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Stories from the Sales Frontlines

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Comments

  • obyoneobyone Member Posts: 7,841
    We have 2 teams, red and blue, and alternate days.

    That red and blue thing. You're not referring to this example are you?

    red vs blue
  • obyoneobyone Member Posts: 7,841
    Over on the "Tires, Tires, Tires" board there is a guy claiming 100K plus on his oem tires.

    Course if you asked the resident expert capriracer about that guy claiming 100K he would mention something about a grain of salt.
  • bmw3434bmw3434 Member Posts: 64
    Sorry, I can't open link because all the computers here have what I like to call "net-nanny" on them. For whatever reason it is not allowing me to view the content.
  • 8sparkplugs8sparkplugs Member Posts: 111
    We bought a 07 Pilot EXL_RES last year at the end of July for $27,300. I would think they would be more desperate this year than last.
    There is a "Prices Paid" forum for the Pilots, and most other cars.
  • bkswardbksward Member Posts: 93
    100K in a non-ordinary use scenario is definitely possible.

    I made it 37k on Bridgestone Potenza RE92s on a Maxima... I'll average about 50k on the Michelin Pilot Sport A/Ss by the time I buy 4 of them... (I was naughty and didn't rotate them in the last 25k miles, and replaced the fronts with 43k on them.) These are Z rated tires on an overpowered car in suburban driving...

    If most of your driving is wakeup, drive 4 blocks, get on the interstate and drive 30 miles and then get off and pull into your parking space, with no winding roads or much cornering for most of the miles, then 80k or 100k on something like a 4 cylinder mid-size with tires designed for mileage instead of grip won't be out of the question...

    Of course, someone here doubted that I have a lifetime average on a VQ35 engine of 22.4 mpg... but Autoweek just finished a long term test of a 3.5 Altima with the 6 speed and they averaged 21 and change... and that was with multiple drivers romping the gas like crazy...
  • iontrapiontrap Member Posts: 139
    Thanks for the info. Is that what you paid OTD?
  • boomchekboomchek Member Posts: 5,516
    the picture showed bloodz and cripz (red vs blue)

    2016 Audi A7 3.0T S Line, 2021 Subaru WRX

  • isellhondasisellhondas Member Posts: 20,342
    No Grand National but I recently sold my 1989 Le Sabre T-Type.

    Those GN's sere sleepers like no other car ever built!
  • obyoneobyone Member Posts: 7,841
    100K in a non-ordinary use scenario is definitely possible.

    If my memory serves me correctly the poster referred to a Honda getting the 100K. I thought that awesome. if true, being that it was a FWD vehicle. So now that makes 2 Hondas getting unreal mileage out of their tires. FWIW.
  • isellhondasisellhondas Member Posts: 20,342
    Honda tires can last 75,000 miles and more although I wouldn't push mine that far.

    Honda uses top quality tires. They also seem to find the NOISIEST tires they can possibly find!
  • obyoneobyone Member Posts: 7,841
    The English professor asked about the 80K tires on a Pilot.
  • fezofezo Member Posts: 10,386
    Honda uses top quality tires. They also seem to find the NOISIEST tires they can possibly find!

    Yeah, what's up with that? I think they must have deaf people doing their noise tests. Inevitably the noise on any of my Hondas goes down once I replace the original tires.
    2015 Mazda 6 Grand Touring, 2014 Mazda 3 Sport Hatchback, 1999 Mazda Miata 2004 Toyota Camry LE, 1999.
  • 8sparkplugs8sparkplugs Member Posts: 111
    The out-the-door price was $29,200. I'm in Texas with a 6.25% tax rate.
  • jipsterjipster Member Posts: 6,296
    Honda uses top quality tires. They also seem to find the NOISIEST tires they can possibly find!

    That statement seems to be a contradiction. Top quality tires should not be that noisy. It's probably not the tires as much as Honda not using enough sound deadening materials to lower the noise. Honda's cars are known to be a bit on the noisy side.

    Also, keep in mind for optimal tire safety it is recommended to replace tires after 5 years... regardless of the mileage. Over on "Tires Tires Tires" some guys report their mileage like it's some kind of contest. i.e "OH, look at me. I got 180,000 miles out of a set of Hancock tires... I'm #1"

    I think taking a tire down to it's legal limit of 3/32 " is dangerous as well. That's almost pancake tires. Replace them at 4/32... 5/32 or 6/32 is even better.
    2021 Honda Passport EX-L, 2020 Honda Accord EX-L, 2011 Hyundai Veracruz, 2010 Mercury Milan Premiere.
  • bolivarbolivar Member Posts: 2,316
    Viper vs GN.

    Why isn't anyone talking about the car taking the pictures? It seemed to easily keep ahead of both of them.

    To me, it didn't seem like any race at all. A couple of cars just briskly pulled away down the highway.
  • qbrozenqbrozen Member Posts: 33,735
    I decided to go back and take a look at what you guys were talking about. That video isn't even a race. I don't know what they are doing, but it seems they never even get over 50-60 mph. Check how after several seconds, they still just crawl past the citizen out for a sunday drive.

    edit: whoops. didn't see bolivar's post till now. :)

    '11 GMC Sierra 1500; '98 Alfa 156 2.0TS; '08 Maser QP; '67 Coronet R/T; '13 Fiat 500c; '20 S90 T6; '22 MB Sprinter 2500 4x4 diesel; '97 Suzuki R Wagon; '96 Opel Astra; '11 Mini Cooper S

  • fezofezo Member Posts: 10,386
    Oh, just because a tire is noisy doesn't mean it's not a good tire. It depends what your priorities are.

    For a simple enough experiment go over on tirerack and go through their choose your tire feature.

    Last I looked (I imagine it's still the same) they will ask you to set your priorities - performance, comfort and tread life. I suspect OEM Honda tires go in the order of tread life first with the others taking a back seat. Any tire that tries to be long lasting above all other things will be hard, stiff and loud compared to one that's not.

    I tend to ask for performance first, followed by comfort with tread life last. Part of the theory that the tire is functionally dead before the tread is gone anyway and the other part is if I have to buy an extra set of tires over the life of the car to get the performance and comfort I want it's worth it.
    2015 Mazda 6 Grand Touring, 2014 Mazda 3 Sport Hatchback, 1999 Mazda Miata 2004 Toyota Camry LE, 1999.
  • duke23duke23 Member Posts: 488
    boomchek wrote :
    "the picture showed bloodz and cripz (red vs blue) "
    Think it's actually with an " s " per old school but regardless,
    contibution to humor is +1, Well said.You don't have to put on your red light.
  • duke23duke23 Member Posts: 488
    GP wrote :
    "Than she proceeds to tell me her friend got the same car with $3000 more equipment for $250/mo with no money down. So I suggest that she may not know all the facts about her friends purchase which in the end she admits... We agree she has to do more shopping to verify my numbers it is now 7pm... "
    Congratulation on never losing your cool, That's what it's all about.
    Appeal to their logic and you might make the sale.Thinking I don't
    even want to know that one's Fico, it's how a true saleman would proceed.
  • roadburnerroadburner Member Posts: 18,320
    When I was in high school most of the crowd I hung out with wanted sleepers. Not much to look at but watch it go.

    I still prefer sleepers. A friend of mine used to auto-x a seriously modded E36 M3. Just for giggles he removed the ///M3 badge and replaced it with a German 316 badge. Several months later European Car published a letter from a clueless doofus asking where he could buy a 316 like the one he saw that set FTD at a local SCCA event...

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

  • iwant1tooiwant1too Member Posts: 32
    If it rode like this Buick I'll take two.

    Makes me wanna cry for selling my 87GN. I bought it new and sold it 10 years later with 18,000 miles on it. :cry:
  • duke23duke23 Member Posts: 488
    richard64 wrote:
    "If the sounds of my failures are heard hitting the Earth, let it be known that it was an unsuccessful leap for a star." Thomas Wolfe '

    "Life is a tale told by an idiot, full of sound and fury, signifying nothing ". The bard, himself.
    So true I find myself nodding daily in agreement.

    Yet one more, What a giftie God would gie us to see ourselves as others see us.

    The world might need a few more poets, Sir richard Lord Guardian. Post on.

    Lower oil prices may save the intermediate three, largely it depends on how dumb consumers are. Short to intermediate term, the oil market always goes in extremes. Longer term, Chin-India, needs to build a few more cities, and that needs copper, oil and lumber. Short term, commodities suck. longer term, still not enough refineries, lots of oil, just not those dirty nasty refineries. Except in Houston. Cough.
    Not in my back yard..
  • mackabeemackabee Member Posts: 4,709
    Oldfarmer, I think this one went over a lot of people's heads. ;)
    A couple of weeks when this started and I saw the headline on CNN I was in shock!

    "How on earth did the Russians get into this country with all those tanks and troops and attack Georgia?"

    Heck we can't even control my compadres coming in from across the southern border!
    :shades:
  • duke23duke23 Member Posts: 488
    Mack wrote:
    " "How on earth did the Russians get into this country with all those tanks and troops and attack Georgia?"
    "
    Not buying in to the media hype. We all know Charlie Daniels would kick Putins heinie to Valdosta. Devil went down to Georgia indeed. As an aside, they talk funny.
  • mackabeemackabee Member Posts: 4,709
    "Craig....don't you still have one of those GNs sitting in your garage?"

    Heck, he still has a Ford Model A. ;)
  • mackabeemackabee Member Posts: 4,709
    That would make sense except most dealerships don't want to spend extra money on envelopes and locks and keys.

    We had this full day training a few years ago on protecting customer's NPN. They even assigned a "security officer" to implement the changes. Well, from what I can see a couple of years later it hasn't worked so far. I still find copies of customer's driver's licenses on workstations unattended, in cars left on the front or back seats, etc,,etc,,.
    We did put a combo lock on the door to the BDC office where we have our "own" personal desks with lockable drawers. This doors locking mechanism is disabled during the day so anyone can walk in. The only person there during the day is our customer relations manner and most of the time you have to look over or around the partitions to her desk to see if she's in.
    :sick:
    "
  • obyoneobyone Member Posts: 7,841
    While protecting the potential customer's info is important, finding those dam keys to the demos are even more so. Most times they can't even find those.
  • obyoneobyone Member Posts: 7,841
    Tire noise?

    Ever had a 35 series run flat tire running close to your head in a car with virtually no insulation? Now that's noise. Called driving a vette....err not chevette.
  • driver100driver100 Member Posts: 32,586
    Many years ago I rotated tires on my car (think it was an 81 Olds Calais) and my front tires wore out right away after that. Then I rotated tires again on my 84 Camaro...tires wore out shortly after that. Both had major wear patterns.

    So, on that basis I have not rotated tires ever since then. I figure, so what if the front tires wear out first I,ll just buy new ones...probably cheaper than rotating tires every 10000 miles or whatever.

    I haven't had a tire go bad (from some kind of crazy wear pattern) since then. Any tires I have replaced since then are from normal wear, or from a puncture...usually a roofing nail that has dropped off a roofers truck.

    IMHO rotating tires is really over rated....is it just me or is it every one else that is crazy? :confuse:

    2017 MB E400 , 2015 MB GLK350, 2014 MB C250

  • graphicguygraphicguy Member Posts: 14,120
    Thanks guys.....I kind of expected that the high line dealers kept "normal" hours vs the bigger stores who offer more "run of the mill" wares. Just curious.

    Talking of street racing, up until about 15 years ago, myself and another car enthusiast buddy had a ratty 'ole Mustang. It was a combination of primer and faded black paint. Plenty of dents. Looked like hell. But, we had a 302 in it that was cammed, headered, performance ignitioned and exhaust. Took every bit of interior accomodations out of it as we possibly could. Also gutted the doors and trunk to save some weight. It ran 13s. On a good day, it would sneak into the 12s. We ran it on "open nights" at the local track. Really, it was just a Mustang shell with a Ford small block. Everything else was custom purchased and installed or fabricated by us.

    Spent a ton of weekends massaging it.

    Usually, we trailered it to these events. Every once in awhile, we'd slap some illegal tags on it, cap the headers and drive it on the street to these events. Pulled up to red lights, looking like it just came from the local junk yard and having a little cafe racing fun with the local "all show, no go" set.

    Fun stopped when we were caught by the local constables. I still remember to this day the cop looking into the car asking for my license (since I was the one driving at the time) and stating "aren't you a little old for this kind of foolishness?"

    "No sir....this is our hobby."

    When he found out the tags didn't match the car, he got real serious. He had me "assume the position". Cuffed me. Stuffed me into the back of his cruiser. He was running my driver's license and found out it was clean.

    He said, "what's wrong with you? You know how many laws you broke?"

    "I would imagine quite a few, sir".

    "That car isn't safe to even roll down a driveway".

    "Yes sir!"

    He lightened up a little bit asking me about the car, how much HP (never dyno'd it, didn't know), what add-ons we used, etc.

    He let me sit and sweat in the back of the cruiser while he called off another cruiser that he had previously called to the scene. I was trying to figure out how I was going to explain this to my (then) wife....our neighbors....my family...wondering what jail was really like.

    He got out of the cruiser, opened up the back door and told me to get out. He took the cuffs off and said..."if you weren't so polite, and so OLD (emphasis on the OLD), I'd run you in. Instead, I'm just going to impound your car. You're going to have to bring it up to inspection and safety standards, IF you want it back."

    He left me and my bud on the side of the road....no car (although we did get to see it towed away).

    We never saw that car again. And, to this day, that was the first, and last time, I was cuffed and put into a police cruiser.

    DISCLAIMER.....kids, don't try this at home. Stunts like this should only be attempted by idiotic adults.
    2024 Kia EV6 GT-Line AWD Long Range
  • isellhondasisellhondas Member Posts: 20,342
    No Jipster, tires can make a major noise difference.

    When I had my 1999 Accord V-6 Coupe, I replaced the originals with Toyos. The guy at the tire store told me they wouldn't last as long but I would notice a big difference in noise and he was dead on!
  • fezofezo Member Posts: 10,386
    In my 00 Accord I went from the OEM MIchelins (I forget the exact model) to Dunlop A6s. Much quieter and better grip but I admit nothing near the same on the tread life.
    2015 Mazda 6 Grand Touring, 2014 Mazda 3 Sport Hatchback, 1999 Mazda Miata 2004 Toyota Camry LE, 1999.
  • qbrozenqbrozen Member Posts: 33,735
    But, we had a 302 in it that was cammed, headered, performance ignitioned and exhaust.

    OK, GG, I just had to correct your above sentence. Since you decided to make each term a verb, your final word should be "exhausted." And it would seem very appropriate in more ways than one. :)

    '11 GMC Sierra 1500; '98 Alfa 156 2.0TS; '08 Maser QP; '67 Coronet R/T; '13 Fiat 500c; '20 S90 T6; '22 MB Sprinter 2500 4x4 diesel; '97 Suzuki R Wagon; '96 Opel Astra; '11 Mini Cooper S

  • graphicguygraphicguy Member Posts: 14,120
    q....you are right. I'm grammatically challenged, many times even semantically challenged.

    You're also right that "exhausted" would have been an appropriate term regarding what I represent to those around me...... ;)
    2024 Kia EV6 GT-Line AWD Long Range
  • boomchekboomchek Member Posts: 5,516
    That's hilarious. So did you guys just leave the car at the impound?

    2016 Audi A7 3.0T S Line, 2021 Subaru WRX

  • chikoochikoo Member Posts: 3,008
    Or is it to do with the fact that if you are a100% commission salesperson, you cannot be working in the "office building". You have to be on the road (read asphalt)?
  • graphicguygraphicguy Member Posts: 14,120
    boom....we talked about getting the car out of impound. Then, we talked about pulling just the engine and trans out of it to transplant into another beater Mustang (which we never tried hard to find). To do that, we'd have to pay the fees and bring it to my friend's garage (wife wouldn't let me keep it anywhere near our house). We procrastinated some more. As time went on, the fees piled up and decided it wasn't worth it.

    About 2 months after the incident, we got a call from the impound lot asking us when we were going to come get it. We asked what would happen if we didn't. They said they would sell it to cover the storage fees. If there was any discrepancy, we would be responsible for the difference. IIRC, by that time, it was going to cost north of $1,000 to free it from its prison. No matter. Never heard from them again.

    Talked to a cop friend about their impound lot. He said they rarely kept vehicles more than a couple of weeks, unless it was a high priced car, and the owners were unlikely to abandon it. Or, it was a vehicle that was used in a felony, and had to be kept as evidence for trial. He said ours was probably sold to a salvage yard where they parted it out, then crushed the rest.

    Too bad. Looked bad but ran like a scalded dog.

    This was a lot of years ago, but he also said that most of the lux models they got were not the result of drug arrests or stolen vehicle recoveries, but from DUI impounds and white collar crime forfeitures.
    2024 Kia EV6 GT-Line AWD Long Range
  • chikoochikoo Member Posts: 3,008
    Honda tires :confuse: :sick:
  • chikoochikoo Member Posts: 3,008
    But, we had a 302 in it that was cammed, headered, performance ignitioned and exhaust.

    Shoulda been "exhausted" :P :ROFL
  • percussionistpercussionist Member Posts: 204
    Honda tires :confuse: :sick:

    I have to side with chikoo on this one. I don't remember much about road noise being an issue with my 2001 Civic, but the stock tires were horrible. 3 drops of rain and you would hydroplane everywhere you went. The problem was easily resolved by replacing these with wider tires. The car was super sure-footed after that (went from 185 to 195 width). Honda put lots of quality items into that car, but the tires were not among them. :)

    To stay on topic, I bought the aforementioned Civic while working at a dealership the summer I got married (it was a gift to each other). I got a great deal on it as a result, but the greanpea who sold it to me treated me like her kid brother instead of a customer (we're not related). Totally unprofessional - as if getting a great deal on the car should negate the fact that I was still spending about $13K on a new car!
  • jipsterjipster Member Posts: 6,296
    Honda put lots of quality items into that car, but the tires were not among them.

    That's kind of the norm with most car manufacturers. Easy way to save a buck, in that 90% of buyers won't know the difference.

    The OEM Dunlop SP 4000 that came with my MPV is an expensive, though somewhat crappy tire. Needed replacement at 32k miles...was at 5/32 or 6/32 and slipping in H20 at the subatomic level.
    2021 Honda Passport EX-L, 2020 Honda Accord EX-L, 2011 Hyundai Veracruz, 2010 Mercury Milan Premiere.
  • chikoochikoo Member Posts: 3,008
    3 drops of rain and you would hydroplane everywhere you went. The problem was easily resolved by replacing these with wider tires.

    Tires that last longer typically do that by not gripping the road as much. So there is a trade-off.

    that said, I am confused with your solution to use wider tires to fight hydroplaning. My thoughts are that you would hydroplane more with wider tires since the pressure per sq inch exerted by the tires on the road just dropped a hell lot.

    and I said "Honda tires" with an Emotorcon to indicate that Honda does not make tires. Therefore there are no "Honda Tires"
  • hondamattnjhondamattnj Member Posts: 53
    I worked for a Honda dealer where we were scheduled 9-6 or 12-10 everyday except Sundays when we closed at 8. With 6 days off a month.

    Now I'm at a high line store. I alternate 7-5 / 8-6 with the other sales person Mon-Fri; 7-4 on Saturday and 11-3 on Sundays. I get 2 days off a week; alternating Thu/Fri or Sat/Sun.

    I'm thinking of transfering to another store with longer hours but man the schedule is so nice here!
  • grandtotalgrandtotal Member Posts: 1,207
    This sounds a lot like the timing belt "scam" to me. I call it a scam since every time I have the timing belt changed they "recommend" the water pump be replaced since "we are already in there"

    Don't you know the Toyota "rule of thumb"? You replace the water pump with every second timing belt.

    Hmm, neither of my current Toyotas has a timing belt, so how am I going to know when to change the water pump?
  • duke23duke23 Member Posts: 488
    gg wrote :
    ..."if you weren't so polite, and so OLD (emphasis on the OLD), I'd run you in. Instead, I'm just going to impound your car. You're going to have to bring it up to inspection and safety standards, IF you want it
    Thank God for end of the shift eh? He could write you up for a series of class c's or go home and eat dinner. But politeness definately helps. They get nothing but grief typically.Thinking so many Yes Sir's going on in that back seat it sounded like a military briefing.Tin soldiers in honor of your demographic.
  • imidazol97imidazol97 Member Posts: 27,671
    >have to pull the engine out to change the pump.

    What kind of cost is that for the pump and the engine lift?

    2014 Malibu 2LT, 2015 Cruze 2LT,

  • duke23duke23 Member Posts: 488
    gg wrote :
    ..."if you weren't so polite, and so OLD (emphasis on the OLD), I'd run you in. Instead, I'm just going to impound your car. You're going to have to bring it up to inspection and safety standards, IF you want it
    Thank God for end of the shift eh? He could write you up for a series of class c's or go home and eat dinner. But politeness definately helps. They get nothing but grief typically.Thinking so many Yes Sir's going on in that back seat it sounded like a military briefing.Tin soldiers in honor of your demographic.

    Wouldn't you know their server would go down ? So can't delete the dupe.
  • isellhondasisellhondas Member Posts: 20,342
    I think that was the rule of thumb back when Toyota called for timing belt replacements at 60K.

    How will you know? Oh, you'll know. It'll either start making a lot of noise or it'll start leaking.
  • duke23duke23 Member Posts: 488
    Re: timing belt replacements
    "Isellhondas wrote:
    "How will you know? Oh, you'll know. It'll either start making a lot of noise or it'll start leaking "
    Or come to a halt, generally not screeching.More like, damn, sob is dead as you drift slowly toward the shoulder. Car no go.
  • roadburnerroadburner Member Posts: 18,320
    Great story. I'm good friends with our town's police chief(he's a car nut from way back) and one day I heard a rumor that turned out to be true. The chief's father has a 550 bhp supercharged Mustang Cobra and he managed to get himself arrested for street racing on the interstate in an adjacent county.

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

This discussion has been closed.