Bad news

[nu11eaf]

Just booked my annual service and found out my Mill Volvo dealership has been taken over by "Stoneacre's". After years of building up a good relationship and dealing with people I know I am now talking to faceless people in head office and they try the big sell to push up the bill. Like you will need engine flush, coolent flush etc etc. Which of course I refused.
Not happy. They have not got a good reputation in my area.

Edit: I had a senior moment, I initially said they had been taken over by "Stratstones" I should have typed "Stoneacre's" (now corrected)
I humbly apologise to everyone for the mistake. I did not realise my mistake until I received a text to confirm my booking.

[FraserMac66]

Is that all of Mill Volvo, or just a branch (I'm particularly interested in Sunderland)?

[Clan]

Originally Posted by nu11eaf

Just booked my annual service and found out my Mill Volvo dealership has been taken over by Stratstones. After years of building up a good relationship and dealing with people I know I am now talking to faceless people in head office and they try the big sell to push up the bill. Like you will need engine flush, coolent flush etc etc. Which of course I refused.
Not happy. They have not got a good reputation in my area.

Interesting .. Stratstone which is Pendragon , the UK's largest automotive group , had 22 volvo dealers in UK back about 15 years ago which started when they bought up the LEX group , then they parted company with volvo for whatever reason and in a very short time had none . Maybe they want more of the cake now that volvo are doing so well .

[nu11eaf]

Originally Posted by FraserMac66

Is that all of Mill Volvo, or just a branch (I'm particularly interested in Sunderland)?

Firstly I must apologise as for some reason I in-advertantly typed in "Stratstones" and I should have typed in "Stoneacre's"

I am not sure if they have taken over the whole group, they just said they had taken over Mill Volvo and bookings etc now go through head office, and not via local dealership, I think I will call in to the the dealership in person next time I want anything doing and see if the same people I usually deal with are still there.

[Clan]

Originally Posted by nu11eaf

Firstly I must apologise as for some reason I in-advertantly typed in "Stratstones" and I should have typed in "Stoneacre's"

I am not sure if they have taken over the whole group, there just said they had taken over Mill Volvo and bookings etc now go through head office, and not via local dealership, I think I will call in the the dealership person next time I want anything doing and see if the same people I usually deal with are still there.

You will probably find the same people there ...

[nu11eaf]

Originally Posted by Clan

Interesting .. Stratstone which is Pendragon , the UK's largest automotive group , had 22 volvo dealers in UK back about 15 years ago which started when they bought up the LEX group , then they parted company with volvo for whatever reason and in a very short time had none . Maybe they want more of the cake now that volvo are doing so well .

Sorry Clan, I made a mistake it is Stoneacre's that have taken over Mill not Stratstone's, I apologise for this error. I do not know why I typed Stoneacre, must be because I am going daft in my old age, I bought my previous car from Stratstone's.

[nu11eaf]

Yes the local dealership has just phoned me, same salesman I bought my car from and said the same people are still there and told me to phone his number next time and he will connect me to the local people I usually deal with and by-pass the head office route.

My car is in for its 3rd annual service so 3 years old soon, so he was asking if I would be iinterested in a new one. Normal practice. Had to disappoint him this time though, my car has only done 15k and still like new and has a 5 year service deal and extended warrantee so not looking to change yet. I also do not fancy paying that road tax on cars over 40k.

[Wizzpop]

Originally Posted by nu11eaf

I also do not fancy paying that road tax on cars over 40k.

One of the reasons I went for the V60 Momentum Pro. By the time I had added the options on the Inscription Pro I would have been over £40k.

[GuidoBrunetti]

Originally Posted by Wizzpop

One of the reasons I went for the V60 Momentum Pro. By the time I had added the options on the Inscription Pro I would have been over £40k.

What are these car manufacturers thinking of? They push the price for a reasonably specified car over £40k and then discount the hell out of them? Have they forgotten private buyers for whom the extra tax is not insignificant. It’s one reason why I’ll probably buy something like a Toyota RAV4 (a hybrid NOW from a manufacturer with years of experience in thus area, note Volvo) when my XC60 reaches five years old next September.

[Philip Fisher]

I know exactly what you mean. I detest Stoneacre with a passion. My nearest 2 dealers are now Stoneacre so I drive 30 miles to Doncaster to use Riverside Volvo instead.

Be aware also that now they have your details Stoneacre will not stop badgering you. Look out for calls from 01405 on your phone. It will be their call centre constantly trying to sell to you.

Despite repeated attempts to get them to stop (I even told their sales person that would rather have a prostate examination than ever deal with them again - they still kept calling).

Finally I asked for their data protection and compliance manager and told him that under GDPR I wanted all contact to stop. That seemed to work but it is early days......