Your worst car dealer salesman experience?

Kirby · Mar 19, 2004

What was your worst experience with a car salesman? Not the car itself, but the salesperson?

In 1987 my wife and I went to take a quick look at new Hondas, not ready to buy, just wanted a brochure. Our daughter was about 8 months old, asleep in the car so we parked right in front of the showroom. We could easily see her and it wasn't hot outside.

We went in the showroom - pounced on by a salesman. I told him I wanted a brochure. He ignored that request and spent 5 minutes doing his rehearsed presentation. While I wasn't paying attention he asked my wife for our phone number. He walked to the showroom door, put his arms across the double door handles and said "I can't let you leave until you take a test drive. You'll love it."

I told him we couldn't & pointed to our infant sleeping daughter. He said "No, you MUST take a test ride, you'll love it. You can leave her in the car." I walked over to him, my 6'3" body looking down at his 5'7" body and said "I'll give you just one chance to get the hell away from the door." He thought about it for a second and moved. We left.

A few days later the phone rang, he said to my wife "Hi this is Jim from Reading Honda. I want to talk to you about cars because YOU ARE MY FRIEND." She told him never to call back and hung up on him.

What an a$$hole! I think that's still a subconcious reason I don't like Honda cars.

Anybody have a good story to tell?

codex57 · Mar 19, 2004

I was looking for my first real car and went to the local dealership with my friend. We pull into the Toyota dealership to look at something (looking back, I can't imagine what... possibly the 4Runner or Corolla). Anyways, we took his E30 325 which I thought would get a salesperson interested. Nope. Sales guy came up, asked us how old we were. When I said 16, he stopped, whipped around, and walked away. His manager saw, got pissed and screamed "can't you see they can drive, go give them a test drive" but we were already insulted so we left. Went and bought a Honda instead.

My dad got into an argument with a salesguy about taxes once. That was pretty funny. I'm still kinda pissed cuz I wanted him to buy that car, but he was so insulted, he left. [?|]

Stupid thing was, this was the sales guy. If it were the finance guy, who handles the payments and contracts and stuff, he'd have more credibility. Still, I'm gonna have to go with my dad who's a CPA and does taxes for a living.

Bear6360 · Mar 19, 2004

Good thing I read that, Kirby.
Have you ever been to John's Great Cars on Penn Ave. in West Lawn (www.johnsgreatcars.com)?

My wife and I see a 325i for sale. We stop to have a peek at it. Salesman Jim Saadi approaches us. He asks us what we're interested in and what we have to trade in. He also asked us what we owe on our trade. He didn't show us the car or anything. We told him we wanted to take it for a test drive, but he wouldn't let us because he said we owed too much on our trade. The guy had no idea what our income was or how much money we had in the bank. He told us that a lot of kids come to his lot to joyride in the nicer cars. I, of course, took this as an insult. We left.
A month or two later, we bought a 2004 Saturn Vue from a great Dealer (Lou). Looks like this other guy lost out. He didn't want to let us test drive his $12K BMW because he didn't think we could afford it....so we bought a $20K new car instead.
Kirby, if you ever get time, go down to that place and jerk the guy around for me.

...and here's a great ending to the story. I didn't know the guy's name, only his face. I went back a month or two later in my Z3. He didn't even recognize me. I asked him for his business card and name....so I could plaster his name and website all over BMW forums on the internet saying what an awful dealership his establishment is. He was as nice as could be when I rolled up in my Z3 without my 19 year old wife. That guy's is a real piece of crap!! I'd love to press charges for age discrimination....but it's just not worth it. I'd rather spread bad word about that place.

Kirby · Mar 19, 2004

Bear -

I have stopped in there several times to lurk around after hours, I'm actively looking for a '93 - '96 325 stick for my daughter. A while ago, I saw a BMW on the lot (maybe the same one), I called them 6 times during daytime business hours on a Thursday and Friday. They NEVER answered the phone.

Just looking at the place, it seems like he has plenty of money and is more interested in playing around with Corvettes and showing them off than really selling anything. He must have around 25-30 vettes inside and out.

I'll be fun to go over and yank him around. We have a '89 Olds Cutlass beater here at work. I'll take it over and tell him I wanna trade. [rofl]

ODDferkOUT · Mar 19, 2004

Yikers, mine doesn't seem so bad now...

...I was with my friend/boss and she was looking into a new Honda Accord to buy. We went over to the dealership, checked out the Accord and she decided she'd get financed for it. Before even running a credit check or anything the saleperson goes, "Whoa now, that's too much car for you, you can't have something like that..."

She was so insulted she left and eventually bought a Benz. We went back there and she told the saleperson off.

I didn't get his name though...

mclarensmps · Mar 19, 2004

lol@ODDferkOUT thats the way to show em [fake]

sketch · Mar 20, 2004

my dad was looking into finding a car, but hes always at work so he sends me and my girlfriend to check out whats out there. we go to alison bmw in mountain view and look around. every salesaman looked at us then completely ignores us. we eventually run into a salesman (literally) and he talked to us with no eye contact and still scouting for another potential buyer. i ask "do have any 330i manuals on the lot?" he say "no, you cant afford it anyways" then walks off. that was probably one of the worst saleman ive run into. im thinking of taking my car down their and seeing if ill get service then.

MrElussive · Mar 20, 2004

Wow, I am absolutely shocked at the way these dealerships have treated you guys. We have five cars in our family and my dad hates to do the car shopping, so I do it all. I go to the dealership, test-drive the vehicle, negotiate the deal and everything. Most of the time, my dad doesn't even need to come into the dealership, he just gives me the checks and does the paperwork at home and everything.
I have never ever been dicked around by any salesman...they always let me test-drive, they are always extremely courteous, etc. There is a local BMW dealership about 7 mnutes from my house...I have test-driven several cars from this one salesman and my parents have never gotten a car from him or the dealership, but every time I come in, the entire dealership is always extremely curteous anyways.
I can understand it if you roll up to a Bentley/Rolls Royce dealership in a 1980 Honda or something, but people usually don't waste their time going to a BMW dealership if they can't afford one. And even if some youngens want to go to a dealership just for a test-drive, who cares? Just let them drive it...if they like the dealership, they will come back when they CAN afford the car.

For those of you who like to do car shopping, it really helps if you show up to the dealership with the nicest car you can get your hands on. Dealerships are more willing to help a BMW/Mercedes (also Lexus, Audi, etc.) owner than a Hyundai owner (no offense, but it's true!).

M_Six · Mar 20, 2004

My ex-wife and I were looking for a new Honda. We went to the local Honda dealer and waited for a salesperson. They were all busy with other customers, so we hung around the showroom for a while. About 15 minutes after we came in, a middle-aged couple comes in just as a salesperson was freed up. I know this guy was aware that we were there first, but he told us we would have to wait a bit longer and walked over to help the older couple. We left and went to a more distant Honda dealer where we bought a brand new Civic.

Then last fall I walked into the local BMW dealer here in Champaign. I told the sales guy I was interested in a CPO 5-series. He tells me they don't have any but one could get traded in any time. I ask him if he can take my name and number and call me if one does. He hands me his card and tells me to just keep checking back.

One week later I talked to Jeff Colman at Isringhausen in Springfield. He invited me to come take a 5-series out for a test drive. He was friendly, courteous, and very willing to let me drive whatever I wanted. I bought my 530i from him a couple of weeks later.

Sales people who ignore or brush off potential customers are their own worst enemies. You can't judge a buyer by his or her looks. You never know who has money to spend.

ODDferkOUT · Mar 20, 2004

Oy...

Guys, get this.. I just had another similar experience to the one I posted earlier. My mom and I went to the Volvo of Cerritos lot to check out this car...

Which was only $16,991 for the weekened. Only thing was it didn't have a warranty. That's really huge on my mom because of the distance she drives and the wear she'll put on the car. So we checked out the Volvo she liked...

It was for $25,997 and was we thought it was reasonable being a 2004 and a loaner car. It had 8000 miles on it. However when we went through rough figures the sales person trades spots with the sales manager and comes out...

..."you want this S60 out there? Beautiful car isn't it? But let me tell you something, you only want to pay $300 a month, well quite frankly that's too much car for you then. You can't have a car for $300 a month of that prestige. You want something like the S40, then you can do at the least, $350 a month. "

His figures didn't seem right for 2.9% APR. We left, it took us a good 3 hours to for us to leave but we left.

I'm serious though, if I hear "hey bah-ddy what would it take you get you in a car today?" one more time I'll wig out.

Heh.

MrElussive · Mar 21, 2004

Yeah, all these dealerships like to play hard-ball so they can get you for as much money as they can. But they often go too far and the customer is just insulted and refuses to deal with the dealership any longer.
Maybe some of you guys are being too nice? It's easy to tell if a customer is serious or not...when they play around, asking questions about the car, it means they don't want it. If they want to see some numbers and get down to business, they definitely want the car.
I have a feeling that car salesman absolutely HATE those people who come in just to do research and have some fun in a test-drive. Maybe it will help to let the salesman know that you are ready to make a deal and you want to go over the numbers.

Mike99PA · Mar 21, 2004

Hello all - Please read my note to a former salesman. I Did NOT purchase from this guy because he wanted me to commit on a vehicle sight unseen. From shipping inventory. I wanted to see a 2004 X3 3.0i in Black with Terricotta Leather or Sand Leather interior colors.
Since he didn't have either I went to another dealship the next day and found exactly what I wanted! Bought it home the same day!

Read my letter to him and let me know your comments AFTER you read his reply!!!

Larry Derby-

I made delivery of a BMW X3 3.0i Monday March 15th at Main Line BMW. I was referred there thru a neighbor who made the necessary arrangements to test drive and inspect the vehicle in Terracotta Leather and Sand Leather.

I thank you for your help and assistance, Main Line BMW had the exact vehicle IN STOCK when I arrived and I purchased the vehicle the same day.

I am VERY pleased with my new car! Thanks again for you assistance.

Mike

NOW This is the salesperson's reply! ----

Mike,

Thank You for finally coming CLEAN. I passed up business on Tuesday because you said you were coming in to do the deal with me. I'm a straight commissioned salesperson. I invested several hours with you only to have you lie to me about coming back in here. Do all the salespeople in the world a favor-be truthfull !

Because you bought elsewhere-be advised we will NOT give you a loaner car if you come in here for service. We obviously take care of our customers first and foremost.

Larry

epj3 · Mar 21, 2004

Kirby said:

Hey, hook me up with her!! [:)]

Just kidding [:p]

If you want to find some decent deals on an older 3 series, Take a trip someday to the dealerships in Lancaster, especially Manheim where the auto auction is. You should be able to find some good deals. Next time I drive around there, I'll write down what the dealers have (maybe take pics if i have a camera along).

You should buy hear an early e36 m3, so you can enjoy it too [;)]

Kirby · Mar 21, 2004

Hehe, my daughter already has a boyfriend...

So far I've located a '93 E36 in Harrisburg. Haven't looked at it yet, has 125K on it, a little more than I would like. There's also one in Ephrata that looks real nice with AC Schnitzer mods BUT it has a reconstructed title, no way I'm buying that. There are pretty many automatics out there, sticks are harder to find.

epj3 · Mar 21, 2004

That is one bad thing about auction cars -- some you look at and think "gee.. wander why THAT was on auction [rolleyes]

). I'm talking, X5's with beer cans in the back (hick-type of beer too!) [rofl]

Are you looking for a 325 or a 318? Remember, SHE probably wont know the difference between a 318 and 325... it'll make her insurance lower. Good that you are getting her off to a good start with cars though. I'm glad my parents let me buy my bmw.

MrElussive · Mar 21, 2004

Mike99PA said:

Mike99PA, I think the salesman sent you such a poor reply because you spent more time rubbing it in his face that you bought elsewhere than you did on thanking him for his help. You probably shouldn't have provided so much detail about where you got finally got the car from...it's not his fault he didn't have the colors you wanted in stock. And there is nothing wrong with ordering a car...all you need is about a $500 deposit which (most of the time) is fully refundable, should you change your mind before or after the vehicle comes in. For example, I did not even see my car until the day it was delivered to me....I even got around putting down a deposit on it, to tell you the truth.

xLibelle · Mar 21, 2004

interesting stories

i have yet to visit a dealership.

epj3 · Mar 22, 2004

Oh yea, one more thing I should add...

All of the local pontiac dealerships we've delt with, treat me like a little kid (still) and pretty much tell me not to touch cars, let alone get in them.

Local BMW dealer, selling cars worth twice, sometimes 3 times as much as the pontiacs, are all cool with it. They come out and talk if they arent with a customer. They (well, my friends dad - the master mechanic) even took me for a ride in a Z4 about a year ago.

Kirby · Mar 22, 2004

epj3 said:

Hehe, she probably would notice the difference between the 318 and 325 (she loves driving the 330, but that's only allowed with me or mom!) But I have an ulterior motive - I want a project car to mod for SCCA racing, so that's part of the reason I would like to find a 325.

epj3 · Mar 22, 2004

Kirby said:

i like how you think [:)]

I'm going to be replacing the suspension, exhaust, brakes, and some other worn stuff on my car and possibly take it to an SCCA event (autocross), it sounds like a ton of fun.

Your worst car dealer salesman experience?

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