MK5 Golf GTI
General => Random Chat => Topic started by: BeezerDiesel on January 03, 2012, 04:47:59 pm
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One of the kids managed to knacker the arm of our sofa playing on the wii.
So it's new sofa time, and wifey being a woman has decided that she also wants new chairs to go with it. So, we've done the tours of the funtiture places over the last few days, suffered the 'wit' of the salesmen and listened to their 'fantastic sale offers' and the usual BS.
DFS are handy, have a massive range and better still do 4 years interest free credit. I don't have a credit card as I like to either pay up front for something or take out interest free offers when available. At least with their big range you can actually sit in the things to see if they're too hard/soft unlike a lot of online retailers or smaller stores.
So, does anyone know of any leeway in DFS prices on top of the sticker prices? Or don't the salesmen have any flexibility in their deals? Typically, despite several visits, the only sofa my missus likes is one with only about £40 off and added to which you have their £45 delivery charge. Grrrr.
I can't find any online vouchers or similar and they don't seem to feature on cashback sites either.
Harveys are out of contention as my in-laws had loads of trouble with them.
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Don't discount somewhere like Homebase or Argos for sofa's. The kind of money they charge you can afford to replace them every 3-4 years and the quality is pretty good.
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Don't discount somewhere like Homebase or Argos for sofa's. The kind of money they charge you can afford to replace them every 3-4 years and the quality is pretty good.
Yeah, thanks Nath, have had a good look around their websites, especially Argos as they had 15% off until yesterday. The only issue with ordering one from Argos or Homebase is that unless they have one in their showroom you can't actually sit on it and I hate sofas that are too soft!
Not that I'm a fusspot or anything!! :grin:
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DFS :sick:
Check out John Lewis for nice sofas at decent prices :happy2:
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My parents have a 30-odd year old leather Chesterfield they got from a specialist furniture maker, it's survived 4 kids (numerous other people's too) and looks better than when they bought it.
With some things in life you have to either pony up for quality, or buy cheap and replace often. DFS garbage fits neither.
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One of the kids managed to knacker the arm of our sofa playing on the wii.
So it's new sofa time, and wifey being a woman has decided that she also wants new chairs to go with it. So, we've done the tours of the funtiture places over the last few days, suffered the 'wit' of the salesmen and listened to their 'fantastic sale offers' and the usual BS.
DFS are handy, have a massive range and better still do 4 years interest free credit. I don't have a credit card as I like to either pay up front for something or take out interest free offers when available. At least with their big range you can actually sit in the things to see if they're too hard/soft unlike a lot of online retailers or smaller stores.
So, does anyone know of any leeway in DFS prices on top of the sticker prices? Or don't the salesmen have any flexibility in their deals? Typically, despite several visits, the only sofa my missus likes is one with only about £40 off and added to which you have their £45 delivery charge. Grrrr.
I can't find any online vouchers or similar and they don't seem to feature on cashback sites either.
Harveys are out of contention as my in-laws had loads of trouble with them.
Our arms suffer as a result of people sitting on them and putting plates etc. on them. So we went out last week looking for a new 3 seater - 2 seater set. Did DFS, SCS, Furniture Village, Harveys etc. and found them all idiot pushy salesmen and crap stuff dragged in just for the sales. All the good stuff has been taken away whiel they shift a load of crap at knockdown prices.
So a mate reckoned on going to Barker and Stonehouse. Wife said we couldn't afford their stuff. But we went anyway, and found a Barker & Stonehouse Outlet at Middlesbrough where we picked up a 3 seater and a 2 seater, both with 2 recliners on, in full dark cream leather, for just under £900.
We were looking at paying more than that for crap imitation leather or cloth upholstery in other stores, so I'm well happy with that. It's being delivered tomorrow!
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DFS :sick:
Check out John Lewis for nice sofas at decent prices :happy2:
Nearest John Lewis is 80 miles from me. Well actually there is one about two miles from me but it doesn't open for another ten months!!
I like John Lewis and can't wait for their store to open here.
My parents have a 30-odd year old leather Chesterfield they got from a specialist furniture maker, it's survived 4 kids (numerous other people's too) and looks better than when they bought it.
With some things in life you have to either pony up for quality, or buy cheap and replace often. DFS garbage fits neither.
Can't argue that. Not a fan of DFS or any of the other big companies but then again you could say if you want a nice car you'd better buy a Rolls Royce and run it forever, personally I'll take a white goods VW and replace it before the warranty runs out... :laugh:
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Our arms suffer as a result of people sitting on them and putting plates etc. on them. So we went out last week looking for a new 3 seater - 2 seater set. Did DFS, SCS, Furniture Village, Harveys etc. and found them all idiot pushy salesmen and crap stuff dragged in just for the sales. All the good stuff has been taken away whiel they shift a load of crap at knockdown prices.
So a mate reckoned on going to Barker and Stonehouse. Wife said we couldn't afford their stuff. But we went anyway, and found a Barker & Stonehouse Outlet at Middlesbrough where we picked up a 3 seater and a 2 seater, both with 2 recliners on, in full dark cream leather, for just under £900.
We were looking at paying more than that for crap imitation leather or cloth upholstery in other stores, so I'm well happy with that. It's being delivered tomorrow!
Just off to Google them now :happy2:
Edit: Nearest one to me is Nottigham. That's over two hundred miles away... :sad1:
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Just off to Google them now :happy2:
Edit: Nearest one to me is Nottigham. That's over two hundred miles away... :sad1:
You must be away down south then. There might be somewhere like that down near you? Find a quality furnishings store and google "Outlet" after it?
This is the one we got btw.
(https://www.mk5golfgti.co.uk/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.barkerandstonehouseoutlet.co.uk%2Fgallery%2Fimages%2Flesley%2520001.jpg&hash=c05fd15fca7471fcf7812bc171acc50f4da3fa5d)
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I'd recommend here - www.made.com
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Just off to Google them now :happy2:
Edit: Nearest one to me is Nottigham. That's over two hundred miles away... :sad1:
You must be away down south then. There might be somewhere like that down near you? Find a quality furnishings store and google "Outlet" after it?
This is the one we got btw.
If I was any further south I'd need a wetsuit.
There are a few quality furniture places around here but they tend to be overly expensive and most of their stock is aimed at a more senior clientele. There's an awful lot of retired folk that aren't from local stock round these here parts that haven't had to suffer the local third world wages on top of the high living costs.
DFS will do me fine.
I like your sofa btw Viking. Looks good quality unlike the leather in my VW!!
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I'd recommend here - www.made.com
I'm going to have a good read of that website at work tonight. Thanks :smiley:
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I loaded up from DFS last week, I didn't ask but I felt £100 off was doable. If nothing else ask for £20 off at least its a round of drinks.
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With some things in life you have to either pony up for quality, or buy cheap and replace often. DFS garbage fits neither.
Agreed, but obviously all depdant on budget
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Have to say I regret buying a cheapo replacement for my Barker and Stonehouse. I got that suite from a friend when we first set up home (cost a few grand, but got it cheap off him). Honestly, you could have two heavy feckers canoodling on the arm of it (my bro-in-law and his ex) and it wouldn't even creak!
Took me almost an hour to break it up to fit in the car when taking it to the tip.
In hindsight, I should have got it retrimmed rather than spend £700 on one from SofaSofa (although their service was spot on) as the quality seems similar to what you get from the likes of DFS.
I've had it about 20 months and it's totally sagged, and I feel the arms are about to detach pretty soon. If I had kids then it'd not have lasted this long.
You definitely want something more robust, and that comes at a price. Even going into places like Laura Ashley you may find reduced items for sale.
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With some things in life you have to either pony up for quality, or buy cheap and replace often. DFS garbage fits neither.
Agreed, but obviously all depdant on budget
Absolutely, but also what fits the purpose. For instance about 5 years ago a friend bought a sofa from DFS. I berated him for it, but at the time he was having a baby and he felt that buying a really expensive one would be a false economy. So while he couldn't care about his boy throwing up on his sofa I'm grimacing as mine uses our BO Concept corner as a trampoline. Who's having the last laugh there?!
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One of the kids managed to knacker the arm of our sofa playing on the wii.
So it's new sofa time, and wifey being a woman has decided that she also wants new chairs to go with it. So, we've done the tours of the funtiture places over the last few days, suffered the 'wit' of the salesmen and listened to their 'fantastic sale offers' and the usual BS.
DFS are handy, have a massive range and better still do 4 years interest free credit. I don't have a credit card as I like to either pay up front for something or take out interest free offers when available. At least with their big range you can actually sit in the things to see if they're too hard/soft unlike a lot of online retailers or smaller stores.
So, does anyone know of any leeway in DFS prices on top of the sticker prices? Or don't the salesmen have any flexibility in their deals? Typically, despite several visits, the only sofa my missus likes is one with only about £40 off and added to which you have their £45 delivery charge. Grrrr.
I can't find any online vouchers or similar and they don't seem to feature on cashback sites either.
Harveys are out of contention as my in-laws had loads of trouble with them.
Hi Andy.
The last time I went sofa shopping was on 2nd Jan 2011 which was the day before I fell down the stairs on a 92 double decker bus stopping suddenly on Wesminster Bridge with my grandchild in tow and ended up having shoulder surgery on the 9th Nov 2011! In fact, the accident happened an hour after I'd met up with SteveP! I remember that day well. All around this time last year.
I think I'll avoid sofa shopping. But then again, does lightening strike twice?
Hmmm, I think I'll give it a miss as my shoulder says NO!
If I do summon up the courage, it will either be Harrods (Arabs) Sale or John Lewis.
Wish me luck.
Asker
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Hi Andy.
The last time I went sofa shopping was on 2nd Jan 2011 which was the day before I fell down the stairs on a 92 double decker bus stopping suddenly on Wesminster Bridge with my grandchild in tow and ended up having shoulder surgery on the 9th Nov 2011! In fact, the accident happened an hour after I'd met up with SteveP! I remember that day well. All around this time last year.
I think I'll avoid sofa shopping. But then again, does lightening strike twice?
Hmmm, I think I'll give it a miss as my shoulder says NO!
If I do summon up the courage, it will either be Harrods (Arabs) Sale or John Lewis.
Wish me luck.
Asker
Hello Asker, I'm sure you'll be fine this time round - just get a taxi instead of the bus!!
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To the DFS haters, our current sofa is one of theirs, it is about seven years old and still in fine condition considering my two kids have more or less grown up with it. It only suffered the arm injury thanks to it being moved to fit the Christmas tree in the room. And the arm isn't actually broken, the leather had just gone a bit thin and cracked where it was whacked with a wii controller at high speed. It is more unsightly than ruined and thus an excuse for wifey to demand a new one.
I've been more than happy with the current sofa so am more than willing to give them another go, but I'm open to all options and suggestions.
All the advice has been taken on board and digested, thanks everybody!
Now, has anyone actually managed to get any extra money off out of DFS?
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We have just ordered a new sofa from DFS. Didn't get any money off but did manage to get them to throw in the premium 5yr cover with a bit of haggling.
I suppose it's like anything in life. People are badge snobs and if something isn't made by a certain company then its apparently sh!t :indifferent:
Our current sofa & chair are DFS ones and they have lasted 10 years. They have moved house 5 times in that 10 years too. We had it professionally cleaned recently as we had a sootfall and it looked just like new again after it had been cleaned. It would no doubt last another 10 years but i don't like it anymore so decided it was time to change.
At the end of the day you make your choices and pays your money. Don't be suckered into the, it's not X make so won't last bollocks, as that is purely what it is, Bollocks as our current sofa proves. :happy2: