I think that’s the main takeaway, and clearly one that is partially on the customers too.
If a dealership acts like you’re worthless as a customer, don’t order your car there. We got lucky in our first SEAT dealership (24 miles away in Cardiff, closest) – our salesman (Ian) was very friendly, very helpful, absolutely nothing to complain about.
When it came to ordering a new car in November last year, we went to our closest VW dealership (Bridgend, 22 miles away) to test drive an ID3. The salesman got.. “uninterested/uninvested” when we mentioned that it was going to be a Motability car, didn’t even bother to explain anything – just took the car out of the bay, quite literally threw us the keys and then buggered off. We did the test drive, and then immediately called another VW dealership in Merthyr Tydfil (60ish miles away), where we were greeted warmly even after clarifying that it’s a Motability vehicle (in this case, a Golf GTE). Overall, a recommendable experience, except that on the test drive for the GTE the battery wasn’t charged so we couldn’t really test the hybrid stuff. When we asked for a second (extended) test drive they were happy to accommodate us, but on the day where we were supposed to take it, they took a deposit on the GTE we drove (it was one of their advertised used vehicles), so out of luck there.
After that then, we called VW Port Talbot (55ish miles away), got immediately invited to an extended test drive with the GTE while knowing that it’s a Motability order, our saleslady (Danielle) is incredibly friendly and continues to provide services to us (bi-weekly updates via email on the order etc) even after we ordered. We got the GTE for an entire day and were only asked to throw £5 worth of petrol in, no limitation in miles – just had to be back at 5pm. It’s a small “family-style” dealership, maybe that’s the reason – we talked to her about our experience in the first VW dealership, and she explained that she had worked in that dealership before, knew the guy that threw us the ID3 keys and agrees that the culture there is to view Motability customers as “a necessary evil”, if you want. Now with VW Port Talbot we have already guarantees for automatic courtesy cars in case the Golf has to come in etc, they just did a good job overall (apart from the lead time for the car, but that’s out of their control).
Here’s the thing. If, as a customer, you’re willing to travel within reason (and we live as rural as it gets), you’ll find a good dealership for any manufacturer – guaranteed. If we continue to give money to the horrible ones, or even the “slightly off” ones, because they’re the closest/most convenient, nothing will change there.
Personally, i’m not even that annoyed by it. If a dealership is dickish, i move on. They lose business at the end, all i have to do is drive a little further to the next dealership. Problem sorted, for us anyway.