Stories from the Sales Frontlines

isellhondas

Ah....no comment.

isellhondas

That is a pretty weak way to sell a car but at least you didn't ask to see it.

verdugo

I wouldn't ask for it either. I don't know why they show it to me either. At least it was good to know that the figures matched Edmunds.

dino001

Be careful with you assumptions, Joel. Many pay same income (and other) taxes as you do. They simply came from places where deals are struck differently and it takes time to come to realization things work different way in different parts of the globe.

joel0622

Dang Dino, am I your chosen target for the day or something

british_rover

I am grilling steaks right now and have been off work for the past two days.

Jealous yet?

joel0622

The TOS here at Edmond's restricts me from using the proper language to convey to you how I really feel about that

british_rover

Oh and Margaritas too.

Using this great new Anejo Tequila the package store guy recommended. Aged for two years in oak barrels.

joel0622

I guess I will just spend my day living vicariously through you. When you get a chance could you just open a Corona and let it sit there like it was for me

laurasdada

I feel left out. I don't believe that I've ever received a survey after buying a new car. Is there a rhyme/reason regarding who receives surveys?

In my earlier days, if I were to be honest, salesfolks would be nicked on surveys by me for a fairly appalling lack of product knowledge. And, instead of asking me to wait while they find the answer, they would make up an answer (e.g. "You can not get a manual transmission on any turbo car. Not just Mazdas, any car..." Of course, there were several on the lot...).

As I've been buying "higher-end" cars since the mid '90s, things have gotten better, more professional salesfolks. I still get complimented on my knowledge whenever I buy a car. Yeah, I know, I know. Just strokin' me to extract more $$$!

My favorite sales moment was talking to our Lexus salesman who encouraged me to try car sales (high end, after I'm retired and don't need the $$$ of course!). Unlike most lower-end stores (hey, Keith, didn't you sell me a washer at Sears last month? Now you're selling Nissan's huh?), there seems to be very little turnover at this Lexus shop. Salesman said one of the reasons is that most of the salesman make six figures! Well, so do I. If you count the two figures to the right of the decimal... :sick:

So, what's the deal with the surveys?

snakeweasel

C’mon ‘snake’, these guys need help. If they’re not in business, where would us car buyers get a car?

There will always be new car dealers. There might be less but there would be some left. The fact is the more dealers you have the more prices will be forced down (each trying to outsell the other). But as dealerships leave the market there would be less downward pressure on prices and prices will rise. If prices get high enough to make big profits more dealerships will open in order to get those profits.

At some point there will be some sort of equilibrium where there is enough buyers and sellers to make business profitable enough.

snakeweasel

Does anyone else think it's just plain rude for a customer to ask to see an invoice?

Generally yes but if the salesman or sales manager brings it up as part of their negotiations then its fair game.

british_rover

Bah Corona :confuse: :P

I got better stuff then that. You want Tecate or Modelo Especial?

joel0622

Cerveza Tecate por favore

epiney

Help me here, I need an education. What's a BD...BIG DOPE ?

BD as in Business Development, but I suppose Big Dope would do. I would that term for the "Internet Managers" that can't write and have barely have the authority or knowledge to go the bathroom without asking. I know they want to cull all of the email leads, but these guys are truly a waste of time if you want to buy.

isellhondas

It seems not everyone gets a survey. Sometimes, my happiest customers don't get one and the guy who came in with a chip on his shoulder and couplained about everything, of course, he will get one.

british_rover

For Joel...






Notice the perfectly salted rim of the glass and my custom spice rub for the steaks.

joel0622

Man that looks good.

isellhondas

For us, this is one of the busiest weekends of the year!!

NOBODY takes Labor Day off!

Now, I'm hungry!!

british_rover

I over cooked them by about five minutes I think cause they were a tad dry.

isellhondas

Well, now I feel better. I like mine rare!

british_rover

Bah can't stand rare meat. I need medium well to well done deepening on the cut.

isellhondas

NO, say it isn't so!!

You would turn a nice cut of meat into pot roast??

Medium WELL...Oh no!!

british_rover

Just a little pink in the middle please. I almost always marinade my steaks in Worcestershire sauce to add a little moistness.

These particular steaks also have my own custom dry rub on them too.

The secret ingredient is coarse ground hops. :surprise:

epiney

Notice the perfectly salted rim of the glass and my custom spice rub for the steaks.

You call those steaks...look like Fajita beef to me :P (J/K) Happy Labor Day

epiney

OK this is the funniest thing I have seen in a long time. These chuckle heads just offered $19K OTD, manager said no, they then got up and started to walk out the door, when no one tried to stop them they just stood at the door with lost look on there face, stood there for a couple minutes and then sat back down in the salesman's office.


Eh? What's the tax rate in TN? How can anyone even throw a number like $19 OTD when $21.5 is the floor? :confuse: I've heard of trying to establish a bookend for negotiation, but it should be at least on the bookshelf.

What a waste of time :sick: Aren't x-plans supposed to save time

british_rover

Well those steaks were supposed to be for a completely different recipe my wife was going to make. It was French and involved some kind of special butter but she is not feeling well so I grilled them up instead. They are a little on the thin side compared to what I normally grill so that is my excuse for the slight dryness.

epiney

Just pulling your leg. I grilled some dry-aged USDA Prime rib eyes yesterday, just over a pound a piece. What a feast.... Cracked open a 1995 Vega Sicilia I picked up in Madrid about five years back. After dinner, washed it down with some Ice Wine Love those long weekends...

british_rover

I just finished the second margarita with this tequila and it is soooooo good. Tons of flavor and just the right amount of heat as it hits your stomach.

Well I am off to play Some Shootout so have a great afternoon all.

hansienna

People don't think they should pay sales tax if they buy the vehicle in another state because they will have to pay the sales tax in their home state when it is registered. :shades:

isellhondas

Not what I was talking about. Some people try hard not to pay sales tax at all.

im_brentwood

Some people are just kooky. And A-Plan buyers know the prices are indeed fixed.

dino001

That's allright Joel. Perhaps it's me and my mood being more argumentative than usual. Don't really know why...

jmonroe

If prices get high enough to make big profits more dealerships will open in order to get those profits.

At some point there will be some sort of equilibrium where there is enough buyers and sellers to make business profitable enough.

Ah ha, I hear that again so it must be true.

Almost word for word the way my economics professor said it and the book too.

jmonroe

british_rover

Many states have reciprocal sales tax or if the dealership is near a border it will effect the registration for an out of state sale and collect the out of state sales tax.

jmonroe

..."Internet Managers"...

I know they want to cull all of the email leads, but these guys are truly a waste of time if you want to buy.

The last two times I bought I started with the Internet and both guys were pretty darn good. It must be like salesman, some good some not so good.

If I didn't have a good experience the first time I probably wouldn't have tried it again. Now, that's the only way I plan to do it.

jmonroe

lrguy44

Spent day at beach, day on Harley, day on snorkel cruise, just hanging out at my son's house trying to catch up and get ready for dinner, OK?

snakeweasel

Almost word for word the way my economics professor said it and the book too.

Yes us Economists tend to repeat ourselves.

lrguy44

Hey BR, I want mine to sqy "MOO" as I bite into it.

jmonroe

I over cooked them by about five minutes I think cause they were a tad dry.

You over cooked them by 5 minutes. I cook my 1 1/4 inch beauties 6 minutes total (3 each side) but I use oak wood chips to flame them for 1 1/2 minutes each side (old Indian trick) and does it ever work. Yep, medium rare...only way to go.

BTW, you used too many ice cubes in that drink...so I guess that dinner was a complete bust. :shades:

jmonroe

jmonroe

I want mine to sqy "MOO" as I bite into it.

Yeah, and I like to see a little wiggle when I cut into it. Neither Mrs. jmonroe or son #2's wife can watch when I cut into my steaks and they're not rare but pretty close.

jmonroe

snakeweasel

You sound like me, you want your steak to try to escape. :shades:

epiney

It's a good start, but I know you can do better :P

mackabee

All you have to do is look at the monthly numbers. They haven't changed. We sell the same amount of cars but the guys that are buddy buddies with the sms and app setters get all the deals although the sms claim that's not the case. I call it the "Friends and Family" plan. It happened today. A couple of young girls and a young man pulled up in a 94 Camry xle. I was closer to them but I let one of my partners take them. The ask for one of the SM's couldn't pronounce his name. I was within two feet of them so I heard the conversation. Joe walks them into the showroom and a few minutes later comes out and he's fuming. The sm gave the up to one of his buddies. Then he has the audacity to come out and tell Joe he knew the girls and had sold them a car before. This sm couldn't sell shine to Shinola. We've addressed this situation before but it only changes for a week than it's back to the same ole crappola.

Mack

P.S. and what really makes it stink worse than yesterday's diapers is these "appointment setters" don't input the customer's info correctly into the database most of the time yet at the end of the month they claim they sold xxx cars due to their efforts. Please.

nyccarguy

I would NEVER ask to see a dealers' invoice while negotiating for a vehicle. It is MY JOB and MY RESPONSIBILITY as a consumer to do my research before I set foot in a dealership. There is a lot of it out there on edmunds & kbb just to mention a few. I think Ford even lists the invoices of the cars that you "build" on their website.

I recently negotiated the lease of a new '07 BMW X5 3.0si for my Dad. The salesman who we leased his '04 X5 3.0i from (and my Mom's '05 530i) was no longer with the dealership. We have developed a relationship with the dealership through the service department because they are the closest BMW dealership to my parents' home. The Sales Manager directed us ot a salesman and we spoke for a few minutes as to what we were looking for and that we needed a vehicle by a certain date. We took a test drive and then his card and said we'd get back to him on Monday that we still have a few more cars to look at. I found out the invoice of the car with the options my Dad wanted, BMWFS base lease rates & residuals. In my mind a really good price for a non ///M BMW is $1000 over invoice. I called the salesman on Monday and told him what I was looking for and started by negotiating the Cap Cost of the Lease. He asked me where I got the selling price from. I told him I added $1000 to what I believed was the invoice. He told me I was $500 off, so I went down the list of options and the base price. I forgot there is a $180 Training Fee and $300 Advertsing Fee added to the invoice of every BMW which he mentioned. I said OK (to the price of the car which was $1000 over invoice including Training & MACO fees). He then worked out a lease payment which I thought was too high. Turns out he was bumping up the lease rate (which BMW allows him to do). I told him I'd call him tomorrow. He called me before I had a chance to get a hold of him and he agreed to use the base lease rates. My Dad got a great suv at what we thought was the best price. We gave the salesman all 5s on his CSI survey.

Like I've mentioned before, I work at a small, family owned Plumbing Supply House in a very poor neighborhood in The Bronx. Many times I wait on customers who don't speak much English (or none at all) and when it comes time for them to pay the bill they say to me (in perfect English), Cash no Tax right? I tell them everybody pays tax. Cash or Charge it is the same price.

Joel: I'm not a fan of American cars at all (the companies or the cars themselves save a Corvette), but I am glad that Ford seems to be "getting it" and that there are products in the showroom not being blown out the door via huge incentives. I know a certain portion of our nation's economy depends on the Big 3s success.

mackabee

Bone Distributor Business Development team member. :lemon:
Mackabee

mackabee

"Once the front end is agreed upon you come to the finance office where we rape you with a menu, it show your inflated rate and your payment then 4 different payments with different useless warranties, credit and life and disability, protection packs added to the loan. You are presented and explained to each of the warranties. You circle and initial the payment you want and the paper work is completed."

Not so fast, Eddie! I had the "pleasure" of sitting in on one of these disclosures Friday night.
I sold a customer a Tundra and being he spoke little english I was asked to translate in F$I. Now just because this customer spoke little english doesn't mean he was stupid. :confuse: He's being shown a 6yr/100k mile warranty. Why a six year? Because that's how long the customer wants to finance the vehicle. So the "bank" wants to cover their investment only for that long. Now every Toyota has a 3/36 comprehensive warranty and a 5/60 power train warranty.
The F$I guy gives him the "menu" and my customer declines to order.
I explain each option and what his payment without the menu options and with the menu options will be.
As I said, this guy may be a construction worker but he ain't no dummy. He looks at me and says: I'll translate for those of you who don't speak Spanish. "Why would I buy a one year warranty and pay all this extra money when the truck already has a five year warranty?" So I look at the F$I guy and ask him the same thing. He turns beet red and stutters that once the factory warranty is gone the customer is responsible for the truck. WELL DUH! Who else is going to be responsible for the truck? if not the customer. :mad:
So needless to say, the customer does not buy the extended warranty or the extended service plan.
Next.
Mackabee

roadburner

Joel: I'm not a fan of American cars at all (the companies or the cars themselves save a Corvette), but I am glad that Ford seems to be "getting it" and that there are products in the showroom not being blown out the door via huge incentives.

I'll just add that had Dearborn been offering this Focus



instead of the supposedly restyled well-past-its sell-by-date lump found in US showrooms, I might well be driving one instead of an MS3.

mackabee

Wow, this looks almost identical to the one used at my store. We spelled Lo-Jack and vehicle correctly though.
500 plus components huh? Which components are these? :shades:
Mackabee

mackabee

What's so new about this Focus? Looks like the old one with bigger alloys, funky fog lights , side markers, and integrated turn sigs on the outside mirrors. Looks really "revolutionary"
Mackabee