Deleted account 210609001
Registered user
- Joined
- Mar 19, 2003
- Messages
- 29
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I read the post on here about Coopers being taken over by Arden. I "knew" a few of the Coopers bike team, including Steve the manager and Tony the salesman. I haven't bought a BMW bike from a garage that didn't include Steve since 2003 (Prestige).
My nephew wanted to buy a bike and was getting absolutely no help from Coopers. No returned calls, really uninterested. I found this really strange, given my past experience with them, but with hindsight this was during the time when the takeover was going through. You can't blame the "old" staff for not being particularly diligent if they know they're likely to be out on their ear shortly. (Nephew bought his bike from Oxford BMW in the end, a month or so ago.)
Bearing in mind his experience, I wasn't hopeful that Arden would be particularly helpful, even wondering whether the Motorrad side of the business would continue, so when I wanted details on new potential purpose I contacted a couple of other dealers as well as Arden.
However, Arden were first to contact me, really helpful, returned all calls without fail and quickly. I know this is no more than they should do, and of course they are selling me a bike so have incentive to do so! But the person I've been dealing with (Matt) has been really good. They approached the negotiation over p/ex prices and accessory prices really well too. Lockdown has hampered the process a bit, of course, but it's gone really well so far.
So while I'm sad to see some old faces go, it's a definite thumbs up from me for the time being.
(It's still a fair old schlepp from home to Tunbridge Wells. If I win the Euromillions soon I may set up a dealership in East Kent!)
My nephew wanted to buy a bike and was getting absolutely no help from Coopers. No returned calls, really uninterested. I found this really strange, given my past experience with them, but with hindsight this was during the time when the takeover was going through. You can't blame the "old" staff for not being particularly diligent if they know they're likely to be out on their ear shortly. (Nephew bought his bike from Oxford BMW in the end, a month or so ago.)
Bearing in mind his experience, I wasn't hopeful that Arden would be particularly helpful, even wondering whether the Motorrad side of the business would continue, so when I wanted details on new potential purpose I contacted a couple of other dealers as well as Arden.
However, Arden were first to contact me, really helpful, returned all calls without fail and quickly. I know this is no more than they should do, and of course they are selling me a bike so have incentive to do so! But the person I've been dealing with (Matt) has been really good. They approached the negotiation over p/ex prices and accessory prices really well too. Lockdown has hampered the process a bit, of course, but it's gone really well so far.
So while I'm sad to see some old faces go, it's a definite thumbs up from me for the time being.
(It's still a fair old schlepp from home to Tunbridge Wells. If I win the Euromillions soon I may set up a dealership in East Kent!)