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Old 22nd March 2009, 09:50   #16
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Whether it is US or India I have observed that Honda dealers have an attitude.

After the launch of NHC, I had gone along with my friend (a big time Honda fan), to test drive and buy the car at Whitefield Honda in Bangalore ( there was no Dakshin Honda then).

The way in which the sales person treated us left a lot to be desired and we eventually decided to leave without a test drive. I then made up my mind to never buy a Honda product again. Maybe the sales guy did some profiling and decided that we are not the Honda types :-)

My friend complained to Honda but there was no proper reply from them.

My friend being a true Honda fan ended up buying a NHC from Whitefield Honda, thus confirming the fact that Honda brand name alone is enough for the product to sell.

--Wind
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Old 22nd March 2009, 09:51   #17
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Quote:
Originally Posted by flyingspur View Post
I will ensure that this incident is publicised enough for his business to suffer, and that if his approach continues he's going to sell squat of that V6.

I said "I want to speak to your superior immediately..." after which, in a moment, I completely lost it and said something to the effect "You know what, never mind, you've lost a customer and I'm no longer interested in talking to you", handed over the V6 brochure and pricelist right back to him and stormed out of the showroom. That's how I ended it.

Honestly, I don't know how to react.

I honestly believe with full conviction, thanks to this forum, that car dealerships have no right to make preliminary assumptions of their customers' backgrounds and denying them TD's / behaving inappropriately with them on the basis of the same.
1. Trying to defame or storming out of the who room will NOT solve your problem.
2. Address the issue with Honda Motors via email and letter on your dad's letterhead (since you were representing him).

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Originally Posted by DocG View Post
Spur the owner of Shaman Group which owns Arya is a family friend. I'll bring it up with him tomorrow.
Doc, some months back my wife was looking to buy a ANHC (she evetually did) from Arya. While she was not denied a trst drive the service she recieved was not what I would call "acceptable" esp when we have more than 10 Hondas in our family (myself+2 brothers, kids, mom, etc..). We had to make a few 'phone calls' to sort this out and di buy the car from Arya but it was not a happy purchase.

Quote:
Originally Posted by madhokritesh View Post
also mention in your mail that you were to buy a Accord but after the incident you are thinking of getting the New Superb. THis should ring bells within the Honda Marketing team.
Honda does not fear Skoda. Honda's attitude will change when Toyota offers a Camry at the same price of their Accords.
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Old 22nd March 2009, 10:39   #18
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Quote:
Originally Posted by navin View Post
1. Trying to defame or storming out of the who room will NOT solve your problem.
2. Address the issue with Honda Motors via email and letter on your dad's letterhead (since you were representing him).
I am in complete agreement with you, Sir. Although what I meant by....is :

(i) Storming out : Walked off without courtesy (did not feel the need to offer him any, such as a goodbye) and swung the door open. My actions otherwise are quite restrained in terms of my behaviour at dealerships. After all, when you're subjected to good treatment or otherwise, why the need to be curt/impolite?

(ii) Defamation : If people ask me about Honda, I will no longer recommend Arya, in the sense that I will let them know of the incident. OTOH I will also mention their service quality as there is an existing thread which holds their service centre at Lalbaug in very high regard. I give the complete picture. If the person who has consulted me wishes to go ahead with his purchase from Arya, then obviously I don't tell him/her not to. Thats it. And they've already lost two prospective customers because of that.

Quote:
Honda does not fear Skoda. Honda's attitude will change when Toyota offers a Camry at the same price of their Accords.
Sir, I am beginning to think that might change, with the pricing of the new Superb. Just speculating, of course.

Last edited by FlyingSpur : 22nd March 2009 at 10:41.
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Old 22nd March 2009, 11:28   #19
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This is actually quite pathetic. However, somehow I feel it was not his fault directly, but his superiors. I feel he had no say in the matter and was forced to do this by he senior.
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Old 22nd March 2009, 11:29   #20
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Abrasive, Abusive, Offensive, Rude these are the words i can shell out of my thesaurus for what had happened. I feel for you mate, you should've taken it to his superior. it is this we walking out that makes them bold enough to treat a potential customer as if he is at their mercy. I hope with all good will that you buy a Honda and go to their showroom and tell them in their face how many customers they have lost. that should teach them to treat every potential/apparent customer properly.

What worries me most is even after so and such discussions done on the same subject on a forum as diverse as T-BHP will these guys ever learn?

Last edited by F50 : 22nd March 2009 at 11:39.
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Old 22nd March 2009, 11:45   #21
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Hades View Post
Abrasive, Abusive, Offensive, Rude....
That's almost never a solution for anything, my friend.

Quote:
Originally Posted by Nikhilb2008 View Post
This is actually quite pathetic. However, somehow I feel it was not his fault directly, but his superiors. I feel he had no say in the matter and was forced to do this by he senior.
Absolutely. That's the main reason I didn't raise my voice there, he was obviously simply following orders. It's just that he needn't have made me wait and watch for 10 mins while he huddled with his colleagues to come up with some lame excuse. There's no point saying anything - beyond what I did - to him, but then by the time I wished to speak to his manager I had had enough. So I bluntly returned his premium brochures with it's premium pricelist and walked off.

Last edited by FlyingSpur : 22nd March 2009 at 11:47.
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Old 22nd March 2009, 11:56   #22
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I was denied Accord's (MT) TD by, guess who, Arya Honda. "Sorry, the car is already out for a TD" "Is it expected in few minutes? I can wait" "No Sir, no idea when will it be back"

Their attitude is not right.

Honda just have good engines, thats it! It ends there.
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Old 22nd March 2009, 12:00   #23
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I loathe that sort of show-room snobishness, and I loathe it all the more as it is perfected in my own mother country!
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Old 22nd March 2009, 12:22   #24
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Seeing this thread, I just remembered a joke that my friend told me.
I am not sure if its true but he told me it is, Anyways enjoy it :

The Rolls Royce company invites it customers to buy their cars and a customer cannot decide whether they can buy it or not.

Once upon a time the Maharaja of Jaisalmer(I think) wanted to buy a rolls royce and hence contacted them. The company replied that he isnt worth buying their cars as they expect certain standards for their customers.

You know what the maharaja did? He bought a used rolls royce car and used it as a vehicle for collecting garbage in the city

When the Rolls Royce management came to know about it they sent him an apology letter and pleaded him to stop doing it and also sent him a gift of a brand new Rolls Royce.

He accepted the gift but said that he will never ever touch that car.

Edit: I just found a thread related to this
http://www.team-bhp.com/forum/pre-19...maharajas.html

Cheers,
Nitin

Last edited by revhappy : 22nd March 2009 at 12:30.
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Old 22nd March 2009, 12:32   #25
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Quote:
Originally Posted by DocG View Post
However it is probably the fact that they have only 1 TD vehicle and need to prioritise the "Genuine" customers before all others. It's probably just your age. Just brush it off as the ignorance of a salesman.

Doc
Quote:
Originally Posted by Parm View Post
i think its called profiling a customer to identify if the customer is a prospective buyer after the test drive or not!

nothing to get angry about it.
@DocG & Parm - What makes you think these sales guys from the lower end of society can "profile/prioritise" accurately?Do they get some training or a degree in human psychology to understand this?And what does age have anything to do with this nonsense?Don't we have enough 20 somethings on this forum itself who own Beemers,Porsches,Bentleys,Lambos and what not??

@Parm-nothing to get angry about it.
Dude I hope you feel the same way everytime after you get treated badly anywhere.If someone doesn't get angry at this behaviour,then he/she is a walking doormat.Nuff said.

Last edited by maverick030581 : 22nd March 2009 at 12:35.
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Old 22nd March 2009, 12:33   #26
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HONDA is really digging it's own grave nowadays. They have lost another customer.

@revhappy - Interesting story about the RR !!
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Old 22nd March 2009, 12:51   #27
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Thad E Ginathom View Post
I loathe that sort of show-room snobishness, and I loathe it all the more as it is perfected in my own mother country!
They go one step better, if you flash the cash, they won't even look. Friend of mine wants to buy a nearly new BMW 330 C with cash, her dealer could not be bothered to source one. I found one in another BMW dealer. She contacted them and they were helpful. Salesman was an indian so it helped
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Old 22nd March 2009, 12:56   #28
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Quote:
Originally Posted by flyingspur View Post
Sir, I am beginning to think that might change, with the pricing of the new Superb. Just speculating, of course.
The Superb is a great car but...
Honda KNOWS that SKoda has a poor record/reputaion for A.S.S and that makes HOnda feel secure. Just look ath resale values of used Hondas vs used Skodas.

Quote:
Originally Posted by ajmat View Post
They go one step better, if you flash the cash, they won't even look. Friend of mine wants to buy a nearly new BMW 330 C with cash, her dealer could not be bothered to source one. I found one in another BMW dealer. She contacted them and they were helpful. Salesman was an indian so it helped
They make money on financing thats why.

When I went to buy my first new car (mid 80s in the US) I was told not to discuss financing let them assume they are going to finance the car. Today dealers are wiser and want to know up front. So the best answer is "Sure I'm interested but financing will depend on the offers you have on hand"

A cocky friend of mine went to Arya Honda at Ballard Estate. He met the manager as he was looking 2 purchase 4 Accords (2 in this month and 2 in April). So the manager asks about financing to which my friend replies "I do not finance car dearships, arrange for your own finance".

Last edited by navin : 22nd March 2009 at 13:01.
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Old 22nd March 2009, 12:59   #29
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This type of attitude is in skoda dealership too, We (mom , dad, me) went to an skoda dealership in coimbatore, when fabia was launched, we were into showroom, but none enquired about why we were here, they were just busy in explaining the car to other prospective customer, but there was other car and some sales person free, they didnt even bother us, i went to them and asked details bout it. they hakf heartedly said details and price...they didnt even asked our contact address and phone number.

Not even asked us for a test drive. Thought that they can sell easily..

but now they feel the heat on selling fabia....

worst experience in skoda.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Same experience with Ford ,

Once there was an offer to register for a test drive while launching Fiesta diesel. So i had registered for test drive through SMS from my mobile, but no response from their local dealer Rajshree ford, then i wrote this to ford india through email, they apologised for it, Then i replied them, On what basis they judge the customers, so that we can go only for the respective manufacturers who respond to custoomers promptly.

But as of me, Tata and Mitsubishi dealership give good response, even though you wont buy them. Its on my personal experience in coimbatore.

Last edited by rajivanoj : 22nd March 2009 at 13:04.
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Old 22nd March 2009, 13:06   #30
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Dont go to the dealership make them come to you! Trust me try it. At best they wont come and you can continue to do what you wre doing.
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