Clueless dealers do the Scion FR-S and Subaru BRZ no favors - Page 2 - Toyota GR86, 86, FR-S and Subaru BRZ Forum & Owners Community

soundman98 · 03-07-2014, 10:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BRZ21

.....The dealership I did buy from said "im assuming you know more about this car than I do" and handed me the keys for a test drive.

that was pretty much my experience from the dealer i bought my brz from as well.. first scion dealer i went to, i had a similar impression as the article-- "do you want to buy or not!?!?, no? leave. now." attitude. the first subi dealer i went to, they were excited about it, and the features/specs they talked up were completely true--overall a positive experience, just wasn't ready to buy at that point..

also, i think this article is very closely related to the OP:
http://oppositelock.jalopnik.com/hyu...lem-1470830766

BRZnut · 03-07-2014, 11:08 PM

Its not only the sales people who are not "selling it" but what about Subaru & Toyota? When is the last time you saw a TV commercial or read an ad about the FRS/BRZ? Why are the manufactures not actively marketing them????

Drive · 03-07-2014, 11:18 PM

When I bought mine, I knew more about the car than the sales person.

Turbo95eg6 · 03-08-2014, 12:47 AM

Had a small town Subaru dealer guy open the hood and tell me "look, there's no turbo! That means you don't have to worry about the hassles of rebuilding one"... As if that was a selling point for me.

Went to a better dealer and ordered my car there.

Black Tire · 03-08-2014, 01:08 AM

I pre-ordered mine before it was released. I pretty much told the salesperson what I wanted, so he didn't have much part in "selling" it. The dealership had enough sense not to let ANYONE drive the car out of the parking lot before I took delivery. I agree that most salespeople have NO clue what they have and how it could be sold.

go2brz · 03-08-2014, 03:04 AM

I was lucky and bought from a salesman who was "no bull". He loved the car but admitted that it was so new that he was not an "expert" on it. He was a "Corvette" guy, and like the higher power output, but really appreciated the BRZ for what it was. On the test drive I did a tight 180 degree turn and slid the car out and back, and at that point he had already learned a new respect for the car as it was. He just sold me the car at MSRP (in October of 2012 when no one else would) and got the F&I person to fastrack me through the processs (thank god) and not try to sell me on everything in their book. I was lucky to get this guy, because I have no doubt that most of their salesman would have tried coming up with their lines, that end up.

I have to agree that most of the time buying a car from a dealer is a situation where you end up frustrated, and just want to make the deal. The hard part is being able to walk away no matter what your personal feelings are. But my experience of buying new cars over the last twenty years is that it is a pain in the ass. I used to hate just going into a dealer to buy a car, as it became a a contest between the salesman and the manger. (I have actually seen a manager throw the keys for a trade in across the entire sales floor, back to the salesman and that was his response to the last offer. It can be a real pissing contest at times. My technique has become that I enter with a maximum price and if the manager or F&I guy starts to blow the deal, I tell them that either complete this deal or I am walking...If you are not ready to walk then you will not get the best deal you could get.

Namuna · 03-08-2014, 03:18 AM

Any good salesman will tell you...It ain't about knowing the product, it's about knowing the customer.

The guy I bought my FRS from probably couldn't tell me the difference between the FRS and a Honda CRV...But he an inkling that I was interested and he didn't let-up until I drove off the lot with it.

It's a nice dream to hope that the salesperson we buy from will actually know the product...But the truth is, the dealership will choose a salesperson based on being able to sell vs. one that has a lot of product knowledge, EVERY SINGLE TIME.

psybre · 03-08-2014, 04:09 AM

I didn't buy from my dealer right away. I stopped by one afternoon to take a look, the salesman told me they typically require a deposit to test drive, so we just started talking about cars for about an hour, and then he grabbed the keys and we went for a test drive. No pressure guy, really awesome. I called him a month later when I was ready to buy for certain.... and now I've had my FR-S for about a year.

suaveflooder · 03-08-2014, 04:30 AM

I got all the information I needed from the internetz. The two dealers I went to knew NOTHING about the car. I'm fine with it not selling much. I like only seeing a couple BRZ's/FRS's every couple months. Makes the car special to me.

woode · 03-08-2014, 08:53 AM

I had to teach my salesman how to operate the headlights/fog lights/DRL. He spent most of the time telling me that its ashame subaru didn't make the BRZ AWD and he didn't understand what they were thinking making a sports car RWD.

ToyoburuBRZ · 03-08-2014, 09:07 AM

My subaru salesman was pretty good. It helped that he actually owned a BRZ so he knew a good amount of stuff... but I was still able to teach him a thing or two

86 Dreams · 03-08-2014, 10:37 AM

My salesman was very knowledgeable.
[ame]http://youtu.be/toUiCVs2--w[/ame]

retoocs · 03-08-2014, 10:55 AM

I would rather buy a car from my local dealer's parts guy if I could.

gily25 · 03-08-2014, 11:27 AM

My dealer had a little BRZ expert plaque on his desk...I was expecting to laugh about it later but he was and continues to be very knowledgeable about the car. Asking me about the TSBs instead of the other way around. Also the 2 times I've returned for service they've been very interested in commenting on how nice the car looks (tips, vinyl, tints, etc mods), and when I drive by they wave if they're out front. They've offered to sponsor the car if I race locally.

The Scion dealers I originally went to were a major disappointment, rude...didn't even know the BRZ existed, knew nothing about any TRD accessories (were in the works at the time and all over the forum and web), when I initially walked out I wasn't sure I wanted one of these cars at all if that was how it was going to be...

I'm glad I gave it another chance, and another..3 Scion dealers and 2 Subaru dealers before I bought my car. Only 2 test drives...once in each twin.

03-07-2014, 11:18 PM	#17
Drive Crickets... Join Date: Dec 2013 Drives: FR-S 10 Series Location: Los Angeles, CA Posts: 199 Thanks: 41 Thanked 53 Times in 35 Posts Mentioned: 9 Post(s) Tagged: 0 Thread(s)	When I bought mine, I knew more about the car than the sales person. __________________ Smile on every turn.

03-08-2014, 03:04 AM	#20
go2brz Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2012 Drives: 2013 Subaru BRZ Limited in DGM Location: Bedford, TX Posts: 165 Thanks: 52 Thanked 73 Times in 40 Posts Mentioned: 0 Post(s) Tagged: 0 Thread(s)	I was lucky and bought from a salesman who was "no bull". He loved the car but admitted that it was so new that he was not an "expert" on it. He was a "Corvette" guy, and like the higher power output, but really appreciated the BRZ for what it was. On the test drive I did a tight 180 degree turn and slid the car out and back, and at that point he had already learned a new respect for the car as it was. He just sold me the car at MSRP (in October of 2012 when no one else would) and got the F&I person to fastrack me through the processs (thank god) and not try to sell me on everything in their book. I was lucky to get this guy, because I have no doubt that most of their salesman would have tried coming up with their lines, that end up. I have to agree that most of the time buying a car from a dealer is a situation where you end up frustrated, and just want to make the deal. The hard part is being able to walk away no matter what your personal feelings are. But my experience of buying new cars over the last twenty years is that it is a pain in the ass. I used to hate just going into a dealer to buy a car, as it became a a contest between the salesman and the manger. (I have actually seen a manager throw the keys for a trade in across the entire sales floor, back to the salesman and that was his response to the last offer. It can be a real pissing contest at times. My technique has become that I enter with a maximum price and if the manager or F&I guy starts to blow the deal, I tell them that either complete this deal or I am walking...If you are not ready to walk then you will not get the best deal you could get. Last edited by go2brz; 03-08-2014 at 03:32 AM.

03-08-2014, 03:18 AM	#21
Namuna Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2014 Drives: 2013 Scion FR-S Location: NY/NJ Posts: 273 Thanks: 182 Thanked 173 Times in 89 Posts Mentioned: 9 Post(s) Tagged: 0 Thread(s)	Any good salesman will tell you...It ain't about knowing the product, it's about knowing the customer. The guy I bought my FRS from probably couldn't tell me the difference between the FRS and a Honda CRV...But he an inkling that I was interested and he didn't let-up until I drove off the lot with it. It's a nice dream to hope that the salesperson we buy from will actually know the product...But the truth is, the dealership will choose a salesperson based on being able to sell vs. one that has a lot of product knowledge, EVERY SINGLE TIME. __________________ --- --- Namunas' FR-S Journal

03-08-2014, 10:37 AM	#26
86 Dreams Member Join Date: Sep 2013 Drives: Scion Frs Location: Bayshore NY Posts: 80 Thanks: 92 Thanked 49 Times in 26 Posts Mentioned: 0 Post(s) Tagged: 0 Thread(s)	My salesman was very knowledgeable. [ame]http://youtu.be/toUiCVs2--w[/ame] __________________ Mods: Work Emotion Kiwami, KW V3 coilovers, Invidia N1 Catback and Front Pipe, Cusco Front Strut bar, GT spec rear strut bar, Ecutek tune by JR Tuned, HKS Racing Suction, Password engine dress-up, Agency Power LCA, Perrin crank pulley, Phasetek 4th brake light, Raceseng 86er shift knob, Continental Extreme Contact DW, Grimspeed plate relocation kit, Tom's hood strut kit, Spyder tailights

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03-07-2014, 11:08 PM	#16
BRZnut Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2012 Drives: BRZ DGM Limited Location: USA Posts: 1,237 Thanks: 5 Thanked 431 Times in 250 Posts Mentioned: 8 Post(s) Tagged: 0 Thread(s)	Its not only the sales people who are not "selling it" but what about Subaru & Toyota? When is the last time you saw a TV commercial or read an ad about the FRS/BRZ? Why are the manufactures not actively marketing them????

03-08-2014, 12:47 AM	#18
Turbo95eg6 Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2013 Drives: 2014 BRZ SWP LTD Location: The 503 Posts: 2,174 Thanks: 331 Thanked 2,266 Times in 858 Posts Mentioned: 18 Post(s) Tagged: 3 Thread(s)	Had a small town Subaru dealer guy open the hood and tell me "look, there's no turbo! That means you don't have to worry about the hassles of rebuilding one"... As if that was a selling point for me. Went to a better dealer and ordered my car there.

03-08-2014, 04:09 AM	#22
psybre Member Join Date: Feb 2014 Drives: 2013 Scion FR-S Location: West LA, CA Posts: 40 Thanks: 19 Thanked 13 Times in 9 Posts Mentioned: 0 Post(s) Tagged: 0 Thread(s)	I didn't buy from my dealer right away. I stopped by one afternoon to take a look, the salesman told me they typically require a deposit to test drive, so we just started talking about cars for about an hour, and then he grabbed the keys and we went for a test drive. No pressure guy, really awesome. I called him a month later when I was ready to buy for certain.... and now I've had my FR-S for about a year.

03-08-2014, 04:30 AM	#23
suaveflooder Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2013 Drives: 2013 FR-S Location: San Diego Posts: 2,295 Thanks: 2,708 Thanked 1,052 Times in 664 Posts Mentioned: 29 Post(s) Tagged: 0 Thread(s)	I got all the information I needed from the internetz. The two dealers I went to knew NOTHING about the car. I'm fine with it not selling much. I like only seeing a couple BRZ's/FRS's every couple months. Makes the car special to me.

03-08-2014, 09:07 AM	#25
ToyoburuBRZ Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2013 Drives: Black BRZ Location: Toronto Posts: 438 Thanks: 116 Thanked 144 Times in 105 Posts Mentioned: 9 Post(s) Tagged: 1 Thread(s)	My subaru salesman was pretty good. It helped that he actually owned a BRZ so he knew a good amount of stuff... but I was still able to teach him a thing or two

03-08-2014, 10:55 AM	#27
retoocs Senior Member Join Date: May 2013 Drives: BRZ Location: Sacramento, CA Posts: 168 Thanks: 2 Thanked 63 Times in 43 Posts Mentioned: 3 Post(s) Tagged: 0 Thread(s)	I would rather buy a car from my local dealer's parts guy if I could.

03-08-2014, 11:27 AM	#28
gily25 Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2012 Drives: Silica BRZ 6MT Location: 06103 Posts: 650 Thanks: 97 Thanked 115 Times in 92 Posts Mentioned: 0 Post(s) Tagged: 0 Thread(s)	My dealer had a little BRZ expert plaque on his desk...I was expecting to laugh about it later but he was and continues to be very knowledgeable about the car. Asking me about the TSBs instead of the other way around. Also the 2 times I've returned for service they've been very interested in commenting on how nice the car looks (tips, vinyl, tints, etc mods), and when I drive by they wave if they're out front. They've offered to sponsor the car if I race locally. The Scion dealers I originally went to were a major disappointment, rude...didn't even know the BRZ existed, knew nothing about any TRD accessories (were in the works at the time and all over the forum and web), when I initially walked out I wasn't sure I wanted one of these cars at all if that was how it was going to be... I'm glad I gave it another chance, and another..3 Scion dealers and 2 Subaru dealers before I bought my car. Only 2 test drives...once in each twin.

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