You are here: Forums Smart Shopper Test Drives & Dealership Promotions

Test Drives & Dealership Promotions

144 messages,  Last post on Mar 10, 2006 at 9:02 AM

You are in the Smart Shopper Forum. Your Hosts are kirstie_h & tidester

What is this discussion about? Car Buying

Messages Page 2 of 16 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 ... 16 Prev Next Last

Go To Msg # Search This Discussion

#2 of 144 test drives alone by art_vandelay Sep 16, 2004 (7:00 am)
I recently spent a couple of weeks researching via the 'net my potential new car purchase purchase, followed by a couple of days visiting 4 lots to drive a few of the 2 makes/models to which I'd narrowed down my choice. This is in Dallas, TX. Two salespeople came along but did no driving, even to get off the lot, and 2 let me take the car by myself. Neither of the two who let me take the car "knew" me. One of those ended up providing a traditional hard-sell experience, so I ended up buying from the other one who let me take the car alone, gave me the best deal by far, AND made it a completely stress-free no-B.S. experience. Provided this make ends up being reasonably reliable, the dealership has earned a customer for life. Replies to this message: jlawrence01 (Sep 16, 2004 7:48 am)
#3 of 144 by damish003 Sep 16, 2004 (7:10 am)
Subaru was offering a promotion offering a $25 gift card for driving a new Legacy or Outback. Stopped by to testdrive. My salesman gave me the keys to a Legacy GT that hadn't even been prepped yet. He didn't know I could drive a stick, but let me go anyway. Now THAT might not have been a great idea...good thing I remembered how to drive a manual. All the same, I'm more comfortable at that place than any other in town. Like Terry said, it must be a regional thing. Only a few places here are mandatory to have a salesman along, although most of them do prefer it.   -Dan-
#4 of 144 Re: [kyfdx] by jlawrence01 Sep 16, 2004 (7:48 am)
Replying to: art_vandelay (Sep 16, 2004 7:00 am) Ditto for my experience in Cincinnati. The dealerships that I deal with flip me the keys and tell me to be back before closing. Of course, we are talking used cars and generally the decision is pretty much made as long as the ride goes well.   If a dealership makes it too much of a hassle, I will buy elsewhere.   Of course, I usually rent cars and am very familiar with the model long before getting to the dealership.
#5 of 144 The people I'll never understand... by isellhondas Sep 16, 2004 (9:43 am)
Are the people who want to test drive cars thay have no intension whatever of buying!   What a total waste of time for both parties!
#6 of 144 $7000 minimum for your trade in any condition by mikefm58 Sep 16, 2004 (10:32 am)
How can dealers get away with saying things like that? I actually heard that ad on the radio over lunch. Or the really low ball car prices, but then when you get there they say "we only had one and it was sold and we won't tell you who bought it". Replies to this message: kirstie_h (Sep 16, 2004 10:43 am)
#7 of 144 Re: $7000 minimum for your trade in any condition [mikefm58] by kirstie_h HOST Sep 16, 2004 (10:43 am)
Replying to: mikefm58 (Sep 16, 2004 10:32 am) What you're talking about sounds more like a "trick" than what we're dealing with in this topic. We're talking about legitimate promotions to attract customers to the shop, like, $25 gift certificate to Bob's Bistro for taking a test drive - no bait-n-switch in here.   If you're a shopper - what promotions sway you? For me, a clock radio wouldn't do it, but a gift certificate? If I'm shopping for a car anyway, it might bring me to your store first instead of a competitor's.   kirstie_h Roving Host & Future Vehicles Host
#8 of 144 by stickguy Sep 16, 2004 (11:35 am)
Recently, the promotions I've gotten (mostly via email) have been for gift cards of one kind or another. It seems like the days of junky radios, $2.00 watches, and cheap umbrellas are behind us.   I have had a couple of $25 ones from Mazda, same from Subaru, and the big daddy, $75 from Lincoln in the last year. ANd being a good consumer (and a member of CCBA) I dutifully use them all.   And Isell, there is no car that I have "no intention" of buying, just cars that I haven't considered yet.   Manufacturers send these out for a reason, and it is to generate showroom traffic, in the hopes of getting someone to put their car on the "hmmm, maybe" list when it wasn't there before. An occasional impulse buy doesn't hurt either.
#9 of 144 The only one of these we've used by jaserb Sep 16, 2004 (12:35 pm)
was from Hyundai, for a $25 gift card. We went in to the dealer we bought our Santa Fe from and they were happy to sign it for us without a test drive. No attitude either. While we went another direction on our new car that dealership is still on our "places we'd do business again" list.   -Jason
#10 of 144 They were probably delighted... by isellhondas Sep 16, 2004 (2:44 pm)
That you only wanted your card signed if they knew you weren't in the market!
#11 of 144 ride along bowke & drift by peterdh2000 Sep 16, 2004 (3:24 pm)
from the other board...   bowke, sorry to hear about your dealership's loss. i guess it depends on the dealer's insurer just exactly who gets to drive/ride in the car. i can understand a shop that doesn't want to get stung again. i don't expect to be let out the door without a salesman, but it is certainly a pleasant surprise to be trusted.   drift, i haven't had any bad experiences actually, but yes, some bad cologne. i don't mind a salesman riding along at all, most are nice, especially the ones that are car nuts like me. in fact, i helped set up a good friend on a date with the Acura sales guy when we were TL shopping for her. I never asked if they "closed the deal" though...   I respect you guys and enjoy your posts. thanks for responding.

Messages Page 2 of 16 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 ... 16 Prev Next Last

Go To Msg # Search This Discussion

You are here: Forums Smart Shopper Test Drives & Dealership Promotions