Buf

As a future Impreza owner I have been looking at posts that discuss quality of service from dealers and aftermarket tuners etc. There seems to be certain dealers to avoid and others to run to. As I am based in South Wales, I am particularly interested in any feedback on Keith Price and CVC dealerships, anyone dare spill the beans???

But why stop there, I have not yet been able to find a list of information on UK dealer performance and servicing costs. I’m not sure of the legal fallout from such a request but if you want to recommend or criticise a dealer, why not reply to this post. If this proves popular I will build a website to compile the information. What do you think?

Pete Croney

Please consider that such postings could give rise to legal action by a "slagged off" dealer, resulting in the poster, the moderator, the site owner and the ISP being sued.

Rewarding only good service with a post is the best solution.

Dippy

Sounds like a good idea - and could be positive in encouraging the bad and the ugly to improve their service!

MorayMackenzie

Pete,

Surely there is no grounds for legal action if the poster has simply stated all the facts as they happened. Obviously, you have to be very careful when writing any such post, but as long as you stick to the facts I suspect that there would be no grounds for libel.

Obviously, unsubstantiated arguments or accusations and simple schoolyard name calling and suchlike are not a good idea.

I have calculated that would be _at least_ £2500 pounds better off today if I hadn't chosen to have a Phase One Conversion fitted to my car. This is fact, and I could back up if I were required to do so. If I keep this fact, to myself, how does that help anyone else, other than the company in question? 20:20 Hindsight won't save me any grief or expense, but it may help someone else when weighing up their options.

This board exists to allow owners to share their knowledge and expiriences, good or bad... Surely the fact we can learn from eachothers failures is just as, if not more so, important than just dealing with the lighter side of ownership?

Moray
(Who is still happy with his flaming scoobysport backbox )

[This message has been edited by MorayMackenzie (edited 06-07-2000).]

Buf

Thanks Pete for highlighting the legal implications, a valid point.
As Pete suggests, there would still be merit in recommending the better dealers and tuners out there. However, one owners good dealer could be another owners bad dealer. Neverthless, if you have had good service from your dealer, let the board know (or e-mail me offline if you prefer).

PC Shouldn’t worry though, I’ve not read a bad word about Scoobysport.

Moray, again valid point.

It's up to each individual if they want to pass on details of their good or bad fortune. There needs to be a compilation of dealer/tuner satisfaction allowing owners to better judge what happens to their car. The more information owners can get the better.

Buf


[This message has been edited by Buf (edited 06-07-2000).]

lordlucan

Avoid Lancasters in Sevenoaks, 30% more expensive than other dealers and there attitude is really poor plus a bad experience that they were not forward in putting right IMHO.

I would like people who use Lancasters to check out other dealership prices as they are being ripped off.

Obviously the above is my opinion but a dealer list would highlight these differences. Why pay more..

Puff The Magic Wagon!

iTrader: (2)

Lucky

On the other hand, I find Lancaster 7 Oaks to be top class I bought my car new from them 1 year ago and they were extremely helpful at the time (no discount in that era tho' ) & a bottle of half decent champagne

Since then, apart from the 1000 miles (which I did in short order & they hadn't any space) I have had the 7.5k, 15k & 1st annual body services done there. Also some warranty work (electric window winder shagged itself). Each time they have helpful & courteous, provide a replacement car (GL ) and/or come up to London to pickup my scoob FOC. They would come to Cambridgeshire, where I live, if I wanted FOC too.

As to prices, I do not believe them to be OTT. I actually had a headlamp washer replaced FOC (warranty?!) after a nephew sat on it & broke it. For convenience, service & customer satisfaction with value for money, they are very good & I would/do recommend them to people.

Horses for courses.

AKA JamesH

PS I also (in the course of my job/business) buy many new cars/bikes & see to their upkeep/servicing etc & they rank (IMHO) as high, if not higher than the Mercedes guys (who seem to look down their noses at you).

PPS Ace Kensington (who did the 1k) are also more expensive, do not p/u your car & charge you for a replacement.

Buf

Thanks to those of you that provided feedback to what I thought would be a hot topic.

Buf.

Craig H

Lavender Hill in Enfield have done my cars for the last 3 years and nearly 70k miles. Despite me being a stroppy git sometimes their service has been spot on and they always bend over backwards to sort things.

Buf

Thanks Craig.

Thats one thumbs up for Lavender Hill in Enfield and a 50/50 result for Lancaster Sevenoaks.

Not a comprehensive round-up yet.......

Buf.

[This message has been edited by Buf (edited 11-07-2000).]

Kev

Buf

I looked into this about 10 months ago and went to see a legal guy after it was suggested by a local webmaster and Pete is quite right ..

The owner of the site is responsible for any "deformation" I think is the word he used at the time but he went on about how you can recomend services etc but expect the wrath of gods if the dealer/service you comment on doesn't meet the service owners expectations ... and at worst case they could claim for loss of earnings/takings from your comments if they feel they have lost trade ...

I had the idea of having a feedback form taking details about the dealer/service from customers and a few comments and a "star" rating.... a lot like the sites that offer shareware and give a star rating .... but he ripped it to bits from a legal point of view, so you could say I bottled it and thought it aint worth the agro ....

K

Buf

Thanks Kev.
So if I were to say dealer A is dodgy - I'll get sued.
If I say dealer B is great and a customer gets a bad deal, he sues.
Looks like a no win situation Kev, you're right, it ain't worth the aggro!

But as Moray said earlier in the thread, "This board exists to allow owners to share their knowledge and experiences, good or bad... ".

Perhaps I should start a thread titled "Dealers - The Good, The Best, and the mucking farvellous!"

Buf

Kev

Buf ..

It's probably why there isn't a "shame 'em" type section on the BBS .... 'cause some one will always slag-off the rip-off dealer and the BBS would cop for it !!

I did actualy think it could be quite a money earner from sponsership etc and expand it to all makes not just Subaru's, but it would'nt be worth the hassle from dicruntled dealers .... even if they do rip you off

I think it's better aired in an open forum like this when you can just ask "is dealer xyz any good ?" and you get an instant response good or bad .....

K

Puff The Magic Wagon!

iTrader: (2)

As long as you get a reponse that is personalised by the poster - ie IT HAPPENED TO ME, then I would have thought there is little/no action that could be taken.

Therefore a list of dealers with personal comments from posters against them...

What do you think of XYZ & Co? Post A - Top! Post B - Cr@p! & so on.

Would take more effort from a webmaster for sure.

Pete Croney

I agree that bad service should be brought to peoples attention, its just that the legal implications are very scary.


In the US, lawyers have to pay a fortune for medical insurance, because no surgeon wants to treat them, in case they get sued.

Triggaaar

Honestly, you guys worry too much.
If Mr B gives me bad service, and I say what happened, I can't be sued (well I can, but they'd lose). If I give false information, which could be believed by others, I could be sued.

If you were to say that it is alledged that dealer A is dodgy ('have I got news for you' style) I do not think they would be able to successfully sue you (or the webmaster).

Do you think Jeremy could be sued for saying that vauxhall's are krap? No - it's his opinion, to which he is entitled.

If someone knows better, I'd be interested to hear of examples (this is all uk obviously).

CLS

As long as you refer only to your own experience and property you're bomb proof.I was informed of this by my solicitor when buying a new house and was threatened with being sued by the M.D if I took up residence outside the sales office with a banner saying how I'd been treated. Needless to say 2 weeks later the matter was sorted to my satisfaction