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So whats your pet hates and what do you love about your visit to your dealer ??
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I like my dealer - Honda (Brown Brothers in Peebles - sole owner, not a big corporate). personal attention, attention to detail, cleanliness, "go the extra mile". Closely followed by my local Saab dealer (Western Saab, Edinburgh).
I hate VW & Audi dealers because they're so stuck up and wouldn't entertain me enquiring about buying a Passat - they said "we have no secod hand ones at the moment". Just because I was in my jeans & T-shirt - I was prepared to spend £20K+ on a new Passat. Guess what I don't drive!
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In general terms, I like dealing with someone who wears a shirt.
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Pet hate:
Like most people - car has a fault, take it to dealers and get one or both of the following:
"We can see the fault, but nothing is showing on the computer and we can't find anything wrong with it...we'll upload the latest software and see what it does"
or just the plain
"We took it for a test drive and it is fine, we cannot find anything wrong with it"
Trouble is they are not lying and that is the annoying thing.
Fault will then reappear several days later.
I am sure back in the 1970's cars were more unreliable, but the faults were easier to spot.
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I like.....a dealer who returns your call.
Our Forester XT was bought because the salesman rang me 10 days after I poppped into the showroom. The car he thought was being part-exed, finally came in, he rang and the deal was done.
I hate....dealers who ignore you.
I used to walk into VW or Audi dealers a few years ago wearing a shirt and tie and still got ignored. Guess why I drive a Subaru!
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I like-
dealers who are helpful, communicative and do the job right - current Saab dealer is great (probably highly priced but it's a company car so the service is more important to me than the price)
I hate-
dealers who make up stories to cover themselves or deny all responsibility when it is highly likely they are responsible.
Vauxhall dealer years ago overfilled the oil at service time (according to Vauxhall technical department when they got involved). When the car took off on its own on the M40 the following morning and was towed back to them when I had got as far as the hard shoulder in one piece, the service manager blithely told me that it couldn't have been anything they had done the previous afternoon.
As you would expect with that kind of approach they are now out of business.
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To be made to feel not one of the crowd:
A tiny bit off topic 'cos I am referring to the small operation that does my servicing. I only visit twice a year. The last time I called in the receptionist (the owner's wife) said to me "Good morning Mr XXX, what can I do for you?"
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Skoda dealer:
Excellent salesman - unaccompanied test drives for as long as I liked and willing to change vehicle specification (swap Al wheels for steel, fit cruise control etc. etc.) and always returned calls. Vehicle ready and to spec when required.
Lousy workshop - vehicle not properly serviced; oil overfilled, undamaged (new) spare not inflated, wheel bolts overtightened, coolant on min (no subsequent leaks), air filter full of muck, rear pads worn out, undertray damaged. A replacement undertray was later supplied FOC by dealer but their "mechanics" broke it because it was in one piece when I first saw the car. Several other scheduled jobs had also clearly not been done. A dismal performance.
Unspeakable UK representation - Recall notice issued in '04 was sent as soon as the car was out of warranty ('07) as a means of attempting to get the car back into the dealer network. A refusal to give information of the nature of the recall - my car was in fact not affected due to its having a Bosch rather than a LUK tandem pump. A potential waste of my time. Questionable data concerning timing belt renewal - it seems only UK VAG cars have the 4 year limitation.
Is this a VAG UK scam? I'm investigating.
659.
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I want to be treated as a human being, not a moving wallet.
I'd like some trust (I know that goes both ways) and a long term game plan i.e. keep me sweet and i'll keep coming back. 'P' me off and it's cheerio.
liken it to an old fashioned corner shop versus the worst excesses of a dodgy double glazing outfit.....if you can get nearer the former rather than the latter, i'll remain a loyal customer.
there is a Jag dealer in the Westcountry that was spot on, been taken over now unfortunately, so i'll reserve judgement, (the same parent company up north have just sold a mate's dad a new X Type estate and the service he received was less than good). Generally i've found Jag dealers quite good...but there again when you shell out that much so they should be.
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I hate the negotiation part when the person sitting in front of you does not have control of the budget.
The running back and forth to the sales manager just makes me get up and walk out the door. Either the sales person on the floor can sell the car or they can't.
If they can't what are they doing there ?
I like...nothing really. I view buying a new car in the same way I look forward to getting my prostate checked.
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Not everyone is a natural or comfortable negotiator. It is a skill which many perfect in childhood but later lose. In our culture it is still a relatively rare requirement. It would be unusual, though I am sure, not unheard of, to negotiate the price of your supermarket shopping for example. It is our natural reserve which stands in our way and I am sure that many would prefer not to enter into such a verbal ping pong match.
It is though, now part and parcel of the car purchase culture and it would be a naive buyer who accepted any dealers first price. So rather than dread this element of the exchange, embrace it, even try to enjoy it and in time we can all redevelop the skills required. Remember that bike you wanted for Christmas when you were eight !
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The negotiation is not the problem it's actually getting someone to sit their in front of me long enough to talk too without them having to run off and check if it's OK.
I enjoy a good haggle but I hate having to sit there on my own and I would never accept a dealers first offer.
I usually have a figure to change that I'm happy with worked out before I approach them, anything I can chip away below that is a bonus.
Edited by gmac on 26/03/2008 at 18:56
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I agree with you there, it is majorly annoying when they do the "I'll have to ask" routine.
My prefered method is to ask up front if the person I am talking to is empowered to take the deal to a conclusion. I once tried the following technique, I decided what I wanted to pay for a particular car and simply wrote a cheque for that amount and placed it in front of the salesperson, despite him having moments earlier rejected my offer. I suggested that he take the cheque backstage if necessary and gave him three minutes to come back with a positive answer. It worked !
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I'm afraid the Ford dealership I went into, was not in the mood for a haggle. I got a price off the internet and went to my local garage. The salesman listened to what I had to say in the way of extras and totted up the price. It didn't come close, and he said he couldn't match my price. So it was take it or leave it. I thought he would come between the two prices but he wouldn't shift. So much for the modern way of haggling a bargain. And I went in on the last day of the month.
My pet hate is when the dealership has your car, first thing in the morning and they say, we'll call you when its ready. You always have to ring them for the state of play. " Oh yes, its done and on a test drive". Yeah, pull the other one.
Edited by scribe on 26/03/2008 at 19:21
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I'm very much with grumpyscot and Honda (& Toyota dealers) - both round my way are spotlessly clean and have very approachable staff who do what they say and treat you like a customer all the time.
I particulalrly like dealers that have glass walled workshops that are maintained spotlessly clean (like my Honda & Toyota dealers).
I do not like the 'can I introduce you to the business manager' bit - which to me translates to 'we are now going to try and sell you some ridiculous cap insurance and a very overpriced HP deal'
I also have to add the business mgr in my Honda dealer is just someone who winds me up as well - I did speak to him once and he gives you the 'are you mad Mr Pendlebury not accepting our 15% apr - it's a bargain' so sorry I cannot name them.
Sorry to continue a trend that is developing but once again I do not like VW & Audi dealers, they ignore you and most of the time I have visited them there seems to be a line of people taking it in turns to complain that their warranty work has not been done correctly - BMW dealers are a tad better than that round my way though.
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Couple of years ago I decided to check out renewing my car. I knew I wanted a medium to largish diesel estate car and set about with a reasonably open mind, looking at Alfas, Jags. Vauxhalls, Fords, Audis, VWs and BMW's. I had a total budget in mind of around £20k including my trade in. Clearly on the premium brands I wasn't going to find much but thought, well, let's see who's offering what today.
In terms of courtesy of service and standards of sales staff my local Jag dealership won hands down. Closely followed surprisingly enough by the Alfa dealer. The Ford people were OK. Vauxhall dealers pleasant enough but were a bit woolly and seemed fazed by someone wanting to know more about their cars. Audi dealers ignored me and VW salesman nodded from behind his desk but didn't bother to come and chat. BMW dealers very polite but no offer of a test drive.
Had test drives in the Jag X and the Alfa 159. Very nearly bought the Jag. In the end I decided to keep my existing car for a while longer and in fact still have it but I know where I'll start the search next time.
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Yep. Jag dealers do seem courteous and efficient. I have to say, the service dept. at my local main dealer for Audi (in Halesowen nr. Bromsgrove) are brilliant. They do return your calls and keep you updated, try their best to provide a courtesy car which is just that - a free, usually high spec Audi. Only one gripe which will be the same for many drivers, main dealer labour charges. Extortionate....
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I've used two Skoda dealers (Dog Guard and Tow Bar figment), both er....old fashioned (good thing) what sealed it for me that my washers failed - pointing this out to the chap on the service desk a reassuringly oily tech said - "frozen water and its blown a connection on the bulkhead - horrible job to fix" That was without looking at the car ! Anyway turns out he was right, and fixed for no charge. That's what makes a good dealer.
Edited by Pugugly on 26/03/2008 at 21:34
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oh item 238 from the BMW I miss - heated jets on the washers !
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You lot "darn sarf" never 'eard of screenwash ? Stops 'em freezing in the first place dunnit? ;-)
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It happened whilst traversing the frozen wastes of North Wales, where the soft southern water froze in a flash despite a liberal dose of additive.
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In 2006 we walked in to our local large VW dealership with a view to trading my wifes Alfa 147 for a Golf 1.9TDI. The salesman remembered selling us a Golf in 1994 and could recall the registration number. He couldnt have swoted up on the information as our call was spur of the moment. We thought he deserved the sale.
Service side of the organisation is excellent at keeping in touch while car is being serviced and helpful with lifts or loan cars.
alfalfa
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On the sales side I like to be treated as a valued customer. I don't mean have my backside licked, but just have someone take the time to answer my questions, let me have a test drive, and call me back when they say they will.
On the service side I just expect to get what I pay for. That means a car that is returned to me with all the jobs billed for done to a good standard, and with no bodgery, missing or overtightened fixings, and the parts replaced as charged for. I also like dealers who are honest about additional work required - for example, can it really wait until the next service, or does it need to be done NOW?
After a long suffering experience with a (thankfully company owned) Peugeot 306 and 406, my absolute pet hate is inability to diagnose faults, and a denial that a fault exists. It took a Peugeot dealer seven attempts to find a sticking valve idle stepper motor for example. That is inexcusable.
Cheers
DP
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In praise of an Audi dealer.
Girl on parts desk (on first floor of swanky showroom) at Stockport Audi went to endless lengths for me to find some poxy bits for a 12 year old car, and also to tell me what other VAG cars had been made with the same obscure but rather expensive part so I could find a second hand one.
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