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

[HTP99]

hyphen said:

Question.

Have you left or found anything unusual in a car?

Question prompted by Vauxhall Camberley's courtesy car drugs debacle recently... http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-4977138/Fa...

Not a car we took in but a car in the workshop; whilst rummaging looking for the locking wheel nut key in the side pockets in the boot, a techie came across some female underwear and judging by the appearance of said clothing, she may have come on the blob unexpectedly.

[HTP99]

MCLARENSLR said:

HTP99 said:

irish boy said:

HTP99 said:

So, your budget is £24k "give or take" and you go at look at a car which is £1795 more, so really it isn't within your "budget" at all, however your budget in the real world is clearly higher as you moved up £1200.

One would assume that the car was competitively priced already as it would have to be, to garner any interest from anyone; due to the internet, the price of anything has to be competetive to start off with otherwise there would be no interest.

There comes a point though where the dealer has to stop and can't/won't go any further, why should they?

You've effectively wasted both your time and theirs by trying to act all Billy big bks on the price, they came down £195, you wanted £595, they know the market better than you and frankly you should be irritated only with yourself for trying it on and clearly failing by not being aware of the market.

People like you really piss me off as you just waste our time because you think, any deal is better than no deal; well it ain't!

Edited by HTP99 on Wednesday 18th October 21:09

What an obnoxious post. Sometimes people set budgets and then stretch them for something they like. Sometimes there can be good discount off advertised prices, sometimes not, depending on how it was brought in, how long it has been in stock etc etc.

Civic type r's don't seem to be moving, a good few languishing in the classifieds locally reduced well below £24k. £595 doesn't seem an unreasonable ask. Granted he doesn't say how long ago this was, nonetheless it's called negotiation and it's part of the job.

Dealers like you really piss me off expecting customers to walk in, pay full asking price and take the 11.9% apr, then get on their high horse/shirty when questioned on it.

Apologies, the tone was probably a bit off, I had had a few last night.

My general thoughts are still the same though, there comes a point when a dealer has to say no and it is the fact that some people can't quite believe it as they think that a dealer should just take any deal offered.

I think the problem is from the customers perspective everyone knows someone who bought a car for say £30k decided after a couple of weeks they don't like it and go back to the dealer and get offered low £20ks for it (i appreciate it is rare but does happen) but when you're buying there isn't any room to move on the price. Why is it when you go to an auction prices are close to retail money but you don't get close to that for part ex?

Auction; haven't a clue as we don't buy from auctions, however from what I've heard, with many auctions that are open to the general public, it is the general public that push the bids high and end up buying at that figure a car for themselves.

I should imagine the dealer only auctions achieve the more realist trade prices.

As for expecting money off, I think people just expect it because there is always "wriggle room" isn't there, when in fact there very rarely is nowadays as the country is so small now due to the internet so everything has to be priced competitively in the first place, but buyers just don't get this.

Occasionally you may end up with thousands off but, this is usually because either a) the car is over priced already b) it is a demo car that needs shifting and the way offers work for new cars, a new car may actually be cheaper than a demo at the advertised price so a dealership just decides they will have to take a £3k hit to get shot of the demo car as it needs to be moved on, particularly as the replacement is waiting in the wings or c) sometimes a dealer gets it wrong and just wants shot of the car.

Edited by HTP99 on Thursday 19th October 14:33

[Mexman]

HTP99 said:

hyphen said:

Question.

Have you left or found anything unusual in a car?

Question prompted by Vauxhall Camberley's courtesy car drugs debacle recently... http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-4977138/Fa...

Not a car we took in but a car in the workshop; whilst rummaging looking for the locking wheel nut key in the side pockets in the boot, a techie came across some female underwear and judging by the appearance of said clothing, she may have come on the blob unexpectedly.

What a complete wker, what's he doing going through a persons personal belongings in a bag in the boot of the car.
Sweet wrappers and rubbish inside?
Have you ever seen the state of some customers cars that come through the workshop or are part exchanged?
Compensation????, what a complete tool.....

Edited by Mexman on Thursday 19th October 14:39

[Sheepshanks]

Mexman said:

Compensation????, what a complete tool.....

To be fair though, I love the way the dealer is arguing about the amount of drugs in the car!


Daughter of some friends of ours is a SA at a dealership in Liverpool and has found guns in cars.

[Dan W.]

Sheepshanks said:

To be fair though, I love the way the dealer is arguing about the amount of drugs in the car!


Daughter of some friends of ours is a SA at a dealership in Liverpool and has found guns in cars.

To be fair I would want compensation if I had to drive a Vauxhall Adam.

[Mexman]

Sheepshanks said:

To be fair though, I love the way the dealer is arguing about the amount of drugs in the car!


Daughter of some friends of ours is a SA at a dealership in Liverpool and has found guns in cars.

I bet the fker returned the car empty of fuel as well.
That's what normally happens when you lend out your own car for some tosser to use, and you have to refuel it again at your owns expense.

[Stick Legs]

I was considering buying a used BMW and the salesman I dealt with was very helpful to start with, and it turned out his wife used to work with my wife,

He found me a couple of cars that were not to my taste, wrong colour, wrong spec etc etc.
no calls for 8 weeks or so, then after 3 months from the initial enquiry I said I was not sure if I would change after all.

Brought my wife's 3 series in for a service and another salesman pitched me a car that was perfect. So I bought it.


Does salesman number 1 now hate me or does he hate salesman number 2 more.

[Dan W.]

Stick Legs said:

I was considering buying a used BMW and the salesman I dealt with was very helpful to start with, and it turned out his wife used to work with my wife,

He found me a couple of cars that were not to my taste, wrong colour, wrong spec etc etc.
no calls for 8 weeks or so, then after 3 months from the initial enquiry I said I was not sure if I would change after all.

Brought my wife's 3 series in for a service and another salesman pitched me a car that was perfect. So I bought it.


Does salesman number 1 now hate me or does he hate salesman number 2 more.

Bit of both I would say, he cant blame the other salesman as its his job to sell, and he didn't find what you wanted.

[Butter Face]

He hates you both in equal measure. HTH

[Mexman]

Stick Legs said:

I was considering buying a used BMW and the salesman I dealt with was very helpful to start with, and it turned out his wife used to work with my wife,

He found me a couple of cars that were not to my taste, wrong colour, wrong spec etc etc.
no calls for 8 weeks or so, then after 3 months from the initial enquiry I said I was not sure if I would change after all.

Brought my wife's 3 series in for a service and another salesman pitched me a car that was perfect. So I bought it.


Does salesman number 1 now hate me or does he hate salesman number 2 more.

That's a fair cop I think....

[Rick101]

Mexman said:

Now, as a salesman who lives on commission payments,

The number of times that I have spent an hour (or more), being pulled around my my dick, only to miss out to my sales manager who has signed up the genuine customer who was on site.

That deal will then go down as a 'house deal' where neither he (cos he is salaried) or me will earn a penny out of it,

However, I will still be the one expected to get the car prepared, fuel it, arrange cleaning of it, do all of the paperwork and then spend an hour with that buyer doing the handover.

Edited by Mexman on Thursday 19th October 14:22

Despite those on commission being absolutely convinced this is the best model as otherwise they would sit around doing fk all, it seems in this case your BM has gone to some effort despite being salaried and you have also had to go to some effort as well but 'not earn a penny out of it'

On another note,

Had the test drive at Audi, very nice but not convinced DSG is for me. Very relaxed salesperson. Didn't bother offering finance as knew it would be uncompetitive. Decided I'd go look at personal loans and do some sums as to what it would actually cost. Very nice chap, would certainly make a point of dealing with him for any future enquiry.

[Mexman]

Rick101 said:

Despite those on commission being absolutely convinced this is the best model as otherwise they would sit around doing fk all, it seems in this case your BM has gone to some effort despite being salaried and you have also had to go to some effort as well but 'not earn a penny out of it'

On another note,

Had the test drive at Audi, very nice but not convinced DSG is for me. Very relaxed salesperson. Didn't bother offering finance as knew it would be uncompetitive. Decided I'd go look at personal loans and do some sums as to what it would actually cost. Very nice chap, would certainly make a point of dealing with him for any future enquiry.

Good stuff.
Hope you can strike a deal and find the right car..

[PurpleTurtle]

Mexman said:

Cold said:

Why do so many car sales people feel they are doing you some great favour by allowing you the opportunity of buying their car?
This question is based on the last page or so of comments.

To answer your question...
I don't believe most sales peeps 'try' to make what should be a pleasurable experience in buying a car difficult.
Seriously, though from my point of view and vast experience, out of the 10 or so people you will meet and greet in the average busy day, (ignoring phone enquiries and e-mails), 5 will be total idiots, dreamers, timewasters, dog walkers, bored or totally unrealistic in there requirements (delete as appropriate).
2 will be BMW's, (Brave Man, Without Wife), and the other 3 will be there with serious intentions of buying of a car.
Now, as a salesman who lives on commission payments, it is in my interests to weed out the 7 who are either
A) Never gonna buy
B) Not gonna buy cos of various, spurious excuses/bullst/reasons.
C)Totally unreasonable in their expectations of condition, price, or part exchange valuation.
I therefore, have to try and qualify these people out, and concentrate on the people who are here to buy, not waste my time, effort, fuel on the people that are not.
The number of times that I have spent an hour (or more), being pulled around my my dick, only to miss out to my sales manager who has signed up the genuine customer who was on site.
That deal will then go down as a 'house deal' where neither he (cos he is salaried) or me will earn a penny out of it,
However, I will still be the one expected to get the car prepared, fuel it, arrange cleaning of it, do all of the paperwork and then spend an hour with that buyer doing the handover.
And the cycle continues, cos whilst I am doing this non paying work, you can bloody guarantee that he will pick up another sale!!
This job is feast or famine, yes, I can earn a serious amount of money in a month, but next month, I would be better off stacking shelves for minimum wage, taking into account the amount of hours that I am physically in work per week.
So, if you do find yourself getting short shrift from a salesman sometimes after he has spent the last 2 hours with you and you want to 'think about it', 'sleep on it' 'run it by the wife' or my personal favourite..'Thanks for your time, that's food for thought'
Aaaarrrrggghhh!, WTF does that actually mean anyway, god I could seriously punch the next person who says that.
Any idea how many times I hear that st in a week?
Sorry, got that off my chest now, back to normal, (it's been a tough week!!)

Edited by Mexman on Thursday 19th October 14:22

Quiet afternoon on the pitch to write all that then!?

Only jokin', still enjoying the thread. FWIW when I have been to buy or just look I've always tried to make it as swift a process for both parties.

[Mexman]

Day off today, however, I have been into work today from 8.30am till 1.30pm, as I had a couple of handovers to do, and some cars going out on Friday, that I had to progress chase, so I don't get caught short tomorrow.
Day off?????
Jesus, now that is a rare thing...
Things you do for customers eh?,

[xjay1337]

Mexman said:

Day off today, however, I have been into work today from 8.30am till 1.30pm, as I had a couple of handovers to do, and some cars going out on Friday, that I had to progress chase, so I don't get caught short tomorrow.
Day off?????
Jesus, now that is a rare thing...
Things you do for customers eh?,

Do you get paid for coming in on your time off, or TOIL ?

[Dan W.]

you don't get paid for it, you get a chance to sell more

I am currently into a 15 day stint no day off.... only me and my manager who sell and he was away on holiday...
he came back yesterday and broke his foot.... signed of for 3 weeks ..... so ill be working all of that just means extra sales but no home life for now lol

[coppice]

Best I have dealt with? Dacia guy - could not have been more helpful, even though he knew the Duster was at the bottom of a long list. I have always found VW and Skoda guys to be excellent too. And that is it ..... because ...

Ford - unbelievably , cynically dreadful. Lies about car's history , zero customer care( you have to stand on a salesman's foot to be noticed ) . heroic disinterest in actually selling a car ( 'I'm interested in a Kuga , can I look round one and sort a test drive?' ' No mate , we've ..err lost the keys to the only one we've got' - I was wearing a smart work suit and arrived in a two year old Golf GTi , was a cash buyer and genuinely interested) . Or ...

Mazda - empty showroom, I endure being ignored for two minutes , then ask sour faced bint behind desk - 'can it talk to you about a CX3 ?' 'er, one salesman's off sick so I will have to find Mike . Oh yeah sit over there if you want ' No coffee offered , nothing. I read a three year old Autocar , find 15 minutes have passed and that all the staff are nwo chatting around the coffee machine . 'fk this ' I announce loudly and leave.

Peugeot - amateur hour.

Alfa Romeo - beyond parody . if not as much as ...

Caterham Midlands - spend 32 grand on a new car, pick it up and find a petrol fume in fuel tank , a Stack speedo over reading by a factor of 15 and two broken door pulls . Coffee? Nah. The slightest hint that actually I may be helping their business survive by buying a car? Nah- near total disinterest . Morgan though ? Brilliant

Sorry , having been let down again last week (dealer supplied low mileage car- chorus of creaks and groans from one seat , misaligned steering wheel, failure to return calls and emails when I was buying it and duff info re how to pay )I fking give up. There must be decent salesmen somewhere but they are thin on the ground and 80% of the ones I have dealt with are a disgrace

Edited by coppice on Thursday 19th October 16:32

[Mexman]

Dan W. said:

you don't get paid for it, you get a chance to sell more

I am currently into a 15 day stint no day off.... only me and my manager who sell and he was away on holiday...
he came back yesterday and broke his foot.... signed of for 3 weeks ..... so ill be working all of that just means extra sales but no home life for now lol

No home or social life...sounds familiar...oh well
Nope no extra pay or TOIL, just things I have to do to make my day smoother tomorrow.
Nothing worse than coming in to work after a day off, you have a handover to do at 10am as agreed with customer.
Customer turns up and car isn't ready, still on the ramps in bits, hasn't been valeted, and customer has swopped insurance over etc...World of pain.
You punters just do not realise what has to go on behind the scenes......

[Dan W.]

Mexman said:

No home or social life...sounds familiar...oh well
Nope no extra pay or TOIL, just things I have to do to make my day smoother tomorrow.
Nothing worse than coming in to work after a day off, you have a handover to do at 10am as agreed with customer.
Customer turns up and car isn't ready, still on the ramps in bits, hasn't been valeted, and customer has swopped insurance over etc...World of pain.
You punters just do not realise what has to go on behind the scenes......

Yup I concur.

[Mexman]

So, after 40 pages of this, has this turned anybody 'off' from wanting to persue a career in the illustrious, glamorous, easy, laid back environment of a motor trader/dealer?
Anyone...? Lol.