They're Not Making Those Any More

[Tcoat]

Originally Posted by Tcoat

Then buy back all the ones ever sold, grind them up, cleanse the internet of any reference and pretend it never happened.

IT HAS STARTED!


https://www.ft86club.com/forums/show...12#post3100512

[venturaII]

If you hear it from a salesman, you might as well pretend you haven't heard anything, because there is zero chance his comment is based on any shred of truth and instead, is based 100% on hopes that he can move something he has in inventory. Cars, vacuum cleaners, George Foreman grills...doesn't matter.

[Tcoat]

Originally Posted by ichitaka05

Cuz 86/BRZ isn’t going away anytime soon... at least atm they’re planning to keep making it.

I can't publicly say why but you know how I know. The forecast for some certain parts appears to be the same as the 2018 MY production for the next 2 years. Contract is up for renewal in 2021 so there is no forecast beyond that. Now of course the current forecast could drop to zero at any time but at this point it is still unchanged.

[RToyo86]

I put little faith in the majority of those who work at dealers. Everyone needs a paycheck so I understand. Blissful ignorance I find funny though.

I had a argument with somebody years ago when I was eyeing a viper on the showroom floor, with the hood open. A salesman was trying to convince me it was a V12. I promptly counted out the number of pipes coming off the exhaust manifold, while staring gleefully.
He couldn't even read the brochure

[Tcoat]

Originally Posted by RToyo86

I put little faith in the majority of those who work at dealers. Everyone needs a paycheck so I understand. Blissful ignorance I find funny though.

I had a argument with somebody years ago when I was eyeing a viper on the showroom floor, with the hood open. A salesman was trying to convince me it was a V12. I promptly counted out the number of pipes coming off the exhaust manifold, while staring gleefully.
He couldn't even read the brochure

There are two kinds of car salesmen in this world.


One has worked at a dealership for many, many years. They take the time to understand their product and are able to answer most reasonable questions. They may not know the history of the car and all the stuff that comes out in forums but they care enough to learn the basics. They make a good living because people keep coming back to them for years or even decades since they will sell you what you want not just what they think they can move. They know that a happy costumer is a return one so don't have to resort to some of the shadier sales methods. I usually look for the scruffiest appearing old fart in the sales office since they are usually that guy.


The other is the guy that has failed at almost everything he has tried and ended up trying to sell cars since it seems easy (how many other high tickets sales jobs do the customers come to you?). They don't know squat about their product and they don't care. Since they have no interest in you or your wants/needs they will try to sell you whatever they can. These are the guys that generally apply the strong arm tactics since doing a real job of knowing the cars is too much work. They usually don't last long in the business. They can be hard to tell from appearance but most often are the guys in the expensive new suits that magically pop up right beside you when you walk through the door instead of watching you for a few minutes to see where your gaze is headed. If they look even remotely hipsterish just turn around and walk out (unless shopping for a unicycle or Prius).

[Dadhawk]

Originally Posted by Tcoat

There are two kinds of car salesmen in this world.

Nailed it!

Originally Posted by Tcoat

One has worked at a dealership for many, many years. They take the time to understand their product and are able to answer most reasonable questions. They may not know the history of the car and all the stuff that comes out in forums but they care enough to learn the basics. They make a good living because people keep coming back to them for years or even decades since they will sell you what you want not just what they think they can move. They know that a happy costumer is a return one so don't have to resort to some of the shadier sales methods. I usually look for the scruffiest appearing old fart in the sales office since they are usually that guy.

This was my Father-in-Law. He sold cars for almost 30 years at three different dealerships in Maryland, Florida and Georgia. He treated folks right, know just enough about the product to speak to it but couldn't have turned a wrench to save his life. He has customers from Maryland that would call him up in Florida once he moved to buy cars, and then customers from both Maryland and Florida that bought cars from him in Georgia, even though he sold Buicks in Maryland, Chevys in Florida and Hondas in Georgia.

A good salesman can sell anything because he knows to learn about his product and make it relevant for his customers.

[Qwimby1]

Before I bought my FRS, I looked at several cars, and encountered two salesmen who didn't know how to drive a stick. They tried to get the car off the lot for me to take over, but couldn't do it and had to turn it over to me.

[Tcoat]

Originally Posted by Dadhawk

Nailed it!



This was my Father-in-Law. He sold cars for almost 30 years at three different dealerships in Maryland, Florida and Georgia. He treated folks right, know just enough about the product to speak to it but couldn't have turned a wrench to save his life. He has customers from Maryland that would call him up in Florida once he moved to buy cars, and then customers from both Maryland and Florida that bought cars from him in Georgia, even though he sold Buicks in Maryland, Chevys in Florida and Hondas in Georgia.

A good salesman can sell anything because he knows to learn about his product and make it relevant for his customers.

Guys on all forums are very much car snobs and if a salesman doesn't know the pitch of the thread on the wheel lugs then they consider them useless. They spend hours and hours researching and dreaming about a vehicle and then don't understand why everybody doesn't have that same level of knowledge. Now of course there is zero excuse for one that says "Yes the BRZ has AWD since all Subarus do" but the vast majority don't. Like everything else we hear the complaints about the bad ones and nothing about the good so it appears that all are bad.

[Tcoat]

Originally Posted by bkharmony

I'm at my Toyota dealership waiting on scheduled maintenance, so I went over to say hi to the salesman who sold me my last two Toyotas. I told him I love my car but I'm thinking of trading in my AT for an MT. He replied "Oh, they're not making those any more."

Granted, this is the dealership that knew absolutely nothing about the car when I bought it. Still, not encouraging. I was hoping to at least test drive an MT.

Nobody has asked. What did you say back? Did you ask for clarification on that statement?

[Stephen W.]

I don’t know what kind of dealers you guys have south of the border but up here in the Great White North most have to participate in Product Knowledge Testing. I’m sure each manufacturer has their own name (acronym or whatever) but it boils down to; if the employees read the material and pass the tests they get their full pay and bonuses. Those who fail take a hit in the pocket book. This goes for 95% of employees, from sales to finance right through to service.
As I’ve mentioned before my wife has been in the business (motorcycles and automobiles) for over 40 years. She’s worked every department and nearly every job. She’s worked for the Big Three as well as imports and they all have some form of product knowledge system in place. I find it odd that Canada would be the only country with this, don’t you!
That’s not to say that everyone is a genius and has all the specs and stats memorized. The wife works for a Ford dealer and over three years they only received/sold 3 Focus RS. Why would every sales person, F&I manager and tech need to know every detail about that model? Two of the three buyers new everything there was to know before they waked in. The third knew my wife and asked her what she knew. With the deal they gave him anyone with good sense would have jumped on it. Having first spoken with my wife he was well informed by the time he decided.

[Tcoat]

Originally Posted by Stephen W.

I don’t know what kind of dealers you guys have south of the border but up here in the Great White North most have to participate in Product Knowledge Testing. I’m sure each manufacturer has their own name (acronym or whatever) but it boils down to; if the employees read the material and pass the tests they get their full pay and bonuses. Those who fail take a hit in the pocket book. This goes for 95% of employees, from sales to finance right through to service.
As I’ve mentioned before my wife has been in the business (motorcycles and automobiles) for over 40 years. She’s worked every department and nearly every job. She’s worked for the Big Three as well as imports and they all have some form of product knowledge system in place. I find it odd that Canada would be the only country with this, don’t you!
That’s not to say that everyone is a genius and has all the specs and stats memorized. The wife works for a Ford dealer and over three years they only received/sold 3 Focus RS. Why would every sales person, F&I manager and tech need to know every detail about that model? Two of the three buyers new everything there was to know before they waked in. The third knew my wife and asked her what she knew. With the deal they gave him anyone with good sense would have jumped on it. Having first spoken with my wife he was well informed by the time he decided.

This ^


My wife has also been in the business (auto, trailer, RVs) for a few decades although she has only been in the finance and add ons end of it. Makes it fun to buy new stuff since she and the person in the dealership just sit down and speak gibberish to each other for a few minutes, do the secret handshake and we walk out with great deals.

[bkharmony]

Originally Posted by Tcoat

Nobody has asked. What did you say back? Did you ask for clarification on that statement?

I just nodded and went on my way. It was a busy Saturday, he was in the middle of paperwork for several sales, and I really didn't want to explain why I thought he was uninformed. He's an older dude, not internet-savvy and I just didn't see any good outcome.

The guy worked hard to get me good deals on two cars, and I didn't want to bother him, especially because my next car will likely be a BRZ, unless he can work some crazy money-saving magic for me on a 2019 86.

[humfrz]

Well, I've said this before, but, I'll say it again (short story).

When I bought my FR-S, the young salesman asked if he could help me. I told him I was interested in a FR-S. He walked me over to one and confessed that I probably know more about the car than he did.

I said that was OK, all he needed to know is where the keys were and how much they were asking for the car.

I never go to a dealership to find information on cars, I just go to buy one.




humfrz

[bcj]

And even the Lexus LC will come off the lot with regular in the tank.