SWMBO will be needing a new car in a couple of months and thinks she wants a Ford Kuga.

Having decided on specification, I started making some enquiries for leasing costs last week by email, and the response rate so far is:-

15 emailed enquiries sent out.

2 emailed responses (and one of those was for my contact number!)

Having carried out similar exercises in the past, I would usually get half a dozen replies the same day.

I thought the motor trade was meant to be in a dire state and desperate for business - obviously I'm wrong :confused:

I hate dealers offering an e-mail address.

Mainly because I e-mail them and they never reply. You ring up and they either say "Oh, we don't monitor that e-mail address any more" or "We are too busy to respond to e-mail enquiries".. in what way is an e-mail enquiry different to a telephone one?

I'd guess some of it comes from the fact that I doubt the car you're asking about is something they have a high turn around on and also something that could well be hard to sell.

They are too busy selling 20% fewer cars than last year.

I'd guess some of it comes from the fact that I doubt the car you're asking about is something they have a high turn around on and also something that could well be hard to sell.

My enquiries weren't with dealers, but specialist leasing companies. I would have thought if the choice of vehicle was a problem then they would have offered alternatives.

As we will do it under a finance lease agreement, responsibility for disposal of the vehicle at the end of the lease is ours - they get their money no matter what.

I have to say I am suprised at the poor response given everything that's been said about the state of the motor trade in the press, but guess I'll have to keep trying - maybe if I said I was interested in a fleet of 100 vehicles they might take a bit more notice

Yep, same thing when I bought my Octy. Emailed 7 dealers with an exact spec. I was looking for (basically a sale on a plate) and only received one acknowledgement, let alone interest in supplying a car! Needless to say, that one dealer got the sale in the end!

Were they to dealers or lease firms?

Many lease firms have culled dealers they will buy from, so dealers get screwed over, and wont entertain you if you mention leasing.

Mention you're ready to buy cash of dealer branded finance, and they'll be offering to have your babies

Looks like I had a greater success rate than others but I was still p!ssed off with my treatment, asked three sources for prices on a Leon and three for a Skoda. Eventually got two Leon prices and no Skoda prices.

Hence I got the Leon from the cheapest dealer, £20 per month difference on exactly the same spec car!

BTW, I would get the Tiguan rather than the Kuga

SWMBO really likes the Kuga as well.. if it wasn't for my commute I'd of probably bought one of those instead.

I got very little interest from the local skoda dealer.. but the Ford one couldn't be more helpful.

BTW, I would get the Tiguan rather than the Kuga

I'd probably agree but for a few things: Tiguan is even more expensive, some models are (apparently) so popular that there is a wait and the ride is very hard.

However I will get a few quotes (if anyone can be bothered responding ) to see what the difference is.

If money weren't an issue, I'd go for the Q5 or a Disco.