James Baggott 227 Posted November 26, 2014 Ok, so Gavin's post on another thread about customers giving each other advice about buying from a dealer got me thinking. If you were to produce a handy information leaflet to give to customers telling them what really happens in a dealership what would it say. What advice would it give them? What would you tell them not to ask. For example: 1. Don't ask for £3,000 off the list price and expect to get it 2. Don't think we're going to get really excited when you offer us cash - that means we have to go to a bank Etc, etc. Love to hear your ideas... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Gavin@Rousdon 137 Posted November 26, 2014 We know what your px is worth, honestly we do ! We know how our car is priced against others in the market, we honestly do! When you tell us you are looking at another car we will find that car online! We will then know that it's a year older, 2000 miles less but £800 more. When you tell us you think you car has done about 60k miles we know it has done more ! We also have families and children, so when you phone us on Sunday afternoon don't be surprised that we can't give you a px price within seconds When you meet us at a Christmas party and ask us what we do, we know you will say the word 'dodgy' within 30 seconds! We also don't want to talk about you 02 plate Jag X Type all night, if you try don't be surprised to see us drink to excess. We haven't a drink problem it's just that you are boring us! We can tell when your lying, we honestly can! 2 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
jamslug 91 Posted November 27, 2014 This is only guess work because I have been lucky enough to have the internet pretty much all my life, but there was a time where if you wanted a used car, you had to actually get off your backside and physically drive around different garages until you found the right one. This is where the sleazy car salesman would pounce on you and try to persuade you that his 7 seater 4 x 4 with a 4.0 litre petrol engine is what you really want and the 1.0 small eco hatchback you were actually looking for (which he doesn’t have) would just be too impractical. He would have used a guide book to price the car and then stuck an extra £500 on top so he wouldn’t be out of pocket when you wanted a huge discount. Those days are gone. You can now use Autotrader whilst watching X Factor, on your laptop, tablet or phone and trawl through over 443,000 cars for sale. That means you are not visiting 10 different forecourts before you purchase a car. You are only visiting one gigantic cyber forecourt, and the only way to make my car stand out to you and get to the top of your search results, is to make it the most competitively priced. If I stick £500 on top of the actual price, it wouldn’t even appear in your search results, no one would ever buy it and it would eventually become part of the garage scenery. I don’t want that. So when you turn up and want to buy the car, I already know that the reason you are here is because this car is the best priced for what you wanted. You have already compared my car with thousands of others, maybe without even realising it when Autotrader sorted your search results into price order. Then you ask for my best price. This is quite insulting when I have already tried my hardest to be the cheapest out there. I would happily consider it if you had found a cheaper one which is near identical. But you haven’t. You just want money off. Why? Why? Why? Discounts are a thing of the past now we have our friend, the internet. Please bare this in mind when you are looking at my rare car priced at £12000 and I can only give you £200 off to match a similar one which is located in Scotland. (True story) . Did you really expect to get it half price? I am sure the negotiating part of buying a car used to be a game, lets try and get the best price and the car dealer still makes heaps. It isn’t like that for me, I only ever advertise 10 of my cars at one time on Autotrader. That means if you had all the cars on Autotrader in front of you (which you do) and picked just one (which you do), I would have a 0.002% chance of you choosing one of mine. Please stop asking for money off. It upsets me to have to say no, then you get upset because you think I am ripping you off, which I wouldn’t dream of doing. Promise. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
jamslug 91 Posted November 27, 2014 That is what I want all customers to know That was found at : https://carbuyerhelp.wordpress.com/ Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
James Baggott 227 Posted November 27, 2014 Very very well said sir. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
jamslug 91 Posted November 28, 2014 Yes it is great, I was just having a little surf around AS I AM SELLING NO CARS ! And came across that blog. Some of it is actually bang on correct. Love it Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
James Baggott 227 Posted November 28, 2014 I've just spoken to the writer. He's up for letting us reproduce it in the mag as a special features. Should be fun! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
CJ Underhill 34 Posted December 19, 2014 Just because we are open till 18:00 doesn't mean you can turn up at 17:50 and want to test drive every car we have Don't be upset when i don't laugh at your "is just like your driving test" joke on the test drive.. its the 10th time i've heard it this week "how much for cash?".. well it'll cost you the extra £10 it'll cost me to bank it We're not stupid.. we know you wont "be back at the weekend", we know you don't need to "talk to the wife" or get "insurance quotes"... we just humour you Dont be upset when we charge a refundable extra on handover day because you've ""accidently"" forgot to bring that ""fully stamped"" service book with you Your meaning of "mint condition" is far different to mine.. im not giving you a price over the phone Dont expect a £1000 discount over the phone, before you've even seen the vehicle, i don't care if your 300 miles away Despite what you think.. we really don't have thousands of pounds profit in every vehicle Dont use the "i've seen one cheaper elsewhere" line when you haven't even been to see that vehicle James Corden lies... you wont save over £3,000 selling your car privately 3 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Ken 10 Posted December 19, 2014 Just because we are open till 18:00 doesn't mean you can turn up at 17:50 and want to test drive every car we have Don't be upset when i don't laugh at your "is just like your driving test" joke on the test drive.. its the 10th time i've heard it this week "how much for cash?".. well it'll cost you the extra £10 it'll cost me to bank it We're not stupid.. we know you wont "be back at the weekend", we know you don't need to "talk to the wife" or get "insurance quotes"... we just humour you Dont be upset when we charge a refundable extra on handover day because you've ""accidently"" forgot to bring that ""fully stamped"" service book with you Your meaning of "mint condition" is far different to mine.. im not giving you a price over the phone Dont expect a £1000 discount over the phone, before you've even seen the vehicle, i don't care if your 300 miles away Despite what you think.. we really don't have thousands of pounds profit in every vehicle Dont use the "i've seen one cheaper elsewhere" line when you haven't even been to see that vehicle James Corden lies... you wont save over £3,000 selling your car privately Brilliant! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
CJ Underhill 34 Posted December 19, 2014 We also know a lot more then the friend you've brought along whos a "mechanic" .. e.g a typical pistonhead forum know-it-all who's spent 5 mintutes on google and parkers and is know an expert on used cars. Make sure he's prepared for the awkward questions and red herrings im going to throw at him for mine and my collegues own amusment after you've gone Also, do your homework first.. don't sit for an hour trying to knock me down £400 because the timing belt wants/will soon want changing on a car that is chain driven Don't complain and make snide comments if i havent had time to whip the hoover and sponge over the vehicle you've stopped to see when it's clear you've just been off roading and living in your "immaculate" part exchange for the last 2 years.. atleast empty the ashtray before telling me it's never been smoked in, It doesn't matter how many floor mats you put in your car.. im still going to look under them to find that massive hole in the carpet you've been trying to hide Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Ken 10 Posted December 19, 2014 We also know a lot more then the friend you've brought along whos a "mechanic" .. e.g a typical pistonhead forum know-it-all who's spent 5 mintutes on google and parkers and is know an expert on used cars. Make sure he's prepared for the awkward questions and red herrings im going to throw at him for mine and my collegues own amusment after you've gone Also, do your homework first.. don't sit for an hour trying to knock me down £400 because the timing belt wants/will soon want changing on a car that is chain driven Don't complain and make snide comments if i havent had time to whip the hoover and sponge over the vehicle you've stopped to see when it's clear you've just been off roading and living in your "immaculate" part exchange for the last 2 years.. atleast empty the ashtray before telling me it's never been smoked in, It doesn't matter how many floor mats you put in your car.. im still going to look under them to find that massive hole in the carpet you've been trying to hide LOL, this is turning in to a rant now Although, all very good valid points and I've found it very entertaining to read. Anything further to add? 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
CJ Underhill 34 Posted December 19, 2014 I often think i made the wrong career choice, i'm really not a people person Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Jack Regan 116 Posted December 19, 2014 I often think i made the wrong career choice, i'm really not a people person It's cause most of the people are idiots......I've just rigged up a punch bag in the workshop and I must admit it's helping. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Ken 10 Posted December 19, 2014 I often think i made the wrong career choice, i'm really not a people person LOL! It's cause most of the people are idiots......I've just rigged up a punch bag in the workshop and I must admit it's helping. Only been trading just over a year, but we have had quite a few idiots too. I might follow your lead and invest in a punch bag Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Tom 164 Posted December 19, 2014 Just because we are open till 18:00 doesn't mean you can turn up at 17:50 and want to test drive every car we have Don't be upset when i don't laugh at your "is just like your driving test" joke on the test drive.. its the 10th time i've heard it this week "how much for cash?".. well it'll cost you the extra £10 it'll cost me to bank it We're not stupid.. we know you wont "be back at the weekend", we know you don't need to "talk to the wife" or get "insurance quotes"... we just humour you Dont be upset when we charge a refundable extra on handover day because you've ""accidently"" forgot to bring that ""fully stamped"" service book with you Your meaning of "mint condition" is far different to mine.. im not giving you a price over the phone Dont expect a £1000 discount over the phone, before you've even seen the vehicle, i don't care if your 300 miles away Despite what you think.. we really don't have thousands of pounds profit in every vehicle Dont use the "i've seen one cheaper elsewhere" line when you haven't even been to see that vehicle James Corden lies... you wont save over £3,000 selling your car privately What he said! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
James Baggott 227 Posted December 21, 2014 Should re title this thread 'free therapy' Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Gavin@Rousdon 137 Posted December 21, 2014 Had one in yesterday. Traction control light stays on on the px "It's just a fuse"....followed up by "I've had the turbo replaced too, it's now got a Garret turbo on it, better then what was on it before" That's handy, because I would have a problem giving a price on your car if it was a non turbo version because SEAT didn't produce a bloody non turbo version!! And as for the fuse, at which point did he think I would believe him?? If every warning light was solved by replacing a fuse I wouldn't be standing here now! I would be flying 1st class to New York to spend Christmas with my model girlfriend because I can charge £800 in my workshop for a 50 pence fix, not sitting in a Portacabin on a Saturday afternoon. It's not a fuse.....it's not a bloody fuse!!! 2 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Wheelerdealer1 91 Posted December 22, 2014 Why didn't he replace the fuse then ! 😂 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
