What do you hate about Car Dealerships?

[s_x_i]

I'm trying to make my car lot as good as possible. I've already decided I'm not going to go the normal route with things. I ****ing hate car salesmen as much as the next person. :fm:

I need you guys to give me some clues though... what things do you absolutely hate about going to buy a car? What horror stories can you share?

What would you like to see more of? What would you do if you owned a small lot and wanted to retain customers and earn referrals?

Just looking to spark a bit of a debate so I can get this kicked off on the right foot.

:beer:

 

[chrisheltra]

Everthing.

 

[s_x_i]

Yeah, but something constructive that I can address :lol:

 

[Root1022]

I hate the whole, lets do a credit check before you can test drive the car thing. I know I have good credit, but having a bunch of inquires on my credit just because I'm car shopping is bullshit. Thats one of the reason's I try my damndest to buy private. Joe Snuffy selling his car isn't going to want an Equifax or whatever report to let you see if you like the car enough to buy it.

I understand you get kids comming in just wanting to joy ride, so send a dealer to ride with them. Keep them in check, if they're serious about the car do a credit check and then let them beat on it a bit! Thats just my .02.

I Just had this happen to me a few weeks ago looking at a Jeep SRT8...just pissed me off, I did let them run the check because I really wanted a GC SRT8. However once I got in it and drove it I decided I didn't like it, and now I have to deal with an Inquiry on my credit for a year!

 

[jliddle]

Service labor rates.

 

[UncleDan]

I would just be an honest straight forward person willing to help the customer afford a vehicle, and not trying to bend them over. If I was dealing with that type of salesman, I'd have no problem doing buisness with him/her. I'm winning by getting a fair deal, and he/she is winning by making a fair profit on the sale.

Of course, you're going to get customers who think you shouldn't make any profit and that you should sell them the car for the price you bought it for.

Show those people the door.

 

[moot09]

Ignorant salesmen.

 

[Guy Fawkes]

$500 documentation or administrative fees piss me off.

 

[ViciousJay]

Everthing.

:beer: they make me :fm::cuss::mj::kaboom:

 

[AntiHeightPunk]

i sell cars, hate on

 

[vettez062002]

Ive been selling cars for 10 years now and have been a sales maneger for 2 years. I hear some really messed up stuff from people and experiences. everything from the customer callilng to make sure the car is on the lot, the salesmen says it is.. a 3 hour drive later, it magically got sold in those 3 hours. just a lot of un needed head aches.

I hate the whole, lets do a credit check before you can test drive the car thing. I know I have good credit, but having a bunch of inquires on my credit just because I'm car shopping is bullshit.!

thats just plain stupid. If we did that, we would piss off a LOT of people. the only reason we would want to run someones credit prior to a test drive is if someone has poor/bad credit and the customer wants to make sure they can actually get approved for the car before they "fall in love with it"

we actually have a lot of young kids come in here looking at high line used cars and sports cars. and id say about 60% of them come back the next day with dad and he buys it... so its the whole "dont judge a book by its cover" thing

$500 doc fee. is retarded. its basically their as a neg. tool. something to haggle over instead of the sale price of the car. ive never seen one over $105 though.

 

[truebluedevil02]

the following phrases should be grounds for firing.

"lets go do a credit check"
"what will it take for you to buy the car today"

Also, If you have a small lot then i would make the salesmen (if you have any) actually know the basics of the vehicles on the lot, rather than just read the spec off the sticker on the window like a tard.

And my personal biggest issue is when you tell a salesmen exactly what your looking for and they try to sell you something completely different. that shit pisses me off and makes me ask for a different salesmen.

 

[Screw-Rice]

All the BS that comes with a car lot is what puts people off.

Why do I have to negotiate for an hour because they want to keep making ridiculous counter offers. Having to triple check every number to make sure they didn't screw you over on one thing to compensate for another creates much frustration.

Really push that you're up front and honest about everything...but actually follow through. Price the cars fairly so I don't have to spend forty five minutes negotiating the extra $3k you marked up.

Being a completely honest dealer may not net you as much initial profit, but will payoff in the end.

 

[AntiHeightPunk]

the following phrases should be grounds for firing.

"lets go do a credit check"
"what will it take for you to buy the car today"

Also, If you have a small lot then i would make the salesmen (if you have any) actually know the basics of the vehicles on the lot, rather than just read the spec off the sticker on the window like a tard.

And my personal biggest issue is when you tell a salesmen exactly what your looking for and they try to sell you something completely different. that shit pisses me off and makes me ask for a different salesmen.

why is it a stupid question if they ask "what will it take for you to buy a car today?" that is them asking a question seeing if you are wasting their time or not...if you wanted the car this is the time you can say i want X Y and Z.

 

[Dirks9901]

Ignorant salesmen.

$500 documentation or administrative fees piss me off.

the following phrases should be grounds for firing.

"lets go do a credit check"
"what will it take for you to buy the car today"

Also, If you have a small lot then i would make the salesmen (if you have any) actually know the basics of the vehicles on the lot, rather than just read the spec off the sticker on the window like a tard.

And my personal biggest issue is when you tell a salesmen exactly what your looking for and they try to sell you something completely different. that shit pisses me off and makes me ask for a different salesmen.

These things.

 

[NyteByte]

the following phrases should be grounds for firing.

"lets go do a credit check"
"what will it take for you to buy the car today"

Definitely those.

Also my favorite: "I can only sell you this car for this price today".

This is why I bought my last three cars from Carmax, including the Cobra.
We have a huge one near me that sells new and used cars.

 

[VirtualSVT]

Honestly?

Sales people that don't even know the basics about the cars they sell.

 

[Defknotzero]

The waiting game. The back and forth bullshit process of offer/counter offer. That is why when I am purchasing a car I bypass the salespeople and go straight for management. I do not need some gopher going back and forth between me and the manager. I just go straight to him or someone higher.

 

[chrisheltra]

I say take the mechanics out of the service department and let them sell cars. At least they would know what their talking about when it comes to the car. lol

 

[MachsFastr]

"we are gonna need $1000 more down".
I recently bought a new Fusion. With my trade and incentives we were financing less than 2/3 the cost of the car. I had no intention of putting anymore into it. They asked for 1000 in cash. Why do they always ask for more money down? I did not give in to their request.

Also, why does it take 7 hours over the course of 2 days to get the deal done? :cuss: