Name the Dealer

[Guest]

Maybe my experience is influenced by avoiding peak times. I don't go on a Saturday.
If you can nip out for a few hours in the afternoon it is a lot easier. I talked to them about it, and they recognise that it is difficult to give as good a customer service as they would like on Saturdays. At the moment most are busy due to the March registrations.
I guess from their perspective it is difficult to get the stafffing levels right given that you never know quite how many people will come in at any given time. I have been the only person in the showroom a few times.

In fairness I got ignored by BMW and a friend got ignored by Jaguar. Although I was in Jag dealer on a Saturday afternoon in December and got their undivided attention, although I was the only person there.

(Edited to convert to proper English)

 

[Mark_Bennett]

You could be right Stuart. We could only go on a Saturday unfortunately.
But it is no excuse for some of the things we have seen here on this thread.
We were kept waiting for an hour after our test drive before someone could be bothered to take our deposit out of our eager little hands.
I think we were almost the only people there at the time.
We have also been the only ones in the showroom - and one Salesman said he was too busy...[&:] He played with his computer for half an hour before he was finally ready to talk to us.

Calling people back when they are less busy in the week might help if they can't cope on a Saturday - but seems to be in the minority.

 

[Mark_Bennett]

We were ignored by Ford (Claire was looking at a Ka)

We have also never heard back about the test drive of the Punto HGT we asked for, when we talked to a FIAT salesman about trading up from our Seicento Sporting (bought because we couldn't get the Ford people to talk to us).

I hate buying cars.

 

[Guest]

He played with his computer for half an hour before he was finally ready to talk to us.

That's what I do at work[]
Don't want to get stressed out, there's European working directives you know.

 

[gaxor]

I seem to have the opposite problem. Everytime I go to Mid Sussex OPC for a service I come out with a new car [] - much to the wife's amusement

 

[Mark_Bennett]

"Why do you want it serviced Sir ? - You can have this lovely new one instead..."
[]

 

[gaxor]

Precisely!!

Well more of a "You don't wan't that old 996 C2 what you need is a Turbo"

 

[Guest]

This is my current predicament.
I was informed today there is a build slot for May/June so I barely have to wait, I could spec it and have one in time for the summer.
Just like with my current car, fate is conspiring to entice me to spend more money.

 

[daro911]

ORIGINAL: Stuart Martin

This is my current predicament.
I was informed today there is a build slot for May/June so I barely have to wait, I could spec it and have one in time for the summer.
Just like with my current car, fate is conspiring to entice me to spend more money.

Hold fire they are shifting the last of the old models to you and current Porsche sales stateside and fatherland are dire .... How much discount did they offer sir I rest my case hold onto your folding

 

[Mark_Bennett]

there is a build slot for May/June

So someone else cancelled then?

 

[Guest]

Financials are TBD, but discount is a banned word. Keeps the residuals up though.

Whilst 911 sales are not as strong as they have been, the official line is that they are still OK, and that the last couple of years have been exceptional and not a true reflection on what is a stable long term sales volume.

The line I have been told by different OPCs is that the turbo will run for some time in parallel with the 997. This is what happened alledgedly with the 996, where the 993 turbo sold in parallel. They also say the introduction of the 997 turbo is some way (i.e. years) away. Bear in mind the 997 does not officially exist - whilst you can put your name down with your friendly OPC they can't officially take a deposit on it yet. When it will be announced is unclear, sometime in the next 5 months I would guess.

There is also talk of a run-out model of the 996 turbo, the turbo S, as I mentioned on the turbo forum. The spec for this is not confirmed, and there is no definite word about whether this will actually occur, although again you can put your name (but no deposit) down against it, should it occur. If it did it would be in the next 6-12 months, I guess.

It might be interesting to have a 996 turbo to tide me over till the 997 turbo arrives. Then again, I could not bother with the whole thing and drive the current C4S till the 998 arrives (which may well have quite a bit more firepower), although this will be 3 or 4 years away.

 

[Paul Judge]

Yes Mark and dont like what I am reading!!

 

[Mark_Bennett]

Well, at least the dealers reading this have an idea what to do to improve things (like actually taking money from people when they are desperately trying to buy cars[])

I'm really glad to see the efforts being made at Reading. I was delighted with the positive experience that George and Peter (both sadly not there anymore) created whenI bought my car there, after cancelling with Guildford. And I'm very pleased to see Reading making leaps forward with the events put on recently for the club. Going by the above posts Guildford are keeping people buying cars happy these days.
So is it just northern OPC's that don't want to sell cars these days?

 

[timhum2002]

Just to say that deposits are now being taken for the 997. I had a call two weeks ago to confirm my interest in the new model and ask for a cheque.

Tim

 

[BrianJ]

I agree with Dawn about OPC Colchester - I did not buy from them but their service guys are just great. Make me feel like a very valued customer and are excellent ambassadors of the marque.

 

[kitchens]

The problem is worse north of the border . I went into our local OPC some 6 months ago with the intention of buying a new Boxster 550 but it had to be a tiptronic . As he had no tips to let me drive he said he would get a car sent up from Reading for me to test as they can loan cars to OPC for this purpose. Iam still waiting for the phone call to say they have a car ,this is not what I call service and they know that I am a PCGB member you would have though they would have tried a bit harder.The other week whilst passing the same dealer I went in to see about booking in my 993 for a big service , as a canny Scot always looking for the best price I asked them to call me back with a price ,as being a PCGB member you usualy get a discount .Yes you've guessed it still waiting for the phone call.
Brian Wood Regional Organiser Scotland O1