Things I want to say to dealers but don't....part 2

"Tom McParland" (tommcparland)
03/26/2014 at 15:28 • Filed to: stealerships, Nissan

Excerpt from actual chat window conversation. Name of salesperson and client have been edited. I have my commentary in bold for your enjoyment. (picture somewhat related)

Nissan Dealer: Hello, this is First, Last, how may I help you?

-Hi my name is Tom I am with Automatch Consulting. I have a client interested in a Rogue AWD SL w/premium package.

Do you have a direct email in case this chat window decides to crash? (they do that often). You can contact me at 609-798-1601 or AutomatchConsulting@gmail.com

Nissan Dealer: sorry I was just talking to manager in your case

(This means they don't want to deal with me)

Nissan Dealer: SL are hard to get

(Bullshit, there are plenty in the area)

Nissan Dealer: we are working with clients in the showroom with Sl in stock otherwise hard to find them

(Again they would like me to go away)

-It seems you have 5 on your website. My customer will be in your area tomorrow for test drives at Honda and Toyota. I would like to tell her to stop by but I need some pricing to do that.

Nissan Dealer:let me check again

(Oh, now you are interested)

-Here are some stock numbers if that helps 60092 60352 60360

(Because I have to do your job for you)

Nissan Dealer: ok he (the manager) asked are you looking for fee on top of pricing?

-No, I do not charge dealerships a fee. My fee is paid by the customer. All I am looking for is the best price. I have quotes from 3 other Nissan dealers but you are the closest for my customer.

Nissan Dealer: ok pls give me couple mins

- No problem

Nissan Dealer: can you narrow down exact one?

- Sure stock #60092

Nissan Dealer: ok

- I'm going to need that quote emailed to me when you get a chance. That way I can forward it to my customer. This makes things easier for you and them.

Nissan Dealer:that would be great ..this vehicle is a special buy and the discount and price Can Not be duplicated $30795

(That discount sucks)

-I'm not sure I follow you on the can not be duplicated part.

Nissan Dealer: this was a special purchase from Nissan it's a Auto Show vehicle if your client switches to another vehicle we can not match the discount

- So if she chooses an identical SL with the same package and the same MSRP the other car will be more expensive?

Nissan Dealer: yes

(Really bro? First, that discount sucks because everyone else already has you beat by at least $700. Second, that is some bullshit that you can't at least give me the same sucky discount on an identical car)

-Gotcha. Ok, then would you mind sending me that price via email with the VIN on that car?

(I really don't even care at this point and I'm just being nice. I have already decided my client will buy elsewhere. But I don't want her to get the cold shoulder when she goes for a test drive)

Nissan Dealer: also

Nissan Dealer: 99% of delaerships have addttional markup over msrp -we dont

(Really? Do you even internet bro? That is why you are giving a weak-ass discount because you are under some delusion that all the other dealers have crazy markups over MSRP. This is a compact crossover not some rare sports car. My Subaru people are pulling at least 3 grand off sticker without blinking an eye and that is the top rated crossover in the class)

- Not from what I've seen on '14 Rogues

Nissan Dealer: you been in their stores?

-I have the price quotes compared to the MSRP. It doesn't matter much to me what is in their store.

Nissan Dealer: well they don't tell people till they get there...happen to several of clients who bought here

(So your customers clearly are not smart enough to shop around on the web before buying a car, no wonder you don't want to deal with me)

Nissan Dealer: so if you can Email you client I send you the details

(Huh?)

- Yes please email me the details of that vehicle to AutomatchConsulting@gmail.com and I will gladly forward it along.

Nissan Dealer: do I get clients name info too?

(That's not how it works bro)

-Not until I get the pricing and she decides she wants to buy from you.

Nissan Dealer: the only way i get credit is if clients name is in my data base before she walks in

-You can have her name. First Last

DISCUSSION (24)

ADabOfOppo; Gone Plaid (Instructables Can Be Confusable) > Tom McParland
03/26/2014 at 15:33

Lol. Dealers are teh dumbs.

For Sweden > Tom McParland
03/26/2014 at 15:34

On an unrelated note, can you tell me where I can find a super-clean Acura RSX for $2,500?

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Brian Silvestro > Tom McParland
03/26/2014 at 15:34

This made me laugh so goddamn hard you don't even know

Jonathon Klein > Tom McParland
03/26/2014 at 15:37

As a person that was on the other end, your assumptions are completely correct. I fucking hated being that piece of shit car salesman. It was by far the worst thing ever, and I did phone sales! They make you lie your ass off and treat people so badly, no wonder Dealers are threatened by Tesla's direct to consumer based sales. It's because people like this exist that they are in so much trouble.

Just thinking about those times makes me want to go back there and punch my managers.

jariten1781 > Tom McParland
03/26/2014 at 15:37

Those chat windows actually do something? I always just thought their purpose was to annoyingly pop up every time I clicked on a different page.

Tom McParland > jariten1781
03/26/2014 at 15:38

Most of the time yes...sometimes there is an actual dealer on the other end.

Meatcoma > Tom McParland
03/26/2014 at 15:40

such a shame.. did a quick autotrader search and most expensive new SL AWD with premium in my area was 27k.

Destructive Tester > Tom McParland
03/26/2014 at 15:47

"Nissan Dealer: the only way i get credit is if clients name is in my data base before she walks in."

-You mean you actually WANT credit for a sale? Could have fooled me...

Jeff-God-of-Biscuits > Tom McParland
03/26/2014 at 15:47

Makes me think that my approach to the S2k was a good idea... Emailed 5 dealers near me (all listed in the address bar, visible) and said that I would be walking into one of them with a check and leaving with a car. They could decide who it would be, I was now accepting offers.

StoneCold > Jeff-God-of-Biscuits
03/26/2014 at 15:53

How did that go? Did you get responses from all of them?

nlzmo400r > Tom McParland
03/26/2014 at 16:07

Hi, I'm devil's advocate :

Salesman gets paid based on how much the vehicle in question sells for. When the first thing someone says is : "whats lowest price?", they're asking him to make no money before they agree to do anything. Would you meet a girl and ask her : "hey, if I take you to dinner, can we fuck after? Otherwise I'm not interested." What the salesman's true job is, is to provide customer service. When I sold cars, I dealt with ZERO internet buys, because they never made me a penny and I spent weeks of back and forth emails - "whats your lowest price", "well what about this color" "can you order one with a sunroof for that 'lowest price'?

Instead I spent my time assisting customers who wanted my assistance. Instead of "hi, whats your lowest price?" I introduce myself, meet the customer. Sit down and learn a little bit about him or her, what features they can't live without, what's really important to them, why they were looking at a particular vehicle to begin with, and what they will use the vehicle for (kids, dogs, kid's first car etc). Often times what people were so sure they wanted, isn't what they actually needed. Sure I would spend HOURS helping these people make a decision, but in the end they were thankful for my help and may have paid a little more than they had to. But they didn't pay more for nothing, they paid more for good customer service. You can walk a lot ALL DAY in the heat to have people jsut walk up to random cars and look at the window sticker, or you can consult with them (JUST LIKE YOU DO) and show them the vehicles you think best suit their needs based on what they've discussed with you.

I understand that some people (jalops) do a ton of reading, reviewing, fact checking etc before they even walk in a dealer to buy a car, and therefore the last and only thing on their minds is 'whats the best price'. But in my experience, most don't REALLY know. More than one occasion in my selling 'career', guy walks in : I want the black coupe, but the other dealer told me they'd give me 3k off sticker. If you can beat that, I'll take it. I tell them "No problem, grab your checkbook and follow me, you'll be outta here in 20minutes!!", suddenly they start realizing they're not TOTALLY sure if that's what they want. They WANT the customer service a good salesman can provide. That's where the good salesmen will thrive and the crappy ones will quit very quickly.

VQ_powerrrrr > Tom McParland
03/26/2014 at 16:12

this might sound SUPER stalkish haha but from your area code i'm guessing you're from central NJ? My parents bought a Nissan a couple years ago from Windsor Nissan, and it was easily the most hassle-free experience I've seen them go through in terms of buying a new car, hope this dealer wasn't Windsor!

Jeff-God-of-Biscuits > StoneCold
03/26/2014 at 16:24

If I recall, I got responses from 4, and one of those included the $7,000 "just because we can" tax. Another wanted me to come in and talk, and the last 2 made serious offers. I then took the best offer to the other dealer and asked what they could do about it, and they matched it, plus threw in some extras. I ended up paying msrp when they were still selling way marked up, so it worked well enough for me.

deekster_caddy > Jeff-God-of-Biscuits
03/26/2014 at 16:31

That's pretty much how my last two experiences have been. Email 6 or 7 dealers and let the most serious duke it out over price and options. I also never give my phone number, or if I am required to I tell them "I just do email" until I have numbers. Once I have established email contact, I will not answer my phone until we are near a final decision.

Tom McParland > VQ_powerrrrr
03/26/2014 at 18:06

South Jersey near AC

thebigbossyboss > Tom McParland
03/26/2014 at 18:29

Where is part 1?

Tom McParland > thebigbossyboss
03/26/2014 at 18:53

Check back on my blog...but I should link it.

Gizmo - The Only Good Gremlin, but don't feed me after Midnight > Jeff-God-of-Biscuits
03/26/2014 at 19:13

I also took a different approach with my last car purchase. Evidently, although rare the cars weren't moving and I had no urgency to get one right away. I did my due diligence, came up with what I thought was a fair price and started calling the internet salesmen. The first month there were 5, the second 8, and over the course of half year plus the average was 6.

The conversation was quick and simple, "Hi, my name is first last, I noticed you've had VINxxx for sale for x months and I have $XXk in cash. Would you like to sell the car now or I'll call you back next month ."After three months, I would add, "On average you've lost $1500 by not selling when I first called, how much are you willing to lose keeping this car in your inventory. Next month my offer drops $1k because the car has sat so long (every 3 months my offer dropped $1k.)"

I was more than willing to wait 2 years. It only took 7 months. The dealers final statement was as simple as mine. I had called this dealer 6 times so my offer was about to be reduced by another grand. His response was, "Will you come get this damn car!" I repeated the current offer and he said, " I heard you the first time. When will you be picking it up?"DONE!

JQJ213- Now With An Extra Cylinder! > VQ_powerrrrr
03/26/2014 at 23:07

Not to sound really stalkerish but what part of NJ? My grandma lived in East Windsor and her and my dad worked in Hightstown! Like 5 minutes from there!

VQ_powerrrrr > JQJ213- Now With An Extra Cylinder!
03/26/2014 at 23:37

Haha im from just outside Princeton and my parents still live there!

JQJ213- Now With An Extra Cylinder! > VQ_powerrrrr
03/26/2014 at 23:44

Very cool! I lived in Jackson, right next to Six Flags Great Adventure!

I loved going to downtown Princeton and walking around there... especially in the Fall.

Collin > thebigbossyboss
03/27/2014 at 00:32

There ya go: http://oppositelock.jalopnik.com/thing-i-want-t…

thebigbossyboss > Collin
03/27/2014 at 00:36

Thanks!!

VQ_powerrrrr > JQJ213- Now With An Extra Cylinder!
03/28/2014 at 14:37

Princeton is definitely a beautiful place anytime of the year!