First impression of Richmond VW in Richmond Automall
 

First impression of Richmond VW in Richmond Automall

Went there today on my day off and initially just want to check out some new car. I currently drive a civic EK hatch w/ swap and it's to a point that it's too small and not lexury enough for me (I know VW is not THAT lexury but as least it's a good upgrade from my EK hatch which I'd say it's all RAW).

Anyways, went there today at about 3pm or so and they were quite busy at that time. No one even care to say hi or even pay attention to you, I do understand that since they're all busy and stuffs so I went next door to Honda and check out the civic si 4 door (which is also a consideration) and supprisingly bump into a new CR-Z sitting right outside. Honda's service is not much better but they'd at least say Hi and stuffs. I walk around in the showroom with my friend for about 30 mins or so and left since there's nothing much really to check out and head back to VW.

When we get back into VW dealership and they're a bit quite down already and some sales are just chatting with each other. Yet, still no one cares to give you attention as if they're done with the day or just don't give a sh*t about it. Finally I went up to one of the sales in the sales room and ask for some info on the new GTI that they've (since they don't even have one in the showroom for me to look at, there's only one inside and it's already been sold so it's lock. This I totally understand since it's already sold and if I'm the new owner, I wouldn't want someone just randomly go into the car and check it out w/out me knowing about it). Anyhow, the sales came out, didn't even bother to give me his name and said he'll find someone else to help me since he doesn't has the key with him for those GTI sitting outside (okey now, and since when the sales person would be carrying the key around with them when no one is going to look at it, it's such a lame ass excuse that he wants to find someone else to handle us.) After couple mins, another dude come to us and said he'll try to find the key for the GTI i wanted to take a look and off he goes into the key room or whatever it is to search for it. Comes back out in another 20 mins (20 freaking mins.... to look for a key? hello, if you don't see it there, how hard is it to call someone and ask where the freaking key is....).

Okey at this point, if I'm not really interested in buying the car I'd just step out of the dealership and give them some f*cking attitude already, but since I really wanted to look at it and maybe go purchase the car so I'll stay for their BS for a bit more.

So, the 2nd guy went back into and come out again after another 10 mins and still no keys.. he bumps into another sales which IMO know nothing about jerk and don't even know why the f*ck he's there. But I'll still BS with him since appearnly he has the spear key for that GTI so off we go into the parking lot and go check it out. On the way into the lot he asked some simple questions such as what model (WHICH I ALREADY MENTION GTI LIKE A MILLION TIMES) and do I want to take a look at the 2 dr or 4 dr and such, standard tranny or DSG or what not, leather or cloth seat and all those things. Anyways.... when we get to the car he's like "O, i got the spear key for another one, this is a DSG, yada yada yada, you want a 4 doors right?? this and that....". At this point I'm totally pissed already and told him to go back inside, look for the f*cking key and get his ass back out again with it. So off he goes and go back into the showroom for it, on the way into the show room he asked again, "are you looking for a pre-own one or new one?" Just OMFG..... I just reply saying "2010...." and then he pointed at a 2007-2008 model and said "o there's one here actually" I totally ignored him while he walk around the car and trying to find out what yr model is that. Me and my friend already start looking at other 2010 GTI sitting in the lot and ignored him. after a min he comes back to me after checking the pre-own and said "O, that's a pre-own, I'll look for the key for you". We again just looked at him and didn't say a words and off he goes into the showroom. We waited and waited for another 20 mins, no one come back out and we just left the dealership and I can ensure you that I WONT go back to Richmond VW even if I'm really going to buy a GTI.

Point is that the sales should be at least LISTEN to what other people said, just OMFG, I said I want to LOOK inside of the car and find out how's the spacing and such of the GTI, the touch of the cloth seat and steering and such. They however, think I wanted to go for a test drive right from the first mins and keep on asking me question which I've ans them A FU*CKING MILLION TIMES. And WTF is wrong with the F*CKING ATTITUTE?

sorry for the long rant but why the F*CK should I buy a car from someone who don't know jack about anything and even me, coming from a Honda background with NO KNOWLEDGE on VW, to teach them what the GTI has? no thanks I think I'll either go try another dealership or just stay away from VW at all.

It'll be great if anyone can at least tell me if there's any better dealership in Vancouver with better service. I mean I still haven't buy the car and you're giving me this kind of crap already? I can't imagine what kind of BS service I'll get after I get the car and how is it going to end.

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Jokes aside, it's unfortunate that you had a bad experience like that.

the cowell sales is pretty shitty, you should try clarkdale instead.

we have around 5 GTIs here in coquitlam to show.

just go to capilano.

the vw in coquitlam has good service most of the time.
i think its called regency vw now but don't quote me on that

they dont move much on price, they offered a $700 discount on a gti when guildford offered a $1600 discount with monster mats thrown in.

Also, watch out for their hidden extra fees that they dont tell u, like winsheild etching, serial numbers etched on panels which they charged for without consenting.

Just curious is it THAT easy being a car salesman in the richmond automall? Like they are sooooo busy they could care less about customers or they dont work on commission?

just don't buy a jetta... 9/10 jetta drivers are weird for the reasons most people know already :D

Cowell does have pretty shitty service.

But their used cars that I've checked out were all pretty good condition, and all came with ICBC reports.

I agree that the salesperson was shitty though. He was trying to be funny and apply pressure for me to buy the car, but I didn't end up buying the car nor found him the least bit funny.

Odd question, but how old are you/how old do you look? The younger you look, the less likely you are to get decent service at a car dealership, especially if you're looking at a brand new sporty car.

^ That's a good point.

I went into Audi to look at cars on my own, and nobody gave a shit about me but when I went with my parents they immediately starting following me.

I'm 28 and most of the time people think I'm over that age (well mostly because I've to dress up at work due to my job role and all....).

I guess i dress too much like a Honger that day (and yes I'm from HK so no racism there, XD)

I will probably get failed for this but fuck it.

Would you prefer sales people that all run to you in hopes you buy something? Like a flock of crows? About 75% of the people that come through the showroom each day have literally no intentions of buying a car in the near future. Half of them are scared to talk to sales people....

I won't excuse them not acknowledging you at all though. Maybe it was something about how you looked that made them not want to give you the time of day. But I'm sure a lot of salespeople on here have found that by using little pressure when first entering the dealership, it lightens the mood, and makes it easier for you to look around instead of being attacked by several employees. Just like any other store, if you need help, just ask man.

Think about at a shoe store or clothing store, don't you hate when the employee says hey can I help you find anything. Right there, already it's made things awkward, especially when you say just looking sorry.

You mentioned you went there just to check out new cars.... if someone approached you right away, you wouldnt have had any questions ready for them, and would have probably said, I'm just looking for now, or I'll let you knwo if I need anything. THis signal makes it hard for the sales person to just stand there and wait, chances are they won't put much effort into assisting you then.

As for the lost key. This happens alot. With hundreds of vehicles in stock, there is no absolute pefect key storing system. So many different people handle a single vehicle key each day, service techs, lot boys, managers, sales people, receptionists etc etc. You can't just make a phone call to "The Keeper" of the keys to find out where it is. A tiny mistake of forgetting to tell someone the key is in the back, can result in lots of time spent looking for it.

Sorry your experience wasn't perfect, but it seems every thing a sales person does or doesn't do is critisized by everyone.

Good luck with future salesperson encounters.

^
I won't fail you but Cowell has earned itself a negative reputation over many many years. Despite all the reviews I've read on their poor customer service experiences, I myself have been there before only to go through the same scpheel as the OP. Clarkdale was a much more pleasant experience. :)

^ Yea I understood that not all the things the OP mentioned were excusable.

3/3 times I went to VW at the Richmond Auto Mall it's been a terrible experience. They must be severely understaffed or something because every single time I've been there, over the span of several years, they'd hit you with a "I don't have time for you" attitude.

A few weeks ago I took my dad there because he's looking for an SUV, and we went to the receptionist to page someone. She finally told me it would be about 10-15 minutes, and do we mind waiting (seriously?). So I said we'd come back, and we went to other dealerships at the automall, and came back. This time she ended up having to walk around the place having conversations with multiple people asking if they could spare some time to help a customer. This has happened every time. Every single time I've come to this place. Are they purposely understaffing the place to make people feel like VW's doing them a favor by selling them a car?

When finally we got someone, they didn't know anything about the vehicles either. "It's a really nice car. Very upscale." is about all they could say about the Tiguan.
Oh, no brochures either. He said to visit their website and wrote it down for me on his card.

VW is not THAT lexury

K that's pretty bad....

I got no brochures from them either.

"Car A over here is less practical than Car B over there, but Car C is cooler" was the kind of things that the salesman was saying.

:rofl::rofl:

Maybe the salespeople there have very little experience and don't know much about the vehicles, or selling. THis coudl explain why theyre always so hesitant about helping customers...

I completely agree
see thats the thing either people give you toooooooo much attention when not wanted or too little attention when wanted.
I drive a VW but im not about to vouch for richmond's VW their complete asshats. On a different fourm richmond vw is probably the worst disscussed VW.
Sorry this had to happen to you their giving VW a bad name.

If you want service might you try Clarkdale/Clarkdale motorsports because they have a few veterans who are experienced!
Rcihmond VW service care is terrible too

thanks for the input guys, I'll for sure go check out the one on main St.

the ironic thing is... rite under ur rant... is a VW ad. haha maybe its just for my screen LOL

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