[dabbler]

My wife and I wanted a 4-5 year old 3 series M Sport. I looked at their web site and they had three cars well within budget, infact the price was extremely good! So I visited Big Motoring world last weekend. I drive past it every few days, and it looks big and professional. I didn’t bother looking for review on the net, so just turned up. (Oh I wish I had read reviews and stayed clear).

I came across this thread this morning; I had to register to share my experience. This post is rather long, but I want to warn people that they are still a shady business to deal with.

We arrive mid morning, walk up to the office to be greeted with by the salesman. I explained we saw three cars on the site and would like to see them. He asked if we had an appointment, I replied no, he said hmmm well I guess I can fit you in! (Cheeky sod). He said we need to go through some paper work first before I can see the cars and proceeded to take us to an office.

In the office, I told him about the cars we saw on the site, he said they didn’t have them (surprise, surprise) and there was nothing else in our budget. He made us feel poor, and said what’s 3k? If you pay 3k more I have some perfect cars for you!

He pressured us and we felt we had no choice but to agree, and ended up looking at a very basic 3 series - not m spec, no bluetooth, no leather, nothing – a bottom of the line car for 3k more than we had seen better spec cars of the same age on their web site!

Next up was the “part exchange” he wouldn’t give us a price for our current car until we agreed to pay a deposit. I said no.

He then reluctantly valued our car, the price was well under market value, he wrote down £1000 in his book, then verbally offered us £750 and then later on he said we agreed on £350!

Test drive time. You can’t test drive it without setting up a deal!

Back in the office. Now discussing the car, hard sales time. I said ok so, with part ex’ing my car, what’s the lowest price you can do? I want a final figure. I don’t want gap insurance or finance, Ill pay with my debit card.

He WOULDN’T give us a price! He kept saying “What do you want to pay?” “What do you think its worth?” I said that’s a silly question, you’ll get a silly answer. £5000 and you have a deal! That wound him up rotten and he suddenly became very nasty and very, very pushy. He said “Don’t waste my time, I have a family to feed” I said I want to discuss in private and have another look with my wife. We went back out to see the car, and this time started it. Engine warning light on. Went to autotrader on my iPhone to check prices, no reception at all so couldn’t verify prices.

Back in the office, I said to him about the warning light and he said it will be fixed, just pay the deposit and then you can test drive it.

I refused and he then brought in the manager to do some hard selling. The manager again, kept asking what we wanted to pay, I said “The lowest you will take, what is the price?” again he didn’t back off.

I mentioned the engine warning light to the manager, he said “Look mate, that’s normal, its not covered by warrantee what you see is what you get. But as a favour, pay the deposit now and ill give it a full service”

My wife said we don’t like the hard pressure selling and so we left never ever to return. Awful experience.

Oh and interestingly, when we left and got to the bottom of the drive oo the main road – full mobile reception (inc 3G) returned. Hmmmm…. Cell phone blocker to make sure you cant check prices on autotrader etc maybe ?

Stay clear of these cowboys.


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