[P_G]

I'm usually a fair level headed person and can see the situation from most sides with empathy but after yesterday's debacle at Tyneside Audi I would not recommend anyone to buy a car from them.

 

This started back in September when the missus was looking at new cars as I have promised to buy her one for a landmark birthday this year which is in a few days time. She was looking at a Juke but after researching them I had my concerns so took her to test drive an Audi A1 which I arranged through Dan Bowers, Account Manager. We drove two they had in stock, a 1.2 TFSI and a 1.4 TFSI and after the test drive we saw the 1.4TFSI Sportback as the model of choice.

 

Dan unfortunately was only interested in selling the stock he had, trying to pawn off one the two we drove. When I said I wasn't interested in this I received one E-mail asking  whether I was going to purchase an A1. I in reply expressed my reservations about buying new, in effect not giving him a straight forward sale and making him have to work for his money. He didn't. No reply, no acknowledgement, no follow up call.. 

 

I knew the Sportback was what was wanted so as I work close to Teesside Audi, I walked in with an Audi configurator spec from the website, handed it over, haggled, paid my deposit there since Tyneside couldn't be bothered with my business. However as we live 2 miles from Tyneside I wasn't going to drag the missus down to Teesside to collect the car so I arranged for it to be presented at Tyneside. What a mistake.

 

My detailer dropped the car off to them after he did his magic an hour or so before we were due to collect. It was already a farce because our Account Manager at Teesside had called Tyneside the previous week to arrange the delivery garage to be booked for us and someone to hand it over and they seemingly had no one available to do that so he had to come all the way from Teesside to do the handover. So we turned up at midday as booked and to our disappointment our car is sitting outside with no plates on and another car is in the delivery garage.

 

Our Account Manager takes us inside to complete the rest of the papers whilst supposedly our car is sorted out. Once the papers are signed he goes and tries to organise everything an we are left sitting in Tyneside whilst all Tyneside 'Account Manager's are sitting at their desks trying to look busy and failing. These the same people who seemingly were too busy to hand over the car to us instead. No one talks to us, not one offers us refreshments whilst we are there.

 

Finally at 12.30pm we get to see the car properly, only to find they have made the plates up with the wrong registration. So we continue on with the handover whilst seemingly they are making up new plates. But rather than them bring the plates around the car has to be driven round the back to have them fitted, more disruption.

 

Finally at 12.45pm we get the car as it was supposed to be. My other half is left feeling deflated and upset with the whole new car delivery experience as it has ruined her Birthday and I am beyond reasoning with. 

 

I have bought 6 Audis in the last 10 years whilst I have lived within 3 miles from Tyneside Audi, 4 for myself and two for lady P_G and only 1 is from Tyneside and this is an ample demonstration of how useless their sales and customer service team are and why I do not buy from them. The one we did buy from them, the A2; they even fooked that up by having their detailer trying to correct the paint with a rotary polisher, burning it through to metal on the day of collection, then re-spraying it the wrong colour and taking over 2 weeks to rectify it and delaying delivery.

 

I hope the management of Benfield and Tyneside read this because you are abjectly useless, I'm surprised your Account Managers can manage their own bank accounts and your customer service is appalling. I have worked in a sales environment for nearly 20 years and I'm pretty sure I could wipe the floor sales wise with any of them with zero training as they are too reliant on the fact you have a product that people want. The only redeeming feature of the franchise is the excellent service team.

 

How the hell do you let your franchise get into such a position that they can't even help each other and an employee has to travel some 50 miles to hand over a car? I won't be buying from Benfield again, will be sending a complaint to Benfield senior management and Audi UK and I hope you get the franchise stripped form you.

Edited by P_G, 12 December 2013 - 09:22 AM.

[Klauster]

Make sure you feedback to Audi Graeme, massive fines are now imposed to bad dealers failing this badly....

Edited by Klauster, 12 December 2013 - 11:29 AM.

[Ironhorse 874]

There is too much competition out there nowadays for dealers to adopt that slip shod attitude I don't blame you for being pissed off it is not as if it is a cheap brand I am glad my dealer is excellent

[Foxtrot_Oscar]

I would like to add my experience of Tyneside Audi. I originally walked into Newcastle Audi to buy my S3 8V and was promptly asked if I could afford one, so left and after visiting a few other dealers walked into Tyneside. Right from the start Ryan Temple was extremely friendly, listened to what I wanted to do and then set about making the experience the best it could be for me. He was patient right from the start and when it come to negotiating he was very fair.

Even when some mistakes were made, not by him but by others, he sorted things out quickly and made sure he kept his word on delivery in time for a family holiday.

5/5 from me.

 

Two weeks ago I gave Newcastle another try with a test drive of the RS3 and overall the service again was very good and a vast improvement to my last dealing with them. I didn't order as they couldn't match my numbers, but the sales guy Joe was brilliant, although his sales manager wasn't as switched on customer wise. But again, better than last time.

 

What I have taken away from these two experience at Benfield is that is all depends on the sales bod you end up with and if they are any good. Sadly it would seem to still be hard to get a good one every time.

Edited by Foxtrot_Oscar, 10 July 2015 - 01:56 PM.

[P_G]

Balanced Review there however to my mind when you start to offer some resistance and reticence to buying a car they are trying to sell that is when you start to get the cold shoulder because you get the feeling they feel they can get an easier sell and they probably can. That you bought the S3 is because you knew what you wanted.

 

I am trying Tyneside again  presently but TBH as good as the Account Manager can be, unless Karl Timlin the dealership sales manager gets his finger out over pricing and discounts they are always going to lose out for me and I suspect that is what you found on the RS3 but then as said they sell so many cars he probably doesn't care.

[P_G]

Oh dear, well Benfield are once again true to my previous experiences of them and as soon as I have said I wouldn't want to buy their C7 RS6 demo from them not a word have I heard from them. After several requests to the Account Manager I was dealing with he hasn't bothered to call my partner to arrange her S1 test drive either. And to top it all off their body shop has just made a faux pas as well, more to follow on this one after I see what response I get to my complaint being lodged tomorrow.

 

Just as well Claire, Jonny and the team in servicing are holding up the flag for Benfield because otherwise they would be totally useless.

[P_G]

Carlisle is where my RS3 is from but in hindsight the deal they offered was poor given I had no car to p/x in the end and financed with the car being a cancelled order. Getting extras was hard like mats and a boot liner and luggage net but the nail in the coffin was when I had a bent wheel with no visible damage so was soft and they didn't even want to try warranty with it. I bought a wheel elsewhere, sorted it myself. They are trying to get me interested in a new RS3 ....


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Edited by P_G, 12 August 2015 - 06:29 PM.

[P_G]

Foxtrot Oscar, Karl Timlin I am now told is VP / head of sales for all Benfield Audi dealerships