Political correctness and forum posting

Thankyou Dergside, I knew you were one of us!! lol. I will be starting  new topic in the next few days entitled 'What is happening to the motor trade?'     I hope to bring out some good points in this one. I had written it already (quite a long one) but as i was finishing my p.c. crashed!! So I will be starting it all over again soon. I think it might be an interesting one!

Regards

Mike

Dergside, I'm glad you replied, I really thought I'd annoyed you for a minute!.

I'm not out to upset anyone at all. I realise my choice of words may have caused a problem or two, but my motto is 'our failure is not never making mistakes, but failing to learn from them' and this applies in the situation the dealer in question has got themselves into. They have had numerous chances to redeem themselves on many occaisions but each time, seem to dig a bigger hole. If they acted professionally and sympathetically to my mates cause, he'd just think the car is a duffer and sell the thing on, no dent in dealer reputation but infact, they'd have a chance to really shine if it was done properley and maybe he'd just accept the car was one in a million that are destined to be a constant pain, not even tarnishing BMW's reputation. Now he feels very cheated and stitched up. He never wants to have to set foot in a BMW dealer again and certainly will never buy one ever. I find this a eal shane and could have easily been avoided. It even makes my boss really thankful he got rid of his 318 when he did and bought a fiesta!! (strange man!) And while we are still on the subject, you may be interested to read the update on the other post too.

On a lighter note, I want one and all to know (if you believe me now!) I have very proudly owned 3 lovely BMW's over 7 years. I am so smitten, I swear blind to everyone who knows me that I will never buy another can unless it's a BMW. I love the noise they make, the thrill of driving them, build quality, performance, you name it, I love it. Each car so far has cost me more to service (I do it myself) than it has on other parts that have failed! I also love the fact that they will always look down on a Mercedes and say 'I bet you wish you were me'.

I have worked in the motor trade for over 10 years. I take a real pride in my work. I enjoy, I want my colleagues to enjoy it as well as my customers. I am usually a very chilled out, happy go lucky kinda guy, but when it comes to people in my trade, a trade I take very seriously and a job I take great pride in, when my fellow tradesmen mess it up, it really fires me up! Why is it that I can care for the customer and help them out, while still being professional enough to ensure my employers and manufacturers reputation remain gleaming, while you get these 'herberts' who have about as much professionalism as a lettuce leaf and who are just there to make up the numbers. They should be stacking shelves in a super market. I have done a two year college course, many dealer courses and manufacturer courses as well as becoming a full member of the IMI by doing another college year and taking the certificate of management. All this hard work to watch others around me ruin what I work hard to build. That is why I got so riled about my friends plight, because these bad dealers and their staff make me feel like they are ruining the reputation of the motor trade as a whole. It's everywhere and it's about time they all stood up and took notice of the people, for whom without, they wouldn't exist............. their customers!

Anyway, I like to think of you all as my..................er.......... sort of............ er............  friends  and never intentionally upset anyone. I love hearing your views and your technical knowledge is fantastic when I have a (very rare) niggle with my pride and joy. Without this forum, I'd have to talk to myself and that is really boring coz I waffle a hell of a lot!!

Regards

Mike

Dergside, you do have a very valid point. My thread was written based on fact. I am not too concerned about freedom of speech as this isn't what the thread was intended for. It was intended to let others know my feelings and get a feel for what the next step should be. I acknowledge that I may have been a little hasty in naming and shaming and only now do I realise the implications but that, in fairness, is why the forum is set up in the way it is, to protect themselves from loud mouthed individuals suchas myself. We live and learn! I am only human after all, sorry.

Regarding my faith in dealers, I have had my own bad experiences with two local dealer and these don't include the one mentioned on the other post. My problems range from incorrect parts order. Wrong prices being quoted, being passed from one person to another because of "I'm sorry sir, I cannot help you, i'll have to pass you to someone else" (This happened 4 times in one conversation and the information I got was still wrong.) and none of this includes the 'other' dealer my friend has issues with. If you read other threads on the forum, one inparticular which asks views on local dealer levels of service. I think you'll find another dozen dealers spread across the country that have given bad service, some on several occaisions to different people on here. Based on all of that, I am not filled with confidence when it comes to walking into a dealer. I myself work in a main dealer and I'm not saying any dealer is perfect, infact, given the requirements that dealers have to fulfill to conform with dealer standards, I am not saying it is easy to give perfect service at all, but where bad service is given, surely the dealer should respond and sort it out in a reasonable manner. In this recent case, on several counts, this is not being done. They don't respond to phonecalls and haven't responded to a letter sent to the dealer principal a week ago. Is my fear unfounded? I know they aren't all the same, but I will have to travel over 30 miles to another dealer. If I had the cash, I'm not saying I wouldn't have a newer BMW, but if I walk into a dealer now, I'd be a little nervous until they instilled confidence into me again. I am really quite glad you have had good service, I'm sure many people have, but happy people never talk about it, angry people do. This is why people have these views expressed on here.

Regards

Mike

kbannon wrote: As Im in the process of moving jobs (can't take training idiots anymore), .....

I'm sure this has to be defamatory to some of your former wonderful students K?

I've been watching this and the other related thread. 

A thought struck me regarding the comments on free speech.

Its amazing how many people that cherish the RIGHT to free speech really don't consider the RESPONSIBILITY that goes with it.

This isn't a dig at anyone, just a thought.

So instead of posting a topic about a bad garage like  "garage name" did this to my car etc, would it be better and allowed if did it like the following... For example if "garage name" did this to my car etc, because that isnt liabel if you use there name as a Example is it ?