Bottle of wine with your new car, Sir?

[RSOK]

Mr Money: Skoda is winning the value war - Telegraph

"The cars from the Czech Republic are simply the best high-volume, brand-new, “bread and butter” cars in the world."

Good to see the brand getting the recognition its products deserve.

But by the sounds of it the Poms are getting a fair bit more customer service from their dealer network!! Bottle of wine when picking up new car (ok it was one customer but who knows?!!), govt taxes paid, free servicing (if you finance with them)... mind you when dealers are probably selling 1,000 cars/month instead of 10 I guess that helps things along!!

[woofy]

Actually they should be trying harder here due to trying to get them established. I didn't think about it when I picked up mine but usually I've got wine and or a hamper or flowers. I got nothing but the car keys and a debt.

I'm betting the Audi customers at Richmond get an awful lot more than that.....

[Transporter]

Good cars shouldn't need things like that.
At least, we get full tank of fuel and 12months rego. Also, on some models there was a free insurance at the beginning of the year, it's better than wine.

[dru]

Good cars shouldn't need things like that.
At least, we get full tank of fuel and 12months rego. Also, on some models there was a free insurance at the beginning of the year, it's better than wine.

Full tank and 12 months rego is all I want! Can't believe some don't even give you that. When I was a bit younger I bought a car from a dealership and they had 1/4 tank of fuel in it! I didn't realise until I was down the road!

Good thing I got the car for a great price

[RSOK]

Got stiffed big time when younger, bought my first used car from a dealer, picked it up on a Sunday and was told that "We're sorry, we can't top up the tank for you because the head salesman has the keys to the petrol pump, and he doesn't work weekends"... yah... right... got a few miles down the road and the low-fuel light was already on in the dash, tank was practically empty!! They'll do anything to shaft a few more dollars out of you huh!!

Transporter, I agree that good cars should sell themselves, and of course not getting some of the stuff the Poms are getting would not have changed my choice, love my RS... but jeez sometimes it's the little touches that have customers telling other people and coming back for more... that can only be a good thing for a dealer in a highly competitive market like ours and where customer service can be the deciding factor for many people who don't actually have their hearts set on any particular make or model.... especially, as Woofy said above, for a brand like Skoda that is still a big unknown in the minds of the greater car-buying public here in Oz.

[woofy]

I should qualify that I these days work in a technical/sales role and from the various training from different courses, things like the above attention to detail are very important and the difference between a sale and a relationship. They should also be making sure that we are happy customers well after the fact as we are the biggest cause of other sales and also the biggest chance of a repeat sale.

[K1W1]

But by the sounds of it the Poms are getting a fair bit more customer service from their dealer network!! Bottle of wine when picking up new car (ok it was one customer but who knows?!!), govt taxes paid, free servicing (if you finance with them)... mind you when dealers are probably selling 1,000 cars/month instead of 10 I guess that helps things along!!

I got a bottle of wine and a full tank of fuel plus a couple of other freebies when I picked my Skoda up.
As far as the other "incentives" of course there will be incentives to buy in the UK the economy is a basket case with 7.7% unemployment 2% year on year wage rises and 4.5% annual inflation so those with work are going backwards. If the factory wasn't financing incentives in the UK their sales would be falling because all the other factories are.

[K1W1]

I'm betting the Audi customers at Richmond get an awful lot more than that.....

Janice has always got flowers and sometimes a bottle of wine as well with her BMW's and Audis but nothing of any greater value than I've got with any new car I have purchased. I think she got some sort of "protection pack" of cleaners and the like in the mail from Audi with he last car.

[brad]

My Godfather was Dealer Principle at Stewart Toyota when they were in their heyday & subsequently DP at Castle Hill Toyota. They always included flowers at delivery. People always thought it wonderful. As he said "There's always enough money in the deal for the customer to buy flowers as well as a car."
Apparently, when you are buying a few hundred arrangements a month, you get a good discount at the local florist.

[woofy]

Janice has always got flowers and sometimes a bottle of wine as well with her BMW's and Audis but nothing of any greater value than I've got with any new car I have purchased. I think she got some sort of "protection pack" of cleaners and the like in the mail from Audi with he last car.

I guess George was behind the 8 ball when I got mine, it was his first rs at the time so they took a photo, but I got squat. They gave me some goodies later on after stuffing me around with some warranty repairs.

Nothing since except maybe a promise of brake pads at 4yrs. Both mazda dealers send us stuff including microfiber wash mitts recently. One place we haven't seen for nearly 3yrs since selling the car we took there.

I must say the good servicing and these things weigh in when I think about changeover time later this year. It also really makes me want Penfolds to add Skoda to their fold, Even though I work in Hawthorn Burwood or thereabouts would be better....nunawading even.

[jbviajero]

I got mine second hand (6 months old). So I wasn't expecting much. But I think what would make a difference is fixed price servicing, it is hard to justify what they charge.

[BlackSuperb]

Good cars shouldn't need things like that.
At least, we get full tank of fuel and 12months rego. Also, on some models there was a free insurance at the beginning of the year, it's better than wine.

I only got half a tank from Steve Jarvins when I picked up my Superb. Miserable bastards. Glad they don't sell Skodas anymore.

[Antiplastix]

I have to addmit I got stuff all from Waklings,not even a full tank and I knew more about the cars features than the salesman. They were just lucky they had the car I wanted in stock. So no great loss that they lost Skoda.

[dru]

I have to addmit I got stuff all from Waklings,not even a full tank and I knew more about the cars features than the salesman. They were just lucky they had the car I wanted in stock. So no great loss that they lost Skoda.

That is one thing that really annoys me, when you go to a car dealership that sell a specific brand of car and they don't even know them that well. It is there job to know everything there is about the cars they sell! It basically makes you doubt anything they say and look for your business elsewhere.

When I bought the skoda through Wes at Trivett (free plug )....I was extremely happy. Full tank, 12 months rego, free tint and kept in the loop the whole time the deal was being processed and the car being delivered. If that is the service I get, then don't worry about giving me champagne! I'm already happy!

[brad]

That is one thing that really annoys me, when you go to a car dealership that sell a specific brand of car and they don't even know them that well. It is there job to know everything there is about the cars they sell! It basically makes you doubt anything they say and look for your business elsewhere.

The original Brand Manager at Wakelings (whatsername?) was very good. She knew all about the features of the vehicle. Unfortunately, I was the first looker she had converted to a sale in 5 weeks - and she'd been selling cars for about 3 years so it's not like she she didn't know how to close a deal. After she left and Wakelings got a VW franchise the place seemed to go backwards.

They also sell Holden, Mitsubishi, Hyundai, Great Wall (+??), so I think they might move the sales people about. Would suck to be the Skoda person & see the Holden guy selling 5-10 a week & copping the commision while you tried to live on retainer.

To Wakelings credit, whoever detailed my car did a brilliant job. The paint was perfect.