Has anyone else noticed the lack of professionalism by most auto salesmen anymore.

If you ask a question more complicated than what color is it, their eyes glaze over and they start stammering or stuttering about things that have nothing to do with your question.

If you walk into a dealership after work and have a little dirt on your shirt and shoes, nobody trys to wait on you or they look out at the lot like "maybe somebody else will drive up".

When you do manage to get someone to finally look up a correct answer they have no idea how to use the indexes in their own sales books and even say that the information is not available when you can tell they were in the completely wrong section of the book.

This Saturday the guy was in the Mustang section looking for limited slip information on the Lariat I was looking at. He literally told me to come back Tuesday and ask for someone else.

Or they will say they can't work up a price right now because they are "expecting a phone call" or might have to make a delivery. Yet you watch them go in the back and bull**** for ten minutes with other salesmen or simply pick their nose.

Or you get a guy that keeps on harping about two tone paint and adjustable pedals when you ask about gear ratio and limited slip.

I will admit that I am not an easy sell but thats why they are called salesmen and not order takers. I have seen a few good and knowlegeable salesmen this past six or seven months (length of time I have been shopping) but they are definitely the exception and not the rule.

Perhaps if Automakers gave their Sales and Marketing people just a little training in how to talk to others and read an information book their sales would increase.

This is not just one dealership or one particular carmaker, it has been every brand I have looked at and test drove. Tell me, what kind of salesman rides with you on a test drive for fifteen minutes while you have laid your checkbook on the dash, and then says he thinks he might have to make a delivery so he is too busy to work up a price, but then said "the MSRP is on the sticker and let me know".

Man, is it just me or does anyone else have this kind of luck truck shopping?

 

I would say no it is not just you. Problem is there are a lot uneducated people standing behind parts counters, service counter etc. I use to love going to an auto parts store with my brother. He would tell them what he needed and they would “try” to look in their book and say “no we don’t have that, or there is no such part”. My brother would either grab the book or go behind the counter and within a minute show the guy and “say dooh, there it is”…

Salesmen, never heard of them. Most of them don’t have a clue except what they have read in a write up, they never seem to have any first hand experience. I agree Ford or any other dealer should give them the material and make them learn it. Perhaps take a test every six months to keep their job. There is nothing more irritating then asking a question and they don’t have the answer. That wouldn’t be so bad if they got off their lazy *** and found someone with the answer except they are to lazy or to stupid to do that and either give you an answer that makes no sense or tell you “I’ll look into that and get back to you”

Actually when I go in to buy something I DON’T dress up. I think the better dressed you are the more they will try to “jack” out of you price wise…

 

Yeah I won't dress up either and Don't dress down on purpose either. If were were dependent on sales commissions for my mortgage payment I would study my information books like a preacher does his bible. I would also try to treat everyone who came into my showroom with a little respect and courtesy.

You never know which customer with dirty blue jeans plans to open the check book in his hand and write a substantial down payment for a $40,000. vehicle.

I think when I retire I might just sell cars and trucks for something to do. I am an avid automotive enthusiast and enjoy negotiating so it might really stretch my pension and SS check

 

Yeah, when I bought my truck I was 20, and I paid cash for it, and the salesman didn't really take me serious, then when he saw I was serious, he backpedaled on his price, so I calmly got up and told him I was leaving, and four other salesmen caught me at the door and talked me into coming back, he eventually settled on my price, but only after I scared him by talking about a Chevy. No way I would have bought the Chevy, but I am glad it was there at the other lot, I would have never got my price if not for that `other` truck.

 

It's not just you, 95% of all salesmen are complete retards.
Car salesmen have an extremely high turnover rate, there's a reason for that.

I hate salesmen, as a matter of fact, writing this post has caused my blood pressure to rise.
There's a couple I know that have my respect, but for the most part, they are all scum who deserve a beating.

Habibi

 

I agree. Me and My father like to go and embarrass the salesmen b/c we know more about the vehicle than they do.


One hundred posts, who-hoo!

 

Let me be the first to congrats you decoy562...

 

Hence, the last three vehicles that I've purchased have been from the same guy that is a 2.5 hour drive away. I don't have any problem dealing with a dealership or, and more specifically, a salesman that puts me first and knows his/her product.

They are hard to come by these days.

Plus, I really hate the 'pushy' environment that is created with some dealerships. I want to be able to browse, enjoy myself, and then come to someone with answers to my questions. Not someone standing on my shoulders saying.. "MR ROCKPICK, CAN WE GO GET THE KEYS FOR THIS ONE SO YOU CAN DRIVE IT?..."

I'll drive the damn thing when I'm good and ready. ROFL!

And like was said earlier, I'm a younger guy (26 years old); they really don't take me seriously as well. In turn, the one guy that took me very seriously and treated me with respect has sold me three vehicles over the past 5 years.

RP

 

Nope, it definitely isn't just you. When I was shopping for my current vehicle I stopped at dealerships in several states when I was visiting for one reason or another. My all time favorite was in Memphis. I stopped at one lot of a multi-location dealership to see what they had to offer. After I looked at all of the crew cab SuperDuty's that they had on the lot, I asked the "salesman" [otherwise known as doofus ] if they had any 4x4 crew cabs on the other lot equipped with the V10. He of course went in to check inventory, and came back out and told me "The V10 isn't available in the SuperCrew". After almost choking on my drink I thanked him and went on about my business.

 

I was looking for a new SuperCrew last fall, so I went to my local Ford dealer to see what he had on the lot and to see what kind of trade in he would give me. I have an X-plan number, so it really just came down to trade in value. He said that one of his sales reps would have to take my truck for a drive to determine what they would give me in trade. That was fine, and I decided to ride along with him...and I was glad that I did. No more than a quarter mile into the ride, his cell phone rings. Now, I don't want to start any long discussion about cell phones and driving here, but I would have to think that most people realize that there are many different views on the issue and that many people are rather opposed to it. Anyway, while he is driving MY truck, he answers his phone and doesn't hang up until we get back to the dealership. I wasn't too impressed.

He got out of my truck and gave me the keys. Instead of walking in to determine a trade in price, I got back in my truck, drove away and bought a truck from a different dealership.

 

I would have grabbed the phone out of his hand, threw it out the window and said “I am the focus of your attention, GOT IT?”

 

Man, I am glad I'm not the only one. I've walked away in the middle of an interview before just so I wouldn't lose control of myself.

There are some decent people out there but they seem few and far between. With the economy the way it is you'd think some of these guys would at least try.

 

Personally, I think the whole dealer purchasing experience thing is a total disaster right now. You are absolutely right and there are a multitude of salesmen out there that don't know squat about what they're supposed to be selling. But I think part of what feeds this problem is that most consumers (present posters excluded) don't educate themselves 'at all' about the vehicles they are going to look at. Buying a vehicle today is most definitely buyer beware. If we don't do some homework before we visit the dealer, it is a sure thing that we're gonna get drilled.

Rockpick, I really don't think age has a whole lot to do with anything today. I'm 40, and I get the same level of disrespect and disinterest that you 20 something guys get. These salemen today just seem to treat everyone like a doormat.

Nick D., one suggestion I'd make to you when shopping if you want to significantly lower your annoyment level. When you enter the showroom, ask for the sales manager. Don't indicate what you want him/her for, just strongly urge the individual in front of you to go get them. I did this when I bought my SuperCrew in '01, and I made the sales manager handle everything for me from finding the truck I wanted on his lot to writing the deal. If you go this route you can also avoid the dreaded "Let me take this deal to my manager and see what they say" syndrome.

-Mike-

 

BIGDEAL,

Yeah, thats probably worth a shot. Though I kind of like it when they come back from their manager with the first price. Thats when I really low ball the salesman with my counter offer to see if they are willing to deal or want to play games.

It seems recently though, that I can't even get to the negotiation stage and thats the only part of dealing thats fun. Except for driving off in a new vehicle with a .

 

Gee, and here I thought New Jersey had ALL the frigging stupid *** salesman.
Back in 99 when I went shopping for a Lightning, I stood around watching and listening to the clowns "wheeling and dealing" with customers.
One salesman stood out amoung the rest. I walked over to his desk, he was with a customer, and announced that I wanted to buy a truck. I told him I knew he was busy and I would wait.
By now the salesmen where circling me looking for a sale. I said no thanks.
After a half hour, Mike walked over to me and asked, "Can I help you?" I said yeah, pull out an invoice. LOL
He asked why I waited for him, and I said I was watching the way he answered the questions for the customers and if he didn't know the answer, he went and found the CORRECT answer.
I went back to him in 01 to purchase the current Lightning and he knows I'll be back in 05 to get a new one

Ofcourse I let the service manger know I'll be back too, you should see how a little infomation goes a long way