How Not to Sell a Car
10-17-2013, 09:40 AM
#41
Burning Brakes
That's always been my favorite part.
You can go jump in a loaded 3500 dually, diesel, Allison, etc... and it'll be MORE than the Vette, but you can drive it over the curb if you want.
Go drive a $55k Vette and they act like you asked to take the Mona Lisa to a diner for a date.
You can go jump in a loaded 3500 dually, diesel, Allison, etc... and it'll be MORE than the Vette, but you can drive it over the curb if you want.
Go drive a $55k Vette and they act like you asked to take the Mona Lisa to a diner for a date.
10-17-2013, 09:47 AM
#43
Melting Slicks
I don't want customers sitting in my sold order either.....
........that includes kids with gum
.....and the guy with the tool belt.....and the scratchy keys on the pants loop
....and all others
.....including the chick with hair dye that hasn't quite set in yet.....
Last edited by Hemi Dave; 10-17-2013 at 10:50 AM.
10-17-2013, 09:48 AM
#44
Le Mans Master
There are dealers that want to sell cars and there are dealers that like to keep them as museum pieces. Only one will survive and prosper.
10-17-2013, 09:50 AM
#45
Its easy to envision a scenario where this dealer talked a customer into letting him keep his car to show on the floor and the customer (maybe a very important customer to the dealership) says ok as long as you keep it roped off.
10-17-2013, 09:51 AM
#46
Drifting
If the car wasn't sold as you said, I think I would have got belligerent with them and asked specifically why I couldn't sit in it. I have no tolerance for 
tactics. They certainly would have acquiesced once you pushed them. I have asked salesman "so you don't want to sell a car?". That usually gets their attention.
After, since they weren't being nice, I would have insisted on a test drive too. When I test drove my Vette, the sales lady (who was awesome, by the way) explained that we should keep it short in case I didn't want it to keep the miles low for others. I totally got that and did as instructed. There are ways to deal with a-holes like you encountered. Leaving just proves to them you were a tire kicker and not a serious buyer.
tactics. They certainly would have acquiesced once you pushed them. I have asked salesman "so you don't want to sell a car?". That usually gets their attention. After, since they weren't being nice, I would have insisted on a test drive too. When I test drove my Vette, the sales lady (who was awesome, by the way) explained that we should keep it short in case I didn't want it to keep the miles low for others. I totally got that and did as instructed. There are ways to deal with a-holes like you encountered. Leaving just proves to them you were a tire kicker and not a serious buyer.
10-17-2013, 10:06 AM
#47
Intermediate
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Got out of work a little early today so I decided to visit one of our local Chevy dealers in the Tampa Bay area. I park my Z right outside the showroom and proceed to walk in the front doors of the showroom. Long and behold there is a yellow Stingray right in the middle of the showroom. What I thought was so unusual was that the car was surrounded by thick 2 inch diameter felt rope supported by a vertical 4 foot high post. They had it about 4 feet away from the car to the point you could not even take a peak inside. I salesman immediately approached me and asked if I needed any help. I told him I would like to sit in it. His answer to me was that I would not be allowed to sit in it. I thought I was mistaken as to what he said so I asked him to please repeat what he just said. I did get the same answer. I then started to walk out of the showroom in total misbelief while he chased me down getting into my car! I did like the car but would never ever set foot back in that dealership again.
10-17-2013, 11:50 AM
#50
Race Director
I bet the sales staff gets a good laugh watching you.............
10-17-2013, 01:01 PM
#51
Didn't seem that way to me.
If the car was sold, it would have been just as easy for the salesman to explain to the OP that this was the case, the first time. The salesman was given a second chance to clarify this, yet he did not.
Salesman should have been more accomodating. In roughly the same amount of time to answer both questions twice, he could just as easily have said something like: "Sorry, but this car is already sold. If you like, I can open the door so you can have a look inside." Or "If you leave your number, we'll get back to you as soon as another one arrives."
End result is that it looks like they lost a customer, and it easily didn't have to be that way.
Meanwhile, over at the McLaren dealership...
His answer to me was that I would not be allowed to sit in it. I thought I was mistaken as to what he said so I asked him to please repeat what he just said. I did get the same answer. I then started to walk out of the showroom in total misbelief while he chased me down getting into my car! I did like the car but would never ever set foot back in that dealership again.
Salesman should have been more accomodating. In roughly the same amount of time to answer both questions twice, he could just as easily have said something like: "Sorry, but this car is already sold. If you like, I can open the door so you can have a look inside." Or "If you leave your number, we'll get back to you as soon as another one arrives."
End result is that it looks like they lost a customer, and it easily didn't have to be that way.
It's a Corvette for crying out loud. It's not like its a $250k McLaren or Lambo. 
10-17-2013, 01:10 PM
#54
10-17-2013, 01:12 PM
#55
10-17-2013, 01:16 PM
#56
Drifting
One interesting point in the photo above (besides not being roped off), they guy with his flannel (?) shirt and jeans (and what looks to be, perhaps, blue-collar work boots) is getting sales attention. I've seen people who don't look like they have enough to purchase the car they are looking at get ignored by sales staff.
Of course, I don't know what he drove up in... LOL... and they probably do.
Of course, I don't know what he drove up in... LOL... and they probably do.
10-17-2013, 01:17 PM
#57
Instructor
My experience with Chevrolet sales people here in Austin is awful. Now if you buy a Porsche , that's the way it should be. The dealer threw me the keys to a new 911 and said: "Take it for for the weekend for a test drive"(without finger printing etc). Of course I ended up buying one.
10-17-2013, 01:19 PM
#58
10-17-2013, 01:21 PM
#59
Seems like pretty basic Sales 101 type stuff.
Even if it's not the salesman who decides to rope the car off, he is in a position to find out why it's roped off. When given the second chance to explain, he should have at least said something like "Honestly, I don't know myself why, but if you wait just a second, I'll find the answer for you."
Even if it's not the salesman who decides to rope the car off, he is in a position to find out why it's roped off. When given the second chance to explain, he should have at least said something like "Honestly, I don't know myself why, but if you wait just a second, I'll find the answer for you."
10-17-2013, 01:24 PM
#60
Racer
[QUOTE=BlueOx;1585195295]Ropes!!! It was roped off!!![/QUOTE
The car I got to sit in was not roped off and was sold about two hours after I sat in it! Lucky me! But, several customer cars in the showroom were with big "Do Not Touch" signs in their windows! I think in this situation it was probably a customer and the sales guy either didn't understand the ropes or more likely was just blowing smoke!
The car I got to sit in was not roped off and was sold about two hours after I sat in it! Lucky me! But, several customer cars in the showroom were with big "Do Not Touch" signs in their windows! I think in this situation it was probably a customer and the sales guy either didn't understand the ropes or more likely was just blowing smoke!