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Correct. Anything that is deemed a consumer complaint, which would be the case in listing a bad dealership experience with the names of the dealership, salesman, etc. included would be against the TOS. So, general stories with the names omitted are fine, but no specifics, please.
Learn something new every day. I'd not disparage particular dealers publicly anyway, but good to know.
So let's speak like lawyers, then.
Suppose in, say, a satellite city east of Seattle...and area known as "Eastside"...there was a particular dealer in Japanese cars. "Japanese cars? Aren't those dealer experiences like their products: refined and efficient?", the uninitiated might ask?
Someone may then remark: ah-so, Grasshopper; some are, some are not. Some may suspect these sales policies are national, generally and consistently better at Brand X than Brand Y, probably by design.
So what if a fellow who, say, posted rather often to C-D boards had owned various models of the No. 1 selling (he thinks), No. 1 in size (he's pretty sure), and No. 1 on most long-term cost-to-own studies (he's 100% sure) Japanese brands? And what if that fellow really liked those cars. In fact, what if he still does. Yes, he's likely aware they've had speed bumps in quality and service, some making big news past five years. But he maintains, with plenty of evidence, they are fantastic buys for the long haul.
Suppose, however, that fellow was curious to try another major JPN brand. A brand with roughly similar products, but a few definitely more sporting. A brand always seeming to be half-step behind in some ways, half-step ahead in others.
And lastly, suppose that fellow had been to various dealers of that brand, Eastside and elsewhere. Let's call them No. 2 for short; make of that as you will. And that fellow had without exception been subjected to amateurish sales methods straight out of the old handbook. Guys that pretty much operate ABC (Always Be Closing, made famous by "Glengary Glen Ross" in both the movies and Broadway production).
That fellow might have finally decided, after several attempts, that he will never...EVER...so much as set foot in a No. 2 dealer again. Should he buy one of the products, it will be online only with all service done by independents. That fellow may then go so far as to speculate that if that's how said-firm does business...
...no wonder they're (ahem) No. 2. In every sense of the phrase.
R&S Chevrolet in Joplin, MO. They've been out of business quite awhile now.
About 20 years ago I stopped by their used car lot to look at some low mileage Pontiac Grand Am program cars they had available. Got worked over by two of the most "cocky" used car salesmen I've ever came across.
At that time the city was dealing with a problem at a local park with "questionable" acts being committed by the local gay community. Was major news in these parts back then.
I found a Grand Am I liked and started filling out the finance papers. One of the salesmen starts reviewing the application and says out of nowhere...
"Wasn't that your father busted at **** park for having gay sex?"
I'm guessing he was trying to make a VERY bad joke... but what a statement to say to a customer!
Needless to say... the Grand Am didn't happen. Went down the street and bought a very sweet Pontiac Grand Prix for considerably less money. One of the best cars I've ever found.
I probably bought 3 or 4 vehicles before that dealership closed. They never saw a dime of my money.
Went to the dealership the other week. Wanted to look at a couple of vehicles that I had called and inquired about which the owner said were still available and could be test driven.
We arrive on the lot and ask to test drive car#1, "uh can't drive this one, the tires are bad", ask about car#2 "uh, can't drive this one, the tires are bad"
Just to see if we were reading this guy wrong we asked to test drive 3 more vehicles and the owner gets all huffy and says, "what exactly are you looking for?"
We said, "nothing. not anymore" and walked off the lot.
He lost a cash sale, a$$hole!
We found a car that we were really interested in buying. I think we saw it in an Autotrader ad; but I cant remember exactly. We called the dealership before leaving (the dealership was almost an hour away), got the sales persons name, arrived and were told that they couldn't find the car and didn't know where the sales person was who we talked to on the phone. The on site sales guy tried to talk us into a similar car that had more miles and was double the price. Complete waste of our time. The whole thing was weird...
I have never sold cars but I have friends that have so I have heard all the stories......
1. Big wheel buyer wants a deal, he knows the invoice but suffers from a 520 credit score and has 4K in negative equity/no downpayment in his current car but the dealer is ripping him off.....
2. "dealer down the street offered X,Y,Z"......yeah right they are paying 2k over blue book for your POS car with bald tires, bad carfax and paint work Stevie Wonder can see.......andddddd they are giving you the new car 5k below invoice........ummmmm yeah.
Hat to break to you but invoice does not show the final cost to dealer. In fact salesman do not know .At end of year the dealer is sent what is called holdback and the owner takes all. Even then it depends on what time of year and incentives to dealers as to final cost.
Hat to break to you but invoice does not show the final cost to dealer. In fact salesman do not know .At end of year the dealer is sent what is called holdback and the owner takes all. Even then it depends on what time of year and incentives to dealers as to final cost.
Actually, the holdback is printed at the bottom of the invoice. There is no description, just a number; if you don't know what you're looking for you probably won't know why it's there. I always assumed this was done so the invoice can be shown to a prospective customer.
Also, holdback is sent to the dealer as soon as the dealer pays for the vehicle, not at the end of the year. I believe you're thinking of the incentives rebates that are based on monthly or annual sales.
Many stories from sales side of desk and buyers side as well. One of the most unique was while working as a salesman (after several very successful years) for a large dealer group in Wisconsin, I wanted an inexpensive pickup. I called our Ford store in a neighboring suburb and asked for a lease deal on a new 1998 Ranger - as cheap as possible as it would be a second vehicle and not be getting a lot of miles. After three days, getting my chain yanked they were still trying to work me for profit.
I became irritated and went a mile down the street to another dealer. On the way in the door I grabbed a stock number off a truck on the lot and gave it to the first salesman I met. I asked for a two year lease payment and told him to bring a copy of the invoice so I could see the calculation basis. While he went to the manager I started filling out the credit application. When he returned he commented that he knew I worked for **** and asked why I was at his store. When I told him he laughed and said his boss thought I was trying to "shop" them so had given me an absolute net number that he thought our dealer would never beat. I handed him my credit app and told him to have it ready that afternoon.
After lunch I returned to my place of employment with a new truck and parked it in front of the dealership so the GM and the owner could see it there. When they asked I told them that in exchange for years of making them wealthy I didn't appreciate getting played around so I left the competitors sticker on the back of it for the full lease term.
Many stories from sales side of desk and buyers side as well. One of the most unique was while working as a salesman (after several very successful years) for a large dealer group in Wisconsin, I wanted an inexpensive pickup. I called our Ford store in a neighboring suburb and asked for a lease deal on a new 1998 Ranger - as cheap as possible as it would be a second vehicle and not be getting a lot of miles. After three days, getting my chain yanked they were still trying to work me for profit.
I became irritated and went a mile down the street to another dealer. On the way in the door I grabbed a stock number off a truck on the lot and gave it to the first salesman I met. I asked for a two year lease payment and told him to bring a copy of the invoice so I could see the calculation basis. While he went to the manager I started filling out the credit application. When he returned he commented that he knew I worked for **** and asked why I was at his store. When I told him he laughed and said his boss thought I was trying to "shop" them so had given me an absolute net number that he thought our dealer would never beat. I handed him my credit app and told him to have it ready that afternoon.
After lunch I returned to my place of employment with a new truck and parked it in front of the dealership so the GM and the owner could see it there. When they asked I told them that in exchange for years of making them wealthy I didn't appreciate getting played around so I left the competitors sticker on the back of it for the full lease term.
Nice story. I am wondering how long before they got rid of you at your job?
My worst experience came from a Hyundai dealer in Rockford, IL (their name escapes me at the moment). Our Sonata had a a/c compressor pulley bearing sieze up and throw the belt. They took forever to send the driver (over 2 hours in sub-zero weather), that was the start of the problems. I told them we had a newborn with us, and the cold was dangerous. Luckily for us a state trooper passed and stopped to see if we were ok. He took my wife and son home, thank goodness. The car gets shipped to the dealer, who calls me the next day to say its not covered under warranty (car had less than 10K miles on it). Huh?! I went off on them and told them I wouldnt be paying for it. They called back and apologized, saying it was under warranty. I believe that was a plot to get me to pay. Whatever. I go to the dealer and they dont have loaner cars. What dealer doesnt have loaners?! I get shuttled down the street to a shady used car lot to get our loaner, which was an late 90's Ford Taurus. Anyways, 2 days go by and no word, so I call them. They tell me the car is ready. So I drop the car off at the used car lot, wait forever for the shuttle, get taken to the dealer, and sign the repair paperwork. Get out to my car, start it up, hit the a/c, and the car dies. What the funk!?!?!!??! I storm back inside, tell em my car is still broken, and they look at me like Im stupid. I take the service lady out to the car, who swears the work was done and they do great work. I start the car and it dies. She looks dumfounded. We go back inside, she disappears for almost 20 minutes, comes back and says "the guy who was working on the car quit and never told us the repairs werent done." Pffft. Riiiiiiight. So, it was back to the used car dealer to get back in the Taurus a few more days. Never went back to that crap dealer ever again. Horrible customer service, no loaner cars, goofy repair facility, etc.
Dealerships have really turned this fun and exciting experience into a complete stressful time wasting process. Buying a car is miserable and is such a blind sale that no matter what you are going to get bent over. There are no regulations unless the banks will not finance the total amount of the loan. Then instead of working with most customers they will want you to put more money down any way possible.
My dad and I once went in to buy him a new truck. He gets employee pricing so he doesnt have to deal with the hassle of the new auto, BUT if you have a trade, now thats another process. He wanted to be in and out in under an hour. He knew what he wanted, had the specific truck picked out, knew his price(set for employee) and wanted to trade in his 3500. After low balling him by about $6k the first pass and $4800 on the second pass, we got up and left. we went to the dealer across town and made the deal in 45 min.. STOP PLAYING GAMES AND LISTEN TO THE CUSTOMER!
LESSON OF THE DAY: ALWAYS GIVE THEM THE SPARE KEY!! LOL ...... I would have loved to see their faces when that diesel started up and left the lot. hahaha Great Move by the old man
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