Barking mad or beautiful? A Porsche might fit the bill...

[Bobby Dazzler]

I do seem to have a hankering for a Porsche that I've yet to satisfy, and so having been invited to the Cayenne launch this evening I thought it a better alternative to half listening to Eastenders.

Porsche know how to put on a bash. Food and drinks were abundant and of the very finest quality - the food was seriously good, in fact the best catering I've ever experienced - anywhere and any occasion.

All the staff - from Porsche GB MD to the catering staff, and from the franchisee to the lad from parts were ultimately professional, courteous and a pleasure to talk to. The franchise FD was great fun too.

Top marks so far then. But what stood out even more that the food & friendliness was the type of people in attendance. I've never been in a place with so many beautiful people - nor so many completely insane people - at the same time. It was just like how I imagine fashion week...

60 year old women with high gloss red shoes, stockings, black mini-skirt and black top. 60 year old men with tartan trousers and bleached goatey beards. Everybody made an effort - apart from the Dazzlers who rocked up in the same clothes we'd have worn had Eastenders won the toss.

Is it the brand and the cars that attract barking mad and the beautiful, or are they just party-people that will be at the opening night of the new Department Store, Restaurant, Art Gallery, etc - and it just happened to be Porsche tonight?

 

[imadoofus]

Is it the brand and the cars that attract barking mad and the beautiful, or are they just party-people that will be at the opening night of the new Department Store, Restaurant, Art Gallery, etc - and it just happened to be Porsche tonight?

Only you can answer that, Bobby. How did you come by your invitation? That's what will give you an idea of the connection between all these people.

Are they part of your world, or are you part of theirs?

PJ

 

[stats007]

60 year old women with high gloss red shoes, stockings, black mini-skirt and black top. 60 year old men with tartan trousers and bleached goatey beards.

I thought that was par for the course in the Midlands?

Porsche have some of the strictest auditing rules in the business when it comes to presentation and service. I know one centre failed because a tree wasn't straight outside - the auditor told them they'd failed as soon as he walked through the door .

 

[BenzComander]

Remember a few years ago, when we were running a 944, that we managed to get an invite to an open day at our local Porsche dealership (Was a member of the owners club!!)

Distinctly them and us attitude at the dealership, split between the front engined cars and our aircooled friends!

Still eat all their nice food, and managed to get a test drive in a 911 Turbo!!

 

[Bobby Dazzler]

I thought that was par for the course in the Midlands?

Funny you should say that, there showed a short clip with the bloke who designed it describing the perfect Cayenne in his eyes. It was a Turbo, with privacy glass, privacy glass, 21 inch wheels and black leather. After the clip the Porsche GB MD passed a comment that they'll only ever sell a car with that spec in Solihull or Wilmslow!!

 

[Bobby Dazzler]

Only you can answer that, Bobby. How did you come by your invitation? That's what will give you an idea of the connection between all these people.

Are they part of your world, or are you part of theirs?

PJ I suspect I was in their world for the night!! Although we may be granted honorary status as Mrs D is beautiful and I'm not far off bonkers!!

We were invited having expressed an interest in the Cayenne for Mrs D.

There were some seriously nice cars on the car park - lots of current-shape Cayennes, and 911s. Of the non-Porsches, the number of RR Sports and LR3s stood out - but you'd expect that it Land Rover country (Solihull). Our ML was probably the oldest and lowest-value car there!! I reckon the bloke with the Conti GTC deliberately blocked someone in so he'd be called over the PA system!!

I've been told on three separate occasions by three separate people that Porsche vet potential customers very tightly too - not just the inclination of the trees - mainly related to the car(s) you already drive. That probably explains why the first Porsche Centre shoo-ed me away when I first tried to buy one a few years ago, because the car I arrived in.

 

[Flash]

I have been invited to a couple of MB launches and they too had food/wine/champagne etc. and everyone just goes "dressed to kill" and attract attention and to be the centre of attention.

 

[Flash]

I've been told on three separate occasions by three separate people that Porsche vet potential customers very tightly too - not just the inclination of the trees - mainly related to the car(s) you already drive. That probably explains why the first Porsche Centre shoo-ed me away when I first tried to buy one a few years ago, because the car I arrived in.

That's there loss so don't worry about it.

I had the same treatment from a Jaguar/BMW stealer (don’t now why I even bothered as they don't do even make any nice cars anyway but I was looking to turn away from MB brand at the time). However, I turned up in brand new S Class (my Dad's).

 

[imadoofus]

I've been told on three separate occasions by three separate people that Porsche vet potential customers very tightly too - not just the inclination of the trees - mainly related to the car(s) you already drive. That probably explains why the first Porsche Centre shoo-ed me away when I first tried to buy one a few years ago, because the car I arrived in.

That really irritates me, and I've said as much to the General Managers of more than one dealership.

I could afford, for example, a new Porsche if I so chose, but I don't. Having said which, occasionally I take a look around to see what the marklet has on offer. Because I roll up in a twelve year old Mercedes or an old Triumph or something, I get ignored. These days I think it's very short-sighted of dealers to judge a book by its cover.

But then again, if those are the values by which they live, then I wouldn't want to associate with them anyway.

PJ

 

[Bobby Dazzler]

Because I roll up in a twelve year old Mercedes or an old Triumph or something, I get ignored. These days I think it's very short-sighted of dealers to judge a book by its cover.

But then again, if those are the values by which they live, then I wouldn't want to associate with them anyway.

With you on that.

We rocked up in an Omega - quiet wet Saturday afternoon, with a sleeping baby in the back, and a slightly scruffy driver (moi) - and five salesman completely ignored me - didn't say a word, not one. Just handed me a brochure. Strange, I went back a few weeks later after we had bought the ML, and one of the same salesman was offering test drives, telling me how beautiful Baby D was, and all sorts. The driver was still scruffy, the baby was still asleep in the back, and the only difference apart from the weather was the car I arrived in.

I must say the Porsche dealer in Solihull which I'm talking to at the moment is world away from that, and highly recommended based on my experience so far.

I remember calling into a VW dealer in the centre of Birmingham, and asking for a brochure on the Golf GTi 16v. IIRC I was 15. The guy couldn't help enough and even asked if I wanted to have a test drive. When I said I wasn't old enough to drive and I just wanted the brochure to show my Dad, he was cool. He said you never know who's in a position to buy these days, and normally the people with the spiel waste a salesmans time, and the unassuming ones often surprise by buying there and then!!

What some sales people forget is that those that are not in a position to buy today, might tomorrow.

 

[imadoofus]

I must say the Porsche dealer in Solihull which I'm talking to at the moment is world away from that, and highly recommended based on my experience so far.

I'd better steer clear then Having said "I choose not to", I might change my mind if they were nice to me

PJ

 

[Rose Chap]

What some sales people forget is that those that are not in a position to buy today, might tomorrow.

That is very, very true. For a brief time before I considered the CLK I hankered after a Jaguar XJ8. I stopped in the dealership in Slough one day on the way home from the chocolate factory and enquired as to whether much of what I was after (some way off the shiny stuff in their showroom) passed through the dealership.

The staff and sales guys could not have been nicer. They were honest, down to earth, and offered me a test drive of a car that was double what I said I wanted to spend, just to see if I liked it (naturally I did).

Its created warm and fuzzy feelings about the marque I still have.

 

[Robthedog]

Dealers in general......

Im also from midlands also from Coventry and also could afford a posh beetle if i chose. More from curiosity than anything else i turned up at my local Porche dealer, the first thing that came out of thesalesmans grinning mouth was "looking for a performance car this time around".
This was not a good start to our relationship.
Especially when i pointed out that in real terms my 388 horsepower CLK 500 was more powerfull and quicker in the gears than the 2002 Carreara 4 he was leaning on, plus it was a real 4 seater and more economical as well. (I chose not to mention that fact that i had recently spent half the price that the said carreara was up for). 'In fact thinking about it i don't know why i stopped here' then i got back in my car and drove off with a purr and a growl, in style and grace which no flat 6 could ever do.

RtD

 

[Oli]

I like the 911 but if it were me I would buy an RR over a Cayenne every time, I know it isn't quite as fast but I much prefer the looks and the interior.

 

[corned]

No, they're not beautiful, and yes, you'd have to be barking mad.



The only car uglier than the Cayenne is the Panamera, which looks like a Cayenne that someone trod on.

 

[ewans]

What some sales people forget is that those that are not in a position to buy today, might tomorrow.

Quarterly driven sales targets push people towards the "quick sale" or "sure thing" approach i guess, we are the same at my work - pick the lowest hanging fruit and all that.

I had the same experience twice with the same independent dealer (voted autotraders best Scottish independent) here in Glasgow, they have ammmmmmmmmazin' stock with all the top brands but every time i turn up intent on buying a car they give me the impression its an inconvenience to them I’m there... i am a scruffy bugger to be fair

Upshot, bought elsewhere but at what point do you swallow your pride and ask please will you sell me a car! sometimes, especially up north, you just don’t have any option but to put up with ****ty dealers attitude.

 

[horsesuitedfool]

No, they're not beautiful, and yes, you'd have to be barking mad.



The only car uglier than the Cayenne is the Panamera, which looks like a Cayenne that someone trod on.

I thought that about the Panamera, i thought it was nasty, until i went and looked at one and found it is actually quite nice in the flesh!! I really liked it......And i like the Cayenne too, i cant see what people dislike in the Cayenne, aside from it being a 4x4, i cant see the difference really between the looks of the Cayenne and the ML, X5 etc etc

 

[corned]

I went past a Panamera on the M1 a couple of weeks ago. Besides being sat in the middle lane which I suppose is mandatory for such a vehicle, I was very surprised at how ludicrously bulky it looked. This is why I mentioned the Cayenne - it really did look like a squashed version of one.

I know they say that things look better in the flesh. Err - no. Not in this case. Only IMHO of course.

 

[horsesuitedfool]

I went past a Panamera on the M1 a couple of weeks ago. Besides being sat in the middle lane which I suppose is mandatory for such a vehicle, I was very surprised at how ludicrously bulky it looked. This is why I mentioned the Cayenne - it really did look like a squashed version of one.

I know they say that things look better in the flesh. Err - no. Not in this case. Only IHMO of course.

Yes, each to their own i guess!! I liked it because of its bulky presence on the road

 

[corned]

It certainly has presence - I'll give it that!

But thereby have you hit on the problem (for me at least); since when have Porsches supposed to be bulky? They were all about being exactly the opposite - lithe and nimble and manoeuvrable. Ask Jimmy Dean!!!