Used Car Salesmen Deserve their Bad Reputation
Monday, February 27th, 2006 -- J. DoeThis morning I heard “The most dishonest professions are used car salesmen, used car salesmen and used car salesmen.’
“I don’t believe that old stereotype of the dishonest used car salesman’ I thought to myself.
This afternoon I went to several car lots and met several different salesmen, and now I changed my opinion. Perhaps who ever invented that sentence had a good point after all.
The first place we went to featured a guy who would probably be more comfortable in a Godfather mafia scene. I told him that I was interested in a USED car and he spoke about a NEW one.
My opinion is that if you work in a car lot with both new and used cars, you need to be able to differentiate between those two words. I told him what we wanted to spend and he immediately talked about cars that cost the double and then said “You’ll never find anything for the price you are looking for.”
This guy gave me the impression that he would attach 4 wheels to a fallen tree and then sell it to his mother as a luxury vehicle, for a luxury vehicle price of course. If I could rate a person on trustworthiness he would be in the negatives.
The second place we went to had a car for less than half of what we wanted to spend. When we saw it we understood why. The car was definitely on it’s last wheels, and I don’t just mean because it had 143,000 miles on it ! I really don’t want to spend a lot of money on a car, but nor do I want a Fred Flinstone type car with holes for your feet to run on the ground either.
In the third place we went to we saw 2 beautiful cars. The person we spoke to who worked at the car dealer was also nice.
‘I knew car salesmen weren’t all dishonest sleazebags.’ I thought triumphantly, but as it turns out he was not the salesman. He invited us to meet the salesman though.
When we went inside the building to meet him he wanted us to buy the car immediately and then offered to lower the price when we looked hesistant. We told him that we would like to go home and look at reviews of the particular car models we saw, but he kept on insisting that we test drive the cars and buy one (or both) that same night. He told us not even to bother looking at other people’s opinions.
“Just test drive it.’ He said again and again. He even mentioned the generous 30 day warranty on the car which is only on a very few rarely-breaking parts like it was a super deal that only he could offer.
His pushiness to make a sale definitely turned us off so we left the lot empty handed.
Why are used car salesmen so pushy ? It makes them live up to their bad reputation..
I hate these guys. New car salesman can also be sleaze bags, the 13 years I was in Seattle I owned three cars. One was purchased new at the dealership and I hate to admit that these guys swindled me and I paid much more that the car was worth. Well the car lasted 7.5 years and then died. I then bought an old car from someone I knew, the car was fine for 2 years, I paid like 2000K for it and I was happy with it. In the end when it died, it needed a new transmission. I donated it eventually.
Now I wanted to get another new car but did not want to deal with the salesmen and a friend told me about a car broker. You tell them the car you want and what you want to pay and they find it for you. I wanted a 2004 Honda Accord 4 door and that is what I got a bit below the sticker price. I was picked up at my home and brought to the car brokers, where the car was waiting for me. I have never received such good service in my life. In fact I am still in touch with the woman who sold me the car, she is a gem. If I ever go back to the US, I am running not walking back to them.
I think the best way to see the customer walk out the door is to be pushy! IF you sit back, acknowledge you are here to ask questions and then lie low, it’s the best policy. Maybe going up once to volunteer questions or help would be nice but not pushy. I’m wondering if this happens in Italy or Switzerland ever?
30 DAY WARRANTY!! how could you refuse?
Gia,
We ended up contacting a car broker. We told him what we want, and he goes to auctions and stuff to get similar cars. We haven’t seen anything yet from him though.
Expat Traveler,
I don’t like pushy salesman at all. What a turn off. I don’t know about Italy or any other countries though.
Tracie b.,
Yup. Only 30 days, of course that was only for certain parts that rarely break too.
J. Doe,
I think the best car and best bargain is achieved by buying from a private owner. First check Edmunds (used car buyer’s guide) for the wholsale and retail prices. Then go shopping!
Make your offer (near wholsale) subject to an inspection (costs about $120) and you will have a great car for a great price.
I have been in the car business for 20 years. May I say that
I am very proud of my chosen profession. I have been reading comments like these all day on different web sites.
Allow me to share some of my thoughts. Most of these sites talk about best price, best price , cheapest price, cheapest price ect. ect..
Who among you allowed the contractor with the cheapest price to build your new home? Who selects their doctor because they post the cheapest price in town? Or better yet
who among you does all of their shopping at Wal-Mart and then wonder why and cry about all the local family businesses that are going under?
I do not “swindle”, “cheat”, “lie”, “decieve”, or in any other way try to “get one over” on the people who do business with me.
So that I don’t get on my soap box, let me also say that
I tell everyone who approaches me with ” I’m just looking for the cheapest price”, that I am probably not their guy.
However, if they are looking for someone with a “fair” price who is truly interested in their business for life, then they have come to the right place.
It amazes me that the people that purchase their new or used vehicle from the dealer just because he was the biggest prostitute on the price of his product, that they should be treated with “WORLD CLASS SERVICE” whenever they have a problem or need dealer assistance.
I fully acknowledge that price is important. However if that is the only thing on your mind when you shop, then you deserve what you get when you find “the cheapest price”.
Now don’t get me wrong, I think everything should be less expensive, as a matter of fact, when you get to work tomorrow, get all of the employees together and tell management that all of you would like to take a pay-cut so that the product or service your company provides could be offered “cheaper” to the end consumer.
Lastly, the next time you send your children or committee members out for “donations”, please skip the dealerships and go visit your local doctors, lawyers, dentists, electricians,and plumbers. Their rates are certainly in line now aren’t they.
Let me close with a saying in the car business that none of these sites tell you.
“Do know how to tell if a customer is lying to you? Just check to see if their lips are moving.”
Have a great day