Gav

i went to get me scoob serviced today at Monks Heath Subaru. i turn up and see they have an sti8 demonstrator so i ask the guy about it and see if it's got a ppp on. he says "no because they don't make any difference"!!! i thought this fellas got no idea what he's talking about, i've heard nothing but awesome reports about the ppp.

So i ask him if we can go out in it whilst me scoobs being serviced and he says "you will have to wait half an hour for the manager". i thought ok, but then seconds later these guys come in and ask another salesman if they can go out in the sti and he says "yep" and gets the keys for them. So now i'm pi**ed off, so i say to my bloke they've just gone out in it and you told me i had to wait half an hour. and get this, he goes "i didnt know if you had driven a performance car before" (i'm 21). but the stupid thing is he saw me pull up in me scoob (my00 turbo) and get out!!! i thought you to$$er. so they come back and he says do you want to go out in it, and i just said "no i'll just take my buisness to another dealer" and walked off.

i've heard reports about dealers being bad (not all of them) but i couldnt believe he said this to me, firstly about the ppp making no difference and then to say what he did to me, i was fuming!!


gav....

BuRR

Don't tar the dealer because of the attitude of one salesperson. I'd write to the manager and explain the problem. You don't want to burn your bridges because of one person, although I can understand why you're fuming.

Gav

good point buRR, title now is "what a sh*t salesman"!!!


gav...

supertouring

I went there once when first looking for a Scooby, and the sales guy I spoke to was some friend of the boss who was only filling in for someone who was away. Could not tell me anything about the new MY03 that they had sitting in the showroom.

I left details for them to contact me about test driving one of the 2nd hand cars they had in, but never heard anything. Maybe you got the same guy?

St Andy

I'm very cynical about all dealers i'm afraid. I'm sure there are some good ones out there, but I've never come across one, so I just refer to them all as rubbish, as a sweeping generalisation. Car dealers are criminals as far as i'm concerned

Dizzy

He looked at you.. saw a 21 year old and thought "Theres no WAY he really wants to buy it"

Were you REALLY thinking of perchasing one? I got EXACTLY the same from a toyota dealer when I was about 21 (bought my scoob shortly after) and they even booked me in for a test drive (over the phone) and then told me (once I'd arrived) that they would have to do a credit check BEFORE they took me out!?!

Never been there since

New To Scoob

Similar happened to me but it was with a Mitsi garage, just outside Edinburgh, went in asked the sales guy about the EVO8, was basically told if you want you have to order it now and pay a grand down payment BUT without even a test drive!!!! sales guy must have thought no way can this guy run an EVO8, so I let him do his talk about the car "obvisiouly thinking how clever he was" then I asked him about the ceramic turbo/whether it uses sodium filled valves/ electronic center diff etc etc, it was so much fun seeing him tongue tied, he says I'll send you a brochure, 2 months have passed and still no brochure!!!!!. In the end I went to Drive in Falkirk and got myself an sti8 which I get on friday, no fancy talking sales bull and got to drive the demo as soon as I turned up.

Gav

dizzy, maybe your right m8. saw me and thought no chance. but its not as if i turned up in an old banger. i was in me scoob which is immaculate (polished three times a week), it's an my00 with leather and air con so its worth a few dollars.

dont know what it is with them, if someone walks in you should make them feel welcome. every customer that walks through the door is a potential sale...


gav...

Avi

Gav .. I got a similar response from Monks Heath, (I'm 21 too), they were very ignorant when i was having my car serviced. (before Mainland opened)

Mainland in Widnes are much more helpful and pleasant , and seem like enthusiasts, and will have a chat.

Fixed my dodgy clutch pedal for free to

mccltd

When I was looking into part ex'ing my STI7 for an M3 a dealer wouldnt let me test drive one unless I put down a 2 grand deposit.

So I got up gave him my business card and walked.

Funny thing was he suddenly turned all interested when he saw I owned the company...

Anyway went back in a week later, same sales man tried to help me but I asked for someone else ( had a name of someone to ask for), he was very helpful so bought it from him in Cash and the good thing was the orignal sales guy had to help count it with no commision..
Hope that pi??ed him off.
Just goes to show that looks arn't everything, you can never tell if someone is going to spend or not.

pslewis

CASH!!!??? What are we talking? £1000 or so??

SURELY to god you didn't walk in with £20,000 in CASH?

Pete

[Edited by pslewis - 4/14/2003 3:30:01 PM]

mccltd

PSlewis,

£23000 actually,,+ STI7 with 340bhp

I was a bit nervious coming from the bank( brown A4 bag in a Tesco's carrier,, not to obvious )
Main problem was no banks in the area had £50 notes,,so had it in £20 and £10.
Never seen so much money,,always wanted to do it though.


[Edited by mccltd - 4/14/2003 4:07:51 PM]

moomin

The age point of view is a joke and something I’ve been a victim of a few times. I had I similar problem with Mercedes, just being generally offhand and not taking me seriously. I went back the following day to say I had decided to opt for a beemer (lie) and they could stuff their car and pi55 poor attitude. I had a great boss at the time who liked practical jokes so he ran me down to the dealership in the back of his Arnage T with a black cap on, real chauffer style. You should have seen the jaws hit the deck!

I was at the local dealers last week and asked the salesman if there was still a steady stream of test pilots who have no intention of buying a car. He laughed and explained that everyone wants to go for a thrash and most do. Apparently the dealers have been advised by head office that ‘bums on seats sell cars’. If they want to drive it, let them.

Mungo

There's always the chance that one day you will be able to afford one, and if they've treated you like **** in the past, you won't be taking them your cash.

basal_lobe

I tried to pay cash 12K ish for my last car and the dealer told me they were unable to accept it for security/money laundring reasons. This applies to deals over 5K I was told.

Personally I always pay cash whenever possible.

oj

mccltd - love that story, loved to of seen the salesman face when you turned up with all the cash... Serves him right, must be a right to**ser of salesman..!! Anyway, all salesman should treat every customer as a potential buyer.. regardless of age and looks.. they never know will be buying their goods..!!

mccltd

OJ,

I have to agree.
I run my own Computer trade shop and webshop.
Customer come in wanting quotes etc for systems in 3 figures and you look at them and think is it worth it.
But then they come back and pay for the goods.
So you ca never tell a sale from the person looks.

Avi

mccltd

A mum came in the other day wanting to buy her 14 year old son the top of the range PC.
She wanted to spend around £2500.
Did I have a problem trying to build one to that price, got there in the end though.
Her son at 14 has passed all Microsoft exams,,,hmmmmm I'm doing something wrong..

stiscooby

I am selling my Type R and am looking at getting a BMW 328Ci.

I am 24, but don't look my age, most people think I am barely 20!! I was wondering what kind of treatment I will get when going to local BMW dealer and asking for test drive! Not looking at a brand new motor as my funds won't stretch that far but will be spending around 16.5K regardless.

Think I will turn up in jeans and trainers

skoosh

I sympathise but my experience with Subaru in my 6 weeks of ownership has been nothing but exemplarary.

I originally got in touch with Holdcrofts Subaru in Newcastle under Lyme, as I was looking to buy an Impreza Turbo Wagon. They were, unfortunately, too dear on price, I was looking to spend about 7K (ish).

I didn't buy a Scooby from them but have been in three times and on each occasion they've remebered my first name name and been polite and courteous. I had a 75k service today and on collection of the car (first time there) they said what a peach I'd bought and that it was in excellent condition and had been looked after by both owners, confirming what i'd been told by both former keepers. To top it all off, they quoted me £225 for the service but only charged me £174...BARGAIN.

I've dealt with many dealers in the past and these guys have my total recommendation...WELL DONE HOLDCROFT SUBARU !!!

Skoosh.
96 Wagon.

Dunc20

Monk's Heath are the ****test dealer around, i have had a bad experience with them and will never ever go back! They have no customer service skills and a complete disregard for their customers!!

I am also 21 and get 'judged' by sales people in car garages! I drive a Scoob coz i like fast cars and can afford one, sales people in showrooms should show some sort of respect!!- Fecking Ar$eholes!!!!!!!!

Dunc.

RedDevil UK

personally im 33, but with the sound of it, you could do to print off this thread and send it to the manager with a letter explaining what happens.
i would expect the manager to have a word with his sales team pretty sharpish

Rasher

sorry to jump on the band wagon but my experience of Monks Heath was far from ideal. This was in relation to servicing not selling.
I now go to Mainland, totally different, hence they now have my business, ie Prodrive quickshift and suspension package plus a few interior goodies
Highly recommended

Beefy

I got my MY03 from Monks Heath and it was an enjoyable experience, just like a new car purchase should be. Had the first service there (they did it while I waited - cost me £40.00) and one of the service guys came out with me to assess a slight rattle when the turbo kicks in.

He was very helpful and courteous and said if I had any further concerns to take it back and they would take another look at it. No problems as far as I am concerned and if youre not happy with the sales guy you get ask for the manager (Andrew) as he was very helpful to me.

*Sonic*

I have had 3 years dealing with Monks Heath, and I always recieved top notch service every single time

they even replaced my bright switch several times, and dash clock, cos the clock light had packed in

Also I had a long conversation with one of the saleguys, who offered me one of their bug eye (when they first came out) for 3 days, and i only had a company car

but now I live about 3 miles from Mainland, who are very helpful too, and I havent spent any money their either

Steve

Andy-pay

can agree with Skoosh - Holdcroft Subaru in Newcastle-under-Lyme have been great with me too - top drawer stuff!

Stringpants

I once got a real crap part ex deal on a 4X4 Sierra so when I took the cash in to pay the difference on collection I took it all in £5. notes..........£3750

Took some doing though...took the bank two days to get hold of the notes...I took all the wrappers off so it made counting so much harder.

Jer

I bet most if not all people on this thread haven't sold cars for a living. I have in a previous life, the amount of people that came in with an old banger asking for a "hurl" in a 30k car was a joke. 90% of the time you are right and they can't afford it.

DeerHunter

Unfortunately this situation will always happen with a younger lad, intermoto was a classic of this situation when i went in (23yrs old rover coupe to p/x, wearing tracksuit and trainers! - i didnt get a test drive!!!! , 'go and get insurance and then come back!!! - was not over impressed to say the least!) I saw the exact my97 i wanted and walked in with half of the 14K in cash and said 'so do i get a discount for buying without a testdrive?' , the guy then found out i owned a computer retail co. - then i networked the whole building and made a shed load on the job

2 things that will put off a 'high end' car dealer -

Scruffy clothes!
**** car! (E reg mk 2 fiesta with non matching panels)

Over Monks Heath:

If you drove in in an my00 and the sailsman treated you like he did i would have put him in his place and asked to speak to someone who will deal with you 'professionally'. Monks heath were 'adequate' doing my services but lacked enthusiasm!

Go to Mainland and spek to Steve in sales or Danny and Bob in servicing! - good banter and very enthusiastic (lets see if it lasts) - makes for a nice environment to by the sti8 , also they will be more than happy for you to blast their sti round the block!...

Overall everyone gets one chance, then maybe a second, but my motto has always been if you find friendly and good service (even if it isnt the very cheapest, stick with them as you wont often be dissapointed!...

Dave


[Edited by DeerHunter - 4/14/2003 9:14:19 PM]