CupraT

Currently looking to buy a new car and can't believe how hard it is to get a test drive or any sort of decent service. I've bought loads of cars over the last 10 years and never had this problem.

Have 3 cars I'm interested in and so far:

Nissan - ring us a couple of days before you want a test drive and we'll sort this for you - ring as requested and car not available as guy on holiday with it.......no effort to then call me back to arrange another time.

Mitsi - ring us on the day you want to drive the car and we'll sort for you. Ring 2 days before. The boss is using the car and won't be in on the day you want to drive the car. After some discussion they say they will call me back and try to get the car available. No call back at all.

Citroen - We will contact you on Friday to confirm car available for test - no call back.

I know I could chase them more but when I'm spending 20+k I shouldn't have to do all the leg work and it doesn't give me confidence in the after sales.

In all instances I have made it clear that I will be buying a car as soon as I have done the test drives and ideally within a week.

The cars I want are X-trail, Outlander and C Crosser . . . . . so not loads about but I'm starting to get ticked off now!

Given the current climate you would think they would make a massive effort....is it because I'm not using the scrappage deal?

RJM25R

iTrader: (1)

Maybe you're coming across as a company car buyer? Most guys won't get a penny if you're a company car driver, and have a seperate fleet department. No-one in sales wants to spend time with someone they CAN'T sell to!

Also, the products.

They are volume products and tend to have average sales guys. As such, they want "easy" sales and a guy sat at their desk presents a selling opportunity. A guy ringing up is seen as a potential timewaster. Not always correct, but can be!

Finally, the current climate is actually making sales guys BUSIER. Quentin Wilson and his cohorts, newspapers and news reports are constantly telling the punter to haggle hard and how dealers have fields of unsold cars, your part-exchange is worth this etc etc etc .

This is filling the showrooms with ******** to be frank, most of whom aren't buying, and just want to test the water! Thus ,paradoxically to the salesmans psyche, the telephone enquiries are better than the walk ins, but he's so busy with tha walk in **** he can't find the time to ring back people and locate cars potentially!

I work for VW and we have sold out of Scirocco till Feb next year, Eos until jan, Any Golf diesel auto is next year and the polo has dried up because ther'e a new model next month!

I'm currently working 7 days a week, and haven't had a day off since August trying to keep up with demand, staying late and even working from home for appointments!

DYK

My Dad recently bought an Octavia Vrs and the local dealer couldn't get em on the forecourt quick enough,totally dried up of the vrs.I drove past the other day and noticed just Fabias mainly...Now they sent the old man a letter through the post inviting him for a test drive day of other models and apparently he can test drive any Seat model..I know none of these cars are of intrest to you,but it seems they are quite busy..

Timwinner

iTrader: (3)

I had the same trouble with Subaru, I was going to buy an MY08 hatch last year. I called, emailed and actually wrote to Subaru. After some pressure they agreed to let me drive the WRX they had in. I arrived at the show room with the sales manager sitting with his feet on the desk talking to his wife ( I assume) about the nights meal.

He said, and I quote "Only got a couple of people in the showroom I am sure they can wait"
We left at that point, two weeks later they called and got shirty when we told them why we had not made a new appointment.

I find a lot of car salesmen in the same league as estate agents, I understand that some are ok and I know a few on here seem decent enough but the ones I have dealt with seem to think they are a better class then there punters.

J4CKO

iTrader: (1)

They have been going on about haggling, mats and flaps and all that for years, its not a new thing and people will go into a few showrooms to look at a few different cars, you know to choose as when spending twenty grand you dont want to buy the first thing you see, so to my my mind that doesnt make the customer a timewaster or a *******, having been involved in car sales a bit over the years there are a few ******** but car traders and dealers seem so keen to avoid time-wasters they make genuine buyers feel unwelcome, if you have sold out of everything surely some of the "********" must be buying ?

CupraT

Deffo not coming over a company car driver - have in all instances given details on my Px and said it's my wifes car we are changing (I have a c car). I have been upfront to say that I'm testing the 3 cars then will buy and am in a position the same day if the test drive works out ok.

Interestingly DYK, I'm trading a Skoda Vrs which should be reasonably ok for dealers to place, less than 4 years old, full service history, 24k miles etc etc

In the recent past Audi, Subaru, Seat and Skoda have been good ....not sure why the hard work this time.

MikeCardiff

iTrader: (2)

The best thing is, when these dealers go out of business they will be the first to complain and say they cant understand why, and it must be because of the recession ( while the Ford or whoever garage down the road who offer decent customer service are selling plenty of cars ).

MattW

A lot of this is down to brokers though, and the fact is the main dealers supply the brokers. I long for a world where list price means the price you pay, would help residuals no end.

It's a fact of business though, I'm even forced to discount my prices "because procurement must be seen to negotiate a discount".

Whilst the broker will discount I'll play the game. Interesting though that some people have no clue, my in laws just pitch up get offered a deal, do their sums and sign the forms. They always wonder why the get a nice big bunch of flowers every time . My mum has just changed hers (as you know Rick) and she keeps insisting she got 14k for her Honda, I keep telling her it's still only worth 9.5k and she got a discount on the new car but it doesn't seem to sink in.

To the OP, I bet the Forester, Kuga, Rav-4, Tiguan, poverty spec Q5 are all better choices than the three you mentioned. Vote with your feet.

CupraT

That opens up another can of worms

The X trail, Outlander and C Crosser all have perm 4WD and are really well spec'd compared to a lot of the cars you list.

I do like the Kuga but it's not big enough, Forester just feels a little cheap, not really looked at the Rav-4, Tiguan or Q5.

My other option is an S Max of all things!

magepaster

iTrader: (2)

Had problems with Citroen recently too. Phoned to book a test drive in a particular spec of car. spec I wanted had lower profile tyres stiffer suspension etc so ride would not be the same as other specs. Plus the interiors are totally different as well as exterior design touches. Anyway booked the test drive two weeks in advance. The time comes for the drive and I go to the dealers. It turns out they don't have the spec I have booked and the only spec they have is the base model. I had a good old moan about this only to be met with "Can't you just imagine what it would be like?" Needless to say I went to town on the **** and told them to imagine me going somewhere else to buy a car. Which I did.

From there I went into Nissan on the off chance of them having free space for a test. They couldn't have been more helpful. Had the car in I was interested in and told me to take it for a spin and to take my time with it. The salesman did everything right and made the whole experience a pleasure.

J4CKO

iTrader: (1)

Go For a Ford, the make a pretty good car nowadays, went in the new Fiesta the other day and was very impressed, we have a Galaxy and its really good, I am no Ford fanboy but I think they now make great cars and brand snobbery is what some of the others are trading on these days, probably why RJM is so busy, not because VW make anything substantially better, in fact I don't think anything they make these days is better in any way other than brand cachet/image over Ford, we have had two brand new VW's over the years so I am not anti VW, I just go to who does the best product, stuck with people carriers for now and VW are still selling the old Sharan and even the most ardent snob would be hard pushed to choose one of them over the Galaxy, that is MG Rover levels of dead Horse flogging keeping that old thing going.

Dr.No

Just been through the same thought process, again for a new car for the Mrs... looked at loadsa options including:

- Qashqai (not enough headroom in the front)
- Rav-4 (dunno, just didnt find the right spec)
- X Trail (didnt like the interior)
- Kuga (quite like them, but wanted higher spec which proved quite expensive)
- Tiguan (as per Kuga but more so!)
- CR-V

and then, more seriously:
- 4007 (were doing a promo for top-spec with delv miles @ £17.5K! That started me looking quite seriously!)
- C-Crosser (found a cracking spec, as per 4007 - but sales-guy was a completely useless tosser and walked out of showroom promising never to go back)
- Outlander - the more visually attractive, but seem to retail at a higher price than either of the two above (even though it's the same car, all made by Mitsi in Holland). Sales guy was very good, not pushy at all and just helped and ran the sale at my pace...

Taking delivery of a Mitsubishi Outlander 2.0 DI-D Elegance in silver tomorrow.

All round value package was very atrractive, including switchable 2WD/4WD (didn't want perm 4WD, as don't see the point if it's on-road most of the time), full HDD based sat-nav with premium Rockford Fosgate audio, 7 seats, full leather, heated / electric seats, etc. etc.

Already started looking at various toys and accessories for it, and already have workshop and all user manuals downloaded in PDF format.

DN

PS Also considered the S-Max in Titanium spec, but not too seriously.... as I wanted the SUV look/feel really!

RJM25R

iTrader: (1)

You've misinterpreted what I said. I never said they were all ********, just that there are MORE ******** currently. . . I make a very good living out of selling cars and I wouldn't make a penny if I couldn't sort the wheat from the chaff. It's quite hard to tell sometimes because people don't want to give you information because they think every salesman is a rip off merchant.

I do make the odd mistake but 9 times out of ten I do get it right! And I've yet to meet the customer who's been forced to buy a car!

CupraT

Dr.No - thanks for the post, really useful.

The Citroen, Peugeout and Mitsi are interesting as they are so similar - just subtle differences in spec.

I prefer the look of the Mitsi, and in Diamond spec it has everything as standard, though you seem to have everything I would want.

If you know, are there any spec differences between the Peugeot and Citroen? I can't really see any.

The Peugeot deal finished now?

RJM25R

iTrader: (1)

Thats a fair comment on the sharan, but we sell so few of them nowadays that dealers don't need to have one on site!

It is a 1994 design, with more facelifts than the bride of wildenstein!

lordharding

iTrader: (1)

I actually lecture?train salepeople <not for the car industy and use my experience of poor car salesmen which i have built up somne great storys over the last ") years

cant believe the standard of the majority of them ,never ring you back,look you down at you ,ignore the misses,baffle you with technical jergon have no personaliy ,incorrect body language and lack of knowledge and most of all no Passion

I use a example of the best salesman i ever encountered 22 years ago ,old bloke in a ford dealership in Truo (we were on holliday ) we wandered in to get out of the sunshine and he said are you just looking ?

we said Yeah

Ah in that case you need a brochure !!within 2 minutes clutching a brochure he knew we wanted a XR3i our currect car a rough price to change and even dragged us into the mechanics place to see a customers car ,dont like the colour? Dont worry into the warehouse to show us a nice red one ,terms like Flash ,beat uther cars at the traffic lights etc

I managed to get out ,a true salesman i hope he retired with pleant £££in the bank

another Ian Armstrong Subaru carlisle now leicester a true petrolhead ,throws you the keys has passion and excitement in his manner hence thats why i always deal with him

the rest well wooden topps who i wouldnt employ

the Industry needs to sort out the salesman

RJM25R

iTrader: (1)

And you need to sort your spelling/grammar!

dunx

iTrader: (3)

I went in and asked about a no trade-in new WRX purchase and the salesman could barely be bothered with me.... and it was close to closing time so, bye, no test drive !

dunx

sti-04!!

To the OP. No its not harder. I have an interest in one of the largest car supermarkets in Britain
My guys will NOT test drive a customer unless they are going to buy a car subject to the drive. What people seem to forget is that 99% of car salesman base there wages on commission. They get a sh!te basic & make the rest of there wage up by selling extra's & finance. They arent test drive pilots, they are there to sell units
Its maybe harder because your perception has changed & think that the marketplace is struggling. Strangely we have sold more vehicles (we do cars & vans) upto this point year on year than previous years. We sell upwards of 2000 units per month over 5 sites.

Ps the good salesman earn "very" good wages. You'd be suprised as to what i have to sign off at month end

Simon C

Funnily enough, I had this problem when was looking.

Audi wouldn't give me the time of day, took me 2 weeks to get a test drive.

Subaru, the complete opposite, rang local dealer to be told "sorry, dont have 1, but this dealer does, please ring them". Rang them, booked for the following week. Got there, test drove the car I'd booked, then a WRX, then the WRXD. What was supposed to be a hours drive, turned into 4 hours!!!

My avatar shows who got my money.

RJM25R

iTrader: (1)

How close to closing time? We have a policy of no test drives within half an hour of closing for security reasons. We reappoint for the following day. I'vE had people being snotty about it but realistically speaking, how serious is a person who turns up just before you close? It takes half an hour to do the order form alone!

RJM25R

iTrader: (1)

Carcraft?

sti-04!!

No mate its not them. Same style of structure. I only became an investor/director 12 months ago being from the motortrade since i could walk helped. Its in a period of change

RJM25R

iTrader: (1)

When you say good money at supermarkets, for the salesmen, what are they on per annum? We employ a couple of lads who are ex-supermarket but they're born bull$hitters

ALi-B

iTrader: (1)

I have a suspicion that its due to the increase in cars they are selling making them even more complacent than usual.

When the new reg came out this month, my VW dealer dumped my car back on my drive having not done any of the required repair work, saying they have no where to park it due to a huge delivery of new cars that they needed to prep and PDi for delivery to their new owners.

Fookin' cheek: It just shows where their priorities lie!


They are supposed to call me back when they have availability in their workshop to fix my car. Not heard a dickie bird from them


(Mind, the manager there once worked in sales at a Subaru garage nine years ago and nearly sold me a yucky green Impreza Turbo with barley-tweed interior and a codged boot repair; and then refused the refund of my "refundable" deposit after I found said poor repair workmanship that didn't justify the agreed asking price. Forcing me to take the matter to the credit card company, which got the dealers into trouble. I don't think I was recognised, but maybe a little jog of memory is called for on my next visit ).

CupraT

It always interesting to hear from the other side of the fence, so thanks for taking the time to post.

I have not been looking at car supermarkets so far, just main dealers who do have demo's in. A genuine question......I am assuming that a demo vehicle should be used as just that and not some way to get round vat/tax implications for a new vehicle?

PS - And this may be just me, but I can never get my head round the we don't do test drives unless you are going to buy....how could you know you want to spend X pounds on a product when you have not tested it and it's competetors?

MattW

i'd hazard a guess that the Supermarkets tend to be selling to people who are less interested in a car, simply wanting a 5 door medium sized hatchback for example. If they take a test, like it and the figures work they buy it. Simple as that.

Dr.No

The Mitsi is the best speced as standard... across the model range. You can get to the same place with the Citroen or the Peugeot but it's a standard model plus various options (eg. Premium audio, parking sensors, reversing camera, etc.)

There is VERY little difference between the Outlander Elegance and Diamond - the most "obvious" being the 2.2 PSA diesel engine. Only other differences are privacy glass, chrome trim accents (door handles, door mirrors and exhaust - and TBH I think body coloured looks better!) and rear mounted DVD player (which is a ROSEN unit that Colt Cars fit at Bristol docks!).

When you get the various cars, 4007, cross dresser and Outie, all up to the same spec with the same engine the prices are all very similar. It really comes down to which dealership you prefer and which front/rear view you find most attractive.

I preferred the Outie, as the rear end looks better and the front looks more serious. Pug looks quite aggresive from the front, Cross Dresser has the double chevron thing going on which I'm not keen on. It's also 'made' by Mitsubishi so I figured there may be slightly better support / knowledge available in Mitsi dealers.

Just awaiting the post-PDI call to tell me I can go and get it... :-)

DN

MattW

Interesting that both the Citroen and Peugeot will discount massively but the Mitsi less so. Should help with the residuals on that one too.

See drive the deal for example.

Leslie

Try writing a personal letter to the boss of each firm complaining about his salesmens' extreme lack of interest and how that has put you off buying one of the cars that they sell.

Les