 Sytner Solihull
Apologies in advance for my first post being a negative one.
Background:
I work for Lloyds TSB Autolease, and we get a discount price on the Mini when we buy from them, as well as preferential rates on Finance which beat the Mini finance hands down. Therefore, in my position, it makes sense to buy from my employer when i get a discount and reduced rate finance.
The scenario:
I had ordered a Mini One as insurance was an issue for my fiancee who has only been driving for a year. At some stage i have driven a Mini One, but my fiancee hadnt, so we popped into the dealership to arrange a test drive. At the time i said that i would not be buying from the dealership directly and it did not seem to be an issue. We just needed to go back today, as there was not a manual Mk2 Mini One available.
Today:
Over the BH weekend, we got some insurance quotes on a Cooper, decided that we would pursue one of these instead. As the difference in insurance is negligable, and for the gain in car, compared to my thought track of constantly wishing id have gone for a Cooper, meant that we changed our order. Yesterday, i called my suppliers at work and changed my order for a specc'd Cooper Chilli worth £16k. As id not driven one, but would be equally impressed im sure, thought i would arrange a test drive for a Cooper instead of a One for us both.
The Phone Call:
Spoke to the dealership earlier, (Sytner Solihull, Adrian Foster) and was disgusted to hear that i could not test drive a Cooper as we would not be buying the Mini directly from them, even though the car would be delivered to the dealership of our choice (Solihull being the closest) and PDI'd at said dealership.
Has anyone else experienced this? I think its terrible, considering we were going to take our car there for all servicing and maintenance in the future. And adding to the fact the car would most likely be PDI'd and collected from there!!
If i'd lied and come in from the street, saying that i was thinking of buying a Cooper but wanted to drive one, then i bet the dealership would have bent over and taken one for the team and let us take as many out as we had liked!!  | 
