Car Sales continue to fall

[Deleted member 149005]

'Paltry' UK car sales deepen industry gloom

After my recent experience of trying to buy a new car, I'm not surprised. None of the 5 garages I visited (2 were MB) had any idea about how to sell a car...

- 2 pre booked test drives didn't occur because either the salesman or the car weren't available
- a test drive on a 500 mile demo car revealed a shocking vibration from a front wheel (possibly a wheel bearing) which the garage knew about but couldn't be bothered to fix
- 1 dealer tried to sell me a 18 month old car for more than he had quoted on car wow for a new, better spec, car
- 1 asked if I was buying for my "good lady"....


I settled for used and even then the salesman was an hour late for a pre booked collection time and then told me he had fitted a new set of mats...which judging from the wear on the back, were clearly used and from another car...

 

[whitenemesis]

Not a good experience by any measure.
That said my experience of specifying, ordering and collecting two new cars from Lexus was a total dream and hassle free.
Obviously Lexus has a much smaller market share but the support and customer service is exemplary ...

 

[Deleted member 149005]

I was sorely tempted by a Lexus RC200T...
But being a 2 door, the doors were just a bit too big to fit in the car park at work...and I’d forgotten about the luxury car VED surcharge for 5 years..

 

[whitenemesis]

But being a 2 door, the doors were just a bit too big to fit in the car park at work

Yup, the doors are wide and I have to be, erm, selfish in my parking, or I just can't get out, or worse, back in!!

 

[markjay]

I have bought cars in the past from main dealers (new) and from car supermarkets (used).

Car supermarkets have no showrooms, just hangars full of cars for you to choose from. Frills are neither offered nor expected. Prices are low and non negotiable. And they have never lied to me either... they just shrug things off and say 'it is what it is'. Which is fair enough. I find the process to be much more straightforward this way.

Yes, I would be willing to pay a bit more for a more personal service, but given that good salespeople and good dealerships are few and far between (our very own JBD excepted), I'd rather pay Ryanair fares and fly Ryanair, than pay Emirates fare but still fly Ryanair.........