The alternator in the Volvo (2004/05, 75k) died whilst in my nearest city and so it was towed to the nearest main dealer. The AA man told me of a recent client who had got a stonking part ex deal on a new toyota - something like 2-3k down and they replaced their current motor with a new one - same model. I'd go for that so I thought I'd ask them to quote me a price for an upgrade. The volvo was looking a little unloved, I do have to say, after the kids had done their worst, the water bottle had split (£14) and volvo claimed it needed £500 on new headlights (didn't, it sailed through its MOT a week later with no work on the at all) - it did have 4 brand new tyres,
Anyway I digress - I was offered 20% loyalty discount on a new volvo, and the paltry sum of £3,400 for mine. I paid 11k for it 20 months ago. Why would I buy another one if they deprecate like that? So I off I went to get it valeted and serviced - after a good valet it looked like new, but I really didn't expect its value to begin with a 3! Worth more to me now obviously...
Age of vehicle altered to reflect assumed age rather than reg date identifier - also straddles two years to avoid further pedantry
Edited by Pugugly on 31/12/2009 at 14:52
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Sorry einoxon :-)
You don't state what model V50 you have, but a quick look at Autotrader suggests retail prices start at around £5000.
[As to the '54', well I think we can incorporate 'white space' into the second apostrophe]
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My input?
posters says car looks like a shed as its full of detrious obviously outside of car looks the same and the appraiser assumes headlights are u/s too he then makes an offer on what he sees and poster gets upset at this dealer
Edited by Pugugly on 31/12/2009 at 12:33
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Well, it could have been worse. A long time ago my dad was kicked out of a Volvo dealer. The sales lady told him to leave not long after he'd walked in. Probably the way he was dressed. I'm pretty sure most dealerships are a bit smarter now.
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You're kidding me!!? Obviously their sales were good enough not to worry about the odd potential customer, whatever they were wearing. Did your dad do anything to upset them, like wear the wrong shoes?
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. I'm pretty sure most dealerships are abit smarter now.
>>
I know a wealthy chap who though not asked to leave a showroom was told by a sharp suited nit to come back when he could afford one.
If said idiot had looked out the window and read the chaps number plate he'd have realised it was worth as much as a small house itself (his profession which can be celebrity oriented though he isn't).
That dealer went into recievership and is now under new ownership, i hope they've learned.
The chap continues to buy a new cars biannually of the same make he has for years, never did go back.
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I went to a Toyota dealership to buy a wheel trim for my dads avensis. They are a ridiculous price but he wanted one anyway. The guy behind the counter proceeded to ignore me and chat to 2 women about car accessories for their yaris, even though they were taking great pleasure in telling him they'd bought their car cheaper somewhere else, and I was ready to hand over money.
They walked out without buying anything. I walked out and bought it at a different, more friendly dealership! Although usually Toyota are pretty good...
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Corax - you're right, most Toyota dealerships are friendly. The one I visited recently was anyway. I was looking at the Auris. The guy offered me a test drive, took down my details. I was fully expecting a call in the next couple days hassling me for a test drive, but nothing. (This was a week or two before Christmas, and then the snow came...). But usually dealerships don't leave you alone. I know, because I requested brochures from BMW and had 3 calls from them, very annoying. BMW must be desperate for sales or something.
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Jcoventry
We had a look for a Yaris for my mum at the same dealership, but couldn't find anything suitable. It was either too expensive or didn't have aircon, we specifically wanted that. We gave the salesman our details and went home. I dropped in there a couple of times on the way home from work, and a few more cars had appeared that were suitable but not brilliant.
Anyway there was no call from the salesman even though the cars were for sale and were in the right price bracket.
So in the end we found a nice Yaris colour collection 1.3 with aircon at the friendlier dealer, bought it, and very nice it is too. I should have learnt my lesson with the previous dealer the first time round but when you're looking for a car you have to widen the 'net'.
I don't blame Toyota themselves, its the people that work at that particular dealership that need to improve.
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Sorry Bellboy - in the middle or removing some clutter and was about to move your reply.
Edited by Pugugly on 31/12/2009 at 12:34
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Op neglects his car, and is insulted when dealer offers him figure based on his neglect.
Seems fair to me.
Edited by madf on 31/12/2009 at 13:58
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"detrious"
I think you mean detritus Bell boy. Dead organisms and fecal matter. I'm not normally pedantic but this is my favourite word of all time.
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Dealers offer a price based on .........
(a) How much they think they can sell it for.
(b) Whether they want it on their forecourt or not. It's customary to make a low offer for a car they don't want to buy purely to get rid of the owner with the minimum of fuss, hoping that the owner takes the hint.
Edited by L'escargot on 31/12/2009 at 14:06
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I suppose Volvo dealers aren't on their own with low px values, however my local lot were derisory with their offer of £1500 for a late 56 Polo in the summer. I eventually got a deal but their after sales is carp. Had a couple of problems with a V70 d5 {03} they said thats what you get with second hand cars, they exaggerate problems greatly and I was told quite openly that thay did this to get business.....they have lost my trade for good.
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When an alternator is bust you buy a new alternator. You don't have to buy a new car.
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My boss was looking to part ex a 3yr old Audi A4 for a new one at an Audi main agent. A member of the sales staff took one look at him and said 'the used cars are outside sir' and walked off. Cue punter walking over the road and ordering a BMW 325i.
At a previous Audi dealer he tried haggling on the price of a new one and the saleswoman bluntly told him he obviously couldn't afford a new Audi and shouldn't waste her time. Unbelievable.
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Why all the messing about, what do these people want? Take your car to auction or sell privately or offer it to an independent dealer like me. Then decided what you want new and buy it from someplace like drivethedeal or phone round all dealers in a 60 mile radius and see what they will deal on. I buy a car, not a dealership. Dont care how their staff talk to me, only interested in the product and getting it as cheap as possible.
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Why all the messing about, what do these people want? .... .... Dont care how their staff talk to me, only interested in the product and getting it as cheap as possible. >>
WT: I agree fully with your views.
I wonder what happens in other countries, or is this attitude (of dealers/salesstaff as well as buyers) just something in the British psyche?
I never understand what is achieved by a punter walking off in a huff to buy a different car at another dealer (and then ranting/moaning/whinging on anonymously on internet forum) if the first dealer/owner is not made aware of the bad attitude of their staff. What does it achieve, except let loose the whinge on someone looking forward to enjoying the new year.
[Ah, I feel better now that I have let off my steam with my whinging post above! ;-) ]
Edited by jbif on 31/12/2009 at 17:58
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Volvos depreciate badly to start with especially when the mileage is higher. If the OP could keep the mileage down, they (Volvos) tend to level out and in 2 years time with say 90k you could probably still get the quoted price privately - if in good nick, serviced etc. 90k is nothing for most Volvo's. My 2005 S60 was 6k with 55k miles. I know I'd never get that now, only a few months later. In fact in tip top condition, a buy any car site (did it just out of curiosity) quoted me 4500 a week after purchase. If I went to Volvo they would almost certainly give me a trade in nearer the 3000 mark.
However being an ex lease car above average high miler, it's now come to me where I am on target for less than 8k miles a year (no work use, my motorway cruiser mainly!). In spanking great condition, full service history, selling this in 2011 with tax, MOT and say, 70k on the clock, I could probably still get around 3000 privately.
That's just Volvos for you.
(Well probably lot's of cars, it's just that I've had more swedes than other marques!)
Edited by Devolution on 31/12/2009 at 18:09
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Just PX my 05 S60 D5 78k and got £5000 for it, although it was against a £20k Mercedes
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...phone round all dealers in a 60 mile radius and see what they will deal on. I buy a car not a dealership.
I don't expect problems with a new car, but don't want to be driving a 120 mile round trip if there are any. Apart from our local town, the next nearest one is, realistically, a 2hr round trip.
I want a good deal too, but it does me no good if the local dealer goes bust or I have to refer back to the supplying dealer in the event of an issue.
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Cue punter walking over the road and ordering a BMW 325i.
I could buy in cash any standard car that BMW sell but I've never managed to speak to a BMW dealer sales person. Even tried ringing for an appointment but they didn't call back.
At a previous Audi dealer he tried haggling on the price of a new one and the saleswoman bluntly told him he obviously couldn't afford a new Audi and shouldn't waste her time.
I was once gently guided out of a (then) VW/Audi dealership with the salesman saying "I don't think we'll be able to do business with you"!
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That's disgusting behaviour BP, and I'm sure you're not alone in receiving such service.
Not wishing to take sides, but I sometimes wonder if car sales people get tainted by all the idiots that they do get that turn up in their showroom dragging their knuckles?
After all, you often see classifieds where people constantly state "no tyre kickers..." and so on, so no doubt car dealers see their own fair share of people who wander in or out through boredom, waste time, kick tyres, ask stupid questions and more. Eventually they just end up judging on appearance or reacting with the same attitude.
It's not right of course, and a good salesman/woman would be able to distinguish the genuine from the not. But often now I see car salespeople who seem to be the doing the job just because it's all they could get, and the service they provide is the same as if they were mooching around in a big electronics store (no names mentioned!)
It's a bit like a long in the tooth policeman often dealing with troublesome youths on a daily basis and then forming the opinion that everyone under 18 is a young criminal, and approaching any young person standing around in the street and instead of starting a polite or simple conversation immediately opening with a raised voice, accusatory tones, rudeness etc.
Edited by Devolution on 31/12/2009 at 18:44
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Maybe I've been lucky but SWMBO and I have bought new cars since the 1970s (OK, that's lucky) and never found a salesman / saleswoman who didn't want to sell.
If I'm just at the enquiry / brochure stage I make that clear and can normally look around and sit in cars in the showroom at my leisure; if I'm interested enough to want a test drive I'll say so, and I've never been refused one. Gradually more dealers seem to be letting you go out on your own.
Particularly good ones in my recent experience have been:
Jewsons Skoda (Oxford)
Octagon Toyota (Bracknell)
Wood Mini (Odiham, Hants.)
Newbury Audi
Cross Roads Garage Renault (Oxfordshire)
Reading SAAB
Maybe it helps being what the Prayer Book calls 'of riper years' (61) but I don't remember having a problem when I was younger. I also tend to visit dealers on weekdays, on the way to or from a business trip, so wearing a suit and going in off-peak times probably helps too.
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For the past 10 years I have visited all sorts of dealerships in Stoke On Trent and never had anything but polite service from the sales staff. I have not worn a shirt, tie, nor suit on any of those occasions: just jeans and a T shirt .
I guess I just have that kind of face..:-)
Edited by madf on 31/12/2009 at 19:56
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I guess I just have that kind of face..:-)
Mug?
(thats slang for face ; )
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Its only the individual salesperson that you have to worry about.
I once bought a car from a main dealer with cash - It was my second attempt to buy the car after the previous chap had been extremely unhelpful, so this time I got hold of the sales manager and asked to deal with him because the other chap had been so unhelpful - when I picked the car up, cue the sheepish first salesman skulking in the background - worth it just to see his face, a salesman that purposely refuses a genuine sale is dead weight.
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You've obviously not been to the Audi dealer then madf ;-)
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I called in at the Audi dealer in Derby to look at an A4. The salesman was most polite, gave me some brochures and even rang me a week later.
I've not bought one yet though.
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You've obviously not been to the Audi dealer then madf ;-)
Test drove an S3 in jeans...
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Is that an upmarket Jeans Beetle?
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Test drove an S3 in jeans...
So did I in 2000 at the audi dealer by the festival park flyover
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I'm always very surprised to hear these stories of people being guided out of showrooms, I've never seen that happen once in all my time selling cars without very good reason, certainly not based on appearance etc.
I have heard of it being done with those who display a mannerism that makes them unattractive customers, perhaps they may come across as some sort of perfectionist (my mother does this and has had domestic contractors tell her to shop elsewhere), or perhaps they are trying to screw the price down so hard that they simply don't make commercial sense to sell to.
In either of the above examples I think it's perfectly reasonable and justified to send them packing, even if there is a chance that they may buy the vehicle, it's just not worth the risk that they will cause problems down the line.
In my current customer services role I often find myself confronted with angry, abusive, demanding and unreasonable customers who expect us to provide our product for free because they can't afford to pay for it themselves, they are often surprised when their threats to purchase from our competitors are met with a polite suggestion that this may be for the best. In one most notable recent case I actually gave the contact details for a major competitor and recommended the customer in their direction. They have since asked to deal with us again and are now met with a firm and resounding refusal to do business.
I'm not suggesting that any posters on here have demonstrated these characteristics, but it certainly must be the case for the vast majority of brush off's given by dealers!
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Blue {P} i was twice abused by customers who took my good nature and sense of fair play to vehicle faults to a new high in december
guess what?
im going to be tougher this year i dont want to be but i wont cant and shant be used as some kind of cheap sugar daddy this year
who do i blame?
sham tv programmes and the like who think they can roll everybody into giving customers everything they want
i had a bad year last year
this year i might growl for once in my life
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I must admit, the phrase 'the customer is always first' has to be treated with a bit of common sense.
Some guy came round to look at a car I was selling privately. His whole family was with him, he started picking fault with a car that was going for £1200, and yes, he did actually kick the tyres. It was obviously just a day out for him.
Someone else came round, took it for a test drive, and bought it there and then for the asking price. No nonsense, and I hope he was happy with it.
If I was a salesman and had people day tripping around the forecourt with no intention of buying, I suppose I might leave the telephone on the hook, but I would have thought with the number of people they see on a day to day basis they would be able to spot someone who was serious. Maybe not. There's nowt stranger than folk!
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I know exactly how you feel BB and Corax - I had a car for sale recently and had the privilege of meeting some of the people BB has to deal with every day - it was an experience to say the least. I'd agree that a large part of the public now has a "something for nothing" attitude which is being fed by TV programmes. Growl at them Bellboy! Fortunately I've found a part-time job which meant we could afford to keep the car.
On the other hand I sold my Pug 306 recently to a friend - he knew the car and its condition, and needed a small cheap diesel, so we sat down over a beer and agreed a price. It was probably slightly less than I'd have got selling to the public but I didn't pay for any advertising, and din't have to stand outside in the cold being insulted by timewasters.
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