Why do dealerships take cars home

Why do dealerships take cars home

Author
Discussion

Pegscratch

1,872 posts

107 months

Wednesday 1st July 2020
quotequote all
1000%.

Why do people write off "a st plumber", or "a st electrician", "a st builder", "a st doctor", but come car purchase time every car salesperson under the sun is st?

One of my best experiences of someone actually understanding my requirements and working that problem was a car salesman. I'd convinced myself of the car I wanted, we went out for a test drive and he didn't ask me how I felt about it - he knew already. He'd listened to me talking on the test drive, about the things I wanted to do with it and what I enjoyed about cars and instantly said "will we go look at one that I think you'll prefer?". In total I think he tolerated me for a few hours on site and then had all the to-ing and fro-ing about trade ins and various stupid questions I had afterwards.

I bought that car. He was right, the car I had set out to buy was riddled with compromise for something that didn't matter in the grand scheme of things. It turned out to be one of the cars I kept the longest; I still don't think I've had a car longer than I had that one. We still keep in touch, but he's been working at dealerships that I wouldn't really venture to and he knows this - he calls just to let me know where he is, and to remember him if it's time to change and my requirements push me his way.

He got maybe a hundred quid tops out of me from that purchase. He behaved like I was handing him personally the full value of the car.

21st Century Man

40,659 posts

247 months

Wednesday 1st July 2020
quotequote all
I had a customer who followed me through two Austin Rover dealers, to Diahatsu and then Toyota. About twenty years later, by pure coincidence, he bought double glazing from me. All I need to do now is some estate agency and then I've done the Holy Trinity of The Devil's work.

93DW

1,268 posts

102 months

Wednesday 1st July 2020
quotequote all
Have we had the one about if Manufacturers get rid of franchises then customers will buy direct from them? and that means if BMW think the 320i is selling quite well and they want to bump the price up by 5% they can. If they're the only ones selling them what are you going to do other than pay the price hike? You cant go down the road to another dealer because they'll be owned by BMW as well and they'll all be reading from the same script

vikingaero

10,256 posts

168 months

Wednesday 1st July 2020
quotequote all
Throttlebody said:
There’s a reason why car salesmen rank at the bottom of the public perception of socially agreeable professions.
Can I differentiate a little?

There are a lot of car salesmen who are the atypical stereotype following the script and charades, and there are some decent salesmen on here such as Mexman and HTP99 (former salesman?) who are car enthusiasts or else they wouldn't be here, and I really appreciate their car opinions from the other side of the desk.

The Mad Monk

10,474 posts

116 months

Wednesday 1st July 2020
quotequote all
21st Century Man said:
I had a customer who followed me through two Austin Rover dealers, to Diahatsu and then Toyota. About twenty years later, by pure coincidence, he bought double glazing from me. All I need to do now is some estate agency and then I've done the Holy Trinity of The Devil's work.
Undertaker?

Falconer

299 posts

49 months

Wednesday 1st July 2020
quotequote all
I booked to test drive Ford Maverick many years ago during a spell of wintery weather. When we turned up, the car wasn’t there because it (a 4x4) was stuck in the snow.
Cross that off the list.

alorotom

11,907 posts

186 months

Wednesday 1st July 2020
quotequote all
Pegscratch said:
1000%.

Why do people write off "a st plumber", or "a st electrician", "a st builder", "a st doctor", but come car purchase time every car salesperson under the sun is st?
those represented above are backed up being qualified to do a particular job/career/role which has, effectively, a level or standard of achievement gained over several years - you dont need to be qualified to sell - ergo its lower in the pecking order and easier to tar in one swoop

Mexman

2,442 posts

83 months

Wednesday 1st July 2020
quotequote all
Throttlebody said:
There’s a reason why car salesmen rank at the bottom of the public perception of socially agreeable professions.
Please enlighten us, as to your chosen path, so we can all slag you off, and call you all the names under the sun.
I feel there may be some underlying jealousy here somewhere, either that, or you are just an ignorant, blinkered, blithering idiot.
You choose.

Deep Thought

35,724 posts

196 months

Wednesday 1st July 2020
quotequote all
Mexman said:
Throttlebody said:
There’s a reason why car salesmen rank at the bottom of the public perception of socially agreeable professions.
Please enlighten us, as to your chosen path, so we can all slag you off, and call you all the names under the sun.
I feel there may be some underlying jealousy bitterness here somewhere, either that, or you are just an ignorant, blinkered, blithering idiot.
You choose.
EFA

smile

Pegscratch

1,872 posts

107 months

Wednesday 1st July 2020
quotequote all
alorotom said:
those represented above are backed up being qualified to do a particular job/career/role which has, effectively, a level or standard of achievement gained over several years - you dont need to be qualified to sell - ergo its lower in the pecking order and easier to tar in one swoop
I've seen a few bits of work from "qualified" tradespeople that makes me wonder if they could qualify for nursery school. But I do take your point; there are a lot of people that see qualifications as evidence of good work.

nickfrog

20,871 posts

216 months

Wednesday 1st July 2020
quotequote all
Pegscratch said:
I've seen a few bits of work from "qualified" tradespeople that makes me wonder if they could qualify for nursery school.
laugh
I project managed a big refurb last year and eventually had to take the recommended heating "engineers" to court. I catalogued 13 faults and non-compliant work, some of them gas related. The judge was appaled. They were "qualified" and are still trading.
The replacement plumber has been brilliant.
I wouldn't dream of saying all plumbers are crap though.

Mexman

2,442 posts

83 months

Wednesday 1st July 2020
quotequote all
alorotom said:
those represented above are backed up being qualified to do a particular job/career/role which has, effectively, a level or standard of achievement gained over several years - you dont need to be qualified to sell - ergo its lower in the pecking order and easier to tar in one swoop
So what?

Pegscratch

1,872 posts

107 months

Wednesday 1st July 2020
quotequote all
Mexman said:
So what?
He's supporting you; I think. The view that the general public have is that qualifications place you better in a discussion, and then (usually) let evidence sway opinion from there. Because qualifications in car sales don't exist, the inference is that you're just a person with no qualifications and starting at a low point.

Mexman

2,442 posts

83 months

Wednesday 1st July 2020
quotequote all
scratchchin

Camelot1971

2,698 posts

165 months

Wednesday 1st July 2020
quotequote all
Throttlebody said:
There’s a reason why car salesmen rank at the bottom of the public perception of socially agreeable professions.
Least they have a job.

Deep Thought

35,724 posts

196 months

Wednesday 1st July 2020
quotequote all
Camelot1971 said:
Throttlebody said:
There’s a reason why car salesmen rank at the bottom of the public perception of socially agreeable professions.
Least they have a job.
And a car.

BrabusMog

20,083 posts

185 months

Wednesday 1st July 2020
quotequote all
Deep Thought said:
Camelot1971 said:
Throttlebody said:
There’s a reason why car salesmen rank at the bottom of the public perception of socially agreeable professions.
Least they have a job.
And a car.
That they never take to the bloody showroom!

The Mad Monk

10,474 posts

116 months

Wednesday 1st July 2020
quotequote all
nickfrog said:
laugh
I project managed a big refurb last year and eventually had to take the recommended heating "engineers" to court. I catalogued 13 faults and non-compliant work, some of them gas related. The judge was appaled. They were "qualified" and are still trading.
The replacement plumber has been brilliant.
I wouldn't dream of saying all plumbers are crap though.
Did you win?

Were you awarded damages?

Did they pay up?

Bemmer

1,103 posts

201 months

Wednesday 1st July 2020
quotequote all
Pegscratch said:
The view that the general public have is that qualifications place you better in a discussion, and then (usually) let evidence sway opinion from there. Because qualifications in car sales don't exist, the inference is that you're just a person with no qualifications and starting at a low point.
rofl When two of the richest Uk Billionaires Bernie Eccleston and John Caudwell both started out in the used car business..... Along with the various Multimillionaires past and present that have built up huge multi franchise groups.... And your talking about qualifications....biglaugh

CJ1

468 posts

77 months

Wednesday 1st July 2020
quotequote all
I can’t see the issue? If anything it’s best to keep the cars on the road rather than it sitting about on the forecourt, I don’t believe they get ragged about either. My friend has just bought a 69 Plate Golf R, the salesman happened to live in the same town as us and the dealership was 45 minutes away. He offered to take the car home one evening and let her test drive the car from home, deal agreed there and then!