Dealers
 

Hello,

I will not name this dealer and I admit I have had some really bad experiences with new car dealers. But I always expect to be treated like a person about to spend thousands of dollars, hope springs eternal.

My local dealer has a FR-S on display. I'm a 50 year old guy who can afford a new car and I intend to buy a new FR-S, but new car dealers really tick me off. They all seem to be know nothing, are only interested in getting your money right now and then going moving on to the next customer (victim).

Visit One:

Met at the door and politely escorted to the display car. Told it was one of the 86 winners so it was locked up ( fair enough ). Salesman shows up, yea their taking orders, $5000 deposit (non refundable ) up front. Has no other info except that there will be some cars in the future.

No info on colors, etc... He informs me that none of the potential FR-S's are spoken for and they have no deposits. But the "inventory control manager" would be in later, he takes my contact info and says he will call me with more info. No call.

Visit Two:

Wife and I made our way to the car, another salesman shows up and informs me that this particular car was the first one in the USA and they had been chosen to display it (this is about 2 weeks after the first deliveries, I believe).

Am I on the list? What list I ask, the interested buyer list he says. So he takes my contact info, again, and checks the list, I'm not on it. So I add my name, BTW this FR-S has been on display for 6-7 days and I'm only number 5 on the list. As I'm filling out he list he informs me that this is a really fast car with 260 hp. I correct him and he suddenly remembers the truth.

He goes on to tell me that when the cars come in they will send out an email blast.

So in short, they don't follow up with serious buyers. They know nothing or what they know is wrong. As a serious buyer they intend to contact me not with a phone call or an offer to test drive the FR-S, but with an email blast. I don't even know what that is, should I duck?

As we are leaving my wife stops and looks at a Yaris which is like 3/4 of a small car. She starts asking me questions about a car I wouldn't pay the sales tax on, but within ear shot is another salesman leaning on the showroom glass window, texting, he never looked up.

As for the pricing, the FR-S is just a car, by the pound it requires no more or less machining, painting, etc... than any other Subaru. A fully equipped Toyota Avalon was on display in the same showroom. It would make at least 2 FR-S's, it was 23K, the FR-S is 25-7K with much less equipment. Seems this is what the market will bear pricing.

I wish my experience had been different, but it seems all car dealers are the same.

Hopefully an FR-S owner soon.

DP

Sorry about your experiences. I've had some bad experiences at dealerships but I've had some good ones as well. I wish you were in CA because I personally know some good dealerships out here.

***In the future, bypass the moronic salesman and deal with the internet fleet manager. They usually avoid the games and the bs...

Man thats sad. I wish you lived in So Cal. I would have made it up to you. I have to admit I am just a young trying to make a living. Not a lot or people are in the know on this car. But thats no excuse to treat a customer bad. DP if you are ever in LA you can ride with MrFRsLa.

I think what you're paying for in the FR-S is the research and polish that went in to it. Not to mention RWD (now metioned :P). It's not fair to compare it to an Avalon, that recipe hasn't changed.

I understand development cost and that is a good point. But RWD "technology is hardly new and I'm sure the Avalon didn't get any cheaper as the develop cost were amortized.

The FR-S is premium product and they should get what they can, I surely do in my business. But to play games for years like they were struggling to meet a price point is a little ingenious.

DP

That S/B disingenuous, spell checker got me.

DP

A deposit that can't be refunded... I can't believe they do that =x Especially when they can't even provide approx. ETAs. They probably don't push Scion that hard there.

Oh my gawd yes! Some salesmen can take all the fun out of buying a new car. I hope you're able to find a good one before they drive you nuts.

I hear Jeff at Longo is pretty good. Almost worth the trip out to Cali. And just think, your FR-S would be broken in by the time you got it home.

A deposit that can't be refunded... I can't believe they do that =x Especially when they can't even provide approx. ETAs. They probably don't push Scion that hard there.

This dealer spends millions on every available media outlet every year...his face is every where.

DP

Dude, when I ordered my FR-S, I only wrote them a check for $500. They're just holding on to it and not gonna cash it. When the car gets here, I'll just write him a new check with the whole amount that I'll put down. That whole thing about it being non-refundable is wrong imo.

I agree, I've bought real estate with $500 in earnest money.

DP

That wasn't Keith Pierson Toyota in Orange Park was it? They were giving me the same shit last week. I just went to a different dealer. (And had a way better experience)

I know what you mean. I think I know what dealer you are talking about.

I hear you, I've been shopping for a car about half a year now, I'm trying to get a FRS now. I hate dealers. I've had at least 3 experiences where I contact a dealer, tell them I want to buy a car and just never hear anything back.