Looks like dealers don't need to sell cars....
Discussion
Well as some of you know girlfriend put a deposit down on a car and changed her mind.
I thought fine lesson learnt and told dealer we weren't going ahead with purchase and to keep deposit for his troubles (called consumer direct before and they said legally we had no rights)
Anyway we went to view the "cheap" car in question with the spec girlfriend wanted, it was mint and the sales manager explained that there was no movement on car price, I then asked regarding road fund licence to which he said "we could chuck something in", so to come down and see him.
Well it turns out all they could do is chuck a tenner of petrol, I spent more than that travelling down there.
That lost them a sale, sales manager wasn't bothered as he'll "sell it at the weekend". All I asked for was a full tank of petrol (only a 40 litreish tank)
Called in to other dealers and no one wants to offer anything, apparently every damn car is priced to sell with no margin for movememnt.
Am I doing something wrong?
As well as the lack of motivation to make it look like I'm getting a deal, it seems salesman don't call me back either.
I call up dealers hundreds of miles away to check if a vehicle is in stock so I can put a deposit down to view the vehicle and they don't call me back.
But it seems the motor industry is doing well at the minute as they don't need to do "deals" and they don't need to call customers back....
I know that car dealers are there to make money, but don't they know that a customer wants to feel like they are getting a deal even if they aren't.
Kind of like the way a salesman will give you more for your part exchange but take less money off the car you want, or give less for your part ex but make it look like he's doing a "deal" by taking more off the car you want.
Anyway what do you guys do to get a deal? And will some of you walk away out of principal if it feels like they aren't doing you a deal?
Lastly would you pay more for a car and extras if the salesman seemed to be going the extra mile compared to original ticket price and customer service was good, or would you go with the cheaper original ticket price car with the miserable unfriendly salesman.
Girlfriend thinks I should have gone for cheaper car but out of principal I'd rather pay more and get better customer service. Am I foolish?!
Thanks
I thought fine lesson learnt and told dealer we weren't going ahead with purchase and to keep deposit for his troubles (called consumer direct before and they said legally we had no rights)
Anyway we went to view the "cheap" car in question with the spec girlfriend wanted, it was mint and the sales manager explained that there was no movement on car price, I then asked regarding road fund licence to which he said "we could chuck something in", so to come down and see him.
Well it turns out all they could do is chuck a tenner of petrol, I spent more than that travelling down there.
That lost them a sale, sales manager wasn't bothered as he'll "sell it at the weekend". All I asked for was a full tank of petrol (only a 40 litreish tank)
Called in to other dealers and no one wants to offer anything, apparently every damn car is priced to sell with no margin for movememnt.
Am I doing something wrong?
As well as the lack of motivation to make it look like I'm getting a deal, it seems salesman don't call me back either.
I call up dealers hundreds of miles away to check if a vehicle is in stock so I can put a deposit down to view the vehicle and they don't call me back.
But it seems the motor industry is doing well at the minute as they don't need to do "deals" and they don't need to call customers back....
I know that car dealers are there to make money, but don't they know that a customer wants to feel like they are getting a deal even if they aren't.
Kind of like the way a salesman will give you more for your part exchange but take less money off the car you want, or give less for your part ex but make it look like he's doing a "deal" by taking more off the car you want.
Anyway what do you guys do to get a deal? And will some of you walk away out of principal if it feels like they aren't doing you a deal?
Lastly would you pay more for a car and extras if the salesman seemed to be going the extra mile compared to original ticket price and customer service was good, or would you go with the cheaper original ticket price car with the miserable unfriendly salesman.
Girlfriend thinks I should have gone for cheaper car but out of principal I'd rather pay more and get better customer service. Am I foolish?!
Thanks
Edited by bremb0 on Tuesday 29th November 19:01
Edited by bremb0 on Tuesday 29th November 19:24
Magnificent John said:
So you turned your back on a mint car for the sake of a tank of fuel? Nice one! And just how much more money will you waste trailing about looking for an alternative????
It was on principal, if the customer service is bad before a sale, what on earth will the aftersales be like.I should have been told all we can do is a tenner of petrol before I travelled 2 hours to view a car.
I'd rather pay more money and have better service.
Otherwise I can pay much less privately, but you generally go to main dealers for peace of mind, and some sort of customer service.
But using your logic: "Hey as long as the car is cheap I can let them treat me like a
"Edited by bremb0 on Tuesday 29th November 19:09
Yawn! Not another one.
Sorry couldn't help myself, but I will answer this one regarding deals available.
Since advertising cars on the internet dealers are increasingly competing on price, meaning they will have an asking price which is already pretty much the lowest they can accept.
This is not always the case, but in recent years is has become the overwhelming majority. Since 2008 when new car sales fell through the floor, the supply of used cars onto the market has dwindled. This means the dealers are competing to buy a limited amount of stock, the retail market is not great, and the dealers are even more inclined to advertise as cheap as they dare.
All these things add up to very competitive asking prices, but little or no discount.
Sorry couldn't help myself, but I will answer this one regarding deals available.
Since advertising cars on the internet dealers are increasingly competing on price, meaning they will have an asking price which is already pretty much the lowest they can accept.
This is not always the case, but in recent years is has become the overwhelming majority. Since 2008 when new car sales fell through the floor, the supply of used cars onto the market has dwindled. This means the dealers are competing to buy a limited amount of stock, the retail market is not great, and the dealers are even more inclined to advertise as cheap as they dare.
All these things add up to very competitive asking prices, but little or no discount.
Hang on...
You asked for a full tank of fuel. He said he would chuck a tenner in, and you walked away?
You walked away over £30 quid.
You were willing to pay the price of the car, but he wouldnt give you 30 quid so you walked.
Bizarre.
I like a deal, don't get me wrong. But I like deals that offer something for me, like £500 off the marked price, or 12 months tax. I'm not interested in wasting my own or anyone elses time over 30 quid.
You asked for a full tank of fuel. He said he would chuck a tenner in, and you walked away?
You walked away over £30 quid.
You were willing to pay the price of the car, but he wouldnt give you 30 quid so you walked.
Bizarre.
I like a deal, don't get me wrong. But I like deals that offer something for me, like £500 off the marked price, or 12 months tax. I'm not interested in wasting my own or anyone elses time over 30 quid.
kentmotorcompany said:
Yawn! Not another one.
Sorry couldn't help myself, but I will answer this one regarding deals available.
Since advertising cars on the internet dealers are increasingly competing on price, meaning they will have an asking price which is already pretty much the lowest they can accept.
This is not always the case, but in recent years is has become the overwhelming majority. Since 2008 when new car sales fell through the floor, the supply of used cars onto the market has dwindled. This means the dealers are competing to buy a limited amount of stock, the retail market is not great, and the dealers are even more inclined to advertise as cheap as they dare.
All these things add up to very competitive asking prices, but little or no discount.
That's fine, and I can understand that.Sorry couldn't help myself, but I will answer this one regarding deals available.
Since advertising cars on the internet dealers are increasingly competing on price, meaning they will have an asking price which is already pretty much the lowest they can accept.
This is not always the case, but in recent years is has become the overwhelming majority. Since 2008 when new car sales fell through the floor, the supply of used cars onto the market has dwindled. This means the dealers are competing to buy a limited amount of stock, the retail market is not great, and the dealers are even more inclined to advertise as cheap as they dare.
All these things add up to very competitive asking prices, but little or no discount.
But it's not right giving someone the impression you can do something when someone is travelling for some way.
If you call up someone to guage how willing they are to negotiate and they tell you straight that there is ZERO room for negotiation then fine, you can make your mind up based on that.
But if someone makes out they'll do a good deal and sort something out then say I'll give you a tenner worth of fuel, and then when asked for a full tank say no it's a waste of my time.
I didn't go there and say "Hey I'll take the car if you chuck a full tank and he said a tenner"
The same principal applies for me when buying privately, for example I see a car at a good price, I try my luck with seller and he says no but I still want car I'll go there and buy it happy with the price.
But if I ask and they give an impression they'll negotiate and then say no after travlelling for two hours I'll walk away on principal rather than just take the vehicle mint or not.
bremb0 said:
But using your logic: "Hey as long as the car is cheap I can let them treat me like a "
He wasn't treating you like a "Edited by bremb0 on Tuesday 29th November 19:09
. If the cars cheap then he cant budge on price. Or do you think he should sell at a loss because you've driven for 2 hours to view it?Why dont you ask them for a full tank, a steak dinner, a back rub and a handy next time.
rufusgti said:
He wasn't treating you like a . If the cars cheap then he cant budge on price. Or do you think he should sell at a loss because you've driven for 2 hours to view it?
Why dont you ask them for a full tank, a steak dinner, a back rub and a handy next time.
Er do people read things before responding.. If the cars cheap then he cant budge on price. Or do you think he should sell at a loss because you've driven for 2 hours to view it?Why dont you ask them for a full tank, a steak dinner, a back rub and a handy next time.
He made it clear the price was fixed, I knew that before travelling, that isn't the issue.
The issue was he said he'd chuck something in when tax was mentioned but all he chucks in was a tenner of fuel, I then said a full tank and I'll buy the car now.
he said no, I was peed off at that point, had he said originally price was fixed and I can't throw anything in I would have respected that.
I don't care what anyone says behind their keyboard, if someone tells you they'll sort you out or will negotiate in person then doesn't I'd rather walk away.
sleep envy said:
sounds like you've got time and/or money to burn
you might not have gotten the £50 in fuel you wanted but what's it going to take to find another car?
there's more to the sticker price when working out a deal
I think people have got the wrong impression.you might not have gotten the £50 in fuel you wanted but what's it going to take to find another car?
there's more to the sticker price when working out a deal
I did not set out to get a full tank of fuel.
I asked whether there was room for negotiation on price on phone, he said no, I then asked regarding tax, he said he can sort something out and to come down.
When I get there all he offered was a tenner of fuel, I said "You can't even throw a full tank of fuel"
The fuel is irrelevant, what's relevant to me is lack of doing anything when he said he would do something knowing I was travelling a long way
bremb0 said:
I think people have got the wrong impression.
I did not set out to get a full tank of fuel.
I asked whether there was room for negotiation on price on phone, he said no, I then asked regarding tax, he said he can sort something out and to come down.
When I get there all he offered was a tenner of fuel, I said "You can't even throw a full tank of fuel"
The fuel is irrelevant, what's relevant to me is lack of doing anything when he said he would do something knowing I was travelling a long way
maybe you got the wrong impression, instead of being clear with him on the phone you were happy to accept the salesman sorting 'something' outI did not set out to get a full tank of fuel.
I asked whether there was room for negotiation on price on phone, he said no, I then asked regarding tax, he said he can sort something out and to come down.
When I get there all he offered was a tenner of fuel, I said "You can't even throw a full tank of fuel"
The fuel is irrelevant, what's relevant to me is lack of doing anything when he said he would do something knowing I was travelling a long way
I'd say he's managed your expectations badly but you've also left the door open for him to gauge your reaction to seeing the car
as I said, is it really worth knocking the deal back for the sake of it?
take it as a lesson learnt unless you really are that stubborn
Well looks like I'm in a minority.
No wonder salesman are like that if the majority will accept it then they don't need to do anything.
Ultimately my point is I don't want a salesman telling me there is room to negotiate or they can do something when they can't.
I guess I don't like being mislead, the way you sometimes get someone telling you a car is mint then the alloys are all kerbed.
Their logic is probably to get you down there, some on principal will still take car, I won't though.
No wonder salesman are like that if the majority will accept it then they don't need to do anything.
Ultimately my point is I don't want a salesman telling me there is room to negotiate or they can do something when they can't.
I guess I don't like being mislead, the way you sometimes get someone telling you a car is mint then the alloys are all kerbed.
Their logic is probably to get you down there, some on principal will still take car, I won't though.
Edited by bremb0 on Tuesday 29th November 19:28
We/You are not the majority.
The majority wander onto the fourcourt with the wife, she picks a car she likes, he tries to talk her into the one he wants/can afford, She gives him the look, he signs the dotted line.
Car dealers, if they know the market and have the right cars on the fourcourt, dont have to try very hard to sell cars anymore. Most people havn't got time to drive around trying to get "deals".
The majority wander onto the fourcourt with the wife, she picks a car she likes, he tries to talk her into the one he wants/can afford, She gives him the look, he signs the dotted line.
Car dealers, if they know the market and have the right cars on the fourcourt, dont have to try very hard to sell cars anymore. Most people havn't got time to drive around trying to get "deals".
bremb0 said:
I should have been told all we can do is a tenner of petrol before I travelled 2 hours to view a car.
Unless you live in the middle of nowhere don't travel 2 hrs to view a car. Even if you go ahead and buy it, the distance makes the whole thing a pain, especially if you have any problems after purchase.Gassing Station | General Gassing | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff