Today, I took my Crosstar in to the main dealer where I'd purchased it, for its last service under the three-year warranty and its first MOT. No proplems, although the mentioned the front tyres had slight signs of cracking (this on a car that's only done 8000 miles!)
The only extra charge was a new rear wiper blade, which was noted as having a split... twenty quid. They also got rid of the annoying message on the big screen that said there were software updates, when there weren't any, every time I checked.
But what a change from last year.
Then it was a spacious showroom, with a nice seating area for you whilst you waited for your car and you could help yourself to free tea or coffee from the machines provided and biscuits too.
Now the showroom area has been halved as this dealer now also sells the Chinese makes Omoda and Jaecoo, so there's a big wall dividing the area in half, to enable the Chinese cars to be shown.
There's little space between the few car models on display. Staff desks are positioned quite close together and the customer seating area is in a little corner.
The coffee and tea machines have gone, but the staff will make you a coffee if you want one.
But it's a sign of the times. Two nearer Honda dealers where I'd bought a new car in each, over near a decade, but now twenty years ago, have long changed to sell different makes of cars and no Hondas.
The atmosphere has changed too, the staff are quite helpful, but I don't think they're happy with the change, but at least they've still got a job. There also seem to be a few new faces.
Sales of Chinese cars are escalating, but I don't think people have quite thought it through.
With the volume of these cars being sold, spare part for them could be a logistical nightmare, with long delays for the increasing number of necessary repairs as it would be with any make of car that enjoys high sales. It's already affecting insurance prices for these cars, particularly if they include in the policy a loan car whilst the repairer is waiting for parts.
