esj (05/10/83)
In the past few years, I've dealt with several dealers in the Naperville/Downers Grove area. (I should say talked to not "dealt with".) Negative experiences far outnumber the positive, viz: Village Pontiac - Pushy salesman who offered $100 off sticker and called it the "best deal you'll get". Gerrald Olds - Asked to test drive an Alliance & got "Could you come back tomorrow? I don't want to leave the floor with so many customers." Downer's Grove Dodge - Stopped by to look at a Challenger. The manager (?) was locked in an argument about lousy service with a customer. After listening to the guys complaints, I decided the hell with DG Dodge. Also the guy in the next office just got charged for a nonexistent console in his car. It took four weeks and a call to Region to get the problem fixed. Ogden Chrysler - Rudest salesman I ever met. They don't care if they make a sale. Fair Oaks Ford - Reasonable deals and good service. Solution: Next car I get will be a Ford or else I'll use United Buying Service - $150 over sticker and they send you to the Fleet Manager only. No jive, just write it up.
esj (05/10/83)
Oops! That should read $150 over INVOICE, not sticker. Sorry.
grw (05/10/83)
Relay-Version:version B 3/9/83; site harpo.UUCP
Message-ID:<956@fortune.UUCP>
Date:Tue, 10-May-83 15:52:05 EDT
Fortunately, I had decided on a VW rabbit LONG before I set
my foot in the dealership, but the people at my VW dealer
(Lewis VW, Santa Cruz) were courteous, helpful, not pushy,
and insisted on my taking a test drive even though it would
be a month before I could afford the down payment.
Sure, there was the ususal "here is why this car is better
than anything ever created since time began" stuff, but they
didn't actually lie about anything.
I also found that Honda & Volkswagen dealers both had
a lot of respect for eachothers cars and honestly compared
advantages & disadvantages of each -- Hondas are cheaper,
VWs are better road machines, etc. and both seemed to agree
that nothing else in the various classes of cars measured up
to either VW or Honda.
Since buying the car, the salespeople have continued to be helpful.
Every time any of them sees me, he stops & asks how the car is
doing, etc.
The service people, on the other hand..........
-Glennmarc (05/11/83)
I recently purchased an 83 Chevy Blazer and found both good & bad salespeople. However I found whenever I went into the dealership with a suit on, I got better treatment than when I wore my usual hacker garb. I also found that they are all vegetables when it comes to computers: I first started off at a dealer that I had no intention of buying the truck from and got the list prices from him. Went to my trusty emacs and edited a file with the names of the options, order codes, list prices, and columns for dealer price and dealer invoice [which I calculated according to: dealer invoice = dealer price + 3% (a holdback on their acct, returned if they pay their bills on time); list price = dealer invoice + 15% (for most options, around 7-10% for base vehicle)]. I then took this 'computer printout' to another dealer and said I would buy this truck for $400 over invoice, he said sure, and gave me a price, I pulled out my printout, he picked his teeth off the floor, and I said I disagreed. So we went through the entire list and I got exact invoice prices, but he was charging $1400 over invoice. I left. Went back to emacs and updated my listing. Donned a suit again went to my preferred dealer, said '$400 over' to which she agreed and before pricing it out, I pulled out the listing. She was quite upset and wanted to know how I got an official "printout", I said I had a computer that is connected to Detroit (it was bs, but she believed it!). She compared the listing with her book and with a long gulp (and the obligatory talk with her manager) gave me a price of $425 over. I agreed, 8 weeks later I got my truck. Auto salespeople are not known for their intelligence, but if you command respect (no joking, just business) and act as if you are going to buy [and can afford to], then they will treat you much better. Cheers, [decvax!genrad!]marc smith
smb (05/12/83)
Relay-Version:version B 2.10 gamma 4/3/83; site mhuxt.UUCP Posting-Version:version B 3/9/83; site mhb5b.UUCP Message-ID:<334@mhb5b.UUCP> Date:Wed, 11-May-83 20:48:46 EDT Organization:Bell Labs, Murray Hill Consumer Reports will send you their full printout of all options, costs, etc.; see the April Auto Issue for details. Now, if I could only dial in to their computer and get what I wanted interactively.... --Steve