How Car Salesmen See Car Buyers
#61
Lexus Fanatic
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Depends on who you negotiate with. Somebody who already knows you (e.g. repeat-customer) is likely to give you a better deal no matter how you negotiate. Not only that, but, in most cases, you can't really decide if that is really the vehicle you want or not on-line....you have to go to the dealership, look, and test-drive yourself.
#62
Lexus Fanatic
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Depends on who you negotiate with. Somebody who already knows you (e.g. repeat-customer) is likely to give you a better deal no matter how you negotiate. Not only that, but, in most cases, you can't really decide if that is really the vehicle you want or not on-line....you have to go to the dealership, look, and test-drive yourself.
Of course you go drive cars yourself in person, but then you get a couple dealers working over email and that gets you to your best deal pretty quick.
#63
Lexus Test Driver
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But ... why should you feel bad? THIS is exactly why you needed to ride it before buying--you need to know that you can live with it before you buy. To expect a customer to commit to buying a bike or car without driving it is ... insane. It's a policy that should be reserved for very exclusive vehicles.
If I was buying a new car and I was able to first test drive one from a friend or relative I wouldn't really need a test drive since I already know what I'm getting but without that I would never buy anything I'm not sure is right for me. If they can't find a way to "break the rules" it's ok I just have to go somewhere else.
Bought a new Ford Ranger years ago from a dealer and walked around and picked it out without driving it and said, "I'll take that one if we can agree on price".
Looking back at the cycle dealer I think their scary "no rides" policy was to weed out 99% of the "lookers" because they said quietly to me that there was no problem getting a test drive for serious buyers with a purchase agreement however I wasn't ready to spend my time pre-negotiating on something I wasn't sure was right for me. That's why I offered to let them hold my car title in case I dropped or damaged their property I would buy the bike.
Just FYI anyone reading this- I didn't sign the title or give my keys. It was just a token of my committment if things work out.
Even if they kept my title or tried to get wierd I would've just filed for lost title if needed.
Add- on the other hand if I were to damage the bike I would've kept my word and bought it.
Last edited by Margate330; 01-03-22 at 06:33 PM.
#64
Lexus Fanatic
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The dealer sales model does not favor consumers at all.
BTW that poor BRZ is still sitting there outside dealer almost a month later…..
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my lexus experience a year ago wasn't a lot different (oh these always sell for over list price, blah blah - this was before the chip shortage). ultimately got the car way under list.
#65
Lexus Champion
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I don't understand how you can have 80,000+ posts on CL and still not see this.
Last edited by tex2670; 01-04-22 at 05:37 AM.
#66
Lexus Champion
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You did the right thing.
#67
Instructor
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I told them I’m a previous BRZ owner and have owned 2 Subarus before.
Its my local dealer so they know who I am.
It same bs all the time. You shouldn’t need to prove yourself to test out a vehicle and you should also not feel any obligation to buy it once you do.
The dealer sales model does not favor consumers at all.
I think the Apple and Tesla model of having consumer friendly stores to test out /play with products with no pressure is a big reason why those brands have been so successful.
I can only imagine how many ppl walked into a Subaru dealership genuinely interested in a BRZ and told to kick rocks, then the companies complain why nobody buys them. Its not a SUV that sells itself on cargo room, its a sports car which sells itself on the driving experience which ppl need to experience.
BTW that poor BRZ is still sitting there outside dealer almost a month later…..
Its my local dealer so they know who I am.
It same bs all the time. You shouldn’t need to prove yourself to test out a vehicle and you should also not feel any obligation to buy it once you do.
The dealer sales model does not favor consumers at all.
I think the Apple and Tesla model of having consumer friendly stores to test out /play with products with no pressure is a big reason why those brands have been so successful.
I can only imagine how many ppl walked into a Subaru dealership genuinely interested in a BRZ and told to kick rocks, then the companies complain why nobody buys them. Its not a SUV that sells itself on cargo room, its a sports car which sells itself on the driving experience which ppl need to experience.
BTW that poor BRZ is still sitting there outside dealer almost a month later…..
It’s possible that the person you talked to recognized you but didn’t know if you were there sincerely interested in purchasing a car, or just their getting the oil changed in your mothers car. And for whatever reason didn’t take any time to find out what you were capable of.
The mileage is something that the managers are going to want to monitor, but rarely would u see any new car get sold with over 1000 miles on the clock. Even more than 100 is rare, except on designated demo vehicles, that the owner or manager was driving. They can be as high as 7500 miles but usually less than 5000. They say you get a better deal on a demo, but it is actually the same deal available on any new car, they charge as much as they can. In 15 years on the sales flloor, I can’t ever recall the mileage from test drives being an issue to the purchaser. Obviously you wouldn’t want to have new cars with 10,000 miles on them, but on average each car is going to go on about 4 test drives. If your cars are going on much more than that, then it’s probably a weak sales force and they need to qualify the customers better. Once you know your customers budget, their situation and capabilities, you should know if they are a buyer or not, maybe on a special car you would want a firm commitment to buy the car, if all terms are agreeable, and then the test drive is the obvious next step. Any dealer that tries to sell cars without test drives is going to sell less cars, so that’s less money they are making.
A few other topics being discussed…
The dealership is designed to put the sales process in their favor, this isn’t unusual in business, every business tries to take any advantage than can get to improve success, same as the layout of a grocery store, a movie theater or even a casino. When your negotiating online, they don’t have a captive buyer, they don’t have much leverage to temp you with. Most business models are the result of different ideas and styles evolving into the most effective methods. It may feel like a hassle going to a dealership but this is the method that has proven itself most effective. If it wasn’t the best then it would evoke to whatever worked better. Plenty of places have tried alternatives but until consumers favor a different model, it’s not going to change industry wide. When your at home negotiating online, they could offer true cost on the car, and u could never even send a reply, so they don’t even know if you even got the email, let alone what kept you from purchasing, you can just stop answering. So yes, it probably is less work for both buyer and seller, when you buy the car online, but neither of you have much invested in the negotiations so while it may seem easier, if they aren’t haven’t got any time invested, and they aren’t trying to at least salvage a deal to get something for their time, it’s unlikely you will really get a lower price by staying home. It might feel easier to negotiate from your home territory, but your likely not realizing what you could have achieved by showing up and getting them to imvest some time in you. Any negotiation is a 2way street.
Last edited by dwoods801; 01-04-22 at 07:11 AM.
#68
Lexus Fanatic
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With all due respect, your tone is extremely disrespectful. I don't understand how you can tell other people that the way they buy cars is "incorrect". You are telling another CL member that the way that they have found works best for them is wrong. You have your way; others have their way. Neither is "incorrect". I can certainly attest to the value of negotiating over email, text and phone, without wasting time going from dealer to dealer -- it's the only way I will do it.
I don't understand how you can have 80,000+ posts on CL and still not see this.
I don't understand how you can have 80,000+ posts on CL and still not see this.
#69
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You have already owned a BRZ, and didn’t buy this one because they aren’t allowing any test drives? If you’ve previously owned one, why the big insistence on needing to drive it? I am not saying they shouldn’t have let u drive it, just curious why it stopped u from purchasing it if you really wanted it?
I love my E90 3-series. If I had bought an F30 3-series without driving it, I would have been horribly disappointed.
#70
Instructor
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You do know the BRZ is in its second generation, and is a completely different car than the BRZ he owned previously, right? The wheelbase is 2" longer, the drivetrain is completely different, etc. etc.
I love my E90 3-series. If I had bought an F30 3-series without driving it, I would have been horribly disappointed.
I love my E90 3-series. If I had bought an F30 3-series without driving it, I would have been horribly disappointed.
#71
Lexus Fanatic
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#72
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I sat in one years ago at an auto show. I was able to get into it, but would not have been able to drive.
#73
Lexus Test Driver
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Also i have no intentions to purchase that particular one on the lot. I would definitely custom order mine and currently leaning towards GR86 anyway due to styling. I have too many cars as is so I’m not in any hurry especially considering its 20 degrees in NY.
I’m sure if i go down to the dealer and waste an hour they will let me drive it but I just don’t have the patience to deal with all that. I’m sure in a few months they will be calling me and begging to take one for a spin 😀
I did finally get to sit in a brand new C8 Corvette, was passing by my local dealer and they had one in the showroom. The interior is AMAZING and 100x better than C7 which had awful plastic smell on new ones. Great seating position. Nothing about it said Chevy or looked like it was pulled from a $30k Malibu like for past Corvettes.
#74
Instructor
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LOL - ye that was the whole point of the test drive for me was to experience the new motor and see the power difference. I’m sure the handling, steering and other inputs are very similar to my prior car.
Also i have no intentions to purchase that particular one on the lot. I would definitely custom order mine and currently leaning towards GR86 anyway due to styling. I have too many cars as is so I’m not in any hurry especially considering its 20 degrees in NY.
I’m sure if i go down to the dealer and waste an hour they will let me drive it but I just don’t have the patience to deal with all that. I’m sure in a few months they will be calling me and begging to take one for a spin 😀
I did finally get to sit in a brand new C8 Corvette, was passing by my local dealer and they had one in the showroom. The interior is AMAZING and 100x better than C7 which had awful plastic smell on new ones. Great seating position. Nothing about it said Chevy or looked like it was pulled from a $30k Malibu like for past Corvettes.
Also i have no intentions to purchase that particular one on the lot. I would definitely custom order mine and currently leaning towards GR86 anyway due to styling. I have too many cars as is so I’m not in any hurry especially considering its 20 degrees in NY.
I’m sure if i go down to the dealer and waste an hour they will let me drive it but I just don’t have the patience to deal with all that. I’m sure in a few months they will be calling me and begging to take one for a spin 😀
I did finally get to sit in a brand new C8 Corvette, was passing by my local dealer and they had one in the showroom. The interior is AMAZING and 100x better than C7 which had awful plastic smell on new ones. Great seating position. Nothing about it said Chevy or looked like it was pulled from a $30k Malibu like for past Corvettes.
Ordering a car in a few months means lots of extra work and lots of time til he will be paid and maybe they are bombarded with people having the same idea. And a salesman wants to sell a car right now. The salesman lingo would be, “he Broomed you”
Last edited by dwoods801; 01-04-22 at 08:38 AM.
#75
Lexus Fanatic
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Tho things. First, I did not tell you that your method of purchasing other vehicles is incorrect for you. What I said, and I stand by it, was that your statement of having to first set things up with the dealer on-line to avoid problems was not necessarily accurate......I rarely have any problems in person, as long as vehicles are actually in stock. Second, as for 80K+ posts, I don't care about numbers....I'm here to talk about vehicles and related topics, as I have done for the last 55+ years, even before CL. Third, with all due respect (which you don't always show me)....a number of your own posts have been less than complimentary, but I choose to overlook those negative comments and not stir them up. Avoiding conflicts is usually better than agitating them. That's one reason why the mods shut down the Debate forum.
Having done both many many times, there is no question in my mind which is easier, less stressful and results in a better deal...doing it over email.