How Not To Sell A Car…

It has been a really aggravating day today. 

I just wanted to buy a car.

I did all my research and talked to a number of dealers before deciding to go with this particular dealer.  They gave the lowest quote for the configuration that I wanted, plus they’re the closest dealer. 

So after talking and exchanging emails, we’ve agreed to test drive and finalize the paperwork today.  2 PM.  Quite simple, right?  I had this anxiety that it was way too easy.  I am a firm believer of Murphy’s Law.  I knew something’s gonna go wrong…and it did:

I went to the dealer at the agreed time.  I went to the help desk to ask for the salesman I was dealing with the whole time. He was out for a test drive with another client.  OK, fine.  It was a busy day, I can wait.

I waited 20 minutes.  I was getting impatient.  The branch manager came over and said that the salesman that I talked to is running behind so I need to be handed over to a new salesman.  He assured me that the new salesman already has my paperwork and will go through it without problems.

At this point I was already upset.  I HAD AN APPOINTMENT.  But that’s OK, I suppose.  I was just there for the test drive and just finalize the agreed price, sign my life away, and there.  I figured I just wanted to get it over with.

I went to the new salesman’s desk.  He asked me what model, options blah blah…the same shit I just went a few days ago with my original salesman.  I was getting furious.  “Am I being Punk’d or something?” 

This is more-or-less how the conversation went.

He went to the company website where you can “build and customize” your car. 

Salesman: “What model was it?”

Me: “Model X”

Salesman: “And the color?”

Me: “Jet Black.”  Salesman selects the color of the car on the website.

Salesman: “OK. Let’s choose your options.”  He asks what option I wanted.

Me: “I just want Option A and Option F.”

Salesman: “You don’t want Option B? 99% of the customers usually want Option B…”

Me: “No, I don’t want it.”

At this point he paused and subconsciously makes that annoying face which you can’t tell if it’s he’s confused or his way of telling me that I’m an idiot for not getting the option.

Me: “What’s that?”

Salesman: “Well, this option makes…”

Me: “No, I know what THAT option does.  I meant what’s that face you just did?”

Salesman: “What face?”

Me: “That face.  You made that face when I refused to get Option B.”

Salesman: “Well, it’s just that 99% of our customers get this option.”

Me: “I don’t want it.  Can we move on please?”  Serenity now.

Salesman: “OK, is that all you wanted for this car?”  He showed me the cost of the car…IN MSRP.  “This is the cost of the car.”

I was thinking: WTF?! I ALREADY GOT A QUOTE!  AND WHO IS THE IDIOT WHO BUYS A CAR IN MSRP?

Me: “Uhhh…no. I already got a quote.  And that figure isn’t even close.”

Salesman: “What was the price that was given to you?”

OH MY GOD.  I CAN’T BELIEVE I AM GOING THROUGH THIS AGAIN. 

Me: “It’s X dollars minus the Title and registration fees.”

Salesman:  “Let me go talk to my boss about that price.”

WHAT?!

Salesman walks away.  Comes back in a few minutes.

Salesman: “OK what we will do is before custom ordering the car, we would try to scout dealerships with this model and color…but there’s a great chance that it has Option B.”

Me: “I don’t want Option B.”

Salesman: “It’s just that 99% of the customers…”

Me: “This is the third time you told me that 99% of the customers ask for Option B.  I DON’T WANT IT.”

Salesman: “It’s just that when it’s time for you to sell the car, the buyer would most likely want it.”

Me: “You know what?  This is not working out.  I am leaving.”

I walked out of the dealership.

I probably don’t point out what’s wrong with this picture.  This dealer has obviously set me up.  They probably think I am the average idiot consumer who would give in with their pushy tactics.  I would have let the salesman slide on trying to push me to buy Option B if it wasn’t for the prior screw-ups that happened.

The original salesman nor the sales manager that introduced me to the new salesman has yet to call me to apologize about this whole thing. 

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This entry was posted on Sunday, March 12th, 2006 at 8:53 am and is filed under Uncategorized. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.