haven't got. From my experience they don't do anything differently from when you go into a dealer, so I don't understand your £1500 extra for options comment.
You choose the car you want and they give you a price, you are then given the options list (which is exactly the same as the dealers only cheaper) and you choose which of these you want then they give you the final price. If I can sell my car privately I'd have no problems using them again if they can beat the dealer.
What are you looking for?
|
|
They advertise Peugeot 2.2 Se coupes for £15100 with a choice of colour/trim. After contacting them, they only have five cars and you have to accept whatever they've got. All the cars are fitted with sat-nav, which you have to pay the £1500 for. So in effect, it's not actually an option. You've got to have it. (strangely, the same thing a dealer tried to pull)
|
|
drivethedeal will be sourcing from a dealer who will be offering the same cars so it's no surprise the dealer said the same. With such a discount they will be hanging around a depot somewhere and Peugeot need to get rid.
|
|
|
|
If that is the case then tell them you will be speaking to trading standards and the asa.
|
|
|
|
|
_COLON_no_upscale()/cdn.uk.prod.group-mobility-trader.com/images/cas/8f7fabb656ad1d815dbe441c0d9fc0a8/8f74fe690422a0aafe525a48b5a9903f.jpg)
_COLON_no_upscale()/cdn.uk.prod.group-mobility-trader.com/images/cas/e3dddc56983548d7df69e9316eef9e93/a01549fd39a9dca7181c5032019f67d1.jpg)
