Stories from the Sales Frontlines

mackabee

I was here till 8:30 pm working on a split deal! :sick: Then today the customer calls me and says her husband doesn't like the color of the truck.! I'm running late since I'm exhausted from the weekend so I slept till 10:00am. The call me from the dealership and I speak with the husband who was not with the wife yesterday she made the whole deal by herself but I guess picked the wrong truck. So anyway he tells me he wants a black TRD 4x4 d-cab not Sport package. Ok, I know we have one so I tell them to hang tight and I will be there in about 30 minutes. By the time I get in they are now with a different sales person and they are loooking at a white trd special edition 4x4. I tell him to go ahead and finish the paperwork and go and stock the trade in. They leave about an hour an a half later but they are happy. They are both in the Navy so I establish immediate rapport with her husband and while we wait for the truck I give them a tour of the dealership and his wife asks me if I still get credit for the sale. "Don't worry about it, I'll be ok. The main thing is that you are happy and satisfied with your purchase." They love me. They promise to send all their friends and relatives to see me when they need a new car. Happy ending.
Now I'm just looking at the tumbleweeds in the parking lot.

laurasdada

My guess is that most lurkers are afraid to reveal themselves here for fear of leaving with Rust/Dust, Mop/Glo, pinstripes, landau roofs and extended warranties... :shades:

isellhondas

I can't believe your store would even be open on New Years Day.

We're closed but I'm here!

laurasdada

"I just saw a bunch of new Jags towed from a wreck off I-70 last night. I'm sure one of the XKs can be bought for $20k off MSRP...:

Is this true? If so, how sad for Jag...

I mention the $20k discount as I'm wondering if a local Jag dealer will repeat last summer's apparent fire sale on '07 XKs this year with '08s...

sterlingdog

Dear "Lurkers",
Don't be afraid to post because of me. I'm too busy with jmonroe who still can't spell "grammar" or "spelling" correctly. Besides, I have a new deal for 2008. If I correct your posting, just reply with: "Richard, thanks for the tip, but please don't correct me again." I'll put you on my "relief" list.
Happy New Year to everyone here. "May the sun shine warmly upon your face, and the winds blow softly across your shoulders."---an Irish blessing.
JMonroe, the next time someone refers to you as "old school", "old timer", etc., say to them: "Age, like beauty, is in the eyes of the beholder and you need to see an optometrist."

sterlingdog

After the day that you had yesterday, you should be at home having some R&R. You are a real workaholic. Try to take time to smell the roses. I worked two jobs for 40 years. They had someone at both of my desks within hours of my leaving. My retirement dinner ended with a gold cigarette case. So much for 40 years. Now that I am retired, it is like catch up. I think of so many good times that I missed with family and friends. Give isellhondas a break. Life is too short. That goes for all of you here.

sterlingdog

You know that we love your stories, and I am so glad that you didn't end this one with "Continued." Promise me that in 2008 we will get to read the entire story at one sitting. Hope you're feeling better. I just know that 2008 will be your best year ever!

oldfarmer50

"...with jmonroe who still can't spell "grammar" or "spelling"..."

I think jmonroe had it correct. I'll even use it in a sentence: "Grammar drank too much and spelled her beer all over me". :P

jmonroe

JMonroe, the next time someone refers to you as "old school", "old timer", etc., say to them: "Age, like beauty, is in the eyes of the beholder and you need to see an optometrist."

Can I use that line about the ugly comment too?

jmonroe

imidazol97

">I was going to tell you that none of the 4 dealers in the greater area were open today... and I called.

I was shocked to hear the Toyota store on the other side of town but owned by a neighbor on this side town is open!!! So you're not the only Toyota store open!

They're not watching tumbleweeds. We have snow here.

isellhondas

Maybe lurking isn't a bad thing...

" Tis better to remain silent and be thought a fool than to speak and remove all doubt" :P

sterlingdog

I need your opinion. I have been told that I need new ball joints for the tires on my '03 Explorer XLT which has 69,000 miles. Seems to me that it is a little early for that to happen with my low mileage. Also, I've only done interstate and city driving with it. I know that I must need them because I had it checked out with two tire dealers. I had them greased but was told that I need to take care of this within the next 3-6 months. Now greased, I don't hear the squeaking that I heard when I make turns. We're looking at about $600 for this project. Guess I better go ahead with it soon.

Glad that you had a good ending to 2007 and hope that 2008 will be even better.

imidazol97

>"May the sun shine warmly upon your face, and the winds blow softly across your shoulders."---an Irish blessing.

Whoever wrote that wasn't in Ohio today with 15 mph winds and temps dropping with light snow flurries blowing.

Happy New Year to everyone (lurkers included).

greanpea68

They love me. They promise to send all their friends and relatives to see me when they need a new car. Happy ending.

Hey Mack,

Can you make it so you get the survey on a deal like that. When ever I get a half deal like that ands I have all the raport and I know it will be good i make sure i get the surevy ya know what I mean?

GP

sterlingdog

Well, I know one name that is not made up. When I first signed on here, I didn't realize that you were suppose to make up a name. So "richard' is actually my name. I was thinking that Joel uses his real name but I could be wrong.

I think that the origin behind the nicknames is interesting. Yours was an interesting story and I'm glad that you shared it. It makes fun reading.

greanpea68

Tis better to remain silent and be thought a fool than to speak and remove all doubt"

Thats a good one. I'm letting you know now that I'll use that line.

GP

Open here today untill 6pm

GP

sterlingdog

Yes, you can---if you promise to be a nice student in 2008.

sterlingdog

You are such a character! Enjoyed the explanation. Glad your favorite number isn't 69!

sterlingdog

Love that! You're on the ball this first day of the year.

isellhondas

Who is telling you you need ball joints?

If it's one of the "chain" stores that love doing "gravy" jobs, you may not need them.

I would check with your dealer or a quality independent alighment shop. 69,000 miles shouldn't wear out ball joints but I could be wrong.

imidazol97

Sears told me long ago my new Mustang with 20K miles or less needed new ball joints on lower front. I immediately drove to the Ford garage who was happy to show me how Sears didn't support the lower A-arm to check and left the ball joint hanging in midair so it had the normal looseness of a new joint from that era.

I'd recommend joel0622's Ford garage TN. You may have one closer. I'd pay them to check the car out.

You're not clear if they had grease fittings and weren't greased regularly or they were greased at the time of the check.

If they were sealed fittings, I have heard of a few early failures on a different brand, heavy car with sealed joints that can't be greased. They were "greased for life" which was short in their case.

Disclaimer: I have proofread as carefully as possible within the time constraints of the moment. I am not responsible for grammatical, spelling, or informational errors.

epiney

ROFL! You must owe her many...

sterlingdog

Thank you for your and isellhondas's quick responses. I went to two alignment shops as isellhondas had suggested. One said that the ball joints couldn't be greased. The other one did grease them. The one that greased them said that the A-arm also had to be replaced. He also said that he had done this to some models at 40,000 and 50,000 miles. This guy is one that I have gone to for years for regular maintenance on my cars. He is a former student of mine and though he may be wrong, I know that he wouldn't lie to me. Like isellhondas, it seems pretty early to have this problem.

Joel0622 is 500 miles from me. Your suggested visit to a dealer is a good one.

Your disclaimer is great! Besides, I wouldn't correct your post. You and I have an agreement Thanks for being such a nice guy.

jmonroe

You and I have an agreement

Short for 'teacher's pet'. :shades:

jmonroe

sterlingdog

And you are the "teacher's pEST." :P

imidazol97

>Your suggested visit to a dealer is a good one.

You might get lucky with one and get assistance on replacement for a known problem. But there's something to be said about the trusted shop and guy. He'd probably put on parts that will last the lifetime without going bad again, and you'd be done with it.

mackabee

I know what you mean. At this point I really don't care about the survey. I'm more interested in the $50.00 that will go to my Toyota Rewards card. I have a few of those coming.
Mack :shades:

mackabee

I can't believe you printed that! LOL 68 funny!
Mack

mackabee

Mine is a derivative of my youngest son's name. His birth name is Mark Steven and when he was a toddler we began calling him Markie, which then when to Mackie, then to Mack and Mackabee. Poor kid, didn't know what to answer to. Just kidding. We call him by his name now, but once in a while I will call him Mack.
Mack
:shades:

nj2pa2nc

mine should be an easy one to figure out-started out in Nj moved to Pa now in Nc.
i visit friends and family alot in nj and pa. when i am in pa I still like to take my car for service at Lehigh Valley acura (i have dealt with them 6 years). I also get my car serviced at stevenson acura when I am home. I received a survey from acura wanting to know if I had a bad experience at LV that made me go to Stevenson since i had my car serviced at both places in the past 6-months. I gave both dealerships excellent marks. as the famous poster writes: TO BE CONTINUED..............

jmonroe

And you are the "teacher's pEST."

That's what I always was and some called me worser than that.

Glad to here I ain't lost my touch. :shades:

jmonroe

michaellno

One other thing you may want to do is some research on the ol' Internet ... to see if the ball joint issue is a problem with Explorers in general.

We leased an '02 Explorer and traded it in before the lease was up, so I can't tell you if it's a problem in general, or with yours in particular.

I do this quite a bit when 'issues' crop up with any of my Saturns .. there is a website I have bookmarked where Saturn folks congregate and I can do research on their forums, post questions and get good feedback. You may try to do the same on some Ford owners forums.

Oh, and a Happy New Year to one and all!

BTW - my handle is my first name and last initial. Geez, that was hard to figure out.

sterlingdog

Thanks for the suggestion. It is a good one.

greanpea68

Deleted post again

I was wondering if that was going to go under the radar. What can I say it is still my favorite number.

It could be that I owe one car wash

GP

mackabee

Thanks Richard. I have another doozy for tonight. I'm just waiting on the customer to call me back with the ending.
Mack

joel0622

Tell him to come pick out one of the 5 2007 F150's I have left. I will make him Xplan and pick up the $5250 in rebates

" Imports are superior"

joel0622

That would be me

" Imports are superior"

jescue

$5250? Wow.I cant believe you have 5 left.

joel0622

We are in great shape with 07 inventory. I think we have maybe 12 total 07's left. i can remember years where we would be in April of the next year and still have 50 prior year units left.

Will will be out of 07"s by the middle of the month.

" Imports are superior"

jescue

I just looked at your 07 F-150s... 6 at $59,800? How can they be that much?

joel0622

Sure you were not looking at Super Duty trucks? That sounds more like a Diesel 4x4

" Imports are superior"

jescue

They are listed under the F-150 section, last page.they say 4x4 and 8 cylinder. Sounds like Super Duty pricing to me. :surprise:

madmanmoo

Ha!

I wonder who holds the record for deleted posts. There should be a "Hall of Shame" forum where all the deleted posts are put. It would be read-only and you would have to electronically sign a form stating you were above 18 years old.

That would be some fun reading for sure. AND we could get all the advertising links to sites that we never wanted to visit.

Kirstie? Tidester? What do you think?

-moo

laurasdada

" Imports are superior"

Now that little truism has to hurt!

Whom do you blame the most for having to shout this admission from the highest mountaintop?:

The Patriots
Greenpea68
Yourself
The Universe

:P

Now, that was cute. Fine. I'll ease up on the Emotrocons, Big Brother!!!

greanpea68

" Imports are superior"

Your good man Joel!

I was wondering if you were going to take a vacation.

GP

isellhondas

Ah, the people with the most deleted posts have left the building.

joel0622

[non-permissible content removed], my skins thicker then that bro.

" Imports are superior"

greanpea68

my skins thicker then that bro

I know that brother!!!

GP

chikoo

Life is about enjoying.

If you enjoyed working 2 jobs for 40 years, who cares if they gave you only a cigarette to smoke on your dinner party, let alone a cigarette case.

Isell, if you enjoy what you do, keep doing it.

madmanmoo

And who might that be?

-moo