Stories from the Sales Frontlines

driver100

The rebate on the Escape just went up $500, so that's in our favor.

Go for it. And we need more car sales or we are going to lose ISELLHONDAS again.

abacomike

Go for it. And we need more car sales or we are going to lose ISELLHONDAS again

If you mean more car sales "stories", I'll think of some from my experiences. On the other hand, if you mean "buy" more cars, I'M DONE!

abacomike

Actually I believe most reasoned people would categorize the Democratic Party as more centralist than the Republican Party

*billy, your comments are valid, buy only from your perspective, not everyone's perspective. It's your opinion, and you have a right to that opinion. But it is all a matter of position or perspective!

You come at it from the left! Someone else could come at it from the right. Both of you would have very different opinions because of that perspective. I come at it from "DEAD CENTER" so my opinions would be very different than your's or that other individual from the right. I look at the both of you as (left perspective and right perspective) as too radical.

Again, I do value your opinion, but it is not my opinion, so let's call it a draw and remain friends - OK?

nyccarguy

If you guys think for one second that I was going to sit home and watch tonight's Presidential Debate (much less comment on it here in our anything goes except politics forum) when I had tickets to the last game of the regular season (Yankees vs. Red Sox) at The Stadium, then you don't know nyccarguy.

After a 12 inning 3-2 win last night, the Yankees literally beat the Red Sox back into the stone ages. 14-2. Robinson Cano (home grown), the best 2nd baseman in all of baseball, went 4 for 4 including 2 home runs & 6 RBI, literally raising his season's batting average 3 points. Curtis Granderson (acquired via trade) also smashed 2 home runs bringing his season total to 44. The other 2 Yankees who had consecutive 40 + home runs & 100 + RBI seasons wore #3 & #4. Playoffs should be lots of fun! Let's go Yankees!

graphicguy - glad you and the gf are happy with each other's cars. You sound mightily impressed with her S4.

congrats to our very own stickguy for selling his van. We want details! Including the final price. I'm sure whatever you got, it was more than the Acura dealer offered you.

driver100

On the other hand, if you mean "buy" more cars, I'M DONE!

Me too, 3 cars in one year. I don't expect to be buying another new car for awhile, unless I win a lottery....but, that is unlikely unless I ever think to buy a ticket.

jmonroe

Quite frankly, I'd love to see gasoline prices jumped to $5.00 a gallon in the next week or so. It would give those undecided voters something to think about in the coming weeks!

And that’s why it won’t happen.

jmonroe

jmonroe

On the other hand, if you mean "buy" more cars, I'M DONE!

That’s what the little boy said when he came out of the bathroom. 30 minutes later his mother had to change his pants.

jmonroe

imidazol97

> more cars, I'M DONE!

Mr. Mike, didn't you say also that you were done for a while when you bought the Toyota Lexus? Just askin'....

oldfarmer50

Although I agree strongly with one side of this continuing debate let's keep this forum for car talk.

Ok, maybe a little talk of oil changes and dish washers too.

To steer you guys back to reality tell me how much I should pay for this beauty:

http://tampa.craigslist.org/hdo/cto/3292742845.html

fezo

Well, drop that 4 off the beginning and you're getting close...

bwia

On the other hand, if you mean "buy" more cars, I'M DONE!

Driver100, et al. You would think that you are done buying cars until you run into these Canadian sales guys. Check out this article and see how these predatory car sales guys are getting older people to buy cars....It is really pathetic. I hope the same thing does not happen here in the good old US of A.

Here is an excerpt from the article:
"I recently heard about two elderly buyers signing contracts for cars they couldn’t afford. Family members were trying to reverse the deals. Daphne McNutt’s 91-year-old father was sold a new Audi sports car by a dealer that financed the entire $48,000 price. He lives on a small income. “The interest rate is 1.9 per cent. Financing is until 2016,” she said. “How they could approve him for a large loan? The dealer said if he had no debt and a good payment history, he could get credit.” Leigh Archer said her 80-year-old great grandfather was sold a used Hyundai Sonata, even though he kept saying he couldn’t afford it."
http://www.moneyville.ca/article/1265794--car-buyers-pushed-into-deals-as-sales-- growth-lags-roseman

michaellno

To steer you guys back to reality tell me how much I should pay for this beauty:

What the heck is a "Marasiti" - geesh, if you're gonna sell a car, at least understand what it is you've got!

oldfarmer50

"...what the heck is a "Marasiti"..."

I think that is a cow with an infected teat but the guy mis-spelled it.

sterlingdog

Mike, thank you very much for offering to give me some advice on purchasing the MB. (Yes, Driver, you did read the post correctly.) The Chrysler convertible will need to go in the coming months, so I'm beginning to look at other possibilities which include the Mercedes. I won't be doing a purchase for probably about 6 months. We're waiting on an offer from a Japanese car company who is interested in buying part of our farm in Alabama. We sold one section of the farm to a Canadian company, so we hope that this deal will also become a reality. The local development authority handles our sales for us. They won't divulge the name of the Japanese car company; it's very "hush, hush" according to them. I don't care who it is as long as they meet our price per acre. At any rate, I'll certainly want your expert advice if I go in the direction of the MB. Thanks again.

Richard

sterlingdog

Billy, I'm pretty involved politically as many of the veteran posters know. I try to keep my political business and opinions away from this forum. I did want to say one thing here if I might. Though I am a Tea Party activist in North Carolina, I don't think that it is fair to lump us all as "radicals". I'm actually pretty moderate in most beliefs. Still, I believe in God and Country, along with first and second amendment rights. I respect and appreciate our military, our police force, and our fire fighters. Like everyone else here, I want a really good educational system in this country that offers input from parents and the local community. All I am asking is this: Please don't stereotype all groups of people under one negative banner. Thanks for reading this post.

Richard

driver100

Check out this article and see how these predatory car sales guys are getting older people to buy cars.

Daphne McNutt’s 91-year-old father was sold a new Audi sports car by a dealer that financed the entire $48,000 price

First off, I would say the 91 year old got a good deal if he got an Audi Sports car for $48000! Are they talking R8?


I'm not saying it isn't true, but there has to be more to the story. How did the 91 year old go to the dealer and did he pay a deposit to order the car?

Is that woman feeble minded not knowing 72 months is not 5 years, but 7?

You can't protect people from their own stupidity, in Canada or the U.S.

If they can direct me to the dealer I wouldn't mind buying that R8 for $48000, and then I will have a real sales story.

Daphne McNutt’s 91-year-old father was sold a new Audi sports car by a dealer that financed the entire $48,000 price

driver100

We're waiting on an offer from a Japanese car company who is interested in buying part of our farm in Alabama.

Maybe you could get them to throw in a Lexus or an Infinity into the deal...depending on which car company.

Seriously, I can hardly wait to see your new MB. Good luck, I hope the deal goes through real fast.

driver100

. I try to keep my political business and opinions away from this forum

Me too!

Though, unlike someone else around here, I didn't go to a ball game, I stayed at home and watched the debate.

Don't worry, I won't offer any opinions, though it is too bad Big Bird might get the axe.

driver100

o steer you guys back to reality tell me how much I should pay for this beauty:

$4950. Considering it only has 56K miles on it, and it is before it's time...a hardtop convertible.

Kirstie_H

... and I think that's a perfectly non-controversial way to wrap up the conversation about politics. We pretty much let everything go here, but political conversations aren't a good idea, and it's where we draw the line. Thanks!

abacomike

To steer you guys back to reality tell me how much I should pay for this beauty

*oldfarmer, how much change do you have in your pocket? So long as it's under a buck, it's yours!

imidazol97

>cow with an infected teat

That would be udder distress.

houdini1

Richard, I saved your reply so I can use it in the future to explain my position. Thanks.

houdini1

I am not sure what that is ( TT maybe) but the real question is whether or not they sold him credit life insurance.

fezo

Based on Richard's definition of a Tea Partier I'd qualify - but I'm not and we'll let that go.

abacomike

First off, I would say the 91 year old got a good deal if he got an Audi Sports car for $48000! Are they talking R8?

I don't know which model Audi that is, but from the looks of it, I agree - terrific deal! Beautiful car, but even at a buck, I'm done with buying cars until the 2015 model year - when the E350 Mercedes is redesigned - and if I don't like it, my 2013 will definitely be kept until the warranty is done!

BTW, have I used this line before?

fezo

Meanwhile I have to have someone leave me a large farm zoned industrial in Alabama.

Better than begging cars...

jmonroe

Again, I do value your opinion, but it is not my opinion, so let's call it a draw and remain friends - OK?

C’mon Mike. There is no fun with a “draw”. Who gets any satisfaction from kissing their sister? :confuse:

jmonroe

abacomike

C’mon Mike. There is no fun with a “draw”. Who gets any satisfaction from kissing their sister?

I guess I forgot to tell you some deep, family secrets that we've kept for generations and generations, *jmonroe! My entire family was brought up on the principle of incestial relations - family relations that is! So, kissing my sister always gave me a tingling sensation!!!

Now what have you got to say for yourself? Did I throw you a curve you can't hit?

abacomike

C’mon Mike. There is no fun with a “draw”. Who gets any satisfaction from kissing their sister?

Now that you are "speechless", I will tell you the truth - I don't have a sister! But my brother, on the other hand....!

I agree with Kristie - this forum is not the place for me to espouse my political beliefs. Now if we had such a forum, that would be different - a forum called, "This Is The Place To Espouse Your Polical Beliefs". But, alas, Edmunds doesn't have a forum called that.

I have found that there are some situations where no matter what you do or say, nothing changes a person's inner beliefs or "slant" on life. So why fight a losing battle, for instance - Afghanistan????

gogiboy

"I respect and appreciate our military, our police force, and our fire fighters."

Richard--

I thought you were the one who never supported local government by refusing to pay any of his speeding tickets.

Actually, I bring that up because I just got my first speeding ticket last weekend. Is it really worth hiring an attorney to try to fight it in court if it's my first ticket in almost 40 years of driving? I know that you have turned the process into kind of cottage industry for lawyers in your area.

Gogiboy

Kirstie_H

We did have such a place. It didn't go well, and it took more of my moderation time than all other discussions combined, and sucked dry my will to reload the forums. There are enough politics-specific forums on the internet, where all are welcome to beat each other to a bloody pulp, that we don't need to risk our sanity (which is already questionable) by hosting political conversation here.

fezo

I don't know where you are but in NJ a lot of the time you can go to court, tell the prosecutor you want to plead to a non-moving violation (I once plead a 64 in a 55 down to obstructing traffic) and take that. It costs a little but saves on insurance. There's a whole topic on this in this forum. Here's the link.

abacomike

When you've been in the car business as long as I was (9 years), so many things occur that it is impossible to remember everything. Almost daily, something happens between a customer and a salesperson or on a demo drive that is truly memorable.

I was reminded by my Dad about what happened back in 2006 at the dealership where I was a manager. My Dad had brought his car in for service (oil and filter change) one morning. He was sitting in the service customer lounge reading a newspaper. I walked over to him to say good morning to him on my way to running a sales meeting in our training room. He asked me about a newly redesigned model that had just been introduced and told him he should get one. He responded, "...I'll think about it!"

I went into the meeting and started off my going over the new technology and engineering in the new model when one of my salesmen stated that he has had difficulty selling older customers on the new technology and did not feel comfortable selling that model. I told him to go down to the service lounge and seek out this older man reading a newspaper who wore dark rimmed glasses. I told him he could probably sell the man a new car right away if he offered him a great deal on the new model and a fair value for his trade (he did not know the man was my Dad).

He said he didn't know how to open a conversation with the man about buying a new car when the man's trade was less than one year old (like father - like son). I told him not to worry - the man was motivated to buy.

He leaves the meeting and goes down to the service lounge to try to sell this older man a new car. He comes back in less than 5 minutes and says to me and the salespeople in the meeting that the man does not want to buy a car. I told everyone to follow me down to the service lounge and I walked up to my Dad (no one knew he was my Dad) and I said to him, "...if I could sell you a new car like that one on the showroom floor for $5500 and take you car that is in service in on trade, can I sell you a car today?" (remember, there are 8 salespeople watching and listening to this conversation). He immediately said yes, but I'd like to drive one first.

The salespeople were mezmerized by my success! I turned around and said to the salesman who originally tried to sell my Dad a car and said, "...I guess you didn't try very hard, did you?" I then walked over to my Dad, shook his hand, and kissed him on the cheek and said, "...Dad, go with this man, pick out a car, and you just got yourself a deal!"

Everyone broke out laughing, including the salesman who, by the way, had sold an older man that new model car!
This is a true story - Dad just reminded me of that morning as we were driving passed the dealership I used to work at.

abacomike

We did have such a place. It didn't go well, and it took more of my moderation time than all other discussions combined, and sucked dry my will to reload the forums

I can't imagine a forum on Edmunds devoted solely to politics. It would be like MSNBC broadcast personalities meeting FOX NEWS broadcast personalities at the OK Corral! I can almost "picture" the stares, the holsters filled with Colt 45's, and the showdown on the dirt street.

Moderating a forum posting site like that could cause a person to commit suicide after all the fireworks had settled.

imidazol97

>I can't imagine a forum on Edmunds devoted solely to politics.

I can.

explorerx4

A forum like that would probably rival the old 'IDLSWDY?' :surprise:

abacomike

A forum like that would probably rival the old 'IDLSWDY?'

OK, *explorer, you caught me - I give - what is it?

explorerx4

I'll never tell and the hosts will breathe a sigh of relief.

explorerx4

Honda and Toyota have manufacturing facilities in Alabama.
My guess is Honda, since they have less of a manufacturing base in the United States.
I don't expect a reply until the 'deal is done' and I think at worst, I have a 50/50 chance. :shades:

imidazol97

I don't like SUVs, why do you?"

>solely to politics.

I was there. For a long time the discussion was civil and among adults. But things went bad as the topics became those about which people have more emotional person fixation.

driver100

We did have such a place. It didn't go well, and it took more of my moderation time than all other discussions combined

It's a good thing we are such good boys, we want to make your job as easy as possible.

kyfdx

we want to make your job as easy as possible.

Finally! A member that gets it!

sterlingdog

"...by refusing to pay any of his speeding tickets."

LOL! Now that we've moved back home, I don't worry about tickets as long as I stay in town. The police force supported me years ago in my run for city council. Now they just wave as I go flying by. :P

As for hiring an attorney, I have always found it to be beneficial. My insurance doesn't go up and I don't get points against my license. Also, in cases where the speed was excessive, I don't lose my license for 30-90 days. The $300 to hire an attorney is also a tax deduction for business expenses. In North Carolina, it works for me. Good luck with your ticket, and let us know how it works out.

Richard

sterlingdog

You moderated a political forum? That had to be the job from hell! I once moderated a debate with six candidates for county sheriff. That one lasted 90 minutes, followed by another debate with eight candidates for county commissioner. That one lasted two hours. When I got home that evening, I told my wife that I would NEVER subject myself to that mayhem again! Southern politicians can be like a bunch of attack dogs---and the audience isn't any better.

Richard

sterlingdog

Thanks for the heads up about Honda in Alabama. That's very interesting. I'll let you know what happens.

Richard

imidazol97

>You moderated a political forum? That had to be the job from hell!

And a darn fine job they did until a couple of highly-charged topics appeared which were very polarizing.

From what I can tell all remnants of the posts have been scrubbed off of Edmunds cleaner than the old videotapes of politician saying something contrary to their current propanda line!

Closest we can find to politics now is this topic--I'm surprised it survives:

forum

Keeping a discussion of food blenders and which BMW to buy is milktoast here.

driver100

Closest we can find to politics now is this topic--I'm surprised it survives:

#1 of 1 Obama a Hemi guy by jacklionel
Mar 30, 2009 (7:47 pm)

Wouldn't call that survive by the way.

One post only, from 2009. You could die waiting for a reply from over there.

imidazol97

>Wouldn't call that survive

That's my fine sense of understatement for humor. :P

driver100

That's my fine sense of understatement for humor.

I knew that....I just wanted to get that picture in there :P