Purchasing Experience

[Robw]

I recently received a questionaire from Toyota UK concerning my 'Purchasing Experience' whilst ordering/buying my GT. Interestingly the salesman from whom I purchased the car has now called me on more occasions to ask whether I have filled it in than he did to impart any information to me during the whole pre-delivery period. I had to frequently call him to find out any information at all (minor details like price, delivery date, available options, servicing deals!). Additionally, the finance guy dashed through the deal and left the office so rapidly that I had to chase after him to get him to confirm my monthly payments also, when dealing with finance guys I usually check my hands after the handshake to make sure I still have my rings, watch, etc, no such problem this time, he didn't shake my hand at all! I don't expect a red carpet but £27K is a reasonable amount to spend on a car and a bit of common courtesy and a few goodies thrown in to sweeten the deal would have been appreciated.

Its about 5 weeks since I took delivery and the sheer quality of the car has made the purchase experience fade but I wonder if anyone else had similar experiences with their dealer and whether or not they have bothered to fill in the questionaire?

PS - If this thread seems familiar, it appears on the GT86 Owners Club but I thought there might be a different cross-section of owners on this site with different points of view.

[parky68]

It's all about the completed questionnaire with completely satisfied boxes ticked!! :o

[lordgrover]

Similar or worse for me.

Toyota World Bristol South are hopeless. Never again. Never.

[Qu1ckn1ck]

I pick up my March 2013 registered GT86 tomorrow after spending a year considering whether to buy one

In that period I visited 3 different Toyota Main Dealers, one on several occasions, with the following results:

One dealer ignored me completely while my wife and I showed lengthy and obvious interest in his display GT86. He was not to be lured from his inner sanctum by a mere potential customer.

One Dealer had extremely attentive staff who pounced to meet and greet but knew absolutely nothing about their display car. When asked the spec and OTR price for their display model they just read the windscreen sticker "from £24995", could not say what spec it was or what price. After the greeter asked several people around the showroom she eventually found someone who had some knowledge on pricing but was not totally sure whether display car had satnav or not.

One Dealer's salesman was attentive but knew virtually nothing about the GT86 he was selling, and the Dealers website spec for the car was not 100% correct. Seemed unaware that it was built by Subaru. When negotiating the price played all the cliched sales ploys - have to go and see my manager about that - have to ask our general manager to sanction this very special price. When asked about a Space Saver suggested a Prius one might fit.

General impression was that the GT86 was a totally alien beast to most Toyota sales staff who were far happier selling Aygo and Prius models.

[FROSTYBALLS]

Toyota dealers are always keen to have a positive result from the Toyota questionnaires which are sent out after each purchase.

At one time similar questionnaires were also sent out after each service, etc - Toyota GB told me a while ago that these are now sent out on a sample basis rather than after the majority of contacts.

[gabbott]

It sounds like the majority of us have had the same disappointing experience.

I went to my local dealership in Sidcup and had a thorough look around the car for a good 10 minutes and even sat in the car and had a read through the brochure at length waiting for one of the 3 disinterested salesmen to come over...nothing. I saw them look over but not one approached me. Eventually i'd had enough and left, I tried to book a test drive at Gillingham but at the time they did not have a car available so was forced to book in a Sidcup. I turned up for my appointment, said what i was there for and was approached by one of the salesman from earlier in the week with the greeting 'you came in the other day didn't you?' to which my reply was 'oh so you did see me then, assumed you were all busy'. But the response I got is what blew me away, I can't remember his exact wording but it was along the lines of 'because of your age I thought you'd just came in for a nose around the new car, not to buy'. I felt like kicking off, but at the time the test drive was more important. Long story short I had the test drive, sorted what options I wanted and had the finance approved etc...then went to Gillingham with all the paperwork and bought my car there from their very friendly staff. Because he thought a 21 year old was too young to buy a GT86 it lost him his commission. He called a week later and asked if I was still interested and had great pleasure telling him that I completed the deal elsewhere.

I did look at the BRZ also, but Subaru didn't even bother to ring me back to let me know when the test car was in. I hate the process of buying cars!!!

[Aceshigh84]

It annoys me too when people assume things because of how you look.

However, I have to ask - at 21, how can you afford to insure the GT 86?!

Back then, I struggled to insure a 1.4 Civic!

[Parts-King]

Epic fail!!

Never make assumptions about a customers ability to pay, however we get lots of "dreamers" coming in just to have fun in a nice car and have no intentions of buying. We are very good at weeding those people out :D:

Kingo

[gabbott]

It really got my back up, but it's not the first time that sort of thing has happened. When i was in the looking for an rx8 i was refused a test drive because the manager didn't think i was serious I can understand that you do get a lot of dreamers, but if this guy had just spent 30 seconds actually talking to me he would have realised that i was just going to sign on the dotted line.

Cars are my passion so most of my spare money goes into having what I want, much to the annoyance of my other half! Insurance isn't to bad actually, £800 last year and hoping for it to drop again this year. My rx8 cost me over £2000 when i had that so insuring the GT86 feels like a bargain now!

[Qu1ckn1ck]

I am at the opposite end of the age spectrum to you so dealers probably thought I could not afford a GT86 on my pension. Picked mine up last Wednesday from a very pleasant but totally disorganised salesman. Took an hour to complete formalities because nothing was prepared and he must have walked miles back and forward to collect another bit of paper that was needed. I was given a folder with contact names in but was not introduced to the service manager or other important contacts for a new buyer. Not shown any of the controls and so I had to ask how keyless entry/ignition worked and then call him back as I could get in and start the car but I could not let my wife in the passenger door. The "key" blippers were handed over without any key fobs attached - are they ashamed to have their name associated with the GT86 ? Pleasant salesman but a very hit or miss experience in buying my first Toyota. By contrast, my purchases from Ford and Mazda dealers over the past few years have been handled in a slick and sophisticated way and left a very good impression.

[serpentinebelt1978]

Any experience with dealers in North London? Would like to find out which I ought to avoid.