Topic: Car Salespeople... Scum of the Earth?

[hondasalesguy]

gta - you don't apologize for being rich...

How 'bout for being arrogant?

[Panzer]

gta - you don't apologize for being rich...

How 'bout for being arrogant?

 

Seriously though, he's right about a few things:

Dress like your someone important. Appearance can play a big part in negotiations.

Sales people will try to take control of the negotiating by being your "friend". Be friendly but distant.

Stay firm on your offer. I never waver. I know what I want to pay and I stay within a narrow range of numbers.

I go into all negotiations always prepared to walkaway, even if I really want that particular vehicle.

That last one's very important if you feel you're being pressured.  Let the salesperson know you feel that way and if they keep it up, walk away.

[Sir Osis of Liver]

When I was car shopping last year, the only salesman that stood out was the Toyota rep. His answer to all of my questions was “It’s on the website”, including when I asked for pricing. He then started to trash the other makes I was looking at:”Mazda3, Ha! You DO know its just a Focus with a different badge don’t you?”. By the time I left, Toyotas had been struck from the list.
The Hyundai, Ford, Mazda and Pontiac reps were courteous, knowledgeable, helpful and not at all pushy and none trashed the competition.

As an aside, I called the dealership for an oil change and annual MVI at about 10am yesterday. The phone was answered on the first ring. An appointment was made for 4:00 and they said it would take about 20minutes. I was able to drop the car off at noon when a co-worker said he was going by the dealer anyway, so I dropped it off early. The service rep called me at 2:00 saying the car was finished. At 4:20 I called the dealer to pick me up, and they told me they already had a car waiting at the front door of my building for me. By 4:30 I was on my way home! Service like that will earn them another car sale if it keeps up!

[toolatecrew]

I
2) checking out a G6 last year before getting the 6.  Best sales guy I've ever met.  I told him I always like the Grand Prix but thought it was outta my price range so he said, "well, lets go drive one, who knows, you might not even like it."  After the test drive he asked what my price range was, I told him about 350/month and he said, he didn't think it was possible with my trade but he'd check.  Came back and said it wasn't possible unless I was comfy with a higher payment and if I wasn't comfy with it, he wouldn't bother working something out.  this guy knew everythiing about the G6 and all it's competitors.  Even admitted that the 6 was a great car.  It was weird, I actually felt kinda bad for the guy when I went elsewhere.

This reminded me of an experince I had when selling cars.

i had a couple come in a few times and look at a Camary. They were very nice and eventually called me and told me. We are sorry but we've become convinced we need AWD for our cottage. We are going with a Subaru. You did a great job. You were fair. We'd send someone to you with no hesitaion ..sorry you just don't have an AWD sedan to sell us and we need one.

They came back not long after and siad they only wanted to see me. They looked at trucks. They needed to have a certain amount of towing capacity and power for their needs. They did not buy our truck becuse they could not get a V6 in their price range. It was just too expensive. They told me again how much they appreciated the time and that they felt bad they could not buy from me.

It kinda made me feel good inside..that is until the end of the week came and my paycheck ahd a little tiny number on it. It was just one additonal thing that made me know that car sales was not for me.

Yes maybe if i had satyed for years I would have gotten a sale from a referal from them. maybe not. But regardless i spent many hours, did what the customers felt was an excellent job and answered every question and every need but I ended up with nothing to show for it. Warm fuzzy feelings don't pay the rent.

[Bullet Blue]

When I was car shopping last year, the only salesman that stood out was the Toyota rep. His answer to all of my questions was “It’s on the website”, including when I asked for pricing. He then started to trash the other makes I was looking at:”Mazda3, Ha! You DO know its just a Focus with a different badge don’t you?”. By the time I left, Toyotas had been struck from the list.

I have had the same poor luck with Toyota dealers. I was looking at buying a used Camry about 10 years ago and I pretty much got the impression that they were doing everything they could to NOT sell the car to me. I walked out.

Second, I went to the same Toyota dealer with a friend because he was interested in purchasing a 2004 echo hatch about a year ago. The guy said the same thing. Any question my friend asked his response was "it's all on our website" and even told me friend to go to a public library if going and looking at for himself was a huge problem for him. We walked out.

Thirdly, and this was about 3 weeks ago, I spotted a nice used Volvo S60 in Barrie. It was a decent price for the amount of kms. This was done through phone calls of course, and they were very friendly at first and said "anything we need to do to get your business, we will". When I got enough info and felt comfortable enough in the car to start dealing, all of a sudden they said "someone else is seriously interested in the car and is coming by to look at it tomorrow, so we can't take anything off the price. However we can sign the  car to you now over phone". Are you kidding me? Why would I pay the full asking price for a car that you said you could get me a good deal on to begin with? And if this so called "other customer" was "seriously" looking at the car to begin with, why did it take you until we were ready to deal until you decided to tell me that? The ol' someone else is gonna buy it if you don't trick. I called BS on it, and hung up the phone. The next day I got a call from them saying that the deal with the "other customer" fell through and the car was still available for purchace. I told them that I was no longer interested as I didn't like being jerked around by them and was promised a good deal to ensure my business and hung up. Boy, that was an amazing car at an amazing price and I would've pulled the trigger if they hadn't insisted on playing games. No matter how good the car is, you need to be ready to walk away.

[gta_driver]

Sorry for offending you Hondasalesguy!

When I walk into a dealership wanting a particular car/truck my objective is not to be friends with the salesperson. In most cases I never see the salesperson ever again or in some cases they no longer remember me (maybe they blocked me out?). I do treat the salespeople and sales manager with respect and courtesy and I'm always calm when negotiating ( I think that irks them too), I will however refute some things that they say if I know it can't be true, with data/clippings from my dossier.

My objective as a consumer is to negotiate the lowest sales price possible on a vehicle and if that can't be done, I'm always prepared to walk away and find another dealer.

How do you think rich people stay rich?

[hondasalesguy]

Actually "rich" is subjective.. and most people who have any REAL money, don't brag about it.

Oh, and by the way, there is more to life than the square footage of your house.

You know, kids, friends, family.

Got any?

[gta_driver]

Actually "rich" is subjective.. and most people who have any REAL money, don't brag about it.

Oh, and by the way, there is more to life than the square footage of your house.

You know, kids, friends, family.

Got any?

Got all of the above and then some.

[safristi]

I'll have the GTi;the Lexus IS 350 & the Exige pleeze...Oh and at under a THOU a MONTH!!!!!

[wildk9]

I have had the same poor luck with Toyota dealers. I was looking at buying a used Camry about 10 years ago and I pretty much got the impression that they were doing everything they could to NOT sell the car to me. I walked out.

Second, I went to the same Toyota dealer with a friend because he was interested in purchasing a 2004 echo hatch about a year ago. The guy said the same thing. Any question my friend asked his response was "it's all on our website" and even told me friend to go to a public library if going and looking at for himself was a huge problem for him. We walked out.

Thirdly, and this was about 3 weeks ago, I spotted a nice used Volvo S60 in Barrie. It was a decent price for the amount of kms. This was done through phone calls of course, and they were very friendly at first and said "anything we need to do to get your business, we will". When I got enough info and felt comfortable enough in the car to start dealing, all of a sudden they said "someone else is seriously interested in the car and is coming by to look at it tomorrow, so we can't take anything off the price. However we can sign the  car to you now over phone". Are you kidding me? Why would I pay the full asking price for a car that you said you could get me a good deal on to begin with? And if this so called "other customer" was "seriously" looking at the car to begin with, why did it take you until we were ready to deal until you decided to tell me that? The ol' someone else is gonna buy it if you don't trick. I called BS on it, and hung up the phone. The next day I got a call from them saying that the deal with the "other customer" fell through and the car was still available for purchace. I told them that I was no longer interested as I didn't like being jerked around by them and was promised a good deal to ensure my business and hung up. Boy, that was an amazing car at an amazing price and I would've pulled the trigger if they hadn't insisted on playing games. No matter how good the car is, you need to be ready to walk away.

These stories and my own experience with Toyota makes me VERY leery of buying a Subaru, knowing they are getting in bed together.

I once looked at a Toyota 4-Runner. I entered my name into a contest while I was there. I never bought from them but soon after I started getting mail from them saying my NEW Toyota 4-Runner was due for a tune up. I started getting calls from the dealership's service department and they refused to take me off the list. Apparently it was beyond their capability. I called the dealership many times to complain about this. I finally had my brother-in-law who is a lawyer (truly a "brother-in-LAW) call them and state that if the calls did not stop he would file a harassment suit.

I have no love for Toyota, not because of their product but because of their business practices and if Subaru picks up those practices, I will not be dealing with them.

[random006]

I'll have the GTi;the Lexus IS 350 & the Exige pleeze...Oh and at under a THOU a MONTH!!!!!

Geez, you want fries with that too?    

[mdxtasy]

Bashing an entire workforce based on a few bad experiences is unwarranted. 

[y2chuck]

This reminded me of an experince I had when selling cars.

i had a couple come in a few times and look at a Camary. They were very nice and eventually called me and told me. We are sorry but we've become convinced we need AWD for our cottage. We are going with a Subaru. You did a great job. You were fair. We'd send someone to you with no hesitaion ..sorry you just don't have an AWD sedan to sell us and we need one.

They came back not long after and siad they only wanted to see me. They looked at trucks. They needed to have a certain amount of towing capacity and power for their needs. They did not buy our truck becuse they could not get a V6 in their price range. It was just too expensive. They told me again how much they appreciated the time and that they felt bad they could not buy from me.

It kinda made me feel good inside..that is until the end of the week came and my paycheck ahd a little tiny number on it. It was just one additonal thing that made me know that car sales was not for me.

Yes maybe if i had satyed for years I would have gotten a sale from a referal from them. maybe not. But regardless i spent many hours, did what the customers felt was an excellent job and answered every question and every need but I ended up with nothing to show for it. Warm fuzzy feelings don't pay the rent.

It's amazing what an effect a good sales person has on people.  I might have some disposible income coming soon and if the Soltice is in the cards, I'll go back to that same guy provided he's still there.  When I bought the 6, I called the 3 other sales people who treated me nice (Ford (focus), saturn (ION) and this guy) to tell them I picked the 6 and to thank them.  Courtesy works both ways, unfortunately most people tend to focus on them being scum without realize how difficult of a job it can be sometimes.

[hondasalesguy]

1 more thing, GTA driver - assuming you are a lawyer, your time must be worth a pretty penny. If you spend, say 10 hours going between dealers, driving all over the city, negotiating, and you save yourself maybe $500 from what the 1st guy would have sold you the car for, had you just sat down and negotiateed in good faith with him, was it really worth it?

Armed with an APA quote or CCC numbers, most smart buyers don't waste their time (or that of the salesperson) playing the game. It sounds like buying a car IS a game to you, which is perfectly fine. If you enjoy the haggling, telling salespeople stories about what "other dealers" have offered you, hey, have fun with it. Me, if I meet a "supreme buyer" (otherwise sometimes called Harry Hardass) I just have fun with them. If they want to buy a car I will be blunt and to the point, this is what I can do, do you want to make a deal TODAY? If not, have a nice day, you dont have to go home but you can't stay here...

I sleep well at night, I make a decent but not a huge wage, if I wanted to work 50-55 hours and make more money I could, I'd rather take care of my daughter on my days and mornings off,and have a good balance in my life between family, work and other interests. And if I was a scumbag I wouldn't get 5 deals a month just on referral and repeat.

[y2chuck]

Actually "rich" is subjective.. and most people who have any REAL money, don't brag about it.

Oh, and by the way, there is more to life than the square footage of your house.

You know, kids, friends, family.

Got any?

Actually, being "courteous" is obvious.  People who are respectful and courteous don't post comments like this.

Oh, and by the way, there's more to life than Honda.

You know, being mindful, respectful, courteous and not jealous of people who make more money than you.

Get it?

[Snowman]

Actually "rich" is subjective.. and most people who have any REAL money, don't brag about it.

Oh, and by the way, there is more to life than the square footage of your house.

You know, kids, friends, family.

Got any?

That is exactly what people save when they want what you have.  HSG, they way you trash other auto makers and people on this site it is no wonder you can’t get ahead, very unprofessional. Let it go.

[hondasalesguy]

Example for ya GTA - my 1st cousin, whom my parents raised after his parents passed away young, recently sold 80% of his investment firm in Toronto. His cut was $32 MILLION. He's smart enough that he will be able to shelter most of that from the tax man. He drives a Dodge Ram 4x4. Dresses like an average Joe, because he isn't about impressing anyone. A genuine guy who happens to have done very well for himself. Not a yuppie jerk.

Weren't lawyers up there on that list too?

[mdxtasy]

Game over.  wing can decide if this thread gets unlocked.