Dealers

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tonyg
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Dealers

Post by tonyg » Thu Sep 02, 2021 4:13 pm

Is it a thing of the past that dealers talk to customers on the phone?
Tried calling Parks to see if they will have an Emira to see any time soon.
Put through to Laura's phone - no reply until i am kicked off by the phone system.
Try again next day - same result,but this time it gets back to the switchboard. They have no idea where she is or even if she's off on holiday.
Today - phone Lexus Edinburgh (have this strange need to maybe buy an LC500) - no-one in sales available to talk to me !!
Now with half an engine

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douglasgdmw
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Re: Dealers

Post by douglasgdmw » Thu Sep 02, 2021 4:19 pm

Strange times, due to the lack of stock of both old and new cars they do not have to try very hard and dealers have become pretty arrogant.

Got exactly the same response when I was thinking of a Toyota GR Yaris and Toyota Edinburgh Newbridge never bother calling me back.
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j2 lot
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Re: Dealers

Post by j2 lot » Fri Sep 03, 2021 12:30 am

I have posted this on here before, but last year we had a 48 hour test drive in a new car from Vauxhall main dealers, after 2 days took the car back and left, no attempt to sell the car to us and no follow up since. Can’t be a sustainable business model?
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campbell
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Re: Dealers

Post by campbell » Fri Sep 03, 2021 8:54 am

We may yet get our own back. Dealers are so desperate for stock they are now canvassing customers to sell back to them...they will need to play nice
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rossybee
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Re: Dealers

Post by rossybee » Fri Sep 03, 2021 9:15 am

Try putting details of any of your normal cars into WBAC or Motorway and you'll be surprised what's being offered, and then expect follow up emails with increased offers a week or so later!

Perfect example - Mrs B's Yeti now a year older and 5k higher yet been offered £1500 more than we paid from the Skoda main dealer :blackeye

:cheers
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rawsco
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Re: Dealers

Post by rawsco » Fri Sep 03, 2021 10:24 am

The tide may be turning and skills atrophy, checked the WBAC value for my M4 and it’s dropped over 3k since I sold it 42.7 to 39.1 that’s in about a month. There was no such value slump in the autumn last year that I remember. Bought the Exige private as was getting exasperated with dealers and their lack plain professionalism and integrity, got a better deal which has insulated me somewhat from the high prices. I’m also section 75 covered and have a years warranty so have lost little in the way of benefits from buying from a dealer.

When buying the Exige I asked lotus Silverstone who supplied the car to the guy in June (he made an emotional purchase, and couldn’t live with the compromises as his only car), if they would front the finance deal and take the commission, they wanted me to pay 3500quid +VAT for this, yes they wanted over 4000 quid to fill in a couple of forms and inspect the car (which they had already done and been paid for by the owner as part of him selling). I just laughed at them and politely declined.

The market will turn soon enough, perhaps it’s already turning, and the dealers that left a bad taste with prospective owners will be remembered.
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Dark
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Re: Dealers

Post by Dark » Fri Sep 03, 2021 10:30 am

tonyg wrote:
Thu Sep 02, 2021 4:13 pm
Tried calling Parks to see if they will have an Emira to see any time soon.
From the thread on SELOC.....

UK dealer tours start from 21 Sept and run into Oct. Static cars only, no test drives. Specs, options and pricing to be published at the same time.

Press cars may be end 2021 but probably early 2022.

Customer test drives from Feb 2022. Deposit holders don't have to confirm orders until end March, so should get a chance to read press reviews and/or do test drives before order commitment. Details still being worked through, so will be more to come.
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tonyg
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Re: Dealers

Post by tonyg » Fri Sep 03, 2021 11:46 am

rossybee wrote:
Fri Sep 03, 2021 9:15 am
Try putting details of any of your normal cars into WBAC or Motorway and you'll be surprised what's being offered, and then expect follow up emails with increased offers a week or so later!

Perfect example - Mrs B's Yeti now a year older and 5k higher yet been offered £1500 more than we paid from the Skoda main dealer :blackeye

:cheers
Have been putting the 911 in to Motorway for the last 3 months
First month 37.8
Second 38.6
Third 39.8

May just keep it until next year anyway.
Paid for a warranty that runs until next October.
Now with half an engine

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tonyg
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Re: Dealers

Post by tonyg » Fri Sep 03, 2021 11:47 am

Dark wrote:
Fri Sep 03, 2021 10:30 am
tonyg wrote:
Thu Sep 02, 2021 4:13 pm
Tried calling Parks to see if they will have an Emira to see any time soon.
From the thread on SELOC.....

UK dealer tours start from 21 Sept and run into Oct. Static cars only, no test drives. Specs, options and pricing to be published at the same time.

Press cars may be end 2021 but probably early 2022.

Customer test drives from Feb 2022. Deposit holders don't have to confirm orders until end March, so should get a chance to read press reviews and/or do test drives before order commitment. Details still being worked through, so will be more to come.
Thanks Mark, will need to find out when Parks have one and take a trip down.
Now with half an engine

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rossybee
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Re: Dealers

Post by rossybee » Fri Sep 03, 2021 12:15 pm

tonyg wrote:
Fri Sep 03, 2021 11:47 am
Dark wrote:
Fri Sep 03, 2021 10:30 am
tonyg wrote:
Thu Sep 02, 2021 4:13 pm
Tried calling Parks to see if they will have an Emira to see any time soon.
From the thread on SELOC.....

UK dealer tours start from 21 Sept and run into Oct. Static cars only, no test drives. Specs, options and pricing to be published at the same time.

Press cars may be end 2021 but probably early 2022.

Customer test drives from Feb 2022. Deposit holders don't have to confirm orders until end March, so should get a chance to read press reviews and/or do test drives before order commitment. Details still being worked through, so will be more to come.
Thanks Mark, will need to find out when Parks have one and take a trip down.
Have you got a deposit in, Tony?
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tonyg
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Re: Dealers

Post by tonyg » Fri Sep 03, 2021 12:50 pm

No, want to have a look at the car before i make my mind up, and am not really interested in any of the early cars.
I'll wait until they have been making them for a while and (hopefully) the bugs will be worked out.
Probably more interested in the 4 cylinder version anyway and i think all the early cars are going to be V6s?
Now with half an engine

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tonyg
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Re: Dealers

Post by tonyg » Fri Sep 03, 2021 2:09 pm

I'll also need to check out the interior.
I really hate central displays stuck on top of the dash like someone forgot about it.
Why can't the dash be built up so it looks like it belongs there.
If you did you could use it for other things too (windscreen demister output being the main one that comes to mind).
I also saw a Lexus LC500 for the first time not long ago and want to check one of those out, but it looks like there are only a couple of hundred in the UK just now.
Now with half an engine

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Kinger
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Re: Dealers

Post by Kinger » Fri Sep 03, 2021 2:11 pm

tonyg wrote:
Fri Sep 03, 2021 11:46 am
rossybee wrote:
Fri Sep 03, 2021 9:15 am
Try putting details of any of your normal cars into WBAC or Motorway and you'll be surprised what's being offered, and then expect follow up emails with increased offers a week or so later!

Perfect example - Mrs B's Yeti now a year older and 5k higher yet been offered £1500 more than we paid from the Skoda main dealer :blackeye

:cheers
Have been putting the 911 in to Motorway for the last 3 months
First month 37.8
Second 38.6
Third 39.8

May just keep it until next year anyway.
Paid for a warranty that runs until next October.
I wonder if Motorway are the same as WBAC. I had 3 increasing offers for them when I was getting shot of the Astra, decided to make an appointment as their third offer was quite inviting. After their inspection the offer was down to less than the first offer, I asked the guy what defects had caused such a change and he said it was stone chips. I asked him to show me, then he said it was stone chips to six panels ( 6 stone chips ). I asked to speak to his boss to show me how 6 stone chips would reduce it value by £1600. His was response was they just mark the damaged panels in their iPad and they get a new value. When I said if take the car away any get the chips repaired I presume you'll be giving me you latest email price as the car would then be in their expected condition. I was told if I fixed the chips he'd increase the price by £250, I just laughed and walked away. Got a better offer from BMW trading it in against the I3.

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rossybee
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Re: Dealers

Post by rossybee » Fri Sep 03, 2021 6:52 pm

tonyg wrote:
Fri Sep 03, 2021 2:09 pm
I'll also need to check out the interior.
I really hate central displays stuck on top of the dash like someone forgot about it.
Why can't the dash be built up so it looks like it belongs there.
If you did you could use it for other things too (windscreen demister output being the main one that comes to mind).
I also saw a Lexus LC500 for the first time not long ago and want to check one of those out, but it looks like there are only a couple of hundred in the UK just now.
A good friend has an LC500 and he's in Aberdeen - I'm sure he'd be more than happy to take you for a blast and ask questions etc - his is the non-hybrid 5.0 V8 too 8)
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Re: Dealers

Post by IanD » Fri Sep 03, 2021 9:20 pm

Had very mixed service from my 3 car buys via garages in last 12months.

I’m not precious about email vs conversation for parts of a sale but sometimes a call is much quicker to have a dialogue and get the answers you need.

Some garages have been terrible, I’ve chased some garages to get more details of the car multiple times, accepted they are busy (furlough and staff shortages etc) and agree to a response x days later, then have to chase when they don’t respond to a date they agreed which does piss me off. Also spoke to lots of sales staff who have absolute no clue about the car or the spec, you ask questions and get vague ‘yes, I think so’ and ‘I’m sure it does had that’ type answers which do not inspire any confidence. Plus unfortunately outright lies from my sales people to very specific and direct questions.

For Golf’s I was looking at I ended up always getting them to send the full manufacturer code list for the car asap to have any confidence in the car spec as a starting point to any conversations.
I also use the early responses (in whatever form) as a guide to the service of the branch, doesn’t need to be instant but if it doesn’t inspire confidence then move on and look elsewhere.


Don’t think Motorway and WBAC are same company, if they are same parent owner then it’s a different sales model.
Sold my 2nd golf gti this year through Motorway, it’s initially a guide price, car dealers then bid on cars up for sale. I found the process ok, got a higher final price via Motorway than WBAC initial offer but not as simple, more time consuming.
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