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Stories from the Sales Frontlines
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tidester, host
SUVs and Smart Shopper
Anyways, I had nothing but weirdos in on the weekend, and here's one of the weirdest situations I had. (The names have been changed due to privacy concerns).
I received an email from a guy who wants to come in and look and "possibly purchase" our 1990 MB 560SEC (old coupe in nice shape that we're asking $10k for, that no one is interested in).
The email is very well written, and very polite, and the author signed off as Mr. Chung. I'm thinking ok, maybe some older asian businessman wants to buy this car as a weekend driver.
I respond and give Mr. Chung my hours, and ask him to call me to confirm a time he'd like to come in.
On Saturday morning I get a call, from Mr. Chung ("Hi, this is Mr. Chung") that he'd be there in about 1 hour to look at the Benz. I ask him what car he'll be driving so I can keep my eye open for him. He mentions a Jaguar XJR. Hmmm, I'm thinking this guy may be some kind of a car collector or enthusiast.
At 2pm, I see a 4 year old Jag XJR pull into our lot with two kids (16 - 18 years old) driving in it. I'm thinking Mr. Chung sent out his son to have a look at the car, maybe he'll come in later.
They park and come in, and ask for me. The young Asian boy introduces himself as Mr. Chung :confuse:
Ok, in my mind I'm trying to think, what's wrong with this picture.
Here is an 18 year old (showed me his license) who calls himself "Mister" He is wearing a brown suit, dress shirt, and dress shoes on a hot saturday afternoon. He looks like a scholary type smart kid who studies a lot. He is not old enough to legally buy a car. His friend with him is a 16 year old white kid who has a diamond earring, crooked sideways hat, and is wearing runners and shorts hanging down at the ankles.
Usually nerdy kids don't hang out with hip hop gangsta kids, and vice versa. And young kids don't call themselves Misters. And they usually shop for Civics, and not 18 year old Benzes.
And I would feel akward calling someone that young Mister. It just doesn't sound right. He asked for a test drive, and even though I should have kicked him out right away for not being old enough, I took him on a quick drive (the only reason being is he made the effort to write an email and set up an appointment). He said the Benz was going to be a second car for him (the XJR was his apparently), but I had a feeling there was going to be no deal right away as he told me he had drive a few more 560 SECs.
Anyways they left, and I'm still trying to think if they were serious or pulling my leg. :confuse:
2016 Audi A7 3.0T S Line, 2021 Subaru WRX
tidester, host
SUVs and Smart Shopper
18 isn't old enough to buy a car? How old do you have to be. He is of legal age to drive and sign contracts why can't he buy a car?
2011 Hyundai Sonata, 2014 BMW 428i convertible, 2015 Honda CTX700D
He can.
2011 Hyundai Sonata, 2014 BMW 428i convertible, 2015 Honda CTX700D
I worked with someone a long time ago who was maybe 21 or so. He insisted on identifying himself as Mr. Smith whenever he called someone on the telephone in an obvious attempt to sound important.
This was a casual business environment where no one did that, no matter how old they were (or weren't). So we started calling him "Mister" as though that was his first name. He quit doing it after that. :P
When you called out, "Hey, Mister!", did you feel like you were Donna Summer?
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Their names were Mister and Sir.
Now there's a mom who's expectations were dashed.
2019 Kia Soul+, 2015 Mustang GT, 2013 Ford F-150, 2000 Chrysler Sebring convertible
I was a lay down and got high grossed at the ice cream store
2016 Audi A7 3.0T S Line, 2021 Subaru WRX
Maybe his first name was "Wang"? :P
Well...you know what to do when you get the CSI in the mail.
jmonroe
'15 Genesis V8 with Ultimate Package and '18 Legacy Limited 6 cyl
I'm still waiting for BR's story, and hoping that now that Spring has hit, you'll all have some interesting buyers.
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Find me at kirstie_h@edmunds.com - or send a private message by clicking on my name.
2015 Kia Soul, 2021 Subaru Forester (kirstie_h), 2024 GMC Sierra 1500 (mr. kirstie_h)
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im gonna go mope now...
-thene
You could always insert a "only the names have been changed" disclaimer!
tidester, host
SUVs and Smart Shopper
Someone remind me in a few weeks.
Hate to say this, but Geraldo broke that story long ago. :P
Who passed up the chance to get five Aces ? You could have been on hallowed Edmunds ground. Shame...shame.
jmonroe
'15 Genesis V8 with Ultimate Package and '18 Legacy Limited 6 cyl
jmonroe
'15 Genesis V8 with Ultimate Package and '18 Legacy Limited 6 cyl
I'm guessing someone had second thoughts about posting whatever it was he or she wanted to say.
tidester, host
SUVs and Smart Shopper
I thought only the esteemed Hosts ever reach hallowed Edmunds ground?
There is hope. Occasionally, a member achieves hostness.
tidester, host
SUVs and Smart Shopper
Yep -- been there, done that. But not with post #11111.
It may have been two weeks ago. A light bulb suddenly flashed ON in my brain after reading a few posts within this topic. I feverishly logged in with my "cotmc" disguise and proceeded to lay down some prose that could make Vonnegut proud. I was planning to impress the millions of worldwide Town Hall readers with my wit and automotive knowledge. My excitement level peaked as I finished my work of art and proceeded to hit the "Post My Message" button below. After five long seconds, I could read the final result of all my effort, and it was...
crap! :sick:
I am now taking a moment of silence to thank you Hosts for the "Delete" function.
So what kind of Cigs do ya smoke? I will try to visit you in the joint and bring you a cake with a file in it
Are sale went OK, made for a strong sales close, don't know if it was due to the mailer or just the excitement it brewed up in the sales force. But we had a full show room every day for 3 days and busted around 35 units out. That is a good weekend for us lately.
It is funny how are expectations are lowered now. There was a time when anything less the 20 on a Saturday was a bust, now we are just happy to get into double digits on a Saturday. We used to have are sites set on 225 every month now 150 is a good month.
Just a little helpful tidbit.
Anyone win the moolah?
-Moo
Tidester, am I on emotorcon probation for excessive use?
Then why did ya
We are communicating on a message board that has little cars making faces. Is grammar that big of a deal
Seriously, no big deal thanks for the on the spot correction. Like I had said earlier in the great grammar debate, it really does not bother me at all but if it takes away from the spirit of the conversation I will pay more attention.
Its just another quirk of all you import buyers/sellers I will need to get used to.
I think I brought it up again because I don't have any awesome stories right now. It's NOT a big deal. I'm just a nitwit, that's all.
Actually, I think I'm going to recount a story of a certain crazy customer that decided to return his vehicle a couple of weeks ago. Let me go get the exacts on the story and then I'll post it.
Jip, I know why they took away your emotorcons. Your constant misuse of them has placed you on probation.
"I just wrecked my brand new vehicle and I didn't put any money down on it and I don't have GAP.
That's a misuse.
"I just purchased a vehicle and paid way too much for it!
Actually, that last one might pertain. You have a sick streak to ya.
-Moo
P.S. I just had my emotorcon privileges revoked. The voice in the sky told me to ease up on the emotorcons. WTF?
A couple days later, the used car department starts fielding calls from the son who asks them how much they are selling his Xterra for. When he finds out, he becomes very indignant and says that we are selling our vehicle for WAY too much money. He becomes irate because he feels that we are taking advantage of the buyers.
Nothing seems to come of that situation, but the next day he returns and says that his remote keyfob is scratched and would like a new one. My sales manager looks at the remote and sees a tiny scratch on it. The son says that he didn't just pay $25k on a brand new vehicle to have a scratched up remote. So my SM says fine and goes to used cars to get another remote to program. The son says, NO! That's not a new remote, I want the one from my trade-in. SM says, I can't do that.
The son is upset. He tells my SM that he just wants the plastic cargo cover from the back of the Xterra. SM again says, no. Your trade was appraised with that in the vehicle and plus, at this point, the vehicle has already been sold.
So then the son declares that he is just going to return the vehicle and give the title back to us. SM asks him how that makes any sense. Son replies that it is the principle of the matter. SM asks to have his father's number. Son says that his father doesn't need to be involved in this. He knows what he's doing.
SM goes to find the number for the father. When he returns, the signed title and the keys to the new Frontier are sitting on his desk and the son is gone. SM calls Son on the cell phone and asks him where he is. He's walking down the road away from the dealership because it's the principle of the matter.
SM is starting to find this whole situation comical and sad at the same time. He asks the kid to come back and get his vehicle because he's not going to take it back. Son does, but as he drives off the lot, he throws the title out the window.
SM has it mailed to him.
Maybe 3 days later, we receive a phone call from a certain customer. He wants a new title because his title is all scuffed up.
WOW!
-Moo
i would have been funny if the kid returned the vehicle and left the keys and title, and your SM kept it. im sure his tantrum would have blown over and he would have been back to pick it up, and you could have said "but you gave it back! we already sold it to an owner who will love his car regardless of "principles!"
but i know you couldn't do anything like that...
do you mind me asking how old this kid was? something tells me he's either an only child, or from a family that has always gotten him what he wanted...but that's just a hunch!
thanks for sharing moo - you always have some great stories!!
-thene
Ha, we didn't win anything. We went down to the dealership, the key didn't open jack, we cruised the lot a bit and then left. While I would have taken a free Chevy, I can't really see myself spending money for one. I'm more a Pontiac G8 or Caddy CTS type dude. :shades:
Found my emotorcons! :P :P :P
Need to stay out of the "Display Preferences" page.
Maybe 3 days later, we receive a phone call from a certain customer. He wants a new title because his title is all scuffed up.
Ahhh, youth.
anyway, if the kid's vehicle had been towed, who knows if some of the cars on the lot would have been keyed.
i'm thinking a dealership isn't necessarily a safe place to work.
I'm not seeing any problem with them. Were the emotorcon links not visible? Still not visible?
tidester, host
SUVs and Smart Shopper
tidester, host
SUVs and Smart Shopper
Maybe 3 days later, we receive a phone call from a certain customer. He wants a new title because his title is all scuffed up.
Ahhh, youth.
I really, really, really hope for Moo's sake that he "torpedoed" the survey. :surprise: