Good sales people and dealerships

[98AUXR6]

Hi all,

After reading this thread:

http://www.fordforums.com.au/showthr...4&page=3&pp=25

I thought it might be a good idea to start a thread where people recommend good sales people and dealerships. This would help prospective buyers get good service (hopefully) and reward those good salespeople.

I can't add to it myself, my most recent purchase being a Mazda 3. So if you have had good service, list the salepersons first name, where they work and what you bought.

[RED_EL_XR8]

Originally Posted by 98AUXR6

Hi all,

After reading this thread:

http://www.fordforums.com.au/showthr...4&page=3&pp=25

I thought it might be a good idea to start a thread where people recommend good sales people and dealerships. This would help prospective buyers get good service (hopefully) and reward those good salespeople.

I can't add to it myself, my most recent purchase being a Mazda 3. So if you have had good service, list the salepersons first name, where they work and what you bought.

That's a great idea! a mix of what people do and don't like when looking to purchase a car, without the tirades would be useful! And dont preclude the puchase of 2nd hand cars, its a similar exercise.

[Des]

The Good....
Thompson Ford Parramatta (while shopping for the BA XR)
Peter Warren Ford (as above)
Dale Ford Bankstown (bought the XR)
Tom Kerr Mazda (bought the wifes 6 from there)
For service - Brad Garlick Top Ryde (a free breaky with every service goes down well)
The Bad....
Suttons Holden Chollura (while shopping for a possible VX SS/AU III XR)
Heartland Holden (as above, could only tell me how bad everyone else's car was, not how good his was)
Most "Australian Fleet Sales" car yards I've been to
The Ugly....
Lansvale Holden (the salesman turned his back on my wife and ignored everything she said, the one and only time he spoke to her he "spat" the words out. We nearly got into a punch up, the wife had to drag me out.)

[zetec]

The only issue I can see with this thread is that there are many hundreds of very happy customers from each Dealer in Australia, and generalising your single bad shopping experience by labelling a Dealer as bad is simply unfair, untrue and just not cricket. As an ex Ford salesman I can promise that with the good comes the bad and more often than you'd like to think the customers who walk away fuming don't give it enough chance, don't realise the circumstances or simply don't care because they want to be treated like God. There are admittedly many many sad stories of many salespeople doing amazingly stupid things, but there are many Ford salespeople who work very hard and do a very good job in satisfying many many customers, RATT and others included, along with myself not too many years ago.

Whilst launching Territory, we had customers waiting 3-4 deep in the showroom whilst all salespeople were flat out, it was an exciting time, one couple walked in to be greeted relatively quickly by myself (after excusing myself from my current customers to explain I was going to simply greet the newly arrived customers and politely offer them a coffe while they waited before returning to my obliging customers) and after a perhaps 15-20 minute wait ended up storming off cursing. Sometimes people just don't understand.

I just want to remind people to be fair here and to know that no thread "blacklisting" bad Dealers will ever be either a fair or true representation of the truth simply because for every bad experience, it's quite possible to find multiple good ones. Not all salespeople are scum (I had a uni degree and a passion for my Fords not equlled by the vast majority of my customers) and as hard as it is to believe, I had multiple customers buy me dinner after their purchase, a beer, or even bring ME presents at Delivery. This is not uncommon. Please simply keep this in mind, respecting that you may have had a bad experience (I have too as a customer in the past - who hasn't??) and that whilst this deserves to be freely shared, it is not and should not ever be represented as the general consensus.

By all means offer your good experiences here, but please don't flame anyone who comes out to say they had a heavenly experience at a Dealer that someone has previously hated.

[Des]

Point taken Zetec. I tried to keep it short and sweet, no personal names.
One point I should of added though was that all of the Holden dealers were in one days looking. The wife "was" a Holden fan and convinced me to look. She's not anymore, a converted Ford-a-phile now.
Glad I didn't buy at that stage though as the romour mill started running not long after that about the BA's. We waited and couldn't be happier.

Please, if someone has a Perth Western Australia Ford dealer they can recomend, please do so. I am fast running out of them, most are aligned with each other and Factory owned.

Does anyone know of a good ford dealership in Adelaide???

[98AUXR6]

Originally Posted by zetec

The only issue I can see with this thread is that there are many hundreds of very happy customers from each Dealer in Australia, and generalising your single bad shopping experience by labelling a Dealer as bad is simply unfair, untrue and just not cricket. As an ex Ford salesman I can promise that with the good comes the bad and more often than you'd like to think the customers who walk away fuming don't give it enough chance, don't realise the circumstances or simply don't care because they want to be treated like God. There are admittedly many many sad stories of many salespeople doing amazingly stupid things, but there are many Ford salespeople who work very hard and do a very good job in satisfying many many customers, RATT and others included, along with myself not too many years ago.

Whilst launching Territory, we had customers waiting 3-4 deep in the showroom whilst all salespeople were flat out, it was an exciting time, one couple walked in to be greeted relatively quickly by myself (after excusing myself from my current customers to explain I was going to simply greet the newly arrived customers and politely offer them a coffe while they waited before returning to my obliging customers) and after a perhaps 15-20 minute wait ended up storming off cursing. Sometimes people just don't understand.

I just want to remind people to be fair here and to know that no thread "blacklisting" bad Dealers will ever be either a fair or true representation of the truth simply because for every bad experience, it's quite possible to find multiple good ones. Not all salespeople are scum (I had a uni degree and a passion for my Fords not equlled by the vast majority of my customers) and as hard as it is to believe, I had multiple customers buy me dinner after their purchase, a beer, or even bring ME presents at Delivery. This is not uncommon. Please simply keep this in mind, respecting that you may have had a bad experience (I have too as a customer in the past - who hasn't??) and that whilst this deserves to be freely shared, it is not and should not ever be represented as the general consensus.

By all means offer your good experiences here, but please don't flame anyone who comes out to say they had a heavenly experience at a Dealer that someone has previously hated.

Did you read how I started the thread? ZETEC, I have no idea how you think this thread was designed to bag or black list anyone. I think the title of the thread was quite clear.

As often happens in these pages, someone misinterprets something then goes on with a long diatribe.

I may have been misinterpreted. I was trying to offer a positive side to the thread I listed. I wasn't expecting ANY bad comments. The other thread was full of those. My intention is for this thread to list GOOD experiences, firstly, to help other members out who are looking for a deal and secondly, to recognise those GOOD sale people and good car outlets.

I AM NOT TRYING TO START A THREAD BAGGING ANYONE ONLY LOOKING FOR GOOD EXPERIENCES! :

[zetec]

Sorry mate I was mainly aiming it at Des' post in the general sense of giving good, bad and ugly and I could see it going to extremes. Didn't want to undermine the thread in any way, just wanted to make sure people saw it from both perspectives.

I'll add Dominelli Ford, Sutherland, Sydney where I gasbagged and had an awesome test-drive with my salesman coz he knew I was a car nut. Very happy.
Will also add Bayford, Epping in Melbourne for service, very informative, helfpul ,friendly, fair and high class.

[Smoke Pursuit]

Q AUTOMOTIVE SPRINGWOOD - Q FORD (AUSTRALIAN METRO DEALER OF THE YEAR)
BRYAN BYRT FORD - Very good to customers who walk off the street but haven't bought there in a while, our last car was an AU II Fairmont from them and they were always good with test drives, we still get them to quote but they are usually a few hundred dollars out.

They are the only two I can recommend in Brisbane, but anyone on the Southside Q Ford would have to be the oldest looking but best service dealer in the state! :nutsycuck

[98AUXR6]

Originally Posted by zetec

Sorry mate I was mainly aiming it at Des' post in the general sense of giving good, bad and ugly and I could see it going to extremes. Didn't want to undermine the thread in any way, just wanted to make sure people saw it from both perspectives.

I'll add Dominelli Ford, Sutherland, Sydney where I gasbagged and had an awesome test-drive with my salesman coz he knew I was a car nut. Very happy.
Will also add Bayford, Epping in Melbourne for service, very informative, helfpul ,friendly, fair and high class.

I just thought there was heaps of negativity in that other thread, enough to scare people off buying a new car. My recommendation goes to May at McGrath Mazda Liverpool. She couldnt do enough to help me and as a result, sent two others her way who eventually bought Mazdas.

[Mechan1k]

Have had good dealing with the following:

Rod Lawrence Ford (Campbelltown) - sales people/delivery of Territory

Sinclair Ford (Penrith) - service/parts dept helpfulness

Thompson Ford (Parramatta) - sales people helpfulness

Peter Warren Ford (Liverpool/Smithfield) - parts department pulling stops out to find a part ... and then let me know the nearest Ford dealer with it ... then getting them to hold it for me till i got there.

[Mechan1k]

DES: Tom Kerr Mazda ... is that the Blacktown yard (who have won best Mazda dealer for the past 6 years or something).

My fiancee's brother bought his Mazda6 Luxury Sports there ... they were really helpful and offered food and coffee all the time ... and also did the most comprehensive Pre-delivery report I have seen at a dealer anywhere.

[Des]

Originally Posted by Mechan1k

DES: Tom Kerr Mazda ... is that the Blacktown yard (who have won best Mazda dealer for the past 6 years or something).

My fiancee's brother bought his Mazda6 Luxury Sports there ... they were really helpful and offered food and coffee all the time ... and also did the most comprehensive Pre-delivery report I have seen at a dealer anywhere.

No, it was the yard on Victoria Rd, Ryde I think the suburb is. Bloke I used to work with knows the service manager and put me on to them. We had the same experience with the pre-delivery, fantastic service. 10/10.
I might add that "Sparky" (no longer there) from Dale Ford was probably 9/10. He couldn't do enough for us, from booking a manual XR6T & XR8 for us to drive on short notice to selling/ delivery and after sale follow up. It's why I bought him a 1125ml Jim Beam....

[zetec]

I would have said Matthew at Power Ford but I'm no longer working there!!! Plus it's a bit biased lol.

Good on ya Matt!

There's a top bloke at Peter Warren Smithfield that practically lives there. He'll do absolutely anything for his customers...

[BAUTE]

heard about him too Ratt, he does a pretty good job of flogging cars on some enthusiast site too from memory....lol

anything for his customers? damm I should have asked for more than just delivering it to tassie, maybe next time I will ask for a swedish blonde lass in the passenger seat

[6t6m]

I know DanielXR8 has had a run in with Grant McCarroll Ford in Armidale, however recently i was in the dealership picking up a company car and i have never had better service in any other dealership.... the staff were more than happy to help in every single way... even down to the admin staff who offered me a coffee while i waited for the salesman who was busy.
When the salesperson was finished my business was attended to quickly, efficently and most of all politely.
I cannot talk of this dealership high enough and reccommend it to anyone after a new or used vehicle

[paul7v7]

Well I and my family have had some good dealings with David Nutter Ford in Berwick for 15 or so years. We have bought 6 cars from them and all are serviced there.

For tyres I can't recommend Tyrepower in Blackburn enough. They are great and the owner Michael is an absolute great guy.

[jmc-007]

Originally Posted by Des

The Good....
Thompson Ford Parramatta (while shopping for the BA XR)**
Peter Warren Ford (as above)
Dale Ford Bankstown (bought the XR)
Tom Kerr Mazda (bought the wifes 6 from there)
For service - Brad Garlick Top Ryde (a free breaky with every service goes down well)
The Bad....
Suttons Holden Chollura (while shopping for a possible VX SS/AU III XR)
Heartland Holden (as above, could only tell me how bad everyone else's car was, not how good his was)
Most "Australian Fleet Sales" car yards I've been to
The Ugly....
Lansvale Holden (the salesman turned his back on my wife and ignored everything she said, the one and only time he spoke to her he "spat" the words out. We nearly got into a punch up, the wife had to drag me out.)

I would agree with that list minus Thomson ford the bastards still owe me 500.00 dollars but i wont go into that.

Good:

Cross Country Ford - Muswellbrook. Tim & Maryanne Pike

New Oak Ford - Melbourne. Tony Ziino

[DanielXR8]

Originally Posted by 6t6m

I know DanielXR8 has had a run in with Grant McCarroll Ford in Armidale, however recently i was in the dealership picking up a company car and i have never had better service in any other dealership.... the staff were more than happy to help in every single way... even down to the admin staff who offered me a coffee while i waited for the salesman who was busy.
When the salesperson was finished my business was attended to quickly, efficently and most of all politely.
I cannot talk of this dealership high enough and reccommend it to anyone after a new or used vehicle

Hi 6t6m,

To be fair to Grant McCarroll Ford staff, I had a run in with Grant McCarroll himself and not his staff. I have been taking cars to be serviced there for years and had no idea who or what was Grant McCarroll, untli he made himself known and had a rant - in front of a potential customer I might add.

For my part I was more then happy with the service I got from the service department, but Grant decided he didnt want my business. Which was fine as I had already decided by then, he wasnt getting it anyway.

I found the sales staff to lack product knowledge and to be price uncompetitive, but I believe most of the staff there are now new and others have moved on, so it may well be better. Wether it was just conincidence or not, I have noticed about the time I and another gentlemen wrote letters of complaint, that quite a few changes in the place have occurred. For one thing Grant has discovered the Internet and I suspect I am at least partly responsible for that one.

Servicing on my two vehicles was always fine and they would probably still be going there if he hadnt screwed that one up for himself.

Lets just say I know more about Grants business then he would probably care for me to. I was appalled that someone in his position would act so unprofessionally, let alone not recognise what his behaviour does to his business. I would be just as appalled if his behaviour had been to you or anyone else on the forums. It was just bad business and totally unprovoked.

Recently the first two of a fleet of utes was purchased in town - neither these, or any subsequent ones one will come from from Grant McCarroll, although everyone had a good laugh when I suggested I contact him for a quote. I think he has lost something like one definite and serveral maybe sales from people who know me and are appalled he never apologised for his actions. The neighbour who was also witness to Grants rant and was just as offended and told him so, has discussed the incident over dinner at a local conference with dozens of local people in attendance and when visiting another area in New England that Grant sells the odd car to.

Thats what I mean by being a bad businessman. Its just to small a town to screw people over and I am not alone in being treated like that by him. Two of his own staff have acknowledged that to me in the past and friends and work associates have stories to tell as well. My experience was not unfortunately an isolated experience.

I am in all seriousness glad though you had a good experience. I would have too, if I hadnt met Grant. ;) The folks you recommend will make up in part for a not inconsiderable number of people in Armidale who wont touch him with a barge pole.

Recently he gutted his spares department so he could let it to some locksmith, presumably to bring in some income and also opened his business for the whole weekend and ran a promotion. He never normally opens for sales on the weekend. We have also had more colour ads, new advertising of cars on the net, pictures of him with the wife and kids in the paper, actual prices listed in the paper (before it was a big secret), telly ads and so on. One person has also commented that the sales staff seemed better and Grant rushed out to see if he could help - something he never did on their previous visits. Maybe Ford have had serious words with him and/or the penny has started to drop. The thing is he just needs to realise all that is for squat if you dont follow through and have some common sense and a tad more humility. He has to go the extra mile and rebuild some trust in the local community, and that means putting his ego aside. He doesnt own me or 25000 other people in the town. He has the right to ask us to consider his business for our next car - not demand it.

Frankly I think he needs some more happy customers like yourself. He still has a Mark 1 Futura for sale, for those who dont want a series II or BF. Not the sort of car a fella who is doing really well, would still have on the lot.

All in all he appears to be his own worst enemy. Really the guy just screwed up. A simple apology would of resolved the issues with me, but he felt to important. Poor business. Fords response was less then brilliant, but they did say "they were aware of the problems at Grant McCarroll" and dropped hints that finding another Franshise holder to take over was a problem. Maybe they made all that up to make me feel better, but there is enough unhappy people in town to suggest that I wasnt the first one to write a letter.

For my part - he still owes me, my wife and my neighbour an apology - all of whom through his words and his actions, he managed to offend. I have a long memory. Having said that, I dont expect the phone to ring with Grant offering an apology, but the difference between Grant and me, is if he did, I would at least hear him out.

Good luck to you though and I hope you enjoy your new Ford.

Regards,
Daniel

Originally Posted by BAUTE

anything for his customers? damm I should have asked for more than just delivering it to tassie, maybe next time I will ask for a swedish blonde lass in the passenger seat

The Swedish lass was a bonus for the sale! :

[TZENU]

Parents bought BA classic from Strapp Ford.... Awesome service and were very keen to help em out with anything and everything especially AFTER they purchased it!
i think the blokes name was Peter....