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AIBU?

To expect care salesmen to be interested when you want to buy a car?

67 replies

higgle · 08/05/2013 11:57

Well, in fairness, mainly the Audi ones. Last weekend DH decided to have a look around all the contenders with a view to changing our main car. This meant a trip to the Ford, Honda and Audi dealers locally. Ford dealer had lovely sales man who I wanted to adopt. Honda Salesman was competent and friendly. Off to the local Audi garage where we parked lovely not very old car outside and sat in, looked at and tried to find brochures for a new Audi. 4 salesmen sat around doing absoloutely nothing for the duration of our visit and not one said hello or tried to assist us.

I'd worn my special car viewing outfit too!

DH decided to go alone to another Audi dealer yesterday, 15 miles away, where for a second time he was totally ignored by all the showrom staff. We have decided not to buy an Audi as they seem to be telling us we are not Audi people. AIBU to have expected some attention?

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QuintessentialOHara · 08/05/2013 11:59

Yabu, if you are not Audi people.

I bet they judge you by your handbag.

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XBenedict · 08/05/2013 11:59

This happened to my dad as well! Totally ignored in the Audi garage, made to feel very welcome in the Ford garage unfortunately he didn't like the Ford car.

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schobe · 08/05/2013 12:00

YANBU.

But lol at special car viewing outfit. Was it Ferrari racing driver overalls? Were they simply giving you a wide berth?

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adeucalione · 08/05/2013 12:01

We have had this as well - maybe their staff training says 'ignore punters, don't look desperate to sell a car'.

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XBenedict · 08/05/2013 12:02

You need to do a Julia Roberts, "big mistake, huge mistake" and walk out

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higgle · 08/05/2013 12:02

Well, I took off my dog walking fleece and put on my Ash trainers and Brora jumper. Maybe it was me that put them off.....

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superbagpuss · 08/05/2013 12:03

buy a honda
excellent staff and follow up with services
cars are well made and very reliable and really spacious

you know you want to Grin.

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ENormaSnob · 08/05/2013 12:03

What did your car viewing outfit consist of?

Was your hair done?

Maybe repost in style and beauty for advice on getting Audi car salesmen to notice you.

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Midlifecrisisarefun · 08/05/2013 12:04

We were ignored in a Nissan garage, when I spoke to one the salesman, he looked me up and down, ignored my 'wishlist' of needs and pointed to a micra - far too small!
We went 25 miles to another and had bought within the hour!
I never use the first one even though it is 2 miles from my home!

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Oldraver · 08/05/2013 12:16

Yes I have had this in several car dealers. In Peugeot three salesmen were salivating over a young pretty thing, talking her painstakingly through her options (ie new car= more expensive but sparkly new, 2nd hand= someone else took the initial finanacial hit, but not so sparkly new) I virtually had to beg for some brochures which I late threw in a hissy fit over the car on the revolving podium.

I was just as irritated by how condescending they were to the girl as their ignoring of me. They were not the only ones to behave badley, they dont seem to actually be bothered that they may of lost a sale

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higgle · 08/05/2013 12:26

superbagpuss, yes, we already have a Honda, and will probably get another, all a bit boring as I also have the same car this time round as last time. DH thinks being an engineer is something to do with it, and that Hondas are engineers cars.

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ENormaSnob · 08/05/2013 12:29

Envy at the Hondas.

I want an frv but can't afford it until next year Sad

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Xiaoxiong · 08/05/2013 12:40

The last car we bought, the sales person was a woman. Best service we've ever had (cars or otherwise) and she knew her stuff through and through. This was at an independent second hand garage specialising in Volvos and Saabs.

I used to work at a car manufacturer and negotiated with the dealers. Without exception they were unreconstructed sexist dinosaurs so I can only presume the attitude comes from the top at most dealerships. Mind you, the manufacturer wasn't much better!

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MyChemicalMummy · 08/05/2013 12:40

At our audi dealership you go and speak to the receptionist and she will send a available sales person over to talk to you. Was there a reception desk there?

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GreenLeafTea · 08/05/2013 12:40

I love my Honda. It's never given me a moment's trouble.

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HelgatheHairy · 08/05/2013 12:48

We went looking for a new car/SUV a few weeks ago. Nissan man was brilliant, Mazda man was terrible and Kia woman was good.

We went to look at the mazda again and part of the reason we didnt buy was the salesman was so terrible. Just completely uninterested, wasn't certain of the specs, absolutely refused to budge on price.

Whereas we went to look at the Nissan again last night and the salesman was so good we actually bought a Qashqai+2 as he gave us such a good deal on it.

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MrsMangelFanciedPaulRobinson · 08/05/2013 13:13

I think some of the salespeople in the garages for high end cars seem to think the cars sell themselves, and they behave with an arrogance that suggests they think customers are a nuisance.

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yearningformyyoni · 08/05/2013 13:23

Its exactly the same in my local Range Rover dealer!

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MrsMangelFanciedPaulRobinson · 08/05/2013 13:25

car sales people are on commission, and bloody good commission at that. They must be bonkers to treat people like shit and lose sales, especially in the current economic climate where car buyers aren't really plentiful like they used to be

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gindrinker · 08/05/2013 14:06

Its not just car salesmen (although Renault were lovely when I did shop alone, Hyundai talked to Mr Gin and not me when it was my cash which was going to be spent)

The number of times you go in to a shop (a camera shop, dixions etc) looking to spend £100+ and you get ignored. Or even clothes shops.
I just give up and go else where.

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MrsMangelFanciedPaulRobinson · 08/05/2013 14:11

That's very true gindrinker!

I think lots of shops just don't want customers, or at least appear to not want them. We are just an inconvenience.

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cassgate · 08/05/2013 14:23

DH has just bought an audi A6 and couldnt fault the salesperson. In comparison he went to a kia garage a couple of weeks ago as he was interested in the SUV not sure whats its called. They didnt have one in the showroom and arranged to have one for the following weekend for him to test drive. Appointment was arranged to go back the following saturday for said test drive. When DH got there the car had not turned up. They hadnt bothered to call to rearrange and couldnt say when or if the car would turn up. They were totally disinterested. DH walked out and went to local audi garage where he bought a 6 month old immaculate audi a6 for the same price as the KIA.

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lisaro · 08/05/2013 14:58

I know exactly what you mean, OP. Spoke to some absolute arse at Audi Bradford, who didnt seem to want to actually sell a car. And they now only have white (drug dealer) ones in for you to look at. Have since bought three new ones between us from Huddersfield Audi.

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Indith · 08/05/2013 15:03

We've been car shopping recently. Some shocking service. Places that ignore you even though you've asked to speak to someone only to suddenly realise they DO have someone available after all when they see you getting back into your car to drive away. Places that sell the car you were looking at and have booked to test drive but don't bother to tell you until you turn up for your test drive the next day. That can't be arsed to see what stock they have/other places in their group have but tell you it is all online except when you point out to them a couple of cars that the website says they have in stock they don't seem to actually exist. BLoody waste of time car shopping is.

Stupid thing is we needed 2 cars. Who the hell would think that providing piss poor service to someone buying 2 cars is a good idea?

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ComposHat · 08/05/2013 15:04

Maybe Audi could use it as a sales pitch

'Audi - sold by cunts, driven by cunts'

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