WHY ARE SO MANY CAR DEALERS SO RUDE???

GusGus

I know things are not great in the car industry. However I do have a serious problem with many dealers and how they treat their customers. I have a Volvo C30 08 very well specked , nice looking car and all that. I have it on carzone and its by far a the best priced there but no one interested at all. I just say this to say that I do get how bad things are in the industry ..


Anyway I have visited 12 garages in the past few weeks as I wished to trade the car for something in the diesel area as Iv a huge increase in mileage in last few months. Iv been looking at new and some other 08 diesels cars.

4 VW dealers, treated well , all took details all promised to get prices on both new and used cars. NO ONE Called back.

3 Audi dealers , same story no one replied

2 Renault Dealers , same story, no reply

2 Independent Dealer , no Reply

1. Mercedes Dealer , who in fairness came back with a price which although was a mad one at least they had the courtesy to call back .

So my point is, I know things are bad and i know even if you were as a dealer to offer me a very very very poor trade in allowance at least get back to the customer and give them a price or even refuse to take a trade in. Is it too much to ask to treat customers well.

I also plead with garages who are advertising that Trade Ins are Welcome to alter their advertising to 'Certain Trade Ins Welcome'.

Anyway that is my rant of the day . Im still stuck with my little Volvo but in fairness that aint really a bad thing. If things do ever pick up in the trade I know the garages I will not give my business to ...:pac::pac::pac:

CharlieCroker

They just don't want your car and don't want to waste their time on someone who wont be doing business with them anyway!! Their loss.

Hellrazer

Dont mean to sound bad here,but do you know how hard it is to sell a C30 these days.

We`ve 4 sitting in stock for 8 months+.

And dealers who dont call back arent worth giving your business to.Its sheer rudeness if you ask me.

If your interested in a diesel why dont you try some Volvo dealers.A lot of them have other makes on the forecourt.

And now HB dennis`s are selling used UK imports and are a volvo dealer they`d be my first place to call.

keefg

GusGus wrote: »

4 VW dealers, treated well , all took details all promised to get prices on both new and used cars. NO ONE Called back.

3 Audi dealers , same story no one replied

2 Renault Dealers , same story, no reply

2 Independent Dealer , no Reply

1. Mercedes Dealer , who in fairness came back with a price which although was a mad one at least they had the courtesy to call back .

To be fair your thread title is a bit sensationalistic, the fact that the dealers didn't call you back was just unprofessional.

Were they rude in the sense the ignored you in the showroom or swore at you or made degrading comments to you about your car? That, in my opinion would be rude.

Anan1

GusGus wrote: »

So my point is, I know things are bad and i know even if you were as a dealer to offer me a very very very poor trade in allowance at least get back to the customer and give them a price or even refuse to take a trade in. Is it too much to ask to treat customers well.

In my experience, dealers have never been good at calling back. The Irish motor industry is, by and large, appallingly-run - even the imminent threat of bankruptcy doesn't appear to have induced many to improve their customer service.

GusGus

Oh believe me I know I could hardly give it away at this stage. Like I have it up for 20K and the HB Dennis go and drop their 09 Demo price to 24k i think .. :pac::pac::pac:

I know no garage wants my cars but Id prefer if they said it up front. like listen mate Ill sell you a new car but i cant take yours. I wouldnt be happy but Id respect the salesman . I dont accept that they dont want to waste time contacting me, as far as I can see they have alot of spare time these days and if they continue to treat customers like fools they will have loads and loads of spare time.

GusGus

keefg wrote: »

To be fair your thread title is a bit sensationalistic, the fact that the dealers didn't call you back was just unprofessional.

Were they rude in the sense the ignored you in the showroom or swore at you or made degrading comments to you about your car? That, in my opinion would be rude.

I dont accept my title is sensationalistic. To not return a call or get in contact with a customer is not only unprofessional it is plane rude.

Berty

I was in two dealerships today, one Ford and one Volkswagen and was not even approached in either dealership. I arrived in driving the Audi wearing a suit so its as though they could have thought I was pennyless. Image does count.

Maybe these dealerships are selling far too many cars to need my business.

I had to ask for a dealer to assist me in both dealerships.

bazzachazza

Even in the good times they were rude. I tried 4 dealers when I went looking to buy my Vectra in 2002 and only one called back I bought from him. In 2005 when I went for my S40 out of 4 only 2 called and I bought from one of those.

Last year when I went for my A6 out of 5 dealers only 2 called me back I bought from one of those as the other couldn't match the price and was very honest about it and said run to the other one and bite there hand off.

It will never change your not the customer they want.

They only want straight deals at the moment. Its not there choice its there bosses.

Being rude and not calling back also means you won't be back even in the good times.

those merlin motors people seem v friendly and helpful, ask them

CharlieCroker

Was in an Audi dealership today with a buddy. He's looking for an 05 A4 Tdi with no trade-in. walking around for 15 mins, no approach, went into the showroom to get a second hand list. Salesman handed it to us, and literally ran away.Asked nothing about what we were after, circumstances, etc.

I was selling cars up to 12 months ago in a big dealership and I would never have done that. I think I was lucky 'cos when I started out, I got training from a UK based consultant. His basic rule was that the customer ALWAYS first and always follow up, no matter what.

Zube

Simple answer: people have been begging to hand them cash for the last 10 years. They have no clue how to sell cars. They couldn't sell ice cream at the beach in a heatwave.

Wishbone Ash

Not returning calls appears to be the industry norm regardless of the economic climate.

As for other rudeness, I've experienced it several times. About 15 years ago I bought a Volvo in a straight deal. Everything was going smoothly until I produced cash to pay for it. I was then treated as if I had the ebola virus.

On another occasion I was interested in buying a Ghia Mondeo. Everything was going great again until I asked why the stereo was changed. The salesman said it hadn't but I knew it wasn't the Ghia one. When I pointed out the difference he lost the plot entirely, showed me the door and told me to 'fcuk off' out of his premises. He could have given me any logical reason and I probably would have bought it anyway!

Highsider

In my experience they don't want the business. Lived in the states for years and dealers there (both car and motorbike) would lie down in a pool of piss if it meant a sale for them. They just don't seem to give a hoot here. Their loss and hope they enjoy the dole queue.

cianclarke

My experiences have ranged between the few who never call back but are friendly, and more often the condescending and outright rude.

Still, I am at least glad to say that both Frank Keane and Murphy & Gunn BMW staff were *very* helpful when I called, and not in the slightest bit condescending even though I arrived in a 10 year old car.

colm_mcm

To be fair, the fact that your car is the cheapest on Carzone gives an idea of how undesirable a petrol 08 C30 is.

Bad form for not calling you back, but I doubt you'll see eye-to-eye with any dealer on the trade in figure.

pburns

I'm just sooo accustomed to rude, disinterested behavior from dealers over the years...

When a dealer recently acted ultra-professionally, spent time explaining a technical issue and stressed about five times that I could call back ANY TIME a difficult-to-diagnose issue re-appeared I was almost un-nerved:o. Was he a reader of boards and recognise me somehow? Was he being disingenuous? Did he fancy me:eek:?

OK, maybe I'm being a little facetious but seriously it was a mild surprise to encounter real professionalism in the motor trade I was a little taken aback...

Stevie Dakota

Anytime I have made contact about purchasing a car in the UK calls have always been returned, I had BMW in Belfast on the phone last week following up again on an enquiry made over a year ago! The level of professionalism does leave a lot to be desired here.

FuzzyWuzzyWazza

Don't worry pburns, it won't be long before they beat that out of him.

Johnboy Mac

Hellrazer wrote: »

If your interested in a diesel why dont you try some Volvo dealers.A lot of them have other makes on the forecourt.

And now HB dennis`s are selling used UK imports and are a volvo dealer they`d be my first place to call.

+1

Tipsy Mac

Here's a dealer going that extra bit to sell a car...

IF YOU ARE UNABLE TO COME TO US & VIEW THIS CAR WE WOULD BE DELIGHTED TO DRIVE TO YOUR HOME OR WORKPLACE

http://www.driving.ie/usedcars/index.cfm?fuseaction=car&carID=1325311

VolvoMan

colm_mcm wrote: »

To be fair, the fact that your car is the cheapest on Carzone gives an idea of how undesirable a petrol 08 C30 is.

Bad form for not calling you back, but I doubt you'll see eye-to-eye with any dealer on the trade in figure.

The only cars you will find desirable and that sell easily here in this country are the ones you sell. Being a Toyota or Nissan dealer in this country seems to be an effortless job, the Irish just buy them no matter what.

Wishbone Ash

VolvoMan wrote: »

Being a Toyota or Nissan dealer in this country seems to be an effortless job, the Irish just buy them no matter what.

Funny that you say thatas, in my workplace, (over 500 staff) the only 09 cars that I've noticed so far are all Toyota or Nissan (except one Citroen).

GusGus

I got a call yesterday from one of the dealers I was moaning about. I think he must of read this thread as he was very apologetic:D:D:D.

€15000 to change to a new A3 which means he was offering me €15000 for my volvo. Its hard to think that there was 50% depreciation in a year but such is life I guess.

but i suppose the point of the thread was dealers dont get back to customers and well at least this one did ....even if it was late :D:D

roosterman71

I spent a couple of hours with a salesman from Caseys in Athlone yesterday. He was very professional, friendly and seemed an honest bloke. He told me out straight the price he'd give me for the car I wanted to trade in was no good! I like honesty.

Compare that to Rafertys in Athlone. They sell Peugeots and Seat. The "salesman" there never came to even say hello and I was standing around for about 15 minutes. One other couple were there too and they were ignored as well. There was another guy behind a counter and when I asked him for some booliets, he just grunted. Dealers like that are going to be o loss to anyone.

GusGus

roosterman71 wrote: »

I spent a couple of hours with a salesman from Caseys in Athlone yesterday. He was very professional, friendly and seemed an honest bloke. He told me out straight the price he'd give me for the car I wanted to trade in was no good! I like honesty.

Compare that to Rafertys in Athlone. They sell Peugeots and Seat. The "salesman" there never came to even say hello and I was standing around for about 15 minutes. One other couple were there too and they were ignored as well. There was another guy behind a counter and when I asked him for some booliets, he just grunted. Dealers like that are going to be o loss to anyone.

I was actually in Caseys yesterday too , seemed like a a nice garage. Im bit surprized you spent hours with the salesman :rolleyes::rolleyes: was his news that bad ......

Darragh29

I know a dealer in the Munster area that sold 90 cars last month (this is sales to retail and trade), now maybe around 20-30 of them were to trade to flush out cars that couldn't be sold on with a warranty or whatever, but that leaves a still respectable in the current climate, 60-70 used and/or new cars moved out to retail customers. This outlet phone every customer back and do look after their customers. The business is still there I think, you just have to work harder at it and up your game a bit.

I know some dealers have this attitude where they just won't price cars at the moment and won't call you back, (but they will tell you on the phone when you call them that they are not taking in any more used cars and will not give out a price over the phone, blah blah blah). Some brands are having a hard time becasue they know when they give a price for a trade in that the figures are that bad, that offence will surely be taken so they just don't bother. I agree though that any business should be following up phone calls and acting professionally.

I know one or two garages that have all but given up the ghost because they are getting people coming in with 3K in their arse pocket and a grin on their face thinking they can come into the forecourt and drive off in a car that they have valued in their head at 10-15K, because after all as these guys will tell you, "your game is f*cked!"

So there are two sides to the story, it must be heartbreaking for any reputable garage that was around long before the Celtic Tiger, that didn't necessarily "go big" with glass showrooms and all the extravagance, to have a load of stock on a forecourt that they cannot shift because of the economy and every day, probably having the banks on your back and also having someone coming in and basically trying to act the vulture and land on your shoulder with a view to picking your eyeballs out, trying to get a car for 3K which is worth 10K and hoping that you are that close to the wall, that you'll have to take the hit on it and sell the car with your back up against the wall.

There's a fair bit of this going on at the moment as well and the associated gloating that comes with it, so spare a thought for the poor auld salesman who is only out for a weekly wage and has to suffer this crap to put a crust on the table.

roosterman71

GusGus wrote: »

I was actually in Caseys yesterday too , seemed like a a nice garage. Im bit surprized you spent hours with the salesman :rolleyes::rolleyes: was his news that bad ......

It was bad news alright!! I was hanging around for a while and looking at all the different stock, reading books, etc. I took 2 different cars for test drives too, had a good chat, cup of tea and all that. Time flies when your forming an opinion to tell someone who is considering spending a fortune!!

vinruane

Had a quick look at an Alfa GT the last day which has been on the net for well over six months. When I got in, the owner had taken the car out for a spin and when I asked for a price I was told 17,995. Only problem is, its being offered on the net for 17,000. I said this to the salesman and he just went "oh, right . . ". Nice try bud!

Mr.Boots

As i always say...sales staff need to realise they are not selling cars!!!!
They are selling customer service.
Customer service is sooooooo lacking in irish dealers...pathetic!!

Chris Peak

Mr.Boots wrote: »

As i always say...sales staff need to realise they are not selling cars!!!!
They are selling customer service.

I love the American phrase, "It's not the steak you're buying. It's the sizzle".