Dealer tactics

[Rodge]

Yellow Fiesta - Great post, almost as much fun as being there

[Anchor]

There's some crazy misguided percentages being thrown around in here. At the end of the day, it depends on the bonuses on top of the margin given to us by ford. If there is any.. NFP is 99% of the time, the same bonus amount as ABN. Novated Lease gets nothing from ford. Just our margin and the private bonus if there is one. If anyone has any questions i'm happy to answer. As long as it can't get me in trouble... Lol.

[mara88]

"Is there anything I can help you with today?"... ri
... So we see a LV Focus Mk1, LX model.

Salesperson returns and starts his speil:

"This is the top of the line model, Cruise control, Bluetooth, USB input and triptronic padel shift...."

Ok... I couldn't bite my tongue any longer... I said, wow, not bad, to which he replied, yeah, 'top of the line'.

So, I called him to the passenger side and asked him to show me how the Bluetooth and USB work. He sat in the passenger seat and started to fidget.. opening this and that looking for stuff that I know don't bloody exist in this model. Lets just not even bother with the 'paddle shift'....

"Umm it us usually in the centre console" Opens it a few times.. opens the glove box (misses the earphone AUX jack that is staring him in the face).

I interupt, explain to him that a car with bluetooth would generally have it integrated in the radio, with green and red phone buttons or something similar. He then agreed that perhaps this model doesn't have bluetooth.

Poor bugger kept looking for the USB input. Looked into the centre console a 4th time. Then opened the glovebox. Finally saw the round 3.5mm hole and pointed to it.

"There it is, I knew it was here somewhere!, see, USB input"... I say WOW, a round USB socket, never seen those ones before! It was a bit of a joke.. but then:

"Yeah, all the new cars are going to round USB plugs......


Had to laugh. Re above post above quoted from Yellow Fiesta. This happened to me a week ago.

Just bought 2010 model which was advertised with bluetooth. "Where is it?" I ask.....managed to get huge discount as a result. Pays to be informed.

[mara88]

No bluetooth on Lv lx ended up saving me $$$ as it was advertised with it.. Dealer was good though. Genuine mistake on their behalf.? Dunno

[jamies]

It's called pressure selling, general sales manager gives his salesman plenty of pressure about making targets.. If they aren't doing so well, some salesman refer to pushy selling.. Hence the big turnaround of new/used car sales people.
In other words sell cars or you get the sack.. Some dealerships are like revolving doors.

[Gadgetman]

There are plenty of dealers out there. Some good, some bad. Simple as that. Problem is the bad ones cause of lack of investment in training and development of staff mean less expenses thus can be more flexible on price due to less overheads. The dealers who spend more on training and hiring better staff need to gross more. But there again customers don't want to pay more so one day when you end up with a whole bunch of dealers that are hopeless, blame yourselves if you think its an issue.

[TheSneakiness]

What would you guys do in a situation where you spoke and decided on a vehicle/s and it's taken 2 and a half business days and still have not heard if the deal has been finalised?

Walk?

[MercurySilver]

Originally Posted by Chrismaz

lol .... same at my local FPV dealership .... and it worked! ... haha

same when we bought the turbo
i let the misses handle that crap
she goes in meets the women who is going to try to sell you crap for top $$ and low and behold they used to work in the same industry many years ago and knew each other
they chatted bullshit for 15 mins while i looked at two gt's on the show room floor and we walked out not spending an extra cent

yeah..nice try saleswomen

[MercurySilver]

ring and tell them they have till the end of the day or you want more money off the cost price Rapid
if they cant do either....id walk

[1TUFFUTE]

There's a reason why people like CARSALESMAN, lawyers and polititions are seen as the scum of the world......simply because the majority of them have to be low down scum rip offs to make a dollar.
The majority makes the minority look bad.

[jamies]

I bought my Fpv 07 pursuit from Goulburn Ford, I enquired on the Wednesday july last year on carsales. I got a reply within the hour, I spoke to Darren and he told me all about the car and within the next three hours I decided to fly down to Goulburn on Friday from the Goldcoast to have a look and buy if it was what I was after.. I asked all the relevent question's because I was looking at a ute sight unseen that was 1500k's away. He assured me it was immaculate with 53,000k's on the clock and had been baby'd by it previous owners.. I flew down on the Friday to Sydney and then Canberra. I was picked up at the airport by a Goulburn Ford represantative, he drove me to the dealership and the ute was sitting out the front waiting for me to look at.Once I arrived I was met by the managing director, the salesman and a few others.The ute was everything they said and more, they filled it up with fuel paid for all the toll's gave me a sat nav to help me navigate my way home through Sydney. The ute needed new tyres and front pads, they replaced them with new yokohamas all round, They put drilled and slotted DBA gold rotors on the front and new pads.. I cant speak highly enough of this dealership, made buying my ute interstate such a pleasant experience.

[b0son]

I long for the day you can just buy a car online, no dealership involvement....

[ebv8]

i bought my car basically online, i found the cheapest Fiesta on carsales at $15300 but could not find black, drove past a dealer down the coast they had 2 black ones in the lot, i stopped to look and get a business card of the dealer, told him to match $15,300 and the car arrived at my door when i was at work (wife was home) and everything was done by email, only thing i did at the dealership was say i want the car with 8km not the one with 43km

[TheSneakiness]

Originally Posted by Rapid_Axe

What would you guys do in a situation where you spoke and decided on a vehicle/s and it's taken 2 and a half business days and still have not heard if the deal has been finalised?

Walk?

Turns out I had to walk anyway... another story for another time.

[Gadgetman]

For those that know me on this forums, they know I tell it as it is. Over the years, I have lost count of the amount of customers that have lied. In their bid to get their best prices, here are some of the lies we hear on a daily basis.
(1) I got a price from another dealer that's $4000 cheaper than yours. The dealer knows that that figure is $3000 into cost and says no. Customer then says so what can you do it for? which reinforces that the initial figure was a blatant lie.
(2) I have to talk to my wife before I am make a decision. Which means thanks for giving me that price. Now I am going to 3 dealers and play you off against them.
(3) I have a pristine trade in. I have had this much from a dealer (which they haven't but if you beat it, I will do a deal.

Anyways, the point I am trying to make is that we are all humans, some are good and some are just downright devious regardless of profession.

[PG2]

Originally Posted by Gadgetman

For those that know me on this forums, they know I tell it as it is. Over the years, I have lost count of the amount of customers that have lied. In their bid to get their best prices, here are some of the lies we hear on a daily basis.
(1) I got a price from another dealer that's $4000 cheaper than yours. The dealer knows that that figure is $3000 into cost and says no. Customer then says so what can you do it for? which reinforces that the initial figure was a blatant lie.
(2) I have to talk to my wife before I am make a decision. Which means thanks for giving me that price. Now I am going to 3 dealers and play you off against them.
(3) I have a pristine trade in. I have had this much from a dealer (which they haven't but if you beat it, I will do a deal.

Anyways, the point I am trying to make is that we are all humans, some are good and some are just downright devious regardless of profession.

As a ex-salesperson of 15 odd years I have also heard these and many many more.

The question I have is - what lies have all of you told a salesperson? ....be honest now.

[Gadgetman]

Originally Posted by PG2

As a ex-salesperson of 15 odd years I have also heard these and many many more.

The question I have is - what lies have all of you told a salesperson? ....be honest now.

None, They are the paying customer. They can't lie!!

[PG2]

Originally Posted by Gadgetman

None, They are the paying customer. They can't lie!!

Yeah, but I have seen their lips move!

[johnydep]

I put a deposit down on a car several weeks ago. After almost walking out on the dealership, because a different sales guy decided to get in on the act while we waited for the person we had been dealing with, the Manager saved the day and gave me a great deal. Or so I thought.

I was expecting a December model. I even told the guys that I did not want one from another dealership that had been around the black a few times.

I started to get a bit suss when they could not give me a clue of a delivery date after a week. I told them I'm not in a hurry, but don't source from another dealer.

Then on Monday I get a call - "when do you want to pick it up?" Great I said, you did get the factory towbar? "Did you order a towbar?" blah blah.

I asked for the production date - "I'll get back to you".

Today I insisted on the production date and was reluctantly told "July". And that it took them a long time to find. And it has 15 km on the clock "factory testing". I said that that makes it a Clearance Model. No, he reckons "clearance models are be July models. I point out that you're giving me a July model. "Sorry" he says "I mean models before July are Clearance models.

What do I do? Take it or tell them to stick it?

I've stopped payment and said I need to think about this.

[Full Noise]

Originally Posted by johnydep

And it has 15 km on the clock "factory testing". I said that that makes it a Clearance Model. No, he reckons "clearance models are be July models.

You can’t be serious?

You’re worried that because your new car has 15 km on the clock you think that it’s not new?

Why don’t you tell them that you want a new one with 00000.0 on the clock and see what reaction you get.

[Professor Farnsworth]

15KM is WELL within normal delivery KM. When i test drove mine (was a display model) it had 13 on it. My BF XR had 12 and my BA XR had something similar.

[Gadgetman]

15km is well within the acceptable level. Most new cars get to the dealers with anything from 5 to 20 km on the clock. Every now and then you get one that was chosen by the manufacturer for an extended road test. When the car gets to the dealer, the dealer has to road test the car for at least 5 kms for as part of the predelivery inspection. You got a brand new car and shouldn't feel raw about it unless you were told that they were building a new car from the factory.

[Gadgetman]

I had a customer that once traded in a wrx which had done a big end. Now when we examined the oil that was in the sump when we had to rebuild the dam motor, we found that the oil that was filled with that wynns rattle stuff that don't make it sound that bad. So there you go. Customers to deceive dealers as well. Another example of how you get good and bad in everything. I can keep going with this but I hope we get the point here.

[blueoval]

I thought anything under 100km was considered brand new

[johnydep]

Originally Posted by Full Noise

You can’t be serious?

You’re worried that because your new car has 15 km on the clock you think that it’s not new?

Why don’t you tell them that you want a new one with 00000.0 on the clock and see what reaction you get.

No. I'm worried because I asked for something and they did not deliver, and the manufacturer is advertising "Clearance Sales" on that model. I don't mind buying it but be upfront and tell me "we can offer you a great deal on a Clearance Model".

I could have got that car from the same dealer they did, and for less; I was there the week before. But I was told differently when we discussed the car.

[DBourne]

Originally Posted by Gadgetman

I had a customer that once traded in a wrx which had done a big end. Now when we examined the oil that was in the sump when we had to rebuild the dam motor, we found that the oil that was filled with that wynns rattle stuff that don't make it sound that bad. So there you go. Customers to deceive dealers as well. Another example of how you get good and bad in everything. I can keep going with this but I hope we get the point here.

I'd actually love to hear more. Would be interesting to hear another side for once.

[b0son]

if you asked for a Dec build, they said they'd get you one, then show up with a Jul, its a classic bait and switch. your choice whether you let it slide.

personally, I don't know why they'd waste both your and their time. chances are if a customer is fussy about build date, its going to be a sticking point when the vehicle arrives.

[PepeLePew]

When i bought my Triton a few years ago I signed up specifying i wanted a 2010 build not a 09 build. Anyway, long time passes, dealer calls 'its here!'. Dealer then calls back during PD oops its a 09 build 10 compliance, what do you want us to do. I said I don't want it as I asked for a 2010 build (bit **** really on my part but..). I'll give them credit, zero fuss, they hit up Mitsubishi sourced a new one from Townsville (I'm in SA) had it shipped down at their cost (as they should anyway) and it had a diff lock to boot I never wanted or paid for.

Sometimes you hit other times you miss. Though I could digress a little further back in time, the initial sales guy i dealt with was one of the arrogant prats I've ever been subjected to. But the SM took over the sale and all went well.

[sneaky]

Originally Posted by Gadgetman

... here are some of the lies we hear on a daily basis.
(2) I have to talk to my wife before I am make a decision.

really, you just hand over 10's of thousands of dollars on a car without speaking to your wife?

i've told sales guys that i have to speak to my wife, the salesmen that want to sell a car ask when i can get her there for a test drive, other guys let you walk.

didn't help the guy trying to sell me a xr6t, got her there and she drove the car but didn't like it :(

anyway, as you were..

[johnydep]

Originally Posted by b0son

if you asked for a Dec build, they said they'd get you one, then show up with a Jul, its a classic bait and switch. your choice whether you let it slide.

personally, I don't know why they'd waste both your and their time. chances are if a customer is fussy about build date, its going to be a sticking point when the vehicle arrives.

I think that I was spoilt by the Ford dealership when I purchased the Territory.

The Stillwell Ford dealer gave me an estimated delivery date on the day I signed the papers. A week later they gave me a confirmed date, but mentioned that it could be slightly early or late.

Ford Australia sent me an email of of my Territory going down the production line (I know that was a special one off for early Territory sales, but was a nice touch).

The dealer kept in touch with me at all times. A week earlier than predicted, I got a call saying my Territory just came in on the truck and all they had to do was the PD and registration and I could have it by the end of the week.

Fast forward to the present dealer - sale agreed on Saturday, and I was told that they'd call during the week to give me a delivery date. One week later I get a call saying that they still haven't got a delivery date. That's when I re-stated what I wanted. "No problems John...it won't be a....."

I still want the car, it's just that now I have a bad feeling. I just don't feel like walking into the dealership. So I put the finances on hold. Waiting for the Dealer principle to call, then I'll listen to what he has to say.