Edmunds.com | Inside Line | Auto Observer Your Account | Help | Directory
You are here:
![[F]](http://a332.g.akamai.net/f/332/936/12h/www.edmunds.com/media/townhall/webxicons/site.gif){kind=small}
Forums
Smart Shopper Stories from the Sales Frontlines
47909 messages, Last post on Nov 26, 2009 at 9:59 AM
You are in the Smart Shopper Forum. Your Hosts are kirstie_h & tidester
|
|
|---|---|
|
Replying to: atlvibe (Nov 01, 2006 7:47 am) |
|
|
|
|
Replying to: tjw1308 (Nov 01, 2006 7:30 am) "Maam, the wheels you are ordering are these (show picture in sales brochure or point to car sitting on lot with wheels she's picked). Communication avoids problems later. |
|
|
Hey guys, the test drive stories from both sides were entertaining and fun. Let's get back to those. I thought this test drive argument was killed. Welcome to November folks. Non sales guys, you're going to see a ton of posts from salespeople this month. It is my least favorite month.....ever. (Although I do have Thanksgiving to look forward to.)
|
|
|
You want a story - Well here's a story <reposted for your (and my) entertainment> A couple of years ago Jim, a friend of mine whom I knew from a former job, asked me if I would go with him to help him “evaluate” some cars. I wasn’t doing anything that weekend so I said OK. My friend Jim is a big guy and kind of a “bubba” if you know what I mean. He has a good heart most of the time but can be a bit slow mentally. .Anyway, we drove his old Ford (88 Taurus) down to the local dealer mall that consisted of about 15 or so big dealerships. We parked in front of The Chevy dealer and strolled onto the lot to see what they had. Jim was looking for a new family car so he went over to those cars while I admired the Camaros and Corvettes. At that time the Impala had just come out and that was the new car. However the dealer also had a large number of the previous versions of the Lumina to sell. Jim wanted a new car and was undecided as to which model to choose so when a salesman came over Jim told him the situation. The salesman was more than glad to show both cars and happily scooted off to get keys to the new Impala. We both looked at it and it seemed like a very nice car. Especially compared to the condition of Jim’s Taurus. We both sat in it, drivers side, passengers side, and in the back seat. It was very comfortable and since it was new , very clean. The salesman asked Jim if he would like to drive it at which point he gladly agreed. So we all piled in, Jim driving, me in the passenger seat and the salesman in the back. We went off on the standard drive, all right hand turns, all city driving etc. We came back to the dealer lot and Jim pulled into the dealer lot. The salesman asked Jim if he wanted to “make an offer” but Jim said that he also wanted to see and drive the Lumina. So off the salesman went to get keys for the Lumina. We looked at that car too. It was very clean and comfortable but (in my opinion) not as nice as the newer Impala. Since I wasn’t going to be either the owner or the Payer-forer I would go along with whatever Jim decided. Anyway we all piled into that car and off we went. Our route this time was different. I guess Jim or the salesman wanted to mix things up a little. We drove around the area a bit and then headed back to the dealer. As we approached the dealership Jim was going a little fast. Then all of a sudden the salesman tells Jim to pull into this (different) driveway. There were two driveways into the dealership, one by the office and another down a ways toward the end of all of the cars. Anyway Jim wasn’t expecting to turn in there and upon hearing the salesman telling him to turn cranked the wheel hard. Well to make the story short we missed the driveway by a little and went over the curb (through the flowers and landscaping a bit) and finally up to the driveway. Jim must have been really embarrassed but he didn’t show it. We parked the car and got out. I looked at the car and the aluminum wheel had been damaged a little by the curb. The salesman and Jim also saw it but nobody said anything. So the salesman asked Jim which car he liked better. Jim said that he liked the Impala better but said maybe he would be interested in the Lumina if they made him a great deal. So inside we went to the office. The salesman asked us if we wanted a cup of coffee of which we said yes. So we go over to the coffee urn and each get a cup of coffee. We go back to the salesmans office and start talking about the Impala. The salesman gets out a form and asks Jim how much he wants to put down, payment etc. blah blah blah. After some discussion Jim said the he was willing to pay a particluar amount for the Impala. The salesman runs out to talk to his salesmanager about the deal and comes back a short while later with some new figures. He shows us the new figures on the form and asks Jim what does he think? Jim says that that is better and reaches across the desk to get the form to look at it. While he is reaching he knocks the (nearly full) cup of coffee over onto the salesman’s desk and onto the salesman. Anyway there is a mad scramble to get up and get something to clean up the coffee with. The coffee had gone over other papers on the desk as well as some binders with stuff in them. Jim said that he was sorry and the salesman said no problem, back to the deal. Jim and the salesman were going back and forth about price, but also talking a lot about a lot of other stuff. I figured this was going to take a while, so I got up and headed down the street to Del Taco (a fast food place) to get something to eat. I got something to eat and looked at a few other cars at other dealers before coming back. When I came back Jim was in the office with the salesman and another person who turned out to be the sales lead guy. They talked about the price of the Impala, back and forth, blah blah blah. Anyway I didn’t need to be there so I walked around some more and came back a while later. Now they were talking about the Lumina. I guess there were incentives on it so the price that they could give was a lot less. Anyway more back and forth and they talked about a lot of other stuff. I couldn’t take it anymore so I got up again and walked down the street to look at cars on another dealership. I came back and there was another guy in the office talking to Jim. This guy was a big dark skinned guy who was kind of intense. I went in and sat down. It had been a long time since we first came. They were (in my opinion) close to a deal on the Lumina. Finally the conversation went something like – “If we could get you this price would you buy the car”. And Jim agreed he would do that price. After leaving us for a long time in the office they came back and said that they would do that deal. The sales manager guy reached out his hand to shake on the deal and Jim says “ I think I want a better deal”. The manager was furious, he said that you (Jim) had agreed. Jim kind of smirked and said that he – get this- had his fingers crossed. At this point everyone kind of stood up and I went for yet another walk. As I came back the deal had gotten better (but not by much). Jim never agreed to buy the car and eventually they said – “well I guess we can’t do business then can we”. So we left On the drive home I asked Jim why he didn’t take their offer. He just smiled and said – “OH – I just wanted to see how low they would go” |
|
|
|
|
In all honesty, if you feel like a doormat with your customers, are you in the right business? Most of us here know what we want to pay for any given car. I don't think any of us expect a salesperson, or the dealership, to lose money. I don't know how much simpler it can be. We make an offer. Either you accept it, bump it, or reject it outright. Either we choose to negitiate further, or move on down the road to see if someone else accepts our offer. For a moment, let's forget about the test drive portion. Last week, locally there was a local Toyota dealer offering $99 over invoice on any '07, in stock Camry. I don't know the particulars of it. But, to me, that sounds like a pretty good deal on a good car. They may only have bright yellow ones in stock, for all I know. They say they will show the official Toyota invoice (which is easy enough to come by here and elsewhere) to make the deal. Questions I have, if a person walks in, shows you the newspaper ad for $99 over Toyota invoice, but wants to buy the car from you, do you make the deal? It's a "mini" for sure, but does represent a quick sale. Do you still stick to "let's take one out for a spin"? Or, do you meet/beat the price, close the deal, and send the customer on their merry way to F&I?
|
|
|
Replying to: madmanmoo (Nov 01, 2006 8:49 am) Here's one of my stories- reposted from back in April... ------------------------------------------------------------ Back in 1992 a friend of mine and I stopped in at a southern BMW dealership where I found a clean 1988 M6. My friend knew one of the salesman and a test drive was quickly set up. The salesperson jumped behind the wheel, fired it up, and explained that he would drive it until it was properly warmed up-and that he knew a place where the car could be driven properly. To this day, I don't know where we ended up. All I know is that it was a narrow, country lane that wound through an area where Deliverance II could have been filmed. Meanwhile, trusty salesperson (TS) was blasting the M6 down this road like ten bats out of hell. Four wheel opposite lock drifts around blind corners, and every shift at the redline. I hung on, quietly meditating on the "Where Will YOU Spend Eternity?" sign we had recently passed at 97 mph. Finally, it was my turn to drive. Now, I have scared my share of salespeople in my day, but I knew I was beaten. TS even tried to encourage me to pick up the pace. Anyway, when we rolled back onto the lot my friend mentioned that he smelled the brakes. From about two blocks away. "Nah," said TS, "it's just the paint burning off the new resonator." Right. I bought the car a week later.
|
|
|
|
|
Replying to: madmanmoo (Nov 01, 2006 8:49 am) If we keep this pace up November will be another record breaking month. Our previous record month was Sept. where we did 32 or 34 cars I can't remember. We should be able to break 40 cars this month.
|
|
|
Replying to: div2 (Nov 01, 2006 9:14 am) About a half-mile from the dealerhip, on an uphill stretch, there is road that runs off to the right. It looks like a 90-degree turn, but it is probably more like 110-120 degrees.. We are doing slightly over the speed limit (45 in a 35 zone), and the salesman takes the turn without letting off the gas or using the brake.. Impressive G-forces and the stock 13" tires don't even emit a squeal... I'm impressed, but having driven every piece of American hot rod iron I could get my hands on, I was sure I could match it.. Now, we are driving down a city street.. salesman directs me to turn at the next street up ahead... Here is my chance... only, this is really a 90-degree turn... with curbs.. and a slight uphill bump as you make the turn... Not having learned my lesson.... I downshift to 2nd, nail the gas, hit the bump, get some wheel hop going, burn rubber, then bog the engine...  The salesman just laughs a little... "After you buy it, you'll have plenty of time to practice that.. " She bought it.. I practiced... Now, I go through tires like crazy... but, the brakes last forever... 
|
|
|
Replying to: british_rover (Nov 01, 2006 9:25 am)
|
|
|
Replying to: tjw1308 (Nov 01, 2006 7:56 am) |
|
You are here:
Forums
Smart Shopper Stories from the Sales Frontlines
