9:44 am, February 27, 2025
It’s not uncommon for car dealers to receive a good review or even a card in recognition of a job well-done but a customer at an Oxfordshire Toyota retailer has taken things one step further.
Karen Corradi was so impressed by the service she was given at Steven Eagell Toyota Oxford that she has penned a poem in homage to the site.
The retiree visited the showroom to have her Toyota Yaris – affectionately nicknamed ‘Doris’ – MOTed ahead of an upcoming drive to Paris.
Corradi, who has owned the Yaris since 2017, elected to wait at the dealership while the work was being carried out and whittled away the time by crocheting and writing poetry.
Titled, ‘Doris the Yaris’ the piece pays tribute to the work of the dealership’s service and employees.
The poem in full reads:
‘I stitched up my sweater while they stitched up my motor, sat in the grandiose showroom of Oxford, Toyota
‘With gratis coffee, tea and hot chocolate on offer, I ate my packed my lunch but wasn’t bothered one iota.
‘I’m sat in the window aside an impressive display of Aygos, Icons and Hatchbacks at rest, with my crochet spread out on the salesman’s desk.
‘An hour and a half later with my sleeves almost stitched up, I take a break to refill my mug, relaxed in this world, and feeling quite smug.
‘I’ve been informed that Doris needs three new tyres to drive to Paris, but it’s nothing too dire for my ageing Yaris.
‘Take note you retirees because the heating’s on here if you fancy some warm in an upmarket store. The staff are all marvellous, with broad welcome smiles, it’s not a bad place to stay for a while.
‘Come, browse at the gleaming motors with their backdrop of screens to promote deals; maybe you’ll drive out one of these days with a set of new wheels!’
Corradi says she decided to write the poem after being blown away by the dealership’s ‘warm and welcoming environment’ which put her ‘at ease’.
Explaining her inspiration, she said: ‘I wrote the poem to simply say a big thank you to the Toyota team at Steven Eagell.
‘I am always kept in the loop by professional staff on the day of service and MOT. In such a warm and welcoming environment, I took the opportunity to make the most of being put at ease and write a short poem for everyone to express my gratitude.’
Corradi is far from the first person to be impressed by the service at Steven Eagell, after the group was honoured at this month’s retailer awards for both Toyota and Lexus.
As the UK’s biggest retailer of the brands, the Car Dealer Top 100 group enjoyed a stellar night, scooping an impressive seven gongs.
