Walking into a showroom with no intention to buy

[clyle]

After looking at many pictures of motorhome online via ebay, gumtree, autotrader and dealerships its tome to see the real things

I want to go into a few local dealers next week but as I don't plan to buy until next late autumn, what is the best way to go abut asking question and looking inside motorhomes without p%*sing of the salesman when I have no intention on buying just yet.

I really need to get inside as I am tall plus I want to ask about all the work involved in maintain a home.

Obviously I would have to avoid falling in love with a motorhome until I have my pennies saved up.

Thanks,
Chris

 

[motor roamin]

When we sold Cars, all the salesmen who worked for me never sold a car customers bought them.........why...........we gave them as much time as they wanted some taking four or five visits before they decided or found their dream car, no salesmen worth dealing with is going to be bothered about you looking and should be helpful and know his product well enough to answer all your questions, unlike the dealer I just rang with a question about towing capacity on their new vans when I asked what the max nose weight of the tow bar was not only did he not know he didn't have a clue what I was talking about, think I will find another dealer, spend all the time you need its a big purchase that you have to live with literally, good luck in the search and take all the time you need.

 

[motor roamin]

I think it's nice to be acknowledged... I used to tell my staff to always greet customers but always say, 'I'm at my desk over there and if you have any questions or need any help please do not hesitate to ask.' Smile and then walk away but watch in case needed. If you want to know what the adjective IGNORED customer means, try being a woman in a car show room ... until such time as a man joins you the times I have been ignored.. .. .. or when gone to purchase been suggested that maybe I should have a word with my husband first? If they know where he is good luck to them .. cos I don't.

Could never understand that one I had lots of female customers many knowing more than the men........funny thing is I always found they spent just as well without having to get permission, same thing now with HGV training many of my customers are female and guess what most by recommendation, Oh I don't know where he is either

 

[Puddleduck]

same thing now with HGV training many of my customers are

See @clyle - you can ask @motor roamin for a lesson in a larger vehicle which would be a massive confidence boost. I think there is another MHF member who does HGV training as well.

Driving one of the huge artic lorries around a training track is on my bucket list!!! Don't know why but it is something I just want to do!!!! The more power the better.....

 

[jdk62]

when we were first looking for a motorhome and complete novices, we went to Marquis near Newbury. We met Mark, who was outstanding.

He had all the vans open and left us to it - he said come and ask as many questions as we wished.

After looking round the various vans for 2 hours. we went in for a chat. He spent an hour and a half talking with us and making a point of saying - really think about the 3 or 4 key criteria for a van that is important/necessary for you. We went home had a good think and the following weekend went back down, having established our key criteria we went round all the vans again and finally knew the layout we wanted and size of van etc. None of the vans they had met the criteria but Mark spent an hour searching through their national database to find any vans that met our requirements. Nothing was suitable, so we left our details and went home - he kept looking.

A couple of weeks later we found the van we wanted via a dealer in the Midlands (not Marquis) and did the deal. I contacted Mark and embarrassingly told him that we had found our van and would no longer need his help. He was an absolute gentleman and genuinely pleased we found what we were looking for.

A couple of months later I recommended Mark at Marquis to a chap who went down, had the same level of help and actually bought a van from him.

1 week later we went to the NEC show and Mark was on the Marquis stand and thanked me for the referral.

Great service and fantastic help.

^{_{Subscribers  do not see these advertisements}}

 

[Spidey]

I think it's nice to be acknowledged... I used to tell my staff to always greet customers but always say, 'I'm at my desk over there and if you have any questions or need any help please do not hesitate to ask.' Smile and then walk away but watch in case needed. If you want to know what the adjective IGNORED customer means, try being a woman in a car show room ... until such time as a man joins you the times I have been ignored.. .. .. or when gone to purchase been suggested that maybe I should have a word with my husband first? If they know where he is good luck to them .. cos I don't.

Yes this happens when we go to buy a car! They approach my husband and start talking to him. It doesnt take long for the sales person the realise i do all the negotiating as my husband hates doing it ! Its quite funny the look on the their face!

 

[motor roamin]

when we were first looking for a motorhome and complete novices, we went to Marquis near Newbury. We met Mark, who was outstanding.

He had all the vans open and left us to it - he said come and ask as many questions as we wished.

After looking round the various vans for 2 hours. we went in for a chat. He spent an hour and a half talking with us and making a point of saying - really think about the 3 or 4 key criteria for a van that is important/necessary for you. We went home had a good think and the following weekend went back down, having established our key criteria we went round all the vans again and finally knew the layout we wanted and size of van etc. None of the vans they had met the criteria but Mark spent an hour searching through their national database to find any vans that met our requirements. Nothing was suitable, so we left our details and went home - he kept looking.

A couple of weeks later we found the van we wanted via a dealer in the Midlands (not Marquis) and did the deal. I contacted Mark and embarrassingly told him that we had found our van and would no longer need his help. He was an absolute gentleman and genuinely pleased we found what we were looking for.

A couple of months later I recommended Mark at Marquis to a chap who went down, had the same level of help and actually bought a van from him.

1 week later we went to the NEC show and Mark was on the Marquis stand and thanked me for the referral.

Great service and fantastic help.

That's how a good business works.........not rocket science.

 

[clyle]

Ive just been to my first visit to a showroom and the dealers were very helpful. They let me wander about all the vans at my leisure and I just went back with a list I wanted to look at, they opened all the doors and left me to it until I wanted to know more.

I now know another thing i need to do next time.... not take my kid. He was excited but as I got into the talking stages with the salesmen he got very bored

So I fell in love with the layout in a Autotrail comanche. The only thing I would like to see in this type of layout is a L shaped front lounge with additional seatbelt or 2. I have to very careful also as it sleeps 6 it only drives 2 seat belt which maybe a problem as I sometime drive the kid and ex wife to places.

I am definitely going to have to look into the solar requirements and someway to run the microwave as he said I would have to be on plug in to use this

Ive now been driving in my local town wondering where I cant go with a motorhome this size as it is tax axle and longer than I have ever driven.

 

[CWH]

Ive just been to my first visit to a showroom

Sounds like a good experience and you've also come up with a few points that we all missed!
The whole thing is so personal ..... But very exciting!

 

[clyle]

Yes one point was definitely dont take the child unless you want to look only and not talk to any one

^{_{Subscribers  do not see these advertisements}}

 

[laird of Dunstan]

Hi clyle ,I was going through the same excersise about a year ago , I did my research and asked questions ,I wanted a fixed bed as I had one in my caravan but I did not want the corner bed as it was a pain climbing over someone to get to the toilet in the wee small hours , I based my mh choices on what I liked and did not like in my in my caravan , I also stood inside the bathroom/shower areas to test if my 6ft 1 height would fit comfortably , I also tried the bed for length and ease of access .Then there was the driving position etc , having driven trucks the length was a secondary issue,does your liscense restrict you to 3.5 tons? if so you will need to sit the c1 test.
The missus and I have decided on a Rapido , it ticked all of our boxes so we have put a deposit on one in Belgium and should see it in January.
only 5 months to go but whos counting

 

[clyle]

does your license restrict you to 3.5 tons? if so you will need to sit the c1 test

I passed my driving test in the right era to have the C1 but due to my diabetes it has been removed. I called DVLA and asked what I need to do to get the C1 back and they have sent me out a load of medical forms, once they are happy with that and they can see 3 month worth of reading, speak to a doctor and maybe have me assessed they will allow the C1 back on my license.

As I dont plan to buy until end of next year possible beginning of 2017 I am going to wait till after mid next year to complete the medical so I dont want to waste 1.5 year of 3 and not having used it.

Hopefully worst case I dont get it and I get a smaller MH so my needs will be forced to change.

 

[clyle]

only 5 months to go but whos counting

Are you still counting months, when do you get to weeks and then days

 

[laird of Dunstan]

Are you still counting months, when do you get to weeks and then days

I recon that after hogmanay it gets down to hours ,trying not to think about it too much or it will feel like Xmas eve when I was a laddie in Kirkintilloch

 

[Auldlass]

Thanks for posting clyle, I'm in the same position, looking for a "home", the comments have been really informative especially buying a LHD from Europe.....good luck hunting