GM loses a sale to Ford thanks to dealership

[moserbe]

He doesn't sound like a "make it happen" kind of guy but rather takes the easy path.

[Xedes]

Originally Posted by moserbe

He doesn't sound like a "make it happen" kind of guy but rather takes the easy path.

If you are about to drop some serious cash why should you need to beg and plead to do so?

[Wabbit]

I talked with four different dealers when I was looking.

Dealer #1 - Sales guy knowledgeable, and enjoyed showing the car. Several of the salespeople I talked to recommended this site to me. If I get another one, I will go back here.

Dealer #2 - Sales guy did nothing but feed me crap. Kept telling me the car in front of me was a 2013, even though I proved several times it was a 2012 (including pointing at the sticker ON the car)

Dealer #3 - Sales guy wasn't afraid to say "I don't know", and loved going for test drives. I hate the service department at that dealer. I just went by to see a couple of the colors.

Dealer #4 - I ordered the car from them because I had previously purchased four new vehicles from them, including two factory orders. The salesman wasn't the most knowledgeable on Camaros, and admitted that I knew more then he did because he knows I research my cars heavily. I had purchased from him before, and he was always good and up front with me. He was probably the only honest salesman I have EVER dealt with. Unfortunately, after I had ordered the car, he ended up retiring for health reasons. The puke I had to deal with after him was an idiot (who I knew from earlier deals and hated). I knew more about the Camaro then he did, and yet he still didn't listen to what I told him. They didn't tell me anything about the status of my order. I knew why/when it was on backorder before they did. I told them why, and they couldn't understand how I knew. Although I got a good price on the car, and am acceptable trade-in, I will not go back there in the future.

[The IOM Ninja]

Originally Posted by CWIweldace

GM is a smart company or they wouldn't be the largest.

Complaints aren't always founded so it wouldn't be right to pull a franchise because of a misinformed salesman if indeed this guy's story is true.

Volume dealers can sustain a few complains, especially if they sell numbers making GM happy. The complaints may stem from a ignorant salesman that ends up reflecting on the whole dealership because of the way the complaintant worded his complaint. There is always more to the story.Most people tend to stretch the truth a bit to make their story sound better and and to feel they have the upper hand. Particularly when talking about dealings with salespersons. Price and how they persuaded the salesman to give in on their demands are pretty common and then there are the ones that make negative statements about the competiton to justify their choice of product.

I pray that is a joke… :roll eyes:

That's like saying <insert religion, band, tv show, etc> is smart because they are <followed by, loved by, watched by, etc> the most people….

[Norm Peterson]

Originally Posted by moserbe

He doesn't sound like a "make it happen" kind of guy but rather takes the easy path.

If a salesman ever told me that I couldn't order the car of my choice, I'd walk right then and there. If the "deal" is going to be that confrontational from the get-go, it ain't gonna happen at all. I've got the patience to wait until I've worked out what I want ahead of time and the patience to wait for it to be built and delivered (assuming that build and delivery time is at least reasonable). Rather less patience for price negotiations, and none at all for attempts at switching (aka conning) me into buying from dealer stock.

Nor am I going to pop in at the lot on a daily basis just to beat other potential buyers to the punch assuming that what eventually does show up is even acceptable to me.


Norm

[davidcroft]

In my 6 years of working for a Chevy dealership (actually 3 stores in 6 years), people will complain if they don't like what you're wearing or how you say hello to them. They will call and ask to speak to your general manager and rant on and on about Obama motors, Government motors, never buy another Chevy. Its RETARDED! They sound like a bunch of piss pants middle school kids tattle telling. It's ALWAYS good for a laugh though.

They are also the same people that would have never bought anyway and will never be happy no matter how much respect you show them.

[jrisebo]

Originally Posted by jkupa10

So he went to one bad dealership and decides to not get the car he wants because of them? This guy sounds like an idiot, probably the real reason he bought a Ford.

For every bad dealership there's one that's as good as these above MSRP dealerships are bad. You just have to take the time to go and find it.

Why should the customer have to find a dealer that knows what to do? If they can be ordered, the dealer should have known this. Perhaps they didnt want the hassle??

[Norm Peterson]

Originally Posted by 2010SS2SS

Maybe the dealer was one that had sold their allocations or hadn't gotten any??

What exactly is the point of "allocations"?


Whatever it is, it doesn't sound very "customer-friendly" if it enters into discussions of availability before you get to where you're putting your order down on paper.


I've recently received letters from one of the local Chevy dealerships inviting me to trade my Mustang in on a new Chevy. At least one of those letters clearly noted that this will somehow help their 2013 allocations, and they're dangling a significant-sounding financial carrot to get me to get on board with it.

Relevant to this thread specifically, let's just say that with a year working there as a shuttle driver and parts chaser I saw a few things most people don't and heard a few things after I left that would discourage me from going there specifically.



Norm

[Caitlin&Caroline]

Why do we have to even interact with dealers still?

If you can search and/or build online, why can't you just order online with home delivery?

I mean that as a serious question. I can do this with everything from furniture to riding lawn mowers to sheds to TVs. I would even pay more to NOT interact with a salesman. Their jobs are obselete. They are a hindrance to the sales process.

[Angrybird 12]

Originally Posted by Norm Peterson

What exactly is the point of "allocations"?


Whatever it is, it doesn't sound very "customer-friendly" if it enters into discussions of availability before you get to where you're putting your order down on paper.


I've recently received letters from one of the local Chevy dealerships inviting me to trade my Mustang in on a new Chevy. At least one of those letters clearly noted that this will somehow help their 2013 allocations, and they're dangling a significant-sounding financial carrot to get me to get on board with it.

Relevant to this thread specifically, let's just say that with a year working there as a shuttle driver and parts chaser I saw a few things most people don't and heard a few things after I left that would discourage me from going there specifically.



Norm

On limited cars allocations allow dealers with more sales get more of the limited cars, such as the ZL1. The more cars they sell the more allocations they will get next time around. That keeps a dealer that only sells a few cars a month from ordering 20 ZL1s and because of limited production it may keep a dealer that sells 1000 cars a month from getting any.

[sykb47l]

Originally Posted by jkupa10

So he went to one bad dealership and decides to not get the car he wants because of them? This guy sounds like an idiot, probably the real reason he bought a Ford.

This happened to me as well. I actually put a deposit down on the ZL1 back in 2009 when the car was rumored to be the Z28(then the HP). I was assured that I'd be the first even after speaking with the manager. Got everything in writing and they cashed the check. Two years later....."If your not willing to pay a mark up....here's your refund."

Basically told me that what I had in writing was for a Z28 and not the ZL1 even though they knew at the time the name wasnt concrete. I ended up with a Ford Shelby GT500 instead. For some of us its not worth the aggravation and effort to have to go out and search for a car. Isn't that what a dealership is for? Then you spend more time and money trying to obtain a vehicle that you havent seen, driven, or know when you will even get. This is the same crap that I had to go through to preorder the SS; 12 different dealers to get my car. Back then I said NEVER again because the frustration, stress, lies, time and money just arent worth the trouble. If your going to spend all that time and money trying to get someone to sell you a car why not go ahead and pay the mark up?

Dont get me wrong I'd still love to own the ZL1 but at this point its just "meh".

Being treated like an idiot is far worse than being called one.

[motorhead]

Funny thing is, I had a ZL1 on order and it never came. I got pissed and ordered a 2013 GT500 from a Ford dealer that I had bought a previous GT500 from. Well it never came either. So it's not just GM. I'm now in a stalemate trying to decide what to do. Winter is coming now. So I'm not to worried about it. I have been kicking around the idea of getting an SRT8 Challenger. I know they are a little under powered compared to the ZL1 and GT500. But guess what? I can buy one and dodge dealers want to move them. I'm just not sure if I'll be happy in the end.

[Norm Peterson]

Originally Posted by Angrybird 12

That keeps a dealer that only sells a few cars a month from ordering 20 ZL1s and because of limited production it may keep a dealer that sells 1000 cars a month from getting any.

IOW, it's the manufacturer's protection against an individual store using supply and demand to screw the mfr's better customers (the high volume stores) over like they do with supply and demand (Additional Dealer Markup) and the buying public over the exact same cars.


Norm

[moserbe]

Originally Posted by Xedes

If you are about to drop some serious cash why should you need to beg and plead to do so?

Why not just go to a different dealer or he could just roll over and die.