I hate used car salesmen.

I'm always a bit weary of "0%" financing, as it usually just means they baked the financing cost into the price of the vehicle. So you're still paying the interest, they just got it up front and rolled it into the principle.
 
I love salesmen that “turf” me out to others. I know what I’m buying and how much I’m gonna pay before I step foot on the lot. I walk on and do my best tire kicker impression then walk away. Then, I wait to see who calls.

I did b2b sales for awhile. My boss subscribed to the “always be closing” philosophy. He didn’t care about customer service beyond the dog and pony show to close the deal. It showed. I took over a territory where I literally got tossed out on any cold call to a past customer. It took be 6 months to start turning that around. It took one deal for my “regional manager” to convince me that I absolutely hate sales. I’m convinced that making customers happy and making a decent profit are not mutually exclusive. But, I’ve ran into too many salesmen that seem to think otherwise. I hate the whole “shark tank” mentality.
 
And then there is the no haggle price that some folks seem to think is the absolute best price for a vehicle. :lol::lol:
 
When I bought my wife's car, I knew exactly what I wanted. Several dealerships in town had close, but not it exactly. I had made a good deal with one on the close-but-not-quite car, but it actually had a few options I didn't need. So I made one last-ditch attempt and called all the local dealers and told them, this is what I want, and this is what I will pay. One salesman put me on hold, came back and said he had one just like that, and he thought we could deal. I ran right out to the dealership, pulled up, and he gave me the, "I'm with another customer, but here are the keys to that green one, take it for a test drive, and I'll get them to pull around the one you want." Of course when I got back to the dealership, it was, "Oh darn, we don't actually have the one you want, but what do you think about the green one?" I let him have it right there on the sales floor. And then I demanded to talk to the sales manager. I told the manager that I'd walked another deal and driven across town because his salesman had lied about their stock. He looked me straight in the face and said something like, "Well he got you here and that's his job."

I **** you not, after yelling at this guy in the middle of the dealership, he still followed me all the way to my car with the "oh, don't leave, we just started talking, don't you want the car?" horse****. I see that the dealership has changed names and still has an 'F' rating with the BBB.
 
I can't stand it either.

Generally I buy vehicles used from individuals instead of dealerships.

Back in 2014, I did buy a truck from a used car lot that was a good experience.

They were amazed that I paid cash for it.
 
Lindberg said:
When I bought my wife's car, I knew exactly what I wanted. Several dealerships in town had close, but not it exactly. I had made a good deal with one on the close-but-not-quite car, but it actually had a few options I didn't need. So I made one last-ditch attempt and called all the local dealers and told them, this is what I want, and this is what I will pay. One salesman put me on hold, came back and said he had one just like that, and he thought we could deal. I ran right out to the dealership, pulled up, and he gave me the, "I'm with another customer, but here are the keys to that green one, take it for a test drive, and I'll get them to pull around the one you want." Of course when I got back to the dealership, it was, "Oh darn, we don't actually have the one you want, but what do you think about the green one?" I let him have it right there on the sales floor. And then I demanded to talk to the sales manager. I told the manager that I'd walked another deal and driven across town because his salesman had lied about their stock. He looked me straight in the face and said something like, "Well he got you here and that's his job."

I **** you not, after yelling at this guy in the middle of the dealership, he still followed me all the way to my car with the "oh, don't leave, we just started talking, don't you want the car?" horse****. I see that the dealership has changed names and still has an 'F' rating with the BBB.
Click to expand...

I had a sales manager come out of his office and yell "F*** You" because I wasn't willing to pay sticker price. They shuffled the numbers several times to make the payments look better, but never came off the sticker price. Bye...
 
Rgbeard said:
...They were amazed that I paid cash for it.
Click to expand...

These days even the person at the till of the local coffee emporium continues to be amazed I pay cash for my morning java hit. Seems waving your phone over the counter is the expected method. :p

(and I mean cash...as in using up my pocket change).
 
GRG55 said:
These days even the person at the till of the local coffee emporium continues to be amazed I pay cash for my morning java hit. Seems waving your phone over the counter is the expected method. :p

(and I mean cash...as in using up my pocket change).
Click to expand...

not to drift too much - but you might find this funny.

Yesterday:

I'm dressed in a t-shirt, shorts, and tennis shoes. This is Phx after all.
I walk in to buy ice at the local store.
I like to spend my coins from the jar there, and they appreciate the change.
A man is behind me, and I'm counting my coins to get to $2.29. I tell him, "go ahead, please."
He buys his bottle of soda, and leaves. I get to the counter and start counting out my coins for the $2.29.
He steps back, and says: "Here. Maybe this'll help." and lays down a dollar. "Have a blessed day."

I was dumbstruck, as was the clerk. I gave thanks, he walks out. The clerk and I look at each other, and he says: "How about a $1 lottery ticket?".

It didn't win. But we were all amused and somehow warmed inside.
 
Rgbeard said:
not to drift too much - but you might find this funny.

Yesterday:

I'm dressed in a t-shirt, shorts, and tennis shoes. This is Phx after all.
I walk in to buy ice at the local store.
I like to spend my coins from the jar there, and they appreciate the change.
A man is behind me, and I'm counting my coins to get to $2.29. I tell him, "go ahead, please."
He buys his bottle of soda, and leaves. I get to the counter and start counting out my coins for the $2.29.
He steps back, and says: "Here. Maybe this'll help." and lays down a dollar. "Have a blessed day."

I was dumbstruck, as was the clerk. I gave thanks, he walks out. The clerk and I look at each other, and he says: "How about a $1 lottery ticket?".

It didn't win. But we were all amused and somehow warmed inside.
Click to expand...

Great story.
And the fact we airplane owners look impoverished and in need of charity isn't an act. ;)
 
Y’all ever seen the Badger car salesman YT series....bunch of ‘em, here’s a starter:
 
GRG55 said:
Neither used nor new car dealers get excited about cash buyers. They make a good margin issuing credit for car loans. Why do you think the manufacturers got into the game with entities like GM Financial (formerly GMAC)? The largest private dealers have their own credit finance entities, and every one of them has referral fee arrangements with regional credit lenders. These are often more lucrative than the actual net profit on the sale of a new vehicle.

If you want to buy for cash you actually have the least leverage to move the price. The best tactic, if there is no trade in, is to give them the room to negotiate a better purchase price with you by taking the credit...and then pay it all off in the first month.



The margins on mass produced new vehicles are very thin. Much thinner than used vehicles. And what you just described is the reason why. You can get the EXACT same vehicle at any dealership representing the same manufacturer. There is no significant way one dealership can differentiate themselves from another, so it's basically commodity-like price competition for new vehicles. The manufacturers try to create some differentiation by producing "limited editions", but that's about all they can do as mass producers.
Click to expand...

The best way to get a good deal is to increase your search radius to include areas in surrounding states. Each region gets different rebates and incentives. While the dealers can’t adjust their price that much the available rebates and incentives can be huge. I saved 7k by driving 5 hours away.
 
airdale said:
With respect, @WeekendWarrior, I have never worked at or owned a car dealership, but I had a company that bought & sold big ticket used capital equipment. So I often ended up talking to potential buyers and I always had salespeople to coach.

If you approached me on the phone as you describe, I would have blown you off too. A rigid, demanding, and adversarial personality is at best not a very good customer before or after the sale and at worst is a huge time-waster with no sale at the end.

From your point of view your approach is also not a very good one. You might be leaving money on the table with that kind of offer. If the offer is accepted you will never know.

I actually enjoy negotiation but I approach it as a game like chess, not as a battle like rugby.
Click to expand...
I was polite and friendly, but told him what I’d pay. I don’t care for “playing the game”. If you or the salesman don’t do “rigid”, oh well, others do.
 
Why just do Carmax or similar, no haggling. Probably internet sites too, but I would not buy used that way.


Tom
 
I always buy new (since adulthood), keep them until they are junk. Always be willing to walk away, and stay in the drivers seat during negotiations. Be patient - you'll get what you want. Let them invest a good amount of time in YOU!

I haven't owned many cars. My current car is 16 years old, and is running great!
 
James331 said:
For one, buy a new car is crazy
Click to expand...

One of the few times I have to disagree with you. I’m a VERY conservative driver. I look around at others who slam on the gas when the light turns green, keep their foot on the gas until it moves to the brakes, etc. And in most cases there’s really not that much difference in price between a new vehicle and one that’s a few years old. I’d rather have one that I’m the only one who has driven it.
 
Eric Brunelle said:
I always buy new (since adulthood), keep them until they are junk. Always be willing to walk away, and stay in the drivers seat during negotiations. Be patient - you'll get what you want. Let them invest a good amount of time in YOU!

I haven't owned many cars. My current car is 16 years old, and is running great!
Click to expand...

Gerhardt said:
One of the few times I have to disagree with you. I’m a VERY conservative driver. I look around at others who slam on the gas when the light turns green, keep their foot on the gas until it moves to the brakes, etc. And in most cases there’s really not that much difference in price between a new vehicle and one that’s a few years old. I’d rather have one that I’m the only one who has driven it.
Click to expand...

I'm in the buy it new, get exactly what I want, and keep it a long time crowd. I kept my last vehicle 17 years, I'm now two years into the new one, and will ride it as far as it takes me. I still love it because I ordered it with exactly the colors and equipment I wanted, and I do all the MX myself on my vehicles to keep crap mechanics from touching them.
 
My first truck was purchased in the middle of a recession. First car I ever bought, first time dealing with a dealership. I struck a pretty hard line and stuck to it, took half a day. Sales guy had to talk to his manager, who had to talk to his manager, who had talk to God, heck I don't know. I figured it was a sales tactic, but in the end I got the truck for what I wanted to pay. I was pretty certain I got a good deal (that was the only car that dealership sold that day) but I had to use that truck as collateral for a loan a couple years later. It was worth more in collateral than I paid for it two years earlier.

I don't mind sale folks so much. They're doing a job the best way they know how. They all have people to support just like we do.
 
Gerhardt said:
One of the few times I have to disagree with you. I’m a VERY conservative driver. I look around at others who slam on the gas when the light turns green, keep their foot on the gas until it moves to the brakes, etc. And in most cases there’s really not that much difference in price between a new vehicle and one that’s a few years old. I’d rather have one that I’m the only one who has driven it.
Click to expand...
I guess that depends somewhat on what you're buying. We bought my wife's car less than a year old with a little over 9K miles on it, in like-new condition and saved about $15K off the cost of new. I'd call that significant.
 
midwestpa24 said:
I had a sales manager come out of his office and yell "F*** You" because I wasn't willing to pay sticker price. They shuffled the numbers several times to make the payments look better, but never came off the sticker price. Bye...
Click to expand...
There are certain cars where "sticker price" is a really, really good deal. I would have bought a Ford GT350R for sticker price when they came out.
 
Gerhardt said:
And in most cases there’s really not that much difference in price between a new vehicle and one that’s a few years old. I’d rather have one that I’m the only one who has driven it.
Click to expand...

My 2005 GMC Duramax, which I bought new, had a trade in value worth more than I paid for it for the first 3 years after I bought it. The Duramax was flying out of the dealerships back then, and I was lucky to find the one I bought.

Another reason to be very careful when buying used. Some of the under 30 crowd (maybe even under 40) does not know what maintenance is. Ask someone when the last time the oil was changed. I have seen more than a few 2 and 3 year old cars that has never had the oil changed.

Last Sunday I saw a '16 or '17 Mustang in the parking lot of the restaurant. All 4 tires had no more tread on them than my finger print. The interior was full of trash and cigarette butts, but the exterior had a fresh wash and wax and was hardly whisky dented at all.

I have bought used, but usually from someone I know so I know the maintenance history.
 
We heard lots of tv ads about the new VW models and what good deals one dealer had, bout 10 years ago so we stopped in. Finally got a salesman to put down his coffee and come out. He looked kind of shabby. We asked to test drive, and he couldn't find the keys to unlock it. Then he couldn't get the window to roll down and knew little about the car. We brought the car back and then he started his talkathon, especially to my girlfriend. We left and she hit the nail right on the head, "I hate it when someone tries to manipulate me. particularly when he's not very good at it." She now drives a 3 year old Mercedes, bought at a $22,000 discount from new and still in warranty, 40,000 miles.
 
Her Brother is a lawyer, but actually spends more time as a used car dealer, very specific niche. He's in Texas, so all the cars he buys have to have is working a c, he advertises "Cool air." They are low end price, under $5000, he spends one day cleaning and detilaing and asks bout $1500 or $2000 over cost, cash only and firm price only. They all run and are often nice enough looking but high milage, 150,000. He sells a lot to military guys who have no money and may only be in the area a year of less. It adds up to a nice yearly bonus.
 
My last new car buying experience was surprisingly pleasant, given that normally I equate the process to getting a root canal. I knew what I wanted, went online and found the place that was selling what I wanted at a loss leader price, printed out the ad, Ubered to the dealership, and drove home in a new car 2K below the prevailing price.
 
Zeldman said:
My 2005 GMC Duramax, which I bought new, had a trade in value worth more than I paid for it for the first 3 years after I bought it. The Duramax was flying out of the dealerships back then, and I was lucky to find the one I bought.

Another reason to be very careful when buying used. Some of the under 30 crowd (maybe even under 40) does not know what maintenance is. Ask someone when the last time the oil was changed. I have seen more than a few 2 and 3 year old cars that has never had the oil changed.

Last Sunday I saw a '16 or '17 Mustang in the parking lot of the restaurant. All 4 tires had no more tread on them than my finger print. The interior was full of trash and cigarette butts, but the exterior had a fresh wash and wax and was hardly whisky dented at all.

I have bought used, but usually from someone I know so I know the maintenance history.
Click to expand...

Eh, the under-30 crowd probably buys newer vehicles that have nanny-systems to tell them when the oil change is due, tires are low on pressure, and blinker fluid is low, lol. Plenty of people of all ages skimp on maintenance or just drive it till something fails, not really a unique trait of under-30-yr-olds. Same goes for trashing out the interiors of perfectly nice cars.
 
SoonerAviator said:
Same goes for trashing out the interiors of perfectly nice cars.
Click to expand...

I have a 5 year old son, the reason for why the interior of 2017 truck looks like a crime scene most of the time. But, I'm darn good at cleaning cars, I just usually don't have the time. About once a year I pull the seats out, everything reasonably removable get taken out and I can have the truck looking brand new in a few hours.
 
wsuffa said:
Last truck I bought was the best experience of any. Dealer was experimenting with Internet sales, I indicated interest in a truck on the lot, cash purchase, 'friends and family' discount code. We set up all the details by phone, I was only in the dealership for about 30 minutes to sign papers and pick up the truck. I'd do that again anytime.
Click to expand...

That was basically how my Ram purchase went. Was great.

Rgbeard said:
not to drift too much - but you might find this funny.

Yesterday:

I'm dressed in a t-shirt, shorts, and tennis shoes. This is Phx after all.
I walk in to buy ice at the local store.
I like to spend my coins from the jar there, and they appreciate the change.
A man is behind me, and I'm counting my coins to get to $2.29. I tell him, "go ahead, please."
He buys his bottle of soda, and leaves. I get to the counter and start counting out my coins for the $2.29.
He steps back, and says: "Here. Maybe this'll help." and lays down a dollar. "Have a blessed day."

I was dumbstruck, as was the clerk. I gave thanks, he walks out. The clerk and I look at each other, and he says: "How about a $1 lottery ticket?".

It didn't win. But we were all amused and somehow warmed inside.
Click to expand...

My mom is someone who still uses cash. A couple months ago I picked her up at the airport here (she flew commercial) and so she bought us Starbucks. The people at the counter were very confused with her paying cash. It was something like $4.25 let's say, so she gave $5.25 (a $5 bill and a quarter). They gave her back the quarter and then 3 more quarters. Didn't understand she was trying to give an extra quarter to get a dollar bill. Sigh...
 
Ted DuPuis said:
The people at the counter were very confused with her paying cash. It was something like $4.25 let's say, so she gave $5.25 (a $5 bill and a quarter). They gave her back the quarter and then 3 more quarters. Didn't understand she was trying to give an extra quarter to get a dollar bill. Sigh...
Click to expand...


Sad part is the cash register will do that for the cashier, if they know how to operate the register.
 
Fiveslide said:
I have a 5 year old son, the reason for why the interior of 2017 truck looks like a crime scene most of the time. But, I'm darn good at cleaning cars, I just usually don't have the time. About once a year I pull the seats out, everything reasonably removable get taken out and I can have the truck looking brand new in a few hours.
Click to expand...

My wife's truck looks like a tornado hit it, lol. The 3 yr old and her morning cup of cherrios/honeycomb/etc. seems to end up everywhere. My wife also manages to never throw away receipts/kid's drawings/etc. so they end up in the center console or floorboards. When I drive it every month or two, I usually stop at the fuel station to leave her on a full tank, and do my best to discard armfulls of junk into the trashcan. It hasn't had a full detailing in several years. My truck is recently waxed, and while the interior needs to detailed, it's still clean and shows few signs of wear for an 11yr old truck (not including paint chips, truck bed, and hitch ball). I bought my truck new and have kept it in great condition, the wife's truck was given to her by her father when it was used as a commercial vehicle (refuse service) for 80K miles. Tougher to want to clean a truck that was filthy and abused when we got it, but we also don't look a gift horse in the mouth.
 
Couple of stories - true!
1. My son (goes by DL) first day on the sales floor at a Ford dealer. An old fella pulls up in a rotted out pickup, comes in and he smells like pig manure (he actually was a pig farmer and had just sold a load of hogs at the auction) In front of the manager the salesman tells DL, "You talk to him and take him outside" and walks away. DL does. Over the next 40 minutes they become buddies and DL sells him a new pickup for cash money (he did run in and ask the manager what the bottom price was). DL takes the papers and the wad of bills back to the managers office (salesman still schmoozing with some babe in the back room) and the manager completes the papers, takes the wad of cash, and tells the farmer his new truck will be ready in two hours (they gotta go get the plates)
Manager tells DL he gets $300 in commission, just as the salesman comes rushing in (he'd been alerted). Salesman has a sheet fit and says it is HIS sale. Manager asks DL, "Do you work here? (yup) Manager looks at the salesman and says, "From now on you follow DL around and you keep your mouth shut."

2. 18 months ago I bought the Mrs. a new Outback. Price was nailed down all the T's dotted and the I's crossed. When the salesman asks, how much are you putting down I say "All of it." He gives me a funny look and says, "You won't believe this but if you take out a 5 year, zero down, zero interest loan I can give you another $1500 off."
Needless to say my BS meter went off the scale and bent the needle. But I went over that contract with a microscope (took a good 20 minutes to convince myself). I took the deal. So far so good.
Now, there is a catch that says if I default than there is a retroactive 24% interest charge on the face value of the loan. Maybe that is where they are making it - certainly not getting it from me. Wife is bending my ear that I should pay it off so if anything happens we don't get drilled. I suspect she has a point and I told her that when the quarterly dividends hit the bank in December to write the check.
Other than that I have no idea how they can make a profit on a zero zero loan.
 
Dr. O said:
Couple of stories - true!
1. My son (goes by DL) first day on the sales floor at a Ford dealer. An old fella pulls up in a rotted out pickup, comes in and he smells like pig manure (he actually was a pig farmer and had just sold a load of hogs at the auction) In front of the manager the salesman tells DL, "You talk to him and take him outside" and walks away. DL does. Over the next 40 minutes they become buddies and DL sells him a new pickup for cash money (he did run in and ask the manager what the bottom price was). DL takes the papers and the wad of bills back to the managers office (salesman still schmoozing with some babe in the back room) and the manager completes the papers, takes the wad of cash, and tells the farmer his new truck will be ready in two hours (they gotta go get the plates)
Manager tells DL he gets $300 in commission, just as the salesman comes rushing in (he'd been alerted). Salesman has a sheet fit and says it is HIS sale. Manager asks DL, "Do you work here? (yup) Manager looks at the salesman and says, "From now on you follow DL around and you keep your mouth shut."

2. 18 months ago I bought the Mrs. a new Outback. Price was nailed down all the T's dotted and the I's crossed. When the salesman asks, how much are you putting down I say "All of it." He gives me a funny look and says, "You won't believe this but if you take out a 5 year, zero down, zero interest loan I can give you another $1500 off."
Needless to say my BS meter went off the scale and bent the needle. But I went over that contract with a microscope (took a good 20 minutes to convince myself). I took the deal. So far so good.
Now, there is a catch that says if I default than there is a retroactive 24% interest charge on the face value of the loan. Maybe that is where they are making it - certainly not getting it from me. Wife is bending my ear that I should pay it off so if anything happens we don't get drilled. I suspect she has a point and I told her that when the quarterly dividends hit the bank in December to write the check.
Other than that I have no idea how they can make a profit on a zero zero loan.
Click to expand...

It was cheaper for my girlfriend to buy her car this summer by financing it, than paying cash. She had a $11,500 trade in car, and put the rest on 36 months 0% interest payments, an extra $2500 discount for doing it that way. Yes she was charged a $105 financing fee, but still a better deal.
 
So with all this talk of buying trucks, I started actually searching, and found another truck that was the same make/model/year as the first, but with only 700 more miles. It was at a dealership that was 200 miles away, but near an airport, so last night I flew over and looked at it (again after-hours). Today I used the same "tactic" of calling, saying I'd take it at their asking price, but for that much out-the-door. This time I got a salesperson that didn't demand a test drive, lol. They took my number, called back and said they couldn't do it, to which I responded, "Ok, thanks anyway." Just before hanging up I got the "let me talk to the GM", and voila, I'm buying a truck at my price. And even though this one is the same make/model/year (but with 700 more miles) I'm getting this one $750 cheaper than the last would have been, and the carfax looks better on this one. And the real kicker: they will deliver it the 200 miles to me! BTW, the first truck is still sitting on the lot. :D

Guess I don't hate all car salesmen (actually, this time it was a woman, so "salespeople").
 
Last edited:
Weekend Warrior said:
So with all this talk of buying trucks, I started actually searching, and found another truck that was the same make/model/year as the first, but with only 700 more miles. It was at a dealership that was 200 miles away, but near an airport, so last night I flew over and looked at it (again after-hours). Today I used the same "tactic" of calling, saying I'd take it at their asking price, but for that much out-the-door. This time I got a salesperson that didn't demand a test drive, lol. They took my number, called back and said they couldn't do it, to which I responded, "Ok, thanks anyway." Just before hanging up I got the "let me talk to the GM", and voila, I'm buying a truck at my price. And even though this one is the same make/model/year (but with 700 more miles) I'm getting this one $750 cheaper than the last would have been, and the carfax looks better on this one. And the real kicker: they will deliver it the 200 miles to me! BTW, the first truck is still sitting on the lot. :D

Guess I don't hate all car salesmen (actually, this time it was a woman, so "salespeople").
Click to expand...

When I bought my first Ram the salesman wasn't at all unwilling to deal with a sight unseen, over the phone deal from out of state. Made my offer they did it and a week later I picked the thing up.

I'm a member of a Jaguar XK8/R Facebook group. One person just posted his 2003 XK8 convertible (with over 100k miles) for $18,500, literally more than double what I paid for the 2001 XKR with 59k on it last month. He cited "But it's been restored!" Still a 100k+ mile car and engine. It's like the car dealers that just sit around waiting for someone to come along who thinks the higher price is worth paying.
 
What came to mind reading this thread -

“Jack, do you want to sell a car? I mean, I just came down here to look at the car and test drive and and that’s done. Now, if you want to sell a car, I’ll buy a car from you and I’ll pay you exactly the price that’s on it.”

tell him again what your offer is and make sure he knows it’s the bottom line. Tell him if it’s one penny above that, you’re walking away. If he doesn’t come in exactly on price, get up and walk out of the office.
 
bflynn said:
What came to mind reading this thread -

“Jack, do you want to sell a car? I mean, I just came down here to look at the car and test drive and and that’s done. Now, if you want to sell a car, I’ll buy a car from you and I’ll pay you exactly the price that’s on it.”

tell him again what your offer is and make sure he knows it’s the bottom line. Tell him if it’s one penny above that, you’re walking away. If he doesn’t come in exactly on price, get up and walk out of the office.
Click to expand...
“Ok...I test drove it...it’s now worth $100 under sticker price out the door. Good thing you required the test drive.”
 
Weekend Warrior said:
Hate is a strong word. How about I just say I strongly-dislike used car salesmen.

I saw a truck, over the weekend, sitting on a used car lot. I looked at it, and it looked nice. The truck is a newish regular cab. Its been on their lot awhile, I assume because the regular cabs are hard to sell. But, I like regular cabs, and their price wasn't bad either.
So I called on it this morning, and told the salesman that I would come in and would pay cash, as long as he sold it to me, out the door, AT his asking price. In other words, if he reduced the price enough to cover sales tax and a title fee (I did the math, and he would have to reduce the price by 6.15%), I would be there tonight and buy it. And the salesman's response:

"Did you test drive it? I'm not selling you a truck that you haven't test driven!"

F off! I hung up the phone. The truck is 18 months old, with 15,000 miles. What point is a test drive other than to get me in the door for the hard sell?
Click to expand...

It is only a hard sell if you let it happen... and some will even let you test drive it with out a sales person..

Since you posted this, is the truck still sitting on the lot? If so you may want to go in blind, take the test drive, and them deal with them... when it comes to car dealerships... my motto, 'however has the cash controls the conversation..."
 
I think the biggest thing to remember is that you can always walk away. I've bought several vehicles for the price I wanted to pay because I was ready to walk. That's the one thing they don't want is for you to leave.
 
Weekend Warrior said:
So with all this talk of buying trucks, I started actually searching, and found another truck that was the same make/model/year as the first, but with only 700 more miles. It was at a dealership that was 200 miles away, but near an airport, so last night I flew over and looked at it (again after-hours). Today I used the same "tactic" of calling, saying I'd take it at their asking price, but for that much out-the-door. This time I got a salesperson that didn't demand a test drive, lol. They took my number, called back and said they couldn't do it, to which I responded, "Ok, thanks anyway." Just before hanging up I got the "let me talk to the GM", and voila, I'm buying a truck at my price. And even though this one is the same make/model/year (but with 700 more miles) I'm getting this one $750 cheaper than the last would have been, and the carfax looks better on this one. And the real kicker: they will deliver it the 200 miles to me! BTW, the first truck is still sitting on the lot. :D

Guess I don't hate all car salesmen (actually, this time it was a woman, so "salespeople").
Click to expand...

Congratulations, I would now drive that baby to the other dealer and let him know how you like your truck.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top