I hate car dealers

elguapo

I'm looking to change cars. I visited 5 dealers in the last two weeks, and here's the totality of my experience:

Dealer 1: Gave me a ridiculously lowball offer on the trade-in in the most smug manner imaginable
Dealer 2: Walked into the showroom on a weekday afternoon, and there was no-one there. No-one on reception, no salesperson in sight. Waited for 5 minutes, then left.
Dealer 3: 2 salespeople at their desks, both on the phone, couldn't have failed to see me. Both of them finished their phonecalls, then picked up the phone and made another call. I left.
Dealer 4: No-one in the showroom.
Dealer 5: Nice guy, showed me some cars, had a look at my own, said he'd get back to me the following day with a valuation. that was three weeks so.

Is business so good that they can afford to treat people like **** again? Are other people having this experience, or was I just ridiculously unlucky?

Henry Ford III

Wow that's a series of really poor experiences.

aaakev

Op what car are you looking for?

terrydel

elguapo wrote: »

I'm looking to change cars. I visited 5 dealers in the last two weeks, and here's the totality of my experience:

Dealer 1: Gave me a ridiculously lowball offer on the trade-in in the most smug manner imaginable
Dealer 2: Walked into the showroom on a weekday afternoon, and there was no-one there. No-one on reception, no salesperson in sight. Waited for 5 minutes, then left.
Dealer 3: 2 salespeople at their desks, both on the phone, couldn't have failed to see me. Both of them finished their phonecalls, then picked up the phone and made another call. I left.
Dealer 4: No-one in the showroom.
Dealer 5: Nice guy, showed me some cars, had a look at my own, said he'd get back to me the following day with a valuation. that was three weeks so.

Is business so good that they can afford to treat people like **** again? Are other people having this experience, or was I just ridiculously unlucky?

Loads of businesses like that in Ireland (I can only speak for Ireland on this).
Seems they think they are curing cancer and above the humble customer.

CiDeRmAn

Walked into a showroom and, without looking at the wife's car just pulled down online the value of the car and gave the best price on a trade in.
We snapped it up, the car had tons wrong with it but he never asked.
As we left, deal done and signed, we could hear the senior executive giving him a right bollocking.

Zubeneschamali

Henry Ford III wrote: »

Wow that's a series of really poor experiences.

Normal enough, I'd say.

omri

Go in and tell them how much you have to spend (which is bad idea because they will fit their offers just at the exact amount you give them or above) but then at least they see you mean business. I did have couple of pretty awkward moments, they guy even asked me to sit down and kept asking me personal questions and if I was employed must be the hobo t-shirt and shorts effect, before he even agreed to show me the car I was interested in.

Having said that I had similar experience in couple of dealerships in the North but less than here. In the end what won the business apart from the price was the customer service. Left a bit of bad taste when that amazing customer service did not extend past the point where car was sold, money exchanged hand and from that point onward the couldn't be arsed too much... but hey these people must have tons of timewasters coming in before they land a sale. Guess that's just the nature of the job.

elguapo

aaakev wrote: »

Op what car are you looking for?

Have a Qashqai, looking for something similar.
Actually found a dealer who was willing to talk to me yesterday, took a Grandland X for a test drive, nice enough car.

Turbohymac

Hi op did you have a look at the main dealer sites for 6 to 12 month old vehicles. In the UK. Mainland.. as ni is more expensive. Big savings to be had. Unless you actually want brand new vehicle of which you will get robbed blind here for the privalige. And the dealers here will only offer dirt money for your trade in..
Simply check out how much REALISTICALLY your own current car would sell for on some deal . Then have a look at. Vw uk. Nissan uk etc etc. Make sure vehicle is over 6 months old from date of first registration and mileage when presented here in Ireland is over 6k km then check cost of vrt. And sterling to euro difference. Oh and compare to the dealers here.. big savings and better spec cars to be had in uk.

Padraig Mor

Par for the course I'm afraid. You can take it as read that if you know the specs / tech details etc of a car you're interested in, you'll know a hell of a lot more than the salesman.

garv123

I went to meet a dealer who told me he'd have 3 i40's in stock Saturday morning at 10am.
Never Arrived at 10.30 and no sign of cars, he rang the driver and he said he was leaving city west, he'd be an hour, 3 hours passed and no sign of the cars. He told be he'd drive 2 of them down to be that evening. (1.5 hour drive) Heard nothing till 9pm, he said he was washing them and he'd send on pics..

No word till the Tuesday, he said he just drove one over from the UK and he'd have another one Friday, told me he'd send on pics.. never answered a call or text since.

I purchased elsewhere..

I was standing in his yard with 10k cash, which he knew I had, but he wouldnt sell me a car?

colm_mcm

He had to take the Garda stickers off.

Stallingrad

That's pretty poor alright, business is not good so no excuse for it really. Where you wearing a Cargiant T-shirt?

Gwynston

OP - pretty similar to my experience in various showrooms in recent months:

- Some where they're obviously so "busy" that no-one bothers engaging in a timely manner - avoiding eye contact at all costs :rolleyes:
- Some practically empty of staff so there's really no-one to talk to you
- Some offering insultingly low trade-in offers (while browsing DoneDeal right in front of me) - I mean like 40% less than offers from other dealers :eek:
- Mutiple dealers who went to the effort of actually examining my trade-in (complete with faux complements), saying they're get back to me with a price later/next day/next week. Only they never bothered to call me back

henryforde80

I recently had to get a new battery for the car and the radio locked looking for a code. Hade it 11 months and still under warranty. Brought it back to where I bought it. Same make car as garage and said nothing to do with us, contact manufacturer after reception contacted someone to come down. He started walking of then. My response was and I quote "thats ****ing great service, Last time I ever buy a car off ye"

Man followed me outside and apologized, googled the code and got it unlocked. I thought each code was unique to each radio.

DaveyDave

Can't say I've had a great experience. Went to test drive a car and parked up outside only to receive a phonecall saying the car wasn't there and it would be available tomorrow.

After ordering the car phoned 2-3 times in the space of 2 months just looking for a build date. Always said he'd call be back but never did. Eventually spoke to a different salesman as original guy was always on leave. He was able to get me an answer and phoned me back later that day.

Fast forward to when car was due. I call to see if it landed on the boat that day, was told the car was sitting in the dealer and when was I free to get it.

When booking in for warranty check the second time I was told it would be €120 diagnostic fee despite problem not being fixed and still under warranty. €40/day for a 'courtesy' car. The service plan wasn't on my account so had to go down with paperwork and they took a copy.

Different VW garage was much better with customer service, offered free car there and then or a lift home, may consider them in future...

Went car shopping with my mam. Hyundai garage had no interest in her getting an auto Kona (new model out and not pushing a sale?). Wanted to get her into another i30 despite wanting a crossover. Said they had no Kona, wouldn't give a date on a new order. Was of absolutely no help.

Atlantic Dawn

I can never understand dealers chasing sales over the phone with more priority than a person actually their showroom or on the forecourt looking at the vehicles, the person on the phone may have no intention of ever making a visit.

finalfurlong

Stories here becoming very common.the sunday indo motor journalist wrote last week about same sloppy carry on in a ford dealer.Early in july i was trading in my 152 jetta for a 17 passat.Went to local main vw dealer on a wednesday ,they drove my car,let me drive the passat.We sat down and salesman says he couldnt get me a price on jetta as "weve none in stock"!!.He said hed ring back on Thursday.He duly did to say hed have a price on Monday if I could call in! I said I was actively scouting cars but he seemed to think nothing of that.On the saturday ,i drove and put down deposit on highline passat at a vw dealer 60 miles away.On Monday was rang by local dealer announcing that if i could come down to discuss a deal .He seemed shocked that id bought elsewhere ,Crazy but true.Lot of Irish Dealers still think that local customers are wedded to buying from them and can be strung along with rubbish like that.

Suim

It's something that I have found extraordinary over years of regular car buying for myself and others. So many dealers never get back to you. It's almost like they see it as a game of who blinks first.
I buy cars in the Cork area and I can't believe the carry on in one large garage. The staffs lack of familiarity with stock is shocking..was looking for an i40 recently for a friend..after 30minutes waiting for a salesperson I had to tell him relevant cars he had. Finding keys took another 20mins or so and when we finally got to test drive we had to wait another 20mins plus on our return
My friend liked i40 but bought a Mondeo purely because of how well Ford dealership treated him . A quick test drive and he knew what he had to pay soon.after that test drive.

The Satanist

I've had plenty of similar experiences like the OP. Derisory trade-trade-off offers (for example, offered 4k by one dealer, €11k by another), blatant lies about spec, the worst was going into a large and well- known dealership on a quiet weekday morning only to be told I had to make an appointment to speak to a salesperson.

Worth mentioning that I've had good ones too, such as Frank Keane on the Naas Road; I emailed about a car they had just put up on carzone, I was sent back a 2 or 3 minute personalised video of the car the next morning followed by a phone call. Very professional and pleasant people to do business with.

Irish Kings

finalfurlong wrote: »

Lot of Irish Dealers still think that local customers are wedded to buying from them and can be strung along with rubbish like that.

VW and Toyota dealers are the most notorious for this. They seem to think they are doing you a massive favour by allowing you to buy one at inflated prices.

Dick Pickle

elguapo wrote: »

Have a Qashqai, looking for something similar.
Actually found a dealer who was willing to talk to me yesterday, took a Grandland X for a test drive, nice enough car.

Urgh avoid the Grandland X - have you tried an Ateca ?

kindalen

Have been to a number of garages around the country with family and friends. Numerous negative experiences, probably about 90%. It is always such a relief to end up sitting in front of a decent salesperson.

Irish Kings

A lot of them seem to be very affected people for some reason, and are down right hostile / smarmy.
I've no doubt that have to deal with some some utter wangkers sometimes, but maybe they should see what they are dealing with first.

Makes you wonder what a decent car salesman with even basic people skills and clear cut facts could achieve if he was switched on.

Wildly Boaring

Deffo no problem with salesmen in Mallow Ford chasing sales.

Was in for minor recall. 10 min job so receptionist gave me coffee and I sat down.

Immediate approach from salesman.

Got nosey 5 mins later and had a look into new kuga. Manager over to me. Did I want test drive.

On way out door same manager met me to show me to my car. Gave me his card and trying to steer me over to a new kuga in yard.

Was wife's imported kuga I was in with...

Samuel T. Cogley

elguapo wrote: »

I'm looking to change cars. I visited 5 dealers in the last two weeks, and here's the totality of my experience:

Dealer 1: Gave me a ridiculously lowball offer on the trade-in in the most smug manner imaginable
Dealer 2: Walked into the showroom on a weekday afternoon, and there was no-one there. No-one on reception, no salesperson in sight. Waited for 5 minutes, then left.
Dealer 3: 2 salespeople at their desks, both on the phone, couldn't have failed to see me. Both of them finished their phonecalls, then picked up the phone and made another call. I left.
Dealer 4: No-one in the showroom.
Dealer 5: Nice guy, showed me some cars, had a look at my own, said he'd get back to me the following day with a valuation. that was three weeks so.

Is business so good that they can afford to treat people like **** again? Are other people having this experience, or was I just ridiculously unlucky?

Perhaps in the cases of leaving you too it for a bit they were letting you get settled rather than jumping on you like it's PCWorld.


Bought a new car recently and was delighted with the service (Kia).

2Mad2BeMad

Samuel T. Cogley wrote: »

Perhaps in the cases of leaving you too it for a bit they were letting you get settled rather than jumping on you like it's PCWorld.


Bought a new car recently and was delighted with the service (Kia).

PC world most staff there have no idea what they are sellling.
Tried going in their looking for some ddr3 ram and your one gave me odd looks

Never had any bad experiences myself from dealers although I don't buy many cars.
Toyota in tallaght and long mile were great to deal with, and frank keane in liffey valley were also excellent when I was buying a new golf (had to cancel due to circumstances unfortunatly)

I remember when I was out buying my first car which was about 8 years ago.
It was a place in fatima a semi dealer.
The sales guy just wasn't interested in talking to me, I asked about finance on the car, I think it was ford fiesta was only 3 years old at the time and he told me they don't do finance and walked away.
Thats the only bad one I can remember, pretty sure the place is closed down now.

uck51js9zml2yt

Bought a car a few years ago over the phone from a country dealership.
Offered 1k under asking based on what a dealer told me in Dublin.
Had a friend take a look at the car for me who lived locally and knew motors.
It passed the nct and the dealer wanted 500 more.
Told the sales guy I had a cheque in my hand for 6k and could get the train down the following morning and that I didn't need to be on the train.
Bought the car and drove home without a test drive and never had a problem with it in the 4 1/2 years I've had it.its 10 years old with 160k on the clock.

Just to say I was talking to a mechanic in the yard who I knew and worked there. Told me everything was ok with it.

ted1

OmegaGene wrote: »

I had a similar experience to number one from fords and I left really annoyed, they offered me €5900 for my car and the next dealer gave me €10k trade in value so I came to the conclusion he low ball offer was because the dealer didn’t actually want my car
Normally when walking around a forecourt the staff will come out to help you in my experience and ask what you’re interested in, people that walk straight into the showroom are normally complaining about something.

Some offer more on cars because they’ll charge you more in return.

Always look at the cash difference

elguapo

Dick Pickle wrote: »

Urgh avoid the Grandland X - have you tried an Ateca ?

I would have if the dealer had one for me to drive on the day. He took my number. Expecting to hear back from him sometime in 2019 :rolleyes:

SozBbz

I had a pretty substandard experience in an audi dealership in south dublin.

Made me a ridiculous offer on my car, easily 3k lower than any other dealer, and 4k lower than I ultimately got. all the time bigging up how brilliant and hard to resist the numbers were going to be.

He also gave me the absolute ick. If he was chocolate he'd have licked himself.

Ended up going with a VW from a dealer down the country who my parents have dealt with for years. Gave me a fair price and no hassle

AMKC

Dick Pickle wrote: »

Urgh avoid the Grandland X - have you tried an Ateca ?

@OP Buy what you like and from where you are happy with. Never mind what other people think. Its you that will be driving a living with the car so get one you are happy with. If you like the Grandland then go for it. It looks great in blue.

Irish Kings

2Mad2BeMad wrote: »

PC world most staff there have no idea what they are sellling..

yeah but pc world staff are min wage high turnover so they have some excuse

glomar

durring the last boom AKA the celtic tiger mark 1 , I had the same problem would walk in and look around occasionally go to reception but would usually get a dirtly look , Come the bank crash walking into a dealership the sales guys were fighting over each other to try and help

Suspect the boom is somehow back

Zubeneschamali

glomar wrote: »

Suspect the boom is somehow back

No, it was like this right through the crash, too, at many dealers. (Honourable mention for my local Mini/BMW dealer who were good).



I suspect that salesmen at some dealers get a very small part of their business from people who walk in, so they treat everyone as a tyre kicker until they make a special effort to buy.

The J Stands for Jay

omri wrote: »

Go in and tell them how much you have to spend (which is bad idea because they will fit their offers just at the exact amount you give them or above) but then at least they see you mean business. I did have couple of pretty awkward moments, they guy even asked me to sit down and kept asking me personal questions and if I was employed must be the hobo t-shirt and shorts effect, before he even agreed to show me the car I was interested in.

Having said that I had similar experience in couple of dealerships in the North but less than here. In the end what won the business apart from the price was the customer service. Left a bit of bad taste when that amazing customer service did not extend past the point where car was sold, money exchanged hand and from that point onward the couldn't be arsed too much... but hey these people must have tons of timewasters coming in before they land a sale. Guess that's just the nature of the job.

Bought a used car recently, dealer was telling me he hates sunny Saturdays, brings out all the time wasters like tyre kickers and lads who fancy a test drive of cars they could never afford.

dudara

I’m going to buck the trend here and say that I’ve only ever had good experiences. Really good prompt service all the time from the dealer

bobbyss

elguapo wrote:

Dealer 1: Gave me a ridiculously lowball offer on the trade-in in the most smug manner imaginable Dealer 2: Walked into the showroom on a weekday afternoon, and there was no-one there. No-one on reception, no salesperson in sight. Waited for 5 minutes, then left. Dealer 3: 2 salespeople at their desks, both on the phone, couldn't have failed to see me. Both of them finished their phonecalls, then picked up the phone and made another call. I left. Dealer 4: No-one in the showroom. Dealer 5: Nice guy, showed me some cars, had a look at my own, said he'd get back to me the following day with a valuation. that was three weeks so.

Went to a showroom recently and the guy was making coffee for himself in the distance. Continued to do so. Had to go over to him ( instead of him coming to me) where had started slurping his drink. Didn't put it down. I felt I was interrupting him. Maybe I was. He didn't seem to want a sale. If I was his manager I wouldn't be too happy with him.

shooter69

elguapo wrote: »

I'm looking to change cars. I visited 5 dealers in the last two weeks, and here's the totality of my experience:

Dealer 1: Gave me a ridiculously lowball offer on the trade-in in the most smug manner imaginable
Dealer 2: Walked into the showroom on a weekday afternoon, and there was no-one there. No-one on reception, no salesperson in sight. Waited for 5 minutes, then left.
Dealer 3: 2 salespeople at their desks, both on the phone, couldn't have failed to see me. Both of them finished their phonecalls, then picked up the phone and made another call. I left.
Dealer 4: No-one in the showroom.
Dealer 5: Nice guy, showed me some cars, had a look at my own, said he'd get back to me the following day with a valuation. that was three weeks so.

Is business so good that they can afford to treat people like **** again? Are other people having this experience, or was I just ridiculously unlucky?

Unfortunately have had similar experiences as you OP. Have travelled to NI for my vehicles for the last 8 years and the difference in price and customer service is staggering...if you haggle hard you will get same or very similar price to UK mainland in my experience.

KevinCavan

No word till the Tuesday, he said he just drove one over from the UK and he'd have another one Friday, told me he'd send on pics.. never answered a call or text since.

I purchased elsewhere..

I was standing in his yard with 10k cash, which he knew I had, but he wouldnt sell me a car? [/quote

Car salesmen, letting agents and estate agents are similar characters. I’d also go to u.k. and leave the Irish car salesmen alone, if they were treating me like crap.

Phil.x

Op, wait for the brexit induced recession to hit and they'll call you back then.

terrydel

I've only ever dealt with one main dealer, Ray Crofton in Maynooth, and found him an absolute gentleman.
Plenty of experience with garages, some good, some bad.
I think dealerships here are for the most part, in that class of business that think they are doing you a favour, not the other way around.
Ive more experience with motorcyle dealerships here and they are worse if anything.
Surprising as both trades are under a lot of pressure.

Henry Ford III

I once walked into a well known dealership in Kilkenny and was attacked and beaten by 3 rabid salespeople brandishing hurleys.

True story.

Cee-Jay-Cee

elguapo wrote: »

I'm looking to change cars. I visited 5 dealers in the last two weeks, and here's the totality of my experience:

Dealer 1: Gave me a ridiculously lowball offer on the trade-in in the most smug manner imaginable
Dealer 2: Walked into the showroom on a weekday afternoon, and there was no-one there. No-one on reception, no salesperson in sight. Waited for 5 minutes, then left.
Dealer 3: 2 salespeople at their desks, both on the phone, couldn't have failed to see me. Both of them finished their phonecalls, then picked up the phone and made another call. I left.
Dealer 4: No-one in the showroom.
Dealer 5: Nice guy, showed me some cars, had a look at my own, said he'd get back to me the following day with a valuation. that was three weeks so.

Is business so good that they can afford to treat people like **** again? Are other people having this experience, or was I just ridiculously unlucky?

You should go onto their main facebook pages and leave similar reviews, see how quick you get their attention then!

Comhrá

Henry Ford III wrote: »

I once walked into a well known dealership in Kilkenny and was attacked and beaten by 3 rabid salespeople brandishing hurleys.

True story.

The Cats were always dirty hurlers....bears out what I already knew. :pac:

BobMc

First car I ever bought I was 18, bought new long long time ago nothing fancy the New Punto was out (dont laugh it did me pround surprisingly) but first place I visited, salesman/owner, never got off his seat, its in there pointed towards where car was, never spoke another word to me, I've bought about 6/7 cars since, guess whose never seen me darken his door since
so its been happening for a long time

_ZeeK_

elguapo wrote: »

I'm looking to change cars. I visited 5 dealers in the last two weeks, and here's the totality of my experience:

Dealer 1: Gave me a ridiculously lowball offer on the trade-in in the most smug manner imaginable
Dealer 2: Walked into the showroom on a weekday afternoon, and there was no-one there. No-one on reception, no salesperson in sight. Waited for 5 minutes, then left.
Dealer 3: 2 salespeople at their desks, both on the phone, couldn't have failed to see me. Both of them finished their phonecalls, then picked up the phone and made another call. I left.
Dealer 4: No-one in the showroom.
Dealer 5: Nice guy, showed me some cars, had a look at my own, said he'd get back to me the following day with a valuation. that was three weeks so.

Is business so good that they can afford to treat people like **** again? Are other people having this experience, or was I just ridiculously unlucky?

OP, a bit of advice - look super wealthy. Wear your finest Armani suit. Maybe carry a gold cane and smoke a big, fat cigar.

Irish Kings

bobbyss wrote: »

Went to a showroom recently and the guy was making coffee for himself in the distance. Continued to do so. Had to go over to him ( instead of him coming to me) where had started slurping his drink. Didn't put it down. I felt I was interrupting him. Maybe I was. He didn't seem to want a sale. If I was his manager I wouldn't be too happy with him.

Should have asked him to demonstrate the cup holder in the car you were interested in.

Irish Kings

Henry Ford III wrote: »

I once walked into a well known dealership in Kilkenny and was attacked and beaten by 3 rabid salespeople brandishing hurleys.

True story.

Was it Toyota or VW ?

Trasna1

Henry Ford III wrote: »

I once walked into a well known dealership in Kilkenny and was attacked and beaten by 3 rabid salespeople brandishing hurleys.

True story.

What did you expect, you are the competition Henry.

lovehathi

I think Iam lucky, when ever i go they all come running out from even coffee break. As I have two toddlers , they start looking or testing car as if they are buying.