Landrover dealer snobbery!

[1STDISCO]

Hi all,

Have been to my local landrover garage today to get a few bits for my discovery and was very politley approached by a salesman who asked if he could help, and also if it would be possible for me to move my Y reg dico from the customer parking infront of the garage to the service spaces at the rear. When I asked why he admitted that it was because his boss didn't like having muddy cars on show, especially old style discoverys. Lookign at the forecourt there was nothing older that a 56 reg or under £18k for sale. Have landrover garages forgotten what they sell, 4x4s not shopping trollies, surely it is good to see the odd muddy one to show they are capable of what they claim.

Needless to say I did move my discovery from the front of the garage, back to my driveway though! Also I will never return to the garage, as a horse trailer tower I need a good 4x4, so they have just lost years of a loyal customer! Has anyone else experienced any such snobbery from landrover garages?

[Les Henson]

I think I would have told him where to go - quite loudly.

Les.

[FridgeFreezer]

I'd write to either his boss, or LR themselves. My local LR place don't seem to mind me turning up in the 109 or my muddy S-plate Freebie.

[T1G UP]

i was poncing around in Whites last sunday in my shorts playing ith a tdv8, the salesman was not amused! In this climate i'd thought that they'd like the company!

[JimAttrill]

I have heard of this happening before in the UK.

Someone I know went to a LR stealer™ here a week ago and bought a new Defender with a 20% discount off list. He said there was nobody there except scared looking salesmen.

As the Rand has just dropped to over 18 to the £ their prices will have to go up accordingly and I can't see them selling anything at all.

[stuntman]

My local lost my company car money aswell. I walked, a 26 year old in, admitedly shabby clothes, asked to speak to the fleet salesman regarding purchasing a new double cab, but I would be wanting the full options list, he looked me up and down and said "are you sure you can afford one!", I said rather loudly I had a cheque book in my back pocket and he was not going to be seeing it. With that i knocked on the managers door, gave him a brief over view of what just happened, and also told him about the 7 vehicles that my family own and the fact I was looking at replacing my 3 transit vans with two 90's and a 110.

It's nice being young and having a lot of spending power

[BogMonster]

I read something once that went something like "ever since they invented boy bands you can never judge a man's wallet by the state of his clothes" and it is so right

I usually look scruffy and slightly grubby but on a quick tally I think I have bought five new vehicles in the last 12 years so I would be peesed orf if somebody took that attitude with me!!! Thankfully my 'local dealer' is a fine chap

[ChrisV8]

Went to local LR dealer 6 months ago to look at a Freebie 2 to replace my PT Cruiser road car, most off hand young salesman basically told me go sell your PT before we will look at a deal. No discount on a Freebie cos we can sell all we get.

So went to the Jeep dealer got a good part exchange, a discount and now have a Jeep Patriot, and saving a fortune on fuel compared with a Freebie and £5k on the price. VW reliability as an added bonus with the mechanics as well !!!!

The LR dealer has a huge stock of new stuff now and no one in the showroom I for one will not be back !!

[BogMonster]

I think the four day week at the factory speaks for itself

[freeagent]

I've always found that arriving at the parts counter in a set of filthy overalls gets you seen pretty quick.....

[Les Henson]

Yes, but they know you are a posh git/loaded/ m8, so it's a different thing entirely to us commoners!

Les

[DrRob]

Hi all,

Have been to my local landrover garage today to get a few bits for my discovery and was very politley approached by a salesman who asked if he could help, and also if it would be possible for me to move my Y reg dico from the customer parking infront of the garage to the service spaces at the rear. When I asked why he admitted that it was because his boss didn't like having muddy cars on show, especially old style discoverys. Lookign at the forecourt there was nothing older that a 56 reg or under £18k for sale. Have landrover garages forgotten what they sell, 4x4s not shopping trollies, surely it is good to see the odd muddy one to show they are capable of what they claim.

Needless to say I did move my discovery from the front of the garage, back to my driveway though! Also I will never return to the garage, as a horse trailer tower I need a good 4x4, so they have just lost years of a loyal customer! Has anyone else experienced any such snobbery from landrover garages?

How about this for a plan........let's all rock up at that dealership with about 10 motors

Where is it? Let's go!!!

[The Yak]

i was poncing around in Whites last sunday in my shorts playing ith a tdv8, the salesman was not amused! In this climate i'd thought that they'd like the company!

Funny you should mention Whites....

A while ago a farmer chap I know made loads of money selling his land on the edge of Swindon to housing developers. He fancied buying a Freelander for himself and another for the wife. So he dropped in to Whites in passing, still in his overalls and parked his trusty but rusty Ford P100 pick up outside the showroom. He walks in and mentions he was interested in buying two Freelanders. The salesman looked him up and down, looked out of the window at the pick up and said more or less to not waste his time. So he left!

This prospective customer was a MILIONAIRE and wanted to buy TWO vehicles!

In the space of two minutes this so called 'SALESman' had turned away the sale of two vehicles and possibly their replacement every one or two years thereafter, or maybe the sales of a Discovery or Range Rover or two! Less proftability for Whites and less work for the factory.

As it happens, luckily, our man did not go straight to another manufacturer, but on a trip to Bournemouth he called in at a dealer there and purchased his TWO Freelanders.

I would not expect to see the archetypal Double Glazing salesman tell a prospective customer that it does not 'look' as though he can afford the product! No, so which of the two is the real professional salesman?

A salesperson is only as good as his last sale, so what would (or should) Land Rover think of a so called sales person who turns away a millionaire who wants to buy two vehicles?

Land Rover have good products but they are now on a four day week because they cannot sell so many. Perhaps their sales staff should not be so arrogant and they would not be potentially losing factory jobs.

[teabag]

I just shown this thread to my cousin, now a Dealer Principle a a Vauxhall garage. He says that when he was a salesman he got fed up with the "just looking brigade" and the first thing a customer should say " I what to buy" It doesent matter what you are wearing or what you park outside.

A lot of dealerships are the sameas LR ones. I had a problem in getting some attention when I wanted buy my disco, I parked my old RRC infull view of the showroom on a Saturday morning and in my old gear I went in, no one came to help me even after opening a few car doors and slaming them shut.

So after 20 mins I saw the showroom receiptionist and said to her "Would anyone like to sell me a Discovery" then a salesman slowly walked over. I could/should have walked out and gone to another garage but this one suited me for the servicing.

Ten years later, I went into a Jag showroom as they were doing a deal on the X type at the time.

As before on a Saturday in old clothes<I was in and out or the whole range of Jags and just standing around, nobody came to see me, two fellers in suits seem to have all the attention, one salesman doing the talking the other two standing back looking on. After 30mins this time I left the Jag showroom (Sidcup) and went to a Honda showroom. The showroom is above the garage and as as I arrived at the top of the stairs I was welcomed with a "Hi how can I help you", I then sat down and bought a Honda that day.

Didn't think much of the Jaguars anyway although the big XJR looks nice, but so does any "top of the range" vehicle in a showroom.

[landmannnn]

Try walking into a Toyota dealership, whatever you are wearing or driving they will greet you and happily talk you through all the options etc.

Their training is really strict and Toyota won't allow them onto the shop floor until they have passed all their training courses.

If they fail the training they are fired. They are then free to apply to a Guy Salmon or White's dealership.

[1STDISCO]

Kinda glad to hear I'm not the only victim, but car garages esp LR and other premium brands should learn to value customers no matter what, cos you never know where it might lead. When I was 18 I went to drop my Mums merc off at the dealer for a service and decided to wait while it was being done with my girlfriend, a salesman made us coffee and enjoyed showing us round a number of the cars sitting in the showroom and thier features despite me saying at the start that the car I had just dropped off wasn't mine, there was no way I could afford any of the cars despite wanting them, and my car was at the time a knackered Rover 200!

5 years on, the girlfriend is now the wife and has just taken delivery of her 2nd new merc sports car, both bought from that sales guy despite the 250 mile roundtrip to make the purchase (and visit my mum at the same time).

Dont get me wrong I love my discovery and believe they are one of the best 4x4s out there, but LR also need to learn that they are not the only premium 4x4 manufacturer around, Merc, BMW, Audi, VW, Jeep, Volvo, Lexus and Porsche to mention a few! No matter how good your product is, especially with items such as cars that need a level of care and servicing, good dealership relations could tempt you into what in product terms alone may be a slight second best.

Come on LR dealers, think on and give us the service we deserve whether we're browsing, have 10k to spend, or 60k to spend, cos those that browse may be your best customers of the future!

[western]

don't forget that LR doesn't own or run the main dealers outlets, they are all franchises. so LR probably wouldn't do much except take the franchises from the operator.

[1STDISCO]

A valid point, however it is Landrovers brand name, reputation and customer base on the line and if the dealers aren't up to standard they should be warned and eventually ties cut. Its ultimately up to LR to ensure its customers get the correct level of service. As previously mentioned in another reply by landmannnn Toyota staff are superbly trained, instigated by Toyota itself. Having never been in a Toyota garage before I tested this out today at my local one and was amazed by the high standard of care I got despite being in horsey clothes and the high volume of customers in the showroom, which just goes to show what good service can lead to. If only I actually liked the Landcruiser...

[Ally V8]

don't forget that LR doesn't own or run the main dealers outlets, they are all franchises. so LR probably wouldn't do much except take the franchises from the operator.

You would be suprised how much LR do say what goes on in dealerships - there is no way I'd want to run one.

Judging a book by its cover is one of the lifeskills some people never seem to learn.

[T1G UP]

I bought my company car, mk5 golf gti, from Denmark!

Had the same old run around from 3 vw dealers in the south, no discounts, 17 week build time, blh blh.

Got my full uk spec gti for £3K less, 7 weeks build and a great service.

I'd buy from the Danes again, great people, drive on the right side of the road.

[thebiglad]

If anyone actually believes that LR cares one iota what it's customers think of the local concessionaire, they are woefully misinformed. The only thing a car manufacturer considors is sales, only sales. So if your local LR dealer treats you like dirt, but achieves it's quota each month, LR will do nothing - it has no need to change anything.

Just take a long look at the "British" motor industry, compared to the French, the Italian and Japanese manufacturers all of whom have booming international, as well as home, markets.

Sadly, there is no longer any british manafacturer of mass-produced motor vehicles, in part because we all stopped caring about whether we should have manufacturing in the UK, a long time ago.

Disillusioned of France........................

[enduro1972uk]

I had an experience that rather humoured me in the end. I had just got my divorce settlement through and decided i was going to spend £20k on a loaded discovery which i had in cash as i did not want the bank onstantly pestering me. As i drove into the dealership (s reg escort) a Jaguar and a Bmw pulled in also. Two salesman came across the car park totally ignored me and started to give the other two their sales talk.

I stood around waiting, generally brousing through the cars without so much as a hello.

After the Jaguar & Bmw drivers left without any money being spent i went to one of the sales men and asked to speak to the manger.

I sat at the managers desk and showed him an evelope with £20k in it and asked what i could have for that.

His eyes nearly popped out of his sockets, told me i could not pay that much cash for a car but he could sort something out for me.

I looked at him and his now groveling like mad, placed the money back in my jacket and walked away back to my car.

They were both 2 paces behind me all the way. I made it clear that they were not getting my money for being the way they were.

I did then buy a very nice Disco form a little further away but they did treat me like i was there.

[Escape]

When I went to buy my new Defender in 2005, at first the salesman was very very friendly, gave me all the advice I wanted, offered a testdrive of both a 110 and a 90 and didn't push me at all.

When I had made up my mind I returned but before signing I had a few more questions about accesorries, locking diffs amongst others (back then my knowledge was limited to say the least). The saleman then became rather rude and starting telling me what options I sould and shouldn't get, without being able to explain why. Needless to say I walked away, ended up at a nearby independant for advice and was offered a much better deal as well.

As far as Toyota goes, I've had their salesmen come up to me 2 times at the Brussels Motor Show, and found them way to pushy for my taste. The second one just kept rambling on about the RAV4 and had no trouble convinving me I'd never want one.

[A Twig]

My mate's uncle was the CEO of vodafone europe. Absolutely loaded, but dressed like a right tramp when not at work.

Anyway, he decided he wanted a new Ferrari.

Walks into the showroom, and the salesman smiles condescendingly and says, "Just dreaming are we sir?"

My mate's uncle says, "No actually I want this Ferrarri, with the top interior and comfort package (about three hundred K's worth of car). And as you've been so condescending, I want all the commision to go to that other guy sat over there!"

Apparently the look on the guys face was priceless, apparently the garage operated on a couple of percent commission, so the guy lost out on six grand!

[expat69]

I have to say that I've always been lucky with the LR Dealerships...

- my local is Beadles LR in Sidcup... I get my small spare parts there (always get at least 10% off), always wander in the show room, and park my muddy Disco 1 on a regular basis between RR Vogue.. The parts manager is a great guy, most salesmen are OK

- but top mark go to James (a senior salesman) at Lancaster LR Reading... He was brilliant when i bought the yellow G4.