Test drives
23 July 2002, 11:54 AM
#1
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Trying to get a test drive these days is bl**dy murder. Looking to order a STI7, but want to get some perspective and test one or two alternatives (dare I say it an Evo 7), but for the Evo in particular my local dealer says "no chance, we sell them before they get here". This is ridiculous. Anyone got anytips?
Tang
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23 July 2002, 03:10 PM
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Had this problem a few months back.
Would you believe I couldn't get a test drive in MGZS180 or Skoda Octavia RS. Skoda dealer said he had sold the one in the showroom, had another 20 coming over the next four months that were all sold and the earliest he could get a demo car was at least 5 months away. Rang around a few more dealers and all had the same story.
Managed to get a test drive in a used example that a dealer had but had to travel 50 miles.
Lee
Would you believe I couldn't get a test drive in MGZS180 or Skoda Octavia RS. Skoda dealer said he had sold the one in the showroom, had another 20 coming over the next four months that were all sold and the earliest he could get a demo car was at least 5 months away. Rang around a few more dealers and all had the same story.
Managed to get a test drive in a used example that a dealer had but had to travel 50 miles.
Lee
23 July 2002, 03:50 PM
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Kind of hard for you guys to appreciate this but working for a manufacturer the dealer is as much the customer as you are...
You direct your abuse at the dealer when they have thier hands tied by the same bit of string as you do..
Take for example vauxhall zafiras - if you buy one today you cannot expect delivery untill November/December cos they are so damn popular - this also goes for the ordering of demonstrator vehicles, we do not have some sort of magical fasttrack ordering system that will make us a car in a week or two - we have to wait like u guys do...
Same story with the 206cc last year - peugeot physically could not build them fast enough for the dealers/customers...
Sorry guys but it's not always the dealers fault (ok it is some of the time) but it pisses me off when all a customer starts ranting about is how you the dealer are unable to supply your car cos for some reason it's all your fault.. WE ARE CUSTOMERS TOO!
Either you have a car thats been stockpiled (in a field somewhere) and have it immediately but then whinge cos it's been sat around for a while or you have to wait like everyone else...
"rant mode off"
just my 2p's worth
You direct your abuse at the dealer when they have thier hands tied by the same bit of string as you do..
Take for example vauxhall zafiras - if you buy one today you cannot expect delivery untill November/December cos they are so damn popular - this also goes for the ordering of demonstrator vehicles, we do not have some sort of magical fasttrack ordering system that will make us a car in a week or two - we have to wait like u guys do...
Same story with the 206cc last year - peugeot physically could not build them fast enough for the dealers/customers...
Sorry guys but it's not always the dealers fault (ok it is some of the time) but it pisses me off when all a customer starts ranting about is how you the dealer are unable to supply your car cos for some reason it's all your fault.. WE ARE CUSTOMERS TOO!
Either you have a car thats been stockpiled (in a field somewhere) and have it immediately but then whinge cos it's been sat around for a while or you have to wait like everyone else...
"rant mode off"
just my 2p's worth
23 July 2002, 04:37 PM
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C,
Hear what you say BUT that's what you earn your money doing. Surely the customer is ALWAYS right. If I can't even test drive a car then I won't even consider it.
Subaru managed to get STi's out as demo cars and they are MORE popular than EVO 7's so for a dealer to tell me that there are no EVO 7's is just plain lazy. I don't care whose fault it is, you are the public face of the manufacturer, and as far as I'm concerned supply issues between the two of you are irrelevant to me.
I'm sorry to be brutal about this, but the bottom line is if we can't even test drive then chances are we won't buy. I could mention Alfa who never even bothered to follow up on a web site request for a test drive of their GTA, or BMW who seem totally oblivious to my requests for a test drive of a 330i Sport. It's a common problem and if someone could sort it out they'd cash in.
Cheers
Tang
Hear what you say BUT that's what you earn your money doing. Surely the customer is ALWAYS right. If I can't even test drive a car then I won't even consider it.
Subaru managed to get STi's out as demo cars and they are MORE popular than EVO 7's so for a dealer to tell me that there are no EVO 7's is just plain lazy. I don't care whose fault it is, you are the public face of the manufacturer, and as far as I'm concerned supply issues between the two of you are irrelevant to me.
I'm sorry to be brutal about this, but the bottom line is if we can't even test drive then chances are we won't buy. I could mention Alfa who never even bothered to follow up on a web site request for a test drive of their GTA, or BMW who seem totally oblivious to my requests for a test drive of a 330i Sport. It's a common problem and if someone could sort it out they'd cash in.
Cheers
Tang
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23 July 2002, 05:40 PM
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Surely the dealer should reserve the first car they get in as a demonstrator and not sell it until any supply issues are sorted.
I refused to part with £12k for my Scoob without a test drive, let alone someone spending £30k! That's a lot of money to risk on buying a car that you might actually hate once you've driven it.
I refused to part with £12k for my Scoob without a test drive, let alone someone spending £30k! That's a lot of money to risk on buying a car that you might actually hate once you've driven it.
23 July 2002, 05:54 PM
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you don't know how much we do shout at the manufacturers to sort out the supply issues for new cars....
As opposed to some dealers who will say 'we have three or four in stock when's a good time to come down?' and surprise surprise they have none when you turn up just to get you in the door we operate on if we don't have one we'll tell you that we don't rather than waste your time...
Trouble is you want a car that is high in demand that the manufacturer will cleverly restrict supply to keep demand bouyant... If they flooded the market with evo7's & sti uk's you again would whinge that you see one every 5 mins and then again when you sell the car because they hit you on the p/x price cos there is so many of them around...
Look what happened with the UK turbo's about 3/4 years ago - 6 month waiting lists - sky high residuals, then supply outstripped demand and the market collapsed - you all gave it a couple of weeks and then everyone is complaining about crap p/x prices.
It's a case of having ones cake & eating it - doesn't happen unfortunately anymore - not trying to be negative but that's the way it is...
Chris
As opposed to some dealers who will say 'we have three or four in stock when's a good time to come down?' and surprise surprise they have none when you turn up just to get you in the door we operate on if we don't have one we'll tell you that we don't rather than waste your time...
Trouble is you want a car that is high in demand that the manufacturer will cleverly restrict supply to keep demand bouyant... If they flooded the market with evo7's & sti uk's you again would whinge that you see one every 5 mins and then again when you sell the car because they hit you on the p/x price cos there is so many of them around...
Look what happened with the UK turbo's about 3/4 years ago - 6 month waiting lists - sky high residuals, then supply outstripped demand and the market collapsed - you all gave it a couple of weeks and then everyone is complaining about crap p/x prices.
It's a case of having ones cake & eating it - doesn't happen unfortunately anymore - not trying to be negative but that's the way it is...
Chris
23 July 2002, 05:58 PM
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p.s. I also disagree about sti's being more popular - they are more 'mass produced/mainstream' cars - try buying an evo in top marques - there is only ever a handfull of them in there.
Try buying a scooby and I get bored after page 5....
That's why evo's hold thier value better - same position that subaru were in 3-4 years ago
Try buying a scooby and I get bored after page 5....
That's why evo's hold thier value better - same position that subaru were in 3-4 years ago
23 July 2002, 09:23 PM
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Tang,
Had the opposite experience with Alfa, over two weeks they phoned me back at the exact time they said even if they hadn't got anymore info. On the day of the test drive the dealers closed at 6pm, due to work and the 90 mile drive I couldn't get there until 5pm. Salesman and sales manager hung around until we had finished at around 9pm. Salesman then took us for a meal at the local pub before our 2 hour drive home.
After I recieved the car I had a couple of problems with the deal, AA cover, finance and warranty were not excactly as agreed, again all phone calls that were made to me were on time and all the problems were sorted quickly to my satisfaction. They had dropped a clanger with the AA cover but sent me a cheque for £200 so I could join with full cover myself.
Have yet to experience the Alfa service centre though, heard nothing but nightmares on the Alfa bbs about Alfa mechanics. Thankfully nothing has gone wrong so I haven't tried out the warrenty yet.
Lee
Had the opposite experience with Alfa, over two weeks they phoned me back at the exact time they said even if they hadn't got anymore info. On the day of the test drive the dealers closed at 6pm, due to work and the 90 mile drive I couldn't get there until 5pm. Salesman and sales manager hung around until we had finished at around 9pm. Salesman then took us for a meal at the local pub before our 2 hour drive home.
After I recieved the car I had a couple of problems with the deal, AA cover, finance and warranty were not excactly as agreed, again all phone calls that were made to me were on time and all the problems were sorted quickly to my satisfaction. They had dropped a clanger with the AA cover but sent me a cheque for £200 so I could join with full cover myself.
Have yet to experience the Alfa service centre though, heard nothing but nightmares on the Alfa bbs about Alfa mechanics. Thankfully nothing has gone wrong so I haven't tried out the warrenty yet.
Lee
24 July 2002, 07:09 AM
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arrange a test drive with ralliart dealer, they have plenty of evo's to test drive. i will get the dealers number later, it means a bit of a drive but u will get over a half hour test drive, allowed to thrah it, throw it etc.
I had same problem with Skoda dealers when tryin 2 get a t drive in a rs, none available.
I have found that if u book a test drive through the manufacturers website, u seem to get a better response as they contact a local dealer who has to contact u, so basically they are getting told by their big boss to book a test drive for ya.
the manufacturers always follow up a few weeks later to check if u were given a test drive. i guess this scares the dealers as they know 'big boss' knows about your enquiry so they make an effort for u.
I had same problem with Skoda dealers when tryin 2 get a t drive in a rs, none available.
I have found that if u book a test drive through the manufacturers website, u seem to get a better response as they contact a local dealer who has to contact u, so basically they are getting told by their big boss to book a test drive for ya.
the manufacturers always follow up a few weeks later to check if u were given a test drive. i guess this scares the dealers as they know 'big boss' knows about your enquiry so they make an effort for u.
24 July 2002, 08:37 AM
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From my experience, if you can't get a test drive via a dealer, phone the manufacturer/UK importer/distributer, that normally does the trick. They usually have a bunch of press/demo cars and can usually help out, if you are polite and persistant.
Matt
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