GTI

Mate pops into his local Mercedes dealer, in his jeans and t-shirt (nice casual stuff, nothing scruffy though) To ask about the price of a new CLK55 AMG he's seen in there. So he goes and sits down, has a poke about inside when a women (mid 30's) walks over. He asks about price and delivery times. To which she relpied now this really is awful, "Can you really afford this car?" He promptly without a word gets up and walks out.
He's just put the deposit down on a M3.
Even the BMW dealer couldn't believe this happened.

This happened about a week a think at the Merc garage in Solihull, if anyone knows, I sure as hell don't.

But fancy saying that! *tuts*

Paulo P

iTrader: (42)

I had a similar experience before I bought my integrale, I was 23 but I had a look at a GT4 Carlos Sainz edition and the salesman wasn't interested I went and bought the lancia a few weeks later Their loss not his and the BMW is a better car IMHO

Paul

brickboy

I have a mate who's a bit wide, and he also knows a few rich .com types. When he ordered his new Audi S4 (the latest one) one of his mates lent him his private-plate, latest shape S500 to go to the dealers in. No problems being taken seriously there

That is appalling though, what happened to your mate -- when he gets his M3 he should go back and show the salesperson.

Toonman1

We were thinking about a Civic Type R as a 2nd car, and popped into our local Honda dealers one Sunday afternoon. I was in a T shirt, deck shoes and shorts - it was about 80F outside.

After 5 minutes of being ignored by the numerous sales staff, I wanted to leave, but my Wife really wanted to drive their demo car. After another 5 mins, I spotted a guy trying to pull the door handle off my 02 WRX PPP in an attempt to get in. I shouted to him to leave the car alone, and if he wanted one, I'd point him in the direction of the nearest Subaru dealer. Immediately, we had 3 sales staff squabbling to deal with us.

A) We didn't like the sales staff
B) We didn't care for the car
C) We bought another Subaru

It was my 2nd experience of a Honda dealership. They really need to get things into perspective; they're only selling bloody Hondas!

Cheers

Toonman1

But not to us...

Simon S3

I know the Solihull Merc dealership, this doesn`t suprise me at all. They are arrogant beyond belief.

However, all marques have good and bad dealerships, the Merc dealer in Wolverhampton is quite friendly.

tiggers

It's funny as the Honda dealer I use is one of the best dealers I've ever come across whereas Subaru dealers... yet to find a good one.

My curent Subaru dealer is rapidly becoming another joke in my eyes. Some things never change unfortunately.

With more reference to the topic my mate who owns a large electrical contracting firm, but does dress a bit scruffily admittedly, went to a well know NW England Toyota dealership a few years back looking to buy two Land Cruisers. The salesman laughed and said something like 'in your dreams mate'.

He wasn't laughing quite so much when my mate and his contracts manager took both of the newly purchased fully loaded Mitsubishi Shoguns round to show him the week after

Priceless!!!

Regards,

tiggers.

P1Fanatic

Only had dealings with one honda dealer and that was when I test drove a CTR. Turned up jeans and t-shirt. Gave me the keys and half a tank of fuel and said how long you want it for? I replied an hours - he said why not make it two? PMSL. I came back after about 1 3/4hrs cos the fuel light had come on.

Lovely car too. But went for the scoob for the agrssive looks, 4wd, flat four rumble etc. Looking to get a CTR now as sold the scoob as costing too much to run.

Simon.

Toonman1

We've two good Subaru dealers in our area - SG Petch in Richmond and GMD in Durham. The former I've been with since my first Impreza Turbo in April '94, and the latter since my Wife got her 03 Sportswagon from them in June this year.

Both have treated us well, with offers of cars to take for Weekend dems and so on. We've both been made to feel like valued customers, no matter what we've been wearing...

Cheers

Diesel

>>I know the Solihull Merc dealership, this doesn`t suprise me at all. They are arrogant beyond belief.<<

Well sales must all clearly be on secondment from the Kings Road then - do tell them Solihull isnt really that posh, and is rather better for aquiring Land Rovers with carpets and leather seats, as I have

The nerve!

D

what would scooby do

Ermm not advisable to go to a Merc Dealer and ask how much their high end cars cost. Basically they assume if you have to ask... etc etc

Yes it's a sucky attitude they have, thats why Mercs are binning them all and having in house franchises now..

Luke

I learnt many years ago to be wary of the cover of a book.

Freak

I went with a friend to look at an Audi S6.....

we were dressed casual but not scruffy

Salesman basically looked down his nose at us in a kind of 'you cant afford this car' kinda way- despite us turning up in my beemer- i think due to our fairly young(ish) age

f*ck them- its their loss- he went out the following day with £25k cash and bought one from elsewhere...

really winds me up this to be honest-but then, there are plenty of dealers around. If you dont like ones attitude, find another...

Dapster

My local Porsche/Ferrari/Maserati place (Lancasters of Colchester) told me of a story where some you (ie early 20's) chap came into the showroom in his jeans etc, and when asked 2 mins later "do you need any help sir?", pointed at a used 355 on the forecourt and said "er, I think I'll have that please". Half an hour later he paid 1k in cash as a deposit and picked it up a week later paying the remaining £60k IN CASH all in a briefcase!

Turned out he had just sold a nightclub and wanted to treat himself. The Lancaster guys were saying that to judge a book by it's t-shirt was commercial suicide.

jody

Sounds typical to me....when I sold my fiesta I went bk up to F**D and was thinking about getting a zetec-s, no one came over, i stood there for about 10 minutes and being the person that i am........I stood there and said really loudly 'obviously no one wants a cash sale today' and walked off I didnt really have cash but it sounded good!!!

Took my business to Honda and ended up with my teg, they were fantastic..found a car for me brought it down and everything. They still phone me up to see what else ive done to it...top blokes.

DAC

once turned up at local BMW garage with my brother, 5 yr old son, and brother mate - all in my bros astra GTE (LCD dash type) - all in jeans/t.shirts.

I thought we'd get the cold shoulder - but fair do's - guy was nice as pie.

brother later bought nearly new 320i - and his mate (who was a decent earner then) now earns £500,000 / year and drives a BMW 540i + extras (£50,000 worth of company car.

pays to be nice - and give benefit of doubt.

good

Stevie

But what really pi##es off the said Solihull Merc dealer is them bringing you a courtesy A Class, you point out they are servicing a 12 month old S600, and making them hire an S courtesy car as they dont have one on their fleet!!

Type R

The Merc is going to get a caning on Top Gear this sunday

DavidBrown

My S600 was in for some work a week or two back and they offered me an A-Class.. "A-Class my ****" I said.. So they rented me an E-class from Europcar.

Toonman1

I get the MD's WRX when my WRX's in for servicing. Last time they apologised as it hadn't had it's PPP fitted. Nice people.

evoviifan

I went to test drive a new m3 the other day...parked my evo out of sigth in thier car park as I wanted to see thier honest opinion of me. I was in jeans and t shirt on my day off!

They said "sorry we dont have a demo m3" but sat me down to talk money...for ages.

Quite funny...when we got to the bit about trade in I said yes I have a mitsubishi lancer. And he said "Evo????" and I said "yes a 7 FQ300"

"is it here with you now, and can I see it"

"Yes to both" I said

He only got halfway across the car park when he saw my car, and he said...and I quote...

"lets stop f**king about now, wait here..."

He walked off and 2 minutes later came back with an m3 demo car and took me out for a very long test drive.

Basically he only took me seriously when he saw my car...tosser.

Anyway, I didn't like the m3...and have decided to keep the evo for now. Thier customer service was a bit of joke to be honest

Stevie

Matt (Type R)

Bizarre, how did you know that?

Watched the program last night, missus sitting there saying, dont we know him?

Totally agree about the colour scheme for a cool GT!! Very good.

Cheers

Stevie

47 NAT

Some Sales people really do need a kick up the a$$ with their attitudes. I worked, up until last year in the Trade in various dealers and in different Management positions and witnessed some really stupid scenes that could of easily been avoided.

The end looser was the Dealership and me ....loss of a unit sold and my target/comission and bonus's affected. I've sacked idiots before for dis-respecting customers either to the customers face or behind their back as I wouldnt tolerate it. Customers pay our bills and courtesy costs nothing.

Its one of the reasons I got out of it as even Manufacturers are just as bad if not worse than the local dealers. You would of thought in this day and age that customer retention is a vital ingredient to survive.

Personally what i would do with the original post, is to arrange to meet the General Manager/Dealer Principle and discuss the person involved attitude, get them sacked or severly reprimanded then tell them to stick it

Nath

JamesG

I live about 2 miles from the Solihull dealership on the Warwick Road and this situation doesn't surprise me at all. I went in there one day with my old man, casually dressed to get some information. I was ignored for the best part of 15 minutes. When I decided to approach the salesman, he looked at us like we were something he'd trodden in. Ironically, the dealership used to be a petrol station too and he was the attendant LMFAO.

Jza

Just one point.. i know the dealers should treat all and sundry the same...but to be fair... for every one scruffy guy who's serious - how many yobo's do you reckon they get trying to blag a ride? 10?

If you want a car - dress like you can afford it - and make sure they see you in your p/x car so they don't have to drill you about affording it. I was told they look at your shoes and watch for clues... so put on your TAG

Surely that's not too much to ask??? If you go out to a posh restaurant - you put on a smart shirt dont you? - why not if your about to spend 30k??? Goes with the territory. But anyone who's rude should be shot on site

Jza

black knight

think my experience with a lexus dealer warrants a mention here:

made enquiry thru phone, very helpful. appointment on a sat morning with a sales guy. still ok. went in with bro in ctr as was going to p/ex the car. parked up, asked for the guy, was told he was busy.

ok, went around looking at some lexus, guy kept us waiting for abt half an hour, still fine. saw one i liked and asked a group of sales ppl standing around chatting (4 to be exact) i can have a peek inside while i wait to be served. guess what? reply: 'err... i'm afraid u'll have to wait for the our colleague' i was dumbfounded! how diff to get the keys?

when guy appeared abt 10 mins later, was apologetic but his attitude was not too comforting as well. wouldnt budge on price giving us a grunt as if 'if u haggle, dont buy a lexus'.

my guess is that due to commissions basis, the other salesman cant be arsed to even serve us and the said salesman has probably reached his quota for a not too friendly treatment. got a clk that afternoon as well!

Skittles

Jza, some very valid points there.

"for every one scruffy guy who's serious - how many yobo's do you reckon they get trying to blag a ride? 10?"

Exactly!

"If you want a car - dress like you can afford it - and make sure they see you in your p/x car so they don't have to drill you about affording it"

Would you think of going to a job interview at an investment bank in a pair of jeans just because you are ultra bright? It just gives out the wrong message... I'm not suggesting you wear a suit for a test drive, but atleast make an effort to look the part!

I'm not defending what some dealers do, but why make do some people make it hard on themselves by intentionally going scruffy, and hiding their car? Why?

Edited to say: Just read the posts on this (and all other) board(s) to see that people do have sterotypical images of one another.


[Edited by Skittles - 11/12/2003 1:51:25 PM]