Stories from the Sales Frontlines

joel0622 · October 2007

Sounds like ya got a hell of a deal to me. The rate you got is better then the standard shelf rate, you didn't over pay for the GAP, and I have no idea what a good retail price is on a Chrysler so I am no help there.

sterlingdog · October 2007

Seriously, if you take a look at the 2008 Chrysler forum, those new owners are having a hell of a time. The d--- tops won't stay down! Dealers are pushing them down by hand and can't seem to get them fixed. The dealers are being cooperative with customers but Chrysler is giving no support. Glad I went for the '06 model.

snakeweasel · October 2007

To be perfectly honest if I had to watch that movie over and over and over again the TV it would be playing on would meet a violent end.

I didn't see 300, I usually stay away from remakes.

isellhondas · October 2007

You probably did great!

Buying a two year old domestic can be a great value and lots of car for the dollars spent.

DO NOT EVER put that top down while it is damp or you, too will be standing on it to get the latches snapped.

Yes, I've had one of these too.

snakeweasel · October 2007

The thing is that Cantonese is spoken by more people who immigrated from China. The areas that had the most migration from China spoke Cantonese.

british_rover · October 2007

Moo. Have fun at Porsche just don't cause any lot damage bodywork on those cars are expensive.

sterlingdog · October 2007

Thanks buddy. I feel good about it really. In life most things are relative. If you want it, can afford it, and it makes you happy then all is well. Life is short enough---especially when you're retired. Don't get me wrong. After 40 years in the sweat shop, retirement is a wonderful thing. You'll see.

snakeweasel · October 2007

from the Airport go north on Donelson PK
Doesn't Donelson Pike go east-west? Its been a while since I have been in N-ville but I think thats how it goes.

obyone · October 2007

True. How it was explained to me was that the common people spoke Cantonese while the "rich" or blue bloods spoke Mandarin thus the people who left were more common folks while the rich didn't have much reason to move.

snakeweasel · October 2007

Sorry my mistake Donelson does go north-south. I was thinking of lebanon Road.

nyccarguy · October 2007

Best of luck at Porsche! Congrats on your new job!

cotmc · October 2007

"One of the things that makes the movie cars so special is that you can watch it over and over."

Once you get past the topical humor and the play-by-play of the storyline, it actually tells a good tale about humility, respect, and friendship.

It might have stolen some of this idea from the "Doc Hollywood" movie, with Michael J. Fox, but it advanced on this idea in a very creative and family-friendly way. Living less than 2 hours away from Route 66, where it meets up with Flagstaff, I also appreciate the homage this movie pays to this old roadway.

sterlingdog · October 2007

She IS envious.

sterlingdog · October 2007

Thanks for the advice. I'll remember that. Your comment triggered another question. During the winter, how warm does it have to be to put the top down?

roadburner · October 2007

retirement is a wonderful thing. You'll see.

I hope so, I'm going into an early retirement program in January 2009. Can't wait!

sterlingdog · October 2007

Good for you. Just remember these things. When you retire, the first month is fun because you sleep late and do nothing. But then you have to have a plan. What will you and the wife do each day? Ask these questions: Will we travel and where? Do I want to do volunteer work? We love church but they will consume you if you're not careful. Do I have hobbies? Would I like to work part time? How often do I want to babysit the grand kids? What things will my wife and I do together---and separately? Will my money last and what is the best way to manage it?

If you work a long time like we did, it is an adjustment to retire. It took a few months to get our shedules going but now we are adjusted and really like it. I teach at a college two half days a week and do a little consulting work during the year. It's perfect for me. My wife never wanted to work again. She plays golf, bridge, and does house things. Everyone is different. The one great thing about retirement is that you can say "no" and you have time to do the things that you enjoy. One other benefit is that you and your wife get to know each other all over again. During the working years, you are so busy with the careers and family that you don't have as much quality time to spend together. Unfortunatley, that has impacted on the divorce rate in this country. We were lucky. My years in HR were long and hard; her last years in a public school classroom were tough. But we hung together and made it---even with our parents in nursing homes. The Lord was good to us. Good luck to you.

isellhondas · October 2007

How warm does it have to be?

Well, I guess that depends on where you live and how you feel. I know, once the novality wears off, the top will go down less often.

joel0622 · October 2007

We came in yesterday and found two Fusions and one F150 sitting on blocks in our storage lot. Some one stole the wheels and tires off of them. I am just glad they were kind thieving bastages and left the cars on blocks. One time we had this happen and not only did the steal the the tires and wheels but they just pushed the car off the jacks when they got the wheels off and then felt the need to key the cars down both sides.

imidazol97 · October 2007

What do your security cameras show?

isellhondas · October 2007

The same thing happened to us a few years ago. Now, we automatically install wheel locks on all of our new cars that have alloy wheels.

We charge the customers for these when they buy the car and only the real cheapskates gripe about the cost.

Sounds like you need to do the same thing.

joel0622 · October 2007

They show a black blank screen. They got taken out by lightning awhile back and we have not got them fixed because we are closing this store and opening a new one first of the year. We didn't have cameras on the storage lot anyhow.

vuriz · October 2007

Go to CDbaby.com and do a search for "Rollin in Our Escalade" by artist Victor Uriz. Its a dynamite song that will be a hit with any Escalade lover. Download it and it will make you rock.

greanpea68 · October 2007

With the Pats detoying Miami in the afternoon. Everyone exhausted form the Red Sox last night. Plus playing tonight. There is nothing going on in the stores today. Everyone is either at a cook out, party, bar room, or the game it self tonight.

What a weekend Boston is having.

Well now it is only 9 games left before the Pats go 16-0...

hope evryone has a great day today. Thank goodness we have a plasma to watch the games.

Meanwhile we have managers fraking out for us to get on the phone to call people and ask them to leave the comfort of their living rooms filled with good food and more than likely beer.

sterlingdog · October 2007

You're right. The novelty does wear off. This is our fourth convertible in 40 years---a 1968 Pontiac Lemans, a 1965 MGB as a second car, and a 1995 Miata as a second car. Seems like the Miata manual said not to put the top down if it was below 40 degrees. I used to do that on a pretty winter day---just turn on the heater and wear a coat. It was fine and great fun. This is our first ocnvertible that has the automatic top down switch. What a treat!

british_rover · October 2007

eanwhile we have managers fraking out for us to get on the phone to call people and ask them to leave the comfort of their living rooms filled with good food and more than likely beer.

hahah you said fraking

Do you watch Battlestar Galactica?

oldfarmer50 · October 2007

"...Meanwhile we have managers fraking out for us to get on the phone to call people..."

Are they nuts? Do they really want to have a bunch of angry juiced-up sports fans come pounding into your showroom telling you how much they like getting their afternoon with the buddies ruined?

Maybe those are the people who steal your wheels AND key the car. :mad:

greanpea68 · October 2007

Do you watch Battlestar Galactica?

Can't say that I do. I was in a hurry to get back to the game.

british_rover · October 2007

Ah never mind then. Frack is a slang term from that show.

laurasdada · October 2007

Frack! I haven't heard that in sentons!

kiawah · October 2007

So they brought in 12 cement blocks with them? Review your last year sales of 150's

moparbad · October 2007

Camera's catch anything?

cdnpinhead · October 2007

You're my kinda guy, for whatever that's worth.

I had tonneau covers for my '65 MGB (driven in 44 states) & my '91 & '94 Miatias, and drove them all in chilly weather (generally no lower than 50 deg F) when it was pretty out. Kept the passenger side covered with the heater on & was quite comfortable.

Of course, compared to the motorcycles I rode for the first five years of my driving career, it's all good.

british_rover · October 2007

always said that bad things come in threes so I am waiting for the third to come.

In the past three weeks two of my clients have been in severe car wrecks in their Land Rovers.

One had their Disco t-boned and totaled three weeks ago and last week another family's LR3 was hit head at on at 40 something mph by a Lexus.

Everyone was in the Land Rovers was ok just bruised and shaken. Even the year old baby in the LR3 came away unscathed. The people in the Lexus that hit the LR3 are still in the hospital as far as I know.

LR3 pictures

sterlingdog · October 2007

Thanks. It's nice to know somneone with good taste in cars and who's not afraid of a little chill in the air. Years ago, my brother was in a motorcycle accident. Promised my parents I wouldn't go there.

BTW, you live in a beautiful area. We love the pottery from there and Flagstaff is a great relief from the hot summer. We sometimes visit my only niece in Tucson.

mackabee · October 2007

Did I miss something? I thought this was a G or PG rated forum.

Mackabee

obyone · October 2007

PG= Parental Guidance

Seems like some are parents that may need guidance.

tidester · October 2007

Seems like some are parents that may need guidance.

Speaking of which, how do you folks handle parents buying new cars for their adolescent children? :P <--professionally segued back to topic!

tidester, host
SUVs and Smart Shopper

graphicguy · October 2007

tidester....you've just hit on one of my pet peeves. Not that parents buy their kids new cars, but the fact they don't make their kids put any skin into the game.

Firm believer in "you want a car....go get one on your own". Agreed, my son financed his Hyundai through "BanK of Dad", but he payed every last nickel back to me that he borrowed...with interest (at a very favorable rate, however). Admittedly, I didn't make him fill out a credit app....and, I didn't tack on extra points to his interest rate.

He just got done paying it off . I turned the title over to him a few months ago. He learned a lot in the process, too. Told him if he was late, or missed a payment, I would repo the car. He didn't. Plus, he took better care of the car (at least mechanically) than he would have if i just handed him the keys.

He learned about maintenance schedules, what it took to keep his car running, what the penalties were if he missed a payment...all the responsiblity we want our young charges to learn....all by making them put skin in the car.

He's more proud of his hyundai than any other of his contemporaries are of the Mustangs, BMWs, or any other "hot car" their parents gift wrapped for them.

tayl0rd · October 2007

... I didn't see 300, I usually stay away from remakes.

300 was a remake? :confuse:

sterlingdog · October 2007

Boy am I proud of YOU! After 40 years in education, I didn't think that there was a parent left who taught accountability and responsibility. When I left teaching and became the HR Director, my wife would tell me that the kids parking lot at the high school looked better than the staff parking lot. We had friends who drove older cars and their kids drove new ones. There is something wrong with this picture. Your parenting skills are right on the money. Bet your son doesn't talk back to his parents---as we used to witness in parent conferences.

british_rover · October 2007

While I agree with you in principal my bank account protests.

I make too much money off of parents buying their kids brand new cars.

jescue · October 2007

These are the kids who have to have a certain color and all options. They whine and complain the whole time usually. I have to bite my tongue and not mention that my first car was a 73 Pontiac I had to pay for.Then they end up trashing the car or wrecking it.

british_rover · October 2007

Mine are usually fairly well behaved but you are right the car typically gets wrecked.

exb0 · October 2007

Stories from the Sales Frontlines. Its not a car sales story, but something similar.

Yesterday was my wifes birthday, it wasnt a special b-day but I wanted to buy her something. At 5 pm the day before, I asked her what she wants and she tells me that every girl wants something in a little blue box (code word for Tiffanys). I went to their web site found something that she might like that costs five times than what it should. However, the store closed at 6 pm so I couldnt get it. Saved by the bell.

So off to the mall I go. Walked into a jewelry store and asked the saleswoman what was the October birth stone, she told me it was opal, but they dont have anything with opal and started up selling me on diamonds really hard (this is were the similarities to a car store begin). I browsed the inventory and found a nice necklace that I liked. The MSRP on the necklace was $1300. I asked if there is 50% off sale just like all the other jewelry stores, she tells me that she needs to check with her manager. She came back with $1000. I told her that it was too much, so she went back to her manager and came back with $950, and then drops it to $900. At this point I accepted. At the cash register she started pushing the lifetime repair warranty for $90. I refused the warranty and she rang it up at $950. I challenged her on that and she said that $900 price was only if I bought the warranty. I challenged her some more, and she stared whining that if she sells it at $900, she would lose her job. It was late, and I was tired of shopping so I purchased the necklace at $950.

TO BE CONTINUED!

jmonroe · October 2007

Bet your son doesn't talk back to his parents---as we used to witness in parent conferences.

Boy, haven't we all seen this?

If I tried that as a kid I'd have had to learn how to speak from another part of my anatomy. I don't think the generation of today even considers this. The parents would be serving time for acting like parents.

jmonroe

exb0 · October 2007

When I came home and looked at the receipt, it had a URL for a survey. I havent taken the survey yet, but I am considering on giving them bad marks for their sales practices, and comparing them to a sleazy used car store. What do you think?

The best part about this, is that my wife doesnt like the necklace because its too bright (I thought that the jewelry is supposed to be bright, but what do I know, I am just a man). On Wednesday I get to go back to the store and return the necklace, and the sleazy saleswoman and her manager dont get a commission. This is where the similarities between a car store and the jewelry store end. The jewelry store has 90 day return policy.

THE END.

jmonroe · October 2007

It was late, and I was tired of shopping so I purchased the necklace at $950.

TO BE CONTINUED!

I don't know what you're going to say when you "CONTINUE"
but I'm sure the guys in the biz would like to see you at their store.

Edit: Your post beat mine to the posting gate, but my comment still stands.

jmonroe

roadburner · October 2007

Good luck to you.

Thanks, once I enter the program I agree to work 600 days over the following 5-10 years, so I won't be quitting cold turkey. The main advantage to the program is being able to retire at a relatively young age and still receive a great pension package. My wife and I already have fairly definite plans for vacations, volunteer work, and hobbies- so I don't think we'll be sitting on the front porch waiting to go down to the cafeteria for the "Early Bird" special... :P

sterlingdog · October 2007

You're exactly right. In North Carolina we still have the corporal punishment law. You can spank the kid up to age 15 but you must have a witness, fill out the paper work, and call the parent. Even then, a teacher will lose the case in court. I have sat in court with teachers who were sued. They not only lose the case, but they lose their jobs. In my training sessions now with new teachers, I tell them not to even consider corporal punishment. The law doesn't really protect them and the school system acts like they never heard of the teacher. It's just not worth it. Just FYI, only 23 states still allow corporal punishment in school.

wlbrown9 · October 2007

I looked it up on the map...the one I was thinking about was Briley Parkway. It circles about 3/4 of the way around Nashville...goes just about every direction. It has been at least 10 years since I spent much time in Nashville, so I'm a little fuzzy but it seemed it was hard to keep your bearings straight there.

Stories from the Sales Frontlines

Comments

Helpful Tools

Most popular vehicles

Your Privacy