I've been banned from my Volvo dealership!

[racingreen 245]

recently i was purchasing parts from ces in gaerwen for my 245 after tyn lon where totally unhelpful , the chap dealing with my order said he used to work in tyn lon and if i ever needed to know anything about 240's to contact you he even gave me your number,He said whenever the mechanics had a problem with older volvo's they went to you so maybe you should withdraw your help from any employee of tyn lon and today i found out they only stock synthetic oils good god .
mind you i did park my 24 yr old estate next to a new c3 which they where showing to a client maybe my car brought the tone of the place down...i know i did...

[CTCNetwork]

Hi,

How discraseful of you Mike to walk into a car dealership dressed like a mechanic!!!

Following that, I don't think they deserve your business.
I think you should be spreading the word too, to make sure they feel the pinch.
Maybe the loacl press/radio station would like the story..

Sad day indeed when the customer comes second, eh?

Des. . .

[minesa240x3]

Hi Mike sorry to hear about your Ban,It' one thing if you meant to make a mess but another if it was accidental,if not just very imbarrasing.
I work outside on sites and i am always covered in mud or dust or sometimes grease!So i know where your coming from,I get looks when going into any CLEAN invironment.Just the other day I had to get a key cut for a site we were on and found a small cobblers shop,opened door took two steps into the shop and suddenly realised how wet and mucky my boots were,looked back to see two big foot prints on the very clean carpet,I stepped back onto the wipe mat and waited for the assisstant to notice me"hello sir can i help you"? I apologised for the footprints and asked if i could have a key cut,spent the next three minutes as a doorman!he was ok about it though.
But i certainly have come across the snobbery that exists,they don't deserve your buissness.Hope the sod breaks down and you happen to drive past"cant fix it mate not allowed into the parts department"

I have never met Mike, but I know that the Parts guys know him well. I have been referred to him for advice by the chap over the counter....but so far I've not got round to it.. as it wasn't life or death at the moment.....

Very strange for a shop to refuse regular polite customers.....???

[PNuT]

is it one of those places you have to walk thru the show room to get to the parts department?

[S60-MBS]

The last time i had a experiance like that was in a Ford dealership..i was 22 at the time..and being a hard worker most of my life i thought i treat myself to a brand new Ford mondeo which i spotted in a showroom on Bristol Street Birmingham..dressed ruggedly in my leather bomber jacket and scruffy jeans i went inside..was looking around the carand decided to open the door to have a look at the interior..i was just about to sit on the seat when i noticed a well dressed "Gentleman" approach a security guard while keeping a keen eye on me...over the next 5 mins that security guard didnt take his eye off me for one second...i went over to reception and asked wether theres someone abvailable to help me out at all..sorry sir all our staff are currently engaged with customers was the reply..i was abit confused as i was the only only person not working at the dealership in the showroom..i didnt think too much about it and waited around..the security guard and the man i previously saw talknig to him were talking once more..and the guard began to walk toward me...i was abit alarmed at this staged as to what the hell is going on..i was in a very polite but firm manner asked by guard to vacate the showroom..despite my protests the guard managed to get me out of the showroom..i was extremly angry at this..i got into my Nissan Bluebird and drove around for a while until i got to a Toyota dealership went inside and discussed the purchase of a brand spanking new Toyota Carina E..
A fortnight later i returned to Ford showroom with my new Toyota parked in their carpark..as soon i was in through the door that very same well dressed man approached me and said can i help you at all sir?...i asked him wether he remembered me at all ...of course he remembered me i could see the uncomfortable look on his face..so whats my car worth in p/x for the Mondeo i asked him..he began to get a book from his pocket as isaid dont bother i'll tell you..i just paid £17000 for that car the same day you threw me out of this showroom..£17000 that could have been made by this showroom...after afew profanities i directed at this To**er i left with a smile on my face ..in all this time the security guard didnt budge from his desk but i could see a smile on his face too..

[ahal]

Hi Mike,

It's sad to hear of this sort of behaviour. I am presuming that you're in the U.K. All garages here in Ireland have this attitude really, if one happens to drive a car that's more than a few years old. Imagine an older car as oily shoes!

For about 5 years I dealt with a brilliant Volvo dealership in Dublin, but they've now moved to a massive glasshouse, got the widescreen telly / Gaggia coffee machine, and "don't do cars pre - 1998".

I was down the country a couple of years ago and the car was playing up, so I rang a dealership in Co. Tipperary to book a service. The obnoxious man who answered the phone asked me straight away: "Do we know you?". I said "no". He then asks "Do we know this car, have we worked on it?"

When I replied "No" again he went ( loudly ) "UUUHHHHH ... PAH"! I sort of laughed and hung up. I then sent the car to a Volvo dealer in Limerick city. The car came back with a Daewoo Matiz HT lead fitted and the front bumper hanging off. I actually witnessed one of the mechanics driving the car out of the service area in a style which could only be described as joyriding.

I took them to the small claims court, but it seemed apparent that the judge was a sort of pro - industry guy ( who probably got a good deal on a V-70 at some stage ). They perjured themselves and it worked. Interestingly, I was the 2nd. customer to have taken them to court for damaging a car ( they got away with it the previous time too ).

I know I've waffled a bit here, but it raises another interesting point ... what happens if your car is damaged in Volvo care? Anyway, nowadays I go to that much maligned ( by the trade vested interests ) "back lane guy". Most of the ordinary guys who work on cars are sound, and most of them hate the bosses. Think I understand why!

Even better still, find yourself an ex - Volvo mechanic like my cousin did. He gets his 850 serviced / repaired for half the hourly rate, by a guy who's not under pressure for time.

Best of luck,

Anthony.

[Al115]

Mike, that's outrageous. Maybe if enough people take offence to your story, Volvo might realise that they need to send some of their dealers on Customer Care courses again...!

[Torslanda]

Sorry to hear that Mike!

I hope they realise what a mistake they've made!! Obviously you didn't intentionally walk in in oily boots to leave marks on their floor. AND you apologised!
It's sad but true that some people judge you by what you are wearing.
I've found that out after working with horses, and in wellies, jogging bottoms and smelling of horse s**t you definitely get treated differently. It shouldn't be necessary to go home, have a shower and get changed, just so you can go into a shop and get treated like a normal person!!!
Also found being a female going to a dealer to get parts gives you funny looks and questions. I much prefer going to a local scrapyard where the guys couldn't be more helpful. They know my car now, so when I stop outside they're already there asking what I'm looking for.

[goldie]

Its the same round at our local Vauxhall dealerMyself & my son were tring to look at a car in showroom that he was interested in buying & were asked to leave by the manager as"Real Customers wanted to look at the car"
On a slightly diferent note,In the sixties i was bass player in a fairly well known group,
3 of us were out having a laugh,We had been down to Brighton & had a good day,Lets just say that we were a bit loud!!!
Calledto a large pub restuarant on the way back & had hardly got to the bar when we were told to leave as We were not the sort of people they wanted as customers.
My m8 Jeff was absolutely fuming but after an arguament with most of the staff we were escorted out by the local village bobby.
We went back just over a week later & got same reception.
When the Bobby arrived to throw us out,Jeff pulled a load of paperwork from his pocket,Pointed out politely that he had bought the place & was closing it forthwith untill he could get some decent staff & could the Bobby please escort all these undesirables(The staff) from his premises.
Never ever seen so mahy chins drop so far so quick.
Oh the joy of having too much money to really care what you waste it on!!!