Are farmers moving away from Land Rover?

[oldoaktree]

I've done a short stint at machinery sales, big mistake to make judgments on whether someone can afford something. Best policy is to treat everyone equally. If I'd said I drove a Kia I could tell by his attitude that he'd have talked to me like something he'd have scraped off his boot. For all he knows the Kia driver might have just won the lottery.

You said you were skint as you'd just bought a combine . I'd bet he probably wouldn't know want a combine is or any idea how much it costs . So once you've said your skint would mean you have no money at the moment. Time for him to move on to the tweed brigade who push you out of the way on the LR/RR stands most of which haven't got a pit to pee in .
To be fair blonde hottie in dubarrys or over weight farmer in my case if I were sales man I know who I'd talk to . Very little real business done at shows .

 

[Ducati899]

Maybe but they could treat everyone as a potential buyer until they're told otherwise by the customer. I'm sure they come across plenty of modest customers who make out they can't afford something as well as flash types who like to make out they can afford to buy, but can't in reality.

I bet if someone was looking at a Range Rover at a show and the salesman said "are you interested sir/madam?" To which prospective customer says no I can't afford it resulting in salesman walking away,he would then get called rude

 

[Paddington]

We used to go the Royal Show every year and one of my treats was to visit the Land Rover stand. Now I couldn't afford a new one then (and certainly can't afford one now), but you could pick up a brochure and be taken around the off road course and there'd be knowledgeable chaps who could answer your questions with enthusiasm.. Move forward a few years and the brochures had disappeared, the sales people were more interested in Justin and Tarquin's skiing trip and no one was there to show any interest in potential customers. Move forward a few more years and you can't just waltz into your local dealer for a few parts, JIT prevails and sir should have that oil filter next week if he cares to pay now .

 

[Red Fred]

I had a problem with my 51 Disco2 when I had to reset the alarm using the key in the driver's door and putting in the security code. The lad who services it for us told me I had to get the code from the main dealers in Bournemouth so I turned up in my farm Skoda and oily shorts and polo shirt. They couldn't have been more helpful, much to my surprise. The ladies gave me a cup of tea and some brochures to read while the service chap obtained the code for me with some difficulty from the computer. I was most impressed and they didn't want a penny for their trouble.

 

[Ducati899]

I think a lot of it depends on your own attitude once entering their showrooms

 

[JP1]

I've done a short stint at machinery sales, big mistake to make judgments on whether someone can afford something. Best policy is to treat everyone equally. If I'd said I drove a Kia I could tell by his attitude that he'd have talked to me like something he'd have scraped off his boot. For all he knows the Kia driver might have just won the lottery.

True and I think cars / motors are a very poor arbiter of wealth or buying intention.

From what you said, you didn't mess him around either. If you'd walked on to three machinery stands , asked for a trade in price for a combine and had a sales person expend time preparing a quote to your exact spec and then were either blunt on a (rightful) follow up call or just ignored calls from the ones that didn't look like the best deal on paper then I think that would have been unfair.

 

[holwellcourtfarm]

The last time I entered our local LR showroom was 6 years ago to ask the price of replacement airbags for a D2 before I bought one. They kept me waiting 10 minutes for the parts "technician" and he kept me waiting 20 minutes before he quoted the price. I don't belong there.

I betty my net assets exceed those of half their current customers though.

 

[oldoaktree]

We used to go the Royal Show every year and one of my treats was to visit the Land Rover stand. Now I couldn't afford a new one then (and certainly can't afford one now), but you could pick up a brochure and be taken around the off road course and there'd be knowledgeable chaps who could answer your questions with enthusiasm.. Move forward a few years and the brochures had disappeared, the sales people were more interested in Justin and Tarquin's skiing trip and no one was there to show any interest in potential customers. Move forward a few more years and you can't just waltz into your local dealer for a few parts, JIT prevails and sir should have that oil filter next week if he cares to pay now .

This is what I mean by Landrover get overly scrutinised, I remember the off road courses they used to put on at shows, I don't remember any other vehicle company's doing it ( maybe wrong) . So when landrover made poor versions of there cars they were nice and friendly and gave things away for free but had a very poor business and almost went to the wall ! After several different owners and now much more reliable vehicles , job security for the staff at the factories they get slagged for reasons that are beyond me .
Good cars ,solid business ,job security for staff, great advert for what the uk can produce even with Indian owners

 

[GTB]

"are you interested sir/madam?"

^^ This is the wrong question to ask a potential customer IMHO. It says to me that the salesman wants to know whether or not I'm going to buy, and if not he's not going to waste his breath talking to me.

Would be far better to ask "Can I help you at all Sir/Madam?" to which the customer could (and should) state whether they are just looking or are possibly interested in buying. Even if someone says they're just looking it would still be rude of the salesman to walk away without some sort of brief chat at the very least. But maybe I'm old fashioned?

Edit: The above would apply to any salesman. I'm not singling out Land Rover salesmen more than any others.

 

[Simon Chiles]

I had a problem with my 51 Disco2 when I had to reset the alarm using the key in the driver's door and putting in the security code. The lad who services it for us told me I had to get the code from the main dealers in Bournemouth so I turned up in my farm Skoda and oily shorts and polo shirt. They couldn't have been more helpful, much to my surprise. The ladies gave me a cup of tea and some brochures to read while the service chap obtained the code for me with some difficulty from the computer. I was most impressed and they didn't want a penny for their trouble.

Exactly how you should be treated even if they charged you for the service. It makes you want to go back, maybe next time you'll buy a new one.

 

[JP1]

^^ This is the wrong question to ask a potential customer IMHO. It says to me that the salesman wants to know whether or not I'm going to buy, and if not he's not going to waste his breath talking to me.

Would be far better to ask "Can I help you at all Sir/Madam?" to which the customer could (and should) state whether they are just looking or are possibly interested in buying. Even if someone says they're just looking it would still be rude of the salesman to walk away without some sort of brief chat at the very least. But maybe I'm old fashioned?

Edit: The above would apply to any salesman. I'm not singling out Land Rover salesmen more than any others.

You may be old fashioned - and you are right. It is only common courtesy. I would say the LR/RR should be much more open to just greet you and be an ambassador for the brand. Manners matter and decent people recognise and respect that.

However I bet the LR / RR also received some shocking treatment during his / her day at the show too. I don't mean just farmers, I'm sure plenty of the wannabes and the horsey set are pretty testing to deal with

 

[Simon Chiles]

^^ This is the wrong question to ask a potential customer IMHO. It says to me that the salesman wants to know whether or not I'm going to buy, and if not he's not going to waste his breath talking to me.

Would be far better to ask "Can I help you at all Sir/Madam?" to which the customer could (and should) state whether they are just looking or are possibly interested in buying. Even if someone says they're just looking it would still be rude of the salesman to walk away without some sort of brief chat at the very least. But maybe I'm old fashioned?

Edit: The above would apply to any salesman. I'm not singling out Land Rover salesmen more than any others.

This is the point, just ask what the customer wants to know, don't try and work how much anyone has in their bank account and talk to people normally, I don't want to be their second best mate just because I might be interested in their product. They don't have to be either smarmy or rude. I wouldn't mind betting that some of the customers they perceive to be wealthy have even their carpets on credit.

 

[GTB]

I've told this story many times but it's an apt one for this discussion.

A scruffy old farmer in a battered ford fiesta turned up at the local Audi/VW garage one day and wandered around the forecourt looking at cars. A salesman asks him if he can be of any assistance and the old boy tells him he's looking for an Audi, "I've always fancied one". The salesman asks him which one he fancies and he points at one of the nicest and most expensive on the forecourt and they take it for a test drive. A deal is done and the farmer is told to come back the following day to collect it. On leaving the farmer turns to the salesman and says "thank you for talking to me, I was shown to the door at the Audi garage in Swansea yesterday".

Next day the farmer turns up to collect the car and the salesman asks him how he'd like to pay. Cash alright? asked the farmer and handed the salesman a fertiliser bag full of cash. Take what you need from there he said. Anyhow, the salesman told me many years later that there was more money left in that sack afterwards than he had taken out.

Never judge a book by its cover.

 

[Tractorstant]

so should I keep the deposit down on the new one......I'm lost!

 

[GTB]

so should I keep the deposit down on the new one......I'm lost!

New Defender? God no, I doubt there will ever be one or at least nothing practical.

 

[Tractorstant]

New Defender? God no, I doubt there will ever be one or at least nothing practical.

Q1 18 Apparently, but it will be 19.

 

[GTB]

Q1 18 Apparently, but it will be 19.

OK if you say so.

Edit: They've been saying there's a new Defender coming for the last twenty odd years.

 

[Dr Evil]

I've told this story many times but it's an apt one for this discussion.

A scruffy old farmer in a battered ford fiesta turned up at the local Audi/VW garage one day and wandered around the forecourt looking at cars. A salesman asks him if he can be of any assistance and the old boy tells him he's looking for an Audi, "I've always fancied one". The salesman asks him which one he fancies and he points at one of the nicest and most expensive on the forecourt and they take it for a test drive. A deal is done and the farmer is told to come back the following day to collect it. On leaving the farmer turns to the salesman and says "thank you for talking to me, I was shown to the door at the Audi garage in Swansea yesterday".

Next day the farmer turns up to collect the car and the salesman asks him how he'd like to pay. Cash alright? asked the farmer and handed the salesman a fertiliser bag full of cash. Take what you need from there he said. Anyhow, the salesman told me many years later that there was more money left in that sack afterwards than he had taken out.

Never judge a book by its cover.

Would get investigated under anti money laundering legislation now...

 

[Tractorstant]

OK if you say so.

Edit: They've been saying there's a new Defender coming for the last twenty odd years.

OK if you say so.

Edit: They've been saying there's a new Defender coming for the last twenty odd years.

Wager?

 

[Dr Evil]

In fairness, despite my earlier comment, and the lack of "farmer friendliness", - I did get a very warm welcome in Lloyds Carlisle- offered a coffee on several occasions, and given a test drive, despite the fact I turned up at 5:45pm- and the doors to the showroom were locked up when we returned.

Have visited a fair few dealerships recently as I look to order a new company car. The second I mention it will be a company lease car, most salesmen run a mile- and point me to the brochures. the guy in Lloyds was very helpful.