Car Salesman!

Imagine if you hadn't been there. No wonder car salesmen have such a bad name. Really - if he scares customers away like that he won't be in business for very long.

I went shopping with eldest once for her first car, and they just wanted to find out if a there was a man somewhere who they may not be able to con so easily (my husband was overseas at the time). We walked right out of a couple of car yards in disgust, and before we bought, she had a few male friends go and check out her choice which took them by surprise. Even then, when the battery proved to be inadequate for the car and virtually dead, they weren't helpful until i said she was the first of 4 children that we'd bought a car for - then they raced around and gave us a decent battery.

When we went hunting Hiluxes for second son, my husband, who doesn't care what he wears, was wearing a "Sh-t happens" T-shirt that someone gave our first son and he wouldn't wear, and a cap that said "avoid hangovers - stay drunk" cap that belonged to one of the boys. I don't know what the salesman thought, but we got no nonsense and a reasonable deal.

Yes.. 100% ... I ask anybody who ever will try to sell
anything to me to step back a 100 feet and wait until
I make my decision .. I am totally allergic to people who
speak to me unasked other than offering their service on
request, but thats part of the culture where I come from and
where it is not only unpolite but more of an insult to try
and push a sale ... I guess it's part of the "multicultural" experience
we have here. One reason I guess: I am totally against the
business model of 100% commission based income and
especially the people who sell themselves under such a model.
"rant off"
I sympathise with you ..
regards
gmd

All the time. Some just ignore my wife and only talk to me, or the other way around. Very rude and counterproductive in my book.
I couldn't count the number of times I've walked away because of a salesperson.
Just bought my 25yo a *new* car (well it was 2005 model, pretty new).
Walked onto a local yard, son went off and talked to salesman. I just stood around until a bloke said come under cover and have a cuppa mate. We yarned about the bush for a while...turned out to be the boss cocky. I told him I wasn't in the market...no worries mate.
Turned out that we bought there anyway. Great vehicle, great warrenty and very nice to deal with. I pride myself on being able to spot an easy greasy and sleezy salesman a mile away, but I couldn't fault these blokes.

Girls who answer phones are another pet hate of mine. You tell them the story and they then put you onto someone else who does the same. Eventually I get the person I asked for in the first place.
And by the time I get the *real* story, I feel like billing them for the 3 hours on the bloody phone. Ha. Fat chance.
What they should say is "your call is really important to us, you have been placed in a line along with the other poor suckers while we talk to our girlfriends on the other line etc etc etc"

Yep, we had a very similar situation 2 months ago. My wife was in the market for a new Honda so off to the annual sale day we go. Unfortunately got lumped with a slimy young guy who had no interest in talking to my wife, just talking to me. Didn't take my hint that he'd better talk to my wife, poor barst... - was just a matter of time before Charlene lost patience. Quite enjoyable actually watching my wife slip into this guy. As we walk out of the place he comes over and gives us a card with a please call me when your serious about buying a car. Fat chance - we proceeded south to the next Honda dealer, found a great salesman who had no problem dealing with wife and left in a new car.

Hugh

I live in the country and had to buy from a s/hand car yard in the city. The bloke who served me gave me plenty of space to look, gave me $15 to put fuel in the tank for a test drive, drove the car to a 4wd mechanic to do an inspection for me (i was out of the city) and then after the sale had been done drove me to motor reg to register it.

That's service and that's why i stuck around to actually look at the car. Other places the salesman pi..ed me off and i walked away.

I have had problems with buying tyres for my g/friends car. I ordered tyres but she took the car in and they spun some rubbish to her that the tyres i ordered were wrong and then convinced her to buy a different brand (one they probably get more commission for). They soon put the proper ones on when I walked in and complained.

Barnesy

Her's another good one,
a guy I used to surf with years ago walked into the local Holden dealership a while back, and was asking about the Monaro's. The salesman didn't show much interest because of the way he looked, spoke and his size. My friend walked out slightly disgusted, but with a smile on his face and returned 3 mon ths later to book in his brand new monaro for it's first service.
The sales man was the first one to front him when he walked back in, and HE was obviously shocked and stunned etc. My friend is a young jockey on good money and he had the last laugh. True story too. I can only imagine the grilling the salesman(if you'd call him that!) got when Scotty left the room!!

We have a Honda dealer near where I work; one day about 12 months ago I noticed a shiny maroon coloured 80 series (4500) in the yard, looked really nice so I went to have a look. The salesman appeared from nowhere and asked me if I was interested in this V8 cruiser???!!. I said this is a 6 cylinder. "Na mate, 4 and half litre V8." I had to pop the bonnet and actually show him it only had 6 cylinders inline. I then left him scratching his head.

Rob

One of my friends was in a flash dealership and was basically ignored, not a yobbo just dressed "normally", and also young. Spoke to one salesman who was rude to him, so he left, went around the corner to where he had parked his Porsche 911, drove up to the window and gave the guy a polite wave before leaving them some rubber. #8->

There are plenty of dodgy salesman still around, especially in used cars. But I will say from experience, expect to be treated in the same way you treat them. If you come across as a complete prick then you will get the same back.

Most car salespeople should be treated with the contempt they deserve, only very rarely do you find one that is OK

Have not brough a car from a dealer scince 1974. Last 11 cars all brought privately and have not had a issue or a dud yet. Do research before I buy anf look for LOVED cars from orinigal owners , do revs check and get mechanical inspection. Rough looking cars are rarly maintained. Last ford we brought a few years ago, when I arrived at the house another chap beat me by a few mins. The owner would not let him in the car because he was a smoker. I knew that their would be no issues with it. Could not bargain him down though
cheers Pete

G,day all,I,m a machinery salesman after being a mechanic for 20 years.I work in rural areas and like someone said,I treat people how they want to be treated.I have all types of people buy and its taught me a valueable lesson to never judge anyone on clothes or vehicle they drive etc.I often go to car yards to see salemens behaviour to gain experience on what is good and bad.Generally when seeing ma
jority of car salesmen I feel I,m doing ok.
Regads John.

You could easily start a thread like this about plumbers, solicitors or any other trade or profession!

The best comment made here to date was:

QUOTE: "........ expect to be treated in the same way you treat them. If you come across as a complete prick then you will get the same back."

Yep when my wife and I bought the commodore new we went to couple of differant yards, wife was dressed up as usual I was just in my trackies and jacket with a hood not on just hanging out and a pair of sneakers, went into one yard no service what so ever, went to another bloke actually said to my wife and I they were too dear and les us to the second hand ones walked from there told the salesman he was a prick and shouldnt judge the way people dress so went to liverpool mcgraths holden top young bloke, gave us the best price and threw in some extras signed on the dotted line then picked up a week later super charged VX01 S pack, drove straight back to the second yard, drove in asked for the new car manager and the saleman I originally spoke to and led them out to see my new pride and joy, said to saleman remember me 1 week ago the person that couldnt afford one of these told him what I thought and also informed him is was payed for by cash no loans, then left with a bit of smoke from the rear of the tyres had to see how good the supercharger worked. There are good and bad in all of us some need to be told so they pull there head in a bit. Regards Steve M

goodday folks
my boss a few years ago went thru a similar thing witha well known nissan dealer along frentree gully rd went in to look at a new gq patrol dirty work clothes etc smart a78e salesman told him not to bother looking he wouldnt be able to afford it and he is now a dyed in the wool toyota man as he never had a problem with the toyota dealer and i think he did go back and show the bloke his nice new (i think) 80 sereies
so as has been said never trust the clothes ???

steve
ps i also beleive there is a dill born every minute in this world but not all of them are salesman

Now this is right up my alley, with very recent experience of it.
Been talking to one salesman on the phone for a few days, getting things organised about what we wanted....call him No 1.
Arrive at yard on a Wednesday night to find No1 has gone home sick.
Get passed to salesman No 2, tell him what we are looking at buying etc, even told him that No 1 has done all the hard stuff.
Me dressed in work clobber,,,Steelcap boots, torn trackies, grotty t.shirt. SWMBO dressed nice,,,,as always..( hi honey :) )
No 2 had me pi...ed off in about 30 seconds,,,SWMBO walked away 30 seconds later.
No 2 came across as not even wanting to be bothered with a sale.
Rang dealership the next day, got hold of new car sales manager. Told him No1 had done good job to date, but No 2 had blown it and we not be dealing with them.
New car manager askes me to go back and deal with him....we finally say yes.
This bloke bent over backwards and sideways as well to make sure we were happy.
We sure were.
Ended up with what we wanted at near on 10 grand less.
Motto for all new car salesmen/women...........do not pi.... off SWMBO, it will cost you. LOL.

meow.

rick.

This is so Funny. Gee the Public have no idea sometimes. I take it that there are bad sales people in any business , but when it comes to car yards the biggest problem is you , the buyer.

Were cashed up and looking for a car, Most of the times , you walk in like you own the place,

If you don't own the place , your rude , and don't wan too talk to anyone.

If a sales person leaves you alone , he isn't servicing you .

The price is a rip off and the there all scum bags , because they want to make a living.

But I guess , by the time the buy a car from a wholesaler like myself ) the need to lot prepare it , fix any mechanic defaults , pay rent , pay sales staff etc etc etc, Yet , you want him to make $300 a car. How does this work????

Makes me laugh to hear people boast that they walked out. Do you actually think the gave it another thought ?????? They get around 1000 people a day walking in and out ,

Which one were you ????

I'm in the market for a new car at the moment and mate I've come across some shocking salespersons...
I've been looking at VW (Passat) , Lexus (IS250), Toyota (Prado), Nissan (Pathfinder), Subaru (Liberty), BMW (330i), and for bleep s and giggles Ford (Typhoon) and Holden (Clubsport).

The absolute best salesperson I dealt with was a young girl (read; hottie) at the Lexus dealership. She knew almost everything about the car, and was only too eager to let me take a drive by myself over a weekend.
Apart from one bad experience with a VW dealer, the rest of the VW dealers have been almost as good as Lexus.
Both Lexus and VW I am offered a coffee as I walk in, an offer of a test by myself, and a lot of information about the car.

Subaru was also nice in letting me test drive the new Liberty GT and H6 a couple of days before they were released, however the salesperson came with me, no coffee, and he knew stuff all about the car...Same with BMW.

Toyota, Nissan, Ford and Holden salespeople fall into the one category. Bloody useless.
Only AFTER you sign over your first born son will they let you go for a test drive, they will go with you and direct you through a 10 minute course of 50km/h zoned streets. They know stuff all about the product they are trying to sell, and make you feel like they are doing you a favour by giving you a RRP.

I really hate it when I know more about the car than the salesperson. It takes out all the fun of the buying process...I want the salesperson to get me the keys, show me around the car and answer any questions I have, let me drive off and have their BEST price ready for me when I get back.

The way I look at it, if their sales service is crap, their after sales service must be completely bleep house and they will not get a sale from me.

I just approach things I guess somewhat different, before I go I know what i'm looking for and if asked I say i'm interested in this vehicle and I state I am buying but will be looking at a few before I make my final selection. It from this point I gauge a salesman, some have been great others not so great but thats life.

I don't be rude just up front and see where that goes ........ I have done the same with my kids .......... and its sometimes funny when I have been with my daughters some saleman just want to talk to me .......... even after I say you better talk to my daughter SHE has the money, some still miss the point.

Brian

Last car I bought I rang the salesman, told him what I wanted, he called back the next day with two options, the second of which I took, drove to town the next week and picked it up, Its not what you know, its WHO you know

Brings to mind two different stories. Forst is not about cars, but some years ago, my wife worked for a multi millionair who owned a chain of clothing and surf wear shops in NSW. He went to the Sydney boat show planning on buying a boat. He had chosen the one he wanted and knew there were two companies at the show who sold them.

He went dressed in stubbies, sandals and a T Shirt. He was looking at the boat at the first stand when a salesman came up and said 'have a good look mate, but don't touch. I don't think you can afford this one'. Her boss walked out without a word, went to the other dealer and signed up for a boat worth just under $1 million. He didn't bother to go back and rub it in to the other DH. He wasn't worth the trouble.

A couple of years later, I was working for a company who gave me the opportunity to get whatever company car I wanted to a certain value and let me do the deal myself. One week-end I dropped into the local HSV dealer to check out the range. I was on the way back from a trip to the tip, so was dressed appropriatly. After 10 minutes of looking at the display and trying to get the attention of one of the salesmen talking and drinking coffee at their desk (without going over to them), I walked out. Two weeks later I bought a HSV Grange from another dealer.

Some salesmen can be absolute jerks and they get what they deserve; our contempt and no sale.