We went into two different VW garages and an Audi garage when looking at replacements for my previous Yeti. Everyone was too busy to talk to us or we didn’t look affluent enough to buy one of their cars.

Ended up back at DM Keith in York where they are always helpful and bought our third car from them

Some 16 or 17 years back I went into my local Mercedes dealer having seen online they had half a dozen used C Class, all well within my budget. 

 

Because I'd taken an hour away from my bank office I was smartly dressed, bespoke suit and tie (open neck shirt was still not the done thing then) and was better dressed than any of the sales staff.  After several minutes of being ignored one of them looked up from his computer screen, looked at me, picked his phone up, and THEN asked "Are you alright there?" 

 

"I'm looking to spend around £20k on a pre-owned C Class, and see you've a few in stock, outside on display." 

 "You'll need to make an appointment, here's a card."  Then started dialling on his phone.   

"I can see you're too busy, could anyone else help?" I asked, looking round.  There were five other sales people.  (They were all men, apart from one young woman who was with a customer.) 

"Dunno."

"OK, well here's my card, since you gave me yours.  Ask your manager to call me by close of business (I could see him in an office behind a closed door), or will I have to speak to the Managing Director in the morning?"   Then I walked out.

 

There was no phone call.  Around 11 the next day I rang and spoke to the MD who was not happy when I told him about the "customer service" the day before.  He called me back later having checked with the salesman and invited me to go in and look at the cars with him personally. There was no real apology.  Since they'd had three chances to try for a sale - the first encounter, the lack of referral to other staff, and the non-receipt of a phone call, I told him he must be joking.  I bought a Saab 9-5 2.3t a few weeks later, a much better car all round than the C. 

 

(in case anyone's wondering, there's no race element to this story.  But if it had been my neighbour getting this treatment it would've made the press.)

 

 

 

I had a similar experience in a Merc showroom with a smary well dressed youth that smelled lovely, very tanned and well spoken youth.

My son was outside and it was him looking to lease a £45,000 car but he was on the phone, he had already checked them out in Aberdeen where Salespeople know not to judge by appearence.

 

So 'Mr eat himself if he was chocolate' was busy when i asked if it might be possible to start configering a car, and we might want to make an appointment and gave me his card. 

 

Turned out he was the Area Director & the Owner of the Motorgroups son.  

 

As I've got older the cut and thrust of negotiating a good price on a car has lost much of its appeal, not least than for such as the reasons mentioned above by FlyingGecko. A friend has in recent years become a firm advocate of companies such as DriveTheDeal, they source a good price, you take it or leave it, monies paid only to the dealer who then gives a commission to the broker. All well and good, so I've used this route for my latest purchase (waiting for 'chips') Superb.

 

However, even this seemingly simplified buying route has managed to rattle my cage. When going over the initial order paperwork the Skoda main dealer tells me the price includes (driven) delivery to my house (some 120 miles) - but the option to collect from the showroom is available.

 

Having previously priced up the rail fare (early train pre-booked a few weeks in advance) at £15.50 I asked if a collection by me could be incentivised by covering my rail fare - at which point the dealer went into full 'customer service mode' and flatly refused, so I dropped the suggestion.

 

Seems their business model is happy to pay someone to drive my new car 120 miles with at least £25 in fuel and have them go back on the train where the turn up at the station price will be £70 or so...........

 

There's a good chance this will be my last new car.

I always stop and give a lift to people at the side of the road holding a trade plate.

Usually they have delivered vans or cab and chassis to Coachbuilders but sometimes they have been delivering cars.

Fare home not spent adds to their income.

On 20/08/2021 at 17:11, AMcK said:

Spoke with Skoda UK Customer Services today, who in turn spoke with the Sales Support Team while I was on hold, and they advised that my car does in fact have the factory 5-year warranty!! Make of that what you will. Customer Services were going to contact the dealer to put them straight.

 

Had planned to collect the car tomorrow, but have decided to delay until next week, by which time I may have calmed down.

Had a follow-up call from SUK Customer Services today checking that the dealer had contacted me to apologise for their internal systems failing; which they had last Friday. I asked SUK to confirm in writing that the 5-year warranty was in place, which they have. Have arranged to collect the car on Thursday 26th.

Just had a call from the Sales Manager - firstly to confirm the Model and reg of the 'loan' car that we will be taking to France next week....

 

AND more importantly that our Karoq is on its way from the factory fully complete!

Our build week was 22 (end of May)

A nice surprise when we return mid September!!