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Just got the car serviced at a North London Audi dealer, and it involved the usual bit of hanging about while things were sorted out. But something quite odd happened while I was pacing around the showroom.

Practically every member of staff either smiled, said hello, or asked if I was being attended to.

They might have just lightened my bank account by nearly £400 for not much more than an oil change, but I actually came out feeling happy. Strange days indeed.

Yep, was sniffing around a used M5 outside our BMW dealership a few weeks ago and the boy couldn't get outside to speak to me quick enough. Same down the road at VW.

Much strangeness indeed.

rs4v8 wrote:Yep, was sniffing around a used M5 outside our BMW dealership a few weeks ago. Same down the road at VW.

so not only have you been looking at the new focus RS but BMW's and VW's ........... stick with your RS4 monster and take those pills

Ha Ha!! Just looking my dear chap

Well I test drove a Chrysler 300C today because they were offering a free night in a hotel with every test drive. Took the car for a couple hours, amused myself by doing burnouts whilst waiting in traffic . When I took it back the fatty sales man was cheshire grinning and being super nice, until he asked how did I enjoy the car - to which I replied "I didn't" and to which he replied "well your car needs new tires" as his face hit the floor. I didn't have the heart to ask about the free night in the hotel, I felt genuinely bad so I just thanked him. I did nick some of those transparent number things they use for pricing so I could put 666 in the rear window of my car (turned out they were 9s ) but I did put my bosses R8 up for sale out side the office for £5 in big luminous letters.

In essence yes now the salesmen are being nice but I'll never forget the day I parked my C4S outside the Nissan garage when looking at a 350z for the girlfriend and no one approached me for 20 minutes. Thats why I take my car to Porsche, they are always nice, happy and can't do enough.

NGS521 wrote:because they were offering a free night in a hotel with every test drive.

Really? No way that's mad!! What would they offer you for actually buying one?!!

rs4v8 wrote:

NGS521 wrote:because they were offering a free night in a hotel with every test drive.

Really? No way that's mad!! What would they offer you for actually buying one?!!

But this is Chrysler we're talking about, don't forget.
It will be some cheap and chintzy Best Western type motel, with an All You Can Eat breakfast buffet.

gmk666 wrote:It will be some cheap and chintzy Best Western type motel, with an All You Can Eat breakfast buffet.

Mmmmm, fry up!!! Sold!!

rs4v8 wrote:

NGS521 wrote:because they were offering a free night in a hotel with every test drive.

Really? No way that's mad!! What would they offer you for actually buying one?!!

Perhaps if you buy one they provide someone to stay in the hotel room with you...

Really? do I get to choose??
Mmm, Adriana Lima please Chrysler.

Some aftermarket tuners over here in the US are offering up to 50% off their wares.

A friend of mine just took his 2008 328xi (leased) for service and was offered a brand new 335xi for trade on the same terms as the 328!

They are desperate because their business is based on expotential growth - which has been true for the last 15 years and it will never return.
How can you build a fancy dealer showroom and employ 20 members of staff by selling cars? - unless you are selling the cars far far above what they are actually worth. This has happened for years in the UK.

You can get great deals at the moment and it will get better in the next few months - buy a car that is in stock, because they must get the stock sold - their credit has been withdrawn in a lot of cases.

I've always imported my wifes cars myself and saved, in total £21,000 over the last 5 years.
However, it was funny during the credit bubble as many people I told about importing would just dismiss it as if they had money to burn - which they thought they had, of course.

My point really, is that you will be able to get a great deal for any "in-stock" car over the next few months. You should be able to get great servicing rates from main dealers and I bet - as mentioned above - they will give 1950's customer service.
Later, - maybe 6 to 12 months - we are looking at hyper-inflation and a crash of Sterling - Crash Gordon has already started printing money.
Everything imported will be VERY expensive in 12 months. So, buy the stuff in stock now.

If you need some servicing get it done now. If you fancy a new car - get it now and haggle like hell.


Regards, Chris.

Totally, a great example of this is that there's a used R8 on the Audi website which they're actually offering a contribution towards the deposit! Seems like the, "we're Audi, we're not in the habit of losing money" philosophy has changed somewhat.
I feel a wee investigation into changing mine earlier than planned coming on.

rs4v8 wrote:

NGS521 wrote:because they were offering a free night in a hotel with every test drive.

Really? No way that's mad!! What would they offer you for actually buying one?!!

they give you a weeks holiday for four!

I called in to the dealer Saturday to get some oil for my RS4 07 just after the parts dept had closed, the sales manager gave me a litre of oil out the back of one of the sale cars in the showroom which I was quite impressed with. He then went on to try and convince me that trading my girlfriends 3.2 TT March08 5000 miles with more extra's than I can mention for a TTS was I good deal. Problem was he only wanted to give us £25k for the £40k 3.2TT and wanted full money for the TTS (41k). I'm thinking that maybe the credit crunch hasn't hit Surrey yet!!