Stories from the Sales Frontlines

Replying to: driver100 (Nov 12, 2008 2:11 pm)

Replies to this message:
• driver100 (Nov 12, 2008 6:44 pm)

Replying to: kyfdx (Nov 12, 2008 1:57 pm)

From the description of the car, you'll be sitting in style, but I don't think you'll be riding anywhere unless the tow truck is going along with you.

Replies to this message:
• madmanmoo (Nov 12, 2008 3:30 pm)

Replying to: graphicguy (Nov 12, 2008 1:33 pm)

"...I'm still on the fence on keeping it or not..."
 
I've just got to help you out here. My last offer was $4K and you drove it over to me in NY, right? Well forget that, I've got a better offer.
 
What I'll do is still give you the $4000 but I'll take care of the shipping. What I'll do is sent you a check for $6000 and you then send the extra $2K to my shipper in Nigeria. He'll then come and ship the car to me. Whatcha say, deal?
 
Just came back from a long week-end in the Tampa area. That place is awash in car dealers of every size and shape. All seem to be screamer types with flags and banners and wirrly-gigs flying about. The only thing missing were customers.
 
In the few days I was there I drove past numerous car lots and NEVER SAW A CUSTOMER. I mean it was like a ghost town at store after store. I thought I might brighten some poor sales guy's day by window-shopping but my wife had the crazy idea that we hadn't flown 1500 miles to look at used cars. Go figure. I really wanted to see for myself if the Florida car market is the shark pit some of you guys say it is. The prices I saw in the local paper seemed very attractive but I don't know if they would slam me with a bunch of fees on top of that.
 
I always toyed with the idea of buying a nice rust-free car in the south and then taking a driving vacation back home. I usually get "that look" from the wife when I mention that fantasy. I guess I'll just have to wait until GG's car comes by boat from Africa.

Replies to this message:
• graphicguy (Nov 13, 2008 1:15 pm)
  • oldfarmer50 (Nov 13, 2008 3:24 pm)
    • graphicguy (Nov 14, 2008 4:48 am)
  • explorerx4 (Nov 13, 2008 3:52 pm)
    • richard64 (Nov 13, 2008 8:40 pm)
    • chikoo (Nov 14, 2008 12:06 pm) and 2 more...

Replying to: smallcar (Nov 12, 2008 2:17 pm)

Replying to: kirstie_h (Nov 12, 2008 10:30 am)

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• boomchek (Nov 12, 2008 4:01 pm)

Replying to: snakeweasel (Nov 12, 2008 3:51 pm)

Replying to: michaell (Nov 12, 2008 1:11 pm)

Replying to: graphicguy (Nov 12, 2008 11:39 am)

graph,
 the only time i sold a car on my own, i put and ad in a couple of publications for 2 weeks.
on the last day, 2 people showed up just about the same time.
told prospect #2, i would talk to him after done with prospect #1.
car sold immediately to first buyer with no haggle.
after #1 left, #2 said "a lot of those young guys can't come up with the money. here's my number in case he doesn't."
i will only say this since you seem to be making an honest effort to sell a decent car, come on, we are talking 5 grand or less.
talk to one of your neighbors about driving up as another prospective buyer while someone is looking at the car.

Replies to this message:
• graphicguy (Nov 13, 2008 5:31 am)
  • kyfdx (Nov 13, 2008 8:15 am)
    • graphicguy (Nov 13, 2008 8:56 am)
• jmonroe (Nov 13, 2008 7:02 am)
  • jipster (Nov 13, 2008 1:02 pm)
    • jmonroe (Nov 13, 2008 2:02 pm) and 1 more...

Here is a story from my sales guy (which means I tell in first person story from point of view of the guy who just blew my sale).
 
This foreign guy calls me. He's been our service customer for last five years and tells me right away he saw '08 Subaru STIs have a blowout sale from mfr. It's zero percent and (darn) he already knows about the tiered bonus program. Moreover, he wants the VIP program (which is 2% below invoice minus all incentives). So I come to his place, give him full 360, we drive around, he likes the car. We talk a lot, he makes a few market condition remarks, but all is nice and smooth, I sort of deflect that comment with all our "everything is great" mantra, you know the drill. We make an appointment to show his car to my UCM. It's a nicely maintained WRX, which was all serviced all in our garage, so I make all these nice comments to keep him interested. He brings the car this evening (I wasn't there), the UCM put a number on it. We pick it up next day for a full quote.
 
As I said, he takes away everything (as VIP requires) - it's practically a tripple net (2% under invoice) for us minus all bonuses, Subaru pays us a fee for the delivery. So I quote him that and our used car number - bastard said no. Stupid KBB and Edmunds . They say it's over 8 grand, close to $8.5K. We put $6K on it. I know it's a little stingy, but you know those books are always wrong and they don't send checks - and the guy looked like he will take that STI. Well, if it's not meant to be ... What a stroke
 
Now note from the author (the stroke customer in this story):
 
I understand they want and need something to sustain them and "program" sales take away pricing power. So the trade is the only place to make real money. However, I must say 6 grand was a theft attempt. First they give me all that talk that when if it's about the money, there is no problem and my car is so great (uh and ah), because it looks so well and they have all records in their file and then ... $2200 below "good" $1100 below "fair" in KBB (btw KBB is kind of a king when it comes to all price comparisons in our region, together with Black Book) . When I think back, I did expect something like $8500 (just because all the uhs and ahs and "we will take it to our lot" statements), but that probably was unrealistic. I would probably accept something like $7500-7800, which means anything above seven grand, while a lowball, would keep in in the game. BUT SIX ???? Who do they think I was? I was quite clear that I CAN take that STI, but I DON'T NEED IT, i.e. I really like my car and can keep it for a while - that STI was a good upgrade, but not a necessary and most desirable one anyway. After all it was all about the price and I made it clear. Yet - they practically slammed the door and took out a possibility of a "refinement". This much apart on a 30K deal I just don't see happening. I don't get offended by people thinking something is worth less that I think, but that six grand was as close to an insult as it gets without actually being one.
 
So - I'm a stroke at the end Well, but to eying that BMW for 15 grand more
 
Lesson for salespeople - don't make statements you can't back up. Don't say "price will not be a problem" without some kind of qualification (like "reasonable" clause) because you put ideas in customers' heads. Don't uh and ah a trade car if later you put some lowball wholesale value on it - again, you put wrong ideas in peoples' heads.

Replies to this message:
• boomchek (Nov 12, 2008 5:55 pm)
  • dino001 (Nov 12, 2008 6:14 pm)
    • greanpea68 (Nov 15, 2008 1:50 pm)

Replying to: dino001 (Nov 12, 2008 5:20 pm)

Nice 2 sided story Dino. You should have sold you ride privately, and bought the STi anyways.
 
If you think about it, they can't stay in business selling new cars at below invoice while overpaying for trades. Maybe yours was worth top book, I don't know, but the market is so tight right now that nobody wants to be stuck with a trade in that came in too high. To resell your trade, they'll have to deal with grinders too who'll lowball them on it.
 
As to your point: they said "price won't be a problem" well it wasn't, you coulda hada Subie STi for under invoice.
 
Maybe your trade was uh and ah, but that's all they were willing to pay for it. If it be in crappy condition, then they'd pay $4k for it. I don't know.
 
And besides you can't expect a dealer not to "admire" your trade, no matter what shape it's in.
 
If you're worried about the trade, sell it privately.

Replies to this message:
• dino001 (Nov 12, 2008 6:14 pm)
  • greanpea68 (Nov 15, 2008 1:50 pm)