[archiea]

Hey gang...

seems like this forum is largely euro based, or at least fairly well represented..

I was curious as to how the euopean car buying experience is compared to the US. I;m sure you have heard how in the US, walking into a car dealership is like walking into a chimpanze cage while they are both starved and horny. I heard in europe that the floor models are specifically demonstration models, where folks are more likely to order what they want specifically. Whereas here in the states, a yank wakes up one morning, and he/she must have a car today (like that guy ordering his waldorf salad in Fawlty Towers) or else hell would be had!

Please share!

 

[Jim]

Hey gang...

seems like this forum is largely euro based, or at least fairly well represented..

I was curious as to how the euopean car buying experience is compared to the US. I;m sure you have heard how in the US, walking into a car dealership is like walking into a chimpanze cage while they are both starved and horny. I heard in europe that the floor models are specifically demonstration models, where folks are more likely to order what they want specifically. Whereas here in the states, a yank wakes up one morning, and he/she must have a car today (like that guy ordering his waldorf salad in Fawlty Towers) or else hell would be had!

Please share!

Having spent 4 years in San Diego. Buying a car in the US is like going to a supermarket for milk. And on the day you only pay a like amount.
In the UK it tends to be much more planned and prepared.
First. Look at the showroom cars. Arrange a test drive. Go away and think about what you want etc. Check around for the best price for your spec. Place order and wait for your car to arrive.
When we bought cars in US we found the salesman pounced on you & having a test drive without buying that car was almost impossible. Also you were expected to buy the car you drove. They couldn't believe that we would actually come back later after discussing the purchase amonst ourselves. They had to sell before you left or you didn't come back. We could also put down just 99$ and drive off in a new car. All in 3 to 5 hours.

I test drove an EOS in Stafford, England. Then ordered my EOS from a local French dealership. Paid a 1500Euro deposit and waited 9 weeks (2 weeks early) for car to arrive from Portugal - built to my exact spec. A much nicer experience in my opinion. You can of course buy off the salesfloor if they have the car you want - then it still can take a week before you get your car. There are now car supermarkets that use the US style of selling & immediate drive away of pre-registered cars.
Problem in UK & rest of Europe you have to have a license plate to be legal. Unlike US where a piece of paper (stuck in the rear window) is allowed until you get the plates from the DMV.

Here in France my dealer is another district to where I live. So they registered provisionally in their district my EOS so I could drive it - Ist plates. Now 2 weeks later I have plates for my own distict - 2nd plates. In 2 months time I'll have international plates - 3rd set of plates. I'm glad they put the VIN No. on the glass & not the plate number, or else I'd have a mismatch to deal with.
French plates are a bit boring after having a plate of your choice in California.

Jim.

 

[duckster1]

Waited 16 months for ours!

Gave the dealer a brochure as he didn't know anything about the car.

Dealing with VW North America is like dealing with the KGB, no information ever gets out to the public.

Cheers
duckster1
Flemington, NJ

 

[Andrew]

Jim,

A great description of how buying a car in the U.S. is. I am also not surprised by duckster's comment, the knowledge of the sales staff when it comes to the cars they sell is VERY poor. I can't count on my hands how many times I've been to a dealer and known more than the sales person.

 

[archiea]

thanks for the replies!!!

BTW how is dealer knowledge in europe compared to the US counterpart...

 

[schoolhousefred]

Not sure Canadian situation is quite the same, or if it depends on indivdual dealer. I've been to dealers who care and know their product and some that don't. My current VW dealer is very much the former ... knows his product, understands my needs and foibles, and goes out of his way to keep me happy. I would be totally unfair if I tarred him with the brush of being the "typical knows nothing" car salesman!

 

[neh321]

thanks for the replies!!!

BTW how is dealer knowledge in europe compared to the US counterpart...

Dealer knowledge in UK is almost completely non-existent. I always know more than they do, but mustn't let on otherwise they think I'm a real wise-ass. It's hard however to listen to all the crap they dish out without bursting out laughing.

 

[archiea]

Dealer knowledge in UK is almost completely non-existent. I always know more than they do, but mustn't let on otherwise they think I'm a real wise-ass. It's hard however to listen to all the crap they dish out without bursting out laughing.

yeah, they are like the idiot uncle in everyone;s family that seems to never be aware how annoying they are.. and they act like a know it all....

 

[smoggypaul]

Dealer knowledge in UK is almost completely non-existent. I always know more than they do, but mustn't let on otherwise they think I'm a real wise-ass. It's hard however to listen to all the crap they dish out without bursting out laughing.

Agreed! I refuse to deal [!!!] with our local VAG dealership, they are totally useless, and I have told them so! They still send me letters saying I am a 'valued customer', which I promptly throw in the bin! Problem is that there is a large local chain of garages, and they're all 'specialising' in different cars, and none of them know anything at all! By contrast I just received a high class invite to a Lexus 'driving' day, emphasising no selling takes place, just an opportunity to drive their cars in a country estate in Sussex. And I've never owned a Lexus in my life!! But when they finally build a car that I like, their famed Customer Service and little things like this will make it very tempting!! It isn't rocket science - they must work hard at getting things wrong!!

 

[Gavster]

In my opinion you can't tar all UK dealers with the same brush...

Yes I have been to loads of dealerships across a large number of different manufacturers that seem to have zero or very little knowledge but on the other hand I can name quite a few that really do know their stuff and will go the extra mile to help the customer, and that's both the sales people and the technical people.

 

[EOSmage]

I personally believe that every dealership has their good and bad sales people. The trick, as a potential buyer, is finding and dealing with the sales person who does know and care about what they sell. Frequently, people in sales are focused on the hard sell and a quick commission, but there is almost always a "go to guy" that everyone goes to for the answers to hard questions.

If your sales person asks to take a moment and goes to get the answer, then that's a good sign-- even if the knowledge isn't already in his head.

When they stand there and give you nothing but what they "think" is correct, it is time to run to someone else.

 

[schoolhousefred]

In my opinion you can't tar all UK dealers with the same brush...

Yes I have been to loads of dealerships across a large number of different manufacturers that seem to have zero or very little knowledge but on the other hand I can name quite a few that really do know their stuff and will go the extra mile to help the customer, and that's both the sales people and the technical people.

Well Said Gavin!
Glad somebody else agrees with point-of-view. When you find one like that, it is worth going back for repeat business. I'm working on my fourth car in five years with my current dealer .... hopefully will have one of the first Tiguan's to go along with my EOS!

 

[neh321]

UK Dealers

OK - I'll amend my post!

Knowledge of most dealers in UK is non-existent.

There are of course exceptions, but they are definitely in the minority..

 

[wwp]

American dealer

I just bought an EOS from a dealer Near Seattle, WA (at Auburn VW).

I went to the dealership, asked to see the dealer that was recommended from a buying service.

He asked what I was looking for and then pulled the keys to a couple of cars that matched those specs. I sat in one and took the other for a test drive. When I said that I would need to bring back my wife for another test drive, the dealer give me the car for the night, so that I could test drive it with her at home [note, this kind of test drive is usually done with a used model rather than a new model, as to avoid putting too many miles on a new car). The next day we test a TDI, just to see the difference. I decided that I was happy with the car that I had test drove, so I took it. In the past, when buying used cars (even from dealers), they have let me drive them off the lot to a local mechanic, who then looked over the cars for problem.

I didn't want to wait for an order, but the dealer had no issue with letting me test drive multiple cars. They do try hard to get you to buy that day, however if you leave and come back, that can used to get them to drop the price.

My experience is that most people don't want to wait for factory orders, but would rather pick them up from dealer inventory (in larger cities, there is always one dealer that is likely to have what you want in stock).

 

[Lucid Nonsense]

Interesting resurrected thread. The past year I've been on the forum, I have been curious as to why all the European folks have to order their cars, and wait so darned long. Guess that's the way the system is set up. Americans want their car right now, and salesmen can use this impulse buying tendency to their advantage.

I've only had one friend order a car in the U.S., because he wanted an oddball assortment of options that he couldn't find on the lots. This was quite a few years ago. Nowadays with the intarwebs it's easy to search dealer inventory across the country. As wwp mentioned, you can almost always find what you want.

We were prepared to drive up to Maryland to buy our Eos, but a local dealer matched the price for an identical car. Inventory that's gathering dust is a huge incentive.

 

[rcboater]

Internet buying service

I went and test drive a car at the local dealer, and then came back a few days later to drive it again with my wife. Both times, I told the sales guy that we were evaluating a few different convertibles, and wasn't ready to buy until we'd driven all the cars on our list.

Once we settled on an Eos, I decided to use the buying service.
My insurance company offered a free buying service. I entered the specs for the car I wanted, and got an email back with the price from a couple of different participating dealers. In my case, the local dealer was a participant, but a dealer a couple of hundred miles away offered a lower price. I asked my local dealer if he'd match that- and he did.

I then went in to complete the deal- I wanted a Komfort with the 6 speed-- and gave him 2 color choices. He found a car somewhere in New England, and had it on the lot for me within 5 days, ready for delivery.

Overall, I've had terrific service from my dealer- both pre- and post-sales. Minuteman Volkswagen in Bedford, Massachusetts.

 

[HighGs]

I sold cars in another life. Because I like cars, I didn't last very long. It was excruciating. What Jim writes above is true. For some dealers their ideal scenario is that you are the first dealer they visit because statistically these are the most profitable sales. They want to demo you in the car they want to put you in, and if they have too many silver cars on the lot right now, "Put them in a silver one."

Needless to say, the new car buying experience can take some of the joy out of getting a new car. I don't think this is the case with all brands, but I do think VW has problems with its dealers in the US, and I don't think they'll reach near premium status unless they invest in training with a long-term perspective.

The dealer closest to me went under new ownership a couple of years ago and I don't think they are the better for it. Their sales staff has a very high turn over. In casual chit chat, they don't know about the cars and seem to think they can tell people anything, as if people don't do their homework. I'll be surprised if I get my car there unless I walk in and they happen to have exactly what I want.

I live in a metropolitan area with several VW dealers. When I sold cars, I remember them saying "People are looking for a salesperson to put them in the car." To an extent, I think this is true. I don't buy a new car very often. If I'm going to sit down and work a deal over the course of a couple of hours, I think it should be reasonably pleasant. It doesn't' take long to size up a salesperson who will try to work you for an extra hour or two over $50. For some people, it's sport.

The business has changed a lot and sometimes I think dealers are the last one's to accept this. Even if you find a sales person who has been around a while, they may not have good people skills. (There is a salesperson on VWVortex who has nearly flamed customers on threads. Personally, I think he's foolish to negotiate deals in such a public setting.) With the last new car I bought, the nearly fuming sales manager went through a long list of additional items he'd hoped to tack on to the sale. (Undercoating in California? It was embarrassing.)

I always ask how long the person has been selling VWs. If they've been there for a couple of years and not jumped from dealer to dealer, that's a good sign that they'll last beyond their first poor month, and are interested in creating good will and getting referrals.

Fortunately, we now have car buying services. There's just no car I want badly enough to endure bad theater, especially since I've been on the other side of the fence and know the kinds of games to be played.