Dealer stories

[TrackRider54]

Originally Posted by Eckstrey

I have found that like most other careers its more important to earn customers respect and build relationships rather than try to force a sale.

You're a good salesman! That's how it should work.

I have bought 6 cars from one particular sales guy. Why? Because he treats me the way I want to be treated. I will call or email him, tell him what he has on his lot I want to look at. He'll greet me when I get there, hand me the keys and a drive out tag, get a copy of my license, and say, "See ya when you get back". The only thing he asks me was, "How'd you like it".

[Eckstrey]

Dealers that sell like this rely on volume and reduced labor costs.

Without arguing the point too finely... All dealerships want to sell volume and where is the labor cost savings? Sales people are free. They generally make nothing other than their commission. Weather its an internet sales specialist or a guy sweating his figs off walking the lot, they will still make the same per sale. If one guys sells 30 cars in a month or if 10 guys each sell 3 cars in a month the dealership pays out the same amount in wages.
I would love to work at a dealership that hired talented friendly personable sales people and paid them a competitive salary. But there is no incentive to do so. The current system works in the dealerships advantage. Its a business decision. I understand that.

[Braces]

Originally Posted by Eckstrey

Dealers that sell like this rely on volume and reduced labor costs.

Without arguing the point too finely... All dealerships want to sell volume and where is the labor cost savings? Sales people are free. They generally make nothing other than their commission. Weather its an internet sales specialist or a guy sweating his figs off walking the lot, they will still make the same per sale. If one guys sells 30 cars in a month or if 10 guys each sell 3 cars in a month the dealership pays out the same amount in wages.
I would love to work at a dealership that hired talented friendly personable sales people and paid them a competitive salary. But there is no incentive to do so. The current system works in the dealerships advantage. Its a business decision. I understand that.

Appreciate your insight.

[Silver Supra]

Originally Posted by Eckstrey

Dealers that sell like this rely on volume and reduced labor costs.

Without arguing the point too finely... All dealerships want to sell volume and where is the labor cost savings? Sales people are free. They generally make nothing other than their commission. Weather its an internet sales specialist or a guy sweating his figs off walking the lot, they will still make the same per sale. If one guys sells 30 cars in a month or if 10 guys each sell 3 cars in a month the dealership pays out the same amount in wages.
I would love to work at a dealership that hired talented friendly personable sales people and paid them a competitive salary. But there is no incentive to do so. The current system works in the dealerships advantage. Its a business decision. I understand that.

Sorry. I had wandered off into the world of used car dealers (only) and was specifically thinking of one that does over 2000 units/mo, selling only high-end vehicles. I don't know if they pay anything over commissions (did not ask!) but they are extremely efficient and have rave reviews (including mine!).

[86Craze]

I would like to share my experience about car sales. This isn't so much a personal experience with buying a car but rather something I witness very frequently. It differs slightly from a volume dealership approach.
I work for an exotic car dealer, I am a technician and am mostly bound to my duties in the workshop. We have 2 sales people who have been in the business for decades, know the brand very well and we have a couple of other rotating sales people whose names I don't bother to remember anymore. The experienced sales people who know the car have a long client list and lots of repeat business. I see how they sell cars and its a different approach from what you would find at a Toyota dealership.
The veteran salesperson knows everything there is to know about the car, its features and options. I have watched the sales process and the most amazing part is that money and 'great deals' are never the topic of conversation. The salesman will talk to the client about the car, its history, its evolution, its heritage, design, r&d process, etc. The salesman makes the client fall in love with the car, makes the client appreciate its very being. Often times the salesman will walk the client through the workshop as well, to show the client the projects and other rare cars that may be in. This makes the client feel like he is part of a club, some elite group. The salesman sells the dream and the sensation.
It goes without saying that the more money you have the easier it may be to part with it. Naturally, this sales technique may not work with a middle class, working man buying a daily driver.
For a second there I forgot why I was writing this. Oh yes, to get back to the original post. At the very least I feel that your typical Toyota salesman should at least know what he is selling you. Personally, I would walk out of a dealership where the salesman is completely uninformed or worse yet spews completely wrong information.

[airjonny]

Another one! Went to 2 Toyota dealers visiting my family back in Chicago. First one had great customer service. Unfortunately, they had no news for any 18 MY orders and said that they would have gotten news by now if there were changes. That may have been their way of trying to nudge me towards a 17, but no biggie.

I went to another one nearby since the first sold their only 86 on the lot. The guys there looked at me like I was stupid. I asked if they knew about the 18s yet and they immediately tried to push me into a Camry. Why would I want that if I'm asking about a damn sports car?? Eventually they said that they had a couple models on the lot, but none of which were stick. I asked them if they might have trim levels on next year's model and they said that this year has one already. Immediately left after that.

[TrackRider54]

Originally Posted by 86Craze

The salesman will talk to the client about the car, its history, its evolution, its heritage, design, r&d process, etc. The salesman makes the client fall in love with the car, makes the client appreciate its very being. Often times the salesman will walk the client through the workshop as well, to show the client the projects and other rare cars that may be in. This makes the client feel like he is part of a club, some elite group. The salesman sells the dream and the sensation.

I've never had the privilege of buying a car from an exotic dealership, but I'd love it. That's the way you sell the high end stuff.

I used to be really big into home theater gear and I had several high end pieces. The buying experience was vastly different between going to a Best Buy versus a real high end audio store. I suspect cars are the same.

Most average car shoppers don't care about horsepower, handing, etc....they are more concerned with how many cup holders it has and if the seat is heated. My wife is that way. When she shops for a car she wants a good place to put her purse and that it's easy to get in and out of. That's about it. She wouldn't care if it was a 1978 Ford Granada.

I can't comprehend that. She hates to go car shopping with me because I'm so picky.

[Silver Supra]

Originally Posted by TrackRider54

..Most average car shoppers don't care about horsepower, handing, etc....they are more concerned with how many cup holders it has and if the seat is heated. My wife is that way. ..

I can't comprehend that. She hates to go car shopping with me because I'm so picky.

I can totally relate to that. I know everything about the cars I go look at and my wife is like yours. Several years ago, went to a Toyota dealer to look at some Camrys back from lease but did not like what was there. Wandered over to look at a new Avalon and told my wife to come look.


That was an expensive mistake.


But, it was a good car and "Happy wife, happy life".

[Borchert97]

Originally Posted by airjonny

Another one! Went to 2 Toyota dealers visiting my family back in Chicago. First one had great customer service. Unfortunately, they had no news for any 18 MY orders and said that they would have gotten news by now if there were changes. That may have been their way of trying to nudge me towards a 17, but no biggie.

I went to another one nearby since the first sold their only 86 on the lot. The guys there looked at me like I was stupid. I asked if they knew about the 18s yet and they immediately tried to push me into a Camry. Why would I want that if I'm asking about a damn sports car?? Eventually they said that they had a couple models on the lot, but none of which were stick. I asked them if they might have trim levels on next year's model and they said that this year has one already. Immediately left after that.

I mean technically they weren't wrong, the 860 is recognized on Toyota's Build & Price feature as a separate trim.