Got a question for Car Talk's car sales informant, "Deep Plaid?" (Also known as "Frank," since, well, that's his real name.) Post it here, and Deep Plaid will get back to you.
Also, if you've heard of other tricks of the trade, or you've personally experienced coy tactics on the part of your local car salesman, share it right here. We'd like to hear your story.
Yours in careful maneuvering when confronted with plaid, toupees and sans-a-belt slacks,
I was checking out this used Hyundai at this local lot and the salesman went on forever about how Japanese cars last forever. I had to remind him that this is not a Honda and Hyundais are made by a different manufacturer but he kept going on without paying the slightest attention to what I was trying to say.
mike in new haven, maybe he was a customer posing as a sales person.(lol)
in my opinion-for what it's worth, the only mistake you made,
was that you stayed and talked to the guy
about 9 minutes and 30 seconds longer than you should have!
thanks deep plaid.
mike in new haven, maybe he was a customer posing as a sales person.(lol)
Nope he was a salesman....btw...NH stands for New Hampshire
was that you stayed and talked to the guy
about 9 minutes and 30 seconds longer than you should have!
I was actually there having some warranty work done on my wifes Accord. I was in the market for new vehicle so I stopped in the show room while waiting for the work on my the Accord to be done. I had to wait around anyways. If I wasn't there for that I probably would have just called the guy and idiot and walked out of there. From my experience....MOST car salesman haven't a clue of what they're selling.
2) listen to the customer to see what he/she really wants
My favorite salesman sold Ramblers. He liked cars and knew the features. He listened to me when I said that I didn't want a lot of fancy equipment. This was back in 1965 and I was looking at a Rambler American. He then asked, "Would you really like to save money?" When I answered affirmatively, he steered me to a 1965 Rambler Classic with 7000 miles that had been repossessed. It was a stripped down model which was exactly what I wanted. I bought the car for $1750 and drove it for well over 100,000 miles. Unfortunately, when I was finally ready to replace the car, the salesman had passed away.
great points, Triedag!
& those weren't tricks!
those were the "rare" traits of a superior car sales professional.
your key words: "He listened to me",
the Great Jackie B. Cooper used to tell us, that their was a difference between listening and hearing.
"listening" is an art that sales people aquire over the years.
you had one good salesman. he was rare!
thanks for your story & keep those cards & letters coming!
Sincerely,
"Deep Plaid"
Several folks have shared their car buying horror stories-- here is mine (as Dave Berry used to say, 'I'm not making this up'):
In 1985 with my 1 year old, I went shopping for a Toyota Minivan. Our small town dealer had given me a price and before the internet it wasn't clear how good the deal was. So I decided to go to the 'big city' dealer in Sacramento who advertised that it was 'worth the drive'.
When we got to the shop, all the salesman would talk about was payment. He assured me he was not allowed to discuss price. I got up and left. After putting my son in his car seat with the salesman still talking to me, I got in my car and closed the door. At that point four or so other salesmen surrounded my car and started slapping the car and shouting that ' I'd be sorry.'
This was before the days of mobile phones. If it happened now, I'd just dial 911. With my son crying, I started the car, put it in reverse and slowly backed out. The salesmen behind me scattered and I escaped.
I went straight home and bought the car locally.
I still don't know how they would expect this strategy to work, and I've never heard of anyone else who was treated that way.
no, their is no way they would have gained anything by these type of actions.
you did the correct thing.
especially buying that toyota mini van somewhere else.
the only thing i would have done different...
is to drive back by there in your new van and wave at all of those losers.
thanks,
deep plaid
Many (like 60?) years ago there was a doctor who was something of a local legend. He had turned a one man office in a one horse (which probably had pulled his buggy at some point) town into a clinic often called the Mayo Clinic of the Plains. He had several doctors on staff. The old doctor never dressed up. Wore bib overalls and Li'l Abner boots everywhere he went. He went to the "big city's" Cadillac dealer, walked in, and looked over several new Caddies. NO ONE came up to see if they could help. The salesmen figured he didn't have a dime to his name.
Soooo, he walked across the street to the Packard dealer. They were only too happy to sell him six new Packards for Christmas presents for each of the docs on his hospital's staff. He arranged to have them delivered to their new owners at their annual Christmas party, BUT FIRST he told the Packard dealer to drive all of them around the block and park them in a line in front of the Cadillac dealer. Then the Packard dealer himself went inside and told the Caddie guys just what they'd missed out on.
The old doctor never dressed up. Wore bib overalls and Li'l Abner boots everywhere he went. He went to the "big city's" Cadillac dealer, walked in, and looked over several new Caddies. NO ONE came up to see if they could help. The salesmen figured he didn't have a dime to his name.
A guy I worked with was very very young looking. At 23 he didn't even shave and looked like he was 14. So after just finishing up his MS in Physics at MIT he landed a nice job in Aerospace research. Went to buy his first car and the salesman he finally got to talk with him told him to come back with his parents. He walked out and bought from another dealer 5 miles away.
The lease on my 2005 Toyota Tundra will end in August. I leased it from a dealership in Salt Lake City, Utah and have since moved to Las Vegas. Toyota Financial told me that it is best to buy it out from the dealership that sold it to me but I could buy it out at any dealership. The residual is $21,000
My question is:
-What do I need to know before I go into the dealership
-Is there things I need to negociate or do I just go in and work with the finance manager?
-Is it truly better to go to the original dealership, which is 7 hours away?
-Any other pointers?
Which version of the truck is it?if it's the limited 4door 4wd with the v8, then you're not too far upside down. IF you got one with a v6, then you're about 10 grand upside down.
http://www...index.html
You'd be better off using that $21k finance for something better, and NOT a lease
It is the 4WD Double Cab Limited with the V8. It has every option except for Navagation. I want to keep it because I have personally maintained the truck and it has low miles (Just over 30,000). The prices for similiar trucks in the area are $23-$25K
I trust you aren't one of those people complaining about gas prices. How long do you plan to keep it? It's already 4 years old, and you're looking at another 5 year loan, if not more. It'll be 9~10 years old before it's totally paid for.
The truck is my wife's and she drives it on the weekdays to do errands and we drive it on the weekends. So we refuel it once every two weeks or so. Prior to leasing this, I have averaged 7-8 years of ownership before I sell. I have nothing against leasing, but I probably wouldn't do it again. I figure that since the residual is around what we would be spending for a 3-4 year old used SUV, why not just buy out this where I know the history and maintenance.
actually i do not have a lot of experience to share on the subject of leasing. sound like bscar may be
the man who can give us some answers on the subject of lease. so, i'll bow out of this topic and let
others take over who have a greater knowledge of leasing than myself. however, i will tell you to read all the fine print carefully before you sign a lease- or any contract
for that matter, but especially a lease. thanks for your questions.
deep plaid
I've learned a lot by just visiting this forum regularly. But even before I did, I knew leasing was a bad idea.
Some people like the idea of driving a new car every couple years, but what do you have to show for all that money you've paid over that time? A new car? But with more payments.
Hi Frank! You helped me buy a Honda a while back (thanks again). I had a question that may be too remote, so please feel free to disregard it. When I asked about servicing, and explained to the salesperson that I don't drive a car as much as 'normal' people do, she said I should then bring it in every three months for an oil change. That contradicts everything I've read.
So my question is, do salespeople give false info to buyers to drum up business for the service department?
Your information and advice continues to help us all. Big thanks.
Whitmore
as always- read your owners manual. follow their instruction on oil changes
in order to keep your warranty in effect. be sure to save all your oil change and service
tickets. i'm sure your mfg.calls for either 10w-30
or 5w-30. make sure the oil has the red a.p.i. seal on the front of the container.
if you dont have one, then get an 800 number for the mfg. and order a manual yourself.
the motor oil they make today is much better than 10 years ago.
today's oil will last 5,000 miles (HARD DRIVING) no problem. but a change every three months is a lot to ask, of you financially, especially if your only driving 700-1000 miles in a three month period. but remember your warranty guidelines or extended warranty guidelines. this may be a requirement.how many miles a month do you drive on average? i'd love to hear from you.
thanks...
deep plaid
