GeoffB
VIP Member
- Messages
- 176
- Location
- The Derbyshire Dales
The idea of getting a Cali had been brewing for many months but we didn't get around to doing anything positive until early April, when we booked a test drive at Imperial Commercials of Derby. Before our drive we had a look at the 180PS DSG in the showroom; alarm bells should have sounded when the saleman didn't even know how to open the rear door and had to be shown by the receptionist!
We went for a test drive in their 140PS and after drive decided there and then to get one. They offered us the grey one we had driven, but that was our least favourite colour, and didn't have the basics we wanted - parking sensors, cruise control, etc. So the the salesman looked on his computer at all the 140PS currently available in the country and wrote them down with all their extras. We liked the look of three or four and but were told "no, we can't get that one" until the list was whittled down to a silver one in Kent, which the salesman said they could probably get.
The next day we decided to order the one we'd been offered and rang the salesman. As we were cash buyers we asked for a discount, and were told that wouldn't be possible as their profit margins were so low. More haggling resulted in firstly the offer of free servicing, and finally what we thought was a reasonable discount with some discounted minor items thrown in. We provided our credit card details for a deposit. The salesman said he'd check with the managers at both places, and an hour later rang back to say the van transfer between the dealer in Kent and Imperial Commercials had been agreed. Our Cali would be with us in a few days.
Several days later the salesman rang, agitated. The Cali we wanted wasn't available - the managers hadn't after all agreed to the transfer between dealers, but we didn't need to worry as he hadn't taken our deposit! Asked why he was now telling a different story, he said he hadn't spoken to the right managers the first time, and hadn't taken the deposit as he thought things might not work out. But now for the good news - they still had their grey 140PS available!
We said we didn't want it as it didn't have our minimum extras. He then said they'd fit them in Derby, so we said we would consider it at the same price as his first offer. After a while he rang back and quoted a much-increased price covering the extras plus labour. We said it was too much, and again got all the guff about their tiny profit margins, but we weren't impressed, so told him to forget the whole thing.
Then we did what we should have done at first - got on the internet and sent a few emails to dealers. Within hours Alan Jackson of Manchester had contacted us and we were offered a Cali coming off the production line that had all we wanted, and at over 20% more discount that Imperial Commercials of Derby -- up front, no haggling. Our collection date was estimated at early June. so we paid the deposit. Alan emailed us yesterday to say our Cali was expected soon, so we finalized the details and Alan has just rung to say they now have her, are adding the few extras we wanted and we'll pick her up next Wednesday. Alan has told us to prepare for his legendary 2-hour handover, which we're relly looking forward to; there isn't any doubt he'll know how to open the back door!
A week after we'd ordered our Cali from Manchester the salesman from Derby rang back. He'd been told by his Area Manager to apologize to us for all the hassle, and to offer a further discount. Too late, mate! Even if we couldn't have got a Cali from anywhere else we wouldn't have bought one from Derby, after our experience. The moral of this tale is - shop around!
We went for a test drive in their 140PS and after drive decided there and then to get one. They offered us the grey one we had driven, but that was our least favourite colour, and didn't have the basics we wanted - parking sensors, cruise control, etc. So the the salesman looked on his computer at all the 140PS currently available in the country and wrote them down with all their extras. We liked the look of three or four and but were told "no, we can't get that one" until the list was whittled down to a silver one in Kent, which the salesman said they could probably get.
The next day we decided to order the one we'd been offered and rang the salesman. As we were cash buyers we asked for a discount, and were told that wouldn't be possible as their profit margins were so low. More haggling resulted in firstly the offer of free servicing, and finally what we thought was a reasonable discount with some discounted minor items thrown in. We provided our credit card details for a deposit. The salesman said he'd check with the managers at both places, and an hour later rang back to say the van transfer between the dealer in Kent and Imperial Commercials had been agreed. Our Cali would be with us in a few days.
Several days later the salesman rang, agitated. The Cali we wanted wasn't available - the managers hadn't after all agreed to the transfer between dealers, but we didn't need to worry as he hadn't taken our deposit! Asked why he was now telling a different story, he said he hadn't spoken to the right managers the first time, and hadn't taken the deposit as he thought things might not work out. But now for the good news - they still had their grey 140PS available!
We said we didn't want it as it didn't have our minimum extras. He then said they'd fit them in Derby, so we said we would consider it at the same price as his first offer. After a while he rang back and quoted a much-increased price covering the extras plus labour. We said it was too much, and again got all the guff about their tiny profit margins, but we weren't impressed, so told him to forget the whole thing.
Then we did what we should have done at first - got on the internet and sent a few emails to dealers. Within hours Alan Jackson of Manchester had contacted us and we were offered a Cali coming off the production line that had all we wanted, and at over 20% more discount that Imperial Commercials of Derby -- up front, no haggling. Our collection date was estimated at early June. so we paid the deposit. Alan emailed us yesterday to say our Cali was expected soon, so we finalized the details and Alan has just rung to say they now have her, are adding the few extras we wanted and we'll pick her up next Wednesday. Alan has told us to prepare for his legendary 2-hour handover, which we're relly looking forward to; there isn't any doubt he'll know how to open the back door!
A week after we'd ordered our Cali from Manchester the salesman from Derby rang back. He'd been told by his Area Manager to apologize to us for all the hassle, and to offer a further discount. Too late, mate! Even if we couldn't have got a Cali from anywhere else we wouldn't have bought one from Derby, after our experience. The moral of this tale is - shop around!
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