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?
AIBU?
To expect care salesmen to be interested when you want to buy a car?
higgle · 08/05/2013 11:57
I'm an Audi driver too, but I got mine as an ex-fleet vehicle online. I have just today changed cars. Two weeks ago my DS21 and I went to look at 4x4s as I need one for work. We stopped at our local Audi Garage (not that any dealers are local to me as we live in the middle of nowhere). The salesman made us feel as if we weren't moneyed enough to buy an audi. He was suited, in his early 60s and kept trying to give me sweets. I am over 50 
. It felt very wrong and anyway, the Audi Q5 I fancied had a ridiculous lip on the boot.
We then went to the landrover garage and the salesman was lovely. Gave impartial advice on several makes of 4x4 and what type I needed. Not once did he question why a woman wanted a utility vehicle. He delivered my new Freelander this evening, after having lent me his own car because I had uninsured my Audi and the Landy wasn't quite ready in time. I am 40 miles away.
We have bought two cars from Warwick Wright in Chiswick, Peugeot, that is.
We received excellent and friendly service on both occasions. The first car was brand spanking new, the 206, and I bet we were among the first in London to drive it, as it actually turned heads!
I remember picking up a dvd featuring the car from the showroom first, this was before you had videos online, to persuade to go and try it. We both loved it.
This was after a terrible experience at a Ford dealership in South London, where we nearly bought a brand new Ford Focus. The car salesman actually said he would not sell us the car because "the wife is not good enough behind the wheel, it would be irresponsible of him" 
WTF? I had been driving since I was 18, so for 7 years!!! Who in their right minds are turning away customers ready to buy a brand new car cash?
I will never. NEVER buy Ford. I felt so insulted.
If you really fancy an Audi I'd drop an email to their customer services dept at head office, I'm sure they'd be horrified to know how rude their franchises are.
I had bad service after I'd bought my Mini, months later I was sent a questionnaire asking for feedback. I sent it off and received a phone call from the branch shortly afterwards. Lots of apologies with a very indignant undertone. They said my negative ratings would have a big impact on their annual customer service standings nationally and their managers had gone mad about it. They were trying to make me feel bad but I was very fair in my feedback - the service was unacceptable and they didn't dispute anything I said happened.
The worst experience I've had with car dealers was in VW - went with DH and then-baby DD2. Salesman kept talking to DH. DH said 'I don't drive, my wife is the driver, she decides what car we're having.' Salesman still talking to DH. DH picks up DD2's carseat and wanders off - salesman finally talks to me. Then, as DH sees that I'm winding down, he comes back over - salesman immediately switches his attention to DH again! I didn't buy the car, but got a phonecall a few days later from the garage 'Hello MrsPol, has been asked to leave the company, we're just following up with all his customers to see if we can help them, as we think you might not have seen the best our cars have to offer.' No shit.
Mind you, they were too late, as I'd already bought another car in the meantime. My own prejudices were punctured too though - we went to BMW, salesman was a gelled-hair, sharp-suit type. I assumed he'd talk to DH - Wrong! Once he knew the car was for me, he ignored DH and focused on finding out what I wanted. Definitely a man who knew where his commission was coming from 
Audi are well known to have some dealerships where the service is woeful.
Our experience when buying our audi was so dire I wrote to head office to complain.
There reaction was also underwhelming.
We were considering Audi, BMW, Mercedes, Jaguar, Alfa Romeo and Porsche. Audi was the only one with an attitude problem.
I love the car it's fab but the dealership would stop me buying one ever again from them (indifference at 3 local dealerships, extreme rudeness, failed to look after my personal details, lying, unexplained lateness of delivery, mistakes at delivery and a failure to apologise for any of this)
In the end after head office interceded I did get a bouquet of flowers as an woefully lacking apology on fucking up the purchase of near £40k's worth of car!
I would have walked away but I'd driven the car and it was my favourite by a mile.
Thankfully we are in the process of moving and will be closer to the dealership where my FIL buys his Audis who seem to be more competent and pleasant to deal with, so we may get another one.
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