Been "car shopping" lately?

[kenmac]

I thought auto dealers only played these games down south. After reading this thread,, I see that auto dealers /sales persons play the same game in other parts of the country as well. I wonder if they have a national auto dealership /sales person school that these idiots attend and learn their tactics from:confused3:

 

[Western]

Well, yesterday he wife and I (after reading the vehicle description and 4 calls to the dealer) drove 1-1/2 hrs to look at a used Saturn Sky Redline. Price seemed right in comparing to all available resources. Pulled up, it was dirty from moisture, then noticed all the scratches. On top of the obvious abuse, some DA had apparently washed it with a rag while it was covered in dirt, Swirl scratches cover the entire car?

Further observation brought out a discrepancy in the panels aligning, looked in more detail and noticed the passenger side had been repaired and had nasty rough paint job finish. Salesman said "the Carfax is clean" I was like "Are YOU KIDDING ME?" I wish I would have taken some photos to post in this thread, there was no doubt it had been involved in some moderate damage, with a poor repair ta-boot! The interior was pretty trashed also, with "only" 39000 miles on an 08 model, we ran the heck outa there.

Did get one I looked at a couple of weeks ago in North Dallas, super clean, professional 1 owner and in show room condition besides 58000 miles. Actually has all service records, guy had the oil change every 3500 miles using Mobil 1 like it was a religion.

Condition of the car and the "older" salesman, was a strong factor in returning to pick that one up.

 

[caver]

However one enjoyable tidbit - when the number trading starts and your salesman heads off to the sales manager, you get up, and walk to the farthest corner of the lot and pretend to be interested in whatever vehicle is there! About the second time of tracking you down, that salesman is pleading with the sales manager to close the deal! .

I used a similar tactic years ago that I had read online. After he wasted about 15 minutes of my time in the break room (aka sales managers office) I said you have 5 minutes to come back with a response and then as soon as he would leave I would get up and walk around. That negotiation went so much faster after that.

Last used dealer I bought from actually took me around the car with his paint thickness meter to show me it probably had some filler around the driver side mirror. That's honesty !! We haggled on price and both are happy. I still have that car 96K miles later (Pontiac Vibe). I have several dudes at work interested in it when I get ready to sell. It's my commuter car.

 

[Bird]

At my age, I've probably been through about every kind of car dealer/salesman situation there is, but the oddest one, and the one I got the biggest kick out of, was probably in December, 1992. We had bought a new motorhome and I wanted a new car to tow behind it. I first thought I wanted a Saturn because the RV magazines said you could just put it in neutral and tow at any speed, any distance without damaging the transmission. However, I drove a Saturn and don't believe I had ever driven anything will a less comfortable seat. So I happened to be near a Ford dealer (incidentally one with the most obnoxious TV commercials in the Dallas area) and I stopped and told a salesman out on the lot that I'd just like to see the owner's manual from a new Escort. I very specifically told him I was not going to buy anything today; only want to see one of the manuals to see for myself what it said about towing.

So he said he'd have to get a manual out of the office and asked me why not take a new Escort for a test drive while he got an appraisal on the Isuzu pickup I'd be trading in someday. So I agreed to do that. I actually liked the Escort more than I thought I would, but when I got back and went in the office, that salesman (Ahmed) told me how much they wanted to trade. He did have the manual I wanted to see and I told him again that I wasn't buying anything today. Away he went, came back after awhile with a new proposal. I had found what I was interested in in the manual, gave it him, and asked for my keys. Away he goes again, only to come back with another proposal, but without my keys. So again I asked for my keys. After 3 or 4 times, when he took off to the sales manager's office, I walked right out in the middle of their big showroom that had lots of customers, or potential customers, and I yelled at the top of my lungs, "[BAHMED, WHERE ARE MY KEYS?[/B]D It was hilarious. People came running, and I mean actually running, from offices, including the sales manager with my keys in his hand.

Now in those days, my credit union had a guy who dealt with fleet sales managers and all we had to do was call, tell him exactly what we wanted and he'd find the best deal for us. So when I finally decided I wanted an Escort station wagon, I called him and when he called back, he said the best deal was that same Ford dealer. I told him I'd drive out of state before I'd do business with them (didn't even tell him why), and he said, "I know their TV commercials are obnoxious, and so are the salesmen, but you don't have any of that with the fleet sales manager, and we've never had a complaint with him, or with their service department." So I bought a new Escort there.:laughing: It was awhile later that I had a clutch problem (they said someone left some bolts out when they built the car) and they replaced the clutch under warranty, loaned me a car while mine was in the shop, and I couldn't have asked for any better service.:laughing:

Incidentally, it was a fine little car, still ran, handled, and looked almost new when my wife rolled it and totaled it with a little more than 121k on the odometer.

 

[Midniteoyl]

At my age, I've probably been through about every kind of car dealer/salesman situation there is, but the oddest one, and the one I got the biggest kick out of, was probably in December, 1992. We had bought a new motorhome and I wanted a new car to tow behind it. I first thought I wanted a Saturn because the RV magazines said you could just put it in neutral and tow at any speed, any distance without damaging the transmission. However, I drove a Saturn and don't believe I had ever driven anything will a less comfortable seat. So I happened to be near a Ford dealer (incidentally one with the most obnoxious TV commercials in the Dallas area) and I stopped and told a salesman out on the lot that I'd just like to see the owner's manual from a new Escort. I very specifically told him I was not going to buy anything today; only want to see one of the manuals to see for myself what it said about towing.

So he said he'd have to get a manual out of the office and asked me why not take a new Escort for a test drive while he got an appraisal on the Isuzu pickup I'd be trading in someday. So I agreed to do that. I actually liked the Escort more than I thought I would, but when I got back and went in the office, that salesman (Ahmed) told me how much they wanted to trade. He did have the manual I wanted to see and I told him again that I wasn't buying anything today. Away he went, came back after awhile with a new proposal. I had found what I was interested in in the manual, gave it him, and asked for my keys. Away he goes again, only to come back with another proposal, but without my keys. So again I asked for my keys. After 3 or 4 times, when he took off to the sales manager's office, I walked right out in the middle of their big showroom that had lots of customers, or potential customers, and I yelled at the top of my lungs, "[BAHMED, WHERE ARE MY KEYS?[/B]D It was hilarious. People came running, and I mean actually running, from offices, including the sales manager with my keys in his hand.

Now in those days, my credit union had a guy who dealt with fleet sales managers and all we had to do was call, tell him exactly what we wanted and he'd find the best deal for us. So when I finally decided I wanted an Escort station wagon, I called him and when he called back, he said the best deal was that same Ford dealer. I told him I'd drive out of state before I'd do business with them (didn't even tell him why), and he said, "I know their TV commercials are obnoxious, and so are the salesmen, but you don't have any of that with the fleet sales manager, and we've never had a complaint with him, or with their service department." So I bought a new Escort there.:laughing: It was awhile later that I had a clutch problem (they said someone left some bolts out when they built the car) and they replaced the clutch under warranty, loaned me a car while mine was in the shop, and I couldn't have asked for any better service.:laughing:

Incidentally, it was a fine little car, still ran, handled, and looked almost new when my wife rolled it and totaled it with a little more than 121k on the odometer.

I take it your wife was ok?

 

[Bird]

I take it your wife was ok?

She was pretty badly bruised and sore, but she wears the seat belt so she was treated and released at the hospital; didn't have to stay overnight. I guess it would have been an interesting sight to see how she cleared a barbed wire fence and went into a pasture without touching that fence.:laughing:

 

[two_bit_score]

Now in those days, my credit union had a guy who dealt with fleet sales managers and all we had to do was call, tell him exactly what we wanted and he'd find the best deal for us. So when I finally decided I wanted an Escort station wagon, I called him and when he called back, he said the best deal was that same Ford dealer. I told him I'd drive out of state before I'd do business with them (didn't even tell him why), and he said, "I know their TV commercials are obnoxious, and so are the salesmen, but you don't have any of that with the fleet sales manager, and we've never had a complaint with him, or with their service department." So I bought a new Escort there.:laughing:

That is really the only way to buy a new vehicle. Get to know someone in the fleet dept.

 

[two_bit_score]

Well, yesterday he wife and I (after reading the vehicle description and 4 calls to the dealer) drove 1-1/2 hrs to look at a used Saturn Sky Redline. Price seemed right in comparing to all available resources. Pulled up, it was dirty from moisture, then noticed all the scratches. On top of the obvious abuse, some DA had apparently washed it with a rag while it was covered in dirt, Swirl scratches cover the entire car?

Further observation brought out a discrepancy in the panels aligning, looked in more detail and noticed the passenger side had been repaired and had nasty rough paint job finish. Salesman said "the Carfax is clean" I was like "Are YOU KIDDING ME?" I wish I would have taken some photos to post in this thread, there was no doubt it had been involved in some moderate damage, with a poor repair ta-boot! The interior was pretty trashed also, with "only" 39000 miles on an 08 model, we ran the heck outa there.

Did get one I looked at a couple of weeks ago in North Dallas, super clean, professional 1 owner and in show room condition besides 58000 miles. Actually has all service records, guy had the oil change every 3500 miles using Mobil 1 like it was a religion.

Condition of the car and the "older" salesman, was a strong factor in returning to pick that one up.

That's a nice one!

 

[Oaktree]

If you need to convince your wife to drive the CRV more, show her the stability and crash reports for the Bravada (or its GM cousins). I seem to recall they were pitiful. With 11 years newer technology and typical Honda design, I bet the CRV is loads more safe to drive. You can tell her if someone else in a Bravada crashes in to her, she'll do better in the CRV! ;-)

All the statistics in the world won't make a bit of difference if she doesn't like the car. Maybe it's uncomfortable, the controls are weird, whatever.
Too bad he paid all that money for a car that neither of them particularly likes.

 

[dave1949]

I had a similar "Where's my keys?" adventure years ago. We were shopping for a car and planned to trade, so they take the keys and check out the trade-in of course. That's okay so far.

Well, after about 45 minutes of the worst high pressure attempted nonsense, I told the saleswoman we wouldn't be buying a car from them and to give me my keys. They act like nobody knows where the keys are, and our car was parked around back of the dealership out of sight. After the third request for my keys I started shouting for the benefit of anyone in earshot, that I would be calling the police to report auto theft if those keys don't show up right now, and that I'd never run across a bigger bunch of crooks in my life. The keys appeared quickly. Then I shouted at them for not leaving my car near the entrance--just to make me feel better.

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 don't get it how they think angering people and treating them poorly will ever help them. I am sure to share my experiences with people I know too.