Joel, thanks for your response. If you have time on the 19th, let me know the specifics. I'm thinking that perhaps I might get a better deal on a 2009 GM than the '08 that I have considered. The dream hasn't died yet.
I'd like to save pieces of all Three and combine them:
Corvette, Viper, Cadillac (some of it) Chevrolet (some of it), Mustang, F-150, Dodge Cummins Diesel trucks, Suburban-----things like that. Cherry-pick the best out of the mess.
I'd call it the United States Motor Car Company to inspire patriotism (that seems to always work) and I'd make every board member and CEO spend a week on an assembly line.
Richard....I'm with Shifty for the most part. Get the "best of" from all 3.
Looking at Chryco, I think the Jeep brand would be worth saving, but I can't see a financial way to make a case for the Patriot. Dodge....well, you've got the newly redesigned (and generally liked) RAM trucks. You've already got Jeep, so what's the need for the Durango? Nothing. Challenger, perhaps....but if you've already got the Mustang and Camaro, it's really redundant...this should be the last iteration of it. I don't think Viper sells in enough volume to justify the engineering effort to keep it. Little of its technology "trickles down" either. 300 needs a serious update. If you're sharing floor space with a Cadillac, does it really fit? Maybe to slot as a replacement for the DTS. Then, you've got the minivans. GM/Ford desperately needs an entry there, but is there a reason to have essentially identical ones with Chrysler and Doge badges?
Ford....you've got the ubiquitous Mustang....which historically has outsold the Camaro. That rivalry is steeped in history and can be exploited. From all intents and purposes, I've read that the current "Taurus" is a better car than the Impala. Impala goes away. Fusion is slotted where the G6 is currently. Slot it just below the Malibu. F-150 stays, as does the Escape (replacing Trail Blazer). Explorer has a lot of brand equity. Probably enough volume there to support it while dumping any Buick/GMC mid-SUV. Expedition is cut Mercury goes away. As does Lincoln. Focus replaces Cobalt. Ka (import) replaces Aveo.
GM....buh-bye to Pontiac/Buick/GMC. G8 becomes the Chevy Caprice. Corvette, the icon, stays. Tahoe replaces Expedition. Escalade replaces Navigator. Silverado sells beside F-150. Impala gone. Traverse, VUE, etc replaced by Chryco minivans. Saturn becomes the the seller for the Sky, and European Vauxhall imports. Saab goes.
I think that's all....the lineup, all of them sold under one roof, would look like this...by market....
-CTS (including the "V" series) -Chryco 300 (replacing the STS, Buick Lucerne/LaCrosse -XLR (revamped on new Corvette Z06 chassis)
Specialty (all under the Saturn banner) -Vauxal imports -Volt -Cruze
I really like the idea of the United States Motor Car Company (USMCC for short). I also like the idea of any upper management prerequisite to having worked in the plants, on the line, before a promotion is given.
The good news is that this is a really interesting conversation, and on-topic! The bad news: Not for this discussion.
Your comments, especially from the salesfolk, would add a new perspective to Do you favor a government loan to the Big 3? We'd very much appreciate keeping this topic for sales stories and taking the bail-out conversation to the linked discussion.
Thanks, The management
MODERATOR /ADMINISTRATOR Find me at kirstie_h@edmunds.com - or send a private message by clicking on my name. 2015 Kia Soul, 2021 Subaru Forester (kirstie_h), 2024 GMC Sierra 1500 (mr. kirstie_h) Review your vehicle
Thinking that you retained a tad more than you let on.
Well, all that extra reading put me in the top 1% on the act and sat exams back in the day. I wasn't the valedictorian of my class...but I scored higher than he did on those tests !
Before kirstie_h gets too upset I will tell you about my dealer experience today, connected to sales front lines to some degree.
My BMW dealer used to have great muffins, cookies and fruit in the waiting room, that is all gone...must be hard times even there.
Lady was reading a book in the waiting room. I am always curious what people read so I looked at the cover. "What the poorest Billion people in the world can do and How We Can Help Them". Thought that was odd at the BMW store.
Now, the pleasant air head at the Express service desk who was running around apologizing for getting mixed up all the time handed me my bill. Any Grade student could take the total price of the snow tires and subtract my $500 depost. No, she had to add up all the costs, tires, service, valves, etc and she came out $280 over for some reason. I could see it was wrong when she handed to me. She takes a calculator and adds it up 3 times and can't get the right amount. I can do it in my head (Final figure less $500). Then she says that calculator isn't working right, she uses another one. She finally gets the right amount but I don't know why she has to add up 5 different numbers and then subtract. Now I have 3 Visa slips instead of 2. On the invoice they have the service managers email and phone if you want to tell them about their service. I don't want to get the young lady in trouble so I won't report it....but it was a very trying experience.
I don't want to get the young lady in trouble so I won't report it ...
I don't think you're doing her any favors. She is frustrating herself and the customers in her current position and her incompetence cannot be good for the dealership. She would be far better off working a job she can excel at.
"...her incompetence cannot be good for the dealership..."
I disagree. Anyone that bad with a calculator must have talents in other areas. Perhaps she is giving great "service" to the owner or the GM.
If that's the case then the OP should tread lightly lest something bad happen to his car while under the dealer's care.
"It's the darnest thing Mr. driver100, just about the time you were in complaining about Debbie's math skills, your car fell off the lift....and was set on fire...and was put out with a steam roller."
2019 Kia Soul+, 2015 Mustang GT, 2013 Ford F-150, 2000 Chrysler Sebring convertible
I advertised a vehicle for sale, and worked out the cash price and payment special with my manager.
It seemed obscenely low, but he double checked it and I ran the online ad anyhow.
I get a few inquiries with one person interested but "has to think about it"
Fair enough. He asks for a lower price but I say I can't do it.
A week goes by and he's still thinking.......
A day later we get a memo about rebate and price adjustment. Not sure if my manager worked the numbers wrong or if they clarified the rabte qualifications but we're about $4k too low on the advertised special. My manager reworks to price and payment.
I rewrite the ad and call the "think about it" customer.
He still has to think about it. I say sorry, the deal has changed. Revised rebates and what not.
Now he wants it at the previous price, which I can't do. I have no control over the adjustments.
If he'd jump on the deal he'd have saved $4k. :surprise:
Moral of the story: don't be thinking about good deals too long.....
Just saw on the news tonight. A dealer in Chicago will sell for $1 a slightly used PT CRuiser with a new Pacifica! Boomer, tell your manager about that deal, won't require much math skills either.
I don't think you're doing her any favors. She is frustrating herself and the customers in her current position and her incompetence cannot be good for the dealership.
You're right, but I am not going to do the work for the dealer, and feel guilty about it and probably lose sleep as well. I would be doing everyone a favor and by any business or ethical standard it would be the right thing to do...but.......ah,......I just don't feel like it.
LOL, Sometimes the rebates do get confusing, trust me. It's not just price minus rebate ($10k) = sale price.
Sometimes it's price plus tax, then minus rebate, but if you take that rebate you get a different finance rate. Then you'll get another discount with that rate and so on.....
I advertised once a 2 for 1 car as well. We had a 77 Rolls Royce. I had it online for $27k I think. If you bought it I'd throw in a used 99 VW Beetle (that we had sitting on the lot for a while). Not many people inquiring though as there's not many looking for a Rolls Royce to begin with.
We ended up splitting this dynamic duo and selling them seperately.
Am in Chicago doing some work......saw the darndest thing.
Parked in some strip mall, there was a Rover (don't remember the exact model) sedan with a For Sale sign in it. IIRC, these were based pretty closely on the original Acura Legend. Of course, the value that Rover had over the Acura, was its"upscale" nature and legendary craftsmanship.
Did you mean the Sterling? I know both look alike. We had a Sterling ($100 trade in value in 2003) once rotting at our Honda compound along with other pieces that no wholesaler wanted.
Moral of the story: don't be thinking about good deals too long.....
Maybe. Mazda came out with an extra $500 in rebate money ($3,000) a week after I bought my MPV. I could have saved an extra $500 if I had thought about it a little longer.
Of course, the value that Rover had over the Acura, was its"upscale" nature and legendary craftsmanship.
Been a lot of years since I've seen one of those.
You can see MG Rovers today - in England and China and whereever fine cars are sold....and they are a lot nicer than most of the cars you see built in the USA.
Nah, it would have come out of the trade in or the list price would have gone up!
Well, I didn't have a trade-in, and they usually don't raise list prices in the middle of July. This is rebate money from the manufacturer... not the dealership.
You are talking to the proud previous owner of a brand new 1987 graphite grey Sterling automobile. That was a gorgeous car to me back in '87. Drove like a dream, powerful, and very quiet but.....alas....the absolute worst electrical system ever created and half way put together.
The A/C quit working before we got home from the dealer. Seriously. The interior lights never would go off. The alarm system would go off at random intervals and it too was never fixed.
The Acura Legend was selling for about $24,000. back then and I think I paid $17,000. for the Sterling. They told me it was the same thing....right. I was misled.
My wife drove into our garage one day and put the car into neutral instead of Park. No interlock in those days, at least with the Sterling. It rolled backwards out of our garage, down the driveway, across the cul de sac and hit one of our neighbors garage doors dead center between the posts. The only damage was to one garage door and the Sterling's rear deck where the door fell on it.
Well you can't blame the garage door incident entirely on the car. As it turned out somehow, that ended up being all my fault.
You are talking to the proud previous owner of a brand new 1987 graphite grey Sterling automobile. That was a gorgeous car to me back in '87. Drove like a dream, powerful, and very quiet but.....alas....the absolute worst electrical system ever created and half way put together.
That's why motorcycles are the only Brit machinery I'll own- a least the electrical bits are dead easy to troubleshoot.
Mine: 1995 318ti Club Sport-2020 C43-1996 Speed Triple Challenge Cup Replica
Wife's: 2021 Sahara 4xe
Son's: 2018 330i xDrive
I read an article about a dealership group in VA, the sells VIP cards to their customers.....I think it mentioned a sales penetration rate of the VIP promition of around 53% for used and 43% for new. The sales people sell these promotions.
Not much details was given; but I think it may work something like this. Sell the VIP membership at completion of a sale...new or used for say $300. The customer can use this card to get $300 dollars off any future car (new or used) purchase...above and beyond all other offers.
VIP members would also recieve 10% off all service; parts and repairs sold at the dealership. Maybe this could be in addition to service coupon offers also?
VIP members would also recieve 10% discount on all extended warranty, maintence plans, acessories, mop and glow, gap etc. Customer could potentially save enough on the discount to pay for the VIP plan through F&I on the first day of purchase.
As an additional incentive; maybe give an additional 10% credit on all purchases at the dealership in service; parts, etc. in addition to the $300 off the purchase of a future vehicle in the form of VIP points or dollars.
It seems like it would be a great way to build loyalty...and if it was at a Buick or Lincoln Mercury Dealership; the customer may not be around long enough to actually redeem the VIP points.
h wrote : " Well, all that extra reading put me in the top 1% on the act and sat exams back in the day. I wasn't the valedictorian of my class...but I scored higher than he did on those tests ! " I rarely underestimate but when I do I wear my chagrin like a crown of thorns. Post on sir! Btw I've alway's believed . Rip, Eric Weisz.
The customer can use this card to get $300 dollars off any future car (new or used) purchase...above and beyond all other offers. What a great marketing idea. Locking in your next sale before they leave the showroom!
I wouldn't do it because;
Car company might not be around long enough to get your $300 back.
Also, I would be skeptical about whether I am really going to come out ahead on the deal......$300 off can mean off list price etc. and then I am locked in to that dealer, and they know it. If they really take $300 off a used car that won't leave too much profit....unless they sell it at full price, no negotiating.
Another thing, who is going to be able to find the card or remember you had it 3 or 5 years from now, and what if you want a different make. What if the car is a lemon?
My motto is: "Don't get locked in" .......especially with a car dealer (sorry guys, I just know I am not going to come out ahead on this deal).
boom....that's it, that's the one. Only the one I saw wasn't a hatchback, and was red. I was stopped at a light when I saw it. Now, I kind of wished I had pulled over and looked more closely at it. I've seen them before, but rarely, and probably none I can recall in the last decade or so.
The gimmicky stuff ultimately ends up pissing some one off. We are strong believers that gimmicks and screamer adds do not work. If we run an add saying we can sell a new 2008 Hoopty for $12995 then we don't limit it to one stock #, we will sell any comparable Hoopty in stock for that price. If you pick out a more expensive one we add the difference. Treat every one fairly, work every deal for as much profit as possible, offer every product to every customer every time and always lean the way of the customer in the service department if possible.
I truly belive that this business model is the reason that we have not posted any red ink on the books since 2001.
We do not sell everybody but the ones we do usually come back. On any given month 60% of are sales are repeat or referall.
All the smoke and mirrors selling is what has this biz so screwed up now.
This is "kind of" a SFTSFL......at least for Mercedes shoppers, better think twice before plunking down 5-6 figures for your next car.
When all else fails, when you refuse to blame poor management, blame your employees.....
11/17/2008, 8:10 PMMERCEDES-BENZ NEWS Mercedes-Benz investigates employees for sabotage
Mercedes-Benz’ sterling reputation for quality has been tarnished over the past few years, but, as it turns out, all the blame may not lie with the German automaker. Mercedes-Benz is currently investigating several employees at its Sindelfingen for sabotaging vehicles right off the assembly line.
According to Germany’s Sueddeutsche Zeitung, Mercedes is investigating employees that worked in the company’s quality control department. In exchange for damaging cars during the production process – damages included scratches, loosening clamps and bolts and even adding foreign fluid to brake lines – the employees in question reportedly received compensation from local repair shops that saw a boost in traffic.
The damages have cost Mercedes-Benz millions in repairs, not to mention the bad publicity. Defective vehicles have included Mercedes’ C-, E- and S-Class vehicles, so check your car twice if you happen to hear a rattle.
That was the Sterling- an ironic name. That, and the Buick Regal, which was anything but.
If you think about it, the only vehicle that deserves an award for truth-in-advertising based on the name is the AMC Gremlin.
MODERATOR /ADMINISTRATOR Find me at kirstie_h@edmunds.com - or send a private message by clicking on my name. 2015 Kia Soul, 2021 Subaru Forester (kirstie_h), 2024 GMC Sierra 1500 (mr. kirstie_h) Review your vehicle
OK Kirstie....now you've opened the flood gates....
-Hupmobile - how exactly do you "hup"? What is a "hup"?
-Mitsubishi Starion – Legend has it the someone in marketing called the badge-maker telling them the new car was to be called a stallion. Accents did the rest.
-Volkswagen Touareg – Unpronounceable to most people. What IS a Touareg anyway?
-Ford Probe - Makes me think of a trip to the proctologist's office, which can’t be a good thing.
-Chevrolet Citation - I don’t need my car’s name to remind me of speeding tickets .
-GMC Jimmy - always sounded like it was on the highway to hillbilly hell.
I'll take "Things that Puncture" for $500, Alex - All the correct questions start with "What is the AMC...": Hornet Wasp Javelin Matador
That "Jimmy" comment made me giggle.
MODERATOR /ADMINISTRATOR Find me at kirstie_h@edmunds.com - or send a private message by clicking on my name. 2015 Kia Soul, 2021 Subaru Forester (kirstie_h), 2024 GMC Sierra 1500 (mr. kirstie_h) Review your vehicle
kirstie....I agree about AMC. While the Hornet came with some positive connotations (via the legendary Hudson Hornet), overall none of the AMC names conjures any positive impressions.
Comments
Richard
LOL!!! What a master of finesse!
Richard
Richard
LOL.... Thank God you are back Joel..... Ain't that the truth
GP
Corvette, Viper, Cadillac (some of it) Chevrolet (some of it), Mustang, F-150, Dodge Cummins Diesel trucks, Suburban-----things like that. Cherry-pick the best out of the mess.
I'd call it the United States Motor Car Company to inspire patriotism (that seems to always work) and I'd make every board member and CEO spend a week on an assembly line.
Looking at Chryco, I think the Jeep brand would be worth saving, but I can't see a financial way to make a case for the Patriot. Dodge....well, you've got the newly redesigned (and generally liked) RAM trucks. You've already got Jeep, so what's the need for the Durango? Nothing. Challenger, perhaps....but if you've already got the Mustang and Camaro, it's really redundant...this should be the last iteration of it. I don't think Viper sells in enough volume to justify the engineering effort to keep it. Little of its technology "trickles down" either. 300 needs a serious update. If you're sharing floor space with a Cadillac, does it really fit? Maybe to slot as a replacement for the DTS. Then, you've got the minivans. GM/Ford desperately needs an entry there, but is there a reason to have essentially identical ones with Chrysler and Doge badges?
Ford....you've got the ubiquitous Mustang....which historically has outsold the Camaro. That rivalry is steeped in history and can be exploited. From all intents and purposes, I've read that the current "Taurus" is a better car than the Impala. Impala goes away. Fusion is slotted where the G6 is currently. Slot it just below the Malibu. F-150 stays, as does the Escape (replacing Trail Blazer). Explorer has a lot of brand equity. Probably enough volume there to support it while dumping any Buick/GMC mid-SUV. Expedition is cut Mercury goes away. As does Lincoln. Focus replaces Cobalt. Ka (import) replaces Aveo.
GM....buh-bye to Pontiac/Buick/GMC. G8 becomes the Chevy Caprice. Corvette, the icon, stays. Tahoe replaces Expedition. Escalade replaces Navigator. Silverado sells beside F-150. Impala gone. Traverse, VUE, etc replaced by Chryco minivans. Saturn becomes the the seller for the Sky, and European Vauxhall imports. Saab goes.
I think that's all....the lineup, all of them sold under one roof, would look like this...by market....
Low end...
-Ford Ka and Focus
Midrange sedans...
-Fusion
-Malibu
-Taurus
-Caprice (G8)
Minivan....
-Chryco Town and Country
Light truck
-Chevy Silverado
Upscale/midrange Truck
-F-150
Heavy Duty Truck
-Dodge RAM
Small SUV
-HHR
-Escape
SUVs
-Ford Explorer
-Jeep GC
Large SUVs
-Tahoe
-Escalade (upscale)
4WD only
-Jeep
Sports...
-Corvette
-Ford Mustang
-Chevy Camaro
mid-sports
-CHEVY Sky
Luxury...
-CTS (including the "V" series)
-Chryco 300 (replacing the STS, Buick Lucerne/LaCrosse
-XLR (revamped on new Corvette Z06 chassis)
Specialty (all under the Saturn banner)
-Vauxal imports
-Volt
-Cruze
I really like the idea of the United States Motor Car Company (USMCC for short). I also like the idea of any upper management prerequisite to having worked in the plants, on the line, before a promotion is given.
No Soup For You!
GM does have a serious model oversupply. Rebading the sub divisions as just GM and keeping the best of the models would help a lot.
2020 Acura RDX tech SH-AWD, 2023 Maverick hybrid Lariat luxury package.
Your comments, especially from the salesfolk, would add a new perspective to Do you favor a government loan to the Big 3? We'd very much appreciate keeping this topic for sales stories and taking the bail-out conversation to the linked discussion.
Thanks,
The management
MODERATOR /ADMINISTRATOR
Find me at kirstie_h@edmunds.com - or send a private message by clicking on my name.
2015 Kia Soul, 2021 Subaru Forester (kirstie_h), 2024 GMC Sierra 1500 (mr. kirstie_h)
Review your vehicle
Well, all that extra reading put me in the top 1% on the act and sat exams back in the day. I wasn't the valedictorian of my class...but I scored higher than he did on those tests !
2013 LX 570 2016 LS 460
My BMW dealer used to have great muffins, cookies and fruit in the waiting room, that is all gone...must be hard times even there.
Lady was reading a book in the waiting room. I am always curious what people read so I looked at the cover. "What the poorest Billion people in the world can do and How We Can Help Them". Thought that was odd at the BMW store.
Now, the pleasant air head at the Express service desk who was running around apologizing for getting mixed up all the time handed me my bill. Any Grade student could take the total price of the snow tires and subtract my $500 depost.
No, she had to add up all the costs, tires, service, valves, etc and she came out $280 over for some reason. I could see it was wrong when she handed to me. She takes a calculator and adds it up 3 times and can't get the right amount. I can do it in my head (Final figure less $500). Then she says that calculator isn't working right, she uses another one. She finally gets the right amount but I don't know why she has to add up 5 different numbers and then subtract. Now I have 3 Visa slips instead of 2.
On the invoice they have the service managers email and phone if you want to tell them about their service. I don't want to get the young lady in trouble so I won't report it....but it was a very trying experience.
2017 MB E400 , 2015 MB GLK350, 2014 MB C250
I don't think you're doing her any favors. She is frustrating herself and the customers in her current position and her incompetence cannot be good for the dealership. She would be far better off working a job she can excel at.
tidester, host
SUVs and Smart Shopper
I disagree. Anyone that bad with a calculator must have talents in other areas. Perhaps she is giving great "service" to the owner or the GM.
If that's the case then the OP should tread lightly lest something bad happen to his car while under the dealer's care.
"It's the darnest thing Mr. driver100, just about the time you were in complaining about Debbie's math skills, your car fell off the lift....and was set on fire...and was put out with a steam roller."
2019 Kia Soul+, 2015 Mustang GT, 2013 Ford F-150, 2000 Chrysler Sebring convertible
It seemed obscenely low, but he double checked it and I ran the online ad anyhow.
I get a few inquiries with one person interested but "has to think about it"
Fair enough. He asks for a lower price but I say I can't do it.
A week goes by and he's still thinking.......
A day later we get a memo about rebate and price adjustment. Not sure if my manager worked the numbers wrong or if they clarified the rabte qualifications but we're about $4k too low on the advertised special. My manager reworks to price and payment.
I rewrite the ad and call the "think about it" customer.
He still has to think about it. I say sorry, the deal has changed. Revised rebates and what not.
Now he wants it at the previous price, which I can't do. I have no control over the adjustments.
If he'd jump on the deal he'd have saved $4k. :surprise:
Moral of the story: don't be thinking about good deals too long.....
2016 Audi A7 3.0T S Line, 2021 Subaru WRX
Is he related to the young lady at the BMW service centre?
2017 MB E400 , 2015 MB GLK350, 2014 MB C250
2017 MB E400 , 2015 MB GLK350, 2014 MB C250
You're right, but I am not going to do the work for the dealer, and feel guilty about it and probably lose sleep as well. I would be doing everyone a favor and by any business or ethical standard it would be the right thing to do...but.......ah,......I just don't feel like it.
2017 MB E400 , 2015 MB GLK350, 2014 MB C250
Sometimes it's price plus tax, then minus rebate, but if you take that rebate you get a different finance rate. Then you'll get another discount with that rate and so on.....
I advertised once a 2 for 1 car as well. We had a 77 Rolls Royce. I had it online for $27k I think. If you bought it I'd throw in a used 99 VW Beetle (that we had sitting on the lot for a while). Not many people inquiring though as there's not many looking for a Rolls Royce to begin with.
We ended up splitting this dynamic duo and selling them seperately.
2016 Audi A7 3.0T S Line, 2021 Subaru WRX
2016 Audi A7 3.0T S Line, 2021 Subaru WRX
Parked in some strip mall, there was a Rover (don't remember the exact model) sedan with a For Sale sign in it. IIRC, these were based pretty closely on the original Acura Legend. Of course, the value that Rover had over the Acura, was its"upscale" nature and legendary craftsmanship.
Been a lot of years since I've seen one of those.
No, no, no... you have the graph upside down... they aren't the pinnacles...
This was a Rover:
This was a Sterling:
2016 Audi A7 3.0T S Line, 2021 Subaru WRX
Maybe. Mazda came out with an extra $500 in rebate money ($3,000) a week after I bought my MPV. I could have saved an extra $500 if I had thought about it a little longer.
2016 Audi A7 3.0T S Line, 2021 Subaru WRX
Nah, it would have come out of the trade in or the list price would have gone up!
2017 MB E400 , 2015 MB GLK350, 2014 MB C250
Been a lot of years since I've seen one of those.
You can see MG Rovers today - in England and China and whereever fine cars are sold....and they are a lot nicer than most of the cars you see built in the USA.
OR check out;
ROVER
2017 MB E400 , 2015 MB GLK350, 2014 MB C250
Well, I didn't have a trade-in, and they usually don't raise list prices in the middle of July. This is rebate money from the manufacturer... not the dealership.
The A/C quit working before we got home from the dealer. Seriously. The interior lights never would go off. The alarm system would go off at random intervals and it too was never fixed.
The Acura Legend was selling for about $24,000. back then and I think I paid $17,000. for the Sterling. They told me it was the same thing....right. I was misled.
My wife drove into our garage one day and put the car into neutral instead of Park. No interlock in those days, at least with the Sterling. It rolled backwards out of our garage, down the driveway, across the cul de sac and hit one of our neighbors garage doors dead center between the posts. The only damage was to one garage door and the Sterling's rear deck where the door fell on it.
Well you can't blame the garage door incident entirely on the car. As it turned out somehow, that ended up being all my fault.
Still, it was a car, my car, and I loved it.
2013 LX 570 2016 LS 460
That's why motorcycles are the only Brit machinery I'll own- a least the electrical bits are dead easy to troubleshoot.
Mine: 1995 318ti Club Sport-2020 C43-1996 Speed Triple Challenge Cup Replica
Wife's: 2021 Sahara 4xe
Son's: 2018 330i xDrive
Not much details was given; but I think it may work something like this. Sell the VIP membership at completion of a sale...new or used for say $300. The customer can use this card to get $300 dollars off any future car (new or used) purchase...above and beyond all other offers.
VIP members would also recieve 10% off all service; parts and repairs sold at the dealership. Maybe this could be in addition to service coupon offers also?
VIP members would also recieve 10% discount on all extended warranty, maintence plans, acessories, mop and glow, gap etc. Customer could potentially save enough on the discount to pay for the VIP plan through F&I on the first day of purchase.
As an additional incentive; maybe give an additional 10% credit on all purchases at the dealership in service; parts, etc. in addition to the $300 off the purchase of a future vehicle in the form of VIP points or dollars.
It seems like it would be a great way to build loyalty...and if it was at a Buick or Lincoln Mercury Dealership; the customer may not be around long enough to actually redeem the VIP points.
Does anyone think this could help your store?
Kevin
" Well, all that extra reading put me in the top 1% on the act and sat exams back in the day. I wasn't the valedictorian of my class...but I scored higher than he did on those tests ! "
I rarely underestimate but when I do I wear my chagrin like a crown of thorns. Post on sir! Btw I've alway's believed . Rip, Eric Weisz.
Well, of course, you bought the damned thing!
2017 MB E400 , 2015 MB GLK350, 2014 MB C250
What a great marketing idea. Locking in your next sale before they leave the showroom!
I wouldn't do it because;
Car company might not be around long enough to get your $300 back.
Also, I would be skeptical about whether I am really going to come out ahead on the deal......$300 off can mean off list price etc. and then I am locked in to that dealer, and they know it. If they really take $300 off a used car that won't leave too much profit....unless they sell it at full price, no negotiating.
Another thing, who is going to be able to find the card or remember you had it 3 or 5 years from now, and what if you want a different make. What if the car is a lemon?
My motto is: "Don't get locked in" .......especially with a car dealer (sorry guys, I just know I am not going to come out ahead on this deal).
2017 MB E400 , 2015 MB GLK350, 2014 MB C250
I truly belive that this business model is the reason that we have not posted any red ink on the books since 2001.
We do not sell everybody but the ones we do usually come back. On any given month 60% of are sales are repeat or referall.
All the smoke and mirrors selling is what has this biz so screwed up now.
How is the Mustang treating you?
Sorry, but your plan would never work. Congress could never understand something that simple. :P
Richard
Richard
When all else fails, when you refuse to blame poor management, blame your employees.....
11/17/2008, 8:10 PMMERCEDES-BENZ NEWS
Mercedes-Benz investigates employees for sabotage
Mercedes-Benz’ sterling reputation for quality has been tarnished over the past few years, but, as it turns out, all the blame may not lie with the German automaker. Mercedes-Benz is currently investigating several employees at its Sindelfingen for sabotaging vehicles right off the assembly line.
According to Germany’s Sueddeutsche Zeitung, Mercedes is investigating employees that worked in the company’s quality control department. In exchange for damaging cars during the production process – damages included scratches, loosening clamps and bolts and even adding foreign fluid to brake lines – the employees in question reportedly received compensation from local repair shops that saw a boost in traffic.
The damages have cost Mercedes-Benz millions in repairs, not to mention the bad publicity. Defective vehicles have included Mercedes’ C-, E- and S-Class vehicles, so check your car twice if you happen to hear a rattle.
I know our incoming President is looking for a "Car Czar". I'm looking for permanent work. May as well throw my hat into the ring for the position....
That, and the Buick Regal, which was anything but.
If you think about it, the only vehicle that deserves an award for truth-in-advertising based on the name is the AMC Gremlin.
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2015 Kia Soul, 2021 Subaru Forester (kirstie_h), 2024 GMC Sierra 1500 (mr. kirstie_h)
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Aw now, my Gremlin wasn't that bad (till the tranny went south)
-Hupmobile - how exactly do you "hup"? What is a "hup"?
-Mitsubishi Starion – Legend has it the someone in marketing called the badge-maker telling them the new car was to be called a stallion. Accents did the rest.
-Volkswagen Touareg – Unpronounceable to most people. What IS a Touareg anyway?
-Ford Probe - Makes me think of a trip to the proctologist's office, which can’t be a good thing.
-Chevrolet Citation - I don’t need my car’s name to remind me of speeding tickets .
-GMC Jimmy - always sounded like it was on the highway to hillbilly hell.
Hornet
Wasp
Javelin
Matador
That "Jimmy" comment made me giggle.
MODERATOR /ADMINISTRATOR
Find me at kirstie_h@edmunds.com - or send a private message by clicking on my name.
2015 Kia Soul, 2021 Subaru Forester (kirstie_h), 2024 GMC Sierra 1500 (mr. kirstie_h)
Review your vehicle
Last one, and I'll quit....
IROC (translated means "I Reek Of Cologne")