Ask a car salesman anything...anything at all.

[Dan W.]

The Mad Monk said:

Dan W. said:

My old sales managers used to sell me stories of when he delivered 50 new cars on a plate change day.....

Sorry. I don't buy that.

50 cars - delivered - in what, 10 hours? 5 an hour? One every 12 minutes? No.

I think your old sales manager is exaggerating just a little.

no this was the days when people really wanted that new plate, you would drop it off to the customers house at midnight... be at work for 6.00 and all the cars were lined up for collection, paid already there are your keys away you go.


you don't have to buy it but it happened as most in this trade would tell you.

Edited by Dan W. on Thursday 30th August 17:23

[talksthetorque]

Sure I remember on our estate where I grew up:
New car gets delivered on July 31st to the customer's drive so they could have their new car sat on their drive ready for the morning.

Imagine having a car that was sooooo new you couldn't even use it for another few hours

[HTP99]

talksthetorque said:

Sure I remember on our estate where I grew up:
New car gets delivered on July 31st to the customer's drive so they could have their new car sat on their drive ready for the morning.

Imagine having a car that was sooooo new you couldn't even use it for another few hours

it's all a bit sad TBH!

[Deep Thought]

HTP99 said:

talksthetorque said:

Sure I remember on our estate where I grew up:
New car gets delivered on July 31st to the customer's drive so they could have their new car sat on their drive ready for the morning.

Imagine having a car that was sooooo new you couldn't even use it for another few hours

it's all a bit sad TBH!

On so many levels...

[sicasey]

Deep Thought said:

On so many levels...

[The Mad Monk]

Dan W. said:

The Mad Monk said:

Dan W. said:

My old sales managers used to sell me stories of when he delivered 50 new cars on a plate change day.....

Sorry. I don't buy that.

50 cars - delivered - in what, 10 hours? 5 an hour? One every 12 minutes? No.

I think your old sales manager is exaggerating just a little.

no this was the days when people really wanted that new plate, you would drop it off to the customers house at midnight... be at work for 6.00 and all the cars were lined up for collection, paid already there are your keys away you go.


you don't have to buy it but it happened as most in this trade would tell you.

Edited by Dan W. on Thursday 30th August 17:23

Sorry. Most of those weren't deliveries, they were collections.

[Sheepshanks]

The Mad Monk said:

Sorry. Most of those weren't deliveries, they were collections.

You're probably the only person reading the thread who thought the original comment literally meant delivered, as in driven to customers houses.

Having said that, back in the days of mid-night collections, we had a car delivered to us - a couple of days early. The dealer was only handing cars over at midnight onwards and I refused to go in at that time.

[Blue Oval84]

I remember back on an M plate my parents had their new E36 a couple of days before the plate day so it had to be parked in the garage, to be brought out on the 1st. That was back in the days when the new plate was more of a thing than it is now of course.

[jamei303]

How much is/was the kudos of being seen with a new plate, and how much is just the maths of an extra year/six months of depreciation come resale time?

[HTP99]

jamei303 said:

How much is/was the kudos of being seen with a new plate, and how much is just the maths of an extra year/six months of depreciation come resale time?

There is a still a bit of a "kudos" about a new plate with some people; I've had people order cars for a plate change, they've got a private plate but want to runaround for a few weeks on their allocated new plate, before they put on their private plate.

[Sheepshanks]

jamei303 said:

How much is/was the kudos of being seen with a new plate, and how much is just the maths of an extra year/six months of depreciation come resale time?

I can remember it used to be a TV news event - now it often seems to pass without comment, although maybe it’ll get mentioned this time, but for the wrong reasons.

[Lazadude]

I never got an answer to this, salesmen any input? It seems like an easy thing to do and would make life a lot easier for those hunting. But I suppose the great unwashed just want a specific car, they're not worried about options?

Lazadude said:

Which also adds the question, why aren't the optional extras on the description of the webpage? You have the spec sheet available by a computer lookup, surely you can just copy and paste the options across!

[HTP99]

Lazadude said:

I never got an answer to this, salesmen any input? It seems like an easy thing to do and would make life a lot easier for those hunting. But I suppose the great unwashed just want a specific car, they're not worried about options?

Lazadude said:

Which also adds the question, why aren't the optional extras on the description of the webpage? You have the spec sheet available by a computer lookup, surely you can just copy and paste the options across!

Well in our case, the options and spec is all in code, so if a model has optional "17" Expression wheels", they will be down as "Wheel 10", upgraded sat nav will be "Radio 3", none of that will be able to be copied over.

(The above is made up, they aren't the specific codes but that is the type of wording used)

Edited by HTP99 on Friday 31st August 08:49

Edited by HTP99 on Friday 31st August 08:50

[Dan W.]

Sheepshanks said:

The Mad Monk said:

Sorry. Most of those weren't deliveries, they were collections.

You're probably the only person reading the thread who thought the original comment literally meant delivered, as in driven to customers houses.

Having said that, back in the days of mid-night collections, we had a car delivered to us - a couple of days early. The dealer was only handing cars over at midnight onwards and I refused to go in at that time.

Mad monk cant help being a .

[Lazadude]

HTP99 said:

Well in our case, the options and spec is all in code, so if a model has optional "17" Expression wheels", they will be down as "Wheel 10", upgraded sat nav will be "Radio 3", none of that will be able to be copied over.

(The above is made up, they aren't the specific codes but that is the type of wording used)

Ok, In your experience, how many true optional extras are generally spec'd? Half a dozen? (I don't mean things like specific model of wheels or leather/paint) but uprated soundsystem, or something not visible such as an optional LSD.)

Do you think Joe public care or its only someone like me who knows exactly what they want? As I start to get fed up continually phoning various dealers asking for the VIN or a full breakdown of the actual spec.

[Fast Bug]

Lazadude said:

HTP99 said:

Well in our case, the options and spec is all in code, so if a model has optional "17" Expression wheels", they will be down as "Wheel 10", upgraded sat nav will be "Radio 3", none of that will be able to be copied over.

(The above is made up, they aren't the specific codes but that is the type of wording used)

Ok, In your experience, how many true optional extras are generally spec'd? Half a dozen? (I don't mean things like specific model of wheels or leather/paint) but uprated soundsystem, or something not visible such as an optional LSD.)

Do you think Joe public care or its only someone like me who knows exactly what they want? As I start to get fed up continually phoning various dealers asking for the VIN or a full breakdown of the actual spec.

For a volume manufacturer I'd say very few options beyond metallic paint. For a manufacturer such as BMW/MB owners are more likely to dip in to the options list

[gothatway]

Fast Bug said:

For a volume manufacturer I'd say very few options beyond metallic paint. For a manufacturer such as BMW/MB owners are more likely to dip in to the options list

When I had company cars, I could choose whatever I wanted up to a specific price, and would often pick stuff from the options list to get closer to it. Does that no longer happen ?

[Wooda80]

Lazadude said:

Ok, In your experience, how many true optional extras are generally spec'd? Half a dozen?

Do you think Joe public care or its only someone like me who knows exactly what they want? As I start to get fed up continually phoning various dealers asking for the VIN or a full breakdown of the actual spec.

Mainstream prestige cars will often have 2 or 3 options picked ( wheels, roof, seats, cameras, paint, sound system are popular areas ). Something with upgrades in all of those areas would be a veritable Christmas Tree.

Realistic used car buyers will either pic something that they like the look of on site or search for something with 1 or 2 must haves and a degree of flexibility on the other stuff.

Face-palm moment is when the customer comes in with an intricately configured new car spec and says "I'd like exacty this but 2 years old please, can you have a look 'on your locator' and let me knwo when you get one"

[Lazadude]

Wooda80 said:

Face-palm moment is when the customer comes in with an intricately configured new car spec and says "I'd like exactly this but 2 years old please, can you have a look 'on your locator' and let me know when you get one"

This is what I'm trying to avoid, I just know what I want, and I'd buy new if they still made the engine I wanted hah.

[RicksAlfas]

gothatway said:

When I had company cars, I could choose whatever I wanted up to a specific price, and would often pick stuff from the options list to get closer to it. Does that no longer happen ?

I had a pal who did this. He had one of the best equipped 320eds I'd seen. He must have driven his fleet manager up the wall.
"How much extra per month is the optional rear illuminated armrest package? 83p? I'll take it".