From HJ in the Daily Telegraph as a source.

Well, Self evident innit! I could not buy my latest cruze from my local dealership simply because they did not have a car at my budget! Effectively the cheapest used car they had wad £4000 more than I got mine for, and was diesel, I wanted Petrol,

Edited by oldroverboy. on 05/02/2013 at 16:24

It depends whether you judge your local dealer as 'valued'.

I approached our local Toyota dealer (Birmingham) twice re buying a new car - 2006 and 2009. In 2006 the salesperson gave a low part exchange on our low mileage, good condition Mazda 323 as they thought the anti-chip paint (a thicker, dimpled finish) on the sills was due to a poor accident repair. In 2009, I booked a test drive of the Auris with them - they took me out in an Auris that was due to be delivered to a private customer the next day, rather than a proper demonstrator.

So in 2006 and 2009 we purchased from a Toyota dealer 20 miles away - where the experience was totally different and very positive. I went straight to this second dealer when I bought my new Toyota in October last year.

Earlier last year we approached our local Mazda dealer when we were looking to change our Mazda 2 (we had bought three new Mazdas from this dealer). Booked a test drive directly with a salesperson - turned up on the due day at the due time, and the salesperson had gone out with another customer. Despite asking other staff, no-one else was prepared to help us and we waited a further 30 minutes in the showroom, looking at the cars, etc before walking away. Bought a Hyundai i20 from our local Hyundai dealer.

From our experience the only local dealer that is valued by us is the Hyundai dealer - where we turned up on spec on a Sunday afternoon, were given a test drive there and then, agreed a satisfactory part exchange for the Mazda 2, and where we placed an order that afternoon.

The local Toyota dealer and the local Mazda dealer, I wouldn't give the time of day now.

There are obvious advantages in buying from a local dealer: depending on the model you're buying, it can be worth seeing if the dealer can match the price offered by a broker.

Also DtD, though reputable, discourage PX. HJ's Good Garage Guide may include a dealer near you:ultimately it's up to dealers to help themselves by giving good service which gets spread about by word of mouth.

Edited by Avant on 05/02/2013 at 22:55

Loyalty is a two way thing, my experience of local main dealers isn't good. Ex. bought a Volvo V70 used and they tried to give a ridiculously low price at first for my px. I walked but surprise surprise they were soon on the phone offering better. when I went to pick the car up the original salesman keep me hanging round for ages before another salesman took over.... not impressed. servicing costs at dealers are far too high and routine servicing is often an expensive oil change with a few checks and of course you always have some other problem that neds fixing. I was told a diff was leaking and needed an immediate replacement on another car, a mechanic pupil of mine rang his mate at another dealers and it turned out that these diffs were known for little oil leaks so just top it up every once in a while. I never changed that diff. If the dealers treated me fairly and didn't charge exhorbitantly than I would be loyal in return.