Automotive Forums

sorry that u couldnt make it as a car salesman maybe u should have had me train u i have 2 salesman that will make over 180k this year and i make 20 to 30k a month.we dont lie to anyone and everybody knows there price payment and interest rate before they leave with there car.and yes we do it for the money but we work very hard at it 70hrs a week and go out of our way to make every customer happy.people say they know saleman making 2k a month tell them to get some training or find something else to do for a living please weak sticks that sell scared are the ones that do what ever to sell a car and end up over promising and getting customers mad at them.there crazy to do this for 2k a month dealing with the public every day.and dont for get the problem list at the dealership u know the one with customers that wrote bad checks,dont get u the title in a timley fashion ect ect.not all customers are telling the truth when they walk in remember that.  

You’re right.  When customers who want the lowest possible price negotiate with salesmen who want the highest possible commission, hard feelings are going to fly across the negotiating table.  As a former car salesman, this is my advice to all car buyers:

1) Treat the salesman with respect.  Yes, some salesmen are creeps who will say anything to get a sale, but don’t assume your salesman is one of them.  When dealing with your salesman, be pleasant and treat him as you would like him to treat you.  Yes, that is the Golden Rule, but it’s always the best way to deal with people.  Where I sold cars, some of the sales consultants were honest and trustworthy.  Unfortunately, a few were not, but you get that wherever you go.  If you figure out that you really did end up with a lying cheat, then ask for the sales manager to get you another salesman or leave and shop at another dealership.

2) Do your research before you show up at the dealership.  It makes the transaction go much nicer for you and for the dealership when you arrive informed and with reasonable expectations.  Honestly, for your sake, you will get a better deal if you take the time to educate yourself.

I mention these two things because when I sold cars, nothing was more frustrating than customers who assumed that I was liar and a cheat, except for the customers who were completely uneducated and who wasted my time with their impossible expectations.  No, you can’t buy a $35,000 truck with a $200/month payment and nothing down!

In the end, everybody should get a fair deal.  You should buy a car at a fair price and the dealer should make a profit.  

This has never ceased to amaze me...Customers like this ****off will come in and lie to everyone thinking that everyone is lying to him.  He is the typical customer that feels like they should not have to pay any kind of a profit what so ever, and then will come back in and wonder why he can't get a scratch fixed.  Personally I feel like people like this have such an insecure feeling of themselves that they have to do something like this to make themselves feel good.  Next time you are out to buy a car, look for the dealership that has the sign out front that states NON PROFIT.  If you can't find one, keep what you got and don't bother any salespeople who are trying to make a living and feed their families.  The reason there are so many stories out there about bad experiences is because sometimes customers get what is called buyers remorse.  Then they have to shift the blame away from themselves and put it in to a great story on a internet forum like this one.  

If you think you know "the Business" and we are all the same, start biking your way to work.  You would be doing a lot of people a favor buy not buying a car.  

I have sold cars for about 15 years now.  I do not lie to my customers.  I do not Pressure my customers.  The Dealership I work for has a 95% customer satisfaction level and is a five star Chrysler Jeep, Dodge store n Omaha NE.  If any of these things happened here, the sales person would be fired.  But we see Customers come in all the time and lie through their teeth, because that is the way they have been programed to buy cars.  

I know that there are some crooks out there, but not everywhere.  Ask the dealership if they do back ground checks and drug checks.  Ask them what there Satisfaction % is.  If they have a high Satisfaction level, drug test and do background checks, find a salesperson you like and buy a car from them.  Don't lie to them and they wont lie to you.  Don't pay sticker but let them make a little money.  We all need to make a living.  

I have been selling cars for about a year now. I love it when my customers come in armed with information. I love it when they are educated about buying a car before they come in. That means they won’t ask me to do stupid ridiculous things with the price and trade value etc...It’s the un-educated customer that thinks that every car dealer is out to get them. I’m always down to make a fair deal. Fair meaning what is good for you and good for me. NOT JUST GOOD FOR YOU. And from my experience...it’s the customer who is the most dishonest person in the deal. I hear it all the time. "I have perfect credit" when they have a 500 credit score. Or   "no...My car has never been in an accident" and I check the history report and I see a collision from 2001. The best one is "well right down the street...they have the same thing for $5000 cheaper than this one"---No...They do not. And I don’t care if you walk out of the dealership when I tell you this is the bottom line price. I'm not lying...you want to walk then walk. I won’t try to stop you and I don’t think any other honest dealer will either. I'll see you in a couple of days when you can’t find a better deal. Car salesman can’t afford to be dishonest anymore. That time has passed for 99% of the dealerships in the U.S. Me personally...I have to make my money by Volume not by screwing people. If I have to let you people in on 1 secret it’s to stop lying to the dealer and maybe it will take some haggling out of the deal.
Another thing you people need to realize is that a business owner starts a business to make money. The internet sites you people use also have rich business owners and share holders that want that money. So of course they're going to tell you what to want to hear. If the didn’t, then you wouldn’t use the website and they wouldn’t get paid. Even though it’s free to use it, they don’t make money unless you keep asking them for trade values and average prices of vehicles. And whats to stop them from lying to you as well??? Its all about the $$$  

MOST CARUSTOMER DO MAKE THE CAR BUYING PROCESS MORE DIFFICULT.  FOR NEW CAR IT'S VERY EASY. 1. MAKE SURE THE CAR THAT YOU WANT IS THERE.  2.  ASK TO SEE THE INVOICE AND TELL THE SALES PERSON THAT YOU WILL PAY X AMOUNT OF $ OVER INVOICE (THIS WILL NOT WORK WITH HIGH-END CARS OR CARS THAT SELL FAST THAT EVERYONE WANTS) EXAMPLE ACURA, VOLVO, BMW... IF YOU HAVE A TRADE, GET A REAL WHOLE SALE PRICE.  IF YOU LOVE THE TRADE THAT MUCH, KEEP IT.  RETAIL FOR YOUR CAR THEN RETAIL FOR THEIRS. WHOLE SALE FOR THEIRS THEN WHOLE SALE FOR YOURS. AND REMEMBER WHEN YOU BUY A NEW CAR WITHOUT 3-4 THOUSAND $ DOWN YOU WILL HAVE NEGATIVE EQUITY WHEN YOU TRY TO TRADE 2-3 YEARS DOWN THE ROAD.  

I love reading some of these ignorant ravings that people have put on here.  Personally, I do not like dealing with accountants, lawyers, Doctors, teachers, Police officers, Computer Programmers, Chinese, Japanese, White People, Black People, Red People......Come on... The statement "We know sales folk all too well" says it all.  The best part of my job is when someone that has a shred of common sense walks in, has a pleasent conversation, and buys a vehicle from me at a fair price.  The worst part is dealing with people like the above.  People like this should truly buy their cars from a vending machine.  If they can't figure out how it works, throw it away and buy another one.  I get sick and tired of being called a liar by a bunch of liars.  Be a human being and you will be treated right.  If you don't want to pay any sort of a profit on a car, go to some country that soes not allow profit and check it out.  Why is it anyones business what we pay for our inventory.  Do you ask Wal Mart what the cost of a toothbrush is and negotiate the selling price?  Do you find out the true cost of a new Home and work from that figure?  Do you ask your DOCTOR what the true cost of his Services are and negotiate that?  Profit is not a dirty word, but calling any class of people liars cheaters and *** is bad statement for anyone to make.  People should wake up.

These are probably the same people that finance their cars for 72 months and only keep it for 2-3 years.  Then it is the dealers fault for them being upside down.  People are stupid.  

carsisell.com:
This is very interesting. I am the internet sales manager for a Toyota dealership in central Kentucky and the best way to treat us is like any other person that you deal with. Most of the time the consumer makes the process alot more difficult then it has to be. Us as dealers has created the problem by trying to undercut every other dealer out there. Alot of dealers try to confuse everyone with smoke and mirrors so the customer has no idea what they are paying for and what they are not. If folks do there homework and talk with there local dealer they can cut the same deal as what they would get after shopping and visting every dealer in the tri-state area. FOLKS wake up we all pay the same price for them. I have been in this business for about 8 years now and it amazes me what people will do to save a hundred dollars. If anyone wants advice on the best deal do your shopping by internet. If internet is not a option call on the phone and speak with someone and tell them what your intentions are. Not everyone in this business is honest but for the most part if you are dealing with a new car dealer they will try to satisfy you.

I too, used to sell cars back in the 60's and 70's. You say a hometown dealer will cut the same deal. I beg to differ. There is much peer pressure among young sales persons these days. You can call it what you want, but cocky, hotshot,cocksman types are not readily acceptable to the normal buyer. Also Dealers pay good money to send their people to schools that encourage salesmen to strive for list price or better. Now, you darn well know they have to take advantage of the unsuspecting to achieve this. AND what about the ADP (additional dealer profit) charges. You probably are correct when you say work a deal thru the internet or telephone to get the best deal and least harrassment. The proof of the pudding is when he makes a deal on the internet and hopes the dealer will hold up his end.  

The problem with your argument is this - A car is a 5 figure purchase, second only in price and importance to purchasing a home for most people. Therefore, it shouldn't be entered into lightly and potential buyers should not be subjected to pressure and dishonest tactics in order to purchase expensive transportation. (And riding a bike, as you suggest, is not an option for many people, and it's a pretty insensitive comment, but then again you're married to a car salesman). As you say, car dealers and salespeople, like everyone else, need to earn a living. However, if I lied to my customers like many car 'professionals' do, I'd be out of a job. The best advice (rather than "GET OVER IT") is to tell customers not to accept anything but professional, honest service. Only when the public decides that this behavior is not acceptable, will anything change.  

the excarsalesman blog moved to http://www.excarsalesman.com  

excarsalesman blog moved to www.excarsalesman.com  

The excarsalesman blog has moved to http://www.excarsalesman.com  

Unfortunately, the business has changed a lot in the last few years. Carsalesmen are trained to follow a script from front to back. They call it the "road to the sale." It is a game. To handle that, you must know what game you are playing. Salemen see 2 to 4 customers everyday and have a lot of practice. The average buyer only plays the game once every 3 or 4 years so they are at a disadvantage.

Do your homework before you go to the lot. In fact, get prequalified for financing BEFORE you go shopping. That in itself is a powerful tool. Then you have the advantage.

www.thecarbuyingcoach.com  

I would much rather deal with a smaller independent dealership. Theirs fee are much less and the commission paid to the salesman is less. If you can try and deal with the owner-its smart and many times you can by asking for him/her. Another tip is to sell yuor car yourself and dont trade it in and you can usaully get more money for your car. See this link to learn how. http://www.midtnautos.com/Web_Tips.html    

Try checking up cars online; sometimes CSRs online are more polite.
For best car lease deals, visit this site: http://www.carleasingsecrets.com/.  

Here's a great tip:  You don't have to work with the first salesman that talks to you.  Salesmen are great at making the customer feel trapped into working with them.  Ask to speak with the best truck or best van salesperson there is.  Be very polite about how you ask, but theres nothing wrong with that!  You can even go big and try to work directly with the manager.  Your process will go 10 times mor smoothly if you can.

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