what is it with some garages and being rude

[Hendry]

I've always said I'd if I ever came into loads of money would start up a franchised dealer chain and I wouldn't employ anyone who currently works at Arnie Clark, only folk from other companies and those who have worked for AC in the past and realised its a shite company and god fed up and left.

 

My used cars would all be cheaper than other dealer in the area, all would come with minimum 24 months warranty, cost of the first years road tax paid, new full years mot at point of sale, free mots for lifetime of ownership, fully serviced at point of sale, full tank of fuel, car care pack with every car (mudflaps, tailored rubber mats, velour mats, boot mat/liner, supagarded paint, scotchgarded fabrics and interior seats and carpets, headlamp protectors, sill trims etc) cars would be professionally detailed including an under chassis clean, wheel arches, rear of the wheels, not a speck of dirt in the carpet, not a mark anywhere on the paint, effectively a "brand new" used car, no interior wear or broken/damaged trim, no faults at all present when delivered to customer, every car with a full service history and less than 60K miles on it, 2 sets of keys, any scuffed alloys or wheel trims replaced not repaired, top PX prices paid, salesmens wages would be more salary based than commission, with bonuses for meeting targets and customer service, mechanics would not be paid bonuses for making up faults for extra revenue, their work would be regularly spot checked to ensure they were not making faults up, customers would be shown faults or faulty components on the car prior to repair, where possible given back the worn or damaged parts, there would be a workshop viewing area where customers can watch their car being repaired, and screens in the waiting areas for the same purpose, service advisors would be paid bonuses based on good customer service feedback rather than upwelling labour and tyres etc. I realise I couldn't sustain this for long, I'd hopefully do it long enough to put AC out of business or if I go bust it shows people how dealers should treat them, what they shouldn't put up with and hopefully make them all refuse to buy from places which treat them like crap, the amount of people I've heard saying a dealer has been abysmal but then keep going back anyway is astounding, people complain about AC all the time but continually go back because the cars are cheap, see also electrical retailers and supermarkets.

[Micrashed]

Pretty sure it was Carcraft in Rochdale who wouldnt let me have the keys back to my car (a 1995 Fiesta) until I had agreed to pay a deposit on a car I was interested in ( a 1998 Pug 306 - this was about 1999). The deposit could be used on something else if I didnt like the Pug....

 

Kick off?

Boy did I... And im not a small bloke. I was rather hoping they would phone the police.

[chaseracer]

  On 23/09/2014 at 09:38, Bren said:

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

 

You should move to Derbyshire.  Immediately.

 

http://retrorides.proboards.com/thread/21832/abandoned-garage

[Bren]

  On 23/09/2014 at 10:46, Micrashed said:

Pretty sure it was Carcraft in Rochdale who wouldnt let me have the keys back to my car (a 1995 Fiesta) until I had agreed to pay a deposit on a car I was interested in ( a 1998 Pug 306 - this was about 1999). The deposit could be used on something else if I didnt like the Pug....

 

Kick off?

Boy did I... And im not a small bloke. I was rather hoping they would phone the police.

Car craft - the quality of their offerings made the cars on this forum look absolutely mint.

[saucedoctor]

Redbrae Motors, summer of 1991. A mate of mine, Sammy, had about a year's Army pay saved up, and fancied changing his car, among other things. Redbrae had a cracker of a Mk2 RS2000, and we went to look at it. The guy who owned the place came out and started shouting the odds! "Get away from that you two!" My pal said "Scuse me, but I'm interested in buying this car". The proprietor pushed past me and grabbed my mate by the throat. Game over. Sammy decked the ignorant git. He bought a Montego 1.6LX from Ralph Patterson Cars instead.

Years later, I found out that Mr Shouty had been fired by Isaac Agnew Mercedes-Benz for much the same thing.
 

[barefoot]

  On 23/09/2014 at 10:10, Hendry said:

I've always said I'd if I ever came into loads of money would start up a franchised dealer chain and I wouldn't employ anyone who currently works at Arnie Clark, only folk from other companies and those who have worked for AC in the past and realised its a shite company and god fed up and left.

 

My used cars would all be cheaper than other dealer in the area, all would come with minimum 24 months warranty, cost of the first years road tax paid, new full years mot at point of sale, free mots for lifetime of ownership, fully serviced at point of sale, full tank of fuel, car care pack with every car (mudflaps, tailored rubber mats, velour mats, boot mat/liner, supagarded paint, scotchgarded fabrics and interior seats and carpets, headlamp protectors, sill trims etc) cars would be professionally detailed including an under chassis clean, wheel arches, rear of the wheels, not a speck of dirt in the carpet, not a mark anywhere on the paint, effectively a "brand new" used car...

 

When I bought my Rolls, it was like this.

[EssDeeWon]

  On 23/09/2014 at 10:46, Micrashed said:

Pretty sure it was Carcraft in Rochdale who wouldnt let me have the keys back to my car (a 1995 Fiesta) until I had agreed to pay a deposit on a car I was interested in ( a 1998 Pug 306 - this was about 1999). The deposit could be used on something else if I didnt like the Pug....

 

Kick off?

Boy did I... And im not a small bloke. I was rather hoping they would phone the police.

 

I would of asked for a test drive in something rather nice (Carcraft nice is probably a well specced newish Mondeo) and kept the keys of that.

 

Honestly, what front!

[Lord Sterling]

  On 23/09/2014 at 12:51, saucedoctor said:

Redbrae Motors, summer of 1991. A mate of mine, Sammy, had about a year's Army pay saved up, and fancied changing his car, among other things. Redbrae had a cracker of a Mk2 RS2000, and we went to look at it. The guy who owned the place came out and started shouting the odds! "Get away from that you two!" My pal said "Scuse me, but I'm interested in buying this car". The proprietor pushed past me and grabbed my mate by the throat. Game over. Sammy decked the ignorant git. He bought a Montego 1.6LX from Ralph Patterson Cars instead.

 

Years later, I found out that Mr Shouty had been fired by Isaac Agnew Mercedes-Benz for much the same thing.

Yeah, a mate of mine, called Sami, decked someone in a car dealership when they tried to physically push him out of a dealership because they wanted to close up for lunch (this is in France) he only wanted to buy a cracker of a Honda S2000. Sadly he didn't buy a Montego 1.6LX otherwise he'd have been my hero, he ended up buying a Honda Accord or summat bland from somewhere else in Belgium, don't know if his money came from the Army or owt, probably not as he was never in the forces. Don't know what happened to pushy_lad or his job, I suspect he still has and the few scars he picked up from such a pushy little chap in the first place.

[brickwall]

A big shout out to the guys in Kwik-Fit in Milngavie (yes you read that correct).

 

Popped in to get a bush shoved into a trailing arm and they said no bother and refused to accept any payment. I tried to bung the chap  a few, but he refused.

 

Well done guys, gave a nice cuppa too!