Just came back from the Toyota Dealership LOL

[strat61caster]

Originally Posted by Atticus808

my fiancée knows someone who used to work at BMW, and this guy walked in with jeans and a t-shirt. no one helped him until she asked if she can help, then he bought a car in cash lol.

lol

Must have missed the Lenny Kravitz story on Jalopnik and the subsuequent Lionel Richie story from Top Gear

[ame="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c0uzZ5a0DVQ"]Lionel Richie Celebrity Interview & Lap -Top Gear - BBC autos - YouTube[/ame]


http://carbuying.jalopnik.com/even-m...ies-1696374210

[CrazyWookiee]

Originally Posted by Atticus808

he assumed I was Peter cause I'm asian lol. then he was telling me how Peter Lau is like the leader of some frs facebook group, etc. and basically treating him like he's some big shot frs guy. it's just a Facebook group lol.

Originally Posted by Atticus808

lmfao

dude kept bringing Peter Lau up, it was pretty funny.

he must be on this forum

Originally Posted by MokSpeed

Moral of the story:

If somebody asks if you're Peter Lau, say yes.

Hey Everyone.

Peter Lau here. It's weird that my name was brought up during your experience at the dealership. It definitely was a case of mistaken identity because I haven't had any recent appointments at any dealerships to meet with anyone or pick up anything.

As far as the "big shot" FR-S guy, I definitely don't try to give that off. I was one of the first people in my city with the car and immediately started the owners club. I see that you're from Edmonton. I do have a small reputation in the local FR-S/BRZ community because I really pushed to grow the club (200 members now) and try to have meets, events, barbeques and good relationships with the dealerships and other car clubs in the city.
Link here for our FB group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/yeg86/

You guys probably also know me from my wheel review videos:
[ame="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g8Sh2KumCyE"]RAYS Engineering VOLK Racing ZE40 Review & Weight (18x9.5/+45) [/ame]

Also a shameless plug for my build thread, so if you see me around the city give me a shout and we'll stop for a coffee or something:
http://www.ft86club.com/forums/showthread.php?t=22210


Send me a PM and I'll try to help you out and get you that test drive you want. Our club has a great rep and we have many dealership employees in our club as well.

It's pretty hilarious that we all surf these forums and talk on a username to username basis, but now everyone knows my real name.

[soulreapersteve]

After reading some of the responses here, I think I'll head over to the nearest Subie dealership and see what I can find. I was leaning towards the FRS because I saw lots of comments on dealer markups (from a grand to a few!) regarding the BRZ.

I should also ask my parents for the name of the guy who sold them their CRV. He saw me eying the RS 1.0 in the showroom earlier this year, shook my hand, and told me to go see him when I'm ready for a new car.

Decisions, decisions...

[Atticus808]

Originally Posted by CrazyWookiee

Hey Everyone.

Peter Lau here. It's weird that my name was brought up during your experience at the dealership. It definitely was a case of mistaken identity because I haven't had any recent appointments at any dealerships to meet with anyone or pick up anything.

As far as the "big shot" FR-S guy, I definitely don't try to give that off. I was one of the first people in my city with the car and immediately started the owners club. I see that you're from Edmonton. I do have a small reputation in the local FR-S/BRZ community because I really pushed to grow the club (200 members now) and try to have meets, events, barbeques and good relationships with the dealerships and other car clubs in the city.
Link here for our FB group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/yeg86/

You guys probably also know me from my wheel review videos:

Also a shameless plug for my build thread, so if you see me around the city give me a shout and we'll stop for a coffee or something:
http://www.ft86club.com/forums/showthread.php?t=22210


Send me a PM and I'll try to help you out and get you that test drive you want. Our club has a great rep and we have many dealership employees in our club as well.

It's pretty hilarious that we all surf these forums and talk on a username to username basis, but now everyone will know my real name.

YOU'RE THE PETER LAU?!?!?!?!
yeah i don't have anything against you of course, since i don't even know you. It was the salesman that i had a problem with.

he told me that you told him (Carlos) at Gateway Toyota, that you are going to drop by to pick up a car and that you're going to hold a meet there and stuff.

[CrazyWookiee]

Hmm...I do bring some members to pick up their cars or take delivery of their vehicles. Gateway Toyota has also been awesome to our club and frequently allow us to hold Barbeques and meet events at their dealership. Was this a recent experience?

The sales people there often help to promote our club to grow, so he may have just been telling you about the 86/BRZ community we had in town or that we'd have some upcoming meets there.

Originally Posted by Atticus808

YOU'RE THE PETER LAU?!?!?!?!
yeah i don't have anything against you of course, since i don't even know you. It was the salesman that i had a problem with.

he told me that you told him (Carlos) at Gateway Toyota, that you are going to drop by to pick up a car and that you're going to hold a meet there and stuff.

[Tcoat]

Ha! I have watched several of those reviews in my ever changing thoughts on rims!
Nice work.

[HotLavaFRS]

Originally Posted by Atticus808

my fiancée knows someone who used to work at BMW, and this guy walked in with jeans and a t-shirt. no one helped him until she asked if she can help, then he bought a car in cash lol.

Before I bought the FR-S, I was looking at BMW 328D for a comfy DD that would have been good on fuel economy. I spent nearly 45 minutes on their lot eyeing cars and trying to get help. I was dressed in distressed jeans and a classic T from old navy. Guess I looked too poor, couldn't get anyone to help me so I left and never went back.

I've never seen so many people turn money away.

[Atticus808]

Originally Posted by CrazyWookiee

Hmm...I do bring some members to pick up their cars or take delivery of their vehicles. Gateway Toyota has also been awesome to our club and frequently allow us to hold Barbeques and meet events at their dealership. Was this a recent experience?

The sales people there often help to promote our club to grow, so he may have just been telling you about the 86/BRZ community we had in town or that we'd have some upcoming meets there.

yeah it was just yesterday that it happened.

I mean he didn't really do a good job of promoting the club, he pissed me off more than anything lol. The way he talked about you, it was kind of like a "oh, you don't know Peter, you can screw off" which isn't great at promoting your groups image.
he even asked me if i belong to a club. why would that matter if i'm buying a car?

[3nl]

If the Toyota dealership jerks you around go to the Subaru dealership and take out a BRZ - then drive it over to the Toyota dealership and ask them to congratulate you on your new car. If Subaru is a jerk too, go take out a 370z - Nissan will practically beg you to take one out if you mention the twins. They will change their tune.

While I had no problems at the Toyota here in WI when I got my FR-S (they handed me the keys and told me to have fun while they were doing up my credit), 2 years ago in NC the Toyota dealership there wouldn't let me drive an FR-S and told me they only did ride-alongs unless you put down a deposit and even then someone had to go with you (I suspect it was my POS neon that made him say this). I drove down the highway to the Nissan dealership we just bought a Rogue from about a month before and took out a 370z and drove it right back to the Toyota dealership less than an hour later. I told them I really, really wanted to buy the FR-S and that the Z was my 2nd choice, but since I couldn't test drive the FR-S I had to go with the Z and told them I just made a deal on it and was waiting for them to finish the paperwork. I got an apology from the owner and the salesman had a new asshole torn in front of me.

If a dealer won't give you a test drive by yourself (if you are over 21), don't do business with them - period. If Mercedes had no problem handing me the keys to a c350 sport by myself as a shady-looking 25 year old (at the time), there is absolutely no reason for Toyota to do so with a $25,000 car.

[PhantomX]

Originally Posted by strat61caster

Smart man, pure pricing is bunk 'round here and if you didn't have a car for him to check out you probably should have just let him get on his way.

Doesn't mean he wasn't an asshole.

Edit: I eat my words, some dealerships stopped being assholes, there's two dealers with a combined 15 FR-S under $25k as advertised. Doesn't mean they'll be there when you show up but they're advertised and have no trouble believing you could walk out the door with one new today for $28k after tax/title/license, much better than when I was looking.

Doesn't mean they're still not slimy.

There's a way for "discounts" to happen without violating Pure Pricing. For example, we have some 2014 Scions left that are at invoice price. Pure Pricing dictates that if a dealership marks down the price of a vehicle, every vehicle of the same model and year gets marked down as well. Dealerships do this with older Scions they need to move, as well as to drum up sales in order to have the manufacturer allocate more to them. If you think this is BS and dealerships will violate Pure Pricing for an individual to make a sale, not only is there an audit trail, but each region has a Scion Rep that goes to each dealership (announced or unannounced) to ensure each dealership is following the Scion process, as well as updating education for the sales people. If a dealership is found violating the Scion process, then they have the opportunity to correct themselves or it starts to go south for them from there.

Originally Posted by 3nl

While I had no problems at the Toyota here in WI when I got my FR-S (they handed me the keys and told me to have fun while they were doing up my credit), 2 years ago in NC the Toyota dealership there wouldn't let me drive an FR-S and told me they only did ride-alongs unless you put down a deposit and even then someone had to go with you (I suspect it was my POS neon that made him say this). I drove down the highway to the Nissan dealership we just bought a Rogue from about a month before and took out a 370z and drove it right back to the Toyota dealership less than an hour later. I told them I really, really wanted to buy the FR-S and that the Z was my 2nd choice, but since I couldn't test drive the FR-S I had to go with the Z and told them I just made a deal on it and was waiting for them to finish the paperwork. I got an apology from the owner and the salesman had a new asshole torn in front of me.

If a dealer won't give you a test drive by yourself (if you are over 21), don't do business with them - period. If Mercedes had no problem handing me the keys to a c350 sport by myself, there is absolutely no reason for Toyota to do so with a $25,000 car.

You have to think of it this way; If you're selling a car and some random stranger who says they're interested in buying your car expects you to just hand them your key and to drive off with your car on their own for a while before deciding to buy it, would you really do it? You wouldn't ask for some kind of assurance, such as a valid driver's license, proof of insurance and collateral?

Ride along test drives reduces the risk of the vehicle being stolen or damaged. It also takes the responsibility off of the prospective buyer in an accident. Granted, there is a "borrowed car agreement" as we call it in my dealership. But, again, we photocopy a valid driver's license and insurance, as well as verify the customer's identity with a credit check. (After all, not only does a credit check allow us to do a fraud check, but also shows how serious of a buyer the customer is.) It also puts the responsibility of the vehicle's well being on the customer. The vehicles are meant to be sold, not handed out for joy rides. In the eyes of the customer, the value of a vehicle diminishes with the amount of miles put on them, and dealerships understand that.

I don't see how a dealership protecting themselves from loss through theft or preventable damages makes the dealership not business-worthy.

Originally Posted by CrazyWookiee

Hey Everyone.

Peter Lau here. It's weird that my name was brought up during your experience at the dealership. It definitely was a case of mistaken identity because I haven't had any recent appointments at any dealerships to meet with anyone or pick up anything.

As far as the "big shot" FR-S guy, I definitely don't try to give that off. I was one of the first people in my city with the car and immediately started the owners club. I see that you're from Edmonton. I do have a small reputation in the local FR-S/BRZ community because I really pushed to grow the club (200 members now) and try to have meets, events, barbeques and good relationships with the dealerships and other car clubs in the city.
Link here for our FB group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/yeg86/

You guys probably also know me from my wheel review videos:

Also a shameless plug for my build thread, so if you see me around the city give me a shout and we'll stop for a coffee or something:
http://www.ft86club.com/forums/showthread.php?t=22210


Send me a PM and I'll try to help you out and get you that test drive you want. Our club has a great rep and we have many dealership employees in our club as well.

It's pretty hilarious that we all surf these forums and talk on a username to username basis, but now everyone knows my real name.

Heh. I'm glad to see someone doing what I'm trying to do in my area. I'm even more glad that you succeeded. It gives me hope that the same thing can happen up here.

[Shedd22]

Peter?!?!

[Tan]

I guess he didn't want to sell a car that day.

When I went to check out the car, the sales guy let me do things that I can't even mention on this thread. Filthy, filthy things

It rained earlier that day, might I add.

I also test drove the FR-S at another location where they let me test drive the car on my own, alone!

[Atticus808]

Originally Posted by Tan

I guess he didn't want to sell a car that day.

When I went to check out the car, the sales guy let me do things that I can't even mention on this thread. Filthy, filthy things

It rained earlier that day, might I add.

I also test drove the FR-S at another location where they let me test drive the car on my own, alone!

ewwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww

[strat61caster]

Originally Posted by PhantomX

There's a way for "discounts" to happen without violating Pure Pricing. For example, we have some 2014 Scions left that are at invoice price. Pure Pricing dictates that if a dealership marks down the price of a vehicle, every vehicle of the same model and year gets marked down as well. Dealerships do this with older Scions they need to move, as well as to drum up sales in order to have the manufacturer allocate more to them. If you think this is BS and dealerships will violate Pure Pricing for an individual to make a sale, not only is there an audit trail, but each region has a Scion Rep that goes to each dealership (announced or unannounced) to ensure each dealership is following the Scion process, as well as updating education for the sales people. If a dealership is found violating the Scion process, then they have the opportunity to correct themselves or it starts to go south for them from there.

You misunderstand my experience.

The dealerships I dealt with used Pure Pricing as a way to force markups they applied to vehicles using every lie in the book "Oh that's a factory installed navigation unit" or "This is installed at port, we have zero control over this it's Toyota's decision" "Every car we sell gets a clear bra and floor mats, yes that is $1,500 over MSRP, it's the only way we can sell them" "We have Pure Pricing, do you know what that means? No haggling, the price advertised is the price you pay!"

As you are so familiar with Pure Pricing I don't have to describe how it falls within it's wording and it pisses me off.