Stories from the Sales Frontlines

jmonroe

The only way this could be any better is if we convinced the guy to "lease" the brochure for 2 bucks a month for 4 months and then return it in 4 months.

Please try this and get back to us. This would be an even better tale.

Something tells me you might actually be able to pull this off on some people. They would probably be cousins of those 3 pounders you get every now and then.

jmonroe

madmanmoo

Graphicguy,

I've was working my butt off to try and salvage a decent November. PLUS, I was negotiating a car deal to purchase for my wife. Insanely busy...

I'll have more stories soon enough I hope.

Hope all is well!

-Moo

graphicguy

moo....hope November turned out OK.

Would love to hear of your exploits in buying a car for your wife.

qbrozen

But someone sent me this article.

The guy's story is complete BS. There is no way you "lose control" of that car at 30 mph and it certainly wouldn't be totalled.

cacarfiend

The 30 MPH is BS. But the rest of the story seems true...

http://www.autoblog.com/2006/12/01/and-finally-the-real-carrera-gt-crash-story/

qbrozen

The 30 MPH is BS.

Yeah, that's all I meant. Those things don't happen at 30 mph.

And how do you lose traction by upshifting. They must mean he downshifted to 2nd ... and then stood on the gas!

audiavant1

We are looking at a an ex vip service loaner and certainly would have done it at that price if it had what we needed and right color lol. I know this isnt the forum but what exactly are the dealer incentives or rebates on the 06 v8 se loaners. Is it 5000 or 7000? Dealer here in our area is not real astute... Thanks and sorry we couldnt help you out...

cacarfiend

With the gobs of torque the CarreraGT has, you could upshift and stomp on the gas and spin. Again, I still don't see that happening with the visible damage. That car is hand formed carbon fiber.

mikefm58

Actually, it's a pretty good idea. There are many rural parts of the country without specific dealerships. Case in point, I've been trying to talk my mom in to a Honda or Toyota, but there isn't a dealership close to her, so no way of "looking". She said, she'd love to have some of those brochures to look at.

I was amazed at the price people pay for new computers on ebay, more than what I can get them for at the local Best Buy store. Until I realized, that many rural parts of the country don't have stores like that available. It's the same issue.

Gotta give credit to your manager.

graphicguy

Too bad they couldn't get an account of what happened from the truck driver. I bet he'd have a different take on it.

scottisdename

From a salesperson's standpoint, I wonder if we could get customers to leave a $2.00 deposit on the brochures when they take them from the dealership. They would of course get it back if they return the brochure undamaged or if they purchase a vehicle. This might bring back the "be-backs" we get daily.

snakeweasel

From a consumers standpoint I would avoid a dealership that did that like the plague.

guest

wonder if we could get customers to leave a $2.00 deposit on the brochures when they take them from the dealership

Hmmmmmmmm, just another "doc" fee. :P

imidazol97

Cute pun. Love puns. :confuse:

jmonroe

What did the dealer do to fix the problem with the battery having to be replaced so often?

Is it still in the family?

Its been pretty slow here so I'm getting nebby.

jmonroe

graphicguy

j.....the battery was run down again last week....and had to be jumped, yet again. It seems the "drain" happens when the car has been sitting for 2-3 days. So I try to drive it at least every other day. There are other issues with the car, too.

My mother has fallen ill, and is really in no position to make any decision on what she wants to do. As mentioned, it's her car. She told me to do what I think is right. I hated to ask her, but requested that she sign the car over to me....just to get the headache off her plate. She did. So, I've pretty much taken it upon myself to start "lemon law" procedures on it.

So far, I've got Cadillac Customer Service involved (no help). Sent Cadillac a letter stating the issues. They refered me back to the selling dealer, who really is clueless on what to do other than keep replacing the battery and NAV system (which doesn't fix the root cause).

Next up is a report to the BBB. From what everyone here has told me, GM probably isn't going to be too keen on taking the car back and returning my Mother's purchase price to her. I'm not too keen on letting them give me (or my Mother) another vehicle. I expect this is going to take months to resolve.

It's really a shame that GM, and specifically their premium brand, Cadillac has been so un-helpful....on what essentially is a $50K boat anchor (STS AWD V8, all loaded up). It's been to 3 different Caddy dealers for repair...yet, no fix they've come up with is permanent. Some try to convince me that there's nothing wrong....that I just need to drive it every day. It's like they stick their head into the sand and hope the problem goes away...on its own.

The GM at the Caddy dealership my Mother bought it from contacted me. I told him what the issues were. Told him I was about to initiate lemon law procedures. All he wants to do is for me to keep bringing the car into their service dept.

All I can do is go through the steps and see what happens. Pretty frustrating at this point, though.

mazda6iguy

These brochures were being thrown away as we have no more of this product in stock. Sales manager thought " what the heck" and put them on ebay. People started bidding. One customer even asked if it was the same one that he could get for free by coming into a dealership. Sales manager told him that yes it was. Same customer still bought it. Maybe it was worth it to him not to have to deal with a salesman. All I was saying was it amazes me what some people will buy. Having said all of this we are not a " rust & dust" dealership nor do we etch glass or put a myriad of unwanted, overpriced accessories on our car. And we most often will beat Edmunds TMV pricing.

I collect the brochures from auto shows, and I would like to put them up on Ebay, so I say why not?

riposte

If you're now, technically, the second owner, it'll be interesting to see if the Lemon Law in your state applies to other than the initial purchaser of the vechicle.

kiawah

Might be better off with a Power of Attorney, so that it stays titled in her name until resolved....and you are able to handle negotiations for her.

jmonroe

It's really a shame that GM, and specifically their premium brand, Cadillac has been so un-helpful....on what essentially is a $50K boat anchor (STS AWD V8, all loaded up). It's been to 3 different Caddy dealers for repair...yet, no fix they've come up with is permanent. Some try to convince me that there's nothing wrong....

It seems all car companies tell us how important we are to them but when push comes to shove, it's business as usual.

None of this mess is nearly as important as your mother getting back to health.

I hope everything turns out well for her.

jmonroe

pat

Best wishes for your mother, graphicguy.

[Deleted User]

Yes, I hope all turns out well for your family gg.

It's amazing how small the problems we encounter in every day life become compared to the health or well being of a loved one.

graphicguy

Thanks for the kind thoughts....she was diagnosed with bone marrow cancer last week.

I didn't mean to say that my mother signed over the title to me......it is power of attorney, though.

I had thought about the difficulties of going to do battle with GM, when technically, I would be the 2nd owner.

In any case, this is the last thing she needs to worry about right now.

isellhondas

Sorry Graph. I wish the best for her and your family.

Lost my step-dad last week myself..no fun.

graphicguy

Craig....my sincere condolences to you and your family.

madmanmoo

I just wanted to say best wishes to everyone and specifically GG and his family during this holiday time. Focus on the positives!

tidester

I know what you're going through - best wishes.

tidester, host

isellhondas

Thank you Dan,

Even though he was 90 and he didn't know who he was for the past month, it was still rough.

My thoughts are with you during this difficult time.

goodcarguy

Some of you guys may remember that I am relocating halfway across the country in the near future. A new twist has come about...We have just been informed that the owner has sold the franchise and is bringing in another to take it's place. Why? We don't know. He is a larger dealer and has several franchises and locations and in only three years has earned a couple of national franchise awards. Needless to say the dealer rep is upset!

As fellow salespeople, managers, etc, how do you think it will affect me trying to get another job in the new location? Whould I be concerned or not?

tidester

the owner has sold the franchise and is bringing in another to take it's place

Are you committed to the move? I would contact the new owners - like yesterday!

tidester, host

british_rover

Best wishes and positive energy to you, your mother and your family.

My mom went through breast cancer many years ago and even though I was pretty young and didn't remember much it was a tough time.

She has been healthy and cancer free now for almost fourteen years so I am very thankful for that.

Hopefuly everything will work out to the best.

jipster

It's a pretty good group of guys/girls when complete strangers can pray and give their sympathy to other members families. God bless all.

isellhondas

I didn't say prayer but in my case they are there as well

explorerx4

graph... help her keep a postive attitude.
tell her you are working with cadillac to get her car straightened out so that she can drive it again, when she is better. tell her your friends on edmunds are expecting you to post us a picture of her driving her car. it can happen.

corvette

"Ditto" all the positive vibes, wishes, and prayers that are being passed around for your mother.

mark156

GG, cherish every moment you can with your mother. I lost mine to lung cancer in 2002 at 78 yrs old. It's always TO early to lose them!

My Mom smoked for 40 years but gave it up 10 years before she passed away. I'm so glad I never smoked!

A good friend of mine has a 1999 Cadillac STS that has the clothe top. Has 72,000 miles and Cadillac has not been able to get the squeak out of the front end after many attempts. After all that, my friend is planning buying a 2007 STS.

Good luck with your Cadillac dealer as I hope everything can be worked out before the lemon law is done.

Mark156

plekto

I presonally like to collect them for cars that I am considering. Say, you want to shop for a Mercedes C320K Coupe(the C230K with a 3.2 V6 stuffed in it)

They made it for one year and when comparing options, colors and so on... it's very nice to have the book in front of you. Of course I collect borchures now for my car after this. Gotta plan ahead, afterall

It's especially nice if you are looking for something rare like a Mercedes SC500. Having engine and option specs is great. Of course, mere mortals can only afford ten year old ones(heh), but try to find good information online that's that old.

dhamilton

I lost my 80 year old father to a guy high on Soma [muscle relaxant] He had a breathalizer in his car so that it wouldn't start if he was blitzed. This after 3 DUI's. So he decides to abuse this prescription muscle pain medication. He's gotten in another accident since hitting my Dad, and he was..wait for it.......high again.

All that to say, my thoughts and prayers are with you.

kapbot

graphicguy, please accept my humble sympathy for your mother, yourself and your entire family. I have lost a few family members to cancer, and it just plain sucks. Mostly a lurker, seldom a poster.

Anyway, there is no excuse for any dealer not to be able to find the source of the battery drain. Maybe take it to a shop that specializes in these things??

More importantly, be there for your mother and your family. That's the only thing you really have.

All the best!

guss

I have brochures going back to the early 90's. I may not be able to afford that new car today , but 2 or 3 years down the line it may just be a good deal. It's nice to know all the options and specs when I can finally buy it.

lilengineerboy

I have brochures going back to the mid-80s. I used to ride my bike to the dealers and then go in and get the brochures for all the cars that I liked. I have the Porsche full line from like 1988 or something (the last year before the 964s came out).
I think somewhere I still have the one an early 80s k-car.
There are lots of places that specialize in this kind of memorabilia, I would say eBay is as good an avenue as any but there are also ads in Hemming's Motor News and the like.

graphicguy

Thanks to all for the kind thoughts, words and prayers. Although, I've never met any of you, I do consider you friends.

Your well-wishes help.

The Caddy situation will get resolved, one way or the other. It's nothing more than a minor irritant in the grand scheme of things, though.

Back to cars....specifically the Caddy situation, as some of you have pointed out as a possible outcome, GM made an offer to "subsidise" a new Caddy in replacement for the STS. This just happened this a.m. I don't know what the subsidy is. And, as mentioned before, I really don't want another vehicle. I'm exploring some options here, though.

First alternative would have Cadillac buy back the STS, and return the money my Mother paid for it back to her. Barring that, while I just sold my 4Runner because I didn't need it anymore, I could marginally use a truck. That said, I don't need/want an Escalade, or an SRX. I don't need/want another STS, either. Question for all of you, does anyone know if GM/Cadillac would allow me to to go outside of the Cadillac brand and use the subsidy to get something like a Tahoe? I don't even know if you can option up a Tahoe to a $50K level (which is what sticker was for the STS).

I mentioned this to the Cadillac dealership and he wasn't very helpful in getting an answer. I understand. This is a "lose-lose" situation for him. He takes back a lemon, but doesn't get credit for moving another unit in return.

Reason I'm thinking of another truck, it would really make a bad situation a little more palatable, although not ideal. Plus, it would compress what could be a long, frustrating time to get this resolved, at a time I really don't feel like dealing with the issue.

jmonroe

… but if you really want a Tahoe, you can option one out to 50K....

…and to think, I remember the days when a pick-up truck had two doors, stick shift, an 8 ft. bed and painted bumpers that were really bumpers!

I’m sure the guys that need trucks for their livelihood really like what has been done to their vehicle of choice/need. Same can be said for the jeans they wear.

Ahhhh… what marketing can do for the sales of everything.

jmonroe

graphicguy

To say I was shocked at the MSRP of the Tahoe (and the even more expensive Yukon) would be an understatment. Even with rebates, these are not cheap vehicles...especially since they are trucks, first and foremost.

That said, I guess the price of the de riguer "Mommy wagons" like the Lexus RX approach that price, too.

I don't know if it's a statement about the manufacturers or the customers. I saw some of the blogs concerning vehicles like the Tahoe and it's siblings (Yukon, Escalade). Seems the biggest complaint isn't about its towing capacity or MPG, but the lack of "bejeweled" 22" wheels. Who's buying these things? More to the point, what in the world are they using them for if the biggest complaint is that they don't come with "gangster wheels"? What am I missing?

british_rover

Escalades now have 22 inch wheels as an option.

A loaded ESV Escalade, thats the suburban version of the Escalade, with every option just clips 70,000 dollars.

When you figure it does not cost GM much more to make a base tahoe or Yukon then it does to make that vehicle then just imagine the profit margin on that car...

jlawrence01

I guess the price of the de riguer "Mommy wagons" like the Lexus RX approach that price, too.

I think that I paid $42k for the last RX330 but that was with the navigation system. Probably could get one for $38k or so without one.

In Chicago, the Escalades are popular in the wealthier suburbs and in the city. The local hip-hop and R&B station makes jokes all the time along the lines of "Why do brothers want to drive the same vehicles as old rich white guys?"

Personally, I don't get it ... I am content with my beater. Of course, I spent the better part of yesterday taking delivery of three Dodge Aspens.

Hope all is well with your family.

jasmith52

Escalades now have 22 inch wheels as an option.

Well now that soccer moms and scout masters have the 22 inch "dubs" I can see that this trend is passe'.

The cool crowd/trend setters/bling crowd don't want to have anything to do with something that a soccer mom drives.

This extra large wheel trend is sooo over and sooo not cool ... Most people just don't know it yet.

british_rover

Nope it has just gone bigger.

24 inch wheels and up are the next thing.

lilengineerboy

Hey can I please get a heavy truck that already doesn't handle so well (relative to a car) and then put some really heavy wheels on it to add as much unsprung weight as possible and make it as unstable and I can? Oh yeah, and make it have to work that much harder everytime I accelerate to push all that rotating weight?
Sweeet bling bling
Stupid is as stupid does

robr2

Around here, the people who drive them are hockey/lacrosse/football moms. When you gotta carry half a team and gear...