Does Suzuki and Suzuki dealers know what they each do? :)

[mufman]

I entered the official Suzuki UK sites this week and there is a big banner almost over the whole screen on the main page inviting for a test ride day with special offers on different dates at different dealers (http://www.suzuki-gb.co.uk/onroad/ banners rotates so if you would not see it immidiately, give it few seconds or refresh the page). So I checked out the schedule and found a dealer who is fairly close to me and runs this event this Sunday (http://www.suzuki-gb.co.uk/dealers/detail.php?id=000266).
So I picked up the phone to ask some more details about terms and conditions of the test ride and to book it but when I told the guy on the phone his response was "what? we are closed on Sunday." LOL :D So I told him that it is on Suzuki's sites and they are listed there and ask him to look if he is somewhere close to computer. He wasn't at the computer so he couldn't take a look but he had no clue about this event happening anywhere and absolutely not about this Sunday at his dealership :D
He then said that they are happy for me to come for a test ride some other times when they're open. So we talked about it, about terms and conditions and then I asked how is their insurance, what would happen if I would crash it on the test ride. If I would be obliged to pay for it or if their insurance will cover it. His response was "Why would you crash it? You would go for a test ride, not a race":shock::shock::shock: My god:D Long story short I'll pass on the test ride (or anything else) at this dealership :)

Did anybody attended this event at some dealer this year so far? How does it look like and how good are those promotions on bikes which they mention on the site?

[Cymraeg_Atodeg]

CJ Ball in Norwich have this on in August, but, they are only open for 3 hours on Sunday, not the 8 advertised on the web-site

[porkyp]

I went to one in Maidstone a few weeks ago, not interested in a wet test ride, but they advertised a ''Huge Range of Suzuki clothing'', and as i'd got a bit of birthday money burning a hole ,got there.. Nothing.:confused:

[mufman]

So it looks like dealers are taking this Suzuki nation-wide event "really seriously" :D

[Paul the 6th]

When my k1 gsx-r 750 broke down (engine seized) York suzuki had it for nearly a month before saying "it's too big a job for us to fix this bike" and handed it back in bits..

Spoke to Suzuki GB about it and they more or less said "well they're an independent business so there's not really anything we can say or do".

Bleh.

[Spank86]

A month!

I could have done that for you in a day.

[Paul the 6th]

Well if suzuki can't fix one of their own bikes... lol

[mufman]

When my k1 gsx-r 750 broke down (engine seized) York suzuki had it for nearly a month before saying "it's too big a job for us to fix this bike" and handed it back in bits..

Spoke to Suzuki GB about it and they more or less said "well they're an independent business so there's not really anything we can say or do".

Bleh.

What a ****. And Suzuki still thinks that people would go buy their bikes knowing that if anything would happen, dealer would just simply put his hands off it and Suzuki importer would do pretty much the same... :roll: Oh my god...makes me loosing even those bits of faith which left.

So kind of a bottom line of this all: If there is something on Suzuki sites (event, promotion, promised services,...), that doesn't necessarily mean that it applies in a real world because dealers might just simply not bother...

[Spank86]

Well if suzuki can't fix one of their own bikes... lol

Not fix it, hand it back to you in bits.

How much do you pay for this service and do you want it done on your new one?

[Messie]

Are you on the right bike forum guys? ;) x

[DJ123]

This is the problem with bike dealerships (imo, generally, tar brush etc) they are all a business that is independently owned by someone, who buys into the brand. So the manufacturer has nothing much to do with them unless they want to buy bikes/bits and promote their brand.
IMO bike brands should look to set up dealership showrooms that are a prime example of their brand and how they want it promoted. For example BMW, i've never been to a bad one and all are a good display of their products.

[Paul the 6th]

Are you on the right bike forum guys? ;) x

Are you on the consumer action group as well messie? :razz:

[mufman]

This is the problem with bike dealerships (imo, generally, tar brush etc) they are all a business that is independently owned by someone, who buys into the brand. So the manufacturer has nothing much to do with them unless they want to buy bikes/bits and promote their brand.
IMO bike brands should look to set up dealership showrooms that are a prime example of their brand and how they want it promoted. For example BMW, i've never been to a bad one and all are a good display of their products.

I agree, dealerships are independently owned but they have to fulfill various criterias to become an official dealer (at least in car industry it works like that and I suppose that bikes are not that much different) and can take their official status away as well. So Suzuki has the tools, they probably just don´t use it.

And if Suzuki runs a nation wide promotion which is all over their sites and dealer not only don´t run it but doesn´t even know what promotion it is and never heard of it, than I think there´s something wrong :) (unless it was a mistake done by individual who was badly informed, which I understand can happen. Everyone does mistakes sometimes and in every company or office are some individuals who are....eeeer....eeeeer...how to say it.....well you know what I mean:))