Stories from the Sales Frontlines

sterlingdog

Yes, I am very proud of you. That mother and son will never forget your efforts. Things like that help to do away with the stereotype of car salesmen.

mackabee

Nope, what do I do? swallow a spoonful or put it in bread? Help me out.
Mack

sterlingdog

For the hiccups try this: Place a small brown paper sack tightly over your mouth and nose. Breathe in and out deeply and slowly until you feel that there is no oxygen left in the sack. Give it ten minutes to react. If that doesn't work, eat several saltine crackers and then repeat the process. I'm not crazy about you taking the Thorazine. It has other side effects that aren't good for you. Good luck.

sterlingdog

Oh my gosh! Don't dare eat peanut butter by itself, especially when you are about to go to sleep. It can get into your lungs and choke you. You need bread or crackers to help its absorption.

sterlingdog

The actor's name was Jack Webb.

mackabee

I won't. I'll try the paper bag routine first.
Jack Webb is right. Who was the other guy Harry Potter? I know he was Colonel Potter on Mash, one of my all time favorites.
Mack

mackabee

Check out my carspace for my new LOOK!
link title

Mack

bolivar

1/4 or 1/2 teaspoon of sugar, placed on the back of the tongue.

Sometimes works, sometimes doesn't.

Unless the chemo is doing it, something may be stimulating the 'vargus' nerve near your throat.

Drinking cold liquids, drinking hot liquids, sometimes might be triggering hiccups. You aren't one of those people that always has a soft drink with lots of ice or a hot cup of coffee in one of your hands, are you? If so, stop it, and see if the hiccups might slow down.

otto8

obyone

Toyota Corona?

jack47

He ends up buying the mop and glo at a discount ($499.00) since I told Suzy to take it easy on him since he's just a kid

So the kid got screwed into paying $499 extra for something he certainly doesn't need. Sounds like instead of Suzy supporting the troops...the troops are suppoprting her.

With minimum care my '95 Camry still looks like new.

oldfarmer50

"...My doc prescribed Thorazine..."

Wow! How old is your doctor. They used that stuff to subdue violent mental patients in the 50's. There are better meds available now.

Tell me, when you visit your doc are there any farm animals in the waiting room with you?

epiney

They now want me to have that 60,000 mile check up which cost about $165.00.

If they are changing fluids and filters for that price, then that is a very good deal. The $165 is just the labor on many other makes and dealers.

epiney

It's nice to see that you took extra time and effort with the kid and that you guys didn't club him like a baby seal, since these kids are prime huntin'.

However it is a bit sad that he spent over $500 more than he had to on the mop and glo. It will take him a long time to save $500. I assume he paid MSRP for the car as well even though they go for less (see Fitzmall). I wish all the guys on meager wages serving the country could buy cars at Fitzmall prices with no back end add-ons. But then again, this is a free capitalistic society.

snakeweasel

What usually works for me is taking a very deep breath and very slowly exhaling, I mean like taking 30 seconds or more to do it. Can't explain how but it works for me.

But as always your mileage may vary

isellhondas

Yes, I do have a cure for hiccups and it works every time.

Peanut Butter. I'm serious.

Slowly swallow a BIG glop of peanut butter and your hiccups will be gone! Works every time!

Let us know!

obyone

Yep I agree...one big glop creamy not extra chunky

sterlingdog

You are so right. Thorazine went out with the Dark Ages. I was going to mention the mental patient thing but Mack is such a mental case anyway that I decided against it. :P

sterlingdog

Thanks for sharing that. I'll go ahead with the deal.

dino001

$165.00 for 60K? Try $400-600 or more.

Unless it is really a "checkup", not actual changes. At 60k you come to change practically all fluids, which are many: from brake, to transmission, to differential, to radiator, to power steering (this one could probably wait). Then you have fuel filter. These would be minimum. Some cars require change of spark plugs (not many though - most are 100k now), timing belt. At 60k you if they tell you you need serpentine belt (or set of external belts, depending on vehicle design), you may probably need to go with that.

Look at your manual and you'll find out 60k is a big one even with minimum (non-severe) recommendations. Of course does not mean the car will stop working tomorrow if you don't do any of that. If you want to sell it soon - let the next owner worry about it.

mackabee

I warned him beforehand. Maybe he saw value in it since the car will be parked by the ocean so he bought it. $499.00 is more than 50% of the regular price. Plus I did get him a $400.00 rebate for being military. I believed he did pretty good considering his age and he had mom on the phone during the transactions.

All Scions are sold at MSRP in my store and competitors. The dealers are not obligated to discount the vehicles. The Scion covenant is if you discount say a tC for $500.00 you have to do the same for every buyer of a tC during the same period. Most dealerships won't discount them since they sell well at the MSRP which by the way has hardly any mark up and no holdback. tC's have an $800.00 mark up. Best car for the money out there.
Insurance is very reasonable so he won't be broke and will be able to enjoy his car.
Mackabee

mackabee

Well my right index finger is permanently crooked due to me carrying my coffee cup everywhere when I was in the Navy. It's still crooked but the cups I use now don't have a handle. But yes, I do drink one cup in the morning and several throughout the day along with some cold powerade. I have noticed hot or cold will trigger the hiccups. It is related to the chemo though so I hope they'll be gone in a couple of days.
mack

dino001

As I recall military discount is from manufacturer so dealer is not making one a favor for giving it (at least that's the rule on other brands that have such discounts). If all he got is that discount he did as everybody else, no better, no worse. If, on the other hand, the discount came trully from the dealer than it's a different story.

If your Mp&Glo girl is as you say a bulldog, I wonder if you ever lost a sale. Cause I can tell you that, brother - if I encounter somebody who would not let go I'd walk away rather than let be pushed around like that.

mackabee

We have four of them. Two I really care for and the other two make my life miserable sometimes if I let them.

I came close one time to losing the sale with Suzy. I did get burned on the survey because of her. This customers thought the protection package was included in the price of the car already since that's how they had bought their Subaru's. Heck if they would have told me that to begin with I would have negotiated to mop and glo at the beginning. She wrote a letter to the owner and was not satisfied with his response. She also complained about getting options on the car that she did not want even though she paid $300.00 over invoice for it and I explained to her I couldn't take options off a car that already had them so I could do a concession on the price of the car. She still didn't think it was a good deal but went ahead and bought anyway.

sterlingdog

The new haircut looks good. It doesn't really look that short. Actually makes you look a little younger. You need to smile in your pictures---you look grumpy.

greanpea68

When I had the hiccups as a kid my grandfather would sy to me " Greenpee, every hiccup you do I'll give you a quater for each one" .... That would make me think about how much money I would be getting and then i would forget about the hiccups...

Mop & glo...

Mack,
What do you guys call that at you store? here we call it "touch of class"

Also you really can't beat the warranty on that stuff. I know a lot of the managers or salespeople here get when we buy a car.

GP

isellhondas

" she still didn't think it was a good deal but went ahead and bought anyway"

I would much rather lose a sale than have a customer leave unhappy.

And, I have told them that.

sterlingdog

You're right. Looks like from the manual 60k is a big one. Thanks for the advice. Think I'll do it because I plan to keep the car for another 3 or 4 years.

sterlingdog

Mack, how many salesmen, service guys, and staff members are at your dealership? Do all of you ever meet together or are the sales meetings separate? When you have meetings, how long do they usually last?

oldfarmer50

"...I'd walk away rather than let be pushed around like that..."

Then again you're not 20 and being confronted by a girl with big brown or blue eyes. At that age I would have purchased a bridge in Brooklyn from a pretty girl.

These days young girls hold doors open for me and call me "sir".

mackabee

It's very short on the sides so that you can see where the patches of hair were falling off. A colleague was the one who took the picture and I was trying to smile but didn't .
Mack

mackabee

Here we call it the pro-pack or protection package. I've heard other stores call it Touch of Class which does sound better to a customer. You know what I've noticed is when I tell a customer about it and tell them it's up to them if they want to buy it. I'm not endorsing it and they end up buying more often than when I pitch it to them or plant the seed.
Strange huh?
Mack

mackabee

I tried the "take away" with her. I said "Mrs. Johnson, if you aren't going to be happy with the purchase let's stop right here and forget about the deal." to which she replied: "Oh no, I want the car just not the extras that came with it." So I told her. "Look, you got a great price on the vehicle, great trade value, so just think of it as stuff that you didn't have to pay for." And I left it at that.
She complained about the cargo cover and tubes with the netting and the floor mats. Jeez! It's a $279.00 msrp package which has an invoice of about $129.00 she paid $300.00 over on the car and still thought she got screwed! Go figure.
Mack

mackabee

Sales there's like 32 right now on the floor. Six in the customer care center (answer phone calls) so they are not sales. Seven managers which include the Gm, Gsm, and Sm's and five F$I managers. Service writers we have six or seven, plus countless mechanics on each service writer team. Then we have the Prep department which is the biggest PITA for the sales folks.
Our sales meetings are Saturday and monday morning and that's only sales folks and sales managers, we never meet with service or parts. I do have a good relationship with service and parts as we watch out for each other and I'm well known at the dealership so when a customer needs a car they usually send them to see me.
Our sales meetings are really redundant. They last less than 30 minutes and we really don't cover anything of substance. The monday morning meeting is to me a waste since it's more of the same of the Saturday meeting.
Mack

isellhondas

It's funny.

Often it's the same people that have to have to have the top of the line models will penny pinch when it comes to the small accessories we install like wheel locks and splash guards.

qbrozen

If I have misinformed point it out.

well, that's all I did. (the mileage thing and the acceleration thing.) so i think its settled. :b

greanpea68

You know what I've noticed is when I tell a customer about it and tell them it's up to them if they want to buy it. I'm not endorsing it and they end up buying more often than when I pitch it to them or plant the seed.
Strange huh?

Not that strange because I have found the same thing to be true... It's funny just state the benefits and act like you don't care if they get or not and then they end up getting it. I don't know why it happens that way but i have noticed it too... I can't remeber if you get paid on it but I know we do here. Ussualy about $30- $40 depending on what ever finance sells it for. We get 10% of any back end profit here.

GP

greanpea68

Sales there's like 32 right now on the floor.

Your store must be selling at least 500 per month.....

Then we have the Prep department which is the biggest PITA for the sales folks.

If you mean clean up department as your prep department I totaly understand what you are saying. They never seem to be happy. When it is slow there isn't enough work... When it is busy They can't get a car cleaned with out a three day notice

GP

sterlingdog

I was asking because my workshops can go from 1-3 hours depending on what the boss wants. Also, a group of 30-40 is a nice size to work with and work with each other. Do you have e-mail at your office?

mackabee

Yes, just email me at vmonterroza@checkeredflag.com
Not even close.
Mack

roadburner

$165.00 for 60K? Try $400-600 or more

I agree; $165 for a 60K service is extremely low- for any car. The 60K service for my Wrangler was $250 and the equivalent Inspection II service for my 3 Series was $358. I will note that in both cases all driveline fluids were changed using synthetic oils and fluids.

epiney

Often it's the same people that have to have to have the top of the line models will penny pinch when it comes to the small accessories we install like wheel locks and splash guards.

It's not about penny pinching. Wheel locks, mud flaps, pro pack, spoilers, running boards, pin stripping, roof racks, or whatever; they are all the same. Only install the stuff that I ask for on the car. Pre-installing any accessory and sticking on a price that you determine is just another hidden profit item.

Now, factory options are another story.

dino001

I could reverse your words with something like that: I just bought top of the line model and they still want more by pushing some crap I never asked for for God only knows how much If they don't want it, they don't want it. Call it all you want, but their wish should me your command. I'm not disputing actual need, value, or price of those accessories - but all you can do is offer it and they may or may not accept your offer. Why would you call them names if they don't? They just bought a car from you!

dino001

$358 for synthetic fluid exchanges on a bimmer? Big time bargain Unless of course it was only engine+transmission+diff and inspections and nothing else - then it's "normal".

If 60k also coincides with brakes, timing belt, exterior belts and a few other minor changes, it may go even deeper into the wallet than you think.

isellhondas

" Profit"...what an ugly word, huh?

We pre-install the items that most people want anyway. Yes, we do make a petty amount of evil profit on these items and that's one of the reasons we install these inexpensive items. Most people are happy with these items and they don't have to schedule an appointment to return for installation.

Around here, people NEED splash guards and people just love stealing alloy wheels. I agree with you on the other items. Nobody "needs" a goofy looking spoiler or near worthless running boards, and pinstrips spoil the looks of a car.

The penny pinchers I was talking about LIKE these items in most cases. They just don't want to PAY for them.

mackabee

In the case of my customer, they were port installed accessories which they stick the dealers with like it or not.
Mack

epiney

" Profit"...what an ugly word, huh?

Oh come on, you can do better than calling people cheap and anti capitalism. What ever happened to giving people what they ask for? Do you tell people all of your cars come this way? But wait, they don't come that way from the factory, do they. Those items are so simple to install they can be done when the vehicle is prepped. No need to come back.

If people want them and don't want to pay for them, just tell them they can't have them!

What do you charge for those wheel locks and mud flaps anyways?

epiney

In the case of my customer, they were port installed accessories which they stick the dealers with like it or not.

I've seen those quite often, like preferred accessory packs with all weather mats, trunk mats and other stuff. Even Lexus (Toyota ) does it. No problem when it's listed on the window sticker, it's those assumed dealer add ons that bug me.

I still may buy them, but don't tell me that all cars come like that and they are mandatory.

snakeweasel

Around here, people NEED splash guards and people just love stealing alloy wheels.

Me and the wife went to one dealership and the mentioned the fact that alloy wheels get stolen more often than others as the reason they put on (and charge for) wheel locks.

The funny thing is that the alloy wheels were also add ons and added a significant cost to the vehicle. Even though I asked about getting the wheels the car came with back on he never really gave me an answer either way.

dino001

There is nothing wrong with offering something even at inflated price, if there is a market for it. But it needs to be an offer - not a bundled coersion without asking the customer prior that. There is also a major difference between ordering mfrs. accessory pack installed at port/factory and putting aftermarket stuff with hundreds percent of markup at the lots. The latter is no different than putting paint sealant and fabric protector at every car on the lot. Obviously "everybody needs it", don't they?

Some dealers are worse than others. SE Toyota is probably worst of them all - at least from what I see in my neck of the woods. They invented Toyoguard packages (not even one - they have several levels) and found a way of integrating them into the Monroney sticker. Since that worthless crap is put on at distribution centers before the cars are stickered, they have them now as preinstalled option package. So you get that 15K Corolla without $500 side impact airbags, but boy - you definitely need supervaluable $699 Toyoguard package. Could you even think of getting no paint sealant, fabric protector, first oil change and car rental if vehicle needs to be repaired overnight under warranty. They are better than Jerry Lundegaard - he lied when saying that his Oldsmobiles came with rustproof from the factory. Your friendly SE Toyota dealer is actually telling the truth whe he says "That's the way we get them from our distributor".