Why does buying cars in 2021 still suck?

[Crazy Dazz]

I've never understood why the auto makers have allowed a bunch of shonky half-wits to be their public face?

And I don't understand why so many dealers are simply uninterested in selling more cars?

[Franco Cozzo]

From when the cocaine rained from the work christmas party

[JasonACT]

Originally Posted by Franco Cozzo

Kinda reminds me how I kept getting asked for ID buying a slab of VB but when I bought a $250 bottle of wine they couldn't get it out the cabinet fast enough, maybe I'd get better treatment if the price tag had an extra 0 on the end of it

I can assure you, you do. Back in the late 80's my sister's husband (brother-in-law, which is no longer as precise) and my own brother were serving in a Sydney liquorland. Couple of young pretty females bought a bunch of stuff, and added "that bottle of Dom"...

No questions were asked.

The other side of a much longer story, but mostly unrelated though, they stopped running the store when my sister had a shot gun held to her head when the shop was robbed.

[Giant Cranium]

What’s the car Franco. Better be jdm

[Franco Cozzo]

Originally Posted by Giant Cranium

What’s the car Franco. Better be jdm

We're going TDM - Thailand Domestic Market

There's a good laugh in it if it comes off.

[Adamz Ghia]

I’d be asking to arrange a time to call if I was the dealer. If anything it’s just easier to make sure you have all the details you need over one phone call, rather than having a line of emails back and forth because something was missed.

I more so hate it when you go into a dealership and they won’t leave you alone!

[DTFRMONT]

Originally Posted by Franco Cozzo

From when the cocaine rained from the work christmas party

Have seen that one before, not a bad video actually. Check out Old Mate at around 20:48, looks like he got stuck into the nose candy before the shoot....

[XR6WGN]

I've just gone through a good experience buying a car through Carsales. I'm in Adelaide and car was in a Toyota dealership in Kingston, Tasmania. 2019 Toyota Rav4 6spd manual (Ex Toyota company vehicle 18,000 kms on clock). Sent the enquiry through and then rang the salesman a little later. Deal was done pretty much there and then.
Original price was almost 38,000 and ended up drive away for just under 35,000.
Original plan was for my wife and I to fly over, pick it up, stay for a couple of days in Tasmania and then Ferry back to Melbourne and drive back to Adelaide.
Well my wife's mum took a tumble and cracked her hip so I did the pickup.
Adelaide and Tasmania were covid free but Greater Melbourne was in Lockdown. So I flew to Hobart, picked up car, spent a week with friends in Launceston, Overnight on Spirit of "Tassy" and drove back to Adelaide.

Because Adelaide & Tasmania were Covid free, border crossings were really simple and as I didn't stop anywhere in Melbourne, there was no isolation / testing when I crossed back into SA.
Only bad thing was that my wife missed out on her trip but that's OK as once we can once again travel, I've got to take her over again.

[oldel]

Originally Posted by Franco Cozzo

From when the cocaine rained from the work christmas party

I haven't seen that for a long time. Anyway, you've answered your own question, car salespeople are old school - probably because their managers and DP insist on it being that way.
They want to talk to you so they can 'sell harder' tm. IE find ways to get more money out of you.
They're not there just to sell you a car, they're there to get max dollars out of you, somehow. (they don't know how yet, they don't know how until they can talk to you )

[PG2]

I used to sell cars. I did it for about 15 years. I was in the one dealership for 12 of those years. I've watched this movie about 20 times. It never gets old...

[fiestaz]

Originally Posted by Fiji

I like that video but I'd love to put together a video from a buyer's perspective, how to unmask the salesman etc.

I went into a dealer once and made an offer on a car, I dont remember the exact price etc but let's say it was $30k and I offered $24k.. the salesman comes back with $28500 and says now your turn? My turn? Lol I said $24k.. he says nah it's your turn, your supposed to come up a bit and I go down a bit until we meet at a near price. He was trying to educate me?

I chuckled at him and said my offer is $24k and if you keep going my offer will expire and then drop to $23k. I ain't playing games.

Then he said will you leave a deposit.. I said when we agree on price then I have to check the car if it meets my assumptions.

$24k if it's mint condition , I will buy, any blemishes and I either cut my offer or walk.

By the end of our exchange the salesman and his manager had no skin left on their carcus.

I always start the conversation, car still here? (Implying I'm the only buyer) It's like an uppercut they cannot respond with anything but yes..

pro tip: always be willing to walk away, you still have your money in your pocket, plenty of other cars.. always know that your 50% chance of walking away. Stretch out the process and always make the salesman think he's got ya, Never enter negotiation with your heart, head first heart last... after the salesman spends some time, he/she is invested and will sweat like a pig if it looks like falling apart, as they put the time in, made no sale, no Commission, this is where you sting em with a low offer, they still have some hope of salvaging their time, again buyer has no loss walking away with money in their pocket.

Another time, I bought a used car from a bloke, he wanted $5k for a ba XR6 with 120,000km, sunroof and a years rego.. we agreed on $4000 and I could see in his head he was already spending the money, made him feel like it was a done deal. then at the 11th hour, I find a fault and start baulking, I tell him look I have another car to go see (I didn't), and if it doesn't measure up I'll come back in an hour with $4k. Otherwise I'm a bit iffy about (pick a fault)... If you sell right now at $3000 I won't bother looking at the other, I'll just drive it off right now.. I can see his dreams evaporating to where he was gonna spend the money and then some hope is back.. basically his guts are falling out of his stomach but bam he accepts the $3k cash..

I gave it a detail, spent a few hundred, drove it for 3 months and sold it for $5k.

Salesman try to get every last drop out of a buyer.

But you do the exact same to the seller?

[Vesper Martini]

Originally Posted by DTFRMONT

Have seen that one before, not a bad video actually. Check out Old Mate at around 20:48, looks like he got stuck into the nose candy before the shoot....

Is that Gillam Mclaughlin

[FTE217]

Originally Posted by fiestaz

Salesman try to get every last drop out of a buyer.

But you do the exact same to the seller?

conman to conman, I love it how some come across with that big puffed out chest pushs people aside and annouce now hear this, watch me this is how its done, FFS bag of wind.

Thankfully it takes all types.
I admire a good salesperson, know their product their margins AND I don't begrudge any person or company making a profit, if the customer is happy, under priced/overpriced its a win win in the eyes of the beholder not what some big shot thinks.

The only trouble with the auto game its been open to the many shonks (be it DP's of old and sales guys) that tarnish the people who actually care and do a good job.
Pretty normal in Industries across the board.

I get where Franco is coming from re the KISS principle, trouble is todays world has built up layer upon layer upon layer.
A sales person can't buck the system like you once could, software and process's run the show - AND "credit" applications for thats majority means of purchase.

2016 when my Sprint was ready and pay the balance, even though I knew the good Salesguy just isn't used to a purchaser anymore who pays out in full DD as I did/do.
Its not very common anymore and I still had to go through "the process".

[Franco Cozzo]

Originally Posted by FTE217

I get where Franco is coming from re the KISS principle, trouble is todays world has built up layer upon layer upon layer.
A sales person can't buck the system like you once could, software and process's run the show

There's always workarounds - good sales crew know how to grease the right palms, form the relationships and slip things through

Me and my equivalent in our Sydney branch are responsible for our accounts team going grey early.

[CyberWasp]

Originally Posted by Franco Cozzo

I just put in an offer on a car on carsales located interstate at a dealership.

For a minute there until I read further on, I thought you were coming out of the closet and buying a Kia Carnival that you so secretly desire.

[Franco Cozzo]

Originally Posted by CyberWasp

For a minute there until I read further on, I thought you were coming out of the closet and buying a Kia Carnival that you so secretly desire.

It's warm and comfortable in the closet, come join me

[danzvtil]

It sucks because as a buyer you are out of control of the process. I can’t wait for all cars to be fixed price. Imagine going to coles and at the checkout it takes 3 hours, going back and forward negotiating the price, let me introduce you to our service manager, let me introduce you to our general manager etc etc.
It’s well and good to say just walk, but you have invested a half a day to get to the pointy end of the deal, you probably don’t want to waste that time for slightly more than you wanted to spend, the dealers know this.
I just went to a haval dealer to drive a Jolion with my ex (will fill you in on the other thread), her purpose that day was to JUST DRIVE one, and we only had 30mins to do so, but the guy spent 25mins running thru the fecking infotainment screen.
I can’t wait for the Car Expert experience centre to be in every suburb, you can touch,feel and drive the cars away from the sales process.

[BENT_8]

Originally Posted by danzvtil

It sucks because as a buyer you are out of control of the process. I can’t wait for all cars to be fixed price. Imagine going to coles and at the checkout it takes 3 hours, going back and forward negotiating the price, let me introduce you to our service manager, let me introduce you to our general manager etc etc.
It’s well and good to say just walk, but you have invested a half a day to get to the pointy end of the deal, you probably don’t want to waste that time for slightly more than you wanted to spend, the dealers know this.
I just went to a haval dealer to drive a Jolion with my ex (will fill you in on the other thread), her purpose that day was to JUST DRIVE one, and we only had 30mins to do so, but the guy spent 25mins running thru the fecking infotainment screen.
I can’t wait for the Car Expert experience centre to be in every suburb, you can touch,feel and drive the cars away from the sales process.

Every minute they keep you on their forecourt is one less minute you'll spend on the oppositions, its a well known tactic.
Quite often they'll say we have one of those at our other dealership and offer to take you over there, they'll make up stories as to why you shouldnt go alone, someone else shows it to you it becomes their lead etc. etc. soon enough they've absorbed your precious time and youre more likely to settle on the car they've exhausted you over.

Be fully aware, NO salesman is interested in being your friend no matter how much they pretend to be unless you have a long history of purchases with them and by then they've already made money off you so sharpen the pencil a little.

[Poetic Justice]

Originally Posted by danzvtil

I can’t wait for all cars to be fixed price.

And you pay the full price that you spend so much time drying to get discounted?

[MercuryT]

Dealers promising a roadworthy only to back out at last second with some lame excuse like "we ran out of time" really ****es me off.

[BENT_8]

Originally Posted by Fiji

I turn the tables on the car salesman, make them invest the time, then they have to monetise somehow, all along make them feel they got you, that’s when you shake em down hard.. bring in the other dealer after they are time invested, tell them straight and despite their merry efforts, the other dealer goes a dollar lower they lose the sale. At this point the concrete sets in their guts, they are all in with their time and feel like they gotta salvage something rather than get nothing. that’s when you go hardest (or should I say lowest $) at them.

But always at any point of the process, if it don’t go your way, get up and walk away, money still in your pocket. They will sweat like a pig after they have invested time, concrete sets in their guts, desperate to salvage something.

If i was the salesman and were talking used cars id get you over the line, then while we draw up contracts id have service pull a door trim off and tip a can of sardines in the cavity instead of doing the PD you think they're doing. Wont be a problem in the few minutes it takes to get you out the door, but in a few days...
Then theres the difficult customer that needs finance, while youre in signing your contract that then binds you to that car, they'll have the yard hand applying fine scratches with a dirty wash mit, sure you can walk away, but the finance follows you out the door, you'll be back for the car.

Trust me, ive seen it all.

[MercuryT]

It's no wonder Tasmanians nearly always buy locally. (no Roadworthy upon transfer)

Problem is you have nowhere near the choice of cars unfortunately

[Poetic Justice]

Originally Posted by Fiji

In their defence, it’s the way they are remunerated, zero retainer and all commission based

Wrong

Originally Posted by Fiji

Let me tell you this, anyone in here that wants to buy a car would be doing well to bring me along, I’d give the salesman a good shakedown before the sale and I know what I’m buying and what the right price is. The salesman won’t get a cent extra. I’ll offer my service for free to anyone that is a member of fordforums..

We have a name for you - "Eddie the Expert"

To be frank, when someone walks in with your type on their side to challenge every word I say, I usually give up and move on to the next person.

The generalisations that go around on car sales people are frustrating at times but I concede that in general some **** things happen. But on the flipside, many people don't apologise for their behaviour or for speaking down at us like we're some scum of the earth.

Originally Posted by Franko Cozo

You've got it in one - this whole industry hates accountability thats why everything is done over phones or conversations. Someone asks me for pricing over the phone then I'll give them pricing and also request an email address to send a formal quote, it protects you from me, not the other way around

Unfortunately, given the whirlwind that is the carsales business the submission of a quote in writing to someone who simply asks for one is rarely success. If a salesperson wants to become known as being a good salesperson because he wins businesss only on price and submitting quotes that probably make the dealership very little by way of profit then that's not the salesperson I want in my sales team.

Perhaps you think that there's still profit to be made by doing this but despite the opinions of this thread if you're in a quote war with other dealerships the reality is probably worse than you think.

Originally Posted by Dr Smith

The local dealer undercut the QLD price by $1500, their van included a factory solid cargo barrier and metallic paint and they included at no extra cost King rear springs and a higher grade Euro wooden floor as part of the deal which I think combined retail for about another $1200.

I mean... why drop it by $1500 plus extras if you already knew the price you'd been offered? This sounds like terrible business sense.

Originally Posted by Fiji

$24k if it's mint condition , I will buy, any blemishes and I either cut my offer or walk.

Yep you must run in to some weak as **** sales people. Which sales person wants to negotiate on a car you haven't even looked at properly? Particularly if it's used?

[Poetic Justice]

Originally Posted by Fiji

I may even throw in a 7 day cooling off period next time, all money returned if I don’t like it.

Classic

[Poetic Justice]

Originally Posted by Fiji

Well if you give up and walk away from me, there zero chance of a sale.. first thing I do is show the salesman I have the means to buy, I’m here to buy, I’ll show em the money is here ready to go and I have a pen in hand, no salesman ever walks from that. I’ve pricked their ears hard, basically dangling a bag of cash over their head. Then I start stripping away the layers of the onion until there is nothing left. Salesman don’t realise until he is 2 hours in and then I carve out an offer.

With me you will make minimal or no profit, but I’ll help you hit your turnover targets / units sold for the month, maybe you can qualify for a factory bonus?

Wrong again.

I am not and never have been afraid from walking away from customers I don't like. I sell enough cars to hit my targets and have done so for the majority of my career. In fact I thrive on saying no to customers - it is pretty well the biggest rush I get from selling cars.

You remind me of the tools that walk in to showrooms who proclaim as loudly as they can "Who wants to sell me a car?!" or "Which one of you is the best salesperson!" as if to make us think they are genuinely here to buy a car but then stop at the last minute "because I have to speak to my wife/account/eddie the expert".

[MercuryT]

Is this Fiji poster legit or what is going on?

Utter nonsense in every post

[Dr Smith]

Originally posted by Poetic Justice:
I mean... why drop it by $1500 plus extras if you already knew the price you'd been offered? This sounds like terrible business sense.

Salesmans words.."I'll make it work so you buy it from us"...Maybe because my trade-in becomes a $8000 clear profit when they resell it....Maybe because the dealer in Melbourne sells 10 times the volume of the QLD dealer, not to mention sells Freightliner, Fuso and other big boys on top of Mercs including a big ambulance fleet. And maybe the margins on a Vito 119CD LWB are very healthy to begin with.

[fordomatic]

Originally Posted by Fiji

If you want to go into the hornets nest, you must too be a hornet.

If the salesman sense they have an emotional buyer (a sucker), they will start foaming at the mouth, sense you have wobbly legs and hit you right out of the stadium with bases loaded. They will hit with every punch they can.

But you gotta come in as I do, know your in control with the money in your pocket, unmask the salesman. See below

https://memegenerator.net/instance/8...me-right-price

Ocassionally you post something good

Bought from a dealer once in my life, first and last time, he got me good as a young fella.

[BENT_8]

Originally Posted by Fiji

Well if you give up and walk away from me, there zero chance of a sale.. first thing I do is show the salesman I have the means to buy, I’m here to buy, I’ll show em the money is here ready to go and I have a pen in hand, no salesman ever walks from that. I’ve pricked their ears hard, basically dangling a bag of cash over their head. Then I start stripping away the layers of the onion until there is nothing left. Salesman don’t realise until he is 2 hours in and then I carve out an offer.

With me you will make minimal or no profit, but I’ll help you hit your turnover targets / units sold for the month, maybe you can qualify for a factory bonus?

Dude, you've got no idea.
One of the first things you learn in that game is that there's a buyer for everything on the lot, you playing games just confirms you're not that person, they know it'll sell to someone else, every car sells.

The only time I've seen your carry on win is if it's a dime a dozen car they just want it gone, its been on the lot and is collecting dust or the SM feels sorry for a salesman on a slow month.

[Big_Daz]

Originally Posted by Poetic Justice

Wrong again.

I am not and never have been afraid from walking away from customers I don't like. I sell enough cars to hit my targets and have done so for the majority of my career. In fact I thrive on saying no to customers - it is pretty well the biggest rush I get from selling cars.

You remind me of the tools that walk in to showrooms who proclaim as loudly as they can "Who wants to sell me a car?!" or "Which one of you is the best salesperson!" as if to make us think they are genuinely here to buy a car but then stop at the last minute "because I have to speak to my wife/account/eddie the expert".

What makes me laugh about old mate, is the fact he thinks he actually knows the profit being made from each deal when, in fact, he wouldnt have the foggiest whether the dealer is making $1 or $1000 from him.

The way I see buying a car is simple, The Dealer is there to get you to buy the car for as close to full price as possible, and goad you in to extras/accessories and dealer finance to make $$$, after no profits, no dealer anymore. A buyer wants the car for as little $$$ as they possibly can. The 2 parties then do a little dance and hopefully come to an agreement which could go either way.

Personally, I like heading into a dealer and speaking face to face with the salesman to test drive, etc and nut out the deal. I always go in prepared, with figures in mind, etc and make sure I'm not emotionally invested so I don't over pay and its always worked out for me. I have only ever had 1 dealer laugh at me and say "no, wont do it for that price, this is my figure, take it or leave it". It was when I was looking for my MY17 SSV Redline Commodore. Manuals where in short supply and this dealer had the colour I wanted, in manual with 20's, in stock ready to go. He didnt know it was exactly what I was chasing and I offered a fair price for it to have him quote me $75k "its my last manual mate"for a car that retailed at $60k odd. I laughed, we shook hands, and parted amicably and I told him my offer stands until I buy something else, call me if you get realistic. Next day I bought my current SSVR for what I wanted to pay, no hassle's. 2 weeks later old mate calls me willing to "do me a favor and take my deal" to little too late buddy...