Morning all from Sheffield

[Ian1871]

Hi,

 

Ian here - looking to become a Skoda owner. Signed on as I have my sights on a new Yeti.

 

Had a test drive the other day and was very impressed, particularly with the way the car dealt with Sheffield's appalling potholed roads!  .

 

Can I expect much in the way of a good deal from our local Skoda dealer (Bickerton's) or should I go through a Broker?

[Bogey]

Welcome aboard. I'm from Rotherham myself. I recently bought a car from Bickerton and got a good deal I was happy with. There all friendly and helpful in there. My only slight gripe was the car was presented as nicely as I'd hoped almost rushed. No real problem though as I gave it a full detail.

[WaveyDavey]

Welcome along.....  Where abouts in Sheff are you?

 

In the past I found Bickerton to be not so willing to do much of a deal but that was ten years ago so things may have changed. I ended up buying my car back then from Rainworth in Mansfield but Bickerton and Rainworth are now owned by the same people so as I say things may have changed etc.....

[skomaz]

I found bickertons pretty poor for sales so got mine from Gordon lamb in Chesterfield and then alex lawrie in Liverpool....

 

Welcome though!

[Bogey]

Were you getting better deals offered or better service?

[skomaz]

Were you getting better deals offered or better service?

 

Both...   In my case bickertons wouldn't tell me a final puchase price on a fabia until I had signed the paperwork for the car...   Sorry but that is plain stupid and no way would I sign anything without knowing the cost.  Gordon lamb on the other hand were open and honest with the cost and we got what we thought was a good deal at a competitive price with a good trade in and at zero percent finance ( that last bit took some bargaining but we got there in the end).

 

A few years later we had registered interest in a 4x4 octavia and particularly the demonstrator bickertons had in.  They weren't ready to move it on though so I said 'call me when you are'.  They never did so we eventually found a great deal at Alex Lawrie.  A good car with a few extras and they even brought it from Liverpool to us in Sheffield to view and drive.  We agreed a price for cash that was cheaper than any other similar car I had seen and bought it.  After collection I realised that the CD player wasn't working so Alex lawrie said drop it in to bickertons to be checked.  They tried to fix it but didn't diagnose a wrongly connected hands free kit.  However, whilst there for the check I noticed they had the 4x4 we had expressed an interest in up for sale.  I mentioned this to the service manager who I knew and he said it had been up for sale for a number of weeks and was amazed the sales staff hadn't called me - even he knew I was in the market for it!

 

So overall pretty poor on the sales side of things for me.  Service used to be good but then the sales manager I knew left and was i subsequently wasnt impressed so have gone elsewhere since.

 

To be fair they may have changed but from what I can tell the sales staff I felt with are still the same...

Edited 23 August, 2016 by skomaz