Stories from the Sales Frontlines

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  • greanpea68greanpea68 Member Posts: 1,996
    Probably wasn't the same elephant.

    Your out of controll.... :D I really laughed out load on that one. What are you trying to mess with readers today? That was a good one Mack :shades:

    GP
  • greanpea68greanpea68 Member Posts: 1,996
    We do need to keep these stories related to the sales frontlines afterall.

    If we kept everything on track we wouldn't need you guys ;)

    GP
  • roadburnerroadburner Member Posts: 18,370
    Only one car in the RB fleet came w/o mats, and that was my used Wrangler. I simply drove over to a friend's shop and he sold me a set of Cannon mats. The Club Sport, X3, and MS3 all came with new custom-fitted mats. I decided to get another set of OEM mats for the MS3 in case I want to show it from time to time. I find an individual on eBay who has a brand new set of Mazdaspeed mats with a starting bid of $50 and a "Buy It Now" price of $150. The cheapest price I could find anywhere else was $125(only about $10 cheaper than OEM BMW mats-go figure), so on a whim I enter a maximum bid of $60. Long story short, I win the mats for $50+ $10 S/H. The mats arrive about a week later in their original Mazda shipping box. The mats are still inside unopened plastic bags. And I notice that the shipping sticker on the box indicates that the shipping cost was $13. Now THAT's what I call a Considerate Seller!!!

    Mine: 1995 318ti Club Sport-2020 C43-1996 Speed Triple Challenge Cup Replica
    Wife's: 2021 Sahara 4xe
    Son's: 2018 330i xDrive

  • greanpea68greanpea68 Member Posts: 1,996
    The $199.00 was a lame attempt at getting some of the lost money back. In my region we are not discounting Corollas much due to the price of gas going up and demand for the car also going up.

    $199 for a DOC fee is pretty good. My area average is $350...

    Also My area 4 cyl. are on fire right now. Not much on discounts either.

    GP
  • oregonboyoregonboy Member Posts: 1,650
    To you sales pros out there, I am curious about your first-hand experiences regarding the effects of the current economic "down-turn" and the recent increase in fuel costs.

    Are trucks and SUVs selling at all? Are people trading in gas guzzlers on more efficient vehicles? Isell, what would you do if I drove up in a 2 year old Durango and wanted to trade it on a new Civic?

    "People with money always have money." Have the high-end car sales been impacted by fuel cost?

    Inquiring minds want to know! :shades:

    james
  • gogiboygogiboy Member Posts: 732
    "I wondered what happened to that 707...Still, the limo must be at some place. Have any of you heard? "

    Richard, I'm not sure where it has been in the 40+ years since the event, but it now resides in the Henry Ford Museum in Dearborn, MI. I'm sure plenty of car nuts of this forum have been there. Along with the Greenfield Village it's one of SE Michigan's real gems. Every school kid who grew up in Southern Mi has probably gone at least a few times. The museum is basically an enormous homage to the internal combustion engine. If you go to the village as well as the museum you can easily kill two days.

    My third grade class took a tour of River Rouge in the mid-60s when Detroit iron ruled the road and "made in Japan" was a pejorative phrase. Seeing the finished cars come off the line left an indelible impression.

    Oops, I see that jmonroe beat me to it. The limo wasn't there 18 years ago, but I'm not sure exactly when they got it. I believe that the limo was in one of the Vegas casinos at one time. My mind has been ruined by this kind of trivia. By the way, Greenfield Village also has the chair that Lincoln was shot in at Ford's Theater and wasn't Kennedy shot in a Ford Lincoln?

    Gogiboy
  • fezofezo Member Posts: 10,386
    Another Lincoln- Kennedy thing! And right you are!

    I remember going at about that age to the Ford plant in Mahwah, NJ, which is no longer (in fact all of the car plants in New Jersey are no more) in probably 1957 or 8 (actually would make me a little younger). I was impressed as all get out though, man, was that loud!

    Last I looked it's now Sharp USA's headquarters.
    2015 Mazda 6 Grand Touring, 2014 Mazda 3 Sport Hatchback, 1999 Mazda Miata 2004 Toyota Camry LE, 1999.
  • thenebeanthenebean Member Posts: 1,124
    my uncle had a beta player for the longest time. i do remember 8-tracks - we had a few at our place when i was a little kid. never had an atari - had the first generation Nintendo though. and i LOVED pacman!

    mack - since you are a drummer i figured i can ask you - i've always been a huge fan of the drums, but never learned to play. i find myself drumming on things when listening to music, and am seriously considering getting a basic drum set to have around to jam on. probably something cheap and used, since who knows how long i'll choose to stick with it if i get a set. any thoughts on what i should look for? you can send me an email (i think i have it in my carspace profile...) so i dont hijack this thread.

    anyways, back on track!

    i like cars! yay for cars! i ESPECIALLY like the new GT-R that's coming out! greanpea - i should get you to send me a brochure just so i can hang it up and drool over it until i have the money to buy one some day! are you guys getting any in? i may have to drive up to see one!

    -thene :-)
  • fezofezo Member Posts: 10,386
    And, better yet, you could put your new drums in your car to get them home.....
    2015 Mazda 6 Grand Touring, 2014 Mazda 3 Sport Hatchback, 1999 Mazda Miata 2004 Toyota Camry LE, 1999.
  • thenebeanthenebean Member Posts: 1,124
    yes! thanks fezo! great way to tie in cars to drums!

    i just need a car big enough to carry drums...don't think the spec-V or the saab 9-2x will accomodate them...

    -thene :-P
  • micosilvermicosilver Member Posts: 212
    To you sales pros out there, I am curious about your first-hand experiences regarding the effects of the current economic "down-turn" and the recent increase in fuel costs.

    Are trucks and SUVs selling at all? Are people trading in gas guzzlers on more efficient vehicles? Isell, what would you do if I drove up in a 2 year old Durango and wanted to trade it on a new Civic?

    "People with money always have money." Have the high-end car sales been impacted by fuel cost?


    Downturn or not - people need cars. Some models are hotter than others, but other than that business is usual and growing.

    SUV's - the big wave was last year, when gas prices started climbing, and everyday I would have somebody wanting to trade a Suburban for VW GTI, but most of these people learned that they are so much upside down, that theid head started spinning, and without cash - they cannot trade. Now I think they are riding out their cars.

    Luxury - I think cheap luxury suffers - Lexusm Infinity, A4, 3-series, C-Class. True luxury sells at the same pace.

    Mico
  • isellhondasisellhondas Member Posts: 20,342
    Not only is Lake Tahoe blue and beautiful, it is also COLD!

    I made the mistake of jumping in one hot summer day and what a shock that was!
  • mackabeemackabee Member Posts: 4,709
    I was building the momentum up for the third part of my story. I will finish it up tonight. Really, I'm not kidding.
    :blush:
    Mack
  • mackabeemackabee Member Posts: 4,709
    :shades: Yeah but, they should have called it a doc fee or admin fee whatever. But when they changed their tune that it was for the 10 year/100k mile warranty they really blew it!
    Mack
  • mackabeemackabee Member Posts: 4,709
    You're going to have to buy an xB. There's plenty of room for your new set of drums. I'll tell you the same thing I tell other friends. Buy something that is a known brand name. Get the entry level drums which are generally very good quality. This way if you decide that you don't want to play anymore it won't be hard to sell them.
    Going the used market is risky if you don't know much about drums. You can see it on ebay all the time where people are selling their used kits for a ton of money. Some are worth the money others are not. Old pre 1970 Ludwig snare drums are treasured by collectors and can be expensive. The Japanese kind of took over the drum market back in the early 80's. Pearl manufactured kits for several other brands and they are now probably the biggest manufacturer in the world.
    Tama, Yamaha, Pearl are the big three on the import side. On the domestic you have Ludwig, Gretsch, Slingerland, Pacific and DW which are the same company. DW is the premium brand along with Sonor which is a German company. The Sonor sets are probably the best bang for the buck with their Force series line.
    Pearl makes the export line which is very popular with beginning drummers. Yamaha has the Rydeen series which are also very good. Their hardware is some of the best in the world as it is manufactured in their motorcycle plant and it's very sturdy. Sonor's hardware is also top notch. Some people think it's over engineered but it lasts a long time.
    Tama makes a small sized kit for around $499.00 made of poplar with covered shells. 5 piece with an 18 in bass drum, smaller size toms and snare, includes hardware: bass pedal, hi-hat stand and one cymbal stand plus a Meinl crash cymbal and hi-hat cymbals. I helped a friend of mine buy it and set it up for him. His son is the one that will be playing it. Although it is small it puts out big drum sound and it's great for a small room or when you get good at it for gigging out in town. Go to link title to check out some kits, you can also go to the manufacturers website from there and check out their drum offerings. They have the best prices online but your local Guitar center or independent music store are very competitive and they would rather you buy from them. I like to stay close to home unless the online price is on an unbeatable deal. My local store has a 2hr workshop for new drummers and guitar players once a month. Everything the novice needs to know like tuning, setup, etc. They also offer instruction at reasonable prices.
    There's a few upstarts like Pulse, Sound Percussion, even Wal-Mart has the First Act brand.
    More later..
    Mack :shades:
  • oldfarmer50oldfarmer50 Member Posts: 24,250
    "...I noticed I had 3 different brands of tires...My guess was they were swapped out..."

    I agree. They were swapped out between the time you bought the car and the time you picked it up. :cry:

    I would go back and demand new tires and free floor mats.

    2019 Kia Soul+, 2015 Mustang GT, 2013 Ford F-150, 2000 Chrysler Sebring convertible

  • imidazol97imidazol97 Member Posts: 27,688
    We put towels in the car in the winter to catch the snow and salt off our shoes. But they are not color-coordinated to the interior (floor). They're white towels or whatever we borrowed from the Hampton or Fairfield on the last visit.--just kidding. :blush:

    2014 Malibu 2LT, 2015 Cruze 2LT,

  • jmonroejmonroe Member Posts: 8,989
    You are an absolute scream! I knew that you were a tight [non-permissible content removed], but towels instead of a set of mats?! Are you kidding? Four nice bath towels cost as much as a set of color coordinated mats from Target.

    OK Teach, listen up. You might learn something.

    I wasn’t being tight at all. The towels I bought were nice towels but that doesn’t mean they cost what replacement car mats would cost. Furthermore, I was thinking beyond just the purchase price of car mats. If I bought mats, after the winter, they would be filthy. Mrs. jmonroe said that about the towels and it would apply to the replacement mats also. Isn’t that why I was covering the original mats to begin with? So, come spring, if I didn’t want to look at filthy replacement mats come the next winter, I would have to scrub them clean. By doing it with towels, I take them off, give them to ‘you know who’ and they are put in the washing machine. That’s why we have one of those things; to get things clean and I don’t have to clean anything. The machine does all the work. There…I bet you never thought of that before you called me a tight [non-permissible content removed], did ya? :mad:

    You really didn't save any money.

    I just answered that. Read it again. :surprise:

    Just wait. You'll come home one day and find a $10,000 surprise in your dining room.

    When donkeys fly or my $ss isn't so tight !! :cry:

    jmonroe

    '15 Genesis V8 with Ultimate Package and '18 Legacy Limited 6 cyl

  • 80srockgod80srockgod Member Posts: 15
    "2008 Jeep GC Limited 4x2
    MSRP: $36,695
    Employee Discount: $4,039
    Friends Discount: $3,446

    2008 Chrysler 300 LX
    MSRP: $25,295
    Employee Discount: $2,230
    Friends Discount: $1,879

    2008 Chrysler Aspen Limited 4x2
    MSRP: $32,805
    Employee Discount: $3,527
    Friends Discount: $3,018 "

    Ted, thanks for posting the numbers -- where are these published? Is it always the same amount below invoice?
  • jmonroejmonroe Member Posts: 8,989
    All the duct tape I've used, after about 2 weeks the adhesive sets and either will not come off or stays sticky FOREVER and no solvent know to man will clean it up.

    I've had that problem too with the adhesive residue but I found that plain ole paint thinner takes the glue off unless it's been cooked on. Surprisingly Acetone and Lacquer Thinner don't work.

    You need the right tool for the job.

    jmonroe

    '15 Genesis V8 with Ultimate Package and '18 Legacy Limited 6 cyl

  • tedebeartedebear Member Posts: 832
    Ted, thanks for posting the numbers -- where are these published? Is it always the same amount below invoice?

    The discount varies by model. The numbers come from a "Build Your Own" link on a restricted website. It doesn't say what the discount percentage is, just the amount of final discount at the end.

    The site says that the numbers given are just an estimate and that the invoice itself has the official discount. In my experience it's always been very close - sometimes a little more, sometimes slightly less.
  • jkinzeljkinzel Member Posts: 735
    OKay thene, fess-up. How much did you win when in Tahoe? :P
    Did you make it to Virginia City? A great place.
  • tedebeartedebear Member Posts: 832
    $199 for a DOC fee is pretty good. My area average is $350...

    Hmm...my local Chrysler dealer charges $75 for a doc fee.
  • tidestertidester Member Posts: 10,059
    If we kept everything on track we wouldn't need you guys ...

    We are forever in your debt! :P

    tidester, host
    SUVs and Smart Shopper
  • tidestertidester Member Posts: 10,059
    I am curious about your first-hand experiences regarding the effects of the current economic "down-turn" and the recent increase in fuel costs.

    That's a moot point. Our president just told us that the "economy is coming on" so not to worry. :)

    tidester, host
    SUVs and Smart Shopper
  • tidestertidester Member Posts: 10,059
    whether or not there was an elevator in the washington monument

    Which, of course, begs the question "How many of these guys attended the Washington Monument's groundbreaking ceremony?" :shades:

    tidester, host
    SUVs and Smart Shopper
  • joel0622joel0622 Member Posts: 3,299
    I am sure they are like everyone else and the discount is a set percentage. To figure out the discount from the numbers posted you would need to know what invoice is not MSRP. For example Fords employee plan is 4% back of invoice. The higher the the invoice the bigger the discount. If you got invoice on those units and did some quick dividing you would have your answer.
  • joel0622joel0622 Member Posts: 3,299
    To you sales pros out there, I am curious about your first-hand experiences regarding the effects of the current economic "down-turn" and the recent increase in fuel costs.


    Our new car/truck sales have been up each month over the previous year every month so far this year. Allot of that has to do with the great success we are having with the Fusion, Edge, and new look Escape.

    It is not so much the gas prices that are freaking people out but the cost of diesel combined with the slow down in home building that is effecting our truck sales. When those numbers get back in line combined with some new product we have coming we will be busting at the seams.
  • greanpea68greanpea68 Member Posts: 1,996
    i ESPECIALLY like the new GT-R that's coming out! greanpea - i should get you to send me a brochure just so i can hang it up and drool over it until i have the money to buy one some day! are you guys getting any in? i may have to drive up to see one!

    We only have one GT-R brouchure. It is is huge. It is in a big box that is kept in the managers office. The brouchure itself is kinda short meaning not too many pages. The big part of the thing is that it has actual peices of plastic that you can touch to see the paint that will be on the vehicle. Instead of looking at pictures in a book.

    It would be a pleasure to see you if you want to take a ride up! :D

    GP
  • greanpea68greanpea68 Member Posts: 1,996
    But when they changed their tune that it was for the 10 year/100k mile warranty they really blew it!

    They probably forgot to mention that in oreder to be considered for the 10/100,000 mile warranty they should have mentioned that every service has to be done at that paticular dealership on the schedule maitnance recomended from the manufacturer. We have a dealer around here who does the same thing... but miss one oil change and you don't qualify anymore... It is all perception ;)

    GP
  • joel0622joel0622 Member Posts: 3,299
    We only have one GT-R brouchure. It is is huge. It is in a big box that is kept in the managers office

    That reminds me of when Ford came out with the new T-Bird. The brochures were like gold and had to be kept in the Sales Office. Those things were bringing $30 on Ebay.

    We would get calls from customers who would be mad at us because we would not give them a brochure for a car they bought across town.

    I wonder if customers realize that all those fancy full color brochures we have in the show room are not free. We pay I think right at $2.10 per brochure, at $105 for a box with 50 brochures in them. That adds up.
  • jescuejescue Member Posts: 521
    ours are 4 to 5 dollars apiece. Sometimes people come in and want one for every car because they collect them or are just car goofs. They can walk out with $100 worth.
  • mackabeemackabee Member Posts: 4,709
    To all my fans I apologize. I was going to finish my story last night but I sat down in my Lazy boy chair to watch a classic Led Zeppelin concert and fell asleep! I woke up after mid night and went straight to bed. I'm on my way to work in about an hour so I'll check back in later tonight.
    Yours truly,
    The often imitated but never duplicated: Mackabee!

    :shades:
  • shirley1539shirley1539 Member Posts: 30
    To all my fans I apologize. I was going to finish my story last night but I sat down in my Lazy boy chair to watch a classic Led Zeppelin concert and fell asleep! I woke up after mid night and went straight to bed. I'm on my way to work in about an hour so I'll check back in later tonight.
    Yours truly,

    The often imitated but never duplicated: Mackabee!

    you are a true dork!!!!
  • snakeweaselsnakeweasel Member Posts: 19,592
    you are a true dork!!!!

    I worked with a Dork, she is a very nice and intellegent lady (yes her last name is Dork). :P

    2011 Hyundai Sonata, 2014 BMW 428i convertible, 2015 Honda CTX700D

  • thenebeanthenebean Member Posts: 1,124
    i spent $20 on an hour and a half on the penny slots. im not a big time gambler - and i'm always nervous to go play on the table games (even knowing that your odds are FAR better there than the slots) because you need much more money to play with in the first place. my limit, being $20, can only provide a limited amount of entertainment, which is why i stretch my bang for the buck on the penny slots. maybe someday when i have more disposable income, i can give the hold 'em table a try (i can hold my own in a neighborhood poker game) but for now, i am content to just blow off my $20 playing some silly video slot with 68 different rows you can play!

    didn't make it to virginia city - we stayed in south lake tahoe near stateline, where the heavenly gondola is. snowboarded for a couple of days, drove around the entire lake one day, and hit up san francisco for a couple of days. a very enjoyable trip!

    -thene :)
  • thenebeanthenebean Member Posts: 1,124
    so it's not really a brochure, but more of like a GT-R information display thingie?

    you'll have to let me know when you have a GT-R coming in, and i'll swing up to take a look. won't buy, wont even ask to drive. i'll bring my own chamois cloth so i can wipe up the drool though! :-P

    -thene :)
  • mackabeemackabee Member Posts: 4,709
    Here's the definition of "dork". Now which one am I?

    Slang, A stupid, inept, or foolish person: "the stupid antics of America's favorite teen-age cartoon dorks" (Joshua Mooney).
    Vulgar Slang, The penis.

    Thou should engage brain before opening mouth or type on keyboard. (Confucious)
    ;)
  • isellhondasisellhondas Member Posts: 20,342
    With a 20.00 limit, you wouldn't like Las Vegas!

    On the strip I tried to find a 5.00 blackjack table and I couldn't.

    They have a few 5.00 tables in some of the smaller places downtown.

    On the cruise ship I was on in August, 10.00 was the minimum.
  • jmonroejmonroe Member Posts: 8,989
    you'll have to let me know when you have a GT-R coming in, and i'll swing up to take a look...

    And when you get there he'll say, "we just sold it but hey lookie over here, this is a nice Altima there almost the same except..."

    You oughta know better than most how the biz is run. :P

    jmonroe

    '15 Genesis V8 with Ultimate Package and '18 Legacy Limited 6 cyl

  • snakeweaselsnakeweasel Member Posts: 19,592
    Here in Illinois the lowest I have found is $15.

    2011 Hyundai Sonata, 2014 BMW 428i convertible, 2015 Honda CTX700D

  • gogiboygogiboy Member Posts: 732
    "Thou should engage brain before opening mouth or type on keyboard. (Confucious)"

    Mack--

    Not knowing Shirley's true intention with his/her remark I think in your response you should have paraphrased a quote made by Bill Gates where he states "you should be nice to dorks, chances are you'll be working for one". ;)

    Gogiboy
  • verdugoverdugo Member Posts: 2,288
    Why not just get rubber mats? I have the VW Monster mats in my Passat and the Weathertechs in the Jeep. They work great and the carpet in the car stays completely clearn.
  • laurasdadalaurasdada Member Posts: 5,205
    Try downtown Vegas for lower limits. My last trip to Vegas, I was playing (and winning!) at Binions $3 blackjack. I even got comped a couple of dinners there for playing $3! Such a deal... Many years ago I played $1 blackjack at Imperial Palace (be sure to visit their car museum, it's free!).

    Unfortunately, $10 are the minimums at my local casinos (Foxwoods, Mohegan Sun. Love that place!!! I want to be like Howard Hughes and live in the penthouse at Mohegan Sun...).

    TheNE: Just learn blackjack basic strategy and figure out a money management system. Doesn't mean you'll win, but you increase the odds and time playing... Blackjack is my fave...

    '21 Dark Blue/Black Audi A7 PHEV (mine); '22 White/Beige BMW X3 (hers); '20 Estoril Blue/Oyster BMW M240xi 'Vert (Ours, read: hers in 'vert weather; mine during Nor'easters...)

  • joel0622joel0622 Member Posts: 3,299
    On the cruise ship I was on in August, 10.00 was the minimum.

    Ya the limits were low the first night we were on the ship then after that they jacked them up.

    I used to be a gambling fool and would think nothing about having $1000 bet laying on the table at any given time. Thats why my cars are not paid for yet and I still have some CC debt.

    I will gamble now occasionally but if I go into a casino I walk in with $250 max and when that is gone so am I.
  • thenebeanthenebean Member Posts: 1,124
    its good to know that in vegas there are some lower limit tables. i think a whole bunch of us are going to go to vegas next year so it should be fun. i'll do a little reading so i can clean house out there, and maybe get a free dinner or two myself! ;-)

    -thene
    "yay for cars!"
  • isellhondasisellhondas Member Posts: 20,342
    Thene,

    Try the older (dumpy) places downtown like the El Cortez and you'll find lower limit tables. Also, weekdays work better when youa re trying to find a seat at one.

    I remember 1.00 limits, that was a long time ago.
  • obyoneobyone Member Posts: 7,841
    Wow that's in the boonies. Something like Palace Station.
  • greanpea68greanpea68 Member Posts: 1,996
    you'll have to let me know when you have a GT-R coming in, and i'll swing up to take a look. won't buy, wont even ask to drive. i'll bring my own chamois cloth so i can wipe up the drool though!
    \
    I will let you and everyone else here know when they are here.

    No one can buy them because they are already sold.

    No test drives needed.

    I am not sure but we are talking about putting them in the showroom with a rope around them so no one can get that close to them. We are thinking of putting them in there till the papaerwork is done. Who knows???

    GP
  • tedebeartedebear Member Posts: 832
    I am sure they are like everyone else and the discount is a set percentage.

    Well, it also has something to do with the region where the dealership is located.

    For instance, the data below is for a 2008 Town & Country Limited and what the employee discount is in the St. Louis area, where one of the minivan plants is located. Although the MSRP stays exactly the same when using a California zip code to "Build Your Own" the discount changes.

    MSRP: $36,755

    Employee discount (Missouri): $4,124

    Employee discount (California): $3,699
This discussion has been closed.