The grass is greener.......

[zsadiq1]

My wife and I went to a Lexus dealer to look at and test drive an automatic IS 200 we had seen on their website. The staff told us that they had none in stock but when we told them they did they went to check and found we were right. They then enquired as to why we wanted to test drive- 'do you actually want to buy the car?' - we told them we did. They then said we could only test drive the car if we had our driving licence on our person-which my wife didn't. We walked out very frustrated!!
Does anyone else think they were not interested in selling a car to us? So much for the Lexus dealers being better than Mercedes.

 

[maddog]

My wife and I went to a Lexus dealer to look at and test drive an automatic IS 200 we had seen on their website. The staff told us that they had none in stock but when we told them they did they went to check and found we were right. They then enquired as to why we wanted to test drive- 'do you actually want to buy the car?' - we told them we did. They then said we could only test drive the car if we had our driving licence on our person-which my wife didn't. We walked out very frustrated!!
Does anyone else think they were not interested in selling a car to us? So much for the Lexus dealers being better than Mercedes.

My local MB dealer wouldnt offer me a test drive on an e320 cdi when i wanted to buy new AT ALL as it meant getting one in!!!

Hence i bought at another dealer.

The licence thing is standard what if you had gone through a speed camera etc , i certainly wouldnt let anyone drive my car unless i had seen their licence

 

[Silver Arrow]

Ah! The local Volvo shop is on a par with them. It is also the Jaguar shop. I do have a Jaguar toy and my wife has had a Volvo for some time so we are not unknown to them. We rolled up earlier this year to check out thier coupe/convertibles and were told we couldn't have a drive as we hadn't pre-booked.
We went to the Audi shop and bought one of them instead.

 

[littlebrooklyn]

My sister and her husband went into their local Jaguar dealership but were not allowed to test drive a car because it was raining, just how stupid is that

As for the grass being greener on the other side, yes it may well be, but it still needs cutting

 

[zsadiq1]

We were looking for a used car. I have test-driven cars in 4 different types of dealers and not once have I been asked for my licence. In fact after we left the lexus dealer we went to the BMW dealer and they said we could test drive any of their cars without showing them a licence.

 

[landcruiser]

After getting refused the first time round, you would think you would have taken your licence with you to view further cars.

 

[Silver Arrow]

After getting refused the first time round, you would think you would have taken your licence with you to view further cars.

You havn't got the hang of this.
The idea is to train them, not them train us!

Nobody has asked me for my licence in years. Remember, we have the cash from which they want to part us.

 

[Rory]

I don't think I've ever shown my licence for a test drive but it always amazes me that they don't ask for it.

 

[maddog]

Perhaps i look dodgy but MB wanted a copy of my licence before letting me have a loaner and skoda wanted a copy before letting me have a test drive, but they did just give me the keys and say bring it back when you are done , no rush!!

 

[television]

Perhaps i look dodgy QUOTE]

Soon time for new years resolution "I must stop looking dodgy"

Malcolm

 

[jberks]

I always try to look as dodgy as possible. Keeps them guessing! I hate snobs so I always try to look like I'm spending £3k, and the one that speaks to me civilly gets the £30k order.
My 2 experiences with BMW weren't very impressive. In fact, compared to MB, they were downright rude. When changing motors, I get the Mrs to ring round the Merc dealers and wind up the salesman (she finds it fun). Then when we have a short list, we get them to bring the cars to me, which they do happily. Its only afterwards, when I have a small rattle or loose fitting that they start being a bit crap.
The first BMW experience, I asked about a used 525/530. The salesman said "We don't have any" and walked off. - Rang Merc and had a gleaming C class delivered to the office within 24 hours - no obligation. The second, I was looking at a 3 compact for the Mrs. Again, total disinerest until we got to money. "How much are you looking to spend?" - "Around £20k" - all of a sudden, he was my best friend - it seems the most expensive model was £18k so he presumably thought he could fleece me. - Mrs didn't like the 3 anyway, bought an A3 instead.
Yes the stealers are crap, but the competition isn't that much better!

 

[zsadiq1]

I was dressed in my rags at a BMW dealer some time ago and as I sat in one car in the showroom the staff locked all the other cars!!! I have always gone in my suit since then and introduced myself as doctor... Perhaps this is the way to get the best deal.

 

[SLinKyjoe]

dealers are trained to see thru the above in both cases. they know both BMWS and Mercs walk out the door without them trying...so they dont...its down to customer service and how the dealer priciple tells them to sell.....it they are after shifting metal, they hard sell and this puts off decent existing merc owners like us so we have to resort to other tricks to get the deal we want. but some people new to merc and BMW dont know this, and they assume a snobby hoity toity attitude but they buy the cars....

i turn up as i am. a scruff, but i am assertive. they get told what i am happy with and we work round that. the more serious you are when you buy a car the more they take notice....being dressed up or down doesn't carry any weight. It does get looks when you turn up to pick the car up in your worse jeans and traniners and a t-shirt. and some well dressed and well spoken mature people looked shocked as you get into it and the dealer moves their new A class into the spot vacated by my new car while all the dealership comes out to see me leave in mine...i did laugh.

but i must admit i have never been asked for my licence for a test drive, ever...

i am back to thinking that its customer service that needs looking at...my local MB dealers are a disaster at customer service, and the one just over the border is fab. however my local BMW dealer is part of a big group, and they are really good, but the whole of the rest of the group are rubbish....but then so are BMW cars...so i didnt get one...and the local LEXUS dealer is diabolical which influencies how i think about their cars...

Looked at a Nissan Murano recently, dealer was really good and has kept in touch, even tho i didnt buy one...no licence there either.

 

[television]

When I lived in Sweden it was the same, was thinking of trading the 280TE 124 for a 300TE 124, I was in my overalls and drove the Rolls Royce to the show room, My ex was driving the 280, they did not see us park and we went into the showroom. I tried to get some attention but I was avoided, after 10 mins the staff went out to look at the Rolls, I joined them but was ignored.
I had had enough and opened the rolls door, and they asked me what I was doing, I said its mine and that I wanted the 300 in the showroom and that I did not want to deal with them, and left. two days later they tracked me down and came to see me, after I told them what I thought they left and I bought a 300 in the next town.
That's life it was not MB owned in those days 1990.

Malcolm

 

[mlc]

My experience is that dealers dont ask for drivers licences, but I think they should.
I am always weary of stating items as fact, because sometimes the law changes, but the owner should check that you have a licence to ensure that their insurance is valid, what if you dont have a licence and crash thier car - no cover.

In the past I have worked for companies that not only wanted to see your licence when you started but checked every 90 days, I am aware of at least one company that currenty requires all drivers and their partners to provide a photo copy of their licence every year.

I cant really see what the problem with this is, you wouldnt expect to pick up a hire car with a licence, so why the trouble of proving ID and a current licence for a test drive.

Mark

 

[zsadiq1]

It's about trust with driving licences. If you don't have it on you then you should be able to test-drive. You may have to sign a form to say you have one and will accept any responsibilty. If you pre-book its different as they can ask you to bring it in. Either it should be applied universally or not at all.The lexus dealer replied and said it was to do with health and safety- I'd love an executive-type suited person to go in and ask for a test-drive without a licence. Do you think the same rules would apply? I think not.

 

[jberks]

The lexus dealer replied and said it was to do with health and safety- .

Ah - the old Health and safety line, along with the Data protection act, the great hiding grounds for the ignorant. Presumably, without a licence you could fall off the car or something!
It's their insurance policy. It's fair enough but they should tell you.
My answer is quite simple, I forgot my licence, but if you are interested in selling me one, bring the car to my house tonight. The Mrs prefers to test drive on home territory so both the Merc and the Jeep were brought over before we bought them - they still never asked for a licence though but I wouldn't have minded if they had.

 

[zsadiq1]

How do you get dealers to bring the car out to your house? Do you feel obliged to buy the car after all the effort they made? or are they more likely to drop the price considering all the effort they made? Interestnig concept.

 

[jberks]

How do you get dealers to bring the car out to your house? Do you feel obliged to buy the car after all the effort they made? or are they more likely to drop the price considering all the effort they made? Interestnig concept.

Not sure it makes any difference in the price. I get the wife to call all the dealers in a 50 mile radius and if they have anything interesting, then sorry, I can't get to the showroom and they always volunteer to bring it over. I do feel a bit guilty when I don't buy, but that's business and I can only buy one. Oddly, a chap brought me an E320CDi to look at. Got lost for over an hour, and after a test drive and a long chat, finally left my house at 8:30pm with another hour or so drive ahead of him. I had been a bit hard on the price (nothing ventured and all that) and he said he would have a chat with the sales manager and call me back the following morning. I'm still waiting! Had a similar thing the previous time, furthest garage away, went to the effort to bring the car, then never called to follow it up. Didn't want it anyway, but he didn't know that.