Car dealer antics

[Darthomas]

So I had the local Dodge Jeep Ram dealership change the ECU about October
in the 2013 Tardis (Charger).
Got a letter from Mike Somethingorother that they had a buyer interested in my very car, and the buyer was going to be going on vacation 29th, and look ke to buy it before then, and they'd offer 110% of black book value, AND they'd throw in a free oil change just to come in and talk.
Sounds like good cheap entertainment...
So I goes over dere...

Well, the letter was the car dealer's equivalent of the Chicago "hard luck story" ruse.
Sure you had a buyer for the car.....just a fishing trip for them to contact possible leads.
No V8 Chargers on the lot that aren't $40k.
Drove a 2013 SE w V6 and 8 speed. White with custom pinstripes.
Funny sounding....mushy ride, jiggle the wheel like you're thinking about warming up the tires, and it LEANS before turning. They want $14k for that boring thing.
Then, we come back and Javier (Never saw Mike whatshisname...) Is talking like I'm somehow about to buy this slug...he goes off and gets the assessment. Guess how much they'll give in trade....as I'm about to leave the lead sales flunky says...Well, that's a used Police car....I wouldn't be selling it here...it would go to auction....
So, as I expected, all the things I value about the car they see as less value.
Go ahead...guess what they offered in trade in....
I did set foot deep into the pedal at 30 mph to see what the 8 speed does.
It doesn't head straight for the lowest usable gear but sorta works down into lower gears very busily. Most of what they had was the super complex audio system, all had silver wheels... they're tryin to get the 2016s outta there.

$1000!
Guess I'll just keep enjoying the car already built exactly as I would have ordered it.
That center console shifter knobby is incredibly stupid on the regular models.
Mine has the "normal" column shift.
I guess they figure most people are not already in a car they are happy with....

And I told them I did not want to take advantage of their kind offer for an oil change.

It's depressing for me to see only trucky things in the showroom, and the waiting room is intolerable.

And that awful clunky DODGE medallion in the steering wheel instead of a fratzog.

 

[Moparsmitty]

Typical dealer crap. I still get letters/offers in the mail saying they have a buyer for my wife's 2008 Caliber. The funny part is that we sold that car about 5 years ago.

 

[Darthomas]

My present car happened really fast....
But I was thinking, before that, when I was thinkin Charger but drivin Dart, that I would go in to a dealer in the 72 Dart Custom, and ask whether the Charger would be there for me 40 years like this Dart that hadn't even seen the seal broken on the original factory valve cover gasket...
And if I couldn't get 30 years out of a car, I might just as well send this one through the super-duper make 'em new treatment.
My Dad died almost 10 years ago and still gets mail at my latest address...because I was the executor for his estate.
Marketing by database is scattershot for sure....
But interesting to see such childish lies from supposed professionals.
I've a good mind to how to dress them down slightly for their tactics.

Truly, as it is said, back my Chicago hood,
"Dis be Bullshit!"

Well, to fully understand the best possible street response, read, (If you are an adult), this quaint fictitious news item from supposed Detroit to understand the fullness of BS expressed eloquently.
From the fine Zweibel publishing family descendant, The Onion
http://www.theonion.com/article/all-yall-urged-to-go-****-yo-selves-3987

 

[khryslerkid]

 

[aceofspades]

LOL. I was a car salesman for 4 months in Nashville TN. back in '97. What a joke. Although I sold 17 cars during that time, I caught myself starting to bullshit people to get them to buy. Not to mention the constant battling of others trying to steal your customer. Never again.

 

[mopar 3 B]

Car sales people and realtures not much difference.

 

[mmissile]

When my wife and I go shopping, anywhere there's a line of salespeople...I tell them GTF away from me. When I have a question or need help, I'll find one of you.

 

[Ranger16]

I'm surprised you took the bait and wasted your time Tom.

 

[khryslerkid]

My friend was looking for a new car last year. We pulled into a Toyota dealership, drove around looking at cars, saw one she liked. As soon as we got out to look at it, here comes this sales woman, running up to us. I looked at my friend and she did just what I was thinking. We both ran for our car, jumped in and sped off! You should have seen the look on that woman's face!

One thing neither one of us can stand is a pushy sales person. We have done the same thing in the stores too. Just walk away without saying anything...

 

[ws23jrt]

Some things don't change with car salesmen.
In late 1970 I pulled into a car dealership with my 69 superbee. I was looking for a way to move from what I had on to the next.

The jackass that jumped in my face first asked--- what do you want?--- I said I was just shopping and may want to trade up. He asked if I had any money? I said (again) that I was shopping and could get money as needed.
He said---OK kid-- you go get some money and cut your hair. When you come back maybe we can talk.
Well needless to say I did not look forward (or go back) to talking to this --nice man---for my next purchase.

 

[Darthomas]

I had a pretty good idea this was fishing last night, but the fib that there was a buyer interested in the car was hard to imagine.
How many people would want a car that's been drilled full of holes for police equipment, enough that they would ask the local dealer to try to find the owner so they could buy it?

So I kinda went just to see how they acted.

The test drive was interesting, since I've never test driven a car at a dealership "just kickin' tires".
I drove my current car on a test drive but I had already decided to buy it.
It's a lot different when someone is trying to sell you on something.
Seemed like they felt I "had to" be more interested in something in their inventory than what I drove in with.
And that I'd throw away $9000 in value in a car to finance another $14000, when mine is paid for already?
Could anyone really be that idiotic?
There must be, or no one would ever offer such a ridiculously bad deal.

 

[Bruzilla]

The first thing I learned when I went to work at a dealership is all the stuff we see as totally stupid and a waste of time actually works. If it didn't work, they wouldn't do it. Yes, there are people who see through the nonsense, but there are many others who don't see through it, think they're outsmarting the dealership (they aren't) or see through it but don't care because they want what they want.

 

[Ranger16]

The first thing I learned when I went to work at a dealership is all the stuff we see as totally stupid and a waste of time actually works. If it didn't work, they wouldn't do it. Yes, there are people who see through the nonsense, but there are many others who don't see through it, think they're outsmarting the dealership (they aren't) or see through it but don't care because they want what they want.

That is so true. I recall two guys I knew that bought from a dealer. One "was given more money for his car on a trade than he payed for it when he bough it new a year ago". The other was given such a good deal that the salesmen could not even give his own mother the same deal and swore the guy to secrecy because if the boss found out what a good deal he gave him, he'd loose his job. Amazingly, both believed what they where told. Apparently, P.T. Barnum was right.

 

[YY1]

It even works in fast food.

Today I was at subway...the poor sap in front of me got upsold on every single thing the counter person offered.

.....then wanted to know why his 2 sandwiches were $17!!!!!

Can you even get a column shift on a non-police package Charger? I don't think so.

 

[BeeKool]

He'll is full of used car salesmen. And Lawyers

 

[Ranger16]

Amen to that!

 

[khryslerkid]

I stopped by a dealership one night to look at the new Ram pickups that had the new 5.7 Hemi.
This kid comes out and ask, do you want to test drive one? I said sure. I gave him my drivers license to copy and he came back with the keys. He let my girlfriend and I leave with it!

I looked at the rear tires on it before I left and let's just say, they had more miles on them than the odometer! Lol

 

[WileE]

Scum of the earth.

 

[Bruzilla]

That is so true. I recall two guys I knew that bought from a dealer. One "was given more money for his car on a trade than he payed for it when he bough it new a year ago".

I actually did see that happen one time. A guy traded in a one year old Cooper Mini that he paid about $23k for and we gave him $25k. I thought they were nuts, but that Mini sold for around $32,000. I did not see that coming.

 

[69BBody]

This kid comes out and ask, do you want to test drive one? I said sure. I gave him my drivers license to copy and he came back with the keys. He let my girlfriend and I leave with it!

That's how I usually test drive a car. The last thing I want is a salesman next to me. I'd rather take my mother-in-law.