Auto Express – July 30, 2019

52 SpecialIssue

THE DEALERS

ULTIMATE GUIDETO

BUYINGACAR

ASthehighest-ratedcompanywithinthe

PSAGroup,Citroenshouldbeamodel

forVauxhall,DSandPeugeotdealersto

learnfrom.Staffarealmostimpeccably

courteous,whileworkshopsareimpressive

all-round,beingfasttocompletework

(whichiscarriedouttoadecentstandard)

andofferinggoodvalue.Communication

couldbealittlebetteratdealers,yousay,

withalackofinformationonthecostand

theprogressofworkresponsibleforthe

relativelypoorscoreinthiscategory.

Dealerfacilitiesgetthelowestcategory

mark,though:yousayparkingistight,and

addthatwaitingareasandcar-collection

zonescouldbemorecomfortable.

NOchangeforVolvo,whichplacesninth

forthesecondyearrunning.Smashing

dealerfacilitiesandfreelyavailable

courtesycarsareresponsibleforVolvo

dealers’highestscores–yousaythefirm’s

franchisesareimpressivelycomfortable

andclean,whiletherewouldappearto

bedecentcommunicationwhenyourcar

isbeingworkedon.You’realsotakenwith

thevalueofferedbyVolvodealers,and

arehappywiththestandardofworkthey

carryout.Mostofyouseempleasedwith

howlongmaintenanceandrepairstake

tocomplete,too.Volvodealerstaffcould

dowithbeingalittlemorecourteous,

though,accordingtoourreaders.

SKODAisthemosthumblebrandwithin

theVolkswagenstable,butitsdealerspost

strongerresultsthananyotherVWGroup

firm.Gettingthenegativesoutoftheway

first,you’reonlyaveragelypleasedbythe

valueformoneyoffered,wouldn’tmind

workonyourSkodasbeingcompleted

morequickly, andcoulddowithmore

courtesycarsbeingon-hand–althoughno

individualscorestandsoutasdisastrous.

Inallotherareas,Skodadealersare

strong:staffcommunicationandcourtesy

aregreat,andthesamecanbesaidfor

thequalityofdealerfacilitiesthatare

available,aswellasthestandardof

workcarriedoutonyourcars.

NOToneofHyundai’sindividualscoresis

disastrous,andsomeareprettydecent.

Thefacilitiesgeneratetheleastpositive

feedbackfromowners,though,withour

readerssayingthatHyundaicoulddowith

ensuringitsdealershavemoreparking

andbetterwaitingareas.Dealersmight

alsowanttolookattheircourtesy-car

policies,becausethisgeneratedonly

anaveragescore.Elsewhere,thenewsis

prettygood.Staffcommunicatewell,and

you’rereasonablyimpressedwiththevalue

formoneyandspeedofservice.Overall,

asolidsetofscores,andadealership

experiencethatsoundslikeitcouldbe

markedlyimprovedwithafewtweaks.

86.46%

86.40%

86.19%

85.67%

8. Citroen
   9. Volvo


9. Skoda


10. Hyundai

RATINGS

RATINGS

RATINGS

RATINGS

CATEGORIES

CATEGORIES

CATEGORIES

CATEGORIES

“OneveryoccasionI’vevisitedthedealership,theworkhas

beencompletedbythetimestated,ifnotevenearlier.”

“Theydroppedusofftogoshoppingwhilethecarwas

serviced,thenrangandcollecteduswhenitwasfinished.”

“There’splentyofspaceforcustomers’carsandyoucanalways

findsomewheretopark,despiteitbeingabusydealership.”

“It’sasmallgaragebuthascourteousandattentivestaff.The

waitingareaiscleanandhasfreetea,coffee,TVandWiFi.”

%OFOWNERS WHOHAD APROBLEM...

%OFOWNERS WHOHAD APROBLEM...

%OFOWNERS WHOHAD APROBLEM...

%OFOWNERS WHOHAD APROBLEM...

31 1

31 1

31 1

31 1

Close-to-averageproportionof

complaints,mostoftenaboutthe

abilitytofindandfixglitches

Above-averageproportionof

ownershadagripe,athirdof

whichwereforcarsnotbeingready

Lowproportionofgripes,but

gettingcarsfinishedontime

wasapointcomplainedabout

Therewereimpressivelyfew

negatives,andafifthofissues

wereforcarsnotbeingcleaned

11.5%

16.2%

8.5%

8.8%

OWNER’S

VIEW

OWNER’S

VIEW

OWNER’S

VIEW

OWNER’S

VIEW

Dealer facilities

Availability of courtesycar

Staff courtesy

Communication

Standardofwork

Speed to completework

Value formoney

Dealer facilities

Availability of courtesycar

Staff courtesy

Communication

Standardofwork

Speed to completework

Value formoney

Dealer facilities

Availability of courtesycar

Staff courtesy

Communication

Standardofwork

Speed to completework

Value formoney

Dealer facilities

Availability of courtesycar

Staff courtesy

Communication

Standardofwork

Speed to completework

Value formoney

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