Stories from the Sales Frontlines

jimbres · June 2010

Back in the late 60s, Chrysler mistakenly produced a dozen or so New Yorkers without power steering & with 3-speed manual transmissions. (Both power steering & automatic were supposed to be standard equipment on all big Chryslers.) IIRC, this was blamed on a computer glitch.

I never found out what happened to these cars. Late 60s Chryslers were monsters. I can't imagine driving one without power steering.

isellhondas · June 2010

When I was a kid working in a gas station, I saw some oddball cars.

Onc customer had a '63 Chevy Impala SS with a six cylinder, no power steering and 3 speed manual on the column.

I remember thinking what a waste of such a nice car.

driver100 · June 2010

Southern accent? I think you have your posters mixed up.

Aren't you South of the Mason Dixie Line. You write with a South accent in your posts. If you would put some information on your tag we might know where the heck you're from. I know you live near a track where your son drives. Do you think I remember every detail about all the posters? ha ha

driver100 · June 2010

After watching that video I had to wonder if this was for real or if they stage these shows, make up stories and hire actors?

Actually, I once read the show sends out spotters to see what cases are coming up, in real courtrooms. They sign up the litigants to perform on Judge Judy if the case looks like it could be interesting for viewers...not necessarily JMonroe.

I think they get a break on the settlement, like the show pays for half or something.

That partly explains why the cases are a little over the top.

driver100 · June 2010

He finds a co-signor to get what? Something even more expensive like a Lincoln Navigator.

I forgot about his new Lincoln Navigator - that was also incredible. And we wonder how we got into this financial crisis. And isell and boomer and lrguy have to try to sell cars to these morans!!!!

driver100 · June 2010

We have a book sale open to the public today. We have a kids box set of Artemus Fowle books. 5 books in the box set. Regular price right on the box $38.50.

Ours are returns so the wrap is a bit torn and we priced it at $15. They are returns to the publisher, that is why we can sell for that price.

Do you not think a woman wanted to know if she could get a discount because the packaging wasn't perfect. If she bought the books from us individually they are $4 each...MSRP would be $8 each. She said she could have bought them for $1 cents each in a store somewhere. I told her if she doesn't want them I would sell them for 50 cents each.

I have to say, there are at least 100 nice customers for every one of those, but the bad ones really get to you. I understand where you are coming from isell.

driver100 · June 2010

I ruled that this case was a textbook example of the "Toyota Doctrine": You asked for it- You got it!

Perfect! That's exactly what Judge Judy would have done. People can be such morans. Then I like the ones where families sue each other.

boomchek · June 2010

How would you like to have him come to you as a customer?

To be honest, dealers make the most money on customers like that.

lrguy44 · June 2010

Edmund's is showing around a $3,000. discount from MSRP for Land Rover as the average of what people are paying. They did not list a "Special Edition".

I am glad that Edmunds is selling them so cheap. If you are considering one, maybe you should buy from them. I do not know what model you are talking about, If it is the Range Rover Sport I have a $3000 rebate for a early lease return if someone buys a Sport HSE. That comes from LR and does not affect my bottom line. The special edition is the Autobiography. Only 250 were produced for North America.

boomchek · June 2010

I am glad that Edmunds is selling them so cheap. If you are considering one, maybe you should buy from them

Hahaha, classic! Haven't heard or used this one in a while. Don't you love chatting with car sales people here houdini? :P

sterlingdog · June 2010

I agree. I never liked that word. Thank goodness it's mainly used for medical explanations. Still, I can't stand to use it without the "s". To me, it's like saying, "We only have four 'copy' of that book." :sick:

Richard

sterlingdog · June 2010

Thanks for doing that one. It saved me the trouble.

Richard

mako1a · June 2010

Driver100 commenting on the "tell us about yourself" edition of Stories/Frontlines.

"This has been an interesting exercise, and I have read all the bio's very carefully"

But, did you copy all of them to a word document for future reference like I did?

JM is from Western PA. In or just west of Pittsburgh.

lrguy44 · June 2010

Maybe his house faces south.

jayrider · June 2010

Since I love to talk about cars and like most people who are enthusiasts, I used to think that selling cars might be fun. I also like to cook from time to time. However, cooking for a living would mean doing it 5 days a week -- 8-10 hours a day month after month--year after year. You see where I'm going here.
My wife and I play a lot of golf. We rarely keep score. Bobby Jones said that there is golf and there is tournament golf and the two are nothing alike.
Like working with little kids ? Teaching kindergarten takes that to a whole different level.
Just a thought or two.

houdini1 · June 2010

I am glad that Edmunds is selling them so cheap. If you are considering one, maybe you should buy from them.

Your conflict about MSRP is with Edmund's, not me.

I am not in the market just yet. I am waiting to see if Tata improves their reliability. No where to go but up.

sterlingdog · June 2010

"You asked for it-You got it!"

Thanks heavens---a PRACTICAL judge. I'm proud to know you.

Ten years ago when my wife was still teaching, a student pulled a knife and threatened her. She took his a-- to court. At 11:30 AM, the student asked the judge if lunch was being served because he was hungry. The judge said, "Yes, we will serve lunch shortly." He called the bailiff over and told him, "Take this young man down stairs and give him lunch. See to it that he gets lunch for the next 30 days." The courtroom exploded with laughter and applause.

When I was training teachers, I always told them never to ignore threats. It only takes one threat to become a tragic reality. My wife remembered my words of caution.

Richard

mako1a · June 2010

I was going to go get the van washed by the local fundraiser group after a little pool time.

I say "was" as it went from 85 degrees and sunny to wind, rain and 70 degrees in a matter of 30 minutes here in SW Virginia. I feel for the poor folks at the Arkansas campground.

snakeweasel · June 2010

Another thought, an auto sales career. like any other retail sales, requires one to work a lot of evenings and weekends. That is if you want to be successful. Between 9 and 5 most people are working and don't have time to buy things. They do their shopping in the evenings and weekends.

Many young people don't want to spend their evenings and weekends working. In a past life I worked managing retail sales and at least half of the job applicants I interviewed wanted a 9-5 job. I would tell them that a good portion of their pay was commission and we did very little business between 9 and 5 Monday thru Friday. It was hard to find people motivated enough to work those hours.

roadburner · June 2010

When I was training teachers, I always told them never to ignore threats. It only takes one threat to become a tragic reality. My wife remembered my words of caution.

Before I took over Juvenile Court the kids actually looked forward to it, as it got them out of school and the sentences handed down were little more than a slap on the wrist. It took a month or so, but the word got out that Juvenile Court was the last place you wanted to wind up. I would tell punks(like the one that threatened your wife) that they were going to remain in detention until their decaying flesh dropped from their bleached bones.

sterlingdog · June 2010

What am I going to do with you? I'm the one from the South. How many times has jmonroe mentioned the "Burg" and PA? Wait. He did live in South Carolina for a short time. Perhaps that is what confused you. He definitely doesn't write with a Southern accent. He's much more direct and assertive than that. Also, people write more based on their personalities than where they live. Though you are from Canada, you write as if you are an American citizen---until you screw up your geography. :P

While we're at it, I want to make another observation. There are times when people accuse you of beating an issue to death. I think that I know why. You have such a strong code of ethics that you absolutely defend your position to the hilt. Though you get carried away at times, I do admire that character trait very much.

Now try to be more observant about your fellow posters.

By the way, it's been two years since I asked you to find me that yellow "Dick and Jane" book. Let's get on the ball with that request. You know that I'm no longer in my twenties.

Richard

verdugo · June 2010

driver100 is anyting but a troll. He is a good guy who for whatever reason got wound up in this "washer nozzle" issue.

Sorry, didn't mean to imply that driver was a troll. He's not. He just gets caught up in some issues and won't let go (right now it's washer nozzles, before it was C4C).

sterlingdog · June 2010

"...from their bleached bones."

I love it!

Richard

verdugo · June 2010

Putting one on a ice cold to lukewarm car seems like trying to "gouge" the customer. I think it's more an insult to one's intelligence.

I went to a Jeep dealership in September 2008. The 2008 Grand Cherokee had been out a month and it already had a $3500 rebate.

In the middle of the floor, they had a car with "added delaer markup" of almost $9000. I couldn't stop laughing. I bought from another dealer. Invoice - rebates with no drama.

sterlingdog · June 2010

Now you have me wondering. Perhaps Dad found that dusty rose color combination without power steering because it was a special order and the person decided that they didn't want it. Dad was a really strong guy. The lack of power steering wouldn't have bothered him at all. Seeing Mother's favorite color may have blinded him from the fact that she would have trouble driving it without power steering. When I see my sister soon, this will be an interesting topic of conversation. I'll see what she remembers.

Mother's next car was a Buick Regal---power everything. She did love that car. After those years of no power steering, I can see why.

Richard

lrguy44 · June 2010

Your conflict about MSRP is with Edmund's, not me.

I don't have any conflict with anything or anybody. I just sell the cars for what the market is and my customer will pay.

houdini1 · June 2010

Richard, one of the Universal Truths is that nothing sucks as much as the instant, during an argument, when you realize that you are wrong !!

driver100 · June 2010

But, did you copy all of them to a word document for future reference like I did?

Wow, I am impressed. I did record the post numbers so I could go back and look that information up if I have to, but it would take a few hours. I'll just ask you in the future.

Thanks for the info though, west PA is definitely more North than I thought...he is practically a Canadian. I think we will make him an honorary Canadian because he gets along with us so well.

driver100 · June 2010

"Take this young man down stairs and give him lunch. See to it that he gets lunch for the next 30 days

Loved that! Was that Judge Judy?

driver100 · June 2010

He did live in South Carolina for a short time.

I think that is what was trapped in my mind - been through beautiful Pennsylvania a few times and I will try to remember.

. Also, people write more based on their personalities than where they live.
That's an interesting observation and makes sense. I won't try to guess where someone lives by the way they write. I thought JM had a bit of a drawl in his writing.

strong code of ethics that you absolutely defend your position to the hilt. Though you get carried away at times,
Could be too strong of a code of ethics at times. If I was GM I would be embarassed to tell my customers our engineering on a simple device was faulty, but here's a $100 . I would get engineers to come up with a device or give a $200 credit toward your next GM car.

asked you to find me that yellow "Dick and Jane" book.

I think I did give you a way to try to find it. If not, go on abebooks.com and just put in Dick and Jane in the search. Find the book you want and order from the nearest and cheapest dealer. Good luck!

abebooks.com - Dick and Jane

imidazol97 · June 2010

> I would tell punks(like the one that threatened your wife) that they were going to remain in detention until their decaying flesh dropped from their bleached bones.

Did their parents call in the newspaper reporters and TV talking heads to do stories about how radical you were? That's what they do here in Dayton.

One of the earliest malls was ruined by the community's police and the mall police not wanting to take on the race card with all the gang wannabees roaming and intimidating law-abiding shoppers. I recall after the police finally started to crack down (too late), when arresting one miscreant the mother was standing in the mall parking lot yelling for the always present TV 2 cameras about how her son was being mistreated because he was black. Today that mall is a flatland and a Home Depot store parking area at one corner with a little-used Sears standing alone at the other corner. A mistake made was letting the county bus line run to the door of the mall; a lot of city kids used it as recreation since there was no parenting at home. Our more recent malls restricted bus service to the outlying corner and the other one has NO bus service closeby--it's in an adjacent county.

driver100 · June 2010

He just gets caught up in some issues and won't let go (right now it's washer nozzles, before it was C4C).

C4C!!!! I forgot about that but now you will get me started on that again. I was just reading where used car prices are really high and used cars are in short supply partly because of C4C. That part is true but I don't care about C4C any more...it might have even worked, though we have a long way to go to really know.

Now, the nozzle problem. I do believe in what I said, it is short sighted to make an engineering blunder and think you can fix it by just paying people off. I went on a bit because things were a little slow around here and I was having a bit of fun with that particular issue. I believe everything that I said, but I was a little over the top just to get the discussion going. I once worked in advertising and we sometimes had brainstorming sessions. You just say what comes into your head to get ideas. I am guilty of doing that at times just to get people into the discussion, which leads to other discussions.

Don't mean to upset any one, it's just a way to get opinions flying. But, I don't say things I don't mean - I do believe what I said.....but not as strongly as I may sound.
Think of it as literary license or Bill O'Reilly complex or something.

jmonroe · June 2010

Thanks for the info though, west PA is definitely more North than I thought...he is practically a Canadian.

FWIW, I live in the eastern suburbs of the Burgh. And no I'm not "practically a Canadian".

I think we will make him an honorary Canadian because he gets along with us so well.

So this is what I get for being a nice guy. Things are going to change around here and soon. :mad:

jmonroe

sterlingdog · June 2010

Please have mercy on the poor soul. He thought that my local court story was from Judge Judy! :sick: I'm beginning to wonder if he suffers from ADHD. :shades: He's a good fellow, but he doesn't pay attention. Still, we should be nice to our foreign visitors. :P

Richard

sterlingdog · June 2010

You are so right! I didn't mind the apology to isellhondas because I knew that he would understand. It was having my wife to prove me wrong---about CARS! That was a killer.

Richard

sterlingdog · June 2010

No, no. I'm not letting you off the hook that easily. You sent me down that road before. I spent hours searching, to no avail. I want YOU to find it. You can drop it off on your next trip to Florida. I'll even cook dinner for you and the Mrs.---IF you find it. Otherwise, just keep trucking. :P

Richard

imidazol97 · June 2010

> You have such a strong code of ethics that you absolutely defend your position to the hilt.

I heard Walter Barge, editor of Children's Highlights, speak one time. He talked about children who were very stubborn in their opinion. He felt that was a symptom of intelligence; they knew they were right. He also felt interest in puns was another characteristic of intellligent children. He used the chess nuts boasting in an open foyer as the example of a triple pun. I have always looked at puns differently since hearing him.

isellhondas · June 2010

Sadly, that ratio has shifted. One out of 100 or even one out of ten, I can put up with.

A neighbor/friend had a garage sale today. Selling 20 read once hardbacks for 1.00 each. I bought all 20!

Grisham, Cornwall, JA Jance etc. I won't ge going to the library for a LONG time!

isellhondas · June 2010

Years ago, a long retired Chevy salesman told me a story about a special ordered Impala he once sold.

He told me that back in those days almost any strange combination could be special ordered if the customer was willing to wait two months.

He said one day and older woman came in wanting to buy a VERY specific 1967 Chevy Impala.

Get this...it had to be yellow with a BLUE interior. She insisted it have a 6 cylinder engine and manual everything! No power steering, windows, NOTHING!

They tried to convince her that a blue vinyl interior would NOT look good with a yellow car and that a totally stripped down Impala wasn't very desirable.

She paid cash in advance and got the car of her dreams!

driver100 · June 2010

. He talked about children who were very stubborn in their opinion. He felt that was a symptom of intelligence;

I hope verdugo noted that one!

I don't know if it is true though, I know someone who is extremely stubborn but not too bright. Don't want to mention any names but they aren't on this site.

interest in puns was another characteristic of intellligent children

All I have to say to that is: Two vultures board an airplane, each carrying two dead raccoons. The flight attendant looks at them and says, "I'm sorry, gentlemen, only one carrion allowed per passenger."

driver100 · June 2010

Grisham, Cornwall, JA Jance etc. I won't ge going to the library for a LONG time!

Some good authors there. So, you visit curbsiders for books but don't want us going to buy cars. That doesn't seem right! :surprise:

driver100 · June 2010

Not sure which one you want. There are a few in yellow. Next thing you will want me to read it to you.
I am going to try to drop it off one day. Let me know which one you want.
I am really looking forward to that fabulous sounding dinner!

1)Storybook Treasury of Dick and Jane and Friends
2)Something Funny (Read With Dick and Jane 1)
3) The original movie was one of my favorites (not really having anything to do with the books.
4)Dick and Jane Ready Set Go

imidazol97 · June 2010

> "I'm sorry, gentlemen, only one carrion allowed per passenger."

That's one pun I'd never heard.

roadburner · June 2010

Did their parents call in the newspaper reporters and TV talking heads to do stories about how radical you were? That's what they do here in Dayton.

Both the Louisville Courier Journal and the Lexington Herald-Leader wrote a couple of negative articles over the years, but the papers are held in such disrepute that I considered their disapproval to be a badge of honor- not to mention valuable free publicity.

sterlingdog · June 2010

Wow! A yellow car with blue vinyl interior! Though you don't care about colors, I would imagine that even you would have balked at that combination.

I hope that she didn't try to trade it in for many years. More importantly, let's hope that she liked it. Talk about buyer's remorse if she didn't. :sick:

Richard

sterlingdog · June 2010

Walter Barge was an interesting and talented man. You were very fortunate to have heard him speak. Last year, I heard Bob Gallup (Gallup Polls) speak. His father, George Gallup, started the organization in the 1930's. I remember Bob Gallup saying that intelligent people make the best respondents to polls. They believe what they say, and they enjoy the opportunity to share their thoughts.

Richard

sterlingdog · June 2010

I want the one from the early 1950's that has "Run Spot run. See Spot run."

As you search for my book, think about your menu choices for dinner:
1. Baby back BBQ ribs 2. Southern fried chicken 3. Chicken and dumplings 4. Shrimp and grits 5. Mama Dip's meat loaf 6. Smoked fried turkey 7. Prime rib

Sides: 1. Corn-on-the-cob 2. Stuffed squash 3. Harvard beets 4. Fried green tomatoes 5. Cold slaw with tomatoes, green peppers, and onion 6. German potato salad 7. Chopped cabbage cooked with fatback 8. Field peas with snaps 9. Sweet potato casserole 10, asparagus casserole au gratin

Desserts; 1. Banana pudding 2. Peach cobbler 3. Richard's chocolate chip fudge nut brownies 4. Fifteen layer chocolate cake 5. Coconut Cake Supreme with sour cream icing.

Are you now motivated to find my book?

Richard

nyccarguy · June 2010

So my best friend is very good at getting car deals for people. For those of you who remember, he's the guy that found my 2010 TSX on the last day Cash for Clunkers for me.

He's not a grinder, just seems to always help get cars for the best price available. He'll get a price from one dealer, then call around to 4 or 5 different dealers to check the price & always gives the 1st dealer the first right of refusal - if not, he moves on to the one who he got the best price from.

Now 8 months ago his sister-in-law (24?) asked him to help her buy a civic. She wanted a coupe with a stick, Certified Honda Used. He found her a few cars, an LX with 40K miles, and EX with 35K miles... He begged her to just buy a new one, because the CPO Civics weren't priced that much lower than a new one. Now he has a Honda dealer that he's bought 2 Fits from as well as sent referral customers to the salesman. This guy has one on his lot and tells him the asking and selling price. His sister-in-law just goes out one night, with her Mother & buys a CPO Civic Si from another dealer. He's fuming, because his sister-in-law blatantly wasted his time.

Fast forward 8 months and the sister-in-law totals the car. I'm sure she was paying full attention to the road and adhering to the speed limit. The insurance check comes in. She calls him up & asks for his help. He tells here he's not gonna help out if she's gonna do the same thing she did with her Mother last time. She swears she NEEDS his help. Now she wants an Accord. Blue EX Coupe with a manual transmission. So the dealer gives him a price, he calls the dealer he deals with to get the price - excatly the same price. He called up 2 more dealers, same price. She sends him a text last night that she went and got the car at a different dealer with her MOTHER!

Oh was he steaming mad! I don't blame him.

jmonroe · June 2010

She sends him a text last night that she went and got the car at a different dealer with her MOTHER!

Our poster buddy 'GG' has helped people buy cars but I don't think he's the type that would give someone a second chance to back door him. I'm pretty sure after the first time he'd have been gone.

Will your friend go for the third time is the charm thing? :confuse:

jmonroe

sterlingdog · June 2010

That's why I made it a rule years ago to never get into a relative or friend's business. They will dump on you every time. The last time that it happened was with my nephew's wife. She wanted my help in buying a painting for the living room in their first house. They all know that we're into art and antiques. I contacted a friend of mine who owned an art gallery in Sarasota, Florida. We all drove down and made it a vacation/buying trip. My nephew's wife took her paint and fabric samples. After looking at many paintings, I suggested one to her. She claimed that she just loved it. As the good uncle that I try to be, I purchased it for her and my nephew. I later saw it hanging in their home. It looked spectacular---to me.

A few months later, I got a call. She hated the painting and asked me if I wanted it. Since I paid for it, I went and got it. It now hangs over the stone fireplace in our Florida room. Ready for the kicker? This past Christmas she's having dinner at our home. She walks up to the painting and claims that she made a big mistake. She wants to know if she can have it back! My response? I told her that I loved her but that the painting was just perfect where it is. Never, ever again!

Richard

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