Darn car salespeople.....

[Bird]

Send a new car on a test drive and find all the tires swapped and the spare missing.

:laughing:Back in 1965, we had a rash of thefts in Dallas. It wasn't unusual for both new and used car dealers to allow prospective customers to take cars out for a test drive. I never, personally, knew of anyone swapping the tires, but we had some thieves who were taking cars for test drives and stealing the spare tire and wheel. It was mostly, if not entirely, low mileage, late model cars that had unused spare tires, and the theft usually was not noticed until the car was sold and the new owner wanted to know where the spare was. I think all the dealers in Dallas started having an employee/salesman go with anyone taking a car for a test drive unless the potential customer was known to them.

 

[Fountainhead Farms]

Ever watch Pawnstars? those are normal business margins. Guy brings in an item he thinks is worth 500 bucks because he saw it on Ebay for that much. Owner offers 100 bucks. customer comes down to 400, and they settle in the middle for 250, and Pawnstar guy then sells it for 400 bucks. That's retail on a used good. Cars are the same.

The way a car dealer does business (usually) is that there is a wholesale and wholesale, or retail and retail. Where there comes a problem in most people's minds and in the car delaership's mind is when there is a lopsided transaction. The customer wants retail price for their trade, but wholesale price on their purchase. Or the dealership wants to give wholesale price for the trade and get Retail for their vehicle. whenever we had someone who was looking for XXXX for their car, we would usually give them XXXX+ some extra, then charge just a bit off sticker. Most people were simply ecstatic to get so much for their trade in that they never even bickered over the price of the new car. Win-win and everyone leave happy. Most car dealerships DO NOT want your trade. They can go to a wholesale auction to pick up cars for their inventory if they need them.

How to get the best deal on a car, and have a good experience? Go in, and grab a slaesperson that is standing up. tell them, you want to buy a car today, and that you will pay 1% over invoice. This makes the salesperson more than a "mini", and you get a better deal than you could have probably gotten by beating him up. You want a car at invoice? Buy from Costco, or Sams club. Now if you get someone that cant answer your questions about a vehicle or at least is quick enough to look it up if it's tricky, then I do feel for you. I have no earthly idea why someone would want to sell something they know nothing about. Since I was 15 years old selling sporting goods, I've always prided myself in learning as much about my products as possible. Now I sell and buy real estate, so the learning is different for each house, but knowing the basics of condition, structure, and most importantly area is vital.

 

[JDgreen227]

:laughing:Back in 1965, we had a rash of thefts in Dallas. It wasn't unusual for both new and used car dealers to allow prospective customers to take cars out for a test drive. I never, personally, knew of anyone swapping the tires, but we had some thieves who were taking cars for test drives and stealing the spare tire and wheel. It was mostly, if not entirely, low mileage, late model cars that had unused spare tires, and the theft usually was not noticed until the car was sold and the new owner wanted to know where the spare was. I think all the dealers in Dallas started having an employee/salesman go with anyone taking a car for a test drive unless the potential customer was known to them.

My dad had a friend who sold new Fords back then, and there was a sign in the dealership that said: "Salesman MUST accompany customers on test drives for all hi-performance/4-speed vehicles..." Probably to keep them from playing racer boy...

 

[Pixguy]

I would guess that most of us would respect salesmen and the dealerships if they just posted a price that was 1-2% over invoice on the windshield and stopped the haggling. No games. I for one would double check their numbers and gladly buy from them if they were honest with those prices.

But I think they don't because they do get a certain percentage of buyers that will walk in and pay full MSRP.

 

[Fountainhead Farms]

Oh my... the stories I could tell about test drives. LOL. Well surely the statute of limitations is up by now.
I was a 24 year old, fresh out of school and went to work for the largest Ford dealership in GA. I started out as a porter, moving cars, moved up a couple weeks later to assistant rental manage, then rental manager, then assistant service writer, then a position known as the "dealership Ambassador" (which was created and I went up to customers who had a service issue, BEFORE they got to the dealership owner who if this person had bought cars over the years, gave them out of warranty repairs all the time, and deflected them to a service writer), and this was all in about 8 months. Problem was that I was still getting paid the same as I did when I was just a porter. I was supposed to get a % of the shop procedes in the "Ambassador" role but then the corporate hack service manager said that he and the "owner" (the owner had actually sold out to Autonation a few years before but had a contract to remain on board because his name meant something to people) had discussed my raise and had decided it wasn't time yet for me to get a cut of the shop. So I swept everything off his desk, called him an a$&@ and walked out. Came back the next day to officially quit since I had gotten an offer as a service writer at another dealership, but decided i was going to quit to the owner instead of the corporate hack. I'd only talked to the big guy maybe 2 times, but he invited me in, asked me what the trouble was, and I told him what had been offered, and what I was told was a decision between Dick (corporate hacks actual name- how fitting) and himself. He said that he only knew what he made and what Paul (the general sales manager made) and this was the first time he'd heard of this "Ambassador" and was pissed that his long-time customers were being diverted from talking to him. So he sent me across the street to "Learn how to sell cars", even though I protested that I was the worlds worst salesperson and couldn't even sell GRIT as a kid. But I went across the street and truly go an education from two of the best salespeople I've ever met. One a grizzly old used car guy that would sit across from people and have them eating out of his hand in 5 minutes, saying the exact same thing that I'd just said, and the other a good old boy, never heard a bad thing said about him, or from him about anyone. He was very smooth, and knew everyone, (or at least he knew someone that everyone knew and had great integrity.

Anyway- Sorry didn't realize I was gonna tell Y'all my life story.

So about the 3rd day on the sales floor I was sent out to stand "on point' and pick up any customers that drove up and didn't speciffically ask for a salesperson. The 'rules" of a car dealership is very specific and must be adhered to. There IS honor amongst thieves, or at least car salespeople.

So about 11:30, and I've been on point for a few hours with no activity, when a couple drove up in an old beater van. They said they wanted to check out one of the custom vans (do custom vans even exist anymore?) and I went off to get the keys. Our route was up a little road, onto an Interstate, down to the next exit, then backroads back. it's a good route that shows off most of what a car or truck would do in real life. So I'm sitting in the passenger seat, and the man is driving. We get off the exit ramp and I tell him to take a right. He take a right and we are on this little country road, I point out the next right and he takes that as well. He asks, "Honey you wanna take a turn? and pulls off the road to the right. Well I turn around and this woman is buck nekkid (it may be naked to Y'all but if someone is naked and up to orneryness it's NEKKID). He says, hey partner, How about you come on back here with me and you go on and get behind the wife? I think I must have sat there shocked for about 30 seconds until I came up with, "**** man- I wish I could but they know what time we left and they give 5 minutes leeway but if we aren't back in about 10 minutes they send the cops out in case you killed me to take the car. HOLY CRAP!!! Well he said, well how about we go back and you can join us over at the hotel when you get off? I said, **** YES!!!.

So he pulls back on the road, we get back to the dealership. I tell him to pull up and I'll back it in. He gets out, I back the van back in it's place, but it in park, open the door and run flat out back to the showroom screaming, HE TRIED TO MAKE ME SCREW HIS WIFE!!!!!!

Well they got in their old van and headed out.

Oh my! Too bad she wasn't hot.

 

[ultrarunner]

Test drives were always accompanied until several sales person were assaulted, raped and even killed...

 

[ultrarunner]

One of our neighbors who also was in the business gave me a lot of tips over the years...

I think the best one is to develop your own clientele...

He started out in the business in the late 50's and try as he could was not able to get a sales job being African American.

He persisted and one day the owner of a large Chevrolet Dealership saw him leaving and asked if the boys were treating him right... he let the owner know he was looking to sell cars and not buy one.

They talked it over and the owner hired him on straight commission provided he NOT spend anytime on the floor... he was free to take out demonstrators and did... never owned a car a day in his life after that.

He eventually became the sales leader... always giving the personal service... bringing cars to customers home... driving the brand new models to church and personally supporting a black youth summer baseball league and putting the Dealership on the logo even when all the money was coming out of his pocket...

Over the years... things change... the thing to remember is your only as good as your numbers and he was darn good... had 35 years with Chevrolet until the Dealership sold and the new corporate owner took away his personal Demonstrator... went to Cadillac and he was the only salesman with a personal demo and he spent the rest of his career there... almost 60 years in business.

The nicest guy... always delivering cars with big bows around Graduation, Christmas, etc... loved what he did and had to prove himself every step of the way...

Told me having loyal customers is the difference between a job and a career... his Chevrolet customers had little trouble switching to Cadillac.

His business cards, as did my Grandfather and Father, always had our home address and telephone number on them... it was just how business was done old school.

The thing I find today is no one stays put anymore and few are willing to put in the effort to excel.

I remember my Grandmother getting a call late at night or on a Sunday from a long time customer that needed a car... my Grandfather would be on his way.

The biggest problem today is armed robberies, vandalism, theft plus just about anything you can think of...

 

[Travelover]

Just bought a car and thought I'd share my experience. I was looking for a Honda CRV and there are at least a half dozen Honda dealers within a 25 mile radius. I sent an email to each dealer saying what model, trim and color I wanted, cash sale, no trade in. Please send me an itemized quote.

Of the seven contacted, only three would actually give me an itemized quote. Two called me and said I "had to come in to get a price", two never answered. So, bottom line, I bought it for about $800 below the next lowest bid, (about $1100 less than the TrueCar price) and never left my desk.

I realize that if you don't have many dealers nearby it is a different ballgame, but if you do have competition I'd recommend just dealing with the internet managers.

 

[ultrarunner]

When I found out I was going to be in Germany for several months I decided it was the perfect oportunity to buy a BMW at the factory... put 3,000 miles on it there and still have it today.

Of the 5 area BMW Dealers only one listened.

I new exactly what I wanted and how much I was willing to pay... had to be European Delivery or no deal.

Still couldn't believe 3 of the 5 bad mouthed European Delivery and said it would be a big mistake when I could have a new BMW in my garage tonight... told them fine as long as they have in my German garage!

One totally ignored me... almost didn't contact the last one... on a lark, I called and he said he was with a client and would call me back in 30 minutes... did the whole deal on the phone and my new car was waiting for me in Munich... saved about $7,000 too!

 

[MossRoad]

Well, we just had a very pleasant experience buying a used car for my daughter. The dealership sells Ford, Toyota and Scion, all new. Certified used cars. And budget used cars. ALL of the cars, regardless of new, certified used, or budget, are marked with a price. They don't budge on the price. If you don't want it, go somewhere else. All of the sales staff is paid salary, no commissions. So, we walk in, look at a few budget used cars. They show us the price of the car. They show us what they did to it. They show us what they think still needs to be done on it and how much that will cost to get done if we choose to get it done there. They let us take it to our mechanic. We priced it out on several "blue book" sites. The car comes in right about the middle of what we should expect to pay from a dealer.

So, we think about it. We aren't getting a great deal, but we aren't getting screwed. We know what's been done to the car, its history from day one, what needs to be done to it, etc... that seem pretty fair to me. The salesman gets paid. The dealership makes money. We got a car and don't feel bad about it. Kinda nice after two weeks of visiting every weasel hut up and down the strips looking at auto-auction rejects. :thumbsup: