Robertio

iTrader: (1)

Really FAO Dougie, or anyone who gets on well with S&S Service:

Any chance you could have a word the next time you are in?
A mate of mine was in touch with them regarding any chance of them negotiating the price of a MY03 WRX.
When I spoke to them (albeit a couple of years ago) we discussed why I had imported my Impreza from Europe and it was suggested (well actually more than that, but I have always kept the price between them and me) that they would be able to get close enough to the price that it wasn't worth the hassle to import.
Anyway, he phoned them up on my recommendation, explaining that he was considering getting a Euro import WRX and enquired into the possibilty of some discount if he got one in the UK from them instead.
Now, if they have had a change of policy and can no longer do anything then fair enough, however, they did the normal dealer thing:
Denied you could get a EU import for 16.5k when I know I could get one for less than that.
Claimed that the car wouldn't be to the same spec. Which we all know is rubbish.
Said that you wouldn't get a warranty - erm that's a bit strange as it contravenes European law, and they did warranty work on my Euro import.
Insurance companies don't like them, I only found 2 out of about 100 companies that wouldn't cover an EU import at the same rate as a UK supplier car (it's the same car for goodness sake).

All these points are incorrect, and by saying such to people who know better (my mate has imported cars from Europe before so knows the truth) all they are doing is alienating prospective customers. If he gets a WRX do you think he is likely to take it there to get it serviced now he knows they have no problems telling lies?

Stick to facts and tell people the truth, it's not difficult.


As a side note he wasn't expecting them to price match, or even get close to it, but if they had been flexible (I knew to what extent in advance) he would have gone for it (he's getting too old and lazy for the whole going over to Europe to get a new car thing )

Rice Rocket..

lo Robbie,

Hows things matey, you got your Mazda back on the road.
Very nice car.

See you at kames

Ricey

ps - sorry for hijacking this thread

dougies549

Hi Robbie

Who did you acctually speak to this time and the last time??

When i was looking into buying a scoob they said that they didn.t do import's,that was about 3 year's ago now.

Dougie

Robertio

iTrader: (1)

Dougie it was John I spoke when I had mine (when it was in for a service and I was sitting around there for a couple of hours, guess December 2000, just after the WRX was released/announced for release). This time around it was Brian Spicer that my mate spoke to.

It isn't the fact they wouldn't give a discount, but the rubbish he was told that surprised me.


Ricey, thanks, but no luck so far, I'm still waiting for the warranty company to decide if they are going to chip in the first grand. Hopefully I'll see it some time next month (then a tedious 2000 mile run-in period )

GordonShek

Guys

I've been dealing with John Spicer at S & S Services for a long time now. And as far as I'm concerned, I don't have a problem with him at all.

You've got to understand that he's got the Subaru dealership and probably hasn't really much scope to adjust to price match Imports. What he does offer is Top Service (for me anyway) and tries his best to get you the best possible deal.

At the end of the day, he's in a business where he's got to get the balance of business success and good customer care and I believe he's doing a damn good job.

That's my opinion anyway and I've bought 1 x BMW and 3 x Subaru's from him so far...............

Gordon Shek

Dark

iTrader: (1)

I'd echo Gordon, nothing but praise for the service I've received from John, Brian & everyone else at S&S. Well worth the drive from Edinburgh, which says it all I suppose.

Maybe you're mate shouldn't have rubbed there noses in it about the price of EU imports!

I'm sure they would love to be able to match the price, still turn a profit and make more sales. At the end of the day IM controls the pricing, the dealers only have limited margins to discount against.

Regards, Mark

[Edited by Dark - 2/14/2003 9:38:47 PM]

D Noble

to be honest i think brian still thinks he is selling tractors from the thirties!! john is more up to speed on the (rather touchy) subject.
ive had my euro import serviced from new at s&s,and apart from the odd sarky comment they are fine with servicing it.
hey i saved £6K so they can call me whatever they want,but over the last 6 years of getting cars serviced there i must have spent £5/6000 im sure they would rather take my money than any of their competitors.

regards
dave

Dark

iTrader: (1)

I don't know about the tractors but Brian used to sell Jenson's and worked with some of the guys who established IM.

I think S&S were then one of the original Subaru dealers.

Mark

dougies549

Hi All

Well it looks like you were speaking to the wrong person ther Robbie.

Will agree with the coments about Brian and John. The more you speak with Brian Spicer he does get easier,he will stand and speak away no prob's.

I havn't had to ask about euro car's robbie so not sure but look's like you got your answer.I will ask John the next time i am in( Iwas just in last week as well.

Dougie

The_Gza

Hmmm - main dealers

In general terms I have to side with Robbie on this one - I can see where they are coming from as salesmen, but they don't do themselves any favours by spouting the same old same old time after time

If there was any justice, all garage staff would develop a severe case of pinocchio nose every time they told a whopper

thecirsch

I know I'm a soft shandy drinking Southerner (Essex boy at that!!) but if I could add my observation.

Strange as it may seem I have experiance with S & S. Late in 2001 I bought a rather attractive Terzo from them (didn't I Gordon ). I cannot fault the whole buying experience (i.e seeing that I flew up from Stanstead twice, no hard sell, the deal and the handover)with them. John was ace, I couldn't get up to see the car for a few days, he promised me that I would have first refusal on the car and would that he would not sell it prior to me coming up, even though he had never spoken to me before. He arranged for me to be picked up from the airport on both occasions. There was a good, long test drive round the rather 'interesting' roads around Ayr . The car was ready on time and spotless when I went to collect it. I did have a slight problem with one of the rear lights (which were not covered by the warranty), he arranged for it to be fixed at a local garage to me for no charge.

It's a pity that some of the dealers down south don't put that sort of effort into selling cars.

Believe me, I have NO connections with the dealership apart from being a very happy customer.

Just a few thoughts from me,

Ed

The Saint

I have found John Spicer to be very flexible on price mate, maybe you went about it the wrong way and pissed him off. IMHO they are on of the best main dealerships around.

WRT imports what do expect him to say - he has a main dealer franchise to protect.

Fact: I know several purchasers of UK STi's who have had very attractive trade-in and purchase deals from S&S.

So there!



The Saint

Robertio

iTrader: (1)

If they can't do anything on the price then I expect them to say:

'Sorry, but our margins are tight so we can't relly do anything on the price'

If they had said something along those lines I wouldn't have been bothered. It is the fact I recommended them and then they started spouting rubbish. I had my Impreza serviced there and had no problems, otherwise I wouldn't have recommended them in the first place.

GordonShek

Ed

Let's be realistic, S & S never cleaned the car - they didn't have to! The car was always spotless!

Hope you're keeping the cleaning routine up!

Cheers

Gordon Shek

The Saint

Robertio,

With the greatest of respect you are talking out of your hat, possibly lower down....

Why don't you try some other dealers, why not pop into T&C in Aberdeen and try the same stunt.

:-)


The Saint

kenny.c

well I'm on my second scooby from s+s and must say their service is second to none, they always sorted any requests I had from fitting the head up display to exhaust systems at very reasonable costs, so can't fault them.

We did have a chat about euro imports a while back, he does'nt have a problem with servicing them , although he was'nt sure what the resale value would be when selling or trading in for another car be it from him or another garage....seemed ok though

[Edited by kenny.c - 2/17/2003 3:10:25 AM]

Robertio

iTrader: (1)

The Saint,

It wasn't me, I've done the Subaru thing and am in no hurry to go back. I have no desire to own another Subaru at the moment.


That was the reason he got in touch with them, I'm sorry if it seems petty but I take it personally to someone / where I recommend does not behave as I had said they would. As it is the only official UK Subaru dealership I can now recommend from personal experience is Aird Motors in Beauly.

Iamthatman

...just been reading this thread. Since it was myself that dealt with S&S I feel I should point out that I found Brian Spicer to be most helpful.

Wasn't ignored when I entered the showroom (something VW dealers are good at - in my experience), my request for a test drive was accepted there and then (none of the "phone a few days in advance as we're busy - VW/Seat dealers again). Not pushy in any way. Discount for a cash sale would be approx £300...not great but that was the best he could do (new car etc etc).

A few days after visiting S&S I telephoned Brian and mentioned the fact that I could import a car from The Netherlands for approx £16750, and was there any way he could close the £3k+ gap?

I wasn't expecting Brian to discount a new MY03 WRX by 17% to match the Dutch price, however I hoped that he might be able to at least discuss some sort of discount.

At this point he told some untruths about parallel imports. It's no big deal. I've heard the same and worse from just about every other UK salesman I've come across.


As things stand I am about to finalise my MY03 WRX import from Gertjan. 8% discount offered immediately, full tank of petrol, mats and locking wheel nuts all included for 20.350,00 Euros (Although at the moment the pound is at a 3.5 year low versus the euro so that ain't so good!)

Now if Gertjan can offer a discount on the already cheaper EU price I don't see why a similar sized UK dealer can't at least get close to the same level of discount - unless the UK importer IM is making most of the profit from the sale???


No doubt when I come to sell my WRX in a few years time I won't be able to sell it to a Subaru dealer. Also, I won't be able to extend the warranty past the 3rd year (at least that's what I was told). These factors plus the 6 month delivery time for a parallel import would make a UK car for around £18k look like the better option.

I suspect that if and when (much the same as Robbie) I take my WRX to S&S for servicing, I may be told that they could almost match the Dutch price. Of course by then I will be feeling slightly deflated as I had just went to the bother of personally importing a Dutch car (which took 6 months to arrive) when I could simply have negotiated a good deal on the UK car from S&S.


Thanks to all.

Paul

WillieF

I have to say that I have always dealt with John Spicer and found him to be most open to discounts and a little haggling.

Having had to deal with a number of dealers in my daily job S&S consistently exceed my expectataions.
I get to deal with Peugot, Citreon, Subaru and Volkswagen.

I would be honest with them go back and say look all I want is a reasonable deal I don't want a price match and I don't want a dutch auction (pardon the pun).. Thats what I did and they gave me a further discount which closed the deal.

Good Luck .

thecirsch

Gordon,

The ritual continues

Ed

GordonShek

How's it "CORNERING"?