I don't usually feel that the sales staff are harrassing me in the dealers around here, Den.

But most at least acknowledge you when you enter, ask if they can assist and point you towards the free coffee machine - up to you to get involved with them then if the fancy takes. The sales staff in the BMW dealer actively tried to avoid interaction, even when Mrs B. tried to start a conversation with one - the sales person looked up from her keyboard, sort-of half smiled & then got back to what she was doing without uttering a word. That classes as rude in my book.

It may well be that they didn't class me as a "serious" buyer, having arrived in a car at the time & I would not profess to being a sartorially elegant dresser. But a sensible salesperson (particularly one with targets to meet or on commission) would be wise not to judge by appearances - had the fancy taken I could have afforded to buy anything in the showroom at the time.

On a similar vist to the "old" Allen Jefferies many years before Mrs B had expressed an interest in a bike, so the (friendly on arrival, non harrassing, but attentive when required) salesman re-arranged the bike line-up to get it out for her to sit on & then offered to loan a helmet & gloves for a test ride (it was the end of January, hence the car visit & no kit). We did a deal with a valuation for her V50 given unseen on our description of condition. Hadn't gone out seriously intending to buy a bike that day, but they went out of their way to sell us one. Current mob seem to expect prospective customers to get down on bended knee & plead with them to sell them a bike - maybe that is why the have a full showroom ?

Nigel B.