Extended Test Drives...

[bjw]

I had a test drive in a Honda today. The experience was so much better than the Toyota garage just across the road.

"Here's the keys sir - do you want more diesel put in? - come back when you are ready."

I couldn't believe it - an unaccompanied test drive for pretty much as long as I wanted and I didn't even have to ask. Pity the FR-V I was driving wasn't to my taste. Hopefully the new Accord that is coming in a few weeks will be better.

As I said much earlier on in this thread.......................That is exactly what happens to me at the Toyota Centre that I deal with.

Miriagon, you appear to be turning this into a "Knock the Toyota Dealer" thread.

Good Toyota dealers do exist and there are many satisfied and extreemly happy Toyota Owners within this club with some very positive attitude toward their dealers. This positive attitude is usually reciprocated with mutual respect.

Please do not come on this Toyota Owners forum with such a negative attitude and expect everyone to agree with you.

From your previous posts you appear (IMO) to be very undecided about what you really want. Maybe if you kept a more open mind when visiting various dealers it would help you in your quest for your ultimate car. :)

I do not see were you find his posts negative or anti Toyota??? he has an opinion which he gave and which he is entitled to do so !!!

You get good Toyota dealers and bad Toyota dealers just the same as you get good Honda dealers and bad Honda dealers .

I think your comments were a bit over the top

Sorry that you think my comments over the top............................But

"Thankfully another Toyota garage has offered an extended drive next weekend although I'm now having second thoughts about the Avensis so probably won't take up the offer. After the problem with my local garage I started thinking about other marques."...............is a negative comment.

" However making the new Avensis look worse than the old model is going to take some doing even for a modern day car designer!...........................is a negative and anti Toyota comment

"The experience was so much better than the Toyota garage just across the road."...............is an anti Toyota comment.

My comments to Miriagon still stand as I feel that he has come on a Toyota Owners Club Forum and openly criticised the marque and its dealers..............................His criticism IMO needed a reply

I have merely pointed out to him that many of us Toyota owners have built up a very good relationship with our dealers and receive excellent service from them.

I fully agree with you that you can get good and bad in all dealers. This has been pointed out to Miriagon by several posters on this topic.

It will be interesting to see which way he jumps with his £20K :)

I do see were you are coming from ---------------- but

"Thankfully another Toyota garage has offered an extended drive next weekend although I'm now having second thoughts about the Avensis so probably won't take up the offer. After the problem with my local garage I started thinking about other marques."...............is a negative comment.

I think this comment is just critical of a very poor Toyota dealer !!! and the comments that he is having second thoughts and started thinking about other marques is to be honest is what I would expect any car buyer to do when he has £20,000 to spend on a motor vehicle

However making the new Avensis look worse than the old model is going to take some doing even for a modern day car designer[/i

he also made the comment

However any new model is likely to have teething problems. Also sometimes a new model can be worse than the model it replaces. This was the case between the old Mk2 Golf and the Mk3

This sometimes does happen but "beauty is always in the eye of the beholder " I myself find the Avensis a really classy looking car but that is just my opinion

"The experience was so much better than the Toyota garage just across the road."...............

From reading of his experience with the above garage I am not surprised he made that comment !!! if a dealer gives good service they should be praised !! if a dealer gives bad service he should be named and shamed

With time motor manufacturing moves on and each time you change your car you have to look at the market again and see what is available this is not an anti Toyota statement but once Toyota were leading the way but now other manufacturers have caught up .

When I change my vehicle in the future if Toyota do not produce a diesel car with an Auto box I will also have to look at other options ( And don't suggest the MMt :D :D )

[Red Yaris 54]

( And don't suggest the MMt :D :D )

Whyever not?? ;)

It would be an excellent choice for you ;)

(Runs and hides from incoming flames)

[bjw]

( And don't suggest the MMt :D :D )

Whyever not?? ;)

It would be an excellent choice for you ;)

(Runs and hides from incoming flames)

I don't want to disappoint you :D

[Red Yaris 54]

( And don't suggest the MMt :D :D )

Whyever not?? ;)

It would be an excellent choice for you ;)

(Runs and hides from incoming flames)

I don't want to disappoint you :D

You never do :P ;)

[bilbo--baggins]

I was nearly put off buying a Toyota by my local dealer. My previous car was a Citroen, and I hated my Citroen dealership which was one reason for looking for another brand (also wanted something better quality this time...).

First I rang asking if I could arrange a test drive, they said someone would call me back. They didn't. So I went in and spoke to someone. They didn't have the model I was interested in, but they told me they would ring the following day to let me know when it would be available. They didn't. So I rang back, and fortunately the car was now there, so I went in to test drive it (only for about an hour). I was buying a used car, 1-2 years old. They didn't have the spec I wanted, but said they would ring me a the end of the week to let me know if they had found anything suitable. They didn't ring.

Incidentally, they didn't even know that Toyota did an iPod kit (mind you, I don't think there is any info about it on Toyota UK's web site either...).

In the end I bought one from another Toyota dealer. Now I have the dilemma of deciding where to get it serviced. Just because my local dealers sales department are rubbish, is it worth travelling further afield for servicing...

I could very easily have decided to look at other brands if I was the kind of person that wasn't willing to look beyond my local dealers. My Dad uses a Toyota dealer in Hampshire that he says are fantastic. That's one of the reasons I started looking into Toyotas in the first place.

[bjw]

I was nearly put off buying a Toyota by my local dealer. My previous car was a Citroen, and I hated my Citroen dealership which was one reason for looking for another brand (also wanted something better quality this time...).

First I rang asking if I could arrange a test drive, they said someone would call me back. They didn't. So I went in and spoke to someone. They didn't have the model I was interested in, but they told me they would ring the following day to let me know when it would be available. They didn't. So I rang back, and fortunately the car was now there, so I went in to test drive it (only for about an hour). I was buying a used car, 1-2 years old. They didn't have the spec I wanted, but said they would ring me a the end of the week to let me know if they had found anything suitable. They didn't ring.

Incidentally, they didn't even know that Toyota did an iPod kit (mind you, I don't think there is any info about it on Toyota UK's web site either...).

In the end I bought one from another Toyota dealer. Now I have the dilemma of deciding where to get it serviced. Just because my local dealers sales department are rubbish, is it worth travelling further afield for servicing...

I could very easily have decided to look at other brands if I was the kind of person that wasn't willing to look beyond my local dealers. My Dad uses a Toyota dealer in Hampshire that he says are fantastic. That's one of the reasons I started looking into Toyotas in the first place.

The dealer I use are one of the best dealers I have ever used but I do a 100 mile round trip to use them !!!

whether the service department is any better than the sales department you will only find out by trying them out and also judge what there attitude is when you speak to them and do you feel confident !!what you may find the service manager and his team are very good .

I would also suggest you check the cost of servicing with local Toyota dealers as the cost of servicing can vary be as much as £50 on a service

[myriagon]

As I said much earlier on in this thread.......................That is exactly what happens to me at the Toyota Centre that I deal with.

Miriagon, you appear to be turning this into a "Knock the Toyota Dealer" thread.

That was never my intention and if I came across in that way then I apologise

Good Toyota dealers do exist and there are many satisfied and extreemly happy Toyota Owners within this club with some very positive attitude toward their dealers. This positive attitude is usually reciprocated with mutual respect.

I started off being very positive with my local dealer. Unfortunately this wasn't reciprocated by the dealer. I suspect they thought I was a time waster which wasn't the case. :(

Please do not come on this Toyota Owners forum with such a negative attitude and expect everyone to agree with you.

My attitude is actually positive overall toward Toyota. I am however not so keen on my local Toyota dealer. I suspect had you been treated in the same way you would share my viewpoint. I know that some dealers are good, others are bad. I just thought that Toyota dealers would typically fall into the good category. I guess that I was unlucky to find one who was bad - at least on the sales side. I am now seriously looking at other marques mostly because there isn't a Toyota dealer within my local town who I want to do business with.

As for expecting everyone to agree with me, well I don't know where that idea came from. Anyway I apologise again if I gave that impression. I've been around long enough to know that people have different ideas and won't necessarily agree with your viewpoint. Unless it is very important it's often better to agree to disagree and move on.

From your previous posts you appear (IMO) to be very undecided about what you really want. Maybe if you kept a more open mind when visiting various dealers it would help you in your quest for your ultimate car. :)

Again I'm not sure where you get the idea that I should have kept a more open mind. Maybe previously my mind was too set on buying a Toyota although I was open to three different models - Rav4, Verso and Avensis. Now after seeing how a Toyota dealer treats a potential customer, my mind has been opened up to the possibility of buying something other than a Toyota.

I hope this doesn't descend into a flame war. If it does then I will move on as there is nothing to gain.

[Parts-King]

I had a test drive in a Honda today. The experience was so much better than the Toyota garage just across the road.

"Here's the keys sir - do you want more diesel put in? - come back when you are ready."

I couldn't believe it - an unaccompanied test drive for pretty much as long as I wanted and I didn't even have to ask. Pity the FR-V I was driving wasn't to my taste. Hopefully the new Accord that is coming in a few weeks will be better.

As commendable as this dealers gesture sounds, I'm afraid that type of service went out with the gentleman who filled your car up with fuel, cleaned your windows and topped your oil up! I am being flippant of course, but the day that dealer has a car go out on loan with no customer details and licence check is the day the insurance will fail to pay them out if it doesnt come back. I suspect the salesman would be looking for another job too, it is a dodgy old world we live in. Yes it's fine when you know the customer and you throw him the keys, but for any Joe Bloggs to turn up and just take a car for the day...................You would be suprised at the amount of people who turn up for a test drive without any ID, licence, etc, do they have licences? who knows!

Kingo

[myriagon]

I had a test drive in a Honda today. The experience was so much better than the Toyota garage just across the road.

"Here's the keys sir - do you want more diesel put in? - come back when you are ready."

I couldn't believe it - an unaccompanied test drive for pretty much as long as I wanted and I didn't even have to ask. Pity the FR-V I was driving wasn't to my taste. Hopefully the new Accord that is coming in a few weeks will be better.

As commendable as this dealers gesture sounds, I'm afraid that type of service went out with the gentleman who filled your car up with fuel, cleaned your windows and topped your oil up! I am being flippant of course, but the day that dealer has a car go out on loan with no customer details and licence check is the day the insurance will fail to pay them out if it doesnt come back. I suspect the salesman would be looking for another job too, it is a dodgy old world we live in. Yes it's fine when you know the customer and you throw him the keys, but for any Joe Bloggs to turn up and just take a car for the day...................You would be suprised at the amount of people who turn up for a test drive without any ID, licence, etc, do they have licences? who knows!

Kingo

When I had the short drive at the Toyota garage the salesman asked me to bring along my driving license but surprisingly didn't bother checking it.

The Honda garage didn't ask until I arrived at the garage. I did offer for him to drive me to my house (just round the corner) where I wanted to go anyway to get my wife, so he could see my license. However he wasn't bothered. Maybe it was because I work for a large international company just across the way from the garage. Some of my colleagues have bought cars from that garage and I was wearing a t-shirt with my company name on it. Nevertheless without showing a license I could have been banned or whatever...

You might be surprised but as a member of the public who has a test drive once in a blue moon, I didn't think about the need to bring a license. I will now though!

[bjw]

I had a test drive in a Honda today. The experience was so much better than the Toyota garage just across the road.

"Here's the keys sir - do you want more diesel put in? - come back when you are ready."

I couldn't believe it - an unaccompanied test drive for pretty much as long as I wanted and I didn't even have to ask. Pity the FR-V I was driving wasn't to my taste. Hopefully the new Accord that is coming in a few weeks will be better.

As commendable as this dealers gesture sounds, I'm afraid that type of service went out with the gentleman who filled your car up with fuel, cleaned your windows and topped your oil up! I am being flippant of course, but the day that dealer has a car go out on loan with no customer details and licence check is the day the insurance will fail to pay them out if it doesnt come back. I suspect the salesman would be looking for another job too, it is a dodgy old world we live in. Yes it's fine when you know the customer and you throw him the keys, but for any Joe Bloggs to turn up and just take a car for the day...................You would be suprised at the amount of people who turn up for a test drive without any ID, licence, etc, do they have licences? who knows!

Kingo

When a customer books his car in for a service provided he asks in a reasonable time frame does your dealership not offer a courtesy car ?? of course you do

What is the difference between booking a courtesy car for a service and having a courtesy car to try a car out ??What does your body shop do when you lend a car out for maybe 3 weeks !!!

You may say that all the courtesy cars are Yaris models but just a suggestion why not get the sales manager to leave his avensis for the potential new customer and let him take the Yaris!!

But if a customer turns up as Parts King suggested without any forms of identification the dealer would be within his rights to refuse an extended test drive but surely this could be arranged for a later date

I think that myriagon summed it up with the comment that they thought he was a time waster and anybody who has worked in a sales environment knows it is very difficult to judge if a customer is a serious buyer or just a tyre kicker

[bjw]

As I said much earlier on in this thread.......................That is exactly what happens to me at the Toyota Centre that I deal with.

Miriagon, you appear to be turning this into a "Knock the Toyota Dealer" thread.

That was never my intention and if I came across in that way then I apologise

Good Toyota dealers do exist and there are many satisfied and extreemly happy Toyota Owners within this club with some very positive attitude toward their dealers. This positive attitude is usually reciprocated with mutual respect.

I started off being very positive with my local dealer. Unfortunately this wasn't reciprocated by the dealer. I suspect they thought I was a time waster which wasn't the case. :(

Please do not come on this Toyota Owners forum with such a negative attitude and expect everyone to agree with you.

My attitude is actually positive overall toward Toyota. I am however not so keen on my local Toyota dealer. I suspect had you been treated in the same way you would share my viewpoint. I know that some dealers are good, others are bad. I just thought that Toyota dealers would typically fall into the good category. I guess that I was unlucky to find one who was bad - at least on the sales side. I am now seriously looking at other marques mostly because there isn't a Toyota dealer within my local town who I want to do business with.

As for expecting everyone to agree with me, well I don't know where that idea came from. Anyway I apolgise again if I gave that impression. I've been around long enough to know that people have different ideas and won't necessarily agree with your viewpoint. Unless it is very important it's often better to agree to disagree and move on.

From your previous posts you appear (IMO) to be very undecided about what you really want. Maybe if you kept a more open mind when visiting various dealers it would help you in your quest for your ultimate car. :)

Again I'm not sure where you get the idea that I should have kept a more open mind. Maybe previously my mind was too set on buying a Toyota although I was open to three different models - Rav4, Verso and Avensis. Now after seeing how a Toyota dealer treats a potential customer, my mind has been opened up to the possibility of buying something other than a Toyota.

I hope this doen't descend into a flame war. If it does then I will move on as there is nothing to gain.

Do not apologise to much he will start to think he is right

[hertsnminds]

In the end I bought one from another Toyota dealer. Now I have the dilemma of deciding where to get it serviced. Just because my local dealers sales department are rubbish, is it worth travelling further afield for servicing...

I think the thing is you go into a Toyota Garage and you expect a Toyota level of service i.e. JD Power winner, best in the business, service.

You go into any Aldi, M & S or any other branded sales environment and you expect a certain level of quality and service. You know that the quality of food in Aldi is not the same as M & S but you make that choice.

It is down to Toyota to ensure that all of their branded garages provide the same level of service rather than down to customer having to search for the branch that provides the level of service the Toyota brand hypes.

I too have had a mixed experience with the sales team at my Toyota garage. I had to tell the finanace expert what options were open to me when buying my car. But I was offered a full weekend test drive in the exact spec vehicle I wanted to buy.

I am also now considering which garage to get my Toyota serviced at, I will probably give the garage I bought the car from a first chance and see how I get treated.

[Parts-King]

The level of service Myriagon received when asking for a test drive was disgraceful, and the company he used dont deserve customers

The points I was making about licences and the like does come up a lot at our dealership. In a time where everybody sue's anybody we have to be very careful about who drives our cars. This can lead to people wondering why we are strict about licences, here is a true story

A very smartly dressed guy comes into a dealership in a pristine MR2, he chats to a salesman and after a while, the salesman feels comfortable and can feel the sale of a nearly new MR2 coming on. He offers the smartly dressed guy a test drive, the smartly dressed guy accepts. Mr salesman talks about P/EX prices and smart man says he would like to go and collect his wife and bring her in to discuss the deal. The keys are given to Mr Smartly dressed and off he goes

Some time later the Police arrive, Mr Smartly dressed has jumped a red light, T boned another car, killed the passenger and seriously injured the driver. Mr Smartly dressed has gone to hospital but will be OK

To cut a long but TRUE story, Mr Smartly dressed was a convicted drink driver, he had no licence. To make matters worse, the nearly new MR2 had tyres with only 1.6mm tread on the rear and should never have been on test drive.

The insurance company sued the dealer and the salesman to recover the massive payouts that had to be made, the dealer had to sell up and close down. All this because nobody checked a driving licence

The above is a true story but the car and franchise have been changed

It is never nice to relate to a story like this but it does go to show there is another side to every story, if you went to hire a car, you would'nt think twice about showing your driving licence, so if somebody asks you in a dealership to see your licence, you have a better understanding as to why.

Kingo

[bjw]

The level of service Myriagon received when asking for a test drive was disgraceful, and the company he used dont deserve customers

The points I was making about licences and the like does come up a lot at our dealership. In a time where everybody sue's anybody we have to be very careful about who drives our cars. This can lead to people wondering why we are strict about licences, here is a true story

A very smartly dressed guy comes into a dealership in a pristine MR2, he chats to a salesman and after a while, the salesman feels comfortable and can feel the sale of a nearly new MR2 coming on. He offers the smartly dressed guy a test drive, the smartly dressed guy accepts. Mr salesman talks about P/EX prices and smart man says he would like to go and collect his wife and bring her in to discuss the deal. The keys are given to Mr Smartly dressed and off he goes

Some time later the Police arrive, Mr Smartly dressed has jumped a red light, T boned another car, killed the passenger and seriously injured the driver. Mr Smartly dressed has gone to hospital but will be OK

To cut a long but TRUE story, Mr Smartly dressed was a convicted drink driver, he had no licence. To make matters worse, the nearly new MR2 had tyres with only 1.6mm tread on the rear and should never have been on test drive.

The insurance company sued the dealer and the salesman to recover the massive payouts that had to be made, the dealer had to sell up and close down. All this because nobody checked a driving licence

The above is a true story but the car and franchise have been changed

It is never nice to relate to a story like this but it does go to show there is another side to every story, if you went to hire a car, you wouldn't think twice about showing your driving licence, so if somebody asks you in a dealership to see your licence, you have a better understanding as to why.

Kingo

Yes I am sure this does happen and you cannot blame the dealer for wanting to cover there backside!!!

but with everything being electronically processed( car tax, insurance ,MOT, driving records etc) these days I would not think it is to difficult to check on an individuals status or get them to do it on to there own insurance policy

The trouble is if somebody with criminal intent wanted to obtain a driving license I am sure they would know how to do it!!!

I do know exactly were you are coming from Parts King and I am sure if he had walked into your dealership they would have received a very different welcome