[damianmkv]

In my desperate attempt to find a dealer within 20 miles of home who has a facelifted A3 to drive, yesterday I went to Walton-on-Thames Audi. I asked if they had an A3 sportback diesel to test drive. "Yes" he replied " we have a 2 litre"

me - "Excellent, is it the facelifted model"

Audi - "no - but its the same engine"

me - " no its not, its the same size but not the same engine"

Audi - " Its the same engine"

me - " no its not. The new one is supposed to be quieter, has a DPF and lower emissions"

Audi - " thats the engine in the new A4. But we do have a 2 litre 3 dr you could test drive"

me - " excellent, is it diesel ? "

Audi " errr....no"

silence

me " OK, well what about delivery dates ? "

Audi " Feb / March 2009 "

me " even for the 140 TDi ? "

Audi " Yes, you see no-one ordered a pre-facelift model and now everyone wants one so delivery is 6 months "

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH ! ffs - why don't you know anything about the product you're selling ??? What is wrong with these people ??

Am off to talk to Audi to see if there is any dealer who does have a car I can drive...

 

[davemk]

Hahaha, it's laughable!

I've had a few conversations like that recently. I'm sure one the sales guys I spoke to had amnesia. I'm sure he asked me "What model are you interested in?" 5 or 6 times within 10 minutes. He also tried to tell me that the most recent A3 was a completely new model and didn't know the answer to a lot of the questions I asked.

One guy didn't know that the new 140 had a DPF fitted. To his credit, he went off to double check that I was correct and held his hands up when he came back. To be fair to him, it was the only question he didn't know the answer to though. Asked him about DPF issues and he admitted there were a few instances of the emissions lights coming on. Most seem to deny it happens at all.

 

[damianmkv]

I also asked about prices and this guy simply pointed to the OTR price...I said I know what the OTR price is but I want to know what discount you're offering...and he looked at me as if I'd just said " blah blah blah blah blah"

At no point did he ask what specs I wanted either...

 

[davemk]

It's nonsense mate. Some of the sales staff are quite obnoxious.

I also asked about discount and told the guy I can get 11.4% from a broker and he told me to "buy it from there then"! Nice attitude. []

 

[ramezk]

Sales is one thing - But what about the technical side?

I asked mine about some OBDII related issues and the basically blagged it, didnt answer my questions, then left.

 

[Sem]

I asked a dealer if they had a Phantom Black S-line facelift, they said yes so I took a drive over to take a look - when I struggled to find it I asked to be shown where it was - turns out it was a Brilliant Black pre-facelift.

 

[davemk]

Was that Wolves, Sem?

 

[Sem]

No, it was Birmingham!

 

[davemk]

Oh, thought that might have been the reason for your falling out with the salesman in Wolves.

 

[Sem]

No, that was because he didn't return calls and I (the customer) had to chase them for quotes - when I finally got a call back I told him to stick it, plus the deal/discount he was offering was poor.

 

[davemk]

Oh yes, I remember you saying you were having troubles with them not calling you back. If it's any consolation, you're not alone. They did it to me too.

A mate was asking whether I'd bought a new car yet and I told him that Wolves were useless and he told me he'd also had the same experience. Makes you wonder how they sell any cars.

They're going to have to improve....have you seen the size of the new Benhams over the road? Looks like they're having a forecourt on the roof!

 

[CkB]

It's like my experience with Audi, they are USELESS. VW are better (having dealt with two dealers from different groups in both cases).

Nightmare.

C

 

[davelincs]

i bought mine from Lincoln Audi, Although this is my first audi i did a bit of research before i purchased the car, the salesman answered all of my questions, he was not pushy,or obnoxious, when we did the deal he gave me a date to pick the car up, he rang me three days before and then the day before i picked the car up,

he could not of been more helpful, i even sent head man at Lincoln audi an email and asked them to pass on my thanks on to the salesman , to which i have had a reply,

i will be using this dealer again if or when i buy another audi

 

[stevee]

Its the service department that i find that have not got a single clue what you are talking about!

 

[dougall]

i think this is just customer facing people in general, if possible you wanna try and get hold of one of the techs,

ill happily chat to customers about the workingss of a dpf if they want to be bored for half an hour. whereas the service and parts people are just wanna be failed mechanics [:#][]

 

[davelincs]

i have never spoken with the service dept yet, hopefully the first time i speak to them will be when the car wants a service

 

[stevee]

where do you work dougall? I do all the services and jobs myself so just see the parts dept.

 

[dougall]

im now at a vauxhall/ chevvy([+o(]) dealership in salford

 

[damianmkv]

Chevy has one "v" hehe!!

 

[stevee]

cant believe the longlife service intervals on the insignia! Isnt it 30k?