Croft Motors - incompetent

[Logit]

I've just got off the phone with these guys and I just had to share my amusing experience. Am I mistaken, or are these guys meant to deal with Audis all the time because they don't seem to know anything about them.

I phoned up to enquire about the noggy blue S3 they have up for sale. They dont have much info on the ad, so I asked the following info:

1) how many owners the car had
2) When last service was carried out (he claimed it needed servicing every two years)
3) When the tax expires (the car has no tax)
4) Condition of the interior/exterior
5) I then asked whether it has a concert or symphony stereo. He said in a rude tone,"what does it say in the ad?". I said it says bose. He goes,"there you go then, it's a bose". I was like,"yes, i know it says bose, but is it a double din with 6cd changer in dash and tape, or single din with changer in boot". At this stage he was getting quite irrate and continued to state that there was no such thing and all bose systems had the changer in the boot, never a double din in the dash /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/confused.gif

I finally asked him what his lowest price was as i'm quite far from them, and didn't want to waste their or my time. He said, "the price is as stated in the ad (£18k), there is hardly any movement". I was like,"umm, ok bye".

He ended the phonecall saying he'd been selling cars for 40yrs and had never had someone ask so many questions /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/confused.gif

I was such a funny conversation - never have I known a salesman to know so little about his product or be so rude to a potential customer /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/lol.gif

 

[RacingTeatray]

I hope you told him where to get off.

 

[imported_mc119856]

When i was looking at S4's earlier this year i test drove one of their cars, they seemed very helpful & polite back then. Although i also remember experiencing 'vague' information over the phone.
Had a look at their website & they've just sold a very tasty looking S3 with 330bhp!

 

[imported_Yaseen]

Lol, what a prat!- sold cars for 40 years and he thinks that is a lot of questions /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/lol.gif

Although I have found that especially over the phone, places selling higher end cars wont negotiate on price at all.

 

[DavidR]

That kind of harrasment is illegal...

 

[jojo]

Whats the phone number? /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/tongue.gif

 

[Mike_Wales]

No it isnt....check the protection from harassment act!!

 

[S2KI]

Looking at their stock, they have an absolute red S3 with 7k more miles than that noggy one but it's £2k cheaper. Seems like a big price difference.

 

[DavidR]

[ QUOTE ]
Mike_Wales said:
No it isnt....check the protection from harassment act!!

[/ QUOTE ]

[ QUOTE ]

BE IT ENACTED by the Queen's most Excellent Majesty, by and with the advice and consent of the Lords Spiritual and Temporal, and Commons, in this present Parliament assembled, and by the authority of the same, as follows:-



England and Wales
Prohibition of harassment. 1. - (1) A person must not pursue a course of conduct-

(a) which amounts to harassment of another, and
(b) which he knows or ought to know amounts to harassment of the other.


[/ QUOTE ]

Really...

 

[ajmackie]

not getting involved, but is it really harassment phoning someone up and asking the same questions a few times. sort of thing claims direct would sell people.

 

[DavidR]

No, but

[ QUOTE ]
I think everyone should seperately phone this guy and ask him the very same questions.....see how p**sed off he gets.


[/ QUOTE ]

is...

 

[GregC]

Bang on - we should definately ask him different questions /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/lol.gif

 

[jojo]

OK, I volunteer to ask what colour Nogaro Blue is /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif

 

[nervus]

It happens all the time im affraid. Salesman move around alot and hence probably takes them a while to get familiar with each manufacturers product.

I don't think it matters a **** whether he knows what a double din etc is? The most important details (mileage, sevice history, leather etc) is posted on the site.

Give the guys a break, you cant always get the exact spec you desire when buying second hand, your lucky to find the colour you want, so if you like it go and check the radio out yourself on the test drive!

 

[ajmackie]

but he shouldn't have started blagging about the bose always having changer. should have just said i'm not sure, i'll find out for you.

 

[imported_jimbogrey]

Logit looking for a noggy blue S3 try here

http://www.wheelbase.uk.com/vehicle-details.asp?blnNew=0&intModel=&intMax=&intMin=&RSPage=1&ID=31349

 

[Logit]

Salesmen may move around a lot, but isn't it their job to ensure they know the product before they start selling it? I could understand a basic knowledge of a particular car if the dealer sold lots of different manufacturers and he didn't come across S3s that often. However, going on what i've read about Croft, and examining their current stock, it seems they specialise in Audis, so i would expect a specialist knowledge.

Also, it is quite important for me to know if the car has a double din stereo as I want to install satnav+ when I get the car, and don't want to have the expense of changing the climate control unit and buying a double din cage.

Jimbo - thanks for that link. I think it's priced too high considering no chrome mirrors, no 18" alloys and it has boring black interior /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/tongue.gif

 

[nervus]

[ QUOTE ]
Logit said:
Salesmen may move around a lot, but isn't it their job to ensure they know the product before they start selling it? I could understand a basic knowledge of a particular car if the dealer sold lots of different manufacturers and he didn't come across S3s that often. However, going on what i've read about Croft, and examining their current stock, it seems they specialise in Audis, so i would expect a specialist knowledge.

Also, it is quite important for me to know if the car has a double din stereo as I want to install satnav+ when I get the car, and don't want to have the expense of changing the climate control unit and buying a double din cage.




[/ QUOTE ]

Fair enough!

 

[Khufu]

ditto

 

[cactus31]

Although this thread is quite old, it still appears on a google search for "Croft Motors". Having just bought an S4 through them I wanted to share my experience. They are billed on their advertisments as "Audi-specialists" and the previous posters experience is bang on, they are not. After looking under the bonnet, I mentioned a missing Scuttle tray covering battery etc., I was "reliably informed" that pre-facelift S4s don't come with them. Having emailed etc. I am now not getting any response from them. The car had a good history so I bought, fortunatley I didn't have the S4 serviced with them and went to autops in Brackley (superb), needed a fair amount of work to get it running smoothly (sensors etc.) but wouldn't deal with Croft again.

 

[GSB1]

Pre-facelift S4's don't have them.

 

[Dave_Bayern]

They do come with the cloth ones though dont they?

 

[simch]

18k for an s3...........are they having a giraffe!!

 

[simch]

i see its about 3 yrs ago.....that makes more sense!!!

 

[garratt83]

This one has 12 spoke alloy wheels ???????????????????
http://www.croftmotors.co.uk/vehicle-details.asp?intMax=&intMin=&RSPage=8&ID=355559

 

[garratt83]

oh and full leather???????????????????

 

[cactus31]

Well if that's the case GSB1, then my hat off to the guy at Croft . Mine now has a new shiny scuttle tray fitted. Sure it can't hurt. Still doesn't make me feel any better about the £1200 worth of engine work!

 

[shineydave]

Graham's correct, prefacelift cars didn't get it, it appeared on the facelift '99 cars

 

[dog fart]

i test drove an S3 (with a flat tyre which they didnt inflate) there and it was a dog - bits hanging off it etc......

After getting out the car the guy said "shall we sort the paperwork"

You can imagine my response.

 

[cactus31]

Well latest update: After 6 weeks, no V5, looks like like it wasn't posted. Another £25 to add to this transaction for a new one. Regardless of whether he knew the dates scuttle trays were introduced, getting slightly frustrated with the whole thing!

S4 is now sweet though, had a good solid history and regardless of spending a few quid to get it back in good form, it drives superbly, very much enjoying my introduction to the S cars. Now time to start saving my hard earned for an RS4....

 

[simons]

Be very carefull buying anything from these guys! I did and now have a county court judgement against them as they refused to refund me when I discovered that the stated mileage was wrong. Still trying to get my money back 4 years later.

 

[Dane]

Man you've been around a while JoJo

 

[colicabcadam]

Be very carefull buying anything from these guys! I did and now have a county court judgement against them as they refused to refund me when I discovered that the stated mileage was wrong. Still trying to get my money back 4 years later.

just go and pour brake fluid over all their cars lol - CCJ means **** all !!!

 

[jojo]

Man you've been around a while JoJo

Are you calling me old?

 

[S3quatt]

Just looked on their site at a nice looking A5 3.0tdi full spec shown only to find that its a wanted advert looking like it was in stock for sale... Cowboys!