What a bunch of ****wits tosser slimeball sales guys

The Lotus guys (especially Richard) are brilliant - always got time to talk, flexible with test drives, prompt at returning calls etc

Subaru? Putting me off the car tbh

Saturday: walked over to the Subaru area and spoke to Roger. When I approached him about the WRX his first comment was "oh you want the forester". Um no i don't, i want the WRX. He extolled the virtues of the extended test drive - oh yes you can have it for a couple of days no problems.

Sunday: popped back in to take the 2.5 for a test drive. Wasn't massively impressed and had a chat about the STi - its on the driveway of the owner of B&C who's gone to france for a month, but they'll get the spare keys, get it back and call me on Tuesday

Monday: chris popped in to drop the Lotus off for a few bits and he walked over to the Subaru section - spoke to a different sales guy who was incredibly patronising and implied that Icouldn't actually afford a Subaru but deigned to run thru part-ex price fo the S (19k fwiw). Chris asked if I could tak the STi for a couple of days as I've got a long drive on Thursday and it'd be an ideal opportunity to see if it suits my back.

Bearing in mind we are credible customers; Chris bought a Lotus from the dealership a few weeks ago and between us we have (purchase prices) 70k's worth of car sitting on the driveway.

Tuesday: no call

Wednesday: I've just phoned anc been told that they consider a 200 mile trip in their demo car "excessive". I said - "hang on, if i take the car and my back is ok chances are I will buy from you, but you're asking me to spend 30k on a car which might kill my back?" No-can-do, 200 miles is excessive. I could have it for a couple of hours maybe (so much for the 2 day extended test drive). They preferred me to go elsewhere than trouble them.

No wonder Subaru aren't selling any cars! I'm so angry, not only at being lied to about extended test drives, but by being treated like I was a piece of dog shit scraped off the bottom of his shoe.

Shame, as Richard is great, and the service guy we met was also superb.

Letters to the owner of B&C and Subaru are forthcoming.

 

Excellent news about the letters, I think dealerships get away with this kind of shoddy behaviour too often. I've often wanted to complain about poor treatment but the general air of apathy some dealers have pervades you and means too often you don't do anything to complain! So good on you!

Where's your next nearest Subaru dealer then? Can they offer a longer test drive?

 

I'd be tempetd to take a 2 hour test drive and bring it back a few hours late and put a couple of hundred miles on it....

 

Did they not hear about that terrible traffic jam on the M25 you encountered..."I was on my way back when I got caught in it for 2 hours..."

 

Hehe it was tempting, but i think i would have needed a shower after going into the dealership to get the keys - they are so slimey its untrue.

I can't afford a Subaru - wtf??

Couldn't recommend Richard on the Lotus side enough though. Just written my first draft, need to simmer down a bit then re-write it !

 

Go in and shout at the DP instead

 

I don't see 200 miles as that bad, but I can see them baulking at two days

They obviously don't need the business

Are you ever going to do any journeys of more than a couple of hours in it?

I would have thought that you should be able to find a compromise

 

I remember my local Subaru dealer actually telling me I couldn't afford any of his cars when I first looked at them 7 years ago before I'd even looked at any of his cars

I was looking at a BMW 3 series touring at the same dealer a few years later for my wife and wasn't allowed to go over 50mph and wasn't allowed to organise my own inspection.

Their service department was superb though, when I did have my Scooby (not bought from them I hasten to add).

In contrast the Subaru dealer that my dad uses couldn't be more different, go in and ask to drive any Scooby and they just give you the keys and say"off you go!" They lend my dad cars that they want him to buy and say bring it back in a week It normally works too, he's up to a Forester S Turbo now

 

Thing is Gad, they were really proud about their 2 day extended test drive when I went in - they used it as a sales strategy

Then told 200 miles is excessive and i might be able to have it for 2 hours.. maybe..

Neil - that's what the Lotus guys are like - Chris and I took the 111R and the Exige-S out on our own, before they'd even seen me drive. Their flexibility and willingness to help was a big factor in buying the Elise!

 

Oh, and Hereford is 3 / 3.5 hours each way (tomorrow's journey) so yes I will do journeys >2 hours in it. Milton Keynes can take 3 hours on a bad day, which is where our office is.

Am writing to Mr Bell and Mr Colville who own the dealership - no DP per se