Car Gurus

[nigeldalley 1]

Anyone else get very similar car gurus leads and never get a reply from supposed customer?

I'm currently on the free dealer package so you get an anonymous email to reply to not the actual customer details. 

4th in 2 weeks this morning that says "I'm interested in your" then whatever car it may be. But this is all it says and all 4 are the same wording....thought it may be a tick box comment when the customer clicks the message button, but having checked when you click message dealer its a blank comment box so seems strange to have 4 of the identically worded enquiries.

I have had one other this week which was "I'm interested in the best price on your _____" but again very  similar wording.

 

On the lead email it seems slightly suspicious that boldly displayed it sign up to our full dealer package to receice 2x the leads and full customer details on leads....

 

 

[BHM 994]

It sounds like you’re getting legged-up.

[grant8064 219]

Yer, we get plenty of the same.

Pretty obvious they're bogus enquiries to convince you to sign up to the full package...bit ironic considering that they have the opposite effect!

[D&M 66]

We were on the free CarGuru's package.

We've had a few email leads, 5 in the past 2 weeks. I've replied to all of them, once by just hitting 'Reply' to the email, and once by drafting a new email to the anon.cargurus email address provided.

None have responded.

I don't think the leads are genuine - all the leads have come through with a postcode, and I've searched on Google Maps for the postcode and they are always small villages in the middle of nowhere, very close to a registered business.

CarGurus take forever to actually put the cars on, and even longer to take them off once you've deleted them too.

However, we had one that looked like usual - I responded in the same way as I do to all of them

IT WAS AN ACTUAL LEAD!!!!

Came out to view the car, wanted a massive discount AND a service.

[Stalker 180]

We get plenty of emails... Mainly bored paper shufflers filling in their time at some government agency.

Never mind the leads... can any of your customers pronounce the name..... Gargus is my most common name used by customers!

[Mat C 77]

We've been with Cargurus for about a year. We get 2/3 leads a month, usually no reply at all. We reply to the message and also send a fresh email to the email address that's supplied ( customer 223345566@cargurus.com ) or whatever it is. 9/10 never reply and after 5 emails I send a message asking if they are still interested, then to contact us, otherwise we will archive their enquiry. 

However, we have sold 6 cars this year through cargurus, so yes, it does work a bit. BUT We've only ever sold cars when we've not been on the free trial!!!!!

This is how I see it working.

1 genuine enquiry comes in..... ( Magically ) then 3 or 4 more arrive over the next few days..... then the call / email from the Cargurus team, explaining how you'll get more leads and more sales through their well priced product. Its all a crock in my opinion, fake enquiries to get you thinking you're gonna sell loads from it.

I don't agree with the whole concept of carguru's like many others, i find their whole ethos is based on price and nothing to do with spec, quality or customer service.

[SuperLease 13]

Same poor response here, I wish another site would work for us but the reality is that as much as it pains me AT does the job. It was easier to attract a decent enquiry than it is today with all you have to do to stand out like but I’m yet to use a site that does better. I take all the free trials from the others as and when because why not but once they come knocking for a subscription I’m off and so the cycle continues. 

[nigeldalley 1]

At least it's not just me then!! 

I've noticed ebay has picked up again recently for ourselves. Still just as many time wasters and "how much m8" or "8k collect today" on a 10k car but a few decent enquiries and sales unlike in the past.

And even more surprisingly some decent sales off motors!!!

[Mojo121 229]

Cargurus has been okay for us, some solid leads, some sales and it's free so I'm not complaining.... if it was more consistent I'd consider paying for it.

I find their customer service is pretty good too. Nice chaps.

[Dealer 54]

We too approx 8 to 9 months ago started getting the anonymous emails and quite regularly in fact....... This is exactly what sucked us in to signing up to a package with them......... I think it was approx £800 per month off the top of my head. 2 to 3 months ago we cancelled it, as soon as we had signed up I noticed the enquiries seemed to get less, as time has gone on its just been more noticeable that it's not working. The retail values they provide are more laughable than cap! I'd love to be a retailer getting those prices! 

I also sympathise with you Nigeldalley as I get fed up of the ebay beggars and derogatory offers from the bumtree customers too. 

[SuperLease 13]

Saying that they must be doing something right theyve just released their U.S revenue earnings. No doubt they intend to make the similar amounts out of us at some point!!

http://www.autoremarketing.com/technology/cargurus-first-earnings-call-public-company-reveals-56-revenue-spike?utm_source=Listrak&utm_medium=email&utm_term=http%3a%2f%2fwww.autoremarketing.com%2ftechnology%2fcargurus-first-earnings-call-public-company-reveals-56-revenue-spike&utm_campaign=CarGurus+Off+to+Good+Start+as+Public+Company 

[Arfur Dealy 823]

I don’t agree at all with their concept. They may know the American market but they certainly don’t understand nor appreciate the UK market. 

[trade vet 702]

1 hour ago, SuperLease said:

Saying that they must be doing something right theyve just released their U.S revenue earnings. No doubt they intend to make the similar amounts out of us at some point!!

http://www.autoremarketing.com/technology/cargurus-first-earnings-call-public-company-reveals-56-revenue-spike?utm_source=Listrak&utm_medium=email&utm_term=http%3a%2f%2fwww.autoremarketing.com%2ftechnology%2fcargurus-first-earnings-call-public-company-reveals-56-revenue-spike&utm_campaign=CarGurus+Off+to+Good+Start+as+Public+Company 

I doubt they will get 25000 dealers to spend an average of $200 or £160 per week here like they have in the US.

29 minutes ago, Arfur Dealy said:

I don’t agree at all with their concept. They may know the American market but they certainly don’t understand nor appreciate the UK market. 

I think that is right,I recall asking them how we would benefit by them disclosing how many days our car had been on advertised their site.I got some bullshit reply which made no sense to me.

[Earunder 69]

Not too sure on CarGurus or Motors.

We're not on A/T anymore and our sales haven't been hit thus far, lost possibly 4/5 sales from it but when your paying silly money that doesn't even cover their cost.  We've had a few from both.  Our package is about £600 p/m each one.  It's all about ROI, brand awareness and profit per sale.

For us A/T was good at cars £6k and under if you followed their price structure meaning a £700 gross margin, a £4-500 net profit.  Not quite the great business strategy, 1 dead deal kills off 4, but there are hundreds of dealers that prefer this strategy with a 20 day turnaround.

CarGurus is pretty good at the middle range of 7-12k and Motors, well that's just random bits of nothingness a lot of the time.  Facebook started well for us, we're very well known locally so we generate 20-30% of our business on return sales with a further 30-35% local or recommended.

Here's what we do on a quarter and every dealer SHOULD be doing this!  I know most don't!!  It's scary crazy and only takes a short amount of time to do if you set your stock book up to do it.

Advertising Platform  |  How Many Cars Sold from it  |  Cost Of Advertising  |  Margin Total Of Cars Sold  |  Profit From Platform.

Everyone should be asking their customers where they saw the advert.  We presented our sales information to A/T who were left speechless and they even got so mumbled fell back on the line of they surely saw it on A/T then saw it on the other platforms.  Well if that's the case and A/T is the market leader why didn't they mention A/T first? 

A/T isn't for everyone as every area is different.  CarGurus pumps a LOT of advertising money into certain areas, we're one of them and we get a decent response rate.  I won't mention their advertising strategies from what I've seen as I wouldn't want the costly bully boys to start doing it as CarGurus are giving us decent feedback at the moment.

On another note their email enquiries.
Yes at first it's very suspicious, and I do have to agree that I find some to be quite implausible.  However, we have been with them for 7 months now and without mentioning specific figures, our ROI last quarter was 841%

Their Valuations
I scratch my head every time I see the valuation guide on some of the vehicles.  Apparently I'm £1,740 Over Priced on 1 vehicle that has a CAP Clean value of what they want me to retail it at.  I'm not too sure spec is taken in to consideration.

I'd say if you can afford to chuck away a CarGurus fee for 3/6 months (depending on the contract you can negotiate with them) then do it.  Like A/T, it's not great for every area but worth a punt.

 

[jfu 0]

"Car Guru" and "Nissan of Mission Hills". I believe car guru and Nissan of Mission Hills, Mission's Hill California, are in the process of committing fraud and misleading consumers. The first part of this fraud is car guru would not allow me to review that dealer. When I went to review Nissan of Mission Hills advertisement (see below) which was sent from car guru. Their website block me from making a review, which stated that I had already reviewed this advertisement and this dealer. The second part of this fraud when I arrived at the dealer and expressed an interest in purchasing the car. They asked for my drivers license, which I gave them. Then the "manager" said the car was was $25,500. (Approximately). I pointed out to them that the price and car guru was $24 380. Then the sales "manager" proceeded to explain all the extras they added. I did my research before coming to the dealer and all the items he mentioned were all preinstalled factory options for this model car. I told him we were not interested in asked for my drivers license back. At which point he said I don't have it. At this point I became very upset and started yelling. And miraculously the "Sales Manager" takes my drivers license out of his coat pocket.
If this is what happens to it informed consumer; I dread to see what would happen to some person who is more naïve.

[Dealer 54]

Cool story bro

[Dan W 57]

3 Car Gurus leads this morning, 2 clearly made up names not real enquires.

1 did respond, they are 250 miles away from us, wanted to know if we would deliver the car...  and if we would knock £1000 the price

saying that we have sold 10 from cargurus over the last month or so.

[Earunder 69]

Car Gurus has been our best performer since November.  Finally overtaken AT in our area

[CRW 73]

Doing quite well from Car Gurus to be fair, especially as im a freebie user.

However, currently have a Sandero listed on there with a "fair price" marker, £218 below.  Right above is a "good price" marker on somebody else's Sandero, £157 below. Maybe they are paying for the privilege?

[Grantlfc81 88]

We have just gone from spending £450 on the lowest package, and upped it to £1300 on the sponsored listing packages. We sold 9 from gurus in jan from 38 in stock.

 

[BHM 994]

11 hours ago, Grantlfc81 said:

We have just gone from spending £450 on the lowest package, and upped it to £1300 on the sponsored listing packages. We sold 9 from gurus in jan from 38 in stock.

 

I wouldn’t know but to be fair to them they always have adverts on the telly with that woman’s husband who spits out his coffee after she mentions having triplets.

Typical woman, traps the poor fella & expects a new car out of the job!