[FieldingMellish]

Dealers eh? Whether it's cars or heroin, as Lou Reed said, "First thing you learn is that you always have to wait".

Enquired about a car on Saturday, now it's Thursday night, and despite various calls and emails and promises to get back to me, they have yet to quote me a price. Told me what they'd give me (not enough) for my car on part-ex. I told them that if they subtracted that part-ex amount from the list price, the resultant 'amount to swap cars' would be far too much. Told them how much I considered not 'too much'. They said they'd be back to me tomorrow, tomorrow never comes. Also asked them a couple of technical questions which they have failed to follow up. Fed up with the whole lark now and seriously considering looking for a private sale. GRRRRRRRRRRRRRR.

[Em135eye]

Three main dealers too over a month to get back to me when I started looking for a 330d/335d.

I bought one two days after my first round of calls from Sytner - DOH to the others!

[gIzzE]

Most are the same.

Sytner just called me back about a 520d touring I enquired about 6 weeks ago, we bought a 520d elsewhere 5 weeks ago!

I am sure they must get messed around all the time, but in sales you have to treat every customer as a geniune one, that's what turns a cashier into a sales person, anyone can take a customers money, to be able to really sell is something else.

[FieldingMellish]

I know, it's weird. Here I am looking to buy a model - the 330i saloon - that's so unpopular BMW don't even make them any more. Petrol prices are going through the roof, and this car has the old N52 engine in it. And here I am willing to go to the other end of the country (well, deepest Norfolk anyway) to look at the car, and they have yet to tell me how much they want for the f**king thing!


EDIT: Meanwhile, this morning I have received TWO marketing emails form that same dealership, thanking me for my business and hoping that I am “receiving excellent service”, etc. What a farce!

[quattrogmbh]

The way I read your post is that you "made them an offer" and as yet they have yet to return your call... Maybe they didnt want to "accept your offer" and felt that the chasm between what you were "willing to pay" and what they were "Willing to accept" were too great, and why offend you further with a call to tell you so.

[gIzzE]

A simple call to say "Hi there, just a quick call to say I'm afraid we can't get anywhere near the price on this car, but if someone else comes along in the next few weeks I will give you a bell and see if you're still looking, hopefully you will have found something by then but we won't forgot your looking."

Communication keeps the sales relationship going far longer.

[FieldingMellish]

Originally Posted by quattrogmbh

The way I read your post is that you "made them an offer" and as yet they have yet to return your call... Maybe they didnt want to "accept your offer" and felt that the chasm between what you were "willing to pay" and what they were "Willing to accept" were too great, and why offend you further with a call to tell you so.

Not really. Your interpretation is far from accurate.

They explicitly told me that they would ring me back "tomorrow", once they'd had a chance to "look at the figures" and come up with "an offer that may work better for you".

As Gizze says, above, all it takes is a very quick call or even an email, to keep you in the loop.

I enquired about a car early on Saturday morning. They finally rang me late on Friday afternoon, and their opening gambit was, "Have you had any more thoughts about that 330?" They did *eventually* get round to offering me a price, which was laughably unattractive.

I told them their offer was a joke, as was their customer service. I said I would not want to deal with them on any other car in the future either, because if this week's fiasco was anything to go by, they should be avoided.

I'm now thinking seriously about keeping my existing 320d and having it remapped.

[F31-340i]

Originally Posted by FieldingMellish

Not really. Your interpretation is far from accurate.

They explicitly told me that they would ring me back "tomorrow", once they'd had a chance to "look at the figures" and come up with "an offer that may work better for you".

As Gizze says, above, all it takes is a very quick call or even an email, to keep you in the loop.

I enquired about a car early on Saturday morning. They finally rang me late on Friday afternoon, and their opening gambit was, "Have you had any more thoughts about that 330?" They did *eventually* get round to offering me a price, which was laughably unattractive.

I told them their offer was a joke, as was their customer service. I said I would not want to deal with them on any other car in the future either, because if this week's fiasco was anything to go by, they should be avoided.

I'm now thinking seriously about keeping my existing 320d and having it remapped.

Part of the game is about "who blinks first" when working out a price.

Was their next price any better? You might find that by constantly seeking an update you gave them the impression that you would pay their inflated price. Sometimes they do need sometime to realise that no-one else is buying it and they should consider cutting their margins.

What were the specific figures - vs the listed price etc.? How far apart were you - did you tell them what price you wanted to pay?

[FieldingMellish]

Originally Posted by ///ajd

Part of the game is about "who blinks first" when working out a price.

Was their next price any better? You might find that by constantly seeking an update you gave them the impression that you would pay their inflated price. Sometimes they do need sometime to realise that no-one else is buying it and they should consider cutting their margins.

What were the specific figures - vs the listed price etc.? How far apart were you - did you tell them what price you wanted to pay?

Yes, you're right. But I specifically avoided ringing them back for an update, for exactly that reason: didn't want them to think I was super-keen.

They offered me £13.5k for my car on part-ex. The list price for their car was £18.8. So on the face of it that meant I would expect to pay £5.3. And bear in mind this was a 330i, with no sat-nav and the older, thirstier, dearer to tax N52 engine in it. I told them 5.3 was "far, far too much", and that I had been thinking of around £3k as a price I might be happy to pay to swap.

Meanwhile, a couple of technical queries I made about the car went unanswered.

They said ok, well we can't do it for 3K, let us have a think and we will get back to you tomorrow. Then they left me waiting and eventually came back and said, "Have you had any more thoughts?" Well why the f*ck would I have had more thoughts? Then after an eternity of preamble, they finally gave me the bottom line: they would accept £4,750 to swap. So, a reduction of £550. That was not the basis for any meaningful negotiation and by that time i had already decided that unless they did in fact miraculously come back and say, "Ok, £3k it is", then I was going to have no more to do with them.

The whole experience has caused me to radically rethink my plans.

[buckethead]

you should sell your car private sale more buyers for a 320d

and then you should get at least the same year 330i

i've done the opposite to you and used to have a 330i and now have a 320d

i hope you don't do much mileage as 22mpg is a killer

i sold my 330i 9 months ago it was the cheapest in the autotrader that week
it sold but in 1 week i got 1 phone call not ever the dreamer's can afford to dream about a 330i now

a 325d with a map would be quick

[FieldingMellish]

Originally Posted by buckethead

you should sell your car private sale more buyers for a 320d

and then you should get at least the same year 330i

i've done the opposite to you and used to have a 330i and now have a 320d

i hope you don't do much mileage as 22mpg is a killer

i sold my 330i 9 months ago it was the cheapest in the autotrader that week
it sold but in 1 week i got 1 phone call not ever the dreamer's can afford to dream about a 330i now

a 325d with a map would be quick

Yes, I've considered a 325d, or a 330d. I just wanted to have a crack at a 6 cylinder petrol, before diesel and then hybrids or whatever take over. The mpg doesn't bother me that much as I have a fuel card. But there are hardly any 330i's around, and getting one in the right colour, with a spec you like, is nigh on impossible.

[buckethead]

yeah know what u mean my e90 330i will be my last big engined petrol

unless if i get enough money for a weekend car 330i msport would do

[rogerxp]

I have this a lot with dealers; to the extent I start wondering whether it's me (of course not ). I'm usually after a bloody good deal admittedly and just call the dealer to see what's on offer. When pushed they slope off with a promise to come back to me with a better offer. Invariably never heard back from them .

Always amazes me. How do they know I'm not just having a stab at them but would of bought the car anyway at the originally stated price .

It's just basic manners and good business sense.

Why can't they just call back and say, as stated above, sorry but we can't stretch to what you're looking for. I'm always polite, honest and courteous with them (intentially) so am hardly going to shout at them - just let people know where they stand. I actually make a point of saying if I'm asking for too much just let me know so I know where I stand; still don't hear from them.

If I do get a call back and they leave a message to say they cannot go as low as I've asked I make a point on calling them back to thank them for their time and efforts - always appreciated.

Rant over...