USED car lots & sales folk BITE!

[GN One Day...]

Car lots and credit cards with this philosophy are largely the reason so many people don't take credit seriously anymore. "No credit, bad credit, bankruptcy divorce!" How many times do you hear that these days? To a lot of people, that's a cue to not take debt seriously because they feel they can get what they want anyway! Usually a car to park outside of a house worth half as much. Yes, I've been exposed to that lending too. It's shady, it's wrong and I'm glad I know the difference. How many people are in a CH 13 plan but still go finance a car? A LOT. And it's illegal because the lot didn't get permission from the court. What do they care? They don't report to the bureau's (no, you don't help them re-establish credit, I'm sure you don't report), and most are a local institution for being a place to get a car with bad credit, so they never get turned in or caught. They are the reason they deal with these customers, they are the reason so many people don't take credit seriously. The LAST people that should be complaining about this type of customer is someone who deals in that kind of business. You created these people by giving them an excuse to have bad credit. Reap what you sow. This type of place isn't a car lot, it's more like a Rent-to-Own store. They sell the same car 3 times over, making money each time, charging the state max interest rate, repo and re-sell.

Don't complain about it, this is the business you're in. Don't like these people? Then run a different kind of lot. I think the pot's calling the kettle black.

Yes, I do know what I'm talking about.

 

[Blown_GTP]

Hmm, so what you are saying is he wrecked these pepoles credit and they didnt? these pepole would rather buy a car from a budget lot rather than a dealer with $20000 cars? He is helping pepole to get a car that normally they would be taking a bus. Thats not help? i dont know what is than. If he is not adding it to the credit bearuo, no hes not helping their credit but he is helping them get a car so they can get to work and back. I look at his dealership as the pepoles last chance. They are the ones not taking credit serious bottom line. Its not the dealers fault.

 

[Red Regal T]

You guys are wasting your time trying to explain the ins and outs of your used car business. People can't understand that you're talking about 99 bums, with no money, who come in your door and waste your time before you get just one gentleman you can talk to and possibly sell a car. Selling stuff today is pretty hard. You have to be tough. There's no money around. Lot's of people with totally screwed up credit who cannot earn a living wage who are looking for a handout.

If one doesn't want to be treated or looked at like this, don't go to a used car lot. I don't..... and I was a used car dealer for 25 years. I guess I know better.

 

[John Larkin]

Secondary finance is very similar to a pawn shop. If you've ever been to a pawn shop, you can see nearly mirror image customers of the secondary finance car lots. It costs money to have a car repo'd. And that is a risky venture too. In business, you need to prepare for the worst, end of story. I don't blame these guys for trying to average out their books. For the most part, people with bad credit just don't know how to stop their addiction. Some folks get into bad situations that are beyond their control but they are the exceptions, not the rule.

Gee, my first car was at 16% interest. I was fresh out of school with no credit. Made the payments and I got good credit. I bought a car I could afford in the first place. THAT'S the difference! It didn't have any bells and whistles (except A/C, Automatic and FM Radio). Too many folks now days wanting it all for nothing.

One last thought: These people that have bad credit have bad credit with their insurance companies too. So if one of them wrecks into your vehicle that you worked hard for and destroys it and/or hurts you or a loved one, just remember you're supposed to be kind to them if they don't have a valid policy.

 

[Pronto]

WHA, WH A, WHAAAA. Want some cheese to go with your WHINE? You two crack me up. I'm supposed to feel sorry for you because you deal with "bad customers". So who's holding a GUN to your head to sell cars for work? Go get a real job that you don't have to look at peoples credit ratings. The one thing that you two arn't saying is that you ALWAYS know the exact price that car will be sold at for profit. YOU hold all the cards every single time. As a customer we can only guess it. That automaticly sets up an adversarial(sp) relationship. So right from the get go I hate to deal because I will AWAYS feel like I'm getting screwed (which I know I am). After you close the deal and run back the the coffee room do you gleefully boast to the others how you cleaned me out? I bet you do! I have 2 aquintances that are car salesmen. When they get together and start talking shop I cringe. I hear all the lingo and twists they put on deals to close the deal. I start to feel the slim like the floor in a stripjoint bathroom creeping up. I would much rather just pay one set price or buy from a private party if possible.

 

[Blown_GTP]

well, are you saying that i shouldnt make any money? It sounds like thats what you are saying to me. I think your problem is that your insecure about what you are paying. Do you think i should tell pepole how much i have into a car? Do you think circuit city or best buy would do that for the stereos they sell? Jeeez man, your one of those pepole that dosent want me to eat too. You dont want me to make a penny off of you. You make me sick man!!

 

[Pronto]

No you shouldn't make money if it's by screwing people, period. It takes a certain kind of individual to do that and it looks like you found your calling. Like I said nobody's holding a gun to your head to work at that job. BTW, it's not just a penny it's more like several thousand. Now we're both sick.

 

[Red Regal T]

Originally posted by Pronto
No you shouldn't make money if it's by screwing people, period. It takes a certain kind of individual to do that and it looks like you found your calling. Like I said nobody's holding a gun to your head to work at that job. BTW, it's not just a penny it's more like several thousand. Now we're both sick.

You shouldn't shop anywhere if you're worried about people actually making money. Everybody's "screwing" somebody. Who do you think pays for all these fancy high rise office buildings, department stores, giant new car agencies, etc. That's right......the people who buy their products or services. The world turns on profit.......and not a little bit of profit.

 

[Rogue Leader]

wow this thread blew up... I have to say I totally understand where these guys are coming from actually... See its tough for everyone here to realize how it is when youre not nor ever have been in a sales position.

They arent talking about every customer... generally customers come in and are normal, and they generally are treated fairly... but theres a stereotypical customer that they are describing, and thats the customer that always sticks in your mind... The one whos eyes are WAY bigger than their stomach. The ones who have NO money but think they should be driving a new car. The ones who have defaulted on every loan in their life but believe they can get whatever they want. These guys lose quite a bit of money when they have to repo cars from these people (or worse the car is just plain gone), and then these people even have the nerve to try and undercut the price so much that the dealership would almost be upside down... Sorry these guys actually want to make a few bucks on the cars they sell... thats how business works!!

Think of my company (GEICO) we then have to insure these people who then dont pay their payments, or worse buy the cars for family members who cant get financing at all or insurance because their records are terrible, then after reciving the first say $500 in premium we have to pay out thousands or sometimes even more in damages because this moron rammed into someone while drunk... it happens EVERY SINGLE DAY (and YOUR rates increase because of fraud like that).

Like I said its not everyone, but a few customers that stick out a heck of a lot more than the regular guy.

You have to realize they arent providing a charity for people its a business and a business exists to make money not to put every piece of trash in a car... They will try, and their techniques can be sleazy, but the bottom line is, if they didnt make money on any cars they would be out of business! Profit is everywhere, just because you cant argue the price on a product doesnt mean someone isnt making a decent profit on it!! Know how much a Big Mac costs to make at McD's??? 13 cents... and you pay $1.49!!! talk about robbery

I have worked in many sales jobs and I get commissions/bonus... Think of how it feels as a salesperson when you have people like this coming in... For example when I sold car stereo systems, Id have guys coming in pricing out speakers, amps, the whole 9 yards, Id be setting up components, re-wiring the boards to test everything out together, only after spending over an hour with them for them to say "I dont have the money yet but maybe in a few months" only for them to never show up again. Now thats an hour or more that i could have been helping other people and making money! Oh Im so bad for actually wanting to make extra money at my job??? (you get OT... salespeople get commision... for extra effort)

Unfortunately people have to learn to live within their means... the dealerships dont help by saying "bad credit/no credit we can help" because that makes the minimum wage mcdonalds employee think they can pimp a 98 Lexus. People have to learn to live within their means, but they never will because when it comes to toys not many will settle for just what they can afford they wanna squeeze every last bit out of their minimum wage!

Like I said its hard to see it from the other side, but salespeople are people too and they work for their living just like you do, and it REALLY isnt so easy as it seems.

 

[Blown_GTP]

Originally posted by Rogue Leader
wow this thread blew up... I have to say I totally understand where these guys are coming from actually... See its tough for everyone here to realize how it is when youre not nor ever have been in a sales position.

They arent talking about every customer... generally customers come in and are normal, and they generally are treated fairly... but theres a stereotypical customer that they are describing, and thats the customer that always sticks in your mind... The one whos eyes are WAY bigger than their stomach. The ones who have NO money but think they should be driving a new car. The ones who have defaulted on every loan in their life but believe they can get whatever they want. These guys lose quite a bit of money when they have to repo cars from these people (or worse the car is just plain gone), and then these people even have the nerve to try and undercut the price so much that the dealership would almost be upside down... Sorry these guys actually want to make a few bucks on the cars they sell... thats how business works!!

Think of my company (GEICO) we then have to insure these people who then dont pay their payments, or worse buy the cars for family members who cant get financing at all or insurance because their records are terrible, then after reciving the first say $500 in premium we have to pay out thousands or sometimes even more in damages because this moron rammed into someone while drunk... it happens EVERY SINGLE DAY (and YOUR rates increase because of fraud like that).

Like I said its not everyone, but a few customers that stick out a heck of a lot more than the regular guy.

You have to realize they arent providing a charity for people its a business and a business exists to make money not to put every piece of trash in a car... They will try, and their techniques can be sleazy, but the bottom line is, if they didnt make money on any cars they would be out of business! Profit is everywhere, just because you cant argue the price on a product doesnt mean someone isnt making a decent profit on it!! Know how much a Big Mac costs to make at McD's??? 13 cents... and you pay $1.49!!! talk about robbery

I have worked in many sales jobs and I get commissions/bonus... Think of how it feels as a salesperson when you have people like this coming in... For example when I sold car stereo systems, Id have guys coming in pricing out speakers, amps, the whole 9 yards, Id be setting up components, re-wiring the boards to test everything out together, only after spending over an hour with them for them to say "I dont have the money yet but maybe in a few months" only for them to never show up again. Now thats an hour or more that i could have been helping other people and making money! Oh Im so bad for actually wanting to make extra money at my job??? (you get OT... salespeople get commision... for extra effort)

Unfortunately people have to learn to live within their means... the dealerships dont help by saying "bad credit/no credit we can help" because that makes the minimum wage mcdonalds employee think they can pimp a 98 Lexus. People have to learn to live within their means, but they never will because when it comes to toys not many will settle for just what they can afford they wanna squeeze every last bit out of their minimum wage!

Originally posted by Rogue Leader

Like I said its hard to see it from the other side, but salespeople are people too and they work for their living just like you do, and it REALLY isnt so easy as it seems.

I couldnt have said it any better myself. if there wasnt such thing as profit, what would be the point? And i am not talking about every customer like this but i am talking about the bad ones. I have repeat customers that hav boughten 3 or 4 cars from me and they send their family. These pepole will only buy their cars from me because they like the way we do buisness and they enjoy the car that they have boughten from me in the past. alot of pepole like the fact that we are a family owned buisness and we dont presure them. We give a good brake to our repeat customers and it keeps them coming back. we have been in buisness for 3 years and have put over 900 cars down the road. we dont do this by having unhappy customers.

But in some cases it does happen that we got the car for real cheap and i still sell the car for a good price and make a big profit. The pepole are still happy because they still got the car for a great price and im happy because i made a great profit. But on the other hand and mostly, i get the short end of the stick and dont get what i wanted for the car. Now i look foward to those Big deals but unfortunatly, i dont get them as much as i need and it doesnt equal itself out.


Now onto the bad customer thing, Every buisness has its ups and downs. My down is lousy customers that come to the lot with a bad additude right from the start. Im nice to the pepole right from the start but if i sense an aditude from them, ill give it back to them. I dont think its fair for them to treat me like crap when im nice to them when i come out to greet them. I have asked pepole to leave the lot because their aditudes have been so bad. i dont understand why pepole have to be so nasty to sales pepole. Sometimes pepole are extremly rude without showing odvious signs. For example, tonight at about 6:00 i had a customer call and ask about a 2000 toyota tundra. I told him everything about the truck including the miles (wich are a little high but the truck is in great shape and a 1 owner)

Him, what time are you open untill?
me, ill be here until 9:00
him, ok, ill be there at 7:00

7:00 rolls around and no sign of him. 8:00 comes around and no sign of him. 8:50 he finally shows up

Him, im sorry im late, i had dinner plans i had to attend to
Me, no problem. ill stay late if you are intrested
Him, can i drive it?
me, sure if you make it quick thats fine.

So he leaves and is gone for an hour and 15 minutes and gets back at about 10:00 I than go ask him if he liked the truck

His reply was, I liked it and it drove great but it has to many miles on it and would not be intrested.

Me, please leave the lot now and dont ever come back again.
Him, i dont know why you are being this way
me, i think you know why, please leave

He than got in his car and squeeled his tires out of the lot. HE KNEW HOW MANY MILES WERE ON IT BEFORE HE EVEN GOT THERE!! i ended up working a 13.5 hour day and sold nothing. This type of thing happens everyday. Maybe not that bad but it happens. Now do you see my frustration?

 

[GNFURY]

I feel you there brother!!!! I have the same **** happen to me! but, I'll go through an entire deal first: doing application, collecting proofs, landing them on a car, getting them approved, then going on a test drive (spending about 1.5 hours) keeping in mind this customer probably can't finance a loaf of bread conventionally! The guy has known the whole damn time that the car has 180k on it. then comes back from the test drive, and says, I think I'm gonna wait, too many miles for me. YOU'VE GOT TO BE KIDDING ME YOU BUM! GO FINANCE A SCHWINN DOWN THE STREET THEN. when people come on my lot on one of those 9-9 days AT 8:55, when they had an appointment at 6:00, I throw them out unless they have 100 dollar bills falling out of their pocket then I go to THEIR jobs 5 minutes before they close on a long night and start askin questions...................

 

[Blown_GTP]

LOL, thats the only way they will know how it feels. Ive been tempted to do it but i havent yet. They have no idea what is like. They get off of work and go home and clean up, maybe have a little dinner, sit back and watch t.v. for a little bit, maybe even take a nap than they decide to come and look at cars and dick me around 5 minutes before i close. I want to get home myself and relax.

 

[Blown_GTP]

Speaking of, is car sales as soft by you as it is here? This economy is a hard one.

 

[gn85]

Originally posted by Rogue Leader




Profit is everywhere, just because you cant argue the price on a product doesnt mean someone isnt making a decent profit on it!! Know how much a Big Mac costs to make at McD's??? 13 cents... and you pay $1.49!!! talk about robbery

But it's the quality of service that you're paying for.

It's the fact that everytime you go through that drive through you will get your order right the first time, the person on the other end doesn't need a machine to count money for him and that you'll have a fresh delicious meal in a brown paper bag!! THAT'S WHAT YOU'RE PAYING FOR!!

 

[GNFURY]

yep, even the buy here pay here market is pretty tough right now. this sux. we normally do about 40-50 cars a month here, and we have been strugglin the last few months just to get 25-30 out. we have quite a bit in common! we both work in the family car business, and have tr's! is that wisconsin that you live in?

 

[GN One Day...]

Since you guys seem to be having similar experiences in the same business, but in different parts of the country, it seems that it's just a part of the business. Staying late, dealing with 90% of the customers leaving without a purchase and all is just part of the territory. No point in getting mad about it. If it doesn't suit you, just change jobs to something that does.

In review:

Originally posted by GNFURY
...IT'S YOU SCUMMY LYING CUSTOMERS THAT ARE THE PROBLEM...IF YOU ARE GOING TO A SECONDARY FINANCE TYPE OF PLACE (LIKE MINE) I MIGHT TELL YOU THE PRICE, WE WILL NOT GO ON A TEST DRIVE (UNTIL YOU ARE APPROVED AND I HAVE YOUR MONEY IN MY POCKET ) AND THAT IS HOW IT IS GOING TO HAPPEN...
MOST PEOPLE THAT GET SCREWED DESERVE IT! THESE "OLDER PEOPLE" SHOULD HAVE MORE EXPERIENCE BUYING CARS THAN ANYBODY, SO THEY SHOULD KNOW THE VALUE OF THINGS. AND IF THEY DON'T KNOW WHAT IS GOIN ON, THEN THEY SHOULD HAVE THE COMMON SENSE TO BRING SOMEONE WITH THEM THAT DOES. ANY PEOPLE I SCREW, I JUST DO IT TO TRY AND CATCH BACK UP. AND I LOVE DOIN IT. I DON'T REALLY SCREW PEOPLE, BUT LETS FACE IT. IF YOU ARE A BUM, YOU ARE GONNA PAY 24% INTEREST! IF YOU GUYS SAW THE DIRTY ASS CUSTOMERS THAT I HAVE TO DEAL WITH ON A DAILY BASIS, YOU WOULD AGREE 100%..
...IF I CAN SCREW SOME BITCH THAT HAS BEEN LIVING ON SSI, ADC, WELFARE, AND PAYS $20 A MONTH TO LIVE IN A WHOLE HOUSE, AND ON TOP OF THAT GETS A 3K+ INCOME TAX RETURN BECAUSE SHE IS A BUM, AND HAS HER BABY DADDY LIVING WITH HER (MORE INCOME) BUT HAS HIS MAIL SENT TO HIS MOMMA'S HOUSE SO THE SOCIAL WORKER DOESN'T KNOW THAT ANOTHER PERSON LIVES THERE (THE RENT MIGHT GO FROM $20 BUCKS TO $30 BUCKS) AND ON TOP OF THAT IS A FULLY ABLE BODIES PERSON THAT JUST IS A PIECE OF **** THAT DOESN'T WANT TO WORK AND HAS 8 KIDS (AND IS 24 YEARS OLD HERSELF) THAN BUDDY, I'M GONNA DO MY BEST TO MAKE SURE THAT SHE TAKES IT IN THE POOPER ON THE DEAL (GETTING SOME OF MY TAX MONEY BACK.) AND IF YOU DON'T LIKE THAT, THAN YOU ARE JUST NOT AWARE AND DON'T EVER HAVE TO WORK WITH THE SCUM OF THE EARTH...
I'll go through an entire deal first: doing application, collecting proofs, landing them on a car, getting them approved, then going on a test drive (spending about 1.5 hours) keeping in mind this customer probably can't finance a loaf of bread conventionally! The guy has known the whole damn time that the car has 180k on it. then comes back from the test drive, and says, I think I'm gonna wait, too many miles for me. YOU'VE GOT TO BE KIDDING ME YOU BUM! GO FINANCE A SCHWINN DOWN THE STREET THEN. when people come on my lot on one of those 9-9 days AT 8:55, when they had an appointment at 6:00, I throw them out unless they have 100 dollar bills falling out of their pocket..

And then we hear:

yep, even the buy here pay here market is pretty tough right now. this sux. we normally do about 40-50 cars a month here, and we have been strugglin the last few months just to get 25-30 out.

The waiting, the "be back's" and all that is just part of the job. Doesn't matter if the people have bad credit, they're the clients you've chosen to cater to. You still have to cultivate your business. Sounds like maybe you haven't been doing that and that fact tends to rear its head when the hard times hit.

Just my .02, but I think you guys need to look for another line of work. You've got so much frustration with this one that you're going to have a heart attack before you're 30. No offense intended.

 

[GNFURY]

I'm not complaining about the business that I have chosen, I'm just attempting to illustrate what a car dealer goes thru when in the market of secondary finance! when people complain because the guy at the buy here pay here lot doesn't kiss their ass and jump through hoops, like they do at a new car lot - I get irritated. They are no longer qualified buyers, and they are just not going to be treated like they are, so don't expect me to kiss your ass - they should be kissin mine just for doin business with them! That is what I am trying to get across. I happen to like being in the car business.

 

[Blown_GTP]

Originally posted by GNFURY
yep, even the buy here pay here market is pretty tough right now. this sux. we normally do about 40-50 cars a month here, and we have been strugglin the last few months just to get 25-30 out. we have quite a bit in common! we both work in the family car business, and have tr's! is that wisconsin that you live in?

Yea, we are in wisconsin and all the money is dried up. June and july are usually our most busy months. Its been crap here. pepole just arent looking for cars these days. They would rather fix there beaters than have to pay for a new one. We have a lot of blue collar workers around here and i think that the economy hits them the hardest.

 

[Twins]

I don't think it really matters if you are selling cars or shoes....customers have gotten worse in the past 10 years.

Everyone wants to buy things at Walmarts price but get upset when the 19 yr old behind the counter at Lowes doesn't know which widget is best for your application. We read it all the time how crappy the service is at Pep Boys-Autozone-(insert another chain here) is. Who are they going to find to work for peanuts till 7:00 on Sun. The same people that Blown-GTP and GNFURY are selling cars to. I have sold these same people glasses for 3/4 of my working life and I KNOW from personal experience how ****ty they are. How about the welfare Mom that tells me for the 10th time to call her cell phone when her glasses get in because she will be at the beach. Those glasses were paid for by us working stiffs looking out at the sunny day through the windows at work. I want to be at the beach...........not smelling another brat with a full diaper that is running around touching every lens in the store with fingers covered with candy juice and cat hair.

I quit taking Medicade at my practice due to the attitude of the customers........I know that it's generalizing......but generally these people are so used to getting something for nothing that they aren't even embarassed anymore. (If they ever were, most watched there Mom and Dad type figure do the same thing.) Now these people must drive 15 miles to find the next Medicade provider........boo hoo, get a job like the rest of us. I stuck it out for four years after the other optical stores in town cut it off. I tried I really did, but it was starting to affect my REAL business. The paying customers were being offended.

Maybe Blown-GTP and GNFURY said things in a way that was a little off color or upsetting but unfortunatley they speak from experience. People are getting worse everyday.

Walk a mile friends.

 

[36IndexGN]

WAY to many posts to read all of, here goes my story. Mine you I am very active with Saabcentral.com and currently have my turbo in my apt waiting to be sent to John Craig

I almost took a job at a new Saab dealership selling them, its a product I belive in , but my story happend at a mini used saab dealer, mostly classics.

I asked about a silver one on the lot, I was told it wasnt for sale, then the man explained nothing was for sale, I told him I was completely lost

Then he says, I tell him what I want, and he finds it, so Im thinking ok, Then mention its for a friend I know, she is going to be a senior, and just like the soupnazi on Seinfeld, told me he wouldn't sell me the car or any car. Since she would ruin it in his words. I had absoloutly no idea what to say and just left.

Come to find out he wouldn't sell somebody parts since he thought this guys car wasn't good enough to fix, told him to leave it and take the plates off.