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Salesman's interest drops the moment you indicate you're not close to a decision. I've had to go through sales trainings and it's all geared towards forcing an immediate decision. Most car salespeople tend to drop you like a hot potato if you're 'researching', 'looking around'. It's them playing the odds as the next guy through the door could know exactly what they want and be willing to put pen to paper within the hour, but they won't have that sale if they're talking to you at that time.
Car dealers are liars and thieves.
If you trade in your car, you're gonna get screwed.
If you need financing, you're gonna get screwed.
If you need a car, as opposed to just wanting one, you're gonna get screwed.
The best time to buy a car is when you don't need to buy a car.
The best time to buy a car is the last day of the month, late afternoon, because it's quota time.
The best way to beat the dealer is to stand up and head for the door.
Do your homework before you go to the dealer.
There are plenty of resources online about how to buy a car.
I never experienced anything described by OP. He thinks it's about his look, I think it's about attitude...
People are completely judged by how they look. It's well known.
Quote:
Originally Posted by KCZ
OP, your experiences would have been 10X worse if you were a woman buying on your own. We really get treated like crap.
Yes. I've been treated like crap as well as some of my female friends.
Years ago, an Edmunds reporter went undercover at a dealership as a salesman. He found that car salespeople see women and people of color as easy "marks." Bad prices, bad deals, bad financing rates, etc.
My daughter found the car she wanted at the right price, 100 miles from here. Financing was arranged in advance. Took 3 trips to finally pickup the car. First time it still needed to be serviced. Second time, someone messed up the paperwork. We picked it up in March and she still has no title. Dealer "lost" the title and is trying to get it replaced. "Reliable Inc." is not reliable. She is driving on expired temp tags, expecting to get a ticket at any time. Dealer advice is to park it,but it is the only vehicle she has and she is a home health care nurse. A car is required for the job. She is on her 2nd temp tag and that is all the state allows.
Me: Late 50s business owner. Well-groomed. Tidy haircut.
My Wife: Mid-50s. CFO of largish company. While putting our three kids through college, I cut corners and drove a CRV.
EPISODE 1
Today, we're out on errands. I'm wearing shorts and sandals. Wife is wearing her casual knockabout gear. What your basic upper-middle class couple would look like between furniture shopping and running by Lowe's to pick up a few thing.
We pull up in my CRV to an Audi dealership. Get out. Walk into the showroom. Check out a few sedans.
The salesman walks up.
"You guys looking?"
"Starting the process." I then asked a question about availability of inventory. After all, with all the kinks in the supply chain, it's a reasonable question right?
He answers a couple of question to my thanks. Then I say, "We're going to look for a minute, then would like a test drive. Do you have a card?"
He looks at me, says, "Is that your CRV?" "Yes." "Well, those are nice cars, too."
AND WALKS AWAY.
Holy f'ing crap. My wife and I could literally write a check, cash on the barrelhead for this car, and this guy walks away?
EPISODE 2
Get in the time machine to five years ago, when we actually bought the CRV in question. Walked into a showroom at 10 a.m. Had our money in hand. Knew what we wanted and the price we wanted to pay.
Test drove three in about a half hour, then made an offer. Offer was accepted at 10:45. We could literally write the check right there on the spot.
Instead, we have to sit through the car being prepped, the paperwork, the attempts to sell us on all kinds of pointless crap. We go to lunch, come back, and still have to wait on the car. My wife has places to go and leaves me to drive the car home. Finally, I manage to drive off the lot at 4 pm. Even then, I practically had to fight my way out of there, refusing to go visit the service department so those guys could do their song and dance.
Then for the next six weeks, I received phone call after phone call with surveys wanting me to rate my experience. After the third or fourth call, I bluntly told them, "My opinion of the dealership is dropping by the minute."
EPISODE 3
Prior to buying the CRV, we looked at a Toyota that was on sale. Go to the dealership. The guy says they don't have any at that price. "You advertised this price this morning." "Uhhhhhhh.....Okay. Yes, we did."
He wants me to buy floor mats for $1,000. I say, "I can get floormats for a fraction of that. Can we just get a test drive?" "Sure."
So we walk out to the lot. It's a cloudy, overcast day, but still pretty damned hot. He stops, says, "Oh, whoops. I forgot the key. I'll be right back." He disappears into the dealership. And doesn't come out. Twenty minutes later, it starts to rain. The guy finally comes out with the key as we're walking in the door soaked. We make our excuses and leave.
EPISODE 4
Bought a Jeep for my son. With the purchase, we were give three free oil changes. After my son drives it awhile, it's time for the oil change. Drive into the dealership at 10:30 a.m. on a Saturday. What does the service department say? "Sir, we're eating lunch right now. Can you come back in an hour?"
I'm a smart guy. I ask smart question. I'm also polite, do my homework ahead of time, and generally arrive in a showroom equipped to do business.
So why is it that car dealerships seem to be run and staffed by complete knuckle-dragging halfwits? Why do dealerships seem to operate with total contempt for their customers? Why is the process of purchasing a car such a complete nightmare?
Seriously, I'd like to know.
The "hurry up and wait" game is a psychological warfare game. And, judging by your experiences, it's worked very well. You even created a thread about it. The reason dealerships do this "game" is to confound/confuse you. This way, they can be in a more favorable position when it comes to negotiations.
Sure, it would be easy to have a potential customer come in, drop cash on a car/truck. That's too easy. The dealership has so much more to sell you, than just a simple vehicle. Their income streams are greatly enhanced via "Extended Warranties/appearance/protection products/add'l options. Even aftermarket products. You already know about comp'd routine maint programs. They also can get a kickback from financing, too. The longer this all takes, the more overwhelmed a typical customer can become. This is where they can take advantage of the unsuspecting/in-experienced.
Me? I love to play their games, as it doesn't overwhelm me in the least. As younger adults, we'd go "car/truck shopping" just for something to do, on a weekend day. They'd do anything to get us to try/take/test a vehicle. It was so much fun! This, is also where I learned the fine art of negotiations. It truly IS an art.
On an initial customer contact, the sales team must "size" you up, instantly. They don't know if you have $$ or $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$. They just want to "get you into a vehicle, for the most $$$ they can shake out of you." This always seemed counter-productive to me, but then again, they likely figure you're a "one & done" customer. It's almost comical to watch the gears turning in a salesperson's head.
I didn't even get into "dealer hold-backs" or any of the other stuff that the dealership may rely on, to make money. (Maybe the next post...)
I have an accent. Once when the salesperson approached me, I started asking questions about the used car on the lot, he proceeded to ask if I am X ethnicity, to which I said yes, partially; he said you guys negotiate too much, there is no way I am going to deal with you and walked back in.
I thought about complaining to the manager, but it was a young guy and I let it go. He will learn hard lessons in life.
We were negotiating price on a car. He gave a number, and I said, "Is that the best you can do?" He replied, "You're supposed to make a counter offer. That's how negotiation works."
I have an accent. Once when the salesperson approached me, I started asking questions about the used car on the lot, he proceeded to ask if I am X ethnicity, to which I said yes, partially; he said you guys negotiate too much, there is no way I am going to deal with you and walked back in.
I thought about complaining to the manager, but it was a young guy and I let it go. He will learn hard lessons in life.
Middle eastern?
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