Tarmac_Terrorist Posted May 9, 2006 Report Share Posted May 9, 2006 Over the past ten years I've bought a few new and used cars but one thing I've noticed is how the dealer now gives you less fuel when you collect the car - I guess due to the price of fuel now. There was a time when your car was always fully filled and your Mrs was given flowers / chocs on collection. Just out of interest how much fuel did your dealer provide you with? , and did you get any extra 'goodies'? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Muppetboy Posted May 9, 2006 Report Share Posted May 9, 2006 I think I got 15 quids worth... tight b@stards! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MOSE Posted May 9, 2006 Report Share Posted May 9, 2006 Full tank everytime, plus a few goodies Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
petsy Posted May 9, 2006 Report Share Posted May 9, 2006 mine only had about 5 litres in the tank. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stevie_d Posted May 9, 2006 Report Share Posted May 9, 2006 I got about 1/3 of a tank and the dealer seemed to think I should have been very impressed with this... My parents always buy Jags and on each collection they've had a full tank, flowers for my mum and a nice bottle of champagne for my dad. Plus we always get corporate christmas cards and random invites to themed nights. Fine you're talking a different price range of car, but there's a reason my parents go back to the same dealership time and time again... I was thinking when I picked my car up how a £10 bottle of champagne would have made it "magical". Seriously, I would have come on here and recommended my dealer to friends as they truely care and always go the extra to please a customer. As is, I feel "ok" towards my dealer, they're decent, but I don't feel they REALLY want my business and this does piss me off. Seriously, £10 is not going to eat into their profits at all, yet it would make such a difference. It maybe cliche, but it is the little things that count and I feel that most dealers (not only VW) don't make the extra effort. A dealer near my oop north will put the customer's new car in the showroom under a blank cover on the day of pick up. This makes it a little more special to see the black cover taken off and you see your car for the first time. Costs nothing but a little effort and yet I was very impressed when they told me Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Oli Posted May 9, 2006 Report Share Posted May 9, 2006 My fuel light was on, but I saved three grand when buying the car so didn't care how much fuel I got. Its all about service for me and the service was A1! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Oli Posted May 9, 2006 Report Share Posted May 9, 2006 [ QUOTE ] My parents always buy Jags and on each collection they've had a full tank, flowers for my mum and a nice bottle of champagne for my dad. Plus we always get corporate christmas cards and random invites to themed nights. Fine you're talking a different price range of car, but there's a reason my parents go back to the same dealership time and time again [/ QUOTE ] Thats beacuse they have proably mad about 4 grand profit off that car sale!!! That why people use independant garages like us more- the service is better, we save people thousands and dont give free flowers, full tanks of fuel etc to flannel the customers!!! Think about it Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stevie_d Posted May 9, 2006 Report Share Posted May 9, 2006 [ QUOTE ] [ QUOTE ] My parents always buy Jags and on each collection they've had a full tank, flowers for my mum and a nice bottle of champagne for my dad. Plus we always get corporate christmas cards and random invites to themed nights. Fine you're talking a different price range of car, but there's a reason my parents go back to the same dealership time and time again [/ QUOTE ] Thats beacuse they have proably mad about 4 grand profit off that car sale!!! That why people use independant garages like us more- the service is better, we save people thousands and dont give free flowers, full tanks of fuel etc to flannel the customers!!! Think about it [/ QUOTE ] I was comparing a VW franchised dealership with a Jaguar franchised dealership. Sure the Jag dealer will make more money, but they still put the extra effort in... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dazdot Posted May 9, 2006 Report Share Posted May 9, 2006 [ QUOTE ] Just out of interest how much fuel did your dealer provide you with? , and did you get any extra 'goodies'? [/ QUOTE ] Full tank of fuel, Dog guard, flexible boot liner (now redundant), 2 x Gti key rings in velvet pouches, 2 x Gti fleeces, pens and a model Golf for my son. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stevie_d Posted May 9, 2006 Report Share Posted May 9, 2006 [ QUOTE ] [ QUOTE ] Just out of interest how much fuel did your dealer provide you with? , and did you get any extra 'goodies'? [/ QUOTE ] Full tank of fuel, Dog guard, flexible boot liner (now redundant), 2 x Gti key rings in velvet pouches, 2 x Gti fleeces, pens and a model Golf for my son. [/ QUOTE ] Bloody hell mate, where did you get yours from? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dazdot Posted May 9, 2006 Report Share Posted May 9, 2006 [ QUOTE ] Bloody hell mate, where did you get yours from? [/ QUOTE ] Lakeside VW, Stoke on Trent. Looked after me very well, still do actually. First car i have bought from them as well. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stevie_d Posted May 9, 2006 Report Share Posted May 9, 2006 [ QUOTE ] [ QUOTE ] Bloody hell mate, where did you get yours from? [/ QUOTE ] Lakeside VW, Stoke on Trent. Looked after me very well, still do actually. First car i have bought from them as well. [/ QUOTE ] Won't be the last either judging by what you've posted. It probably cost them £50-£60, yet you're likely to return to them and give them yet more money for both servicing and perhaps a new car. If I can spot this correlation, why can't dealers? Like Oli said: either high cost car and nice stuff or low cost and service... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Muppetboy Posted May 9, 2006 Report Share Posted May 9, 2006 This was the first new car I bought (although not my first purchase from a main dealer) and to be honest I don't think they fully appreciate the custom of £22k. There wasn't anything wrong with the service but there wasn't anything to make it special either. Not looking for bubbly but something to make the service special would have been great... after all the GTI is tremendously special and the service should be to match. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dazdot Posted May 9, 2006 Report Share Posted May 9, 2006 [ QUOTE ] It probably cost them £50-£60 [/ QUOTE ] And the rest! Fuel £50 Dog guard and boot liner £80 (approx) Fleeces (£40 each ), pens etc £100 They still wouldn't give me any rubber mats though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tarmac_Terrorist Posted May 9, 2006 Author Report Share Posted May 9, 2006 Hmmm... It was detailed on my order a minimum 1/4 tank of fuel will be supplied (collect Saturday). Overall, it does make you feel a little better when you get a few things thrown at you. Let's face it, a car is usually the second most expensive purchase you make. A practical giveaway package would be Paint touch up stick, first aid kit, fire extinguisher etc etc. For small money and a little thought, dealers could really improve their image. It's those 'small extras' that folks talk to each other about and remember Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jhibbin Posted May 9, 2006 Report Share Posted May 9, 2006 Our local VW dealer makes no effort at all to sell you a car. The service is really terrible, it was one of the reasons I looked on the internet when I purchased the GTi. I hate the way they try to make you feel as if you can't really afford their cars. Our dealer has a R32 in the showroom locked and no way will they let you take a look. They love saying no, almost like it gives them some sort of power I looked at a Touran recently and the service has been well below par. No returned calls and absolutely no way to get an extended test drive. Why should I spend over £20k on a car after a 10 min spin. It's hardly enough time to get used to the controls. Skoda gave me a VRS for a weekend !!! I have previously owned Skodas and the dealers were great always helpfull and happy to discuss prices and go the extra mile on issues. I love my GTi but dealer has tried really hard to make me hate VW. Glad I didn't order one through them they didn't earn it ! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stevie_d Posted May 9, 2006 Report Share Posted May 9, 2006 [ QUOTE ] [ QUOTE ] It probably cost them £50-£60 [/ QUOTE ] And the rest! Fuel £50 Dog guard and boot liner £80 (approx) Fleeces (£40 each ), pens etc £100 They still wouldn't give me any rubber mats though. [/ QUOTE ] OK maybe £100, but remeber they'll get all those items at hugely discount prices Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RedRobin Posted May 9, 2006 Report Share Posted May 9, 2006 I got half a tankful, rubber mats, a GTI cap, extra oil, and £100 for introducing another sale. Later, I got an afternoon's solo test drive in a Mk5 R32. I can't complain. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jhibbin Posted May 9, 2006 Report Share Posted May 9, 2006 Sounds much better Robin. Solo test drive in R32 sounds great. It doesn't take much to really give great customer service and its not just the top marques who know how to do this. I just hope servicing will be better than the sales process. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zedman Posted May 9, 2006 Report Share Posted May 9, 2006 in 98 when i bought my first vw it was sitting in the showroom, pride of place, with SOLD on the price tag and the car locked, i actually got to drive it home out of the showroom, made the whole thing seem v special! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JonoNZ Posted May 10, 2006 Report Share Posted May 10, 2006 I got a full tank (98), a flexible VW boot liner, and a wondeful hard cover GTI book. Also, plenty of good service, including the loan of a Mk5 R32 for a day! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Oli Posted May 10, 2006 Report Share Posted May 10, 2006 [ QUOTE ] [ QUOTE ] [ QUOTE ] My parents always buy Jags and on each collection they've had a full tank, flowers for my mum and a nice bottle of champagne for my dad. Plus we always get corporate christmas cards and random invites to themed nights. Fine you're talking a different price range of car, but there's a reason my parents go back to the same dealership time and time again [/ QUOTE ] Thats beacuse they have proably mad about 4 grand profit off that car sale!!! That why people use independant garages like us more- the service is better, we save people thousands and dont give free flowers, full tanks of fuel etc to flannel the customers!!! Think about it [/ QUOTE ] I was comparing a VW franchised dealership with a Jaguar franchised dealership. Sure the Jag dealer will make more money, but they still put the extra effort in... [/ QUOTE ] Strange, now Id have wanted to get a car cheaper than have money wasted on flowers etc!!! Still jaguar owners do like to be pampered I suppose. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
evosapper Posted May 10, 2006 Report Share Posted May 10, 2006 A full tank of fuel, 2 full Valet's and a nice fat cheque for 10k for the S4!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stevie_d Posted May 10, 2006 Report Share Posted May 10, 2006 [ QUOTE ] Strange, now Id have wanted to get a car cheaper than have money wasted on flowers etc!!! Still jaguar owners do like to be pampered I suppose. [/ QUOTE ] But you don't tend to get unfranchised Jaguar dealers, I've never heard of one and Jaguar imports tend to be less than VW as well... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tarmac_Terrorist Posted May 10, 2006 Author Report Share Posted May 10, 2006 I too would like to get my car cheaper but didn't want to buy through an importer. Reason: I'd heard quite a few horror stories! (I wasn't aware of TSN either - that may have made me explore further given some of the good stories I hear). However, given my decision then to buy through a franchised dealer are what my thoughts are based upon in this thread. There is almost an expectation that buying through a franchised dealer should be 'an experience' rather than a formality. I think it should be an 'experience' Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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