Bad experience in the finance office - normal?
12-17-17, 11:46 AM
#16
12-17-17, 11:52 AM
#17
True they are required to pitch those upgrades, plus they make commission on them. I always go in to shop with approval from USAA. I up front tell them I only talk total cost, no payment talk. When they sit down to talk extras after coming to a price agreement. I politely tell them I know they have to give the pitch, but I'm not interested in them at all. They end up give me the quick three minute sale. I have found over time it's best to give polite expectations upfront. I start that process in the first few minutes I get on the lot. I have met a few who still try the high pressure tactics, I just walk away and look elsewhere.
12-17-17, 02:49 PM
#19
Lexus Champion
Yup, sometimes a good experience and sometimes not. I purchased two BMW's from different dealerships and surprisingly the finance office experience at both was pretty good.after I told them I wasn't interested in anything extra. In between was an Audi purchase that went pretty well too although not quite as seamless.
12-17-17, 03:57 PM
#20
Lexus Fanatic
Yes, the hard-sell in the finance office is pretty much standard fare in the car-buying business nowadays....although most of the finance officers are polite and courteous. I've been through it many times....both for myself and in shopping with others. In most cases, if you politely but firmly say no, that's the end of it. Don't assume, though, that all of the proposals they are trying to sell you are useless....some are, some aren't. The road-hazard warranty for the tires, for example, is an example of something that, IMO, is definitely NOT useless. You can easily pick up a nail, screw, or anything else that will puncture a tire almost anywhere, and need a repair or replacement (a radial tire must be replaced if the puncture is on the sidewall, above the tread-line). This program will cover the cost of patching and/or replacing the tire, if needed.
12-17-17, 06:09 PM
#21
Lexus Champion
I think if it's a particularly hard sell hustle in the finance guy's office, then that's inappropriate for a luxury car dealership. But in general, dealership structure is all based on a small number of metrics which are all based on sell, sell and up-sell. Everyone from the sales guy on the showroom floor to the sales manager, general manager and finance manager all got there because they produced numbers year after year. So it's no surprise these folks are always hustling for a buck because they got promoted to higher salaried/bonus structure jobs based on production.
That's the reason dealerships are always looking for sales people as are a number of other sectors. Selling is hard especially when you have to convince people to buy things that they may not necessarily want.
That's the reason dealerships are always looking for sales people as are a number of other sectors. Selling is hard especially when you have to convince people to buy things that they may not necessarily want.
12-17-17, 07:34 PM
#23
Yes , call 'em , get something extra from them if he offers ,beside , they are wanting to pacifying you .
I do complain a lot , embarrass my wife , but , she is amazed with what I get for free or discounted. Last year , I got 2 motel room stays for free , and this was at 2 different motels .
I get free food , or discounted meals at restaurants
Once you learn to complain and get free stuff , it's hard to stop , not that I ever tried to stop or will try , I will probably just polish my complaining in the hopes of getting more free stuff
I do complain a lot , embarrass my wife , but , she is amazed with what I get for free or discounted. Last year , I got 2 motel room stays for free , and this was at 2 different motels .
I get free food , or discounted meals at restaurants
Once you learn to complain and get free stuff , it's hard to stop , not that I ever tried to stop or will try , I will probably just polish my complaining in the hopes of getting more free stuff
12-17-17, 07:39 PM
#24
We just purchased a 2017 RX 350 for my wife and were pleased with the deal. The sales process was pretty low key and professional, until we hit the finance office. From that point on, I could've sworn I was at a (fill in the blank) economy car dealership.
The finance manager was a fast talking salesman selling packages with highly inflated prices. The minute I said "no thanks" he would drop the price. All of the classic sales tactics that no one likes. It was the last thing we did at the dealership, and left a bad taste in our mouths.
I filled out out a positive survey and mentioned the salesman and sales manager by name. They were great. I know that the salesman can be hurt by a bad survey, even if the bad experience was out of their personal control.
The GM sent an Email stating that "if you are less than satisfied with any facet of the experience, please do not hesitate to contact me directly."
Would you contact the GM, or is this business as usual, even at a Lexus dealer?
The finance manager was a fast talking salesman selling packages with highly inflated prices. The minute I said "no thanks" he would drop the price. All of the classic sales tactics that no one likes. It was the last thing we did at the dealership, and left a bad taste in our mouths.
I filled out out a positive survey and mentioned the salesman and sales manager by name. They were great. I know that the salesman can be hurt by a bad survey, even if the bad experience was out of their personal control.
The GM sent an Email stating that "if you are less than satisfied with any facet of the experience, please do not hesitate to contact me directly."
Would you contact the GM, or is this business as usual, even at a Lexus dealer?
12-17-17, 09:46 PM
#25
Den füll of wolves and u are but a sheep to them. The vast majority of car salesmen (and loan salesmen) are not in the service industry. They play the numbers game and high pressure sales in the short term seems to be the most effective means to getting paid.
of course there are exceptions. Veterans in the industry know over the long term being a service oriented and trustworthy advisor pays big dividends. But there are so few people who stick with the industry Long enough to have repeat business and see those results.
The way you were treated is exactly how you can expect to be treated the majority of the time....the wolves are out to take as big a bite out of you as they possibly can.
I don’t blame the wolf for his nature. Therefore when he tries to bite me I don’t take it personally or expect something in return such as a call from the manager in apology. Personally I will never ever buy a car from a dealer. there’s too many fair deals out there to be had from individuals who loved their cars and have the service records to back it up . Why play the sheep when i don’t have to? Why even put myself in that frustrating patience testing situation? Just too easy to shop cars and car loans online these days to put up with it.
of course there are exceptions. Veterans in the industry know over the long term being a service oriented and trustworthy advisor pays big dividends. But there are so few people who stick with the industry Long enough to have repeat business and see those results.
The way you were treated is exactly how you can expect to be treated the majority of the time....the wolves are out to take as big a bite out of you as they possibly can.
I don’t blame the wolf for his nature. Therefore when he tries to bite me I don’t take it personally or expect something in return such as a call from the manager in apology. Personally I will never ever buy a car from a dealer. there’s too many fair deals out there to be had from individuals who loved their cars and have the service records to back it up . Why play the sheep when i don’t have to? Why even put myself in that frustrating patience testing situation? Just too easy to shop cars and car loans online these days to put up with it.
12-18-17, 02:25 AM
#26
Lexus Test Driver
Yes, it's normal. And it does not sound like he came across as rude. He's just doing a job. You said, "no thanks," and everyone moved on unhurt. I would not ding anyone in your survey.
In fact, I would not even do the survey. These are totally unwarranted, asking a customer to do the human resource work for a dealership. It is not your job to help a dealership better themselves, unless they pay you for your services. A business should spend their own money on training and hiring practices, and not drag the innocent customer into the middle of it. A customer is there to buy a product, not go to work for a business.
These surveys are also unrealistic and unethical, as they ask for 100% total satisfaction, or else the salesperson gets into trouble. What human being speaks and does 100% right all the time? What car arrives in the hands of a customer in perfect, 100% condition? There are usually water spots in the door jams, a small scratch somewhere, or it has some minor factory defect somewhere. The survey will ask if you are satisfied, but you can't say yes because of that one defect. Now the salesperson gets into trouble because you answered a question honestly. Lying on the survey prevents that, so we are now asked to be dishonest. All bogus.
In fact, I would not even do the survey. These are totally unwarranted, asking a customer to do the human resource work for a dealership. It is not your job to help a dealership better themselves, unless they pay you for your services. A business should spend their own money on training and hiring practices, and not drag the innocent customer into the middle of it. A customer is there to buy a product, not go to work for a business.
These surveys are also unrealistic and unethical, as they ask for 100% total satisfaction, or else the salesperson gets into trouble. What human being speaks and does 100% right all the time? What car arrives in the hands of a customer in perfect, 100% condition? There are usually water spots in the door jams, a small scratch somewhere, or it has some minor factory defect somewhere. The survey will ask if you are satisfied, but you can't say yes because of that one defect. Now the salesperson gets into trouble because you answered a question honestly. Lying on the survey prevents that, so we are now asked to be dishonest. All bogus.
12-18-17, 03:43 AM
#27
Lexus Fanatic
Long story short, the finance mgr. does not have to be a j*** and make it a bad upselling experience.
imho there are rarely any reasons to finance at a dealership, but I suppose they can always match whatever it is you have from your credit union. We belong to #1 and #3, but believe it or not, there are credit unions one has never heard of that can beat #1 and #3 (not consistently, have to be sought out). Car dealers never advertise anything near their rates, but seem to always match.
I bought a brand new 2007 BMW, and probably would describe the financing experience being similar to what OP has offered--everything perfect and flawless through sales and delivery, until this heavy handed guy with 24k gold necklaces and bracelet on his right wrist starts in. Think his name was Zeus? Was an entirely ridiculous experience and I wished I had stuck with my credit union (although they wrote me up with BAC and at the time BAC had such great customer service, two years in, I pulled a Warren Buffet and bought some stock. I remember when it was going down the drain I tripled down at around 9, only to find my coworker did me one better and bought some at $6 and change! If memory serves this was almost 9 years ago and our 401k's got clipped over 70%).
The last car I simply paid cash and avoided all of the above, but my wife's car in 2011 was also financed where the dealer matched the CU, and there was zero shenanigans. That finance mgr. also accepted a personal check for the downpayment which was over 20k.
If we ever do finance another car, I plan on doing the CU thing, putting 50% down, and maybe 36 mo. That's my recipe, I know the car dealership wants their commission on writing the loan too, but it's unnecessary. I can also tell you my dad financed through the CU, and then changed his mind (draft already made out to dealership, shipped FedEx, and his account was accruing interest). The CU was super friendly and canceled the loan on a phone call--try that at a car dealer or commercial bank!
imho there are rarely any reasons to finance at a dealership, but I suppose they can always match whatever it is you have from your credit union. We belong to #1 and #3, but believe it or not, there are credit unions one has never heard of that can beat #1 and #3 (not consistently, have to be sought out). Car dealers never advertise anything near their rates, but seem to always match.
I bought a brand new 2007 BMW, and probably would describe the financing experience being similar to what OP has offered--everything perfect and flawless through sales and delivery, until this heavy handed guy with 24k gold necklaces and bracelet on his right wrist starts in. Think his name was Zeus? Was an entirely ridiculous experience and I wished I had stuck with my credit union (although they wrote me up with BAC and at the time BAC had such great customer service, two years in, I pulled a Warren Buffet and bought some stock. I remember when it was going down the drain I tripled down at around 9, only to find my coworker did me one better and bought some at $6 and change! If memory serves this was almost 9 years ago and our 401k's got clipped over 70%).
The last car I simply paid cash and avoided all of the above, but my wife's car in 2011 was also financed where the dealer matched the CU, and there was zero shenanigans. That finance mgr. also accepted a personal check for the downpayment which was over 20k.
If we ever do finance another car, I plan on doing the CU thing, putting 50% down, and maybe 36 mo. That's my recipe, I know the car dealership wants their commission on writing the loan too, but it's unnecessary. I can also tell you my dad financed through the CU, and then changed his mind (draft already made out to dealership, shipped FedEx, and his account was accruing interest). The CU was super friendly and canceled the loan on a phone call--try that at a car dealer or commercial bank!
12-18-17, 06:28 AM
#28
Rookie
Thread Starter
Yes, it's normal. And it does not sound like he came across as rude. He's just doing a job. You said, "no thanks," and everyone moved on unhurt. I would not ding anyone in your survey.
In fact, I would not even do the survey. These are totally unwarranted, asking a customer to do the human resource work for a dealership. It is not your job to help a dealership better themselves, unless they pay you for your services. A business should spend their own money on training and hiring practices, and not drag the innocent customer into the middle of it. A customer is there to buy a product, not go to work for a business.
These surveys are also unrealistic and unethical, as they ask for 100% total satisfaction, or else the salesperson gets into trouble. What human being speaks and does 100% right all the time? What car arrives in the hands of a customer in perfect, 100% condition? There are usually water spots in the door jams, a small scratch somewhere, or it has some minor factory defect somewhere. The survey will ask if you are satisfied, but you can't say yes because of that one defect. Now the salesperson gets into trouble because you answered a question honestly. Lying on the survey prevents that, so we are now asked to be dishonest. All bogus.
In fact, I would not even do the survey. These are totally unwarranted, asking a customer to do the human resource work for a dealership. It is not your job to help a dealership better themselves, unless they pay you for your services. A business should spend their own money on training and hiring practices, and not drag the innocent customer into the middle of it. A customer is there to buy a product, not go to work for a business.
These surveys are also unrealistic and unethical, as they ask for 100% total satisfaction, or else the salesperson gets into trouble. What human being speaks and does 100% right all the time? What car arrives in the hands of a customer in perfect, 100% condition? There are usually water spots in the door jams, a small scratch somewhere, or it has some minor factory defect somewhere. The survey will ask if you are satisfied, but you can't say yes because of that one defect. Now the salesperson gets into trouble because you answered a question honestly. Lying on the survey prevents that, so we are now asked to be dishonest. All bogus.
12-18-17, 06:55 AM
#29
Pole Position
We just purchased a 2017 RX 350 for my wife and were pleased with the deal. The sales process was pretty low key and professional, until we hit the finance office. From that point on, I could've sworn I was at a (fill in the blank) economy car dealership.
The finance manager was a fast talking salesman selling packages with highly inflated prices. The minute I said "no thanks" he would drop the price. All of the classic sales tactics that no one likes. It was the last thing we did at the dealership, and left a bad taste in our mouths.
I filled out out a positive survey and mentioned the salesman and sales manager by name. They were great. I know that the salesman can be hurt by a bad survey, even if the bad experience was out of their personal control.
The GM sent an Email stating that "if you are less than satisfied with any facet of the experience, please do not hesitate to contact me directly."
Would you contact the GM, or is this business as usual, even at a Lexus dealer?
The finance manager was a fast talking salesman selling packages with highly inflated prices. The minute I said "no thanks" he would drop the price. All of the classic sales tactics that no one likes. It was the last thing we did at the dealership, and left a bad taste in our mouths.
I filled out out a positive survey and mentioned the salesman and sales manager by name. They were great. I know that the salesman can be hurt by a bad survey, even if the bad experience was out of their personal control.
The GM sent an Email stating that "if you are less than satisfied with any facet of the experience, please do not hesitate to contact me directly."
Would you contact the GM, or is this business as usual, even at a Lexus dealer?
12-18-17, 11:39 AM
#30
Agreed with the others in that you're always going to get the 20 questions of add-ons whether you're paying in cash, financing, or leasing.
So long as you are able to easily say no to all the questions without feeling uncomfortable then I think that's part and parcel of any car buying experience, at any dealer.
The fact that you felt compelled to post about it makes me think this wasn't the case and that this manager was overly aggressive.
So long as you are able to easily say no to all the questions without feeling uncomfortable then I think that's part and parcel of any car buying experience, at any dealer.
The fact that you felt compelled to post about it makes me think this wasn't the case and that this manager was overly aggressive.