# Crawley Audi/Tonbridge Audi - Worst Service Ever!



## Dotti (Mar 9, 2003)

I am upset, furious, and most certainly NOW NOT  going to buy the TT I had planned to buy from not only this dealer or any other Audi dealer because I WILL NOT BE BUYING AN AUDI WHAT SO EVER !!!  

I went to CRAWLEY AUDI today with my husband and 2 young sons aged 5 and 2 to view a 225 TT Coupe we wanted to purchase. A 110 mile round trip from where we live.

Arrived at CRAWLEY AUDI and went for a test drive with the Salesman whilst Hubs looked after the kids. Loved the car and came back to swap and let Hubs test drive it. He went off to drive it and I waited in the showroom of CRAWLEY AUDI with the children.

Bearing in mind the age of our children, they were quite excited and were playing in the showroom, giggling, laughing and generally having fun. Most importantly they were not being a nuisance or screaming or crying. Whilst Hubs was driving the car, I was told by the showroom receptionist, on behalf of a nameless and faceless manager of CRAWLEY AUDI, to get the children to be quiet or leave the building and go outside (exact words).

Now as it is impossible to keep 2 young boys totally silent in a car showroom,I had no choice but to leave the building and stand outside CRAWLEY AUDI like a lemon. So, while my husband was out test driving the car with our car keys in his pocket, I had to stand in the cold and rain with 2 young children and wait 15mins for him to return with the salesman. All on the demand of a 'manager' of CRAWLEY AUDI who did not have the balls to even tell me himself !! Bear in mind also,that there were 2 token toys there in a massive showroom to entertain the children. I've seen more provision for children in an old volume car manufacturer's showroom, than this brand new all singin all dancing Audi dealership with 11 V6's brand new unregistered V6's out the front.

Now you would think that this 'manager' of CRAWLEY AUDI would have politely said asked me himself, and, instead of throwing me out, would have offered me a quiet room or office within CRAWLEY AUDI to sit and wait for my husband, the customer with cash in his pocket. No not at CRAWLEY AUDI.

Anyway, Hubs gets back and sees me rather upset standing outside CRAWLEY AUDI and I explain what happened to him and the salesman. The salesman then says that he was the 'manager' there today and this shouldn't have happened and mumbled a nothing apology. We gestured to leave CRAWLEY AUDI immediately by unlocking our car which was parked next to the TT when Hubs returned. Instead of suggesting we all go back inside to discuss the purchase of the TT (which incidently we had both decided we wanted) and finding somewhere quiet to sit with the children,he just turned around and walked off back into the dealer with his back to us. Is this how you would expect another 'manager' of CRAWLEY AUDI to behave ??

Anyway, the long and short of this story is that you can build the best looking dealership, selling upmarket cars, but if you employ the wrong people, have the wrong attitude to customers, and worst of all cannot even provision for a customer's children - THE MOST BASIC OF CUSTOMER NEEDS - then AUDI and CRAWLEY AUDI do not deserve my money. They could have sold a very expensive car for cash today with no px.

Arrogance at it's very very worst !! Remember CRAWLEY AUDI and AUDI,the good times won't always last. One day you will have a very expensive dealership in a difficult market. The only customers who will come to you then will be the satisfied ones. Except the way you are going,there won't be any.

In case you wonder why the title includes TONBRIDGE AUDI, it is worth noting that TONBRIDGE AUDI and CRAWLEY AUDI are owned by the same company - so BEWARE !!

Rant over.


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## coupe-sport (May 7, 2002)

Sorry to hear that Abi - i think dealers just try and protect the cars inside if kids are running around - cars can easily be scratched and i'm sure if it was your new TT sat in the showroom you'd want it looked after too.

They could have handled it better though - dont they have a waiting area ??


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## moley (May 14, 2002)

Aha, this is a better place for your rant ... but I'll just repeat what I posted on your other thread ... with one slight alteration ... can you spot it yet ;D

Sorry to hear this Abi - what a load of stuck up TOSSERS, WANKERS, LIMP WRISTED NUCKLE CHUCKLERS. However, it seems to be endemic within not only Audi, but a lot of other prestige car dealers.

When I started looking around for my TT, I went to several dealers and most had a "we've got the car you want, so we can treat you anyway we want" attitude. Harold Wood Audi were the worst. Actually, if I remember correctly, my first ever post on here was on this very subject

But, I did have a reasonable experience with Nigel Grogan Chelmsford which is where I got the TT from in the end.

I totally agree that it's down to the type of people who work in the showroom and, therefore, you may occasionally get a decent one.

The bottom line though is don't let this put you off buying a TT. I reckon, if you went to some BMW or Merc dealers, you'd possibly get similar treatment. So, just put your fingers up to CRAWLEY AUDI and try somewhere else where they actually want you to spend your hard earned money with them.

Moley


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## Dotti (Mar 9, 2003)

Sorry I wasn't really sure where to put this as it is a rant but also a warning to those with kids.

Well experience with Harold Wood Audi has been good.


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## bec21tt (Feb 27, 2003)

This is just disgraceful treatment of someone who is going to spend their hard earned money with them.

Personally I cannot fault the dealership I used, I wanted to test drive the car with my daughter in, just to check that she would have enough room, and they were more than accommadating (sp?).

As Moley says, don't let this put you off wanting and having your TT.

Bec


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## Dotti (Mar 9, 2003)




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## Dotti (Mar 9, 2003)

Audi dealers local to us have always been really polite and friendly too. So you assume all will be the same


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## bec21tt (Feb 27, 2003)

As Mosschops says on the other post, the one's in the "midlands" seem to be OK. Come up for a visit and we'll take you to them :-*


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## coupe-sport (May 7, 2002)

Why not use the local dealer then ? - they can always source the car you want from another dealer ? . Thats what mine offered to do, before the right spec one turned up on the forecourt...


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## Dotti (Mar 9, 2003)

> Why not use the local dealer then ? - they can always source the car you want from another dealer ? . Thats what mine offered to do, before the right spec one turned up on the forecourt...


Well, the car we wanted had the spec, gizmos and was the colour we wanted hence teh 110 mile round trip to view it before purchasing it Â


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## bec21tt (Feb 27, 2003)

Find another dealer you like/that are any good  , tell them the car you want (the one you drove today) and get them to have it moved to that dealership. Sorted.

(I think that's what you meant coupe-sport, :-/ )


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## coupe-sport (May 7, 2002)

> I think that's what you meant coupe-sport, Â


yep


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## Dotti (Mar 9, 2003)

Thanks gang.


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## scoTTy (May 6, 2002)

Don't cut off you nose....

You may have had crap service but if this is the car you want then go in there, give them some grief and see if this softens them up for a deal. If not then what have you lost?

p.s. I'm sure Audi Customer Services would be interested in your feeback.


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## kmpowell (May 6, 2002)

> p.s. I'm sure Audi Customer Services would be interested in your feeback.


ROFLMAO, that's the funniest thing i've heard all day!

They won't give a shit, just like their poxy dealerships dont give a shit.

I have NEVER come across such diabolical and lousy attitude & service from a company in all my life. From the dealers, to Customer Service, right up to the Audi UK bigwigs, it is rotten to the core.


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## Dotti (Mar 9, 2003)

Well, funnily enough it was pretty busy in this Dealer with possibly potential buyers. I was so close to getting that manager, out his 'creme de creme office' and being rude but polite and of course formal and putting him right in the way he should go about his business infront of other potential buyers. I could have even waved my bank statement at him to show him how bloody serious we were . TWAT! His loss but someone elses gain in my eye


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## Dotti (Mar 9, 2003)

> p.s. I'm sure Audi Customer Services would be interested in your feeback.


I wish they would be interested. Â The problem is that Audi have completly outsourced their customer service to another external company - that's how interested Audi themselves are in dealing with their customers first hand.


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## whirlypig (Feb 20, 2003)

I'm really not surprised by their attitude, Audi dealers aren't known for the quality of their customer service. There's also a certain arrogance which is evident from the usual quote "these cars sell themselves", which probably explains why their salesmen's skills are so lacking. :-/

The TT is the first Audi I've bought and I was so unimpressed by a number of dealers that I started looking elsewhere. However the TT was the car I wanted and fortunately I ended up buying mine through a broker. I dealt with Poole Audi who I found to be very proactive, excellent service throughout though this may be because I dealt with the fleet sales department.

Already there's other alternatives to the TT and I'm sure that sooner or later sales will start to fall and then they might start to think about working towards developing some customer loyalty by improving their dealerships.


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## Dotti (Mar 9, 2003)

Exactly our senitments :


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## vagman (Sep 6, 2002)

AUK must be doing something right.

Over 70,000 Audis were sold last year........a record.


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## Dotti (Mar 9, 2003)

Think how many cars they 'could' have sold, if they got their service right! And how many of the 70,000 have had the full Audi experience!


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## vagman (Sep 6, 2002)

> Â And how many of the 70,000 have had the full Audi experience!


Er............all of them.


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## GRANNY (Jun 18, 2002)

I dont think that it is just Audi who have that bad sort of attitude.
I would have to say that my dealership in Blaclburn or Preston, have always treated us very well.
But the type of service , or lack of, was how we were treated at Mercedes, when i wanted to buy a SLK.
That was how come i went to Audi and bought my TT.
Personally i think it isnt so much the dealership just certain individuals that work there.
They seem to think that because they sell nice cars they are higher than other car sales people.
So basically they could do to either be sacked or given a course on customer service, and a lesson in MANNERS.
I say find a nice dealer and buy your car from them.


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## whirlypig (Feb 20, 2003)

It's certainly not just Audi dealers however in my neck of the woods 4 out of the 5 dealers I contacted couldn't be bothered to return calls, I had to do all the chasing. When I did actually get hold of someone their knowledge wasn't great and they didn't seem too interested in securing a sale. :-/

Audi may have had record sales last year but I'd guess that was down to the quality and popularity of the product alone. I'd bet that if you had the same dealerships trying to sell Fords then I'm sure there would have been record losses.


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## marksovereign (Sep 20, 2003)

My local dealer Links Audi in Macclesfield were superb, friendly, professional and helpful.. When I was looking instead of having to sit with some smarmy sales person and drive around a test drive circuit thats too short, they chucked me and the wife the keys to their 225 demo and let me have it for the afternoon. No pressure great fun we signed up the next day. So far theyve been great. However Rybridge in W
arrington were crap. no cars for test drive, never returned phonecalls no sales people ever around, it took 3 hours to testdrive 2 cars !!! No fun and the Wife totally bored and disinterested. Just goes to show if you're treated right your a happy punter., and a happy punter is normally a buying punter.


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