Commentators/reporters/journalist reviews without researching.

[CanberravRS]

I think something similar could be said about a lot of car sales-people...

'Selling vehicles without knowing anything about your product'

Please note that I do know there are some very diligent sales people that research the vehicles they sell. I especially take my hat off to both Phillip(VWDealer) and TRIVETT that they've taken the time to find this site and post.

I guess I just don't understand how somebody can conscientiously spruik a product with the total lack of knowledge some sales-people show. When test driving while looking for the Mrs car we drove the diesel Passat wagon at a dealer near Sydney Airport... Two basic questions I posed to him and the responses;

Q. How large is the fuel tank and what range do they get?
A. Not sure but you can drive from Sydney to Melbourne and back with the diesel.

Q. Is this car fitted with any options or is it the base model?
A. No, if you order this is what you get… (NB: Bi-Xenon’s, Sat-Nav, sunroof, reversing camera, privacy glass, and auto-tailgate all fitted to demonstrator)

I hadn’t done any homework at that stage as it was very early in the looking phase, but I’m not stupid either – Even the Mrs knew all the options on the demo wouldn’t be standard equipment.

He also tried to tell me the V6 4x4 was available in diesel (I wish!) and, when asked about the size of the Tiguan interior (we hadn’t seen one yet) that they were the same size as the Passat.

Suspecting by now that he really didn't have a clue, I asked him what orientation they received on new cars to which he responded that they got a briefing about details of the car & then drove them, often at a company track-day type event… I then asked: ‘Did you actually go to it?’.

He stopped talking to me after that.

Mate that last sentence is gold... And yes i have dealt with other dealers who have been as bad as that ( canberra volvo ) , but im also lucky to have a great Dealer now who knows the product and has been selling it for 4 years since it arrived in the country, knows his clients well, and that with the quality of the car bought me back again.

[spellbound]

So correct jack72 , it simply amazes me when i go to buy the complete lack of knowledge of car sales peoples , cant they google , its embarrassing when you answer for them .

Then again in my industry the standard answer now days is " its on sale " , or its " 30% off" , please dont ask me any tech questions , pathetic .

[thejack72]

...I'm also lucky to have a great Dealer now who knows the product and has been selling it for 4 years since it arrived in the country, knows his clients well, and that with the quality of the car bought me back again.

Very lucky mate, would be nice if there was more like him.

We also went to Ford @ Sutherland and looked at a Modeo wagon. Two awesome quotes from the saleswoman there;

- "It is the best car on the market, far superior in build quality to any European vehicles... because it was designed and built in Australia.", and

- "The diesel Modeo is more powerful than the XR6 or XR8 Falcon but more economical, but the head office doesn't like us saying that because it would take sales from the Falcon."

I was so awestruck by her stupidity I had no comeback to either statement.

Another recent one, and bringing the thread back to topic, did anybody else hear the 'Motoring Expert' on the Today show last week talking about Skoda and saying they were a Russian vehicle?

[woofy]

I once asked a sales guy at one of the best Mazda dealers in melba some very basic qs to which he couldn't answer. When I asked why he said there are a lot of cars and it's hard to keep up with them all. They had 5 models with 3 or less variants of each and all had been around for at least a year if not more.

I work for a company that sells 3000 intricate kits and assays, I need to know what each one does and more often than not, also know how to provide technical support or see how it will fit into scientists work, sometimes in a space of 10min or less. I told him that and said surely for his work 15min spent reading and looking at the cars might be well spent.

[dArK5HaD0w]

i was ringing around to try and get some quotes to powercoats the rims of rs (when i get it), and boy was i having a hard time trying to explain what car i have - soda? who? how to u spell that? huh?

unfortunately with dealers - they're either geniuine sales people with a passion/interest for cars, or their on the other end of the scale - tools just doing it cause they couldn't get another job!!

[brad]

We also went to Ford @ Sutherland and looked at a Modeo wagon. Two awesome quotes from the saleswoman there;

Motherly type about mid-50s? I'm suprised she still has a job.
I was there 3 years back looking at a Focus XR5. Refused to give me a test drive and would only quote RRP "because they are so popular & we sell every unit we order". I told her to forget it & I'd go to a proper dealer like Peter Warrens or City Ford that new how to sell a car.

[thejack72]

Motherly type about mid-50s? I'm suprised she still has a job.

That's the one... I think she has pics of old Ferdie or something. She's been there since the dealership was at Hurstville!

Refused to give me a test drive and would only quote RRP "because they are so popular & we sell every unit we order".

We got exactly the same line about test-driving the Mondeo.

BTW Brad - Start looking a dark grey Superb wagon in next few weeks... we too are 'Just near Blakehurst'.

[brad]

That's the one... I think she has pics of old Ferdie or something. She's been there since the dealership was at Hurstville!

They'd be very small pics if it's Ferdie. If she's been with him that long then full credit to her. I managed 3 weeks before i told him where he could stick his job.

We got exactly the same line about test-driving the Mondeo.

If you were looking for a mOndeo Diesel to test, they are like hens teeth. Wife ordered one on faith in May (IIRC) and delivery is December (not sure how that works because her fleet manager still hasn't asked her what colour she wants).

BTW Brad - Start looking a dark grey Superb wagon in next few weeks... we too are 'Just near Blakehurst'.

No point telling people what suburb I'm in as 99% of people have never heard of it, but they seem to know Blakehurst/Tom Uglies Bridge. Have you tried the coffee & pastizi in the new shop yet?

If you see a red Octavia hatch with a pink tellytubby strapped to the grill - that's me. Say hi, wave, flash your lights. I don't bite.

[thejack72]

I know there is another thread about reviews but I can't find it, so I put this Sydney Morning Herald link from a couple of days ago here...

The most underrated cars | Citroen | Alfa Romeo | Lexus | Kia

Not sure I would call some of the other cars in the article 'hidden gems' though.

[K1W1]

I put this Sydney Morning Herald link from a couple of days ago here...

From the comments:

"I have been to two different Skoda dealers to have a serious look at the Superb and both dealers were hell-bent on selling me a Passat. Rather than answering my questions about the Superb, all they did was tell me my its not as good as a Passat."

Which VW dealers are also Skoda dealers in the same showroom?