Motoring Discussion > Interesting Story as to how a dealer got a sale Buying / Selling
Thread Author: Hugo Replies: 28
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 Mon 8 Nov 10 19:23 
 Interesting Story as to how a dealer got a sale - Hugo
A chap who just bought something via e bay from me told me about his dealer experiences when he decided to change his BMW 3 series for a car better eqquipped to tow a caravan.

This all took place about 6 years ago.

He tried the Discovery 2, then a current model. He didn't like it so he didn't pursue that option.

He then went to another dealer to try the Kia Serento. He felt that the Merc 2.7 turbo diesel was a good punt for his caravan. He wanted to try towing his caravan with one. The response was that it could tow a caravan but they weren't into fitting a tow hitch on their demonstraters. So he left - no sale.

He then went to Mumfords in Plymouth - the same dealer I bought my van from, to look at the Nissan X Trail. He spoke to the same salesman I dealt with. He explained that he wanted to tow his caravan. "Ah, you'll be wanting a tow hitch then. We've fitted one on our demonstrater. It's got twin electrics. Take it away for the weekend and see what you think." So he and his wife took the caravanout for the weekend - towed by the demonstrater! He liked the vehicle so the dealer got the sale.

Fast forward a few years later. The Kia dealer is no more. The Nissan dealer is still going strong.

So, dealers who go the extra mile to help a customer see if the vehicle actually suits their needs are more likely to get the sale.
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 Mon 8 Nov 10 19:41 
 Interesting Story as to how a dealer got a sale - Tigger
I agree. I go out of my way to favour companies who have offered good service, even if it means paying slightly more.
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 Mon 8 Nov 10 19:48 
 Interesting Story as to how a dealer got a sale - Hard Cheese

Cars or whatever, I tend to research my own requirements and will not be deterred by ignorant sales people into taking taken second best.

In this case I might have gone to another dealer though I reckon I would have bought the Disco over the other two whatever the dealer was like.





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 Mon 8 Nov 10 19:54 
 Interesting Story as to how a dealer got a sale - Duncan
>> I reckon I would have bought the Disco over the other two whatever the dealer was like.
>>


Ah well. You would have had plenty of time to regret your decision.
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 Mon 8 Nov 10 19:55 
 Interesting Story as to how a dealer got a sale - Hugo
I don't think it was the dealer he didn't like. I know the dealer he went to to look at the disco, they are very good. He didn't like the disco, so he didn't pursue it with them.

He did shortlist 3 cars, Disco, Serento and the X Trail.

Didn't like the Disco, but it towed well - well it would do.

Never got to find out how the Serento towed as they didn't fit tow hitches to their demonstraters.

The Nissan dealer knows that a lot of their customers will want to tow with certain vehicles, so they fit tow hitches to them, just like the Land Rover dealers do.
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 Mon 8 Nov 10 20:00 
 Interesting Story as to how a dealer got a sale - Iffy
I sold Renaults in a well-off part of London.

Several customers who were looking at Renualt 4s asked if a cello would fit in the back.

I formed the impression cello lessons for little Jemima were the urban equivalent of having a pony.

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 Mon 8 Nov 10 20:04 
 Interesting Story as to how a dealer got a sale - R.P.
Wierdly enough I was talking of possibly starting up my lapsed 'cello skills only last night...wonder if it will fit in the back of the X1
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 Mon 8 Nov 10 20:09 
 Interesting Story as to how a dealer got a sale - Iffy
It fitted easily into an R4.

Front wheel drive, no side impact beams or stuff like that, and a low sill meant the luggage space was a decent size, not cluttered and had a flat floor.



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 Mon 8 Nov 10 21:30 
 Interesting Story as to how a dealer got a sale - hawkeye
>>
>> Front wheel drive, no side impact beams or stuff like that, and a low sill
>> meant the luggage space was a decent size, not cluttered
>>
>>
>>

I imagine having a cello in the car would make an enormous difference to the strength of the passenger cell in an R4.

PS I loved mine despite the 6V electrics.
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 Mon 8 Nov 10 21:34 
 Interesting Story as to how a dealer got a sale - R.P.
An electric 'cello Hawk ?
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 Mon 8 Nov 10 22:59 
 Interesting Story as to how a dealer got a sale - PhilW
R4 - still loads around in France!
They bring back many happy memories of chucking all our camping gear in the back and off to Greece in the 1970s!
Guess Berlingo/Kangoo is the modern equivalent?
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 Tue 9 Nov 10 00:07 
 Interesting Story as to how a dealer got a sale - bathtub tom
>>I imagine having a cello in the car would make an enormous difference to the strength of the passenger cell in an R4.

I heard a story about how James Blunt was forced to strap his guitar to the outside of his tank during the Gulf war.

A bit of light shrapnel, or small arms could've done us all a favour. ;>)
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 Tue 9 Nov 10 00:11 
 Interesting Story as to how a dealer got a sale - R.P.
He must be the world's most painful singer to listen to.....Californiaaaaaa my eye
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 Mon 8 Nov 10 20:10 
 Interesting Story as to how a dealer got a sale - Alastairw
...wonder if it will fit in the back of the X1

I imagine one could strap it to the back door with some sort of carrier mechanism. I wonder where you could get such a thing...?

(if the sale goes through I'll be needing 25% commission Humph - cash, used notes)
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 Mon 8 Nov 10 22:06 
 Interesting Story as to how a dealer got a sale - Westpig
When we bought my wife's car, it was the demonstrator. We were chucked the keys despite having just drifted in and told we could have it all afternoon (they did know me a little bit as i'd had my car serviced there twice)...by the time we got back, she wanted THAT car.

We couldn't have it then as it needed to be 3 months old and have 3,000 miles on the clock for Jaguar to allow them to sell it....so.... chancing my arm I asked if we could have it earlier for a holiday in 2 weeks time, so we put the mileage on it, then we'd buy it after the 3 months were up....

...and that's exactly what the salesman arranged...I put 1,200 miles on the clock taking it over the 3,000 figure, they parked it in their car park and we turned up a month later and paid for it...and prior to that i'd not paid a bean.

3 years later I rang up to speak the same salesman, prepared to trade it in for the bigger engined auto model...but the dealership had been taken over, the decent salesman 'let go' and some tonto wanting to try a hard sell was in his place...so we kept it and still have it.

When will these people ever learn? Hard sell to me = pink fluffy dice Off.
Last edited by: VxFan on Tue 9 Nov 10 at 10:17
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 Mon 8 Nov 10 22:31 
 Interesting Story as to how a dealer got a sale - MD
"Tonto".. I like it.
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 Tue 9 Nov 10 10:31 
 Interesting Story as to how a dealer got a sale - Bill Payer
>> We couldn't have it then as it needed to be 3 months old and have
>> 3,000 miles on the clock for Jaguar to allow them to sell it....so.... chancing my arm I
>> asked if we could have it earlier for a holiday in 2 weeks time,

When we opted out of company cars several colleagues specified and ordered new SAABs, ran them on loan for 3mths, then paid for them. This was at different dealerships, so it must have been a regular thing - I think they have to buy a certain number of demonstrators so it suits all parties.
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 Mon 8 Nov 10 22:32 
 Interesting Story as to how a dealer got a sale - Runfer D'Hills
Ali - :-)
Last edited by: Humph D'Bout on Mon 8 Nov 10 at 22:32
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 Tue 9 Nov 10 07:40 
 Interesting Story as to how a dealer got a sale - Ian (Cape Town)
Was at the local Hyundai place last week dropping off the press loaner.
In the corner of the showroom there's a big heap of luggage and cardboard boxes, 2 sets of golf clubs, a couple of milk crates and an old 6 ft stepladder.
Clever. Very clever.

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 Tue 9 Nov 10 14:04 
 Interesting Story as to how a dealer got a sale - Londoner
>> Was at the local Hyundai place last week dropping off the press loaner.
>> In the corner of the showroom there's a big heap of luggage and cardboard boxes,
>> 2 sets of golf clubs, a couple of milk crates and an old 6 ft
>> stepladder.
>> Clever. Very clever.
>>
+1

Typical of Koreans. Clever, inventive and thoughtful. And then it all seems so obvious! Aye, it is - after someone has been clever enough to see the obvious in the first place.

They know how to stage a World Cup as well - none of those trumpet thingys allowed! ;-)
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 Mon 8 Nov 10 21:56 
 Interesting Story as to how a dealer got a sale - MD
Hugo, as a slight aside I did respond to your potential work 'offer' of a few weeks back (1st October) as seen below, but you have been conspicuous by your temporary absence.

"Martin, if you're short of work and you're willing to come down to Tavistock area, I may be able to help".

Hi Hugo, nice to hear from you again. I will reply more fully later regarding work. Much appreciated.

Best regards,

Martin.
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 Tue 9 Nov 10 09:46 
 Interesting Story as to how a dealer got a sale - WillDeBeest
Well well, PU - I'm a lapsed cellist too and I've been thinking the same thing. For the moment, though, I'm trying to learn a friend's bass guitar. It's harder than I thought to adjust to moving my fingering hand horizontally.

Incidentally, my cello used to travel in a Renault 4. I seem to remember it fitted in the boot until we replaced the soft case with a fibreglass one, after which it wanted the back seat to itself.
I carried it a few times in my three-door Escort. Easiest thing to do then was to slide the passenger seat right back and strap the cello in next to me.

Back on topic: Dealers who won't demonstrate properly are a waste of the time it takes to visit them. When I first expressed interest in a Saab, the dealer lent me (then 27) a 900 for a long weekend trip. I had two cars from that dealer.
Later, I was looking at Volvos and a dealer lent me an S60 for a 250-mile business trip. (So, to be fair, did a VW dealer with a Passat - I just didn't like it.) the demo sold me the car - which I still have.
Volvo is now plugging demos of the new V60. I can't afford one but it looks fabulous, so I want to give it a try.

Compare all this with a Mazda dealer who gave us a useless 15-minute circuit in a 5, with him driving for half of it. And a Ford dealer who took us out in a Focus and was offering directions back when we were barely out of the drive; I asked him if he'd forgotten to go before he went out. We bought a Skoda instead.
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 Tue 9 Nov 10 10:19 
 Interesting Story as to how a dealer got a sale - R.P.
They were quite rude to me when I turned up at the BMW dealer with a scruffy and packed CRV dressed in my Saturday best - the sales chap I ended up dealing with was good though...and overcame a number of issues quit efficiently. Basically there are some right spivs that work in delaerships I don't think it's a make thing really. Who the hell do they think they are ??

As regards the 'cello it was James May and Man Lab that set me thinking, the 'cello is such a mournful instrument and is certainly capable of turning out a hauntingly beautiful sound.
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 Tue 9 Nov 10 12:11 
 Interesting Story as to how a dealer got a sale - Stuartli
Any dealership is only as good as the quality of its employees.
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 Tue 9 Nov 10 20:41 
 Interesting Story as to how a dealer got a sale - Hugo
Several years ago I was seriously thinking of getting a Freelander. We were given one for the whole day to go down to see my mum.

TBH the deal and the finance were great. I just couldn't bring myself to sign a cheque for £16k that I couldn't really afford at the time. I think in hindsight it was a very wise decision. The money was much better spent elsewhere.
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 Tue 9 Nov 10 20:37 
 Interesting Story as to how a dealer got a sale - Hugo
Martin

Sorry, for some reason I thought you had another way of contacting me. We have communicated via e mail in tha past IIRC.

I've managed to a certain extent by reorganising my shedule. I'm about a month behind where I wanted to be.

One little job would have been just up your street, unfortunately I've started it now and really need to see it though. Most of the jobs I get are minor ones - I like to keep it that way, but still get a few biggies throughout the year.

If you're still after work, let me have a way of contacting you and I'll keep you in mind.

Hugo
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 Tue 9 Nov 10 20:53 
 Interesting Story as to how a dealer got a sale - MD
Hugo, you MAY have e-mail.
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 Tue 9 Nov 10 20:56 
 Interesting Story as to how a dealer got a sale - R.P.
You both have mail OMG !
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 Tue 9 Nov 10 21:46 
 Interesting Story as to how a dealer got a sale - Hugo
Thanks PU

Yup, Martin and I are now in contact.
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