GolfGTIforum.co.uk
Model specific boards => Golf mk6 => Topic started by: avalon on 08 October 2009, 16:54
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As promised in my initial post here are my first impressions of a couple of UK VW dealerships.
I'd appreciated that i couldn't just go in to my local dealer, point to one of many GTi's and say 'that one please'. However, it took 2 visits before any 'salesman' could be bothered to even engage. Now this wasn't a small setup, indeed I counted nearly a dozen desks/tables lined up [most occupied by tie wearing gadgies poking at ther PC keyboards scrathing their chins] with neat little sales persons nameplates so i was a little surprised that there wasn't much interest.
On visit #2 after finally catching someone's eye, I asked if they had a 6 speed I could take out for a test drive. That wasn't a problem until I asked for it to be a Thursday after work. The bod I managed to get some words out of then got a little irritated as he wasn't working that day and would have to get someone who was to call me and confirm. Needless to say they didn't call so I called them and that and the test drive was fine.
Then, you'll know, you're wheeled away to chew things over with the salesman. He rambled on a bit: short supply, no discounts, all high spec etc. but then said he'd 'have a look around' and give me a shout. Now remember, this was a Thursday - so when i'd heard nothing a week later I rang to be told he was in a meeting and would get back to me. He did ring, though that was the following Monday to tell me he'd found nothing but he'd keep looking. I haven't heard back from him since.
I visited another dealer some 20 miles away. This was a much smaller setup, though with plenty of used stock and maybe 8 cars in the showroom. This place was the Marie Celeste bar a pissed looking bloke waiting at the Service Reception.
Still not put off I then let my fingers do the walking by getting some numbers of dealers NOT in my area. All were much more forthcoming with either proper crack on the phone or follow up emails telling me much that i've learned already on this excellent forum.
Bottom line is that I've 'ordered' a 3 door tornado red, cloth seats and 18" Monza Shadows. I put ordered in quotes as I'm told my order will ony be processed when the dealer gets his build slots from VW, probably in December, with delivery in APRIL.
Still, I've stuck with it so far - I just hope it's worth the wait.
Best for now.
Ava
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welcome mate, you won't be disappointed with the car, its the nuts!
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Thats a shocking level of service!!! (get used to it :lipsrsealed:)
The car will be worth the wait :wink:
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There's a huge difference and variation in quality of service between VW stealers. My local one seems to treat customers as idiots whilst the one I bought my GTi from couldn't have been more helpful or more friendly.
I think with VW (but I'm sure with most car makes) if you find a good 'un, stick with him.
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We could do with listing the good dealers so those of us yet to put our money down can have some confidencewe're picking a decent one.
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Very first dealer I went to never gave me the time of day either, never gave me a second glance, nothing.
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It took 2 visits before any 'salesman' could be bothered to even engage. Now this wasn't a small setup, indeed I counted nearly a dozen desks/tables lined up [most occupied by tie wearing gadgies poking at ther PC keyboards scrathing their chins] with neat little sales persons nameplates so i was a little surprised that there wasn't much interest.
Must be the norm for the VW group.
I went into Audi, Seat twice, VW and BMW Huddersfield (all in the same day) and BMW were the only ones who greeted me and asked if i needed any help. Sales staff at all the others just sat there scratching their arses.
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I think it must be difficult being a car salesman....
If you ignore customers then your an ar5ehole.
If you ask them if they need help, then your a pushy ar5ehole!!!
There must be a happy medium somewhere... where they ignore you for 10 minutes to let you browse, and THEN ask you if you need help when they see you're genuinely interested!
I bet most people wandering round garages are just looking - hence why most sales people ignore you.
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I think it must be difficult being a car salesman....
If you ignore customers then your an ar5ehole.
If you ask them if they need help, then your a pushy ar5ehole!!!
There must be a happy medium somewhere... where they ignore you for 10 minutes to let you browse, and THEN ask you if you need help when they see you're genuinely interested!
I bet most people wandering round garages are just looking - hence why most sales people ignore you.
Its not like that at all, yes there's the browsers but you can spot them a mile off. The ones that are interested are easily spottable too, like the OP and myself. I stop next to the car im interested in, wait a few secs, turn around, and generally look around like I'm looking for someone. Thats very easy to spot and thats when we hope the sales guys do their job and approach us.
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I'm quite happy to name my dealer. And also the salesman. But don't know whether there's rules saying we should or shouldn't. I'll also name the crap one if I'm allowed.
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Ava - did you try any of the internet brokers? I did and had a really good response with a good discount straight off and I deal direct with a nearby dealer. also because you end up dealing with the fleet side rather than the "sales" folk, the people there are a lot nicer and down to earth.
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Ava - did you try any of the internet brokers? I did and had a really good response with a good discount straight off and I deal direct with a nearby dealer. also because you end up dealing with the fleet side rather than the "sales" folk, the people there are a lot nicer and down to earth.
Hmm, thats the route I went down, and indeed the fella is perfectly decent when you do speak to him, but has dismally failed to deliver on promises as yet. I was told they had free slots......funny how almost 2 months later, still no build week :evil:
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I quite like dealers to be stand offish that way i can look at the car, poke and prod it, check its room interior quality etc, get an idea of it without sales BS in my ears and a beady eye watching me. If im then interested i walk upto there desk and ask for help. I much prefer it like this than a salesman hovering over me.
I did not buy local in the end as from every local dealer i got 'no discount we can sell everyone we get' reply even though the yard was full of fleet sold GTIs which of cause would not have paid list :grin:.
I did try by showing quotes i had off the net and said match it or come close and i will buy right now but still got 'no deal'.
This ment i had kept putting it off as i kept going to all the local dealers each weekend or day off in my area waiting for replies from them when they said we will have to speak to the sales manager etc. In the end i gave up on local dealers.
I then got let down by our fleet guy. So i went back to the brokers on the net in my final last effort as it was getting nearer the price rise time now and i was now getting silly delivery times from all the brokers by phone and the net. then as a last attempted as i had given up totally by now and was starting to loose my hair in this trying to find a needle in a field of haystacks contest i contacted a smaller broker.
My broker went way way out of his way to find me an allocation since his normal dealer chain had non left before the price rise/vat rise. (I think he could feel the pain down the phone i had been through and felt sorry for me). He did lots of work imo, kept me updated daily, were the bigger brokers i had phones first just said take it or leave it this is what we can do. After he had put me in touch with the dealer of cause thats his job done.
Took my dealer over a month and a half nearly two to supply me with a provisional build week.
They said it was because build weeks can change until they are confirmed 4-5 weeks before there build week.
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My TDi order is with the same dealer that 16 years ago when i arrived in an immaculate Audi 80E SE to view the then new A4 snubbed me for 45 minutes before i eventually left. Thankfully this time they seemed more interested, but i did ring beforehand to ask about a test drive rather than just walk in. I don't expect the delaerships to be accommodating anymore - i've bought far too mnay cars in the last 20 years and other than family run businesses none of them give a to55. Its not just VW though - i thought about a Skoda Roomster for a while (strange idea but the flexibility iof the seating and established VW technology appealed) ; small village dealers were very friendly and keen for form a relationship, larger dealers were standoffish about test drives, information etc and then downright rude when i asked if they'd try to pricematch.