View Full Version : Car Dealerships = The suck
ConstantChange
05-04-2013, 6:09pm
This just in...buying a car at a dealership sucks, water is wet and the sky is blue.
I've been looking at getting a newer truck. Today I went to a big Chevrolet dealership in the area. It's Saturday, so the place is a little busy, but it's packed full of sales people.
I start looking at trucks and over comes "Catfish" to help me out. I saw a truck online I wanted to check out and it wasn't on the main lot, so we go back to the recent trade in section. I spot the truck.
We had a bad hail storm two weeks ago and this truck got beat to hell. It needed a new windshield, hood, dozens of dents removed, etc... I told the guy it's the type of truck I want, but I don't want to deal with the hail damage as well as taking off a bunch of aftermarket plastic crap that was on the truck.
We go look at the new trucks but I'm not willing to pay $50,000 for a truck.
As we walk back in the dealership I spot a truck I like pulled right next to the side door under the covered roof. It's the GM's demo truck. I test drive it, like it and we start to talk price. It's got 3,000+ miles on it, covered in dirt and the interior needs a complete detail. To me, it's a used truck. To them, it's a new truck because it's never been tagged. They show MSRP of $48,000+ and come back at $45,000. I tell them my buddy just bought a brand new truck that is almost identical for $39,000.
Guy brings the used car manager over with the invoice blah blah blah. It's a new truck blah blah blah. I tell him I'm not paying that much for a used truck and he asked if I'd be interested in a new truck that didn't have navigation and cooled seats that would be around $37,000. I tell him I'm willing to take a look at it.
He says perfect, I'll have Catfish pull it around for you. He tells Catfish let me get you those keys and they head off.
I sit for a few minutes. I look at the new Corvettes in the showroom for a few minutes. I stand outside waiting for the truck to pull up for a few minutes. I go to the restroom and come back to the desk. It's been 20-25 minutes and no sign of either guy.
I said screw it and left.
mph1972
05-04-2013, 6:12pm
:lol:
I don't think you will find to many folks that will disagree with fact that the majority of dealerships do, in fact, suck!
Jeff '79
05-04-2013, 6:14pm
Hmmm.... What a waste of time.
ConstantChange
05-04-2013, 6:19pm
:lol:
I don't think you will find to many folks that will disagree with fact that the majority of dealerships do, in fact, suck!
:iagree: It's just a mini rant.
I just found it odd they disappeared. I'm guessing they couldn't find the truck since they didn't seem frustrated while we were talking.
The new truck/old truck thing wasn't a big deal. I just said "It doesn't really matter if we call it a new truck or used truck, I just don't feel comfortable spending $45,000 for that truck when you have new trucks with very similar features on the lot listed for $38,000."
He said "Those trucks have hail damage. This truck (the one I test drove) and a silver one (the one they were going to find) are the only two trucks I have like that with no hail damage. The GM had that truck in his garage and the silver truck was at the accessory store scheduled for a lift kit. After we got all the damage, I decided not to do the lift kit so I had a non-dented truck on the lot."
MrPeabody
05-04-2013, 6:20pm
When the guy introduced himself as Catfish, I would have told him to go tell his manager to send out a salesman with a real name.:rofl:
ConstantChange
05-04-2013, 6:22pm
Hmmm.... What a waste of time.
That's a big 10-4.
C5SilverBullet
05-04-2013, 6:23pm
They get a demo rebate you could've got also, but it sounds like they didn't even want to sell anything.
And on a demo, if it has 3000 miles, you still get 36,000 of warranty. So that vehicle has warranty to 39,000 miles.
ConstantChange
05-04-2013, 6:25pm
When the guy introduced himself as Catfish, I would have told him to go tell his manager to send out a salesman with a real name.:rofl:
His name through me off a little, but he was a good guy. It's Oklahoma after all.
He said he's been selling cars for 22 years. When I went to his desk he had several Bassmaster tournament trophies from around 2000. Even his business cards said firstname "Catfish" lastname.
FasterTraffic
05-04-2013, 6:26pm
When the guy introduced himself as Catfish, I would have told him to go tell his manager to send out a salesman with a real name.:rofl:
I assumed it was like in The First 48 where, for every perp and victim, the narrator gives the person's legal name and then says, "...known on the street as..."
Datawiz
05-04-2013, 6:29pm
You need to respect the Catfish. :leaving:
ConstantChange
05-04-2013, 6:30pm
They get a demo rebate you could've got also, but it sounds like they didn't even want to sell anything.
They seemed like they didn't want to sell the demo trucks. I looked at another one that was being used by the finance manager. It was filthy inside.
Catfish said "They are supposed to keep the demo vehicles clean."
You would think they would since the finance managers truck was listed online.
Jeff '79
05-04-2013, 6:33pm
They seemed like they didn't want to sell the demo trucks. I looked at another one that was being used by the finance manager. It was filthy inside.
Catfish said "They are supposed to keep the demo vehicles clean."
You would think they would since the finance managers truck was listed online.
I have heard that Oklahomans are very sloven folk...
Always dusting but can never catch up, or something like that.
69camfrk
05-04-2013, 7:05pm
By far and large, I agree. However, there is a dude at the Ford dealer here in town that I have been doing business with for probably 12 years. When I bought my truck, I didn't haggle, the price was on point etc. As long as he works there, I will continue doing business with them. I financed through Ford to get extra money off, then refinanced with my credit union and even the chick there was like, "you did get a helluva deal". Plus, when I take the truck in for service, if there is anything on the lot I want to drive, I got it! Spent some quality time in a spankin' new 5.0 yesterday. If I didn't absolutely need a truck, I would buy another GT in a second. Damn that thing would dig!!!
mph1972
05-04-2013, 7:10pm
:iagree: It's just a mini rant.
I just found it odd they disappeared. I'm guessing they couldn't find the truck since they didn't seem frustrated while we were talking.
The new truck/old truck thing wasn't a big deal. I just said "It doesn't really matter if we call it a new truck or used truck, I just don't feel comfortable spending $45,000 for that truck when you have new trucks with very similar features on the lot listed for $38,000."
He said "Those trucks have hail damage. This truck (the one I test drove) and a silver one (the one they were going to find) are the only two trucks I have like that with no hail damage. The GM had that truck in his garage and the silver truck was at the accessory store scheduled for a lift kit. After we got all the damage, I decided not to do the lift kit so I had a non-dented truck on the lot."
Completely understand my friend. I would have done the same thing.
mph1972
05-04-2013, 7:11pm
By far and large, I agree. However, there is a dude at the Ford dealer here in town that I have been doing business with for probably 12 years. When I bought my truck, I didn't haggle, the price was on point etc. As long as he works there, I will continue doing business with them. I financed through Ford to get extra money off, then refinanced with my credit union and even the chick there was like, "you did get a helluva deal". Plus, when I take the truck in for service, if there is anything on the lot I want to drive, I got it! Spent some quality time in a spankin' new 5.0 yesterday. If I didn't absolutely need a truck, I would buy another GT in a second. Damn that thing would dig!!!
These types of stories are few and far between though. Sad but true. Good to hear that at least someone out there is getting treated fairly.
69camfrk
05-04-2013, 7:23pm
These types of stories are few and far between though. Sad but true. Good to hear that at least someone out there is getting treated fairly.
I definitely think it is all about who you know. I have had bad dealer experiences, but when I got my latest truck, I just called my buddy, told him what I wanted and to have the price ready when I got there. I had already done all the price research and they were even better. Pretty much all I did was sign the paperwork.
CubSmurf
05-04-2013, 8:07pm
Which dealership?
Also an Okie:)
ConstantChange
05-04-2013, 8:30pm
Which dealership?
Also an Okie:)
David Stanley in Norman. Formally Mark Heitz.
BuckyThreadkiller
05-04-2013, 9:00pm
The F&I guy's name is Tard R. Sauce
C5Nate
05-04-2013, 10:39pm
It's been 20-25 minutes and no sign of either guy.
I said screw it and left.
Its possible, especially at a large dealership with a large inventory that they had to move several other cars/trucks out of the way to get to this specific truck you requested.
Just sayin....
MrPeabody
05-04-2013, 10:49pm
Its possible, especially at a large dealership with a large inventory that they had to move several other cars/trucks out of the way to get to this specific truck you requested.
Just sayin....
That's true, but you never leave a customer sitting and waiting unattended for that long.
carlton_fritz
05-05-2013, 3:51am
How about when you find the right vehicle, it takes forever to actually finish the deal? Remember when you could be out the door in a new car in 2 hours? Not anymore. Go in at 9am and leave at 6pm. Also have to fill out 35 pages of nonsense.
Easiest deal I ever made was when I got the '06 Corvette from Billy Mork at Reliable Chevrolet in Missouri. I didn't even need to leave my house. :lol:
Worst would be at Bill Heard in Atlanta. Got there before noon and left after 8pm. Of course they tried their scam on me and i left once.
mrvette
05-05-2013, 8:42am
Easiest deal I ever made was when I got the '06 Corvette from Billy Mork at Reliable Chevrolet in Missouri. I didn't even need to leave my house. :lol:
Worst would be at Bill Heard in Atlanta. Got there before noon and left after 8pm. Of course they tried their scam on me and i left once.
I have heard of Bill Heard's operations, and nothing positive.....I think they had an operation here in Florida at one point.....
Interesting happening over the last few years here in the County seat, Green Cover Springs....used to be such a hick country town when I moved here, now the joint has grown like krazy mad, and one of the things is down there it was like 3-4 little dealerships, GM/Ford/Chrysler and one other...maybe Jeep/Jap.....
anyway some big operation from Michigan by name of GARBER, bought up all the franchises, and has a HUGE operation strung out along the road, and one master telephone number that is answered by an actual human at the git go, from there you go to whatever parts/sales/service you want....all in totally separate areas of the operation....like it was an independent operation.....interesting.....
:shots:
Fasglas
05-05-2013, 9:15am
Dealerships are the reason places like Carmax do so well.
Not much one can do if one absolutely, positively MUST have a brandy new vehicle, but for anything else... there are options.
MrPeabody
05-05-2013, 2:20pm
How about when you find the right vehicle, it takes forever to actually finish the deal? Remember when you could be out the door in a new car in 2 hours? Not anymore. Go in at 9am and leave at 6pm. Also have to fill out 35 pages of nonsense.
It can still be done in two hours or even less if both sides of the negotiating table are willing to cut through the bullshit.
When I bought the X5M all the dealing was done via email. We had the price worked out, the trade worked out and the finance all done via email. I trailered the M3 over to the dealer in Louisville, signed the paperwork in about 30 minutes and was on my way back home. It would have been quicker but the sales lady got another $1000 off from USAA.
I picked the truck up the following week at he Performance Center in Spartanburg SC.
Great dealership to deal with. The local dealership said they could find a SUV like I wanted but never even went through the efforts to do it. I did find a demo up north but they were only $3500 lower in price than a brand new one with 5 miles from the factory.
My Personal experience has been good sinc eI learned to be prepared. I loo at waht I want online and at showrooms without a sale person talking at me. I then print out Dealer cost adn do my research online.
I tell them what I want and what I will pay. Most times I get the deal I wanted. I have one sales guy I have bought 4 cars from over the past 6 years. He knows the drill and it's good for both of us.
How about when you find the right vehicle, it takes forever to actually finish the deal? Remember when you could be out the door in a new car in 2 hours? Not anymore. Go in at 9am and leave at 6pm. Also have to fill out 35 pages of nonsense.
Nope. I had a customer yesterday come in a drive a Yukon Denali. I spent about an hour yesterday, gave him numbers and he decided to sleep on it. Came in today, wrote a check, I got the truck cleaned and he was delivered in just over an hour.
The ones that take all day are sub-prime customers working thru finance. :dance:
mph1972
05-05-2013, 7:34pm
I definitely think it is all about who you know. I have had bad dealer experiences, but when I got my latest truck, I just called my buddy, told him what I wanted and to have the price ready when I got there. I had already done all the price research and they were even better. Pretty much all I did was sign the paperwork.
Agree with your first sentence!
Micah
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