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Comments
So he got impatient and wanted a car now. And settled for less than he optimally desired.
See - the thing weas, you promised he could get what he wanted instead of checking and then saying"well, you'll probably have to compromise" - he'd have probably backed off and taken something slightly different if he knew it was a long-shot/would take forever.
I thought it was standard practice to get a deposit (whenever a dealer isn’t able to make the delivery right then and there), given the number of times a dealer has run into the 'not true to his word' customer. If you tell a customer that their deposit is non-refundable, this may keep them from thinking of backing out of the deal.
I once had a salesman tell me that I had to give him a deposit so that he would honor the price he gave me if I decided to come back and buy from him but if I bought elsewhere I would get my deposit back. When I questioned him about this he said, "that's the company's policy and I can't do anything about it".
I guess I must have looked pretty stupid that day. Needless to say he didn’t get the deposit or the sale.
FWIW, it sounds like you and your dealership are the kind of people all of us buyers are looking for.
jmonroe
'15 Genesis V8 with Ultimate Package and '18 Legacy Limited 6 cyl
If thats the case don't you think he had some kind of obligation to call the salesman who was working hard for him and say "Hey this is taking to long maybe I can settle for something else, what can you do for me?"
2011 Hyundai Sonata, 2014 BMW 428i convertible, 2015 Honda CTX700D
I had a family of 5 come and look at the new Civics. It was a typical busy Saturday. After about 15 minutes they ask if they can have a test drive, so I said sure. I ask them who will be driving so that I can get a copy of the driver's license.
The lady in the group replies "You are"
I said "Why me" :confuse:
She said "We just want to get a feel for how it rides"
I said "Well the whole point of test drives is that you drive it, and see if you like it, and if it fits you, not me. I am not going to drive the car for you."
So anyways I told them to return when the roads are better. I don't feel like being a chauffeur or an amusement park operator and give people that are 6 months away from buying free rides. :mad:
2016 Audi A7 3.0T S Line, 2021 Subaru WRX
you weren't worried about messing up the car were you?
only you know because you were there, but if i were a salesman, i would have strongly considered taking them out and showing them how competent a vehicle it can be when driven in the snow and ice.
i'm curious you're writing as if you think they were expecting to be chauffered, and were definitely 6mo away from purchasing. only you could tell if that was the case based on what was said, or how the interaction went.
but i'm pretty sure based on what did transpire per your description, albeit all true that they should really be doing the driving, that it was taken as a "i'm not interested in selling you a car".
this reflects badly on the dealership, and it could not only cost you a potential sale, but several others. you have no idea who they might relate their story to, and perhaps badmouth your brand or dealership.
which would be unfortunate because you seem to take your job pretty seriously and don't want to jerk people around.
"Clean" is just a word that dealers like to use to describe a car that is good enough to be on their used car lot. If you don't think it's "clean", it ain't.
Beauty is in the eye of the beholder.
jmonroe
'15 Genesis V8 with Ultimate Package and '18 Legacy Limited 6 cyl
This, along with proper qualifying questions will tell you if you have a ready buyer or not.
How you handle these customers depends on the dealership and the situation.
At a busy store like a Honda one, someone who doesn't even want to drive a car is in no danger of buying one.
Plus, if they really were 6 months from buying a car, what are they doing at a dealership on a Saturday?
For mainstream dealers, that is the busiest day of the week.
Obviously, if the salesperson gets the wrong vibe, he or she is going to cut you loose and go find a better prospect.
Chances are when and if those people are ready to buy a car they will be back.
volvomax are these general rules for you or is this your guideline for all potential buyers? Reason I ask is that I(we) fit 2 of your statements...not wanting to test drive a car and not really looking to by for months.
I shop months prior to buying. I research like crazy, narrow my choices down to a few and test drive. THEN I have my wife go take a look at the choices for her approval. This usually is on a Saturday during her errand routine. She'll stop by a dealership if it's on her way to a store and just look at it. She won't be driving it so she could care less about the driving experience. All she looks for is the overall look of the car/truck, legroom, headroom, storage, kid friendly, etc...
If she likes a particular car. I'll then call up a dealership and discuss price. I'm usually about 2 months away from buying, BUT I tell them if they can meet my number today, I'll be down anytime it's convenient for salesperson and buy. I'll offer up a deposit. I've done this on my past 3 cars. If the salesperson was kind to my wife and spent time with her even though she was "just" looking, she'll ask for a card and I call that person 1st. That initial time the salesperson spent with her was an investment for a near future easy sale.
but seriously, i think you have to rely on your senses which have been honed from selling vehicles for some time, but temper it also with the possibility that some additional consideration spent with a visitor to the store that wasn't showing all the signs may reward you later.
i mean, if you've got people waiting at your desk (if you have one) for a look at a car and a drive, and someone is being wishy-washy, but then if it is S-L-O-W and the signs are confusing, it could be you're just out of phase with the customer - but immaterial whose "at fault" for the situation.
now that scenario the other poster mentions about sending his wife out to scout the car and the treatment... that's interesting. i'm sure you just help answer her questions, adjust the controls she doesn't understand or finds unnatural to locate, provide her with the trim, color, options available, right?
but in the case we've been discussing, they also wanted a drive, and true, they wanted to be driven. why they wanted to be driven is my question.
not to go too off track but it's possible, and i've done this, i've accepted an opportunity to ride as a passenger as part of the test drive (and with the radio and air off thanks) to focus on some aspects of the vehicle without the distraction of driving. for each car i've purchased, i wanted to know what the visability and ride was like in the passenger, and rear seating locations.
ok, a bit off track, one thing i *HATE* is the salesman demoing buttons and functions when i'm driving or being overly and unnecessarily chatty. i expect someone to be very courteous and be quiet but i expect them to speak when necessary (like "hey this idiot ahead of you isn't stopping for the light") but in general allow me to ask the questions when i'm behind the wheel.
It is possible that they are very busy and this is one of the few times the dealership is open when they don't have other commitments.
2011 Hyundai Sonata, 2014 BMW 428i convertible, 2015 Honda CTX700D
That makes you a buyer.
Don't get ne wrong, research is fine.
Having a timeline for buying a car is fine.
But don't go look at or drive a car 6 months before you are readdy.
Chances are, you won't remember anything anyway, and maybe that particular model or color isn't available anymore.
Next, your wife also spent only a few minutes looking at the car. Didn't really cost the salesperson any time.
Wanting to be driven around in the car on a busy day is completely different
Really?
You are trying to tell me that with 6 months, they couldn't find a better time?? :confuse:
It's interesting that you mention this because when I have purchased used cars (and I have done this more than a few times), I would have preferred that the engine compartment wasn't cleaned. As you know a steam cleaned engine can wash away a lot of what you want to see when buying a used car. For this very reason and to save money I preferred to buy from individuals.
Where I come from it's almost understood that if a private party has cleaned an engine compartment, they are trying to hide something. In fact, a fellow worker that moved from out of state had trouble selling his car because he took the car to a shop to have it cleaned thinking people wanted the entire car clean like they did where he came from.
I guess you can say that it's wise to know the market your trying to sell in. :sick:
jmonroe
'15 Genesis V8 with Ultimate Package and '18 Legacy Limited 6 cyl
The chances of me following up with them and getting a deal are slim to none, as only one two of them spoke english, and they were translating to the rest of the group. Because we were busy and no one else was available I upped them, when in fact it would be more productive if an Asian salesman would help them due to the language issue. And from experience, whenever I get customers that have a language issue, I always turn them over to a salesperson who speaks the same language as them, to at least get a half a deal. Otherwise from experience, 99% of customers like that come back and deal with someone their language anyhow because they fell more comfortable.
When we sat down to talk about the models and pricing, I didn't get any good vibes, or any interaction for that matter from them. I helped them out as much as I could including talking about models/options, and giving them a presentation and offered them everything short of a ride around the block.
If they don't want to drive it themselves I don't see what else I can do for them.
There were 5 people in the group, three men, one lady, and one teenage girl. I just don't see how any of them couldn't drive, when the snow was cleared up on the major roads, and apart from a few icy patches here it was fairly safe to drive.
2016 Audi A7 3.0T S Line, 2021 Subaru WRX
I don't know if they could or couldn't, just that some people lead very busy lives. For example, between now and April 16 (3 months) this coming Saturday will be the only time I will have the time to shop for cars. So I wouldn't be surprised that someones ability to shop for cars would be very limited.
2011 Hyundai Sonata, 2014 BMW 428i convertible, 2015 Honda CTX700D
2011 Hyundai Sonata, 2014 BMW 428i convertible, 2015 Honda CTX700D
2016 Audi A7 3.0T S Line, 2021 Subaru WRX
Well – here is ( was ) my timeline:
When I felt close to making the decision to buy my 2007 Corvette ( buyer – no question, questions were exact optional equipment, when & where to buy & how much I’d pay ) I decided to schedule a visit to the largest Corvette dealer in the Southeast – to test drive Corvettes. About a 45 minute drive from where I live.
This was in early July 2006.
Once I had driven the 2 C6s ( both were 2006 automatics – 2007s were not yet at dealers, but had no significant changes ) that I wanted to evaluate, I told the salesperson that I wanted the best price on an ordered 2007.
The price was about what I had expected ( $2K off MSRP ) and I said:
“When you meet the discount I want, I’ll buy.”
Response:
“OK. Great, I will keep you posted.”
I was kept up to date via weekly emails, as discounts grew over time – but with no further real interaction until the email arrived with a discount that met “my number”.
This was late in September 2006. I called and set an appointment the next day to order my 2007. It was delivered in early November.
So my test drives were – 4 months prior to actually closing the sale. I suppose you could describe it as 2.5 months of ( very one-sided ) price negotiation and 1.5 months for the schedule \ build \ delivery process.
More important, before scheduling my Corvette test drives, I had test driven a number of other “contenders” prior to the C6 test drives – including the BMW 335i, for example. I knew my timeline. I was up front with each salesperson I spoke to.
With the BMW, I drove one at a pre-announcement event here near Atlanta. If I had chosen to buy one, with the lead time on a car not yet even in series production, and built in Europe, it likely would have been closer to 6 months.
If I had less stringent requirements on exactly the optional equipment I wanted ( and didn’t want ) and more flexibility on color, I would probably have bought a C6 from the selection on the dealer’s lot. They usually have 25 or so new Coupes in their inventory.
Research is great – and essential, for me. But a thorough test drive ( or 2 ) is necessary before I’ll spend close to $50,000.
YMMV.
- Ray
Happy Corvette Driver
2016 Audi A7 3.0T S Line, 2021 Subaru WRX
That's funny because I feel the same way. Last New Years Eve I was helping my wife's friend buy her first car. She wanted a used car from a private party. We narrowed it down to two cars in her price range. (under $5000) Both were 1999 Toyotas. One Camry and one Corolla Both had similar miles of about 120k and in great shape physically. The thing that bothered my about the Camry was the engine was spotless and I could tell had just been blown off. The interior was clean too but you could tell it had just had a major cleaning that did not quite cover up some large spots. The Corolla's engine was clean but not spotless. It also had great maintenance records. We ended up buying the Corolla mostly just because I felt better about it and I felt they were not trying to hide anything.
You have to ask yourself why Saturdays are your busiest days. The answer is most people are busy with the rest of their lives on weekdays and don't or can't take the time off work and other activities. Why should someone looking down the road to buy be any different in that regard?
tidester, host
What I was asking, somewhat facetiously, was that given 6 whole months couldn't someone find(or make) time to look at cars when they were actually in the market?
That said, I don't sit down at a negotiating table until I'm ready to make an offer....no matter how "enticing" the dealership's personnel says their wares are.
Once I decide to purchase, I've either driven a friends, colleagues, or family member's version of the car I'm interested in. Or, I've at the very least, gone to the dealerhip, when they're closed, to fondle their cars/trucks.
I do set up appointments with the dealerships that have something I'm interested in buying....and, I keep those appointments (I expect them to do the same). I don't like waiting around and wasting time any more than the dealership does.
By this time, I know what my offer is going to be and negotiations take a minimal amount of time.
This is actually good info, thanks. I get my Maxima detailed once a year, and the engine always gets steam cleaned. My Nissan service advisor was astounded when she saw it roughly 3 weeks after the last treatment - the car is approaching 4 years old, and the engine looks brand spankin' new.
I would hope that whoever buys my car in the future looks at it and says, "this is a guy who took pride in his car", but what I hear from you guys is that they will say, "the engine is leaking all kinds of crap and he's hiding something, NO DEAL!".
Ah, humanity.
I didn't pick up on the facetious but, IMHO, someone looking for a vehicle 6 months out IS in the market.
tidester, host
I egged my wife into shopping for a car WELL before her lease is up (May/June). This is because 3 out of the 3 cars she's bought since we've been together have been complete duds, or she actively hates them after driving them about...ah.. 2 months or so.
This is the way my wife buys a car:
1. Drives by dealership.
2. Has 10 minutes to kill, so drives in to look around.
3. Drives the first car she sees that looks "interesting".
4. Three hours later, buys said car.
This keen and savvy buying technique resulted in a 1998 Cavalier, 2001 Escape, and 2004 Explorer.
The best of the lot was the Escape, which would have been a lot better if it hadn't been a first model year. The other two were/are just awful cars.
THIS time, we've already test driven 5 cars, and of the 5 the Saturn Outlook is #1 with a bullet. However, before we actually buy we're going to two auto shows, where she is going to find a handful of others to go test drive before we pull the trigger.
I understand from a salesman's point of view why we're "strokes", but you salespeople don't have to live with the net result of your spouse's heinously impulsive habit of buying terrible cars.
I'M the one who has to pick her up from the dealership because her transmission leaked crap on my garage floor, or the radio cuts out, or a piece of trim needs to be glued back into place. So, in light of this, I wear my "stroke" badge with pride and you WILL suffer me gladly.
:P :P
In all seriousness, thanks to the salespeople who post here at Edmunds. Without you, this would just be another boring auto forum.
It can be pretty easy to spot the former over the latter.
RE: Buying times.
I have sold cars to people who I first talked to a Year or so away and then had limited contact over the time in between but that is the differance between highline and low line.
Also for used cars something like that does not normaly happen unless the person has bought cars from you before or is a refferal.
Anyway, IMO, anyone who stops in to the dealer is in the market. They may just not realize it yet!
It is also quite common for that 6 month out guy to get talked into taking something now. Even leases get bought out early (I know a few people who stopped in a couple+ months before there lease ran out to browse, and ended up driving out in the new wheels).
2020 Acura RDX tech SH-AWD, 2023 Maverick hybrid Lariat luxury package.
Just wondering, since I occassionally see a teaser lease ad that I would grab if I was buying now. Stuff that I wouldn't expect the dealer to be able to work dwon from (but I guess it never hurts to ask!)
VW has a Jetta Wolfsburg deal now. $229/month with only $825ish up front, 39 months. Seems pretty good to me (although I admit I did not run the numbers), so I personally wouldn't have any problems signing up for that deal if I wanted the car.
2020 Acura RDX tech SH-AWD, 2023 Maverick hybrid Lariat luxury package.
Very true - but when we as a salesmen mention this type of thing happening, posters will just judge these buyers as inept, when they don't know the person or the transaction.
anyone who stops in to the dealer is in the market
Not true - we even have several people that stop in every month or two and every salesman has wasted time with then - and they have been doing this for years at many dealerships.
2020 Acura RDX tech SH-AWD, 2023 Maverick hybrid Lariat luxury package.
You definitely have all the makings of a sales manager. Seriously though, the national average closing ratio on a showroom "up" is 25%
It happens all the time. We had a lady buy a CX-7 who was in getting an oil change and tire rotation for her Tribute last week. She wandered into the showroom, commented on how unattractive the CX-7 was and that she loves her 4 year old Tribute.....2 hours later she was driving a new CX-7 home.
I believe that was my point.
2018 430i Gran Coupe
The closest I've ever been to one of those places is as I was driving by on my way to some place else any place else, even the grocery store.
Like I've said several times already, I have no problem buying a used car and have bought my share but if I didn't buy from a private party I would buy from a new car dealer.
The way I look at it is if the dealer took a vehicle in on trade and he didn't feel it was good enough for his lot I didn't feel it was good enough for my garage.
Those Buy-here-Pay-here lots, for the most part (99.67% of the time) only have what nobody else wants; even the auctions.
I know there has to be exceptions (probably that 0.33%) but I don't want to waste my time looking for them.
Hope I didn't step on anybody's toes.
jmonroe
'15 Genesis V8 with Ultimate Package and '18 Legacy Limited 6 cyl
Actually, I was looking at “6 months out”.
My goal at the time ( July 2006 ) was to purchase a 2007 Corvette by the end of 2006. From my research I knew roughly what discount to expect on an ordered 2007 at that time – and I knew that historically, the discounts ( at this dealer & others ) would increase as 2007 stock began accumulating on dealer lots and winter approached.
The rate of discount increase happened to exceed my expectations. So I concluded the purchase somewhat earlier than I’d planned. Good for me.
One challenge that I imagine must be a perennial issue for car sales people is that probably 90+% of purchases are not driven by actual need. Meaning: An existing car, truck, SUV is being replaced – but not because it has been worn out or damaged beyond usefulness.
My feeling is that ( by far ) most purchases are driven by want – not need. The potential buyer would like to replace an existing vehicle ( or add to an existing ‘stable’ ) and they feel like they can ‘afford’ it.
Perhaps repeated attempts to fix or repair a mechanical issue prompts the timing. Perhaps it is something else. But it seems to me ( and certainly has been my own typical experience ) that whether or not I am psychologically ready to walk out on a deal – I have always been able to drive away from a deal that I was not satisfied with, in a working vehicle.
One reason I have absolutely no desire to sell cars for a living . . .
- Ray
Reasonably happy with current career choices.
I use to get my engines steam cleaned every couple of years on my former vehicles. About 2 years ago, I had a mechanic tell me that steam cleaning is a very rough way to clean an engine. He suggested taking an assortment of rags, and brushes, and dipping them in a pail of water with a little bit of Simple Green mixed in, and wiping down the egine bay by hand. Since he mentioned this to me, I have actually had a couple other "car guys" tell me the same thing. I have now been using the wipe down method on my current cars for the past 2 years, and I typically do this once a month, and spend about 30 mins per car - and my engines look really good.
My question to some of you guys in the car business is - have you heard any negative things about steam cleaning engines?
Well I am not in the car business but I have heard that it is bad to do on an engine. Primarily because of the pressure of the water being used can negatively effect wires, hoses and the like.
2011 Hyundai Sonata, 2014 BMW 428i convertible, 2015 Honda CTX700D
He doesn't even own the joint, but it's been around the Cincinnati area for a long time.
He pretty much sums up what you've surmised. The dealership owner rarely ever goes to the auctions. They get calls from the surrounding new car dealerships. Those dealerships offer them cars that even they don't want to take to auction (hi miles, rebuilt titles, salvage titles, lots of bondo, etc).
My golf buddy gives a pretty dismal description of his typical customer. They have little money down. 75% get repo'd. Many of his customers want to keep a very low profile (for a variety of reasons). Some are just down on their luck. Some, he suspects, aren't exactly getting their money from "legitimate" sources. He says he feels like someone's father to his customer base. He has to be a firm parent to them. They way overcharge for the cars and all business is usually done with those looking to hit a payment (little, if any, cash deals). They don't price a car with any relationship to what the car is really worth. His customers have usually been turned down by every dealer in town. Every payment the customer makes, he gets a cut. So, it behooves him to urge, cajole, threaten, his customer base to make their payments.....and to make them on time.
Every once in a while, they come across a nice car (he's driving a 6 year old LeSabre that's clean and runs well).
He's been with the BHPH lot for a dozen or so years. He came from a new car dealership. He says he makes 2x the money at the BHPH lot than even his best years as a new car sales person. He spends half his day tracking down his customers to get a payment (or repoing their car) and the other half getting new customers to sign their names to a payment contract on a car they have on the lot. He's their sales person, their finacial advisor, their bank and their priest.
Intersting job (not my cup of tea, though). He's got great stories to tell on the 19th hole, however. He deals with a whole other economy that most of us don't know about (nor, do we want to).
It should also be pointed out that there is a big difference between genuine steam cleaning and pressure cleaning. Actual steam cleaning is rarely seen in non-industrial applications. It's very effective in removing heavy grease or any contaminant that needs melting or sterilizing, none of which is usually applicable to a modern car engine bay. It also removes stickers and decals very easily, which isn't really a plus point for most people.
Pressure cleaning comes in two varieties, hot and cold. Hot is by far the most effective at cleaning the average engine compartment, but the equipment is a lot more expensive than a typical cold water pressure cleaner, hence cold cleaning is seen most often. The pressure used is usually over 1000psi (pounds per square inch), which can easily penetrate your skin, so it has little difficulty getting through electrical connectors, under oil seals, into 'maintenance free' batteries, and generally getting where it's not needed. Like polishing a car, it's something that looks like the average Neanderthal could do with his eyes shut, but in reality requires considerable skill and practice.
The advice given earlier to use a brush, degreaser, and a garden hose is very sound.