Because you’re reading this website, we’re assuming that you’re as much of a fan of cars and driving as we are. Cars are aspirational, and finally having the power to buy and own one is a major milestone. So the buying process should go as smoothly as possible, right? Good thing we have accommodating car sales agents and executives to answer all our questions and quell our worries, with promises of a reliable car and good after-sales service. And we’re pretty sure that car companies will insist that you are always right. But just like how consumers complain about some brands’ quality of service, the people behind these badges also have their grievances. Here are some reasons why they might resent you, but only a teeny bit of course: 1) You didn’t buy their car Picture this: You’ve talked to the helpful sales agent and scheduled multiple test drives. You even haggled to get the best deal and payment terms plus freebies. You promise to have the money prepared. The sales agent gets your order request approved and processed the necessary papers. But then you stop replying to texts and follow-ups. You then buy from another dealership, or worse, from another brand. According to a salesperson, they have a quota of 20 customers per day in their dealership. They would really appreciate it if you respect their time and effort. 2) You have an ulterior motive You’ve approached the pretty sales agent. But instead of asking her about the seating capacity or the latest down payment promos of the model you’re eyeing, you ask if she’s single and you try to add her on Facebook. Apparently, some prospective clients approach attractive agents and propose that they will buy a car in exchange for a date. These people are conditioned to be friendly and accommodating, so it puts them in a quandary on how to deal with sleazeballs. 3) You think you deserve more than what you’re getting You probably brought your car in for a regular service, but then you asked the service advisor to include another repair job. This other job is totally unrelated to the work that will be done on your car and not even covered by the warranty, but you want it free of charge, of course. If you’re a regular client, how can they not throw this one in for free for a loyal customer? 4) You know better than their service technicians While your car is being serviced, you show everyone that you just happen to know more about your ride than the technicians. That’s good of course. A driver should know his car better than anyone else. However, please note that these technicians are trained by car companies to service your car and to do a good job of it. It won’t help if you insist that your car must get some type of job done while citing Google, online forums, and car club buddies as your reference. 5) You’re too outspoken online You’ve trolled their social media accounts and left nasty comments on car reviews of automotive websites. Have you bought any of their cars? Have you ever test driven a unit? 6) You da VIP You’ve namedropped almost everyone you know and asserted yourself as a VIP client. You brag about the sedan, SUV, and pickup you bought from the dealership. So why can’t they give you the lowest of the low payment option, huh? But car companies don’t really hate you, of course not. But just like how you expect them to give you the ultimate client experience, they would likewise appreciate it if you also value the people they hire to cater to your whims and make car ownership a breeze. ARTICLE BY TOP GEAR PHILIPPINESWe recently reported that after-sales service in car dealerships is sagging overall. Does it have something to do with the volume of cars on the road, perhaps? Car brands are also selling their stocks in droves, and this is surely bringing in first-time owners who are still having their units serviced via dealer warranty. Everyone knows a big reason for the strong car sales this year is the pending excise tax law that’s now in the Senate’s hands. Now like all professional publications we’ve published our own take on what cars might cost if the law takes effect on January 2018, although we didn’t name any specific model. But a lot of people are still confused about the pending bill, and we still receive questions on how much popular models will cost. Well now the Department of Finance has released its own suggested retail prices of popular models, and what it showed is not the doomsday scenario we were all afraid of—but of course we completely understand the resistance to any more newfangled ways to milk us. Based on the sample list, up to the Toyota Vios 1.5 G the P40k price difference is somewhat negligible—maybe even up to the Nissan Juke that costs P54k more is okay. It starts to sting with the almost P100k increase of the Toyota Innova 2.8 E, and we’re sad that Honda Civic RS Turbo will be even more out of reach. But those interested in the top-spec Fortuner will want to buy now, because it’ll jump to more than P2.5 million. As expected luxury cars will take the brunt of the proposed taxes, with a theoretical P20 million vehicle (Ferraris, Lambos, Astons) costing more then P7 million more. What do you think about the proposed price increases? ARTICLE BY TOP GEAR PHILIPPINESIt's official: The all-new Honda CR-V will be arriving in the Philippines this month. Details are still scarce, but it has been confirmed there will be a diesel variant, and that the vehicle will come equipped with three rows and seven seats. This is in line with a photo released by Honda Cars Philippines teasing an "all-new seven-seater diesel SUV" from the Japanese carmaker. We've posted the image below. The all-new CR-V will be available for reservation by August 9. Gasoline variants will be arriving sometime this month, and you can ask your Honda dealer when the diesel variant will arrive. We've seen the vehicle up close at the 2017 Bangkok International Show. No specifics regarding the engine yet, but we've written before that Thai-spec units pack a 1.6-liter turbodiesel engine capable of 160hp and 350Nm mated to a nine-speed automatic transmission. Could we see the same here in the Philippines? We'll find out soon enough. With better looks, more seats, a new tubodiesel engine, and impressive cargo space, the CR-V is looking like an increasingly promising proposition. We'll have more details, numbers and photos when the vehicle makes its debut next Tuesday. Mark your calendars for August 8, 2017. ARTICLE BY TOP GEAR PHILIPPINES |
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