Test Drive Experiences

viper_2003

viper_2003

viper_2003

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Joined
28 Feb 2003
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454
Had a couple of test drives booked today so thought I would share my experiences.

First up was Audi, popped in a few weeks ago to look at an A6 Avant and agreed to come back today to drive it. Cup of tea on arrival, small talk with the salesman about whether anything had changed then given the keys to a £40k car and told to come back in half an hour or so. Not really my cup of tea when I drove it but the salesman was fine about it and not remotely pushy, certainly would have been happy to deal with them.

I was local to a BMW dealer so popped in to have a look at a 3 Series to compare. Walked in at midday and immediately greeted by someone who was keen to know how they could help, put me in contact with a salesman straight away and we went from there. I had been in there previously to look at an M135i so the guy swapped with the person I had spoken to previously who remembered me from 6 months ago. Explained my current plans and whilst she didn't have a 330d xDrive touring that I could drive they found a 320d xDrive touring for me to drive there and then, given the keys and asked when I would be back. Really liked the car, a good bridge between something fun and a real barge like the A6 Avant. Fantastic experience from them and the sort of dealer I would actively want to buy from.

Last up was a pre arranged drive of a new GTI, walked in at the allotted time but not a soul to be seen. Managed to get someone's attention as they were walking back to the staff area where they were clearly eating lunch with the door open, the person I needed to see was on her way back from her last test drive. Came back a few minutes later and put me on to someone else, he took me out but had only worked there for a few weeks and knew nothing. The car was actually a real surprise driving really well but the whole experience was so different from the other two dealers which really put me off. I have never been into a VW dealer and been impressed, they charge premium prices but never seem to match the service levels.
 
What sort of a bizarre shortlist has an Audi A6, a 3 Series Estate and a Golf hatchback on it? :p

Are you test driving a Long Wheelbase transit next?
 
And what sort of bizarre person dismissed buying the car they like more because the customer service wasn't up to scratch at one dealership?
 
It's a good way of establishing what it is I want though.

Mercedes Sprinter is booked for Tuesday - think the dog might slide about a bit in the back though. The dog defines some of the choices.

Experience put me off the dealer not the car....
 
I can only say my experience of VW service has been an eye opener, yes they have a good range of cars and they are good to drive but the aftercare and customer service is pathetic, the dealers around my way are way overly reliant on the rep of the cars and dont give a flying **** about you as a customer.

Main reason that drove me away from them as a brand was their appalling customer care.

I have been to 2 Honda dealers and a Toyota recently and their service has been exemplary so much so that I have bought a 2010 honda civic from my local dealer.
 
[TW]Fox;24711189 said:
What sort of a bizarre shortlist has an Audi A6, a 3 Series Estate and a Golf hatchback on it? :p

Are you test driving a Long Wheelbase transit next?
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Or a Kuga?
 
Driven a fair few new cars recently.

Volvo were great. The guy was incredibly helpful and knowledgeable without being pushy.
Mercedes were busy, and in a new building, so took over an hour to get organised to get into a car, and then another hour to print of a single PCP quote.
Ford were great, again very helpful without forcing me down a certain route.
Alfa were shocking. The guy couldn't have been less interested.
Nissan was a wannabe rap douche who kept trying to be funny and pimp.
Kia, sucked. 4 different dealers and still couldn't get a test drive.

The best dealers were those who were well informed, keen to help, but not pushy. The Volvo guy would have likely got my money had my car policy not changed.
 
To be fair though, you could walk into a different VW dealer and have an entirely different experience.

In reference to what Fox said though about your varied selection of cars to drive ...you should have seen mine. Lately I have driven cars as varied as a Ford Focus 1.6, a Mercedes E320 CDI and an SLK 200K. Why the hell not eh :p

All of the dealer experiences were what I would call the right side of fine, the best were actually Ford and BMW, both very good. BMW is where my money went in the end though, however that was because they had the car I wanted ultimately.
 
Funny that this thread should pop up today. I popped into a VW dealership today with two friends. With one of them very intent on buying the new mrk VII Golf GTI in cash. The service there was terrible. Maybe it's because we're three youngish guys... but still it was very poor.

The test drive was booked for 2pm... cue us sitting there until 2:20pm wondering what all the staff were doing in this empty dealership before we enquired how long it might be. Finally we get down to sorting out the paperwork to test drive the GTI, but not before the muppet of a manager tried to fob us off with a rubbish excuse that only one person could test drive at a time and that no passengers were allowed due to insurance reasons. He couldn't have told us this in a more rude manner either, it's like we were being told off for even enquiring into a test drive.

Anyway, my two friends each had a test drive which went very well, during the second test drive when my friends swapped over the manager called the guy who was showing us the car to give him a telling off because we had swapped over so that my other friend (a twin brother could also get a feel for the car) which to me seems highly unprofessional again. Due to the shocking attitude of quite a few of the staff in this particular dealership my friends certainly won't be buying from that one. Still he's not been put off the car at least.

At least the person giving the test drive knew what customer service was about, he was very good and helpful, but all the other staff have certainly cost them business and left me with a disdain for VW's.
 
Clarkey said:
Really? Three guys come in wanting to go for a joy ride in a GTI and you are surprised the manager is apprehensive?
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But he wanted to pay in cash, honest. And take all his mates along as part of the process. Because thats what people who buy £35,000 Golfs in cash do, arrange a mates meetup at the local dealer.
 
Hi, I have £35,000 in cash and i'd like to buy a GTI if you'd just let me and mates go out for a test drive.

I'm surprised they even bothered giving any of you a test drive at all.
 
3 young guys wanting a test drive of a GTI? Not surprised the dealer was apprehensive, I have a hard enough time getting serious answers off of the parts department at BMW when I'm with a friend, can't imagine the response for a test drive would be much better!
 
Guess I'll stay out of motors. Such a friendly place from reading around. This is the problem with people stereotyping or judging people purely on their age (25). It's an affluent area, we parked out front in a newish 1 series M sport coupe and a mini cooper S for the potential part ex. It's really not that uncommon for people to have the sort of money to spend 30k on a car around here.

Who do you think the target market for a GTI is anyway? Old gents in their Jags?

But hey there you go, maybe you would all make great VW managers too.

Like I said, we're very serious about buying... it's their loss after the general customer service experienced today. I can guarantee other companies would not all be like that. Just the wait alone in an empty dealership was poor service, regardless.
 
It's more the turning up in a group with friends to test a car like a new GTI. I can't imagine many people go to buy a brand new car with friends - it's something people do alone or with a partner.

It's actually uncommon for people to have £30k to spend on a car anywhere in the country, the majority of cars like this are not purchased cash they are purchased on finance. Cash buyers are very rare now (and dealers prefer to sell on finance, too).

Even if he was going there to do a deal there and then you must consider how it looks from the dealers perspective. 3 lads turn up to test drive a brand new Golf GTI - even before the claim that it'll be a fully cash purchase, itself quite rare, it's probably already going to ring alarm bells with the dealer. For every 10 groups like this, 9 of them will be test pilots. I'm sure your friend was the 1 rare one but when the previous 9 groups have been test pilots whats the dealer going to think?

A large purchase like a car is best not conducted as a social event if you want to be taken seriously by the dealer. Yes, it sucks, no, it probably shouldn't be like that but they will judge - they always have done and they always will do. Sadly stereotyping is often neccesary to avoid problems.
 
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I think Stumble Bum has taken a valid stereotyping of his situation to be a personal insult.

3 young guys turning up all wanting to test drive a brand new car, as a group, looks dodgy. It doesn't mean you are dodgy, but surely you can see how it looks?

Look at it from the managers perspective. Are you going to want to let a 35k car and a lone salesman drive off with 3 guys you don't know? I'm with the dealer on this one. The wait was probably due to them deciding if they should even let you out in it. Did you book it as a 3 person group test drive, or were they expecting just your mate on his own? (I'm going to go ahead and presume the latter on that, as no dealer would arrange a test drive for 3 young guys at once).
 
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Stumble Bum said:
Guess I'll stay out of motors. Such a friendly place from reading around. This is the problem with people stereotyping or judging people purely on their age (25). It's an affluent area, we parked out front in a newish 1 series M sport coupe and a mini cooper S for the potential part ex. It's really not that uncommon for people to have the sort of money to spend 30k on a car around here.

Who do you think the target market for a GTI is anyway? Old gents in their Jags?

But hey there you go, maybe you would all make great VW managers too.

Like I said, we're very serious about buying... it's their loss after the general customer service experienced today. I can guarantee other companies would not all be like that. Just the wait alone in an empty dealership was poor service, regardless.
Click to expand...

I wish I lived in your area, you sound affluent.
 
Stumble Bum said:
Guess I'll stay out of motors. Such a friendly place from reading around.
Click to expand...

It is a really friendly place, its just not tolerant of bad posters.

Stumble Bum said:
This is the problem with people stereotyping or judging people purely on their age (25). It's an affluent area, we parked out front in a newish 1 series M sport coupe and a mini cooper S for the potential part ex. It's really not that uncommon for people to have the sort of money to spend 30k on a car around here.

Who do you think the target market for a GTI is anyway? Old gents in their Jags?

But hey there you go, maybe you would all make great VW managers too.

Like I said, we're very serious about buying... it's their loss after the general customer service experienced today. I can guarantee other companies would not all be like that. Just the wait alone in an empty dealership was poor service, regardless.
Click to expand...

Care to prove any of this actually happened?
 
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