Stories from the Sales Frontlines

1…349350352354355…2003

Comments

  • british_roverbritish_rover Member Posts: 8,502
    Bah I don't see Nissan doing that they have turned the Max into a bloated luxo cruiser like the Avalon.

    You can't even get a manual in it anymore.

    I got a fire breathing Land Rover for you though.

    Land Rover Bowler Nemesis.

    Nemesis

    Damper testing

    Same engine as the SC Sports just tuned to run on Ethanol and make 500 hp by taking advantage of the additional octane.
  • fezofezo Member Posts: 10,386
    The idea of not being able to get a manual on a Maxima is really sad. Nissan has lost its way on that model.
    2015 Mazda 6 Grand Touring, 2014 Mazda 3 Sport Hatchback, 1999 Mazda Miata 2004 Toyota Camry LE, 1999.
  • epineyepiney Member Posts: 462
    Yeah, it used to be a good car. I think the Altima just got bigger and better and squeezed it out. Still has that smooth VQ motor though.
  • fezofezo Member Posts: 10,386
    I do think that they kind of replaced what I think of as the Maxima with the Altima 3.5 with a manual.

    The 89 Maxima was just about perfect in its time. I don't think Nissan has done a better job since.
    2015 Mazda 6 Grand Touring, 2014 Mazda 3 Sport Hatchback, 1999 Mazda Miata 2004 Toyota Camry LE, 1999.
  • british_roverbritish_rover Member Posts: 8,502
    image
  • fezofezo Member Posts: 10,386
    Yep. That's the one all right.

    I like the boxy ones that preceded that one because they still made wagons. I had one of those and it was a great car.
    2015 Mazda 6 Grand Touring, 2014 Mazda 3 Sport Hatchback, 1999 Mazda Miata 2004 Toyota Camry LE, 1999.
  • jescuejescue Member Posts: 521
    I had an 86 sedan and it was my favorite car ever. One of the last ones that still talked.
  • psorterpsorter Member Posts: 89
    That's not to say I'm a huge fan of Toyotas, though. Reading Mac's puffing up his Camry SEs, I wonder if they fixed whatever piece of the exhaust system that looks like it's hanging about 2 inches above the road on every Camry made since 1992.

    That is an eyesore. What's going on with the camry's exhaust pipe, I don't know, perhaps bad engineering or indifference?

    Goes to show you how little a car really changes over the years.
  • british_roverbritish_rover Member Posts: 8,502
    "The door is a jar, the door is a jar, the door is a jar"

    No the door is not a jar it is a freaking door now shut up you stupid car. :mad:
  • epineyepiney Member Posts: 462
    I had an 86 sedan and it was my favorite car ever. One of the last ones that still talked.


    That sure jogged the memory. :surprise: Completely forgot about that.
  • epineyepiney Member Posts: 462
    That is an eyesore. What's going on with the camry's exhaust pipe, I don't know, perhaps bad engineering or indifference?

    Gee, I guess a lot more poeple noticed that than I thought. I always found it odd and distracting when following one of those Camrys. Wanted to honk the horn, pull up beside them and tell them their exhaust is going to fall off. :P
  • fezofezo Member Posts: 10,386
    Oh, yeah. Mine talked. "Door is open." "Lights are on." "Zip your fly." Supposedly the warning for low fuel was quite dramatic but I never let it get that low.

    Pity for those of you too young to remember My Mother the Car......
    2015 Mazda 6 Grand Touring, 2014 Mazda 3 Sport Hatchback, 1999 Mazda Miata 2004 Toyota Camry LE, 1999.
  • british_roverbritish_rover Member Posts: 8,502
    I always noticed it too and yes there is a fair bit of flex on those hangers so if you bump the exhaust it will slide up and out of the way.

    I have worked on hundreds maybe thousands of those Camrys.

    It is still stupid though because...

    1. It looks dumb.
    2. If you hit something a few times with the exhaust it will put a flat spot on the bottom curve.
    3. Do that enough times and it starts to pinch the exhaust off.
  • mjfloyd1mjfloyd1 Member Posts: 3,806
    I think Mack meant $7000 profit margin on Landcruiser.

    Mark
  • british_roverbritish_rover Member Posts: 8,502
    Ah ok I was thinking more of the profit margin that Toyota has in it but that helps too. Toyota has to have at least 10,000 of profit on that car maybe more.

    I only have about 5,500 in a comparably priced Land Rover.
  • mackabeemackabee Member Posts: 4,709
    See, I keep telling you RR guys you need to get out more often. Toyota has not sold a 10k or 12.5k in ages. Any 4Runner 4wd will smoke your LR2 or LR3 whatever it's called. Ugly things that they are. :P
    Mackabee
  • mackabeemackabee Member Posts: 4,709
    Base price to base invoice is about 5k, once you add the options it jumps up to 7k.
    Mack
  • mackabeemackabee Member Posts: 4,709
    Camry has always had a big pipe. It's due to the rear hump in the back seat. It sounds like all the other cars on the road have pipe exhaust envy :blush:
    Mackabee
  • joel0622joel0622 Member Posts: 3,299
    Well we got to act like a high line dealer for one sale today. We sold another Shelby. Great way to give the bottom line a jump start.
  • british_roverbritish_rover Member Posts: 8,502
    I delivered two cars today with a combined total MSRP of about 156,000 dollars. :surprise:
  • lrguy44lrguy44 Member Posts: 2,197
    Mac, we need to get you a better set of reading glasses. The guy said that what do you get for 4 times the price of a Toyota, so I took our MSRP and divided by 4. I know you are not in Kias price range.
    Secondly, you obviously have nor read any reviews of our off road capability compared to 4Runner. Do you know what we call a LR3 - it is a 4Runner rescue vehicle.
  • pernaperna Member Posts: 521
    Bah I don't see Nissan doing that they have turned the Max into a bloated luxo cruiser like the Avalon.

    You can't even get a manual in it anymore.

    I haven't seen an Avalon up close in awhile, but going by the website the current Maxima is a much smaller car. Just guessing here, but I think the Avalon is much more like a Buick, and the Max still handles like a Max should.

    I didn't get my '03 with a stick even though I could have, just because it's my daily driver and I don't want the hassle.

    If they do pork the Max out even more for the '09/'10, I'll go with the 3.5 Altima or G35 Sedan (I love my Nissans too much to look elsewhere :blush: ). I'm a bit of a bigger guy (6', 275 lbs.) so I thought Altima, but I sat in a G35 at the auto show, and it fit me like a glove. It was actually more spacious in the cockpit than my Maxima.

    As far as Rover goes, I despise SUVs. Not because of safety or environmental stuff, but you simply can't do things in SUVs that you can in cars. I like driving too much. :P

    That said, I have a quick question that is only slightly less off topic (sorry hosts): my father in law passed away two weeks ago, and since we don't have to open an estate (it's just my wife and her brother as beneficiaries), we're at somewhat of a loss as to what to do with his Escalade he just leased about 9 months ago.

    Will GMAC just take it back and eat any fees/etc.? I assume since there is no estate and nobody's name except for his is on the lease, GMAC can't sue us. Any of you dealer types seen something like this before? Do we need a death certificate (ME says 4 more weeks)? Thanks a ton, it means a lot.
  • epineyepiney Member Posts: 462
    I delivered two cars today with a combined total MSRP of about 156,000 dollars

    Yeah, but did you have $8K ADM on yours? :P Go Joel! :shades:
  • jescuejescue Member Posts: 521
    It is vulgar to deliver two cars like that in one day. I wish I was vulgar..
  • joel0622joel0622 Member Posts: 3,299
    Yeah, but did you have $8K ADM on yours?

    More like $15K ;) but we had to give up about $1800 of it to allow them enough for the Acura they were trading.

    Now if I could just get some one to finance one of the damn things. All I ever get is a Lojack sale out of the deal.
  • epineyepiney Member Posts: 462
    I wish I was vulgar..

    A pair of 911's and you're there...no?
  • british_roverbritish_rover Member Posts: 8,502
    Well one was to my number one car collector client and we blow out all the cars to him. He buys three or four cars a year though so that is ok.

    The other I was deliverying as a favor to my partner as he is at his daughter's parents weekend for college.

    I didn't make a ton of money off of either one for those reasons.
  • epineyepiney Member Posts: 462
    Now if I could just get some one to finance one of the damn things

    You know in that rental district their fianancing is far more complex and cost effective than anything you could ever offer.
  • jescuejescue Member Posts: 521
    True, but I cant remember selling two 911s in one day. Although my Turbo was close to that amount I would have made more selling two regular 911s.
  • jescuejescue Member Posts: 521
    We have several clients like that. We make little money on them but the volume makes up for it. They are usually pretty easy too.
  • kyfdxkyfdx Moderator Posts: 270,276
    Now.. if you could just let a Cayman go for a mini.... :)

    Edmunds Price Checker
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  • jescuejescue Member Posts: 521
    On an 07? Sure! :D We have one to choose from.
  • epineyepiney Member Posts: 462
    Now.. if you could just let a Cayman go for a mini....

    But he did just awhile ago. It was a signed order and then renegotiation... Was that you?
  • british_roverbritish_rover Member Posts: 8,502
    I have about four clients like that but this guy has the most serious case of CCBD I have ever seen.

    I know he buys over a dozen cars a year and he typically gets three or four rovers from me a year.

    As he was leaving he was already talking about picking up a 2008 SC Sport.
  • jescuejescue Member Posts: 521
    Sure was-went from a good deal-and a lease- to a cash deal that was small,small. :cry:
  • jescuejescue Member Posts: 521
    We must have his twin here. This guy only buys Audis from us. He also buys Acuras, BMWs, Infinitis,Mercedes. We have two of his trades now. An 07 A6 and an 08 TT. I just sold his 07 A3 this week. He will buy the same things over and over. I think the highest mileage car of his has been 5K.
  • british_roverbritish_rover Member Posts: 8,502
    Your guy is worse then mine. Last month he picked up a 2008 SC Range Rover and traded one of his 2006 SC Ranges. He actually held onto that one for 18,000 miles which is a record for him.

    Today he picked up another 2008 SC that will be his Florida car.
  • jescuejescue Member Posts: 521
    I need a good Florida car. And a place in Florida to keep it. :blush:
  • british_roverbritish_rover Member Posts: 8,502
    I have no desire to live in FL unless it is in Key West and then I don't need a car. I need a nice boat and maybe a little private plane to escape the island on occasion. ;) Fly up to Miami and then catch a jet wherever you want to go.
  • jescuejescue Member Posts: 521
    Well that would work for me as well. I have seen enough cars to last a lifetime anyway.
  • british_roverbritish_rover Member Posts: 8,502
    And in a few years Cuba should be open to US trade again so you got another great island right in the neighborhood. Flying from Key West to Cuba can't take more then an hour or so in a single engine prop plane.
  • jescuejescue Member Posts: 521
    Hmm watching the sunset, margaritas, ocean breeze..sounds better than Tennessee somehow.
  • fezofezo Member Posts: 10,386
    Since the sales folks all seem to have gone into deep Friday mode I'll at least throw a suggestion your way - check with a lawyer familiar with estates. Any family lawyer will do. even with a nice straightforward estate there will be times you need counsel.

    My dad has a lease on what must be an 04 Buick and the word is if he dies before the lease is up we, his heirs, have got ourselves an overpriced lease. Like a mortgage this lease lives on. I can't tell you how it works for your lease.

    At least in my dad's case the lease now only has about 5 months to run and he can't drive anymore.
    2015 Mazda 6 Grand Touring, 2014 Mazda 3 Sport Hatchback, 1999 Mazda Miata 2004 Toyota Camry LE, 1999.
  • british_roverbritish_rover Member Posts: 8,502
    Joel said something about a peace of mind thing with Leases through Ford but that GMAC does not have a similar program. They might be stuck with the car after all.
  • laurasdadalaurasdada Member Posts: 5,269
    I so want to be one of these car-buying "Whales." Unfortunatley I'm only Whale-like when I step on the scale... So I rarely do. :sick:

    One of y'all (BR, LR44) sell in Fairfield County, correct?

    '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...)

  • british_roverbritish_rover Member Posts: 8,502
    Near Fairfield. A friend of mine works at the Land Rover dealership down there but it is a couple of hours south and east of me.
  • fezofezo Member Posts: 10,386
    Oh,somehow I messed that. I fear you're correct.

    My dad made a bunch of good deals in his day. That Century was not one of them.
    2015 Mazda 6 Grand Touring, 2014 Mazda 3 Sport Hatchback, 1999 Mazda Miata 2004 Toyota Camry LE, 1999.
  • laurasdadalaurasdada Member Posts: 5,269
    Are you in New England? Boston-Providence-ish?

    Fairfield County (Merritt Parkway, yeehaa!) was my misspent youthful hunting ground..

    '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...)

  • british_roverbritish_rover Member Posts: 8,502
    Still in CT just not in Fairfield.
  • snakeweaselsnakeweasel Member Posts: 19,617
    That sounds like jealousy

    Nope not jealousy just happen to notice how those who drive them drop the make of the car they drive way more often than those who drive less expensive cars.

    In short a Chevy driver would say something like: "We took a drive in the country last weekend".

    The BMW owner will say: "We took the Beemer out into the country last weekend".

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

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