Been "car shopping" lately?

kenmac · Jan 12, 2014

dave1949 said:
I had a similar "Where's my keys?"

I hate to have to do stuff like that but they had it coming plus some. Apparently "hide the keys" is taught in that national car salesman school. :laughing:

I really think you're on to something..:thumbsup:.How else do you explain car sales people applying these same tactics North, South,East & West ????? :confused3: Believe it or not. This same thing happened to me with the last vehicle I bought in 95. Things weren't going well with the dealing process. I finally get fed up and asked for the keys to my trade vehicle .(They had used the keys to try out my trade to come up with a value) Low and behold... We can't find your keys. I get pi$$ed

start throwing things off the sales mans desk. Everyone in the dealership office came running in to see what was going on... Guess what ???? they happened to locate.... That's right My keys. I left and never returned ....

rwork · Jan 12, 2014

Wow, some of these car shopping horror stories. Maybe I'm niave to what goes on at other dealerships, because I thought those tactics ended in the ninties; maybe not.
I kind of bowed out of this discussion because of all the negativity.
I have a little different philosopy on handling my customers, and try to instill the same in my sales personnel. I feel that when a customer comes in we give them the information they are looking for. They may not buy on their first visit, but if they are treated with respect, and an appreciation of their time, you have a 50% chance of them returning. If they are pressured or made to feel uncomfortable, there's a 100% chance that you won't see them again.

And for the ole "keys on the roof" tactic, when I appraise a customers vehicle, I immediately return their keys to them, I feel that makes the customer much more comfortable.

foreman Etexas · Jan 12, 2014

rwork said:
Wow, some of these car shopping horror stories. Maybe I'm niave to what goes on at other dealerships, because I thought those tactics ended in the ninties; maybe not.
I kind of bowed out of this discussion because of all the negativity.
I have a little different philosopy on handling my customers, and try to instill the same in my sales personnel. I feel that when a customer comes in we give them the information they are looking for. They may not buy on their first visit, but if they are treated with respect, and an appreciation of their time, you have a 50% chance of them returning. If they are pressured or made to feel uncomfortable, there's a 100% chance that you won't see them again.

And for the ole "keys on the roof" tactic, when I appraise a customers vehicle, I immediately return their keys to them, I feel that makes the customer much more comfortable.

No negitivity towards you just cause your a dealer. I have one auto and couple tractos dealers that are great. I'm sure folks talk about you being a great dealer also but so many are not so good,it makes for some good stories.

kenmac · Jan 12, 2014

foreman Etexas said:
No negitivity towards you just cause your a dealer. I have one auto and couple tractos dealers that are great. I'm sure folks talk about you being a great dealer also but so many are not so good,it makes for some good stories.

I agree, Nothing personal , It just amazes me. I never knew, that the same car sales tactics are used in my area, are also used in other parts of the country.

aczlan · Jan 12, 2014

kenmac said:
I really think you're on to something..:thumbsup:.How else do you explain car sales people applying these same tactics North, South,East & West ????? :confused3: Believe it or not. This same thing happened to me with the last vehicle I bought in 95. Things weren't going well with the dealing process. I finally get fed up and asked for the keys to my trade vehicle .(They had used the keys to try out my trade to come up with a value) Low and behold... We can't find your keys. I get pi$$ed start throwing things off the sales mans desk. Everyone in the dealership office came running in to see what was going on... Guess what ???? they happened to locate.... That's right My keys. I left and never returned ....

If someone were to try that, I would tell them that they have 2 minutes to return my keys or I will leave (with my other set of keys) and send them a bill to have my locks rekeyed...

Aaron Z

s219 · Jan 12, 2014

Regarding the "hide the keys" trick, what you have to do as a customer is mention that you won't be able to take "the club" off the steering wheel of their new car you just test drove until they find your key ring.

Pilot · Jan 12, 2014

Back around '78 a local dealer started advertising that they don't dicker, they were a one price dealer and the price listed was their only price. So we needed a cheap car & they advertised a '78 Pinto. We go there, drive the car, it was OK, so we made an offer. "No, the listed price is the final price." "Well, we can write a check right now for the price we offered." "No, we don't bargain." Back & forth for maybe half an hour, checkbook in hand, and we politely say goodbye and walk out. As I am about to start our car, the salesman comes running up to our car and asks, "Can you just come up $10 more?" We laughed and came up the $10.

Pilot · Jan 12, 2014

One tactic I use is to tell the salesman right up front that we don't tolerate game playing, that if we start feeling like we are not being treated with respect we'll walk out. If they even hint of something we are uncomfortable with I tell them that and start to walk away and they straighten right out.

And we always make low ball offers.

BTW, we found that works with appliances, too. See separate thread.

TomSeller · Jan 12, 2014

Pilot said:
One tactic I use is to tell the salesman right up front that we don't tolerate game playing, that if we start feeling like we are not being treated with respect we'll walk out. If they even hint of something we are uncomfortable with I tell them that and start to walk away and they straighten right out.

And we always make low ball offers.

BTW, we found that works with appliances, too. See separate thread.

Walking away is a great way of leveling the table. Good for you.

k0ua · Jan 13, 2014

And for the ole "keys on the roof" tactic, when I appraise a customers vehicle, I immediately return their keys to them, I feel that makes the customer much more comfortable.

That is what the dealers around here do, they return the keys as soon as they get back.. I have never heard of nor seen a dealer try to hold on to the keys. I give the dealer back his keys to the new car and they give me back my keys to the appraised car. Besides around here if a dealer tried something like that it would be all over the community in a day or two. Everyone knows everyone else. I don't blame you guys for raising your voice or raising "heck". I would too if a dealer did something stupid like that.