Car showroom experience

sillysocks

Just had the most ridiculous experience in a car showrooms. I went into the local Hyundai dealer to have a look at the new Hyundai i30.

Myself and the other half were looking at the car in the showroom for almost 10 mins, and were just about to leave becuase the salesman was in his office looking out at us and showing zero sign of coming near us. Then he comes over, I ask could I take one for a test drive and I'm told 'no, I don't have one here today' (despite there being one outside parked on the forecourt with a price in the window so it obviously wasn't a new one someone was waiting to pick up or anything).
Then before telling us anything about the car he asked about a trade in if we had one. I told him I had a 2007 MINI One that I wasn't sure if I'd try trade in or sell myself, and he just said 'well you won't get a trade in or sell that privately anywhere in the country. Its too new'! He didn't even offer a stupid trade in value of something really low or anything. Then said 'excuse me a second I've things going on all over the place this morning, I'll be back in one sec'. So after waiting around for a few mins while he was out doing something with some car on the forecourt we walked out.

I had emailed the garage earlier in the week but hadn't gotten a reply so assumed they didn't get it for some reason and when I mentioned the MINI he said 'oh you were the one emailed me'. So he obviously got it but just never bothered replying.

I was honestly shocked by his complete and utter lack of interest esp when there were zero other customers there. Definitely won't be going back there in a hurry!

Captain Slow IRL

That's inexcusable - why didn't you ask to speak to the manager?

38psi

I dont think you are the first person to have that sort of experience in a car dealer. If I was you I would email the distributor of Hyundai with this info and let them know what a bunch of muppets they have dealing with the public.

sillysocks

Didn't think of asking for the manager because just had no interest in staying or in even trying to buy a car there now! It looked like he was probably in charge today anyway - he was an older man, and looked like it was only him and mechanics there today, didn't see any other sales people.
Might just drop an email off to Hyundai alright.

Just still can't get over that we wont be able to sell or trade in the car because its too new! I was expecting to get a crap trade in quote from him but not to be told he wouldn't give me anything for an '07 MINI!

38psi

I dont think it will be a major problem selling or trading your mini and would not take anything that so called salesman said to you as correct.

sillysocks

I'm hoping that myself alright - it still has 2 year MINI warranty and 4 years servicing on it so even selling it privately someone will still be getting some kind of back up! I think he just had zero interest in trying to sell for whatever reason.
He literally told me zero about the Hyundai because the first question he asked was about the trade in and he had no interest then.

MAKE MY DAY

Go elsewhere and he is talking rubblish about your MINI. Obviously the guy doesn't need or want your business. There are plenty of other garages around which I am sure will only be happy to have your custom.

sillysocks

Shot off an email with more or less my first post to Hyundai Ireland. And definitely wont' be stepping foot in that showroom ever again!

xt40

why would anyone even consider swapping a mini for one of them hyundai blandmobiles

sillysocks

Knew I'd get that question
Just looking for something more practical and don't want to have to spend much on top of the value of the MINI to get it. Want 5 doors and decent boot! Don't want to go back to older cars though so liked the look of the Hyundai. Although still haven't had a drive of it so might change my mind!

G Luxel

I find that the salesmen are only interested in their bonus's. A lot of the time they are on the mobile to their friends or family for half an hour every hour. They also appear to spend a lot of time walking around the showroom helping themselves to mouldycoffee from the dispenser at an alarming rate...... :eek:
thought they were being employed to buy and sell cars, not have a coffee morning.......:D:)

ps notice how many of them are covered from head to toe in fake tan.........

DublinWriter

sillysocks wrote: »

I was honestly shocked by his complete and utter lack of interest esp when there were zero other customers there. Definitely won't be going back there in a hurry!

If that's what their level of sales is like, just imagine their level of service.

Sounds like you had a lucky escape dude. There's more than one Hyundai dealer in Dublin.

Captain Slow IRL

G Luxel wrote: »

ps notice how many of them are covered from head to toe in fake tan.........

Haha - photo's are gonna be necessary! Are you serious?!

I was in the i30 and it feels like a quality piece of kit - doesn't have the cheap, tacky interiors of the older hyundai's. You get a lot of toys for little money as well!

sillysocks

Yeah what I saw of the inside I really liked, and its one of the few 5 doors in that size and price range that I really like the look of!
Btw it wasn't a Dublin dealer - and its the only Hyundai garage where I live. I've no problem in travelling a bit further afield to get some decent service though.

colm_mcm

whereabouts do you live?

Bah imagine how he would have treated you if you walked in with a Va-jay-jay.

sillysocks

I do have a va-jay-jay But my other half was with me and he doesn't...... I hope !
I'm based in South East. In general find car dealers pretty bad here, and the prices are usually way higher than in ther parts of the country.

pontovic

Can you name the garage ? Sorry to go off topic, but get the feeling people don't like naming a garage or any business they have had a bad experience with on discussion forums. If one has a bad experience with a garage and tells their story here, while naming the garage, will boards.ie get sued for slander or something like that ?

sillysocks

Probably better off not to name the garage - afaik if they do see it and don't like it they can complain alright!

mikemac

sillysocks wrote: »

Probably better off not to name the garage - afaik if they do see it and don't like it they can complain alright!

If you are telling the truth then there is nothing to worry about

This sort of thread happens all the time in this forum. Someone comes on and rants about something but didn't complain to management at the time. When boards users ask where the business is they are never told. Why?

Not directing this at you sillysocks, just seen this so many times before

MacGyver

would this by any chance be the waterford dealer. ive had a similar crap experience in the myself but it was ages ago

sillysocks

MacGyver wrote: »

would this by any chance be the waterford dealer. ive had a similar crap experience in the myself but it was ages ago

No comment

To be honest I never even thought to ask for the manager, which I would normally if something like that happened, but I was quite shocked and just thought "why should I waste my time here anymore", and regardless of what the manager had to say I don't ever invisage spending money somewhere they obviously don't want it! Its not like I was spending a fiver on a magazine or something, their loss really. Plenty of other garages around that will want my money.

MacGyver

interesting if the guy had a beard he's the owner and he's also the guy i dealt with. left a great impression of the dealership and the brand really.

sillysocks

Yeah I definitely won't be going back there - and even though I really like what I've seen of the car so far am wary of getting it anywhere else because that'd be the dealer I'd have to deal with if there are any problems and it needs to go into the garage while under warranty. Sent the email off to Hyundai anyway to 'advise' them of the wonderful job the dealer is doing!

I've had experiences before of being given quotes for trade in's that are hugely off the mark but never heard of someone saying you won't be able to trade in or sell your own car because its 'too new' !

markymac

Try the Kia Ceed, it's virtually the same car (sharper lines) and has a 7 year warranty.

sillysocks

Yes might have a look at that as well, thanks!

ninty9er

I know that you said you don't want to go back in years, but a 07 Mazda 3 is the same year as your MINI & shouldn't be too far off price wise.

Phoole

A couple of years ago, I decided I wanted a Peugeot 106 GTi. I had my mind made up, knew the price and set off one morning to see a few dealers and buy one.

I arrived at the first dealer and told the sales rep I was looking for a 106 GTi. He said, "there's one there", pointing to the far corner of the showroom with contempt for interupting his morning. So I replied, "well I saw one in ****** earlier this morning and I think I'll head back there and buy it from them!" The look on his face was just priceless as I turned on my heels and just walked away. I had my new car by lunchtime that same day.

Hotwheels

That's how to deal with folks like that...I'd have brought it back to show him

Phoole wrote: »

A couple of years ago, I decided I wanted a Peugeot 106 GTi. I had my mind made up, knew the price and set off one morning to see a few dealers and buy one.

I arrived at the first dealer and told the sales rep I was looking for a 106 GTi. He said, "there's one there", pointing to the far corner of the showroom with contempt for interupting his morning. So I replied, "well I saw one in ****** earlier this morning and I think I'll head back there and buy it from them!" The look on his face was just priceless as I turned on my heels and just walked away. I had my new car by lunchtime that same day.

sillysocks

Will have a look at other cars in the class as well. Not in a huge rush to buy cause I do like my MINI as well, but would like to change at some stage. Yesterday was my first venture into garages to look at other cars!

Phoole - you'd swear you were looking to spend a fiver on a Happy Meal they way some of the "sales people" react.

Hotwheels wrote: »

That's how to deal with folks like that...I'd have brought it back to show him

I was thinking yesterday if I do go and sell the MINI either privately or trade in I'd love to ring up or visit and say "well actually idiot I did sell it" but if I get the Hyundai somewhere else I might have to visit there for servicing sometime so probably not a good idea !

Phoole

Hotwheels wrote: »

...I'd have brought it back to show him

I would have but, at 23 years old, I was way more interested in showing off to girls!!! :D

Phibsboro

Had a similiar experience with a Fiat dealer in north Dublin who shall remain nameless. Went in on a Sat looking to test drive a 500. Looked like I was interrupting an engrossing chat amoung three sales staff, two of whom looked like they had a rough night on the Friday. They looked between them when I enquired about the 500 and delegated the task to one bloke who was texting on his phone. I stood waiting for a couple of minutes while he finished texting before he talked to me. He took me for a drive in a different model cos they didn't have the one I actually wanted. He admitted during the drive that the 500 wasn't "his cup of tea" and the car itself was in transport mode so none of the toys worked. All of which isn't the end of the world but when we get back I ask for a price against my 05 Mini (a buying signal if ever I saw one ). The guy doesn't look at my car, looks up a book and tosses out a number. Then one of the other guys says he'll put together a price and email me on Monday. And, as you may have guessed, that the last I heard from them. Amazing. How do these people stay in business?

The 500 is getting a new type of customer interested in Fiat but with service like that they are screwed. Having said that, I subsequently had the opposite experience in a Fiat dealer out by Kylemore Road - interested sales guy who knew and liked the car, looked at my own car, friendly service etc. Guess who I'll be buying the 500 from if I go with it

EIN

sillysocks wrote: »

Didn't think of asking for the manager because just had no interest in staying or in even trying to buy a car there now! It looked like he was probably in charge today anyway - he was an older man, and looked like it was only him and mechanics there today, didn't see any other sales people.
Might just drop an email off to Hyundai alright.

Just still can't get over that we wont be able to sell or trade in the car because its too new! I was expecting to get a crap trade in quote from him but not to be told he wouldn't give me anything for an '07 MINI!

a mate of mine went to get prices for his 07 car, he was thinking of trading in, when salesman heard that he wanted to trade in , the sales man said that sorry but we are up to the gills with second hand cars..

i have noticed too a local dealers , they have the same 06 car for the last 3 months..

petrol second hand cars, just arnt selling at the minute, or if they do its for stupid money..