what is it with some garages and being rude

[dave21478]

My father must be a car salesmans wet dream. He always buys cars that are less than 3 years old and never trades in, instead foisting his old car on me or my sisters and always goes to the same Ford dealer in town. He knows little about cars but has an instinctive knack of picking out the lowest spec, least desirable, worst colour hardest to shift model on the forecourt. A sales bod will approach and just be opening the conversation when he will say "I will buy this one..." 

"oh...er...ok then, come into the office"

And he pays full asking price, never haggles and doesnt want free mats. No test drive, no finance, nothing.

And thats the last the garage will see of him for 5 years or so, until the next time. He has never taken anything back under warranty, instead paying his local man down the street to repair any issues because he doesnt like to cause a fuss.

[Pete-M]

Best customer I ever had as a salesman was a lovely old bloke from Wigan by the name of Percy. Cracking fella, he was in his late 90s, had always lived in the same house (which had had three addresses in that time). He'd wander past on a Saturday morning, stroll in, look at every car on the secondhand pitch and then invariably decide to buy a new car for his great grandson or some other family member. He bought loads of identical Micras for various members of his family.

 

He had a few quid did Percy. Didn't want to get screwed on inheritance tax so bought most of his family new cars instead- although occasionally he'd buy a secondhand Primera.

 

Top bloke. I used to haggle with the sales manager on his behalf.

[The Reverend Bluejeans]

Best customer I ever had as a salesman was a lovely old bloke from Wigan by the name of Percy. Cracking fella, he was in his late 90s, had always lived in the same house (which had had three addresses in that time). He'd wander past on a Saturday morning, stroll in, look at every car on the secondhand pitch and then invariably decide to buy a new car for his great grandson or some other family member. He bought loads of identical Micras for various members of his family.

 

He had a few quid did Percy. Didn't want to get screwed on inheritance tax so bought most of his family new cars instead- although occasionally he'd buy a secondhand Primera.

 

Top bloke. I used to haggle with the sales manager on his behalf.

Some customers are great, first name terms, cup of tea and a natter. Some are just arseholes. I recall one joker who came in wearing pseudo combat gear, 'wanna buy a new X5 for the wife'. Raybans, chewing gum etc. Told me he was working in Iraq in close protection, couldn't give me a mobile number 'for security reasons' and gave me his 'phone number in Iraq'. I wasn't giving this twat a test drive of anything but booked him in for one and of course, no show. After he'd left in a wanked V reg Freelander we tried the Iraq number that of course was completely fictitious. One of my coleagues had heard the conversation and burst his arse laughing after he'd left.

[Pete-M]

Percy used to bring things in to show us, all his driving licences, starting with the one he'd bought in 1925 before the driving test was introduced. He'd often turn up if the F1 was on as he liked the big telly in the reception and he didn't want to watch it alone.

[wuvvum]

I'm not sure whats going on with French eBay motors, it used to be much bigger than it is now.

They're all on Leboncoin.

[wuvvum]

When we moved to France in 1993, my dad got a Montego Countryman estate as a company car.  In France it was actually called a Rover GTD Break - they'd dropped the Montego name altogether - but it was the same as a Countryman, just with a different front air dam and aircon.

 

We picked it up from the Rover dealer in Grenoble, which is where my dad lived when he were a nipper.  The old boy who owned the dealership remembered selling a new Mini Cooper to my grandmother in 1965.  She couldn't get on with the foot-operated dip switch so the service department fitted a headlight switch from a 2CV.  I was amazed that he could remember that 28 years later.

 

Then my dad bought my mum a 2-year-old Pug 205 Green (it was actually white, it just had green pinstripes and seatbelts -  a bit like a Lacoste) from a dealership owned by Bruno Saby, the rally driver.  They were a very decent bunch, and I was delighted when they let me poke around the Alpine A110 they had sat in the showroom (and disappointed when I couldn't fit behind the wheel).  Then a couple of years later I went back there to do my school-mandated week of work experience.

 

Those are my only two real experiences with dealers.  I've only ever bought one car off a dealer myself, and that was a Volvo 940 which was a trade-in at a main dealer which I picked up on eBay for 150 quid.  Unsurprisingly, when I went to pick it up, they were polite but didn't exactly treat me like royalty...

[rml2345]

I've always found the best sort of car showroom is one where the sales bod comes over and asks, "Can I help you, sir?" And when you tell them you're just looking says, "No problem. Give me a shout if you need anything". Thus leaving you to browse around until you've found something you like. Te old Peoples dealership in Bathgate couldn't work this one out though. Strangely enough, they arent there anymore.

[Rocket88]

Most of the formulaic methods of selling originate in the States, and inevitably fail when applied to us rather less gullible Brits....................

[Jim Bell]

pointy BROWN shoes ...

 

call me old fashioned but the instant way to remove your credibility is to wear brown shoes with a work suit ...

Add that to the list.

 

1. Bear arms

2. Reaching accross

3. Pointy things (hair, shoes etc)

4. Brown

[Pete-M]

No male in my family has worn Black shoes since March 9th, 1953.

 

Which means I wear Brown shoes with a suit.

[twosmoke300]

In the Honda dealership I used to work at the boss banned pointing.

 

What he meant was that if a customer asked where something or someone was then the staff member should take the customer there personally rather than just pointing , over there mate.

 

thought it was mental to start with but its actually just good manners

[martc]

A salesman should never, ever give a px price until they've test driven.,,,,

 

But (one of) my points was that they did not have the car - it was a small, black and white, photocopy of a pre-reg (or possibly ex-demo/secodhand) one at another branch, which they were trying to sell at the same price as a new one. And they would only give me a quote if I said I would buy it.

[Pillock]

 

 

In the Honda dealership I used to work at the boss banned pointing.

 

thought it was mental to start with but its actually just good manners

This. I teach people customer service skills amongst other things and this makes a massive difference.

[Parky]

It's quite simple. Basically I am the customer, I have the money. If you would like to negotiate transfer of said funds from my pocket to yours, be nice. Otherwise I will find someone else nice and transfer the funds to them.

 

Why do retailers forget this?

[gtd2000]

this is something you will note if you  get someone ex military as a trainer / teacher  they  never point  - 'pointing' with the  hand / arm is down but it;s a flat open hand , pointing at 'things' like a bit of a engine  or something ona board tends to be done with a pointing stick or  if they've  reached the 1990s a laser pointer ...never with a finger and  a finger pointed at an individual

 

As ex-military, you lost me at "bit of a engine".

 

I'd use my finger to show you the error but it should be obvious

[drum]

I detest the feeling of being 'worked' by a salesperson. It's a form of violation. Like they are trying to cut off all your escape routes. I refuse to buy from someone who tries to put me in that position.

[Parky]

^^^^^^ This ^^^^^^

[EssDeeWon]

Im on the lookout for a cheapish car (about a grand)  (hopefully a Rover 75) but I honestly avoid dealers completely now, they either don't want to answer simple questions over the phone or they are OTT and don't shut up with all the verbal diarrhea.

 

Over the 14 years of driving I have dealt with some decent chaps but most of the car trade just seem to be pretty rude and obnoxious.......

 

But living in Essex with all the wide boy dealers certainly doesn't help!!

[Jim Bell]

My auld man taught me young that all dealers (or "hooks" as he called them) are bastards. 

We used to stand in the auctions and one day he said : "look at the two men bidding on this Renault 5 Campus little Barry. Guess which ones the dealer bumping up the price for the plum."

I'd look at an unhappy looking man in a jumper with the beard standing with what I presume is his teenage daughter (who is visibly glowing with exitement), and then at the man bidding against them. A man in a leather jacket over a roll neck jumper, with a gold chain over the top, gel in his hair and a big broad smile on his face.

 

Yeah. What do you think it'll finish on Dad?

 

Well its worth about £500 tops. But the tyres are bald, its dropping oil, starting to steam. Probably about £1000.

 

Gavel drops on £1200.

 

Points at dealer. "Just because thats his job, it doesnt mean you have to send him on holiday."

[xtriple]

Even though I was 'in the trade' for decades I was always nice... I think... unless some bugger upset me when I would sell them anything and everything I could and smile while counting how much I'd just made!

 

But, I have been lucky in my last two car purchases: Central garages (Mazda main dealer) where I bought my MX5 were good to deal with, and Speedwell Honda where I bought the Insight were absolutley superb! I almost want to go back and buy something else just because buying the Honda was so enjoyable! I use dealers now as a cripple I cannot buy old chod or anything unreliable 'cos I need wheels I can rely upon every day. Boring, but there you are. Roll on my next home where parking is a priority and I can play at my own (very slow) pace.

 

Having been 'in the trade' I am pretty aware of most of the tricks and lines that salesmen come out with. The first time they do it, I point out what they are doing and please, don't, the second time, I walk away. I can't be arsed with the lines and bullshit they use, well most of them, but when I find a decent bloke (or lady) I stick with them.

[Ghosty]

Went for a nose around a few main dealers with the mother a couple of months ago, we were just having a tentative look to see what she was after to evenutally replace her ten year old Polo some time in the next year.

First stop Premier Kia of Hyde. It was a weekend, and they didn't actually have any staff - they'd drafted someone in from a nearby Chevrolet dealer who didn't really know what he was doing, but he did, to his credit, have a go at explaining things to us. Just trim levels and such, no finance talk or anything.

We then moved on to the local Fiat dealer (Lookers? can't remember but it's also in Hyde) to weigh up 500s. They were also helpful - in the 'leaving us to it' vein. We did ask a couple of questions (likely regarding autoboxes and whatnot). But when I folded a passenger seat on one of the showroom models it stuck forward and wouldn't move back...

We also went to the Williams Bini dealer in Stockport: mother's sold on them now, but is probably buying a used one from a main dealer - a new one in a spec she'd like would be £18k, and it's fugly... Anyway they were even better, 'can we have a look around this?' was met with a yes of course, ask if you need anything. They failed to explain that we couldn't actually order one if we wanted it though because the new model was coming out...

The dealer in Manchester/Trafford was infintely more helpful, the bloke there would actually take us to cars outside to look at the colours, explain features on the options list, had clearly been trained well on the new model (a good 2 months before availability) and so on. We're probably going to go back there when the time comes to buy, they did a good job.

 

A few years ago we had to find my aunt a used mk5 Fiesta as her mk2 was beyond economical repair. Cash sale, no px. OMC Oldham were totally unhelpful, all their cars were overpriced, one had wrong wheeltrims and one needed two new tyres and had obviously been owned by a y00f. They wouldn't budge on price and were totally unhelpful so we walked.

Went to Evans Halshaw in Ashton - same place her mk2 was from in 1992ish when it was Quicks of Ashton. They didn't have anything to interest us except an electric blue Fiesta Flame 'in the compound' - with a scratch down the side. Turns out someone else requested to look at it and found the scratch to be down the whole o/s of the car - and Ford wouldn't repair it as it was too big. They also accompanied us to another branch (Glossop) to suggest potential cars up there. We didn't find anything that day, however about a week later they phoned us up as they'd got something in we might like - an 03 plate Fiesta Zetec in resale silver. She's still got it, it's her fourth car in something like 27 years - two Metros, mk2 Fiesta and that one. It doesn't get used loads (aunt lives in south London) but it's never gone wrong. They were very helpful and I don't doubt my aunt will be loyal to Ford if she needs another car (which I doubt, the mk2 Fez lasted her about 15 years).

[EssDeeWon]

Having been 'in the trade' I am pretty aware of most of the tricks and lines that salesmen come out with. The first time they do it, I point out what they are doing and please, don't, the second time, I walk away. 

 

Do you mean the old timers like 'someone else is very interested and they are coming back later with a deposit'? because that BS winds me right up, I prefer to call their bluff and reply with 'Oh right sorry didn't realise this one was taken I will leave it then' and proceed to walk away.

[colino]

I realise that a lot of people might not have had a great experience when buying their second biggest purchase (when it costs so much and you drive it every day, the memory lingers), but a, "salesman" who nods to you on the way in and takes your money when you have picked a car is no salesman at all.  A good salesman should be well presented, pleasant and ask an awful lot of questions.  I would guess that the vast majority of UK drivers are less than happy with their cars simply because they didn't ask themselves, or have a professional car salesperson, establish what they really use their car for.

As an old mentor told me, car sales is either the worst paid, boring job in the world, or a really busy, interesting, rewarding career.

[Cavcraft]

I like that 'someone else is interested, do you want it?' line when I'm viewing something, because I just think it's the absolute height of ignorance, pass the keys back and tell them I hope the other person buys it.

 

When my lad was getting his Corsa I was having a look round a second hand Fiat at Lookers. The sales fella came out, I asked a couple of questions then just gave me the keys and said 'you know more about them than I do' see what you think of it. He wasn't kidding either, seemed a nice enough bloke but didn't know the basics, which I didn't expect.

 

Incidentally I think Cavcraft's motto is going to be 'You don't have to buy anything from us, and we don't have to sell anything to you'

[quicksilver]

That reminds me of when my dad bought his Zafira. The salesman claimed he had someone coming up from London to view it but he'd "rather sell it to someone local". My dad, completely unfazed by this bizarre statement, simply asked "Why? Is London money not as good as ours?" and the salesman didn't know what to say.

[rainagain]

I've just caught up with this thread as I've been away with work, I managed to read some of it on my phone whilst away but I find this a pain. It's really interesting reading everyone's experience.

 

An update on the car it looks like it is now sold/scrapped, if anyone is looking for particularly crap customer service why not give Walkers citroen in Kirkcaldy a call on 01592 551589, tell then you're after a cheap C4!

[AlabamaShrimp]

Incidentally I think Cavcraft's motto is going to be 'You don't have to buy anything from us, and we don't have to sell anything to you'

This is basically how I debt with customers when we owned this

 

 

http://goo.gl/maps/WqSRd

 

Doesn't hurt to see if you can help and answer any questions but no need to be pushy and the same from them.

[londonm]

You could understand them being a bit off if you'd have spent hours asking what colour the dust caps were etc, but they must be knobheads to treat you like that.

If you do find out which salesman it was and have some spare time on your hands, go down there, express interest in the most expensive car and ask about finance options. Let him waste 20 or 30 mins of his time then say you don't want it.

20 or 30 mins? Load it up with every extra imaginable, string him along for a week or two. Then tell him to poke it face to face in front of customers on a Saturday morning.

[Essex V6]

Went to the old Arnold Clark Fiat in Edinburgh about 6 years ago to look at Panda for my wife, can't remember exact price but salesman wouldn't budge any further and I had to leave as house was for sale and someone coming round later that afternoon. We decided that we'd pay the extra £100 and phoned the salesman who was busy but didn't return my call that day or next.

A couple of days later went to Arnies in Kirkcaldy and within 30 mins the Fiat guy is on the phone wondering why we weren't still wanting the Panda having been flagged on their computer system- if you can't call me to conclude a sale what's the rest of the service going to be like. The VW salesman was great and picked us up from the station when we collected the car.

A few days prior to this a salesman at Arnies Superstore wouldn't let us test drive a Ford Fusion until we'd agreed the price, how can I do that without knowing how the car drives?

Hate buying from garages.

Surely the salesman was one your side if he refused to let you test drive a Fusion!!

[Bren]

My ambition in life is to own a small used car lot wherby I never actually sell anything. To anybody.

 

When punters walk onto the lot every question is met with the same reply -

 

Fuck off.

 

To be honest all the auto jumblers I have ever spoken to have this mentality - haggling? Strictly verboten.

 

"I WOULD RATHER TAKE IT HOME" is what they say when they tire of listening to your rather generous offers.

 

That's exactly what happens - see you next year, same time, same place.