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Wales
by Joske Vermeule, September 1
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Forums39
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Jun 14th, 2026
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Joined: Feb 2011
Posts: 14,009
Member of the Inner Circle
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Member of the Inner Circle
Joined: Feb 2011
Posts: 14,009 |
Well I know which dealer I will be going to for my servicing.......never that keen on the run to Stourbridge myself!
Mikes place is one of those lovely old fashioned garages with old fashioned values and can never be replaced with impersonal glitzy modern dealerships who have little knowledge of the cars. But...I suspect that the way MMC is moving with ever more expensive cars, the glitzy dealership is going to be the way forward in the future.
Jays
Former Morgan owner. Gone but hopefully not forgotten!
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Joined: Jun 2009
Posts: 1,569 Likes: 12
Talk Morgan Enthusiast
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Talk Morgan Enthusiast
Joined: Jun 2009
Posts: 1,569 Likes: 12 |
"They obviously wanted attention, they stood, waited some more were ignored for ages and eventually threw up their hands and left."
I had a similar experience about five years ago, I was looking for a new tin top and several people had recommended Lexus, so I took myself along to the local dealership. After looking around at various cars, and being ignored, I approached the young blonde girl at the reception desk and asked if someone could help me. She disappeared for a couple of minutes then returned and said that no one was available at the moment ( it was a Saturday and there was no one else in the showroom), I asked for a price list and brochures and she said someone would call me to arrange a test drive. Five days later no one had called so I called them, guess what? No one was available and someone would call me! I explained that I'd already been told that and the girl promised that she'd make sure someone did call me. Of course I never got that call, I figured that if their sales service was so cr*p their after sales service was likely to be non-existent.
I bought another Mercedes, and am unlikely to ever buy a Lexus.
I hope Morgan don't suffer in this way through poor dealer choice.
Steve L.
1996 Plus 8
N22 MOG
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Joined: May 2011
Posts: 1,444 Likes: 9
Has a lot to Say!
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Has a lot to Say!
Joined: May 2011
Posts: 1,444 Likes: 9 |
I agree that the small individual enthusiast dealers are by far and away the best. I have visited Richard Thorne, Melvyn Rutter, Mole Valley and Allon White and all have gone out of their way to make me feel at home and “one of the family” (even when I explained that I had placed my order with Richard Thorne). When I visited our local BMW dealer last year I was left standing around for ages and in the end, walked out.
David
2020 Roadster 3.7 Dove Grey.
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Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 7,934 Likes: 133
Talk Morgan Guru
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Talk Morgan Guru
Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 7,934 Likes: 133 |
I will only judge on my personal experience; therefore, until I've dealt with Stratstone, or any of the other Morgan dealers, it is unfair to pass comment.
What I will say is that I dealt with a dealer local to me, who certainly does a great job of putting forward the quaint image, and I found it to be the worst buying experience of my life (and the worst after-sales too). Therefore, whilst it is fine to wax lyrical about the 'old' Morgan dealers, if they aren't delivering the right service, I personally couldn't care less how traditional (or modern!) they look.
As I said, I can only speak as I find but I don't care about glass and fancy or quaint and traditional; what I respond to is good customer service, strong product knowledge, honesty and strong after sales support.
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Joined: Nov 2011
Posts: 1,242
Has a lot to Say!
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Has a lot to Say!
Joined: Nov 2011
Posts: 1,242 |
Any company that is planning to open a Morgan dealership should IMHO have the following credentials...soul and passion with a totally non nonsense hands on approach with last but not least a personal touch. I am sure you guys can add to the list. Don't do soul less generally big dealers .. been there done that.  Try the BHM business model it works !!
Last edited by TRMAN; 15/12/12 01:59 PM.
Graham
Waking up is a good start to the day !!
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Joined: Sep 2006
Posts: 7,363
Talk Morgan Guru
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Talk Morgan Guru
Joined: Sep 2006
Posts: 7,363 |
Well I know which dealer I will be going to for my servicing.......never that keen on the run to Stourbridge myself! I thought that the Duncan's were just Service Agents now for MMC Jay. SGT are going the same way in the New Year, which is also a shame as I've had great sales service from Julian over the years. When Morgan is just another badge within the range a garage deals with, something irretrievable is lost; I feel! 
Brian
1970 Morgan Plus 8 - Moss Box (Indigo Blue)
2014 Morgan SP1 (Rocket Red)
2015 Morgan Plus 8 (Rocket Blue)
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Joined: Feb 2011
Posts: 14,009
Member of the Inner Circle
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Member of the Inner Circle
Joined: Feb 2011
Posts: 14,009 |
Conversely I have always bought my BMWs and latterly my MINI from a large dealer network near me. All the usual glitzy glass halls, corporate imaged premises .... and I've had the best service possible, both in buying cars and servicing. My Morgan was bought directly from the factory and that was a pleasant experience.
Jays
Former Morgan owner. Gone but hopefully not forgotten!
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Joined: Nov 2012
Posts: 115
L - Learner Plates On
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L - Learner Plates On
Joined: Nov 2012
Posts: 115 |
AAh sounds like my days as a youngster with Fiat, spending hours there getting the thing fixed. They liked to try to get me to pay for stuff which should have been under warrenty so sat in the show room and accosted any potential customers as they came through the door and explaining what i was doing stuck at the garage again. funnily enough the service from grays at warwick got alot better after that! "They obviously wanted attention, they stood, waited some more were ignored for ages and eventually threw up their hands and left."
I had a similar experience about five years ago, I was looking for a new tin top and several people had recommended Lexus, so I took myself along to the local dealership. After looking around at various cars, and being ignored, I approached the young blonde girl at the reception desk and asked if someone could help me. She disappeared for a couple of minutes then returned and said that no one was available at the moment ( it was a Saturday and there was no one else in the showroom), I asked for a price list and brochures and she said someone would call me to arrange a test drive. Five days later no one had called so I called them, guess what? No one was available and someone would call me! I explained that I'd already been told that and the girl promised that she'd make sure someone did call me. Of course I never got that call, I figured that if their sales service was so cr*p their after sales service was likely to be non-existent.
I bought another Mercedes, and am unlikely to ever buy a Lexus.
I hope Morgan don't suffer in this way through poor dealer choice.
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Joined: Oct 2009
Posts: 961
Talk Morgan Regular
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Talk Morgan Regular
Joined: Oct 2009
Posts: 961 |
My MINI was a dreadful buying experience and I had no recourse other than legal, which I could not afford. I learned that BMW will not act as an arbiter of disputes in their own cherished scheme, so effectively you are not buying something backed by the manufacturer. I'm sure someone will come along and say I was naive but hey.
I now have a Skoda and the service I received has been good but I think that's more to do with nothing going wrong and the inherent quality of the product...
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Joined: Nov 2012
Posts: 115
L - Learner Plates On
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L - Learner Plates On
Joined: Nov 2012
Posts: 115 |
IF its bmw then i generally grab my five series freeky freind, pj, he seems to collect the things, but ive never been a fan of bmw, the smaller ones the seats dont work for me. and the larger ones seem to be very low on kit for the price. Conversely I have always bought my BMWs and latterly my MINI from a large dealer network near me. All the usual glitzy glass halls, corporate imaged premises .... and I've had the best service possible, both in buying cars and servicing. My Morgan was bought directly from the factory and that was a pleasant experience.
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