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Has anyone had experience of this outfit. It is a large supermarket type place with cars mainly under three years old with branches across the country. Salesman claimed that the company did not actually own any of the cars displayed. My actual question is does this place haggle at all over the sticker price when there is no part exchange or finance deal involved?.
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I bought my Focus from the Northampton location a couple of years ago. At the time their prices were just slightly higher than Car Giant, but their site is much better.
However, as with any supermarket you need to actually see the vehicle as they tend to be ex company cars which can be in good condition or well hammered (even if <3yrs old)
I was happy to pay a bit more for a car that wasn?t riddled with scuffs, scratches and dirty upholstery. Subsequently the car has been faultless.
Not 100% sure of their business model, I think they clear for some of the large fleet leasing companies. Like all the rest they will try and up sell you a warranty, finance, diamond bright paint rubbish, mats, scotch guard.
Just say no to that lot and you will most likely get a fair deal.
I was a cash buyer, no trade in and could not get them to budge. That said I?m sure it depends on the car, time of year etc etc, so give it a go.
Edited by nick1975 on 11/10/2007 at 20:54
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Not impressed with their website. I entered a make and model, only to get 'no stock'. At least car giant and most of the others only list cars they have in stock in the drop-down lists.
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I tried their Northampton branch. I 'phoned first, but when I arrived, the salesman who said he'd meet me at an agreed date and time 'was not available'.
The type of car I was interested in was fetched. I waited about twenty minutes, and wandered around. I picked up what appeared to be a stock list, and after browsing it for a few minutes had it snatched from my fingers - 'that's not public information' - so far I'm getting less impressed.
The car arrived, and straight away I could see paint flaking away from rust at the bottom of the wing. I idly pulled some of the looser away as I walked around the car, the salesman was not impressed. I sat in it and turned off the idling engine. The salesman told me not to. I guess the twenty minute wait was while they jump-started it. It wouldn't re-start.
They told me that was the only model I was interested in they had in stock.
I bought a two-year old Focus locally shortly after.
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My experiences have been similar to bathtub tom. I had an appointment to see someone once about a one year old Mondeo, but the salesman was too busy. Earlier this year my daughter and her husband did buy a car from them. Afterwards she promised to tell all her friends not to go there as they were so unpleasant after her husband had signed and handed over deposit. Most of that was to do with all the extras they try to sell you, and telling younger buyers that they have no warranty (apart from very short limited protection) unless they pay for something expensive. Also gap insurance, HP protection, MOT insurance etc.
They have a friendly salesman, and when he has done his bit, the man from the office hits you with the unpleasant side of it.
Lastly, the car was not ready on time, they did not do the registration side of things, the brakes were shot, and so on.
Their conclusion was that they would rather pay slightly higher prices than deal with such a company again.
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Am sure there are good and bad experiences at most of the car supermarkets:
Car Shop
Carcraft
Car Giant
Motor Nation
etc etc.
I work for a finance company and there doesn't appear to be any more SQ complaints from one than another....
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Went down there this morning to look over a specific car. All the cars appear to be displayed indoors in a large warehouse which has good lighting, Eager salesman intercept you at the door and take down all your details despite me explaining I just want a quick look over the car. As mentioned before saleman tries to sell all the add ons etc. Will not let me look at the car in the showroom but insists I look at in the viewing area OUTSIDE. Wait ten minutes before being summonned to view the car. Car is well valeted and condition/mileage wise would not be out of place at a main dealer. However the salesman do not seem to be very knowledgeable about specifics of any one car. They only seem to know the same info as public can view on their website. Questions like how many owners? when was it last serviced etc were all something the salsman could not answer. In the event the interior trim was the wrong colour for me so I was not interested but the price was competitive. The salesman all appear to be controlled by a numbers man at a main desk. I would image their p/x prices are below book.
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Sounds similar to my first experience at a main dealer years ago.
I wanted a look round a particular car I'd seen advertised in the local paper but first I had to have my potential p/x appraised and then sit down with a salesman asking how much I wanted to spend, monthly budget etc. What a waste of 30 mins. Similarly the car I was interested in also had to be jumped. I didn't buy it.
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They're not really set up for someone who wants to look at a specific car. Went down, you get a salesperson nominated to you - they spend ages a) finding the car, b) qualifying you, c) selling you the add on's etc.
Fair play, I did get a 7/8 mile test drive, but their p/x prices are rock bottom. Didn't bite - not my sort of operation.
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I bought a car a few months ago at Car Shop in deleted and all I can say is it was the most awful buying experience of my life. Let me say though, the car was/is fine, the price was very competitive and I was OK with the px they gave me. Their sales method and service were truly the most awful things I have had to endure.
They don't want you to wander around and browse but we insisted. We had to sit through a finance discussion despite telling them we were paying cash. They never got to tell us about their interior protector product because I told him that if he mentioned it I was walking out (not the first or last time I had threatened that in order to get the process moved along). When I finally got to collect the car (a week later than promised) they had mislaid the V5 and MOT (at least that meant I got to keep the remainder of the tax!). They lost my drivers licence. Their 'comprehensive X point check' failed to spot a brake light not working and a cracked number plate. We had to make three visits, were there for a good six hours....just to pay cash for a car we had decided on within about half an hour.
Bizarrely, we went back a few weeks later to look for a car for my wife. It started off promising but I just wasn't strong enough to cope with it all a second time and had to get out before I had a nervous breakdown or punched somebody.
....perhaps it's just me - they do sell an awful lot of cars in deleted.
BTW - it is right, they do not own the cars. They are fleet cars - instead of going to auction they sell them through Car Shop. I guess the logic is that the fleet owner gets a better deal than at auction, the punter gets a better price than at a dealer (I certainly did) and there's enough left over for Car Shop to take a slice?
{Bordering on the edge of naming / shaming, hence the removal of the town name - DD}
Edited by Dynamic Dave on 13/10/2007 at 01:12
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I've had a completely different experience - we've used them 3 times in the last 5 years in my family - I bought my current car with them, saved almost 7k on a 10 month old car, no haggling or mithering from the sales people - left alone until I approached them - gave me 3 test drives.
My father has bought two cars from them as well, again no trouble with the sales people, so long as you say 'I'll ask for help when I've had a look round' they are fine.
It probably has issues to do with sales quota's, the individuals you end up dealing with and 'don't sell me any extra's' approach.
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Two ways to look at this thread in my opinion
1---------you have to go to a retail operation because its the only way to finance a car
2--------you go to an auction purchase the same type of car for a lot less, you buy the auction guarantee if you wish and the job is done .(anyone can take a day off work to get to a good auction even if you have to travel and even hj who runs this site gives regular updates on auction prices)
I really dont see the point in being given the 3rd degree and having your car keys taken off you at the sales security entrance and then herded into the building like sheep to be sat down and given verbal diarhea
Or is it a treat i should do as one of my 100 things to do before i die?
(obviously i dont know the car shop so am using it as an example only)
Edited by bell boy on 13/10/2007 at 12:13
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A few years ago I saw a car I liked on their web site - no photo but all the details were good and the price sounded good.
As it was a 3 hour drive I rang them and asked questions. I was assured the car was in excellent condition etc, etc. had leather, climate, no sun roof. alloys good.
When I got there the car didnt exist.
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Tried the Northampton site in March 05 Looking for a 2yo Picasso or possibly a Berlingo; needed test drive in both to decide. Only had a Picasso, test drive either unavailable or too complicated to arrange - seemed to see Berlingo as "a van".
Prices very close to franchised dealer but with add ons for warranty, paperwork charge etc. and heavy sales pitch to come for finance and other add ons. No wiggle room on price at all "we either sell it or it goes back".
Dealer allowed back to back test in examples of both. We liked the Berlingo much better but eventually decided on a brand new one on 3yr PCP.
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i bought a car from then and i regret it ? they never ring you back putting it down to experience and fingers crossed nothing goes wrong with the car . i contacted trading standards
Edited by Avant on 27/10/2016 at 01:35
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i bought a car from then and i regret it ? they never ring you back putting it down to experience and fingers crossed nothing goes wrong with the car . i contacted trading standards
The original thread is seven years old, how recently did you deal with them?
Edited by Avant on 27/10/2016 at 01:35
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I'm not sure when b jones was there but I recently visited Carshop in Northampton 28 Jan 2017. First, they did not inform us the battery on the hybrid when they called to confirm that we are still coming. On arrival, we decided to have a look at the car anyway, and saw that it had been taken apart with the back seats ripped out. Most likely it had been sitting like that for a while. Second, we were shown another car which reeked with a strong smell of petrol inside and sales rep dare to claim this to be normal. Third, on 7 Feb, manager emailed us a diesel and a manual when we specified that we want petrol and automatic. Fourth, sales rep never gave back licence after test drive. Despite sitting on the licence for 2 weeks and contacted us with cars, they never told us they have it. Fifth, license was never post when we emailed to follow-up since we did not receive it for a few days and they said it was posted the day after we called. We had to follow-up a few times for 2 weeks and finally on 21 Feb got licence back after a month from our visit!
(Edit: personal references removed. I don't understand the second sentence, which unfortunately is key to understanding the rest of it. And if they forgot to give you your licence back - presumably after photocopying it for the test drive - why didn't you ask for it?)
Edited by Avant on 28/02/2017 at 22:57
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Why would you leave your driving license with them.I wouldn't ever let someone take my license.They could look at it and then hand it back but never leave it with them.Madness!
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Why would you leave your driving license with them.I wouldn't ever let someone take my license.They could look at it and then hand it back but never leave it with them.Madness!
This. Sorry, Madelyn, I think you're largely at fault here.
As to them not having a hybrid vehicle charged up when you came in, if you had a pound for every time someone is 'definitely' coming to see a car and never turned up, you'd be very wealthy.
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I would suggest a hybrid should only come from the maker's main dealers where they know what they are doing with it, if its old enough and cheap enough to be in private sales fair enough, buyer beware, but i would not be paying car dealer prices for such a complicated vehicle where anyone could have messed about with the thing.
A peruse on HJ's reviews above re Toyota/Lexus hybrids gives dire warnings about jump starting the things, damage so caused will not be immediately apparent.
As for the company ,mentioned here, what a performance should you visit, Oscars should be awarded.
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Strange how no one seems to have picked up that Sytner's have agreed to buy the Car Shop. www.motortrader.com/motor-trader-news/automotive-n...7
Whether that leads to a change in business practice as regards the customer remains to be seen, but in my dealings with my Sytner Mini dealer, they've been more than fair and decent, one warranty claim amounting to a new short engine for a Cooper S. Even had sensible prices for a set of runflat Hankook tyres, fitted. By the time you've bought online, paid the local garage, it's the same give or take a fiver.
Still, time will tell.....I just wish Sytners were more up front about who they own, as many trade under anonymous or generic names.
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