Sales Tactics Gripe (long post)

[christos75]

Just wanted to warn people about car sales people. I'm sure it's been said before plenty of times before but make sure you do your homework before going shopping. I'm certainly quite a fool (putting it lightly) for what happened. Unfortunately I'm of a quiet & shy nature and hopeless at bargaining.
Started off with carbrokers and Chris from carbrokers came back with a great quote for a focus lx sedan. I went into a dealership the next day to test drive the car to make sure I was happy with it. The salesperson was really friendly and worked well to gain my trust. After the drive we started going though the options of what I wanted to get a price.
That morning I also found out that I could go ahead and use a relative's ford employee discount. So I mentioned this to the salesperson first up (big mistake). He went on to say that I came to the right place, that they handle about 90% of the empoyee purchases and that I would get a great price. So we went through the accessories that I wanted. Some of those like headlamp guards, handbrake cover & dashmate he convinced me that I did not need them and that it's a waste of money. And he goes "See I'm saving you money already". He did some calculations and came up with $26780 with the discount. Seemed like a really good price and he made me feel it was an offer I could not refuse. I told him that I wasn't looking at spending any more than $26000. He went to see his manager for about 10 minutes, he comes back and says that they can't go below $26400. I said I can't go over $26200. So he goes over to his manager again, comes back 5 minutes later and shakes my hand. He prepared the contract and before I knew it I signed the contract. I didn't even check with carbrokers about the employee discount (BIG mistake). Anyways, today I went over the figures myself. That original quote of $26780 was bogus. I should have checked them myself while I was there. For the car, the auto, prestige paint, dealer deliver & stamp duty, rego and the accessories I wanted actually worked out to $26396. Where did he pull out a figure of $26780??? And he dared to come to me and say they could not go below $26400.
I'm really ****ed with them but it is my own fault for letting them push me around and for not doing my homework. Once that car get delivered I will be going over it with a microscope and once I drive out of that dealership I will never be going back!
Anyway, just needed the whinge. Thanks for reading if you made it this far.

[Thunder]

Do you always spend over $20,000 lightly without shopping around? Dont blame him cause he is a "good" saleman.

[svo347]

All i can say mate is that your very unfortunate and the salesman is a D1Ck

[AU1XLS]

Dont car sales contracts have a cooling off get out clause?

[deesun]

Buyer beware, but I guess you got someone who was good at his job. Your fault for not shopping around.

[christos75]

I did admit it was my fault. I already know that. But does being a good salesman give you a licence to deceive people and give them false information/prices?

[GTS_300_Coupe]

I would never buy a new car unless I was in the big money.
Seriously, instead of buying a brand new Barina or Festiva for around $20,000 you could get a second hand well maintained VT Clubsport or similar for around the same price.

[christos75]

I also want make clear that the carbroker was in no way involved with the dealer or the deal. He was actually very helpful & supportive after I made that deal. I highly recommend him and always get a quote from him as well.

[Iphido]

First rule, trust absolutely nothing a salesman tells you. His job is to sell you. HIS JOB.

Even honest sales persons can make you feel pressured into a deal. Maybe the guy really did belive he was giving you a good deal and his boss was playing both of you. Nothing is more convincing than someone actually thinking hes giving you a great deal.

When ever you feel pressured. Stop look around. Is the car yard full of cars. Yes. There are a huge number of cars and a huge number of dealers. You have the power to pick and choose, the salesman doesn't. He needs every dam sale he can get.

most car deals have a cooling off period. So use the bloody thing. Just learn from the experience. Everyone gets burned sometimes.

I will proberly never buy a brand new car. No matter how good the deal is, some big national fleet guy proberly buys the cars $10,000 less than the best deal you can do (even with your own fleet discount). This is why aussie made cars have such low resale. Some of these fleets turn over on just 30,000 km, with plenty on 60,000 km. They have hardly been run in. Owned by people who work for charities and such. You can pick them up for 50-60% of the origional purchase price with run in only kms.

[b2tf]

An intresting topic, and no doubt one we've all had a run in with at some point in time.

I actually resigned from my last job because i was being asked to become a bit f a pushy salesman, and there is nothing i hate more than pushy salesmen. All i want when i walk into a store to buy something is someone to answer any questions I may have and then make the purchase - I DONT want some PITA following me round going on and on about it.

Best way I avoid this is to actually know more about the product Im interested in thgan the salesman. If Im interested in a car for example, Ill read up on it, then go in, ask them the questions and play dumb for a bit. Let them do their speil, and wait until they make a mistake - and they ALWAYS make a mistake. When they do, I politely point it out, and that gives me the upper hand. From there I can usually do the negotiating because they're not game to take it on in case they stuff up again. Sounds like a nasty tactic but believe me it does work.

[Smoke Pursuit]

$26200 is still a great price for an AUTO LX Focus... I really dont know what your worried about.. If it was $29,000 then there would be a problem, but $26,200 is less then retail ex on roads..

[Redrum]

As a eligiable member of the Ford Privilage Club, ie Ford Company Discount, they must go by the set prices of Ford Motor Company. I suggest you contact your relative at Ford and get them to give you a copy of the price list from Human Resources. From this you can work out the correct price. Take it to the dealer and tell them to set it straight. If not get your relative to inform Ford and I am sure they will set them straight.

[max^power]

Originally Posted by GTS_300_Coupe

I would never buy a new car unless I was in the big money.
Seriously, instead of buying a brand new Barina or Festiva for around $20,000 you could get a second hand well maintained VT Clubsport or similar for around the same price.

but who wants a VT Clubsport or barina??? A Billy cart would be a better buy than those cars IMHO :

[ltd]

Originally Posted by au^ute

but who wants a VT Clubsport or barina??? A Billy cart would be a better buy than those cars IMHO :

Agreed :

Because after all, who wants warranty and resale value when they can buy a 8 year old VT (Very Tired).


Overall I have to agree with an earlier post about it still representing reasonable value.

[Psycho Chicken]

Salesmen have always been pricks, what's new?

And you have no hope of getting a decent VT Clubby for that price! Unless it's a 5.0.

[WizBang]

it happens all the time and I think we got taken for a ride when we boght the wife the focus 3 years ago .Sorry to hear that hope you enjoy your new car and post a shot of it when youget it

[FPV329]

Being ripped happens to everyone at some time or another, every A hole in the world is out to get whatever they can, so don't be to hard on yourself mate. The salesman might think he's clever but as you stated you will never go to that dealer again. The few extra bucks he made them then has lost them hundreds and hundreds in the future from what could of been a loyal customer, so they are the losers.

When I'm ripped thats how I work, I never go back, they never get another cent from me again.

[LTDHO]

Christos welcome to the world of car salesman.

Advice for anyone who wants it.
Use two dealers and never sign on the day, especially this time of the month when they need to get sales up.

[Nappa]

mate if you signed up for a LS Focus LX auto for 26 grand you should be stoked. The retail price of an LX Auto is 26,990 plus your onroads, after the panit, dealer dilivery stamp duty and rego the total would be around the 29-30k mark. I dont think he has done the dirty on you, i'd say that the original quote was a good price already, and then he's taken it down to the bone.

I'v also cheked the price of a employee discount on that model and you have only saved about 500 bucks.

Salesman arnt always out to rip you off.

Dunno what ur complaining about you've got a very cheap car there.

[OLDFORDNUT]

im amazed reading this post,why are you complaining you got quite a good deal,if you had walked out paying $28k to $30k then you would have been ripped off but you were not,dont get me wrong i dont like most salesmen either,
the only silly thing is you did not use the phone to use your car brokers good price as a bargaining tool ,
you know the yellow pages ad
(let your fingers do the walking) especially good for people who dont like haggling in person.

[RED_EL_XR8]

Originally Posted by GTS_300_Coupe

I would never buy a new car unless I was in the big money.
Seriously, instead of buying a brand new Barina or Festiva for around $20,000 you could get a second hand well maintained VT Clubsport or similar for around the same price.

If I wanted a New sound system I could also by a 2nd hand lounge suite for the same money, but it wasn't what I wanted?

If someone desires a new compact FWD hatchback with the advantages of new car warranty, lower fuel consumption etc, what the hell does a pre thrashed HSV have to do with it?

What does it have to do with the topic at hand? The post was about sales tactics not your preferences of next dream car.

Back to the topic best advice offered is to do your homework on the price, vary the way you shop for a car, look at the alternatives, price the cost of extras like Tint etc, outside the purchase price and finance package.

Never be pressured into signing the once in a lifetime deals, it wont be the last Festiva or Falcon ever sold. You wont beat anything but the most inept salesman at the bargaining caper. Know your prices and know what you are prepared to spend. Be prepared to walk, don't think they wont talk to you again because you did, there will always be a better offer on the same vehicle even right up until it becomes a run-out model.

[RED_EL_XR8]

Originally Posted by Psycho Chicken

Salesmen have always been pricks, what's new?

Your off RATT's chrismas card list for that comment! :

[Thunder]

Originally Posted by christos75

I did admit it was my fault. I already know that. But does being a good salesman give you a licence to deceive people and give them false information/prices?

The salesguy IS a salesguy.......not a charity worker. Its HIS job to sell at the best price for his company and make the most profit for his company. Every person who sells you something wishes they sold it to you at a higher price (duhhhhh) he actualy did it. Dont blame him for doing his job (ie selling a car at a price he is happy with).

You were happy to buy it at that price right? What made you want to find out you could of gotten a better deal? :

I think this guy is good at what he does......i wish he worked in my store, i might start making money for a change.

[Roamin]

I supposedly have access to "fleet" prices as well. Just looked up the prices - looks like you did OK once I add in the on roads, paint, delivery etc etc.

Next month they could go up a grand or have a promotion giving free auto. New car pricing in Oz is extremely volatile and its like playing roulette.

Don't sweat it, enjoy your new car, and try to build a relationship with the dealer rather than burn bridges - it could be worthwhile come service time. If their aftersales service is not up to scratch then cut the ties...

[henry 351]

Originally Posted by GTS_300_Coupe

I would never buy a new car unless I was in the big money.
Seriously, instead of buying a brand new Barina or Festiva for around $20,000 you could get a second hand well maintained VT Clubsport or similar for around the same price.

No thanks, i'd rather have this TE 50...
http://www.australianmusclecarsales.com.au/muscle/70306

Christos75, the buyer has the power, not the sales person. I'm sorry you feel hard done by, but you chose to sign. You could have left that dealer and gone to another dealer, or just gone home and thought about it, but you chose to sign.

From the dollars you quoted, I don't think you were totally reamed though.

[jonbays]

car sales people get a bad rep but apart from a few most are just doing their job.

Most will be good enough at it to earn a living and keep their job and that means most buyers will be encouraged or conned if you like into paying the most they are prepared to pay for the car they want.

I am in sales too and if you see a car you like bargain for the best deal you can get then walk away and ring back in three days and find out the sales mangers name and go in and see him directly.

[Hunter]

Originally Posted by FPV329

Being ripped happens to everyone at some time or another, every A hole in the world is out to get whatever they can, so don't be to hard on yourself mate.

Yep this is true.

Speaking of dodgy bros. inc., I had the displeasure of dealing with a certain finance company (won't mention the name, don't want to get FF in trouble) yesterday.

I've got one of those store credit card things. I originally used it to buy a notebook and exploited the interest free period. Then we did the same for some furniture - got 12 months deferred payment plus 24 months interest free. Now you might say "ohnoes those are dodgy". Fundamentally no - they just bank on the fact that a lot of people won't pay it off before the interest free period ends. When this happens they slug you something like 17% PA interest. Bloody expensive. These cards are definately a good way of getting items on credit and not pay much (if anything) more than it retailed for.

Now if you are one of those people like me who pay it off before the interest free period ends you are effectively denying the company revenue. So to counter people like me they offer you all these 'really super ultra good deals' like loan protection, insurance, all sorts of crap. About a month ago they offered me one such deal - cold canvassed me and asked if I wanted to consider 'consolidating my finances' as I had been 'preapproved' (I hate that word). Initially I should've said "NO NOT INTERESTED" but I sorta fobbed them off instead. Over the course of the following month they called me easily 12 times trying to get me into their branch office to 'discuss' the deal. At no stage did I have any intention of going ahead with the deal.

In the 4th week the woman at the branch office called me and told me that I had to come in right away as the deal would be 'turned down in the system' that week (crock of sh.t). I said I was too busy and would have to not bother. Fast foward another week and a half and I get another call from them. Woman asks me if I had a spare moment to come in, I said yes I'm on holidays and she replies with disingenuous flattery "Oh its WELL deserved sir!" (barf). I ask the woman at the branch office 'is the deal still good then?' and she goes "oh yes no problem at all!". At this stage alarm bells were ringing and airraid sirens were sounding in my head. I decide to go in anyway and see for myself what these clowns were like. I thought hey why not bit of a lark, I'm bored sh.tless these hols.

I turn up just before the appointment and enter the branch office. Along one side of the office are four, somewhat large, enclosed booths. I say to one of the office staff that I have a 2pm appointment. She then ushers me into a booth and informs me that the woman I'd been speaking to on the phone would be with me shortly. Minutes later I am greeted by a reasonably attractive woman in her late 20s maybe early 30s. She extends her hand, shakes my hand and begins her feeble assault upon my resolve. She starts with a false compliment. "Oh you smell nice, what is that?". "Reaction by Kenneth Cole" I reply. Almost immediatley after I finish my sentence three pieces of paper and a pen are slapped down on the desk and she starts off with "If you'd just like to sign these pieces of paper and give me your insurance papers, driver's license, bank statements etc then we can get started".

At this point my initial assumptions were proven correct - they are indeed dodgy and think I'm a bloody mug. I stop her dead in her tracks and say "Before we go ahead I'd like to run through everything, have a read of all the terms and conditions, look at any contracts and read the PDS". She paused for a moment and reluctantly agreed. She passed the brochures to me and leaves the booth and tells me to 'pop your head out when you're done'. I didn't read the brochures in their entiretity but I saw enough to realise that the staff were dodgy - according to the PDS brochure she was meant to provide me with a 'pre-contract statement' - at no stage did I see one of these on the desk. I put the brochure down and stick my head out. The woman returns and asks me if I'm ready to go ahead. I ask her a few more questions and then politely inform her that I would not like to go ahead with it at this stage. Throughout our conversation she was VERY reluctant to let me leave without signing anything. Quite pushy. Her tone changed when she sensed defeat - she became a little ****ed off and told me that in future I should ask these questions on the phone before coming in as she'd bumped other people 'who really wanted to' off the schedule. This was clearly a load of crap - I was there for 35 minutes and only one guy entered the office and that was to pay a bill. The other booths remained empty the entire time. I walked out feeling pretty proud of myself - I'd gone up against them, held firm and told them to shove it after dicking them around for a month.

So that's my story for the week.

[christos75]

Originally Posted by Nappa

Dunno what ur complaining about you've got a very cheap car there.

I know I have a cheap car. That's fine. What I am complaining about is this:
These are all standard employee prices:
LX focus sedan: $21690.66
Auto: $1714.72
Prestige Paint: $257.19

Bonnet Protector: $95
Mudspats front:$85
rear: $100
Boot scuff guard:$52
Carpet mats:$90
Dashmat:$57
Scuff plates: $135

Dealer delivery $876.70
Stamp duty: $645.00
Rego: $600

What does that add up to? $26398. His calculator I am sure works the same as mine. Why lie and tell me that it is $26780?? What is the extra $382 for? Just for being forced to be friendly? Yes it is my fault that I didn't do my own additions while I was there, but what upsets me is that they would lie about something like that.

[max^power]

nice one hunter, happy to see positives like this.

[Keepleft]

Originally Posted by christos75

I know I have a cheap car. That's fine. What I am complaining about is this:
These are all standard employee prices:
LX focus sedan: $21690.66
Auto: $1714.72
Prestige Paint: $257.19

Bonnet Protector: $95
Mudspats front:$85
rear: $100
Boot scuff guard:$52
Carpet mats:$90
Dashmat:$57
Scuff plates: $135

Dealer delivery $876.70
Stamp duty: $645.00
Rego: $600

What does that add up to? $26398. His calculator I am sure works the same as mine. Why lie and tell me that it is $26780?? What is the extra $382 for? Just for being forced to be friendly? Yes it is my fault that I didn't do my own additions while I was there, but what upsets me is that they would lie about something like that.

Nice accessory list, you should have requested Ford Australia Part No: A92SX 19F524AA and gotten the best price for this item. I mean, if you feel the need for a dashmat and scuff plates (yikes), then you really *should* order this too. Don't buy a Ford passenger car without one:-)