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Last car we bought, we went to the dealership and just wanted to test drive a few cars after my wife had totaled her car. We were still waiting on the check and told the salesman that. We test drove what we wanted and left, no pressure no nothing from the guy unlike other dealers we stopped at who kept calling us almost daily. When we got the check, the sales guy who was nice and not pushy at all got our business.
Another story. We stopped at a Hyundai dealership on a Sunday to just look. They were actually open but we weren't ready to test drive just yet. My wife gave the guy our phone number when I wasn't around and he called her a few times, she didn't tell me cause he was very nice and just talked. Well one day he showed up at our house with a new car for her to test drive. She didn't thankfully and told him she wasn't interested anymore. She told me so I went to the dealership that day and talked to the manager and the salesman never bothered her again. Found out later that he had been let go from the dealership we ultimately bought a car from for the same reason.
a lot of dealerships have "UP" time where someone waits for a potential customer then they pounce. I once worked at a place like that and it was pressure. The sales staff would come in and get on a list or not if they had an appointment etc.. and then you would sit on a stool and if anyone was on the lot out you would go to greet them. It didn't matter if they were just walking the lot killing time because they had a car getting serviced that was your "up" and on a slow day that might be the only one you would get.
Imagine being required to be at the dealership for 8 hours a day, the manager wants to move cars and your one or 2 chances per day wave you off before you even get close to them.
It is a very hard business to be in and I didn't last long there. I had worked at another dealer before that for nearly 5 years and it was a low pressure mom and pop type of shop. We all did well and the clients were happy.
Car dealerships have changed a lot in this age of internet where you can shop multiple dealers and even work out a deal and then go in for a test drive but there will always be sharks out there so watch out.
If your visit to the dealership is short and easy..you're probably paying too much. They always start with a price that's too high and they will just assume for you what trim and options you want (naturally the most expensive). If you say yes thank you, I'll take it, naturally your visit will be painless and perhaps even quite pleasant.
If you've done your research and know what the incentives are and what prices they offer online for a car, they'll still make you work for that. They'll first try to say the online price isn't available or it includes incentives you don't qualify for. So they start at MSRP and they won't even acknowledge that you do qualify for some incentives unless you show an inclination to walk away. Then if you show you're in no hurry to buy, they will offer you a 'really good deal just for you' price that's probably still a grand more than what you can get. If you take this, at least you aren't getting completely screwed but you're also not getting the best price. For that, you gotta barter..
The online prices have really effed them though because it shows you exactly what price they're willing to sell the car at. It's just kind of tedious that you still have to go through 'the dance' with their salespeople to get there. It's a backward sales experience, too, because you'll go there with the online price in mind and they'll act like you're a lunatic for wanting anything even near that price. Who wants to buy from a dealership that starts off by insulting you and your intelligence?
I went to a number of dealers recently as I'm shopping for a car, and it was the same with all of them. I am a pretty chill guy though, so they probably mistake that for someone who can easily be ripped off.
I am a pretty chill guy though, so they probably mistake that for someone who can easily be ripped off.
I fit that mold as well.
Soooo........I do my homework, and when I find the vehicle I want with the exact options I want in the exact color I want, I TELL the salesman the vehicle and price I am willing to pay (usually some variation on their "Invoice Cost" (which is NOT their real cost, but okay, I want them to make some money on the deal for their work) and I don't care if they have the car on the lot, have to swap another dealer for it, or order it from the manufacturer. I can be patient. Deal at my price? Yes or No. No haggling. Any attempt to BS me (have to ask the 'manager'--which means take a smoke break while you wiggle and weaken) and I am gone. No patience for that stuff.
It really takes the aggravation out of the car buying process and makes it straight forward for all involved.
My last two car buying experiences were actually fine. With all the information available online now, do your research and know what the car you're interested in has been selling for in your area. Look on Google for dealership reviews. I've found that a lot of them are foregoing the old-fashioned hard-sell tactics ("What will it take for me to get you in this car today?") because they're dealing with clientele who have a lot more information than they used to. This will be reflected in reviews in which people comment about what a pleasant experience they had at a particular place. (Make sure there are TONS of reviews so that most are from actual customers and not the dealership staff themselves.)
Having said all that, though, I really dislike the whole car-pricing game. When you go buy some new furniture, you don't have to haggle over the price of a new sofa. I'm good at the game, but I wish I didn't have to play it at all.
Anyone else really dislike this? I remember in the past going to dealerships and either no salesperson came out when we drove up, or we told them "only looking" and they backed away.
A few weeks ago stopped at 3 dealerships and sure enough, at the two I got out at, someone was walking out before I even got out of the car. One I just drove through because I didn't figure they had anything I wanted. But they were already following me around as I drove. lol One of them kept pestering me to come inside and meet the sales manager, etc, I almost couldn't get away fast enough. Despite I kept telling them I was just starting to look and wasn't even sure what I wanted yet.
Another thing that annoyed me is that dealer network doesn't put the price on their cars, but they do online. So I decided, no more dealership trips. I can see what they have online, and the price and mileage. There's no point in going there and dealing with all the pushiness until I see something I'm actually interested in on the website, in the right color, trim etc. Then I can go and look at it more closely, possibly test drive, etc once I know it's there. Until then, no need to go through all that. The only issue with it is, it's hard to know if you're going to be interested in a car unless you actually get a feel for it. So you might be waiting on something you decide wasn't what you though it would be other than the looks of it.
I know like anyone in sales, they're trying to earn their living. I just get tired of being asked how much I want to finance, do I have trade in, etc. I always feel like if I answer those questions early on, then they already know how much they can get out of me. Oh, and they always assume that since I'm young, and drive an older car, then I'm going to have trouble getting financing or someone is going to have to pay for the car for me.
Of course I'm sure they're just trying to be helpful but I know what I am willing to spend, and they don't need to know all of that up front. I just want to look at cars I'm interested in.
Part of what frustrates me about my state of NC is that cars with direct-order programs, such as Tesla, MUST be sold through a dealership, and consumers cannot simply "order" a vehicle from the factory without a dealer submitting paperwork.
wish I could make 500$ in under two hours of the gift of gab.
Commissions for one sale is roughly 2% of the deal.
I dread also going there knowing all the guy has to do is "let me speak with my manager" and suddenly the price meets the buyers needs, barring any of hidden add ons they do so enjoy putting in the deal. Such as Hey you get to pay for our advertising! 700$ to put their dealership stickers on your car. Or that will be $250 more since you mentioned you saw the car advertised on the internet at our website. ( yes I actually had them charge me for that!)
They are truly so inbred in their business practices it makes you laugh. There really hasn't been enough outside fresh blood injected into it to change things. Sales People that are good become finance or Used Car Managers or Sales Mangers and they become GM's. Wash, rinse, repeat.
And consumers are sort of to blame; when someone comes in and wants to upset the order like a CarMax people use them as another tool to continue engaging the practice that they profess to hate so badly.
Quote:
Originally Posted by ddm2k
Part of what frustrates me about my state of NC is that cars with direct-order programs, such as Tesla, MUST be sold through a dealership, and consumers cannot simply "order" a vehicle from the factory without a dealer submitting paperwork.
???If you just went to the dealership and sat down and said "I want this at Full Sticker - Ford's rebate" they'd let you do it. Gladly. And probably give you a massage and a gift certificate to the Olive Garden.
Last car we bought, we went to the dealership and just wanted to test drive a few cars after my wife had totaled her car. We were still waiting on the check and told the salesman that. We test drove what we wanted and left, no pressure no nothing from the guy unlike other dealers we stopped at who kept calling us almost daily. When we got the check, the sales guy who was nice and not pushy at all got our business.
Another story. We stopped at a Hyundai dealership on a Sunday to just look. They were actually open but we weren't ready to test drive just yet. My wife gave the guy our phone number when I wasn't around and he called her a few times, she didn't tell me cause he was very nice and just talked. Well one day he showed up at our house with a new car for her to test drive. She didn't thankfully and told him she wasn't interested anymore. She told me so I went to the dealership that day and talked to the manager and the salesman never bothered her again. Found out later that he had been let go from the dealership we ultimately bought a car from for the same reason.
Well at least you got to hear there was recourse for the ultimately creepy, unsolicited, intrusive move that was. 0/10 would not recommend ever doing that to make a sale.
3 months ago when I was looking to buy a new Mini Van for the family, I went online and checked several car buying services. They all required you to enter your phone number. Within hours I was deluged with calls from dealers anywhere from local to 50 miles away.
They continued to call daily even after being asked to stop and told I was no longer interested in making a purchase. Shortly after the phone calls started the continuous stream of E-Mails began and continues to this day.
I did visit a few dealerships and they really do not want to deal with a cash buyer as they make money off the financing.
Who did I finally buy from? The dealer who called me once and stopped when I asked them not to call me again. They asked if it would be alright if they E-Mailed me once a week with their specials and I agreed to that.
I went in to look at 1 of their specials, spoke with a salesman who I told why I was there. That seemed to set the tone for the rest of the visit and I was not pressured at all. I purchased the special at what I feel was a good price and left happy.
PS. 2 of the other dealers continued to send me E-Mails generated by some kind of automated system, they both sent me an E-Mail with a header "YOUR PAYMENT IS PAST DUE" I responded to those E-Mails informing them that the next E-Mail from them would result in legal action for false statements and harassment. Never herd from the again!
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