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Audi Dealers

1885 Views 12 Replies 11 Participants Last post by  RGBArgee, 
speary
Do you think Audi dealers read this forum, or even Audi HQ.
They could learn a lot if they did :rolleyes:
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Booster
There is definitely one dealer I know that is a member here!

I think most of them aren't actually that interested in cars and thats where the problem lies.

If more of them had a bit more enthusiasm about them (and I'm not just tlaking Audi here) then I'm sure the service they give would improve and hence their reputation would get better!
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SAJ_1982
Hardly any of the dealers do, which is a stupid thing on their part. They could learn so much of what their customers want from car forums.I've never been to a car garage where the salesman actually knows more about the car than I do, half the time I end up telling them more about it. This actually really ticks me off, I mean surely they should be made to know everything and anything about the car they are selling.
If I was a dealer or a car salesman for a particular manufacture then I would be on as many forums as possible trying to win customers over just be providing good advice and service.....dealers are missing a trick here.
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Rab88
SAJ_1982 said:
Hardly any of the dealers do, which is a stupid thing on their part. They could learn so much of what their customers want from car forums.I've never been to a car garage where the salesman actually knows more about the car than I do, half the time I end up telling them more about it. This actually really ticks me off, I mean surely they should be made to know everything and anything about the car they are selling.
If I was a dealer or a car salesman for a particular manufacture then I would be on as many forums as possible trying to win customers over just be providing good advice and service.....dealers are missing a trick here.
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Totally agree. I always find that salesmen know very little about the cars they're selling, other than obvious facts written in front of them. I've asked various salesmen if they read audi forums, none of them so far have said yes.

They should though. It might improve their customer service and give a competitive advantage.
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S
Absolutely agree with the sentiments expressed so far.
My experience of Audi dealers is that they're super polite, but generally product knowledge is quite poor. They should be totally on top of their game. Afterall, it can't be the hardest job in the world in terms of having good product knowledge!

If most of them actually liked cars, they'd be enthusiastic enough to know the product inside out.
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M
We usually complain and mention bad dealers when we are unhappy with something or how we got treated. But how about making 1 thread (or separate ones for US, UK and rest of the world) with dealers/salesmen we recommend?
Or maybe there are none to recommend? ;)
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Rab88
markusla said:
We usually complain and mention bad dealers when we are unhappy with something or how we got treated. But how about making 1 thread (or separate ones for US, UK and rest of the world) with dealers/salesmen we recommend?
Or maybe there are none to recommend? ;)
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I think that would be a good Idea. Today I was at Ayr Audi (instead of Glasgow) to get my car looked at. Excellent service, and for once I never had to pay for tea or coffee!! Glasgow Audi make you pay for your tea and coffee (unless you're buying a car - typical money grabbing *******), and they also DO NOT offer to wash your car afterwards ... Ayr Audi offered to wash the car after it's warranty repair.
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S
In my experience the techs are generally the best people to speak to if you want to get any semblance of the truth. They are usually enthusiastic about cars generally and will tell you about issues if you ask them in a round-a-bout kind of way. Sales guys will at best hide the truth to secure a sale.
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Spinner
Woo Rab, that's ridiculous, Crawley Audi give me a cuppa, every time I go in. If I leave the car they pay for a taxi back home or on the odd occassion if there's a spare pool car laying around let me have it. I have to instruct them to NOT wash the car as I don't want to risk a grit ridden sponge on it but do allow them to do the interior. The moment I walk in my salesman is informed so to ensure he'd come and see me if free. As for knowledge I'd agree most of them aren't the best but at least at Crawley they have even taken an interest in my mods. I've got the steering judder problem being reported on other threads yet despite my mods (coilovers are the main issue) their S5 Master Tech has pushed Audi UK into addressing the issue for me which considering the lack of support other Uk'ers have experienced with the same issue I perceive to be priveleged.

In fact the only gripe I have with them is that I understand my salesman may well get made redundant this week yet he's been one of if not their top salespeople for the last 4 years and they are keeping what I percieve to be some right noddies. IMO a simply stupid business decision!

Anyway back on track...
I actually referred Audi Crawley to the forum regarding the steering judder and this was the passed onto Audi UK Tech Support. Until then the dealer was getting no where with esculating the issue. Maybe it's up to us to make it happen. As for Audi themselves looking to gain knowledge of customer opinion by watching forums... Would never happen, far to obvious, cost effective and accurate for them. What would happen to all the employees and outsources jumped up marketing companies they pay £100,000's to do their market research :rolleyes:
If there was a thread started I'd certainly recommending dealer and salesman (if he's still there), great idea !
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E
Rab88 said:
and they also DO NOT offer to wash your car afterwards ... Ayr Audi offered to wash the car after it's warranty repair.
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Sadly, Colborne's Audi (Basingstoke) did wash my car yesterday (after me expressly asking the service receptionist for it not to be done - I've seen how they do it :eek:) and now it needs a warranty repair. £150 worth of recent paint correction top-up treatment negated in the shape of fine swirl marks over most of the panels I studied whilst filling-up this morning.

I'll get the Auto Balm out tomorrow before the blizzards sweep in and see if I can recover it somewhat but not happy!

I echo the comment re. the Techs though - have a great relationship with the Master Tech and he's making it a personal crusade to keep me happy. Wonder if he'll polish the car for me....?
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Andrew
speary said:
Do you think Audi dealers read this forum, or even Audi HQ.
They could learn a lot if they did :rolleyes:
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They do read it. One dealer's sales manager emailed me threatening with a lawsuit. The guy wasn't too bright. We didn't exactly get to our levels of buying A5/S5s by being stupid. Dealers and all businesses need to accept the fact that the Internet empowers users and its a fact, you are only as good as your last sale.
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B
Totally agree with everyone. It's my biggest frustration that after reading the brochures and checking things out online I still have some questions but the dealers haven't even got to looking at the cars yet never mind the brochure reading stage!
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RGBArgee
My dealer - Bristol Audi is generally pretty good. Sales Manager Richard Tatnell seems a straightforward decent guy and is game to negotiate. Despite his protestations he does still have a shirt on his back. Mark and James in sales are pretty good but I always reckon it's best to get a decent relationship going with the boss.:D

Regarding not knowing what's what with Audi developments, I think it's fair to say that us regulars on this blog probably treat cars and Audi A5/S5 as a hobby. My Audi sales manager spends his spare time fishing so is probably at a reservoir nearby contemplating his maggots while we are in the warmth of our homes with a bottle of something!;) Unless there is a Fisherman's Blog???
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