I had planned to buy myself a car on my birthday and in the morning I phoned a few dealers to see if they had the model that I was after. I phoned the Stoneacre Fiat branch in Hyde and told them that I was looking for a 3door black Fiat 07 Grande Punto. They told me that they had a few cars that fitted my exact criteria and that they would fall in the price band of £4995 quoted in the Manchester Evening News (local paper).
I decided to withdraw £5000 from my account and get a lift from my Mum to Hyde so that I could buy the vehicle. On arrival I was ushered inside where I was once more told that they had what I was looking for but suggested that I discuss terms first. We sat at a table whilst a sales rep took all my personal details and began to initiate payment proceedures. At that point I asked if I could see the car and take it for a test drive before we go any further, the sales rep got up and dissapeared for about ten minutes leaving my mother and I slightly puzzled as to what was going on. The sales rep then returned and told me that I could drive exactly the same car but in blue (which seemed very odd as I expected to be test driving the car that I would ultimately be buying, but for some reason I allowed myself to be pushed into it). I took the car for a drive and on returning was ushered back into the office where the rep continued to attempt to take my payment. I was literally forced to demand that I see the car before I pay for it and after a very uncomfortable minute of silence the rep admitted that they did not have the vehicle I had specifically requested when I had phoned that morning.
I left immediately as I was furious.
I do not know what it was I would have bought if I had not so forcefully interviened and I do not know what will happen to my personal details. I wasted 4hours of my birthday completing a round trip to purchase a vehicle that did not exist.
I am furious at the pushy approach of the sales team and I wonder how many people they have taken payments from for vehicles that later did not match their requests.
I am appalled at the arrogance of a the sales team that believed that they could completely ignore my personal choice and beleived that they could push the sale any vehicle they wished.
Later in the day I rang Stoneacre to complain and found myself speaking to a manager who showed no remorse whatsoever. I was told that it must have been me who misunderstood what the sales rep had told me and that it was basically tough luck.
I think that it is disgusting that a company can claim to have what a consumer is seeking and allow a consumer to travel a great distance to discover that the product in question is not available. If I had walked in off the street without any prior contact I would have expected the sales team to attempt to convince me to buy their product, however, I would never had travelled all the way to bloody Hyde on my birthday if I had been told the truth.
Please protect other consumers from suffering the same fate. I came within inches from agreeing the purchase of God know's what, and I had a chunk of my birthday ruined. PLEASE PROTECT THE CONSUMER FROM THESE PEOPLE.
Thank you.
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