Flabbergasted. Stafford Audi

[stuartk]

Well today I thought time for a change and trade my E92 M3 for a new RS4 as people on here are talking decent discounts and PCP deals and my need for a more practical car... Boot space. I think I can safely say that I am thoroughly unimpressed.

For years I've yearned for an RS4 and after looking at loads of rubbish B7's which were not well looked after I opted for the M3. Anyways...

Greeted nicely today by the receptionist then was introduced to salesman who clearly did not want to be there on a Sunday. Now I'll say at this point I'm 26 and therefore probably not the usual type to buy a £50k car in my scruffy jeans and t shirt however I could tell I was already being pre judged as I noticed his eyes checking me out up and down and clocking my watch and jewellery. I got the impression he was deciding whether I could afford it or not. Seeing as I had £25k in p/x plus my own deposit this was an error on his part.

So I asked what deals were available and he said the deals are as per the internet. Well please elaborate? He then asked what deals was I aware of other people getting and I said 10-15%. He rolled his eyes at me as if to imply I was talking rubbish, I thought negotiation was a two way street lol!!!

So anyways we went out to identify of the cars available the Nardo Grey (the one I had visited about was sold) so we settled on the red one they have in stock. Bear in mind at this point no discussions were had on spec that much and bearing in mind I'm spending £50-60k no cars were open for me to look at or even offered. At this point I though ok let's go with the flow and check out the figures. The figures were presented with the standard deal, the usual will I get a deal today question was asked. Bearing in mind I've not even been inside the car, test drive or discussed the spec at this point his interest in the customer becomes clear it would seem.

So to summarise in the 30+ cars I've purchased new or used mainly BMW and Mercedes this has got to be the worst dealership experience I've ever had and I'm really disappointed over what I should have been excited about and come away today with a signed order form. In fact I'm really quite agitated about it so apologies if this comes across as a winge.

So on that basis are all Audi dealers like this?

One of the reasons for looking elsewhere to BMW is because the dealers are getting worse and there seems to be zero care about after sales, here I haven't even nada good experience before handing my debit card over!!!

Thoughts guys? Meanwhile my dream has kind of been shattered a little bit

[Bladerider]

Stafford have a section on here,

Maybe post this in there to see their response !!

[bam_bam]

Dave, have a Snickers, you're a right diva when you're hungry...

No, seriously, I ONLY wear suits for meetings or dress up for very special occasions and buying a car isn't one of those occasions. So this sort of judging drives me close to violence, I hate it, and I can concur, I've been into Whetstone Audi a number of times only to give up on due the same sort of treatment you received. Three times I've asked for a call back after meeting with sales team members.
What I say; pop your post into an email to the group's head of sales... attaching a photo of your new Merc AMG wagon that should've been an Audi.

[stuartk]

Dave, have a Snickers, you're a right diva when you're hungry...

No, seriously, I ONLY wear suits for meetings or dress up for very special occasions and buying a car isn't one of those occasions. So this sort of judging drives me close to violence, I hate it, and I can concur, I've been into Whetstone Audi a number of times only to give up on due the same sort of treatment you received. Three times I've asked for a call back after meeting with sales team members.
What I say; pop your post into an email to the group's head of sales... attaching a photo of your new Merc AMG wagon that should've been an Audi.

I really want Quattro though

Don't know why but even though and I'll get flamed for this, dynamically an RS4 isn't an M3 I just always wanted one they feel really special and are so rare. I think they are the best sleeper car money can buy. The arches look awesome too!!!

I might go used and finance it at a sensible rate with oracle

[RossDagley]

Mirrors my Hitchin Audi experience. I roll in (usually dirty) tracksuit bottoms and am overweight and unshaved. Don't care enough about anyones feelings towards me to care - until I'm judged for it obviously. As I clearly was at Hitchin. The fact I'm trading in a £30k car (owned outright) and was putting down a decent deposit on top similar to you was irreverent.

All I can say is try somewhere else - both Northampton Audi and Hatfield Audi really looked after me despite my appearance - to the point I would have bought the Northampton car had it not sold that morning, and I *did* buy the Hatfield car.

I'm going to make a special effort to look particularly uncouth when I'm in a position to get the RS6 as a matter of principle!

[stuartk]

Stafford have a section on here,

Maybe post this in there to see their response !!

It was that section that got me through their doors

[chunky79]

Trust me, the service department at Stafford are worse.

I've been to 3 different Audi dealerships and they have all judged me/ the wife when enquiring about cars, never bought one from them cause of this.
My mate who was going to pick his wife up from the Audi dealership she works at was taking a look at the cars while waiting for her to come out, one of the sales guys come over to him and told him there's no chance he'd be able to afford the car he was looking at, no conversation prior to this! He'd never met him before and was very embarrassed when my mates wife walked out to him.
Thank god for MRC and Unit20, wouldn't have an Audi otherwise.

[stuartk]

Mirrors my Hitchin Audi experience. I roll in (usually dirty) tracksuit bottoms and am overweight and unshaved. Don't care enough about anyones feelings towards me to care - until I'm judged for it obviously. As I clearly was at Hitchin. The fact I'm trading in a £30k car (owned outright) and was putting down a decent deposit on top similar to you was irreverent.

All I can say is try somewhere else - both Northampton Audi and Hatfield Audi really looked after me despite my appearance - to the point I would have bought the Northampton car had it not sold that morning, and I *did* buy the Hatfield car.

I'm going to make a special effort to look particularly uncouth when I'm in a position to get the RS6 as a matter of principle!

To be fair it was a Vivienne Westwood t shirt

Northampton aren't far so I might have to pay them a visit

[stuartk]

Trust me, the service department at Stafford are worse.

I've been to 3 different Audi dealerships and they have all judged me/ the wife when enquiring about cars, never bought one from them cause of this.
My mate who was going to pick his wife up from the Audi dealership she works at was taking a look at the cars while waiting for her to come out, one of the sales guys come over to him and told him there's no chance he'd be able to afford the car he was looking at, no conversation prior to this! He'd never met him before and was very embarrassed when my mates wife walked out to him.
Thank god for MRC and Unit20, wouldn't have an Audi otherwise.

Well tbh that's what's wearing thing with BMW I've just had my 60k service come up and the service lady basically argued with me about it being due because my car said it was but my key said it wasn't. Then told me there were three different oils to choose from (not the case in an M car) and couldn't quote me an exact price until it was in the workshop so they could see what needed doing. That old chestnut!

Combined with scraping my front splitter and the underneath of my Meisterschaft exhaust this weekend cars are really not looking after me

If Audi are the same it concerns me lol

[Ian_C]

You should be able to wear what the hell you like if arriving in an E92 M3 or C6 RS6 etc

[nastro azzurro]

I know it's a bit of a slap, but speak to Ricky at Chelmsford Audi ; he won't judge you at all.
Bought my rs4 from him. Best salesman I've ever dealt with ( inc merc, Land Rover etc etc ) proper bloke.
I'm a plumber; rocked up in my van, work cloths. He won't give a flying f--k what you wear/ look like.

[doodlebug]

Chelmsford are bizarre. They are my local, service side is OK if nothing special. They've never sold me a car......I've tried twice.

[stuartk]

I've just been discussing this with my neighbour who has just bought a C63 and am still at a loss as to how someone in sales can close you before you've even been inside/driven the car. Changing brands is a big thing for me and take some persuading I was going to ask if I could rent one for a couple of days to see how I get on with it daily but that will probably be well out of the question if they couldn't unlock the car lol.

I'm in sales myself and if one of my staff did this I would be having some coaching sessions!!

[doodlebug]

Getting a loaner or a rental is going to be a big ask.

Bottom line is that someone else will walk through the door and pay Sticker.

BMW/Merc/Audi all chasing volume, no longer premium.

[stuartk]

Getting a loaner or a rental is going to be a big ask.

Bottom line is that someone else will walk through the door and pay sticker.

BMW/Merc/Audi all chasing volume, no longer premium.

True. People will pay price I just did my research on here as to discounts etc.

To be honest I just got the impression they thought I wasn't up for a deal. Obviously I have all the time in the world to drive 15 miles further to this dealer rather than my local one just to talk crap for two hours lol!