Jaguar Stealership worse than MB...

[Flash]

Went down to Jaguar Stealership in Slough on Bath Road called Starstone Burnham (few doors away from Trade Sales) - I requested a test drive of an XJ as "was" intersteted in the car as a possible purchase to replace the W203 with in the new year (when funds permit me to do so...).

The so called "Salesman" called "Gurpal" (a goggle eyed git... and looks like the character Penfold from the cartoon Danger Mouse...) came out with a bull$hit story that they did not have any demo XJ cars there and they would have to esepcially get the car in and need Management to authorise it and said that he would call me back. 1 week later now and no response I call him and ask him when is the demo car going to be avialble - he makes up an excuse that he is with customer and will call me back... So I call the same Staelership up again staright after and speak to another Sales guy and he tell sme that they have 2 demos of the modle that I was intersted in and when would i like to test drive it... and was puzzled by why Managemnt would need to authroise the demo just like I was

Anyway, after this experience the Jaguar Stealer can go and f*ck themselves and "Gurpal" AKA Penfold can go and shove his head up his a*se.... I am going to make a writte complaint to the Sales Manager and Head of Stealership

OK rant over...

At least MB Stealers never turned down demos and called back when they said they would whenever I expressed interest in their cars... even though poor after Sales expereince was not great...

 

[Ian B Walker]

The moral of your story is to stick with Mb maybe?

 

[SportsCoupeRich]

Send a written complaint to Baron Von Greenback. Maybe he will pump penfold off for you?

 

[Flash]

The moral of your story is to stick with Mb maybe?

At ths rate i'm not ruling the possibilty out now... VW/Audi were c*ap/$hit too.... i'm serious too... I will just have to make sure that if I do go with MB again then that my techie friend works on the car specifically (for servicing/warranty work) or one of his mates at the Stealership...

 

[Flash]

Send a written complaint to Baron Von Greenback. Maybe he will pump penfold off for you?

 

[Bobby Dazzler]

Car dealers never take me seriously. Either ignore me or fob me off. Repeatedly. I'm fairly young but surely that's no reason to take me seriously?? I'd love to know how Maff gets on!!

Before we bought the ML I called into our Porsche Centre to get bumf on Cayenne. Made a mess of trying to get though the revolving door, at which point 6 sales peope - yes 6 - sniggered. They were all stood together near the information desk. I walked over said hello, and asked if I could get some information on Cayenne. One opened the cupboard, handed be a brochure, and not one said a word.

Called in again to look around a Cayenne in the flesh, and after 30 minutes absoloutely no attempt to ask if we needed any help. I understand if they're busy, but would at least expect a gesture or nod to show they know I'm there.

After we bought the ML, I went back and the sales men were all over me, offering test drives and saying how cute my daughter was. The only difference was the first two times I rocked up in a V-reg Omega, the third time in a new ML. Maybe things would have been different if they'd been civil first time, perhaps my wife would be driving Cayenne now??

 

[SEM]

Got to say i went to the Audi Dealers to look at the TT, whoooaahh female sales coming at me from every angle, still did'nt buy one. Thanks for the info on Jag dealers will be seeing what they are like with my Brother when he takes a look/test drive if it gets that far.

 

[mobeyone]

think maff pulling up in his cl55, 65 or range rover will have them bending over backwards to help him!

 

[Ashley]

In the summer of 2002 my farther and I where retuning form our local dump, we where we our rascal and had been working all day stripping out my sisters house she had just brought and where in overalls and covered in dust. My farther said “let’s pop into the Rover garage I want to have a look at the mg 75”.

I have never been treated in such a manner in all life I was appalled by the ostentatious sales man. One comment to my farther was this car is over 20k. After a few more comments like that we walked out in disgust. Coincidently he brought a XJR in the end the next year, and I have to say Dobson’s near Kendal are brilliant nothing has ever been to much for them, when it went for it’s service they brought him a XJ and not the cheapest car in stock like Mercedes do. His car delayed by 4 weeks and they give him a old shape XJ until his was delivered, this was not prompted but entirely of the dealers own back when they telephoned to tell him of the delay.

 

[Rose Chap]

Sorry to hear of your experiences. I've been in that Jaguar dealership - was contemplating the idea of a used XJ8 for a while - and they were incredibly polite and helpful. I really wasn't pushing for a test drive, yet they sorted me out a drive in a suitable vehicle within a few days and were the model of efficiently, politeness and professionalism.

I'm not an old git (unless 28 is old) so they certainly weren't prejudiced against age.

I remain tempted by Jaguars, and when I do come to buy one that dealership will be the first place I go back to.

 

[Ashley]

A bit of a follow on, I treat ever customer the same regardless of anything. What this often doses mean is I end up doing daft things like having a coffee with someone for ½ hour when I have jobs to be getting on with thus adding to my work day. Now strangely I do not really care about sales but this is my manner I have time for anyone and everyone.

 

[Flash]

I do look young (26) but I was dressed in smart casual wear and went to the Stealership in my Dad's W220 S500 (as I no longer currently have a car after mine was written off...). The second Sales person that I spoke to at the Slough Jaguar Staelership to enquire abot the car even had the cheek to ask what I did for a living on the telphone when he was puzzeled by the story after I had explained to him the situation with "Penfold"...

Anyway, as far as I'm concerned its Jaguar's loss as come the new year I will be buying my dream machine (but am still undecided BUT it will def not be a Jaguar...)

 

[fuzzer]

go buy a bmw , stop getting ripped off by mb prices !!

 

[A-AvantGarde]

go buy a bmw , stop getting ripped off by mb prices !!

Don't do it!

Some dealers / salesman are very judgmental. I wouldn't take too much offence when they ask what you do, they're also likley to ask what you're driving at the moment.

They're just trying to figure out how good a prospect you are. They probably to get a lot of dreamers. I guess it also depends how their target looks for the month. Anyway it's there loss (or the salesmans loss) for not treating you better.

It's sad how much difference the car you turn up in makes, but that's the reality, we judge people within the first few seconds. Most salesman look out as you approach and from when you get out of your car. My bro took a mates Ferrari 360 to check out an SL55 recently, they couldn't do enough for him.

I went to Jaguar in Slough to look at the X-Type before buying the C320 and they weren't too helpful either. However Jaguar House in Liverpool couldn't try any harder. When Road Range Mercedes and Mann Island Porsche were on the same site in Liverpool I used to get 5 star treatment as most of the people there knew my Dad. Used to be great rolling up (as a student) in Dad's W140 to have a look around Porsches & AMG Mercs with mates and getting saluted by the security guard :bannana:

Okay stuff like this ruins your experience with a brand, but seriously try another dealer if you are keen on a particular car. If it doesn't look good at the next place then go elsewhere.

 

[SilverSaloon]

when i was changing from my CLK to my current car, i went to a garage (not a main dealer) that sold "prestiege cars", jags, merc, bmw, audis etc etc only....

i was not in the CLK at the time, i was in the citroen picasso as my wife and newborn were out for the day shopping. Drove past the garage and noticed the 7series and a S class, both approx 28k each. I parked over the road and went to take a look on the forecourt as my wife fed our son in the car. took a look round and went in and asked for the keys to the W220. He comes out and starts chatting, sounds fine. I sit in the car and then ask to see the 7 series. he gets keys, i sit in, like it so ask for a test drive. he says "no, pay deposit 1st then test drive it". i say no, not doing that, want to drive the car 1st. he still says no as bascailly calls me a timewaster. wife comes along with baby... he then has no problems with a test drive. ok, i do look young (i'm 26 but i suppose i look early 20s). he offered me a crap trade in on the clk so i went elsewhere anyway, but its pretty bad u cant look at something u want to buy, even if u have the money.

 

[SG CL500]

Never really had any trouble while I was looking at a Maz 3200, Jag XKR or the CL - even though I was turning up in an ancient Honda Accord at the time - but I always did my research and asked loads of questions before even getting in the car.

The only time I have had difficulty was recently when I went looking at an Exige (in the CL) and was utterly ignored - lost sales opportunity there fellas.

 

[grober]

Women sales "persons" BETTER??

I think good Salesmen are born to it. They have to be a "people person" and able to cultivate an enthusiasm for the product they are selling. You can pick the good ones out a mile away. You should leave a dealership with a smile on your face whether you buy the car or not. It should be a pleasant entertaining experience rather than ordeal to be endured. In my experience many car sales people are lazy, venal, poorly educated, unprofessional and badly in need of a sense of humour transplant. They may be under pressure to reach sales targets but they certainly wont sell cars by ignoring potential customers. On a more optimistic note I have found that women sales" persons" are far more helpful and professional in their approach. Maybe I'm a sucker for a pretty face but thats been my experience. maybe I,ll start a poll but I WILL HAVE TO LEARN HOW FIRST?

 

[Kinky]

I was turned off Jags altogether - by the very same dealer!

I was looking to get an XJ so popped down to see them, as they were just around the corner from work - and I've never been so appaulingly treated as I was then.

So I decided that I'd never have one - so went to Octagon in Bracknell to talk about the Lexus. Extreme opposite in treatment - even though I was in jeans/unshaven, long hair and mid-20s.

Even though it was about 12 years ago I've never been back to a Jag dealer since, and won't be.

K

 

[Ian B Walker]

With regard to judging people, I, at one time, was a salesman for an International Welding Company. I had a customer who would throw money at me whenever I called, naturally he was visited one a month. I had another customer who would only purchase once a year and not a huge order to boot, so I only called on him once a year. Customer "A" went bankrupt, lost revenue. Customer "B" won a contract with an Aircraft Engine Manufacturer. I wanted some of this business, but could I get it, no way. The moral is, never judge a book by its cover and treat everyone as equal.

 

[Mambo]

go buy a bmw , stop getting ripped off by mb prices !!

I have nothing but praise for the BMW dealers I have experienced so far.

The same cannot be said for my experience of MB dealerships.

Latest experience was this....

I went in to a dealership a couple of weeks ago to arrange a test drive of an A Class for the missus (this is when I still had the C43). Walked round a bit and asked one of the sales guy if he had any demo cars in. He said he did, but they were all out at the moment as they belonged to the body shop and he would give me a call to arrange later in the week. Fair enough I thought, and wandered out.

A week went by with no phone call so I called back and spoke to the same sales guy again. Seemingly he had forgotten about our conversation, but said he would check the rota and give me call back.

Nothing, not a whisper. I was dressed like a tramp when I went in (jeans and a hooded top) but to be honest, that shouldn't have made a difference....

So once we get rid of the Mini in the summer we will be looking at a Golf now instead. Shame really.