Dealer recomendations?

[Wilbur]

Hi all,

I have just driven 700 kilometres for an appointment to purchase a D4 in Melbourne. The appointment was at 11AM, at 1.30PM I walked out when the 'consultant' left me to deal with yet another customer. I still don't even know how much they cost.

So can anyone please suggest a really good dealer with a really good service department? I am happy with anyone between Melbourne and Sydney including rural.

I would like to talk to a real "bloke", not some elegantly dressed character with coiffured hair dripping insincerity with every word.

I spoke also on the telephone to Massaro Motors in Morwell, Victoria and they sounded much more presentable. Has anyone had any experience with them? Please PM me if you want to say something that you think shouldn't be public!

This will be the first time I have ever bought a new car, and I want to enjoy the process.

Thanks everyone,

Cheers,

Paul

[seano87]

My parents used Blacklocks in Albury last year for their new Defender. Were cheaper by over $2000 than anywhere else on the east coast. They've not had any problems with service or follow-up from them, so could be worth a try.

Sean

[101RRS]

Hi all,

I have just driven 700 kilometres for an appointment to purchase a D4 in Melbourne. The appointment was at 11AM, at 1.30PM I walked out when the 'consultant' left me to deal with yet another customer. I still don't even know how much they cost.



Make sure the dealer`principle is aware of the issue - then make this dealer aware that you have bought when you have got your D4 and that could have been them.

[RickO]

I had a good experience, well as good as it can be when you're about to shell out that much $$, at Rex Gorell in Geelong. Much better than previous interactions with ULR or MLR..... RickO

[eddomak]

Make sure the dealer`principle is aware of the issue - then make this dealer aware that you have bought when you have got your D4 and that could have been them.

Also make sure LR Australia know about this when they do the follow-up call and ask "anything else you want to mention?".

Don't bother driving up the mid-North Shore of Sydney. The experience was just as bad. :mad: They are <5 minutes drive away from me and I chose to drive 40 minutes away to Parramatta where it was a simple and knowledgeable transaction.

[stewmair]

When I lived in Melbourne I took My D1 to Massaro where I bought it having had two RR1's serviced there. Massaro, over 25 years of use were always great. Say hello to Ray for me. Now in Bendigo it's unfortunately too far to go.

[Wilbur]

Thanks everyone for the suggestions and comments. I get the idea that most or all of the city dealers are tarred with the same brush.

Stewmair, your report on Massaro sounds encouraging. They talk like real people there and actually seem glad to do business, unlike the snotty-nosed people I have talked to in Sydney and Melbourne. They even seemed quite happy to look at three trade-ins - a Disco 2, a Defender motorhome and a Jaguar, and even offered to drive up to Bega to inspect them!! Can you imagine any city dealer offering that?

I will let you know how it ends up, but looking good so far.

Cheers all,

Paul

[roverrescue]

If I truly did drive 700km for an appointment that was organised by a company who were tring to sell me something - and was then ignored.
I would be sending an invoice for the cost of my travel & time to that company.

S

[Rockylizard]

Gday...

I bought my 2006 D3 TDV6 SE from Massaro Motors last June. Ask for Luke Massaro personally - he knows the product and was very helpful throughout the process.

The Service Dept is good .. although the Service Manager (John Alcock) can be a bit abrupt, he knows his business and I am getting along with him these days.

Cheers
John

[Neil P]

Make sure the dealer`principle is aware of the issue - then make this dealer aware that you have bought when you have got your D4 and that could have been them.

Get real Garry . What make you think anyone gives a damn.


Just wait until this buyer has a product problem , then he'll
cry his eyes out that he didn't put the cash into a rental unit
and double his money in 6 years instead of flushing it down
the drain. The Service is worse than the sales floor .

[Grumbles]

Blacklocks in Wodonga give a damn - both on the sales floor and in the service department.

[101RRS]

Get real Garry . What make you think anyone gives a damn.

I am sure the owner owner of the business will give a damn.

[Wilbur]

If I truly did drive 700km for an appointment that was organised by a company who were tring to sell me something - and was then ignored.
I would be sending an invoice for the cost of my travel & time to that company.

S

Yes, it's tempting, but I know they would ignore it, and often "No Reply" is the Sternest Reply. I will of course delight in telling them after I have bought elsewhere.

[Neil P]

Then that will be a first , in my experience .
It will read like this: " Punter had 90 mins , then I had another
punter , so moved on . Didn't appear to be ready to close".
No one will get a bollocking , and if the sales guy was you ,
you'd not be expecting/accepting one either .

[Wilbur]

It is interesting, there have been five buyers reporting good things about rural dealers, and not a single one saying good things about city dealers.

At this stage it seems I will go with Massaro or Blacklocks, Geelong is just a bit far away, but not impossible.

Thanks again,

Paul

[shining]

Hi Wilbur,

I bought mine from Massaro (Bruce) in '09. 2nd hand with 100k on the clock. Very good to deal with and the vehicle was very well presented. I have not spoken to them since as I am far away but they impressed me at the time. They picked me up from the train and helped through temporary registration process so I get the vehicle back home.

[Disco4SE]

It is interesting, there have been five buyers reporting good things about rural dealers, and not a single one saying good things about city dealers.

At this stage it seems I will go with Massaro or Blacklocks, Geelong is just a bit far away, but not impossible.

Thanks again,

Paul
Paul,
I brought my Disco 3 & 4 from ULR Malvern and can only say good things about them.
Good luck with your search.
Cheers, Craig

[Scouse]

It is interesting, there have been five buyers reporting good things about rural dealers, and not a single one saying good things about city dealers.

I realise Parramatta might be west of Sydney but it's not exactly rural these days ;).

[Wilbur]

Then that will be a first , in my experience .
It will read like this: " Punter had 90 mins , then I had another
punter , so moved on . Didn't appear to be ready to close".
No one will get a bollocking , and if the sales guy was you ,
you'd not be expecting/accepting one either .

Good point Neil, but it wasn't a case of him mis-reading his mark. It went like this.....

I arrived for 11AM appointment, 'consultant' (Darren hereinafter) busy with client, would Sir please take this disco 4 for a drive and he will be free when you return.

Noon, Darren appears, "Ooohh, dear me, I will be just 2 minutes, need to check out this car".

Twenty minutes later, "Ahh, I am all yours, I need the keys for your trade so I can get it valued".

Twenty minutes later, "Great, I am all yours, please sit at this desk while I get you a coffee".

Twenty minutes later, "Sorry, how did you have your coffee again?"

Twenty minutes later, "Here is your coffee". Darren sits down, looks sadly at trade-in valuation, says "Ooohh, I am not happy with this, I will go and speak to the valuer".

We finish our coffee, I get bored and go looking for Darren. I find him in another office dealing with other clients. We walk.

If this is the service one gets while purchasing, what hope would there be with after-sales service?

Darren finally phoned me yesterday with a price, 5 days after the event. Brilliant! It was a good price, but not good enough.

And I agree, he wouldn't get a bollocking, because attitude starts at the top. If the staff act like this it is almost certainly a reflection on top management.

Cheers,

Paul

[Wilbur]

I realise Parramatta might be west of Sydney but it's not exactly rural these days ;).

Yes, true, my teachers always said I didn't concentrate enough......

[alittlebitconcerned]

Why, with the overwhelming condemnation of the city dealers, don't LRA pull them into line? I don't see how they could remain ignorant so there must be another reason. It's a weird way to run a company.

[Wilbur]

Why, with the overwhelming condemnation of the city dealers, don't LRA pull them into line? I don't see how they could remain ignorant so there must be another reason. It's a weird way to run a company.

It may be like Toyota with their failed quality control. Things go so well, they get complacent.

Possibly the D3 and D4 have been so good they just sell themselves, so LRA doesn't notice the crappy dealer service. I guess if I grumble to anyone, it should be them, not the dealer principle.

[Neil P]

Now , that's what I call bad service . Pacific Toyota in Cairns
were not too far behind that on LR200 demo/knowledge/trade
in attitude. It's not a nice experience .