Buying a VW Golf

Our family loves Porsche, but we also have a VW Golf 7 ALL Star for my husband’s commute and for those times when all four of us need to go somewhere with one extra passenger.

When we first started thinking about buying a Golf, we weren’t ready to buy right away. We just wanted to learn more and take a test drive, so we dropped by a Volkswagen dealership as a family. A salesperson came over and showed us to a table.

“What kind of car are you looking for today?” “Will your wife be driving it regularly, too?”

After asking us a few questions, the salesperson heard that we were considering a Golf and let us sit in one of the display cars while explaining its features. So far, so ordinary. But then…

“Would you like to take it for a test drive?” As soon as we set off, it was as if the salesperson had flipped a switch. Suddenly, the conversation turned into a one-sided sales pitch.

Salesperson: “What’s the deciding factor when you buy a car?”
Husband: “It’s hard to pin down one thing… Performance and ride comfort, whether the price is right for what you get, and whether it just feels right, I suppose.”
Salesperson: “……”

Salesperson: “The Golf isn’t especially powerful, but you don’t really notice that, do you?”
Husband: “That’s right. It has no trouble climbing even a gentle hill.”
Salesperson: “……”

Salesperson: “It holds the car at a stoplight, so you can take your foot off the brake. It’s convenient.”
Husband: “It is. That could be handy around town. But I’d be using it for my commute, which means taking the highway, so I’d like to see how it rides at highway speeds, too.”
Salesperson: “……”

The salesperson kept asking the questions they wanted to ask. Even when my husband answered, it felt like they were already busy thinking up the next question instead of listening. It was hard to have an actual conversation.

A Disappointing Ending

We wrapped up the test drive early and returned to the dealership. That’s when the salesperson said:

“We’re having a month-end sales event, so if you decide this month, we can offer you a better price!”

Wait—already closing the deal? ((；ﾟДﾟ))

That was way too soon. My husband replied, “We’re also looking at a couple of other models from other brands,” and the salesperson visibly lost heart: “Oh, I see…”

The conversation continued to miss the mark. When the salesperson asked, “What price would make you consider it?” I threw out an absurdly low figure: “Maybe if it were ●● million yen…” The response was, “We couldn’t go that low,” so we left with a thick Golf catalog and nothing more.

As soon as we got home, I opened the catalog and started reading. I was genuinely impressed. It went into detail about the Golf’s origins, how it had been refined over the years, the thinking behind its development, and its safety features and ride comfort.

The more I read, the more I realized what a wonderful car it was. At that price, it almost seemed like a bargain. And then I started getting annoyed, honestly:

That salesperson didn’t seem to care enough about the Golf!

I was so worked up that my husband had to calm me down: “Now, now. Not everyone who works in dealership sales is necessarily a car enthusiast.”

There were other things, too: emails around 10 p.m., and an unexpected visit at around 9 p.m. Still, after a few more trips to the dealership, a Golf eventually came home with us. Before we bought it, the salesperson had been in touch constantly. After the sale, though, we heard nothing at all.

Then, just the other day, Volkswagen called us for the first time in a while.

“Your previous representative, ●●, has left the company. I’m calling to introduce myself as your new contact.”

Wait—he left?!

At the very least, I wish he’d contacted customers who had bought a car within the past year—or sent a quick email saying, “I’m leaving, and your new representative will be in touch.” Instead, the whole experience ended on a disappointing note.

Maybe sales just wasn’t the right fit for him. Maybe the job was tough. Not every dealership salesperson is like this, of course. But a car is the result of the blood, sweat, and hard work of its developers, designers, and everyone involved. I can’t help thinking that the people who sell them should take a little more pride in what they’re offering.