What stealerships actually do!

[AuthorEditor]

Quote:
Like most businesses, sometimes it has a lot to do with the attitude of the customer when when they walk in the door.

So lies, obfuscation, and tricks are the customer's fault for having a bad attitude? I have done a lot of retail sales work, but never cars, and anyone on my staff would have been fired if they treated customers like typical car dealers do. I always knew more than the customer about my products, and so did our staff. We would answer any and all questions honestly, always provided the best price possible up front with no hidden gotchas, and if someone wasn't happy we made it right no matter what. Broke sales records nearly every year with that approach.

 

[kschachn]

I said sometimes.

And sometimes, it does.

Originally Posted By: AuthorEditor
Quote:
Like most businesses, sometimes it has a lot to do with the attitude of the customer when when they walk in the door.

So lies, obfuscation, and tricks are the customer's fault for having a bad attitude? I have done a lot of retail sales work, but never cars, and anyone on my staff would have been fired if they treated customers like typical car dealers do. I always knew more than the customer about my products, and so did our staff. We would answer any and all questions honestly, always provided the best price possible up front with no hidden gotchas, and if someone wasn't happy we made it right no matter what. Broke sales records nearly every year with that approach.

 

[javacontour]

When you set up an adversarial system where the advantage goes to the one with the most knowledge, you will have people who take advantage of that situation.

Sometimes it's the seller, sometimes it's the buyer who has the advantage.

But almost all the time, the advantage goes to the one with the most knowledge.

It's too easy these days to get some knowledge. While dealers sell cars every day and consumers may go years between purchases, the average consumer can still do a bit of cramming and absorb the information needed for his next purchase.

Consumers can also get pre-approved for financing, so they know what to expect in the finance office.

We recently saw stories where groups complained that the dealers were taking advantage of them.

Was listening to this a while back on the Diane Rehm show ( http://thedianerehmshow.org/shows/2015-01-28/concerns_about_the_rise_in_subprime_auto_loans )

They had an account where mom co-signed for the daughter's BMW loan or lease. Seriously? If she can't qualify on her own, she can't afford it. But many want to blame the dealership when the car gets repo'ed.

It should be painful to be lazy and stupid. Sorry, I just get tired of people claiming they didn't know, when the reality is, they didn't do their homework and don't want to take responsibility for their lack of initiative in the matter.

I'm not saying the dealerships who prey on the ignorant are morally right. I'm simply saying I have little sympathy for those who refuse to avail themselves of the information available, literally at your fingertips today.


Originally Posted By: kschachn
Like most businesses, sometimes it has a lot to do with the attitude of the customer when when they walk in the door.

Originally Posted By: AuthorEditor
For those of you defending dealers IMHO you have been very lucky. As I said, I have had so many bad experiences at various dealers that I have not set foot in a new car dealer in almost 10 years, and the last time was to purchase a used car. I suspect there are a lot of people like me that will not purchase using this rigged system, and they are losing sales because of it. I know that many younger people are comletely aghast at the whole new car buying process and I suspect we will see it gone in a generation. Someone used to researching and purchasing online and having it delivered to their door will not put up with the current nonsense when it comes to buying cars. Look at what Uber is doing to taxis.

 

[AuthorEditor]

Quote:
I'm not saying the dealerships who prey on the ignorant are morally right. I'm simply saying I have little sympathy for those who refuse to avail themselves of the information available, literally at your fingertips today.

So it's OK for the car dealer to ripoff people who don't have your knowledge and skills with regard to cars? I'm thinking of a 85-year old relative who gets a minimum of a $400 bill every time she takes her car in for an oil change, because they always tack on stuff she really doesn't need like new wipers for only $50, a complete coolant flush when it isn't due, new tires all around and expensive ones, etc. She knows nothing about cars and nothing about how to use the Internet. It is sad that some people take advantage of that.

 

[javacontour]

Apparently AuthorEditor doesn't mean imply reading comprehension.

Maybe I should add asking others if you are unable to do such research yourself.

It's really said when I clearly said, and you quoted, "I'm not saying the dealerships who prey on the ignorant are morally right."
And somehow you took that to mean exactly the opposite of what it says.

You are free to offer your expertise to your 85 year old family member. If you know she's getting ripped off and you sit by and let it happen....

Originally Posted By: AuthorEditor
Quote:
I'm not saying the dealerships who prey on the ignorant are morally right. I'm simply saying I have little sympathy for those who refuse to avail themselves of the information available, literally at your fingertips today.

So it's OK for the car dealer to ripoff people who don't have your knowledge and skills with regard to cars? I'm thinking of a 85-year old relative who gets a minimum of a $400 bill every time she takes her car in for an oil change, because they always tack on stuff she really doesn't need like new wipers for only $50, a complete coolant flush when it isn't due, new tires all around and expensive ones, etc. She knows nothing about cars and nothing about how to use the Internet. It is sad that some people take advantage of that.

 

[AuthorEditor]

Sorry you have to turn a thread into a personal attack. I won't go there. I am just pointing out "what stealerships actually do!"

 

[MCompact]

Originally Posted By: javacontour
Apparently AuthorEditor doesn't mean imply reading comprehension.

Maybe I should add asking others if you are unable to do such research yourself.

It's really said when I clearly said, and you quoted, "I'm not saying the dealerships who prey on the ignorant are morally right."
And somehow you took that to mean exactly the opposite of what it says.

You are free to offer your expertise to your 85 year old family member. If you know she's getting ripped off and you sit by and let it happen....

 

[JTK]

Originally Posted By: AuthorEditor
Quote:
I'm not saying the dealerships who prey on the ignorant are morally right. I'm simply saying I have little sympathy for those who refuse to avail themselves of the information available, literally at your fingertips today.

So it's OK for the car dealer to ripoff people who don't have your knowledge and skills with regard to cars? I'm thinking of a 85-year old relative who gets a minimum of a $400 bill every time she takes her car in for an oil change, because they always tack on stuff she really doesn't need like new wipers for only $50, a complete coolant flush when it isn't due, new tires all around and expensive ones, etc. She knows nothing about cars and nothing about how to use the Internet. It is sad that some people take advantage of that.


I hear you, but at the end of the day, your relative chooses to keep going back. That being the case, I see nothing wrong with the arrangement.

 

[GiveMeAVowel]

Originally Posted By: JTK
Originally Posted By: AuthorEditor
Quote:
I'm not saying the dealerships who prey on the ignorant are morally right. I'm simply saying I have little sympathy for those who refuse to avail themselves of the information available, literally at your fingertips today.

So it's OK for the car dealer to ripoff people who don't have your knowledge and skills with regard to cars? I'm thinking of a 85-year old relative who gets a minimum of a $400 bill every time she takes her car in for an oil change, because they always tack on stuff she really doesn't need like new wipers for only $50, a complete coolant flush when it isn't due, new tires all around and expensive ones, etc. She knows nothing about cars and nothing about how to use the Internet. It is sad that some people take advantage of that.


I hear you, but at the end of the day, your relative chooses to keep going back. That being the case, I see nothing wrong with the arrangement.


Wow, but no surprise because a lack of business ethics is exactly why stealerships get the reputation they have, but also the entire car service and repair business are seen by consumers as one of the sleaziest and most criminal industries around.

 

[OVERKILL]

My wife took the Expedition in to my Chrysler dealer today (she's just under 300,000Km now; 180,000 miles roughly) because the front end felt a bit "loose". Looks like she needs ball joints and a tie-rod end. I'm out of the country. They gave her a van to drive until I get back, no charge.

There are good dealers out there folks.

 

[MCompact]

Originally Posted By: OVERKILL
My wife took the Expedition in to my Chrysler dealer today (she's just under 300,000Km now; 180,000 miles roughly) because the front end felt a bit "loose". Looks like she needs ball joints and a tie-rod end. I'm out of the country. They gave her a van to drive until I get back, no charge.

There are good dealers out there folks.


Nah, they are all crooks- I read it on the interwebs...

 

[kschachn]

Originally Posted By: GiveMeAVowel
Wow, but no surprise because a lack of business ethics is exactly why stealerships get the reputation they have, but also the entire car service and repair business are seen by consumers as one of the sleaziest and most criminal industries around.


By some people, usually the same people that tend see that in many places.

 

[dishdude]

I guess you could buy from a curbstoner selling a vehicle with a washed title or a band-aid repair to keep the car going long enough to sell it.

 

[AuthorEditor]

Gallup, the polling people, found that only 8% of people rated the honesty and ethics of car dealers very high. The same level as Congress and only 1% better than lobbyists.

Honesty/ethics poll

 

[Uber_Archetype]

Sometimes I see a thread I'm interested in like this and like to take it all in for evaluation:

Originally Posted By: Cujet
I wanna purchase my next new car via Amazon. Oh wait, they would still be the "middleman". Scratch that. I want to order my next new car via the manufacturers website, with no middleman involved.

I believe this is the most cogent response to the Car dealer quandary. Unfortunately people feel comfortable in "that's the way we've always done it" mode, so it will take time for the transition. But it has begun.
Originally Posted By: rooflessVW
The dealer makes money in many other ways from the sale of new vehicles.

New car sales is one of the LEAST profitable car dealer business areas, precisely because of the pressure placed on the middlemen and thin margins available on the biggest cross-section of mid-tier models. You'd be the same way if you were a car salesman. One thing most are unaware of is the fact that the service bays actually bring in the lion's share of a dealer's revenue. Problem is, service is inextricably linked to new car sales. Sure you can take the Toyota to any Toyota dealer for service and repair, but don't expect to be treated the same anywhere you might go. Tying service directly to the manufacturer would eliminate this aspect of the conundrum.
Originally Posted By: VeeDubb
...the haggling system breeds long term mistrust and this thread is just a microcosm of that.

Exactly. Most people either do not or will not for whatever reason, spend the time and effort necessary to establish a trusting relationship. A few do, and those end up being generally well-satisfied customers in the long term. Some including myself, would question why this might be necessary at all in the context of purchasing a commodity item of well-established and easily predictable value. Personally, I never trust doctors, at least until I get to know them, and wouldn't touch any stock broker with a 10-foot pole. They all have profit-driven motives, and money-for-nothing is the easiest to be made.
Originally Posted By: AuthorEditor
So it's OK for the car dealer to ripoff people who don't have your knowledge and skills with regard to cars? I'm thinking of a 85-year old relative who gets a minimum of a $400 bill every time she takes her car in...

The difference between smart people and dumb people isn't that smart people don't make mistakes. They just don't keep making the same mistakes over and over again. It doesn't take a genius to realize they've been ripped off. It's not just the dealers either - car service and repair businesses of all kinds do this. If enough people wised up to it they would not be able to get away with it.
Originally Posted By: javacontour
It should be painful to be lazy and stupid.

No kidding. The world be a such a nice better place.

 

[cjcride]

Originally Posted By: AuthorEditor
Gallup, the polling people, found that only 8% of people rated the honesty and ethics of car dealers very high. The same level as Congress and only 1% better than lobbyists.

Honesty/ethics poll

Interesting, thanks for posting.

 

[GiveMeAVowel]

Originally Posted By: AuthorEditor
Gallup, the polling people, found that only 8% of people rated the honesty and ethics of car dealers very high. The same level as Congress and only 1% better than lobbyists.

Honesty/ethics poll



What a surprise!

 

[Spillips]

Originally Posted By: GiveMeAVowel
Originally Posted By: JTK
Originally Posted By: AuthorEditor
Quote:
I'm not saying the dealerships who prey on the ignorant are morally right. I'm simply saying I have little sympathy for those who refuse to avail themselves of the information available, literally at your fingertips today.

So it's OK for the car dealer to ripoff people who don't have your knowledge and skills with regard to cars? I'm thinking of a 85-year old relative who gets a minimum of a $400 bill every time she takes her car in for an oil change, because they always tack on stuff she really doesn't need like new wipers for only $50, a complete coolant flush when it isn't due, new tires all around and expensive ones, etc. She knows nothing about cars and nothing about how to use the Internet. It is sad that some people take advantage of that.


I hear you, but at the end of the day, your relative chooses to keep going back. That being the case, I see nothing wrong with the arrangement.


Wow, but no surprise because a lack of business ethics is exactly why stealerships get the reputation they have, but also the entire car service and repair business are seen by consumers as one of the sleaziest and most criminal industries around.


Some bad apples will ruin the bunch!

 

[PR1955]

Originally Posted By: AuthorEditor
Sorry you have to turn a thread into a personal attack. I won't go there. I am just pointing out "what stealerships actually do!"

You have leveled a "personal attack" against an entire category of business.
I am curious as to :
What doctors actually do
what general contractors actually do
what HVAC repairmen actually do
what pharmacists actually do
what do landscapers actually do
what do publishers actually do.....

 

[GiveMeAVowel]

Originally Posted By: Spillips


Some bad apples will ruin the bunch!


Unfortunately I have had almost exclusively bad experiences with all auto service and repair shops whether $tealer, indy, or chain, and none have been hole in the wall operations, and I'm very patient and not impossible to please at all when it comes to dealing with getting my car serviced.