Car Dealers - The Good & The Bad

[Housey]

We seem to have a lot of discussions of late around car dealers and how bad/good there are. I thought therefore a thread where we can share our experiences might be a good idea? Mods if this has been done before or gets out of hand then feel free to kill it.

So as starter from me, well from my dad back in the day....

Back in the 80's my dad had a Rover SD1 Vitesse, a super saloon of the day and very rapid back then. He had some issues with a misfire so, much to his annoyance and fear, he took it into a local Rover dealership (long gone now) in Cannock and took me with him. You could see the saliva in the workshop manager when dad pitched up with the Vitesse. He laid out the issue to the manager who said let us have a look for you...

No more than a few minutes later, 4 up, the car drives out of the dealership at really scary pace and can be heard screaming up the A5 as they proceed to blast it up the road. It come back about 10 minutes later, after 3 or 4 laps of a well known island in Cannock, full of tyre squeal and pulls back into the dealership. I've never seen my dad lose his **** but without thinking and in red mist he had the driver around the neck and about to flatten him before the other 3 'passengers' dived out to pull him off. Added to that 2 seats had oil on them from overalls of the 'mechanics'.

It seems the manager threw the keys to the young workshop lad and said move that to which he took that to mean load up this Rover and blast it around for 10 minutes, no knowing my dad and I were walking around the cars out front. My dad when full on mental at the owner of the garage, wrote letters and all sorts. I can't remember what happened in the end, but I remember the day.

I knew at that point one had to tread careful with their property when hading it to a garage.

 

[Begbie]

It's very hard to watch something you've spent a lot of money on be abused.

Renault though - handed me the keys to a Clio 200 within about 2 minutes of being in the dealership and told me to go have fun whilst pointing me in the direction of the most fun B roads. Spent another two minutes on my return, and told me he wasn't wasting my time and just to phone him when I've finished testing the cars I wanted. The two other dealerships that day refused test drives in anything.

 

[Housey]

An example of a great experience was Perry's in Blackburn. I was looking for an MX5 and though a decent journey from home, I used Perry's as I have a friend there and we arrived at the dealership for a test drive. Not only did we get given a nice new MX5 we were also provided with a print out of a really good route to follow with some great roads, a booking for lunch and a day to enjoy the car. Needless to say I bought when we came back. Added to that I was trading in an A4 and when we came to collect the car there was an issue as I had the final payment taken out of my account and with that my MX5 deposit. Didn't stop me taking the car that day, "sure we can sort the money out next week", which of course we did. There is good and bad out there.

 

[Rroff]

I accidentally left my dashcam on last time I had my pickup in for work (I usually turn it off) personally don't begrudge them having a bit of fun with it but I can see other people getting upset. Overall though I find them very good as a dealer. I assume he was holding it in manual range here as if you revved it like that and let the auto-box do its thing you'd be close to 3x the speed limit.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5xiTiesFhrM

Was some worse bits but I'm not intending to get anyone in trouble.

The one that does bother me is when you see people at the garage leaning against the bonnet of your vehicle using it like a desk while writing stuff and none too gently with a Biro on a sheet of A4... I've come close to losing my **** seeing that before.

Some other recent experiences with dealers when trying to get a call back one waiting for the vehicle to be made ready for collection post sale and the other progress with ongoing work (not the same dealer as above):

-Given the run around for a week, promised call backs not materialising, etc. happened to be in the area and could see the sales manager I needed to talk to through the window just dossing about so decided to give them a call only to be told he was in a meeting - cue when I said I was in the area and would call in to speak with him in a bit he suddenly heads into one of the offices and then comes out pretending to have been in a meeting when I arrive.

-Had a hard time getting hold of the person I needed to speak to - eventually one of the girls on reception gave me his direct mobile number and confided he was a bit of a pest with women and they'd all avoid having anything to do with him if they could including putting through calls.

 

[Greebo]

Always remember late 80s/90s a local BMW main dealer got into a bit of bother as a young mechanic took a customers 325i out for a "test drive" after a service and wrapped it around a lamp post and wrote it off.

 

[Housey]

I worked in a garage as a kid during my summer holidays before I went to collage to earn BIG money (£20-£25 a week). I know how useless I was (at 16 years of age) and how many mistakes I made on customers cars, not least trying to put 5L of oil into a car in one go when it already had a full sump. Seeing the oil pour all over the engine on an immaculate car I then spent the rest of the day cleaning it down after a proper telling off. I was a kid and clueless but worked on so many cars.

 

[Greebo]

I worked in a garage as a kid during my summer holidays before I went to collage to earn BIG money (£20-£25 a week). I know how useless I was (at 16 years of age) and how many mistakes I made on customers cars, not least trying to put 5L of oil into a car in one go when it already had a full sump. Seeing the oil pour all over the engine on an immaculate car I then spent the rest of the day cleaning it down after a proper telling off. I was a kid and clueless but worked on so many cars.

Reminded me of working at a Fiat garage and the new young wet behind the ears kid managed to put the wheels back on a customers Fiat Strava Abarth backwards to every wheel was proud of the car. The workshop manager was amazed he actually managed to get them on and tighten up the nuts!

Sadly no mobile phone pics back then. The young kid was forever called Carlos Fandango after that

For those too young to know who Carlos Fandango is:

 

[Siliconslave]

When replacing my wifes car a good few years back we'd arranged a test drive at a toyota dealership, rocked up and all the salespeople were "busy" so after kicking up a stink they sent out the work experience kid. He'd obviously been spending a little too much time with the grease monkeys and none in front of customers so was very nervous.
The nerves came out as verbal diarrhoea and he started regaling the workshop stories including the time they got delivery of one of the first Corolla Compressors, ordered by a customer. Apparently the staff took it in turns trying to break their industrial estate lap record until someone run out of luck and understeered himself into a large metal gate. Apparently delivery was delayed while they fixed it up

Weirdly we didn't buy from there!

 

[VaderDSL]

An example of a great experience was Perry's in Blackburn. I was looking for an MX5 and though a decent journey from home, I used Perry's as I have a friend there and we arrived at the dealership for a test drive. Not only did we get given a nice new MX5 we were also provided with a print out of a really good route to follow with some great roads, a booking for lunch and a day to enjoy the car. Needless to say I bought when we came back. Added to that I was trading in an A4 and when we came to collect the car there was an issue as I had the final payment taken out of my account and with that my MX5 deposit. Didn't stop me taking the car that day, "sure we can sort the money out next week", which of course we did. There is good and bad out there.

Perry's were always great with my dad. They used to have a garage in Clitheroe, but they closed that one. They always collected the car from my dads house to service it and always dropped it off. Service was always good and reliable.

 

[Deleted User 298457]

No horror stories really. I've always had decent experience on the purchasing side, but touch wood I've never needed warranty work. There was a recall on the XE that wasn't done 3 times despite being in for service due to lack of parts; bit annoying. I don't doubt they just ticked the box to say it was done as I'd have no way of knowing.

Picking up my XE was fun until they realised they had fitted the incorrect number plates with the wrong registration on. That could have been interesting for a while

I once had my XF serviced in North London and they put plain water in the water fluid. Went rancid pretty quickly and stunk for ages.

Come to think of it I do worry about how many garages actually do any of the work they say. It is very hard for the layman to determine - oil changes etc.

 

[Rroff]

Come to think of it I do worry about how many garages actually do any of the work they say. It is very hard for the layman to determine - oil changes etc.

Not had it happen personally AFAIK but some friends and family have had it where they've been a bit naughty with servicing things like air filters, where the current one isn't that old, and get charged like £40 as servicing with some mention along the lines of "inspect" rather than "replace" but essentially charged them for the full air filter service without doing anything beyond looking at them.

In some cases I suspect people have been charged for stuff like that without it even being done even when needed.

 

[Deleted User 298457]

Not had it happen personally AFAIK but some friends and family have had it where they've been a bit naughty with servicing things like air filters, where the current one isn't that old, and get charged like £40 as servicing with some mention along the lines of "inspect" rather than "replace" but essentially charged them for the full air filter service without doing anything beyond looking at them.

In some cases I suspect people have been charged for stuff like that without it even being done even when needed.

That has reminded me when I inherited my Mum's Fiesta. My Dad was over the moon by the service and said "you can see the work" - some BS spray lube on door hinges etc. It was only a year later that I went to replace the cabin filter and air filter and both were just missing.

 

[pugheaven]

When I had my modified Pug 205, I'd replaced the 1.9 8v engine with a 16v MI16 out the 405, modded with webber carbs etc etc. Anyhow, needed something and as a Pug garage was 1 mile form my house went there for a part. Told him the part number etc i.e. it was OFF a 405 engine... but this guy wouldnt' have it. Then his manager came and argued that I was buying the wrong part for the car and it was a 8v 1.9 engine... anyhow this went on to the point i had to take them outside and show them the engine bay and explain I'd replaced the engine with the 405 MI16 engine... did it convince them? NOPE... to the point that they literally wouldn't give me the part... I seen my backside stormed out etc as they should just give me the part I wanted... not what they thought I needed... ended up going a scrappy and picking the part up for about 10 rips instead of £130 they wanted... since that day never set foot in a dealer bar a Jeep dealer... and that my friends is another story...

 

[Deleted User 298457]

When I had my modified Pug 205, I'd replaced the 1.9 8v engine with a 16v MI16 out the 405, modded with webber carbs etc etc. Anyhow, needed something and as a Pug garage was 1 mile form my house went there for a part. Told him the part number etc i.e. it was OFF a 405 engine... but this guy wouldnt' have it. Then his manager came and argued that I was buying the wrong part for the car and it was a 8v 1.9 engine... anyhow this went on to the point i had to take them outside and show them the engine bay and explain I'd replaced the engine with the 405 MI16 engine... did it convince them? NOPE... to the point that they literally wouldn't give me the part... I seen my backside stormed out etc as they should just give me the part I wanted... not what they thought I needed... ended up going a scrappy and picking the part up for about 10 rips instead of £130 they wanted... since that day never set foot in a dealer bar a Jeep dealer... and that my friends is another story...

Haha, got in trouble buying a folding mirror relay from a Land Rover dealer once. Made a silly comment about it was the one from "the womens" Land Rover. Think he owned a Freelander. He ended up throwing the relay at me when I went to pick it up.

 

[gc123]

oh boy this is my type of thread

ill start with first new car ever was a maestro mg 2.0 (i know people hated them but) didnt buy it from the uk was at the time when it was cheaper to import from holland. anyway, about a month after having it i noticed oil on the garage floor i know usual for british leyland.
so being employed by a screen company at the time we did a lot of work for kennings , burton sadly not there now in name. i knew most of the staff and mechs so thought hmm ill get a honest job,.

1/ 1st time in car picked up white powder all over engine and gearbox ...comment from tech ..yeah we cleaned the oil off and put talcum powder over the parts to see where the oil was coming from (hmm)

2/ second time car picked up ...yes oil coming from between gearbox and engine, needs a gasket? when asked to explain main mechanic trys to tell me there should be oil in the bell housing to lubricate the clutch.....

3/ third time car was scheduled to have gearbox removed and have gearbox oil seal replaced with clutch as leaking down from main shaft.

wife picked car up 3 days later and couldnt get it into gear..the mechanic jumped in pushed the pedal down and snapped the cable?? she called me i left it there after having a heated discussion with the service manager and they replaced the cable....

all this was warranty work billed to bl.

week later engine oil on floor from same place...grr didnt want to go back to them.

so i took the chance to try a new dealer to me jt leaversley alrewas.

rang them up took the car in ...nice as pie asked me to leave it with them .

they rang me up next afternoon to tell me it needed a engine....( was fuming by now) they explained all warranty no cost but may take 2 weeks to get one from factory . i thought ok no choice at least its free.

4 days later got the call all ready come pick it up so off we went, . when we arrived spoke to the service manager and he explained that they decided the wait was too long and that we had been messed about already . so they got british leyland to authorise them to remove the engine from a new car in the showroom and swap it out ... i thought wow this is good , he then explaind they swapped the lot so as not to mess around , so engine /gearbox , a full valet and polish..and a bouquet of flowers for the wife.

just to prove a point he took me to the workshop and showed me the new car without its mechanicals. the reason in his words ..some twonk put the wrong bolt back in when the gearbox was replaced and because it was too long just air gunned it till it stopped and some ..he showed me it with 3 washes padding it out. they had cracked the block.
he knew where it had been and i can assure you he used stronger words.
i became good friends with that service manager and the bodyshop manager so much so that when i went solo in business they were the first of my customers to agree to give me there custom (strangley i picked up kenning as well )

sorry for the essay i have so many it easy lol

 

[hurfdurf]

Went to pick up a Z4 from Vines BMW in London, putting a deposit on over the phone, train was 2 hours there. Was told how it was prepped and all the alloys were as new etc etc.

Got there, and there was a big scratch on the fuel cap, massive white line on a black car, impossible to miss.

Kicked up a big fuss talking about how I was expecting to be picking up a Used Approved car, not new condition, but at least decent... they gave me £500 off once a manager came out and saw it. Considering it only cost £200 to put right I was happy in the end.

 

[Housey]

In the late 90's I had some Alfa 156's, they were decent cars and different to the 3 series A4's of the time. First time I had my 156 2L Twin Spark serviced I had it was the extra tall spoiler fitted from new, which they forgot to fit! That had to be fitted 2 weeks after delivery. First service was the event however. Cheltenham Alfa (no idea if they are still there) I dropped the car off around 8:30am to be collected in the afternoon around 4pm. I turn up a touch later so we my Alfa sitting where I left it, unserviced I suspected.

I go to the service desk and note a ever growing red faced service clerk followed by "give me a moment" to when they rush my car in, lift the bonnet and he comes back to tell me "they are just finishing it off". Nothing done, pulled the dipstick and old oil there to see clearly so back inside for a proper row. Astonishing they tried to get away with it. Service books thrown on the passenger seat and mucky as hell too.

 

[gc123]

ok another quickie (ohh err) father in law many years ago bought a new vauxhall probably around 1960s (unfortunatly cant ask him) told me he picked it up drove home and when he went to get out the door fell off so went back to dealer and they gave him a new car (uttoxeter area)
father in law again many years later rang me up seen a advert in the local paper for a new sierra 1.8 diesel from a dealer in stafford with a price (full retail) and would i go with him. i asked him how much and what exact model.
rang up lookers in burton (may have still been craners not sure) and spoke to the sales man , he took the details and straight away we got the price down 3 grand and a choice of colours ..made the appointment and went to fetch the father in law.
he loved it had a tour of the compound and was showed all the colours they had 8 in stock lol he choose what he wanted and they went to do the paperwork. while that was done the car was pdi and valetted ready .

still laugh to this day when they asked about payment....being a farmer he started pulling out cash and payed it all full to the last penny the look on the sales staff when they had to check it and then the cashier had to check it...but he got mats and a free service out of them oh and what tickled me he got the 2 keyfobs and the leather look service book holder ....little things and all that

but they really treated him well so much so he bought 2 more motors off them brand new over the years.

 

[Rroff]

and mucky as hell too.

One thing I like about the dealer I use most - for any proper servicing work where they have it all day or longer (not just like an alignment, etc.) they'll wash it and clean it inside complementary - nothing amazing but at least it is nice and clean and tidy when you pick it up.

 

[Avalon]

My uncle briefly worked at a Porsche dealership (possibly late 60’s or early 70’s at a guess?). I say briefly as it was going Ok until a picture appeared one the front cover of one of the motorsport magazines with one of the dealerships cars airborne during a rally event that they hadn’t participated in. It apparently wasn’t the first time he and one of the dealer principals offspring had done this, but it was certainly the last. He always had Jag’s that I can remember growing up.

A former girlfriend used to work with a girl who was dating someone senior at a franchise Merc dealership, in the early 2000’s, as was normal her boyfriend had access to used/demo cars and would occasionally book them out for personal use. The early to mid 00’s were an evolutionary time for mobiles, MMS was a thing and video was starting, but phones were far from user friendly by today’s standards and people were still getting used to technology. I remember distinctly my girlfriends phone going off and her naively asking who was it, followed by ‘What’s the message?’ Lessons we’re learnt that day. I never owned another Merc and I was very glad my roadster lacked any usable space for anything other than sitting in.