Car Dealer Snobbery?

mathie

Ok so about 6 weeks ago I was over in a car dealers who shall remain nameless enquiring about their new Saab Linear.

I was told I'd get a call when they arrived.

I never got a call and I found out the cars arrived a few weeks ago.

Now I'm 31 - I look a good bit younger but during the course of my chat with the guy over there he said I was 'too young' to drive a 95.
Ok maybe Im younger than the average purchaser of a 95.
A 93 would be more suited.

Now I'm wondering why I never received the call.
The cars haven't flown out so there's no overwhelming demand.

Pity on them as I'd cash in hand ready to go.

Anyone had experience of this?
M

JohnCleary

Do what a guy I know did...

He's a millionaire who likes to cycle. So one day he cycles up to Merc dealer enquiring about a new AMG (Forget which model, a CL I think, but I know he paid about €220k for it in the end) but was told by a salesman that he couldn't afford it, and to stop wasting his time.

So the next day, the cyclist drives up to the dealer in his 'old' (it was 1 year old at the time) AMG (Think it was a CL500) and the salesman's jaw drops. So the buyer has a chat with the salesman, gets him worked up thinking he's made a sale, and then the buyer turns around and says "Thanks, think i'll go to another dealer though" and walks out.... Best true story ever!

(This happened in Galway, he ended up buying from a Dublin dealer I think)

Tails142

lol at the quote above about cyclist

to the op; I think it's just your own paranoia and feelings of inadequacy. People always say they'll give you a ring when something comes in; it almost NEVER happens. They guy was just a **** salesman. Go to him and buy the car if you want; and if they dont hop to or get down on their knees and lather you with coffee and biscuits tell them to **** off, or go to starbucks if that's what you really want cause it will be cheaper.

mike65

Sounds typical, they have got so picky on the pigs back. Still when the recession hits we'll have the last laugh. "go on you want a sale? do you, do you?"

Mike.

prospect

My dads car was in getting some minor repair work done before he sold it . He was using a borrowed Corsa and was looking around for his new car. He visited a Jag and Merc dealer who both looked down their noses at him. The Jag sales man actually referred to the Corsa as "that" as in This Jag is certainly better than "that".

He bought neither. There is no need for a sales man to act that way. Alot of them are professional and know how to deal properly with customers, and alot are Glorified Order-Takers who know SFA about customer relations.

Ger the man

I had the same treatment from a big garage in Rathangan, Kildare. I saw a car I was interested in on there website and rang them to check it was still available. I arranged a test drive for the following saturday and requested a ph call if it was sold in the meantime.... Guess what? It was sold on the previous thursday and I got no ph call. I arrived and had words with the guy I spoke with on the phone for not calling me and wasting my time, he claimed it wasnt him. Later the same week the owner rang me saying another car had come in, so I told him what happened and to shove it up his ****!

MercMad

I would be more concerned about your desire to actually purchase a 95 in the first place !!

They are HIDEOUS !!!



I think the guy was doing you a favour to be honest !!

OldmanMondeo

Ger the man wrote:

Later the same week the owner rang me saying another car had come in, so I told him what happened and to shove it up his ****!

While not getting a call to say the car was sold is poor salemanship, at least they rang back about a similar car. Your comment was just pure rude.

bazz26

I think this is due to most of them living off the Celtic Tiger/post SSIA gravy train where cars especially new ones were selling themselves and they could afford to be selective.

However there are signs that this gravy train is slowing down and maybe coming to a stop, well at least for used cars anyway. More and more people are now importing used cars from the UK and NI which means forecourts up and down the country are swamped with unsold second hand cars. I am shocked at the large volumes of second hand cars that dealers have in stock, most don't have enough room for them, they are literally parked on top of each other and I'm looking at the same cars sitting there for months.

I remember not too long ago when you pulled into a dealership forecourt the sales rep was out like a shot asking you if you were being looked after. Up to recently you have to take a number and join a queue just to ask a sales rep a question about a car.

smash

I remember this cycling story... it was with Cunningham Higgens wasn't it.

bazz26

MercMad wrote:

I would be more concerned about your desire to actually purchase a 95 in the first place !!

They are HIDEOUS !!!



I think the guy was doing you a favour to be honest !!

Dame Edna?

Actually seen the new facelifted 9-3 the other day and it looks alot nicer.

sandyg

I find that happens at a lot of the "Glass House" showrooms being built at mo. Seems to be pure snobery!! They are all the same no matter what dealer u use.

Ger the man

OldmanMondeo wrote:

While not getting a call to say the car was sold is poor salemanship, at least they rang back about a similar car. Your comment was just pure rude.

Fair enough but I was very annoyed over a wasted trip and no phone call, despite me getting the name of the person I spoke to and then speaking to him in person then he denied it was him who spoke to me on the phone. I was rude but honest, he was a hopeless liar.

Hotwheels

JohnCleary wrote:

Do what a guy I know did...

He's a millionaire who likes to cycle. So one day he cycles up to Merc dealer enquiring about a new AMG (Forget which model, a CL I think, but I know he paid about €220k for it in the end) but was told by a salesman that he couldn't afford it, and to stop wasting his time.

So the next day, the cyclist drives up to the dealer in his 'old' (it was 1 year old at the time) AMG (Think it was a CL500) and the salesman's jaw drops. So the buyer has a chat with the salesman, gets him worked up thinking he's made a sale, and then the buyer turns around and says "Thanks, think i'll go to another dealer though" and walks out.... Best true story ever!

(This happened in Galway, he ended up buying from a Dublin dealer I think)

I remember that, its a good few years ago...

Go to another dealer, you might even get a better offer, then bring it in and show it to the original guy!
Had the same happen to me with the 159...I went to Lismard and got a better deal, and I'll be back in 2008 again.

RobAMerc

dealers have had it far too good for far too long here.

They play on the fact most folk here have no idea about cars are kinda in fear and just take them on their word.

I cannot believe the amount of cars I see in my neighborhood from the local dealer - I have been there twice - they are arrogant, pushy and were down right insulting toward my car before I left.

The car dealer is the motoring equivalent to the Estate Agent - prime time just haven't done a expose on them yet ! - but there time will come too.

Owen

RobAMerc wrote:

The car dealer is the motoring equivalent to the Estate Agent - prime time just haven't done a expose on them yet ! - but there time will come too.

Didn't PrimeTime do an 'expose' on Ford's price fixing?

Theboinkmaster

My worst case of this was this time last year in foster motors. The sales lady refused to give me an audi price list and looked at me like I couldn't afford one (I do look young), despite the fact that I more than likely earn alot more than her.

And another guy there offered me an audi embrella instead of a cash discount, and said so in a way like he was doing me a favour haha

Just took my business elsewhere, muppets

wet-paint

That cyclist must have seen Pretty Woman so...

cjt156

In my experience 90% of salesmen/persons are dumb-f*cks in cheap suits selling widgets to morons.
They haven't an idea about their product or how to treat a customer, they've just read a book by some tw*t about hitting their monthly targets.

I had an award-winning salesman (I've seen the trophys) in my car tell me that its nice but he wouldn't personally buy French. I say; its an Alfa Romeo. Him; oh, thought it was a Renault...

keefg

You lot are an awful shower!!!

Car salesmen have feelings too ya know!!









I think

G Luxel

Anyone can buy a 9-5. I know a young person who drives one and it goes from A to B without a bother.
When it comes to this dealer snobbery, just go and buy somewhere else.

Third_Echelon

MercMad wrote:

I would be more concerned about your desire to actually purchase a 95 in the first place !!

They are HIDEOUS !!!



I think the guy was doing you a favour to be honest !!

I think it looks quite nice.... Looks a bit like Darth Vader

littlejukka

it looks as if they took a perfectly acceptable car and stuck silver dame edna spectacles on it. awful stuff.

old boy

them guys have no work, well they have its called comission

Fey!

JohnCleary wrote:

Do what a guy I know did...

He's a millionaire who likes to cycle. So one day he cycles up to Merc dealer enquiring about a new AMG (Forget which model, a CL I think, but I know he paid about €220k for it in the end) but was told by a salesman that he couldn't afford it, and to stop wasting his time.

So the next day, the cyclist drives up to the dealer in his 'old' (it was 1 year old at the time) AMG (Think it was a CL500) and the salesman's jaw drops. So the buyer has a chat with the salesman, gets him worked up thinking he's made a sale, and then the buyer turns around and says "Thanks, think i'll go to another dealer though" and walks out.... Best true story ever!

(This happened in Galway, he ended up buying from a Dublin dealer I think)

That story's been doing the rounds for a while. He went to the dealer in jeans and a t-shirt, having come straight of a building site. Looks at an SL, and the salesman treats him like dirt. Walks out, comes back a couple of hours later in a brand new SL (from Athlone, IIRC), and asks the same salesman for a set of mats for his new car!!! Customer very well known around Galway.

EDIT: Not Cunningham Higgins

ninty9er

JohnCleary wrote:

Do what a guy I know did...

He's a millionaire who likes to cycle. So one day he cycles up to Merc dealer enquiring about a new AMG (Forget which model, a CL I think, but I know he paid about €220k for it in the end) but was told by a salesman that he couldn't afford it, and to stop wasting his time.

So the next day, the cyclist drives up to the dealer in his 'old' (it was 1 year old at the time) AMG (Think it was a CL500) and the salesman's jaw drops. So the buyer has a chat with the salesman, gets him worked up thinking he's made a sale, and then the buyer turns around and says "Thanks, think i'll go to another dealer though" and walks out.... Best true story ever!

(This happened in Galway, he ended up buying from a Dublin dealer I think)

A lecturer told us about a friend of hers who sent his son (11) into a BMW delaer near Dublin to ask about a 7 series while he looked around the forecourt. The salesman told the kid to move along and find his dad. Repeated same at Joe Duffy (IIRC) and the kid was entertained for 15-20 mins. The salesman made his year's commission out of entertaining the 11 year old!! A number of vehicles were purchased based on the test

JohnCleary

Fey! wrote:

That story's been doing the rounds for a while. He went to the dealer in jeans and a t-shirt, having come straight of a building site. Looks at an SL, and the salesman treats him like dirt. Walks out, comes back a couple of hours later in a brand new SL (from Athlone, IIRC), and asks the same salesman for a set of mats for his new car!!! Customer very well known around Galway.

EDIT: Not Cunningham Higgins

He told me he was on his bike?! I'd believe him, since the story is about him He has some serious cars. We were on our way up to dublin in one of his AMG's (The older one - the black one) and he had to stop at Moate to fill the tank up. It was nearly full leaving Galway :eek:

commited

I've never had a problem getting a test drive in anything and I'm fairly scratty looking most of the time. I think it's all about how you approach them and what you say - I've found all car salesmen to be incredibly helpful..

omega man

Had a similar story at a BMW dealer. Had 35K (cash deal) to spend and made an enquiry on a car. The car in question was just getting its approved used car work so he was to call me back to arrange a viewing which he never did! 2 weeks later i called the dealership manager to tell him i had bought a car from another dealer and that i was most disapointed with their service! When i went into the garage that first day i was wearing combats and a t-shirt and i was on foot so he judged a book by its cover i guess.

CrowdedHouse

RobAMerc wrote:

dealers have had it far too good for far too long here.

Wonder is it changing..?

I was at a large VW/Audi/MB dealers yesterday which is usually busy any time I was there before,but in the half hour yesterday afternoon I'm sure I was the only 'customer' in the place.I got immediate attention anyway !

colm_mcm

CrowdedHouse wrote:

Wonder is it changing..?

I was at a large VW/Audi/MB dealers yesterday which is usually busy any time I was there before,but in the half hour yesterday afternoon I'm sure I was the only 'customer' in the place.I got immediate attention anyway !

It's September..