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

[TA14]

Dan W. said:

Spitfires said:

This car has been for sale near me, at the same price, for over 4 years (if not more, it's a running joke between my wife and I to ask if it's still there). Why would a dealer keep something so long at the same price, when it didn't sell 4 years ago at that price and has now clearly depreciated?

http://www.rydon-cars.co.uk/used-car/alfa-romeo/br...

some garages own the land and all of the stock so they don't feel they need to discount it..... someone will buy it eventually.... we have a similar garage near me..... owner owns all the cars outright and his land. he whacks 3k profit across all cars and they just sit there if not sold...

That sounds crazy to hang on to a car while the market value more than halves.

[Eyersey1234]

johnwilliams77 said:

Dr Tad Winslow said:

I wouldn't buy a brand new Ferrari from them if it was up for 10 pence.

I would, seems like a good deal.

Ten pence plus the rip off admin charge

[Dan W.]

Earthdweller said:

That’s ridiculous.. MOT’d last in 2013 .. so its stood for 4 years at least

If he keeps it long enough it’ll be a low mileage classic or an unusable wreck

Yes doesn't look great, Saying that we have just sold a used Toyota urban cruiser, been here for 2 years and we got full asking price hasn't been dropped in two years. Some people just don't ask for discount or research first.

[HJMS123]

Richard-390a0 said:

Evans Halshaw & Stratstones are probably their most well known 'brands'. Having had the misfortune to work for them in the past I'm always happy to hear of them having a rough time of it!

Cheers

[sas62]

I've often seen a buying tip that says, for the best price, you should buy a sports car / soft top in winter. In practice how does this work.? Does it mean advertised sticker prices drop in winter, or that you can get away with an offer lower than you could in summer? Does it apply equally to used and new stock? Looking at, say, Fiat 124s in my local dealer and I don't see any difference in pricing from what was available in June/July.

[Dan W.]

sas62 said:

I've often seen a buying tip that says, for the best price, you should buy a sports car / soft top in winter. In practice how does this work.? Does it mean advertised sticker prices drop in winter, or that you can get away with an offer lower than you could in summer? Does it apply equally to used and new stock? Looking at, say, Fiat 124s in my local dealer and I don't see any difference in pricing from what was available in June/July.

Usually prices are dependant on season yes.

For example where I work we sell a hell of a lot of 4x4 and now coming up to winter the prices have gone up and we can charge more, we have dropped some prices of soft tops we have in stock.

But again depends on the garage some are not in a rush to sell and will stand their ground waiting for the right customer on the car

[HTP99]

I know that e-mail enquiries are a constant source of frustration for those on here who make e-mail enquiries and then complain that they perhaps don't get the interest that they deserve, the issue is the vast majority of e-mail enquiries are a waste of time and you do come across alot of dross, below is the kind of thing that we come up against (I've just come off the phone to her):

Last week a lady made an enquiry through our manufacturer website to book a test drive in a car, there was no date, she just said she wanted to drive the particular model, I replied asking when would she like to do the test drive and in what model; diesel, petrol auto or manual, the following day she responded with a 3 day window and a time window within each day that she could do but no mention of which engine or gearbox. As I was off, my colleague replied suggesting Monday at x time, I couldn't do this so responded the next day suggesting Wednesday (today) at 11:00 and again asking petrol, diesel, manual or automatic.

I didn't hear anything so 2 days later I sent another e-mail to her asking if the revised suggested Wednesday appointment was suitable and again asking, petrol, diesel, auto or manual, no response so I assumed "oh well another one who has disappeared, never to be seen again"

Today I get a call at 11:10 "I have an appointment at 11:00 to test drive a car but I am running late" I find out who she is and it appears it is the lady above, I said that I had e-mailed her several times asking for confirmation of which model and if the day and time was suitable "oh I don't check my e-mails very often", I said that as I hadn't heard I assumed she wasn't coming.

Anyway she can get in at around midday, I already have an appointment at midday so I said that she couldn't be accommodated then as we were all busy, she will come back to me.

The whole thing could have been sorted in less than 5 minutes with a phone call, she didn't leave a number on her enquiry and stipulated e-mail contact only and yet she said she didn't check her e-mails that often.

it is that sort of thing which is so frustrating, I have another just like that who has disappeared off the face of the earth, after after initially responding to my e-mails I haven't a clue if he is coming in on Saturday or not.

[Dan W.]

HTP99 said:

I know that e-mail enquiries are a constant source of frustration for those on here who make e-mail enquiries and then complain that they perhaps don't get the interest that they deserve, the issue is the vast majority of e-mail enquiries are a waste of time and you do come across alot of dross, below is the kind of thing that we come up against (I've just come off the phone to her):

Last week a lady made an enquiry through our manufacturer website to book a test drive in a car, there was no date, she just said she wanted to drive the particular model, I replied asking when would she like to do the test drive and in what model; diesel, petrol auto or manual, the following day she responded with a 3 day window and a time window within each day that she could do but no mention of which engine or gearbox. As I was off, my colleague replied suggesting Monday at x time, I couldn't do this so responded the next day suggesting Wednesday (today) at 11:00 and again asking petrol, diesel, manual or automatic.

I didn't hear anything so 2 days later I sent another e-mail to her asking if the revised suggested Wednesday appointment was suitable and again asking, petrol, diesel, auto or manual, no response so I assumed "oh well another one who has disappeared, never to be seen again"

Today I get a call at 11:10 "I have an appointment at 11:00 to test drive a car but I am running late" I find out who she is and it appears it is the lady above, I said that I had e-mailed her several times asking for confirmation of which model and if the day and time was suitable "oh I don't check my e-mails very often", I said that as I hadn't heard I assumed she wasn't coming.

Anyway she can get in at around midday, I already have an appointment at midday so I said that she couldn't be accommodated then as we were all busy, she will come back to me.

The whole thing could have been sorted in less than 5 minutes with a phone call, she didn't leave a number on her enquiry and stipulated e-mail contact only and yet she said she didn't check her e-mails that often.

it is that sort of thing which is so frustrating, I have another just like that who has disappeared off the face of the earth, after after initially responding to my e-mails I haven't a clue if he is coming in on Saturday or not.

Sometimes they can be very ignorant, they don't understand we actually plan our days with appointment and handovers. and hopefully people walk in as well.

Currently I am running a new showroom and a used pitch on my own for last 2 weeks.

I book at my handovers on time and explain why its essential they are there pretty much on time, same with appointments......

2 handovers this morning one at 10.00 the other at 11.30 rang the day before to confirm this with both..... you guess it both turn up at 11.00 no hint of apology or explanation and get annoyed when I have to explain one of them has to wait.

[anonymous-user]

Dan W. said:

I book at my handovers on time and explain why its essential they are there pretty much on time, same with appointments......

2 handovers this morning one at 10.00 the other at 11.30 rang the day before to confirm this with both..... you guess it both turn up at 11.00 no hint of apology or explanation and get annoyed when I have to explain one of them has to wait.

As a handover specialist I don't often get this, but when it does happen (even though the time is agreed with me, customer and sales exec at the point of order) you can bet your bottom dollar that both will want the bells and whistles "experience"!

[Dan W.]

Simonium said:

As a handover specialist I don't often get this, but when it does happen (even though the time is agreed with me, customer and sales exec at the point of order) you can bet your bottom dollar that both will want the bells and whistles "experience"!

Exactly, usually most can be fine and they were both repeat business so they have dealt with us before so we got past it, did the new car handover first so CSI Score wasn't affected

[HTP99]

Simonium said:

Dan W. said:

I book at my handovers on time and explain why its essential they are there pretty much on time, same with appointments......

2 handovers this morning one at 10.00 the other at 11.30 rang the day before to confirm this with both..... you guess it both turn up at 11.00 no hint of apology or explanation and get annoyed when I have to explain one of them has to wait.

As a handover specialist I don't often get this, but when it does happen (even though the time is agreed with me, customer and sales exec at the point of order) you can bet your bottom dollar that both will want the bells and whistles "experience"!

That is a constant frustration with me and it is so bloody rude.

Confirm a time, they say yes, a day beforehand you confirm the time, they say yes, the day comes and they are late, not so much as a phone call to say they are running late and if you call them, they never answer.

They then turn up an hour late, no apology and that potentially is your day ruined.

Or the ones that turn up an hour early, "oh we got the things we needed to do, done quicker so we thought we'd pick up the car earlier", they then get the hump as they have to wait an hour whilst you finish off with someone that was in on time.

[anonymous-user]

Dan W. said:

Exactly, usually most can be fine and they were both repeat business so they have dealt with us before so we got past it, did the new car handover first so CSI Score wasn't affected

CSI I will always give the customer the opportunity to pick my brains about anything related the to car that they like, or have a pared down basic handover, it's entirely their decision. The elderly gents (from Pendeen or St Buryan) that normally snort and say "just give me the keys boy" are invariably the ones who bleat they were given insufficient information on CSI.

[Dan W.]

Simonium said:

CSI I will always give the customer the opportunity to pick my brains about anything related the to car that they like, or have a pared down basic handover, it's entirely their decision. The elderly gents (from Pendeen or St Buryan) that normally snort and say "just give me the keys boy" are invariably the ones who bleat they were given insufficient information on CSI.

I know the feeling. Did handovers for a year and those guys are miserable gits when it comes to CSI

[Sheepshanks]

Dan W. said:

Currently I am running a new showroom and a used pitch on my own for last 2 weeks.

I guess the days must pass quickly!

Is it general practice not to do handovers at the weekend? Personally I'd avoid it but not everyone has a job where they just disappear for a couple of hours.

[silentbrown]

Do you actually test drive incoming part-ex cars before you make an offer on them - Or only if they're 'interesting'?

[Fast Bug]

silentbrown said:

Do you actually test drive incoming part-ex cars before you make an offer on them - Or only if they're 'interesting'?

When I worked for a Rover dealer we had to, at Porsche if it was something that we were going to retail the workshop gave it a quick once over. Them billing us for an hours labour saved far more in recon charges

[Save Ferris]

silentbrown said:

Do you actually test drive incoming part-ex cars before you make an offer on them - Or only if they're 'interesting'?

We are supposed to drive every PX, because if it’s got a fault and I don’t spot it, I have to pay for it.
(eg: years back I had to pay for a gearbox on a Polo as it wouldn’t go into fifth)

Not as vital on cars that are worth scrap value though.

[Dan W.]

Sheepshanks said:

I guess the days must pass quickly!

Is it general practice not to do handovers at the weekend? Personally I'd avoid it but not everyone has a job where they just disappear for a couple of hours.

Quickly yes its manic currently. we do handovers whenever customers needs. very close knit garage here and we don't mind

[Dan W.]

silentbrown said:

Do you actually test drive incoming part-ex cars before you make an offer on them - Or only if they're 'interesting'?

We test drive every vehicle, unless its a £50 scrapper. I don't understand the garages who don't business suicide

[HTP99]

Dan W. said:

silentbrown said:

Do you actually test drive incoming part-ex cars before you make an offer on them - Or only if they're 'interesting'?

We test drive every vehicle, unless its a £50 scrapper. I don't understand the garages who don't business suicide

We do too, everything, apart from scrap cars, it's amazing how many garages don't though.

As for handovers on a Saturday, we do them, many garages don't though.