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First things first - You're at a good dealer - Not all dealers will disclose that its been in any sort of accident or incident. Check the carfax to see if the damage was reported - Thats going to make or break eventual resale value.
Cars get damaged ALL THE TIME prior to sale. It just happens. Minor accidents, break-ins, customer spilled their coffee on the test drive, the lot guy went too fast around a corner, etc.
It happens - its still considered a new vehicle and will still be covered under warranty.
My only suggestion - You probably have another thousand to negotiate
You'll need a Washington driver's license and a local address before a dealer cvan sell a car to you in WA. Also proof of insurance.
2020 Acura RDX tech SH-AWD, 2023 Maverick hybrid Lariat luxury package.
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The Sandman :sick: :shades:
2023 Hyundai Kona Limited AWD (wife) / 2015 Golf TSI (me) / 2019 Chevrolet Cruze Premier RS (daughter #1) / 2020 Hyundai Accent SE (daughter #2) / 2023 Subaru Impreza Base (son)
The Sandman :sick: :shades:
2023 Hyundai Kona Limited AWD (wife) / 2015 Golf TSI (me) / 2019 Chevrolet Cruze Premier RS (daughter #1) / 2020 Hyundai Accent SE (daughter #2) / 2023 Subaru Impreza Base (son)
But what I don't understand is why dealers cannot keep their online inventory even remotely up to date. My company sells thousands of products worth millions of dollars each day and ships them from about 30 warehouses across the country, and we can tell you with 99% certainty how much of a particular product is in stock at any time in any location. Why can't car dealers do the same on their one lot? There are dealers in my area who show a car in stock on their website that they have told me they sold two weeks before! Wouldn't showing an accurate online inventory save the dealer's time in the long run?
What I find most frustrating is that I ask for specific information- do you still have the Black w/ Parchment 2013 Acura TSX 'base' 4-door available that I saw on your website? If so, I'd be interested in discussing the current lease and financing deals you have to offer on it.
In return, if I get a response within 24-48 hours, it's along the lines of "tell me a little more about what you're looking for (colors, options, etc.) and I'm certain we can find the car that fits you perfectly!"
It's a bit frustrating when they ask you for information that you provided in your original email! But the most surprising thing is how many either don't respond or don't respond for several business days???
While I don't appreciate it as a customer, I can actually understand the thought process behind trying to get you on the phone or (preferably) in the showroom. They have a much better chance to 'sell' you on the phone or face to face than in an email. But that's the same reason I don't provide my number to them....
They see the internet as a way to get sales leads for the dealership rather than a way to communicate with a buyer to actually give information to the buyer and consummate a sale.
I always wonder if the same dealer views buyers who use the telephone to buy a car the same way: they won't give any information about a solid deal, instead they demand the person come in to go through their 4-square and their step process to try to "up" them on what they pay. A friend of ours 10 years ago bought her Miata at a Cincinnati area dealer by phone.
2014 Malibu 2LT, 2015 Cruze 2LT,
There are some enterprises/businesses, where being on social media or doing internet commerce isn't really worth the effort, but boy, or boy, new car sales isn't one of those!
Look at the Apple Stores---if dealers don't wake up, they're going to be defending an increasingly archaic business model IMO.
Some critics say (and it's a good argument) that an Apple Store is not a dealership, and what works for basically disposable, fairly cheap products is not going to scale up to the level of selling and servicing automobile throughout a substantially longer lifetime than an iPhone.
I really enjoy the sillines of dealers who have a link on their website if a potential buyer has interest in a particular vehicle. Far too often, even though I have inquired about a specific vehicle, the dealer responds they need to talk with me to assure they price the correct vehicle. Hello, I already told them the vehicle, color, and options for which I would like pricing. If they are not interesting in complying with the commitment they present on their website there is no way I would honor them by purchasing a vehicle.
I recently inquired about leasing an Acura in the DC area. Contacted several dealerships. Several responded with either a come see me response or some request for additional information which I already provided. One provided a summary showing the MSRP, Cap Cost, and Money Factor in a neat organized summary. I ignored the others and leased from that dealership.
Another example, actually visited a dealer, Sheehy Ford, to buy a Ford for my child. Sadly Sheehy is not unique only the latest. While there I requested pricing be sent to me. Never got the requested pricing. I would think since I actually spent the time to visit, the sales guy would have conclude I at least had some actual interest in buying.
Subseqently contacted a different dealer who provided pricing immediately. Meanwhile, Sheehy continued to send emails asking if there was anything they could provide. I sent follow up requests to them requesting pricing which never came. All I got were emails continually asking if there was anything they could provide to assist my purchase.
Not sure about other folks, but generic emails which indicate the dealer really has not taken the time to listen to what I have to say do not entice me to follow up with that dealer.
Several days passed and I was on the way to buy from a different dealer and figured there was nothing to lose by sending Sheehy one more request for pricing and advising I was intending to buy that day. Once again Sheehy did not provide pricing so I bought from the other dealer the next day.
Amazingly Sheehy continues to send me emails asking if there is anything they can provide to assist my purchase. Apparently, they don't really read.
There are internet savy dealerships out there who seem to provide the best sales experience. The trick is to locate them.
In dealership reviews on our site, we see that consumers are a lot more forgiving of dealerships who provide a quote - any quote - rather than just heading straight to the "come on in and we'll talk about it!" pitch line, without a price. Even if a quote is high, consumers give points for 1) responding quickly, and 2) responding with a price. There's a strong belief that the quote price will simply be used to shop other dealerships, but that's not always the case. We see a lot of consumers who are happy to deal with the first SP who responds with a number, or who responds with a number AND seems to have actually read the quote request completely.
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You hit the nail on the head!
Back in 12/2005, I was shopping for a 2006 Mazda3. I live in metro Atlanta and there are seven Mazda dealers in the metro area (of 7 million people). They were even less responsive back then.
Ultimately, a dealership in Knoxville TN, 300 miles away, provided a same-day, detailed quote and responded to all my questions. The following weekend, my best friend and I took the 600-mile roadtrip to another state (and passing within 5 miles of 18 other Mazda dealers) and I bought my car!
I made it clear that I wanted everything in order when I arrived, the car ready to go and I would be in and out in 30 minutes or less. I arrived at 8:30pm to ensure that I would get out quickly and I arranged my own financing (no trade-in) so I had a bank issued check for the exact purchase amount down to the penny. I made it clear that I wouldn't buy anything from F&I and asked them not to waste my time trying. I probably sounded like a major a-hole, but I was skeptical because of how easy and quickly they took care of things and didn't want to drive a 600-mile round trip only to walk out empty handed.
I called the internet sales manager when were a few miles away, he met us at the car in front of the dealership, I took a five minute quickie drive (had taken many test drives previously) just to make sure that specific car had no issues, spent 15 minutes singing paperwork and pulled out of their parking lot in my new Mazda3 at 8:57pm!
I haven't experience that level of service in the eight years since, even at 'premium' or 'luxury' brand dealers. They all could learn a few lessons from a little Mazda dealership in Knoxville TN!!!
WOW.
2014 Malibu 2LT, 2015 Cruze 2LT,
Seems like we'll find out soon enough if Tesla has its way.
I hope they succeed.
But the problem for both real estate agencies and car dealers is that the world is changing, and a lot of consumers don't want to have to call and go through a sales spiel, including the inevitable "come on in and we can find what you're looking for". It's actually much worse for car dealers, as they are selling a manufactured product that is available in an identical or nearly-identical form from other retailers.
I realize the old-school salesperson's thought process is "if I provide a price and it isn't low enough, I'll lose a sale. Better to not provide a price and get the fish on the hook". The emerging thought should be "if I don't provide a price, I'll never hear from the buyer at all. But I have the opportunity to provide a price, along with other advantages of my store and operation. Perhaps if I'm close to lowest, I can still make a sale by negotiating or providing other benefits."
I use a temporary email address and no phone number (or make up a phony one if required by the contact form) when communicating with car dealers. I've made the mistake of giving my real phone number and permanent email address before, and learned my lesson.
I find it astounding that so many dealers spend much money to set up a fancy web sit intended to increase internet traffic but really do not use the site effectively. Those web sites usually promise much to entice a buyer to make an actual inquiry to that dealer. Such as click here for your special e-price. A potential customer clicks on the link and later gets a "we got your inquiry but we need more information", or "we have what you are looking for, please call."
Really, if I wanted to talk to someone would not I have called?
Sure if a dealer gives a price to a customer that customer may shop the price. Does that really make a difference? Any customer who uses the internet is going to get a price from somewhere as there are always dealers who will provide that price. For a dealer it seems to make sense to be the dealer who provided the price rather than hope a customer will get a price elsewhere and then visit to get a price match or a better price.
A customer who asks for a price has actually given the dealership one chance to sell them a vehicle. Better for the sales person to make the most of that one chance.
Dealers have about thirty minutes to provide an effective response to an internet inquiry. Any longer likely results in the customer moving to a different dealer. Responses which take twenty four hours or more are useless. Personally, I expect a response within a couple of hours before I move to the next dealer.
Standardized responses are mostly ineffective. The key seems to be that the assigned sales person actually read the lead to determine what has been requested and how the customer wants to be contacted. Personally, I find any response which is not directly related to my request insulting. Recently requested pricing on a Ford Escape and got pricing for a Ford Focus. If this dealer could not read my simple inquiry I shudder to think what they would do with the more complex aspects of the deal such as registration or financing.
Seems pretty simple. Yet many dealers, in my opinion, seem to have no clue as to how to work with the new breed internet customer and, as a result, essentially ignore a huge potential sales base.
OR do they just use the cute chat feature as a way to get you to come in with your title and checkbook to see what they can sell me?
I was the website person for my company when I was working there in the early days. I see the websites now have all kinds of popups that are irritating. They want you to sign up for a $500 prize drawing with name, phone, etc.. Or they want you to evaluate their website.
When I sign into their website, I just want to look at new and used cars. Period. All the popups that are sometimes hard to get to click out of the way is a big turnoff. Is there a parallel between their store manners to a customer in the store and how they treat one on the website?
2014 Malibu 2LT, 2015 Cruze 2LT,
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Gee, ya think? Of COURSE they will!
Giving out a price over the internet, in writing is the fastest way to lose a sale!
Oh, sure, there are always a few who will be satisfied and happy they were given a price but believe me, those people are the ultra rare exception.
So, the dealers can't win. Don't give a hard number and the shoppers are unhappy. Give a hard number and lose the sale for sure.
This is exactly why "mistakes" are made..." Oh, I thought you wanted an LX and not an EX" or...." Did you really think destination charges were included in the quote I gave you?"
The store where I worked never lowballed anybody but a lot of stores around us did. If a customer left without buying I would make certain that we would do anything to match or beat a doable number.
Sometimes, they would return after finding out they had been lowballed but other times they would simply cave in and buy, exhausted from the process.
Then there were those who wouldn't give us the satisfaction of coming back. Maybe they thought we would say " I told you so"
I miss the people I worked with and a lot of my wonderful loyal customers but there is a lot I certainly do NOT miss!
Most of them being tire kicking internet shoppers? or just grinders in general?
What's the difference?
The ones I don't miss are the downright cheapskates who would cut my throat to save 50.00.
I don't miss the joyriders or non-serious shoppers.
I don't miss the scary test drivers or the ones with B.O.
Still, I did meet a bunch of great customers along the way.
Dealer: Are you interested in a Tech model?
Me: I am interested in the base model only. Prefereably in Grey.
Dealer: What about Silver?
Me: No. Any color but silver. And base model only.
Dealer: OK. So I understand you want a Silver model with the Premium package or Tech package, right?
Needless to say, I haven't responded.
I am a firm negotiator, but I also realize that dealers are in business to make a profit. I usually acknowledge that fact up front and don't expect them to sell the car for a net profit of $20. I just go in knowing the invoice price, any applicable incentives and also any regional ad fees. I have never traded-in one of my cars (totaled the last one, sold all others to private buyers), but when I'm playing wingman for a friend of family member, we always swing by Carmax for a purchase quote. If Carmax can purchase the car outright for a certain amount, there's no logical reason that a dealer can't give at least that amount for trade-in.
I ended up locking horns with the used car manager when I was buying my 2012 CX-9 GT last November. I went by on the Tuesday evening before Thanksgiving to chat with the int1ernet sales manager I had been emailing and take a quick look at the vehicle, but didn't have time for a test drive. We talked numbers on the car and I didn't even attempt to negotiate the price any lower. It was about $2000 lower than what I was willing to pay! But it was a 2012 model and the new, redesigned ('refreshening' in my book) 2013 models were already on the lot. Sticker price was $37,385 and I paid $29,207 plus $499 doc fee for a total of $29,706. The used car manager offered $7500 for my '07 Explorer (with 134k miles on it) but ONLY if I did the deal that night! Any time I'm told that, there's a better chance that we'll both win the lottery and be struck by lighting simultaneously than of me buying anything right then! I do NOT respond to pressure.
Anyway, the next day was the day before Thanksgiving and I called my salesman and asked to take the CX-9 over the holiday and return it Friday morning, hopefully to seal the deal. I offered to leave my vehicle, my insurance policy info and sign a loaner agreement. I also was paying cash for the car, so I gave them the name and number of the branch manager at my bank to confirm that I had the funds to actually pay for it. They had it washed and waiting for me to pick up two hours later.
I returned on the day after Thanksgiving, which is an awesome day to buy a car, and I was the only customer all day, at least 'til 7pm when I finally got out of there. When he wrote up the deal, it was exactly as we had discussed except he added in an addition discount of $500 for an Owner Loyalty incentive since I have a 2006 Mazda3 also. I didn't have proof of ownership on my initial visit so he couldn't include it in the initial quote. Then he went to confirm the trade-in allowance and came back with $7250! I had already told him that I would walk out if I didn't get $7500. If he could offer it three days before, he could do the same today. Coincidentally, the Carmax four doors down the street gave me a purchase offer quote of $7500 earlier in the week. But I wanted to trade-in to get the sales tax savings.
For the next hour, my poor salesman tried to talk him up. Finally, I told him I wanted to speak to the General Manager. He said that he'd get in trouble if he involved, but I reminded him that I would still walk out if I didn't get $7500. Finally, I excused myself (he assumed to the restroom) an I casually walked down the hall and found the GM myself. I gave him the very abbreviated Cliff Notes version and he smiled, shook my hand and said "not a problem". He walked over the salesman's desk and wrote in "addiitional trade allowance- $250 per XX" and the deal was done!
I decided to do something that was equally kind to my salesman and spiteful to the used car manager. As soon as I left the lot in my new CX-9 I went over to Ruth's Chris steakhouse and bought a $200 gift certificate. I went back by the dealership and gave my salesman the gift certificate and $50 for a babysitter for his two kids. He knew I was being appreciative but also had ulterior motives, but he got $250 so he was happy. The used car manager overheard all of this and he looked at me like he could kill me. I gave a smirk, winked and drove off in my SUV....
That has to be it. No other logical explanation. Well come to think about it could also be selective reading.
Voice: Just speak your question.
Me: I am having trouble accessing the internet.
Voice: I understand that you would like to access your account information. Is this correct? Just say "yes," or "no."
Me: No.
Voice: Great, I am transferring you to our automated account information system.
You didn't get a whole lot better, even with a live human being on the other end.
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The key for consumers is to locate a dealer who is willing to sell at a competitive price. Dealers who provide a competitive price in response to an Internet inquiry generally represent that dealer. The dealer most likely respect the intelligence of the buyer. Dealers who do not are probably best ignored.
From a customer prospective, these days it may be the fastest way for a dealer to lose a sale is to not provide a customer what they request. This is particularly true of a price. Does a dealer want to be the one who never provides a price to any of ten Internet inquiries and then wonders why all ten bought from that dealer down the street or does the dealer want to be the one who provides ten prices and sells to three of those inquiries?
Today's car buyer,particularly the younger ones, know they control the deal, not the dealer. Buyers who settle for dealers who insist on the old way of selling are becoming rare. Those dealers who embrace that fact will prosper, those that do not will become irrelevant.
And really, how long will it be before the State franchising laws go the way of the T-Rex? Think of the money we could all save if we did not have to buy from a dealer! GEE, ya think?
The fact is we buyers are getting smarter about auto sales each generation. We know the tricks car sales people use, we know about holdback, dealer cash, and invoices, we know about dealer reserve, we have seen the four square sheets, we know about the tower and the box, and we demand respect from the sales people if we are to buy.
The simple fact is dealers who are open with us and who give us a price when we request o e will earn our business, those that refuse will not.
The bottom line is we know the dealer needs us, we really do not need the dealer. This simple facts so very hard far too any dealers to grasp.
Generalizing like that is not fair to the good salesman out there.
No need for them to believe as they were smarter than the average buyer. Years of training in the trenches, working the 4 square, negotiating with more buyers in a month that you would in ten years.
Do you really think years of "working the trenches" makes a sales person smarter than the average buyer. Of course you do, you are a salesman. Our point exactly.
The use of a four square simply allowed the sales person to resort to a well planned set of deceptions which were essentially orchestrated by the man in the tower.
The simple fact the average buyer has caught on to the tactics of the sales person along with the back end issues in the F&I office is clearly causing a great deal of consternation among our sales person friends. Much of that is due to the information provided by Edmunds.
Personally, I do not need more than one deal to know more than the sales person sitting across the table. I am smart enough to know it is my deal, my money. Seems more and more folks are learning that simple fact.
But if you continue to BELIEVE you are smarter than me, great. That assures I will get a better deal. Never good to underestimate that person sitting across the table. They may not be as ill informed as you believe.
Yes Obyone, some of us can compute a lease payment without the assistance of the smartest salesman, the one in the Box.
Bought a Nissan years ago. Offered a price almost immediately. Was rejected by the sales folks. Spent several hours with this group of folks who were smarter than me. As I was leaving, totally confused by the sales manager's knowledge gained via his many years in the trenches. However, he took one last try and offered a deal which was reflective of payment.
I guess this smart guy figured I, as a dumb buyer, did not possess the smarts to understand what he was offering. The reality was it was he who did not understand what had taken place.
I thought for a moment, still blinded by the by the salesman's knowledge and said OK. A few minutes later they brought the paperwork. The salesperson, not the smart manager, looked up and, with some surprise, said the smart manager had sold me the vehicle for less than I had offered initially. I said yep and just smiled.
I learned a lot that day.
" Knowing" about holdbacks, dealer cash, incentives can be a goos thing but knowing all of this won't buy a car.
Cars sell for what the MARKET dictates. If it's a dime a dozen car that a store has 50 in stock with more due to arrive, of course they will take a skinny profit.
If it's high demand car that is in short supply they will hold out for more profit knowing they will have little trouble selling that car to the next shopper.
It's like anything else. Would a person cheap sell their house in a tight Buyer's Market?
" We know the tricks car sales people use"
Oh, I know those tricks too and our store didn't pull those tricks. Maybe that's why the store I worked at has been the number one Honda store for over 30 years in nine states.
Maybe that's why the bulk of my business in my later years there were to repeat and referral customers.
Shoppers walk in with arrogant attitudes too and they, too play tricks.
I used to tell my price shoppers to simply let me know what they were hearing before they pulled the trigger. I never lost a sale over dollars UNLESS I wasn't given a chance to respond to a honest quote.
It doesn't have to be a miserable process but some stores and some shoppers can certainly make it that way!
I noticed all the sales people have moved on. Guess no need for them as we now have all these self appointed consultants to simplify the buying process.
You would be surprised as to how well 4 square works. I personally know a 38 year veteran that still uses it. Why? cause it's simple.
Ever heard of the Bobst method of car acquisition?
I always treated my customers like family and like I would have liked to have been treated.
Honestly, if I got an arrogant one that I couldn't win over (and, I was good at doing that), after awhile I didn't care whether they bought a car or not.
These were the same people who would trash us on the surveys. They were never happy and they would leave thinking they somehow paid too much or got cheated.
I used to love the comments on the surveys..." The whole process took way too long"
Well, it took so long because they MADE it a long, miserable process!
And, yeah, arrogant people DO get lowballed. We never did this but I could see why other stores did. They would get a phony price and then spend DAYS trying to do even better.
I could only hope they would come back to me and often they did.
Sounds like a grinder but not quite a Jipster.
I wouldn't have minded having him as a customer.
Most stores are miserable to work at and they treat their salespeople like garbage.
I got lucky in that regard and I made more money than when I was a fairly high level corporate manager. I didn't miss the constant travel, pressure to excel, meetings, hotel rooms etc.
It was only in the last couple of years in the car business that I lost interest.
A lot of customers walked in with attitudes that they didn't seem to have in the past. I know you see these people posting in these forums and that is what I had to deal with. It got old. I took a look at my finances and decided to pull the plug a few years earlier than I had planned.
I miss my co-workers and great customers but I don't miss the jerks with the attitudes that seem to feel we should run a non profit.
A lot of stores literally turn their entire sales staff over every three months.
My store still has a lot of it's "core" people left. Like I said, it's a family run store with great management.
Had I gone to work anywhere else I wouldn't have stayed long.