Dealership dummies depress me

[FREEWAYPHIL]

Are you your own Subject Matter Expert, or SME?
Do you know more about your prospective product than the sales associate?
Its like going to the auto parts store and telling the kid behind the counter to move over and you will find the thing yourself.
Shouldnt dealerships should have employees learn the product they are going to sell.
Why should I have to explain to the associate that I am buying the Bronco, not the Bronco Sport, not an Escape/Explorer/Expedition either.
Why doesnt anyone but the customer know that Base, Big Bend, Black Diamond, Outerbanks, Badlands, Wild Trak are trim levels, and not other vehicles.
I had an email correspondence where I had to explain all this with screen shots.
Am I the asshole for going full Karen on these morons?

Went to a Ford dealership to check out colors that were on other Ford models. The salesman said the new Bronco colors were unknown at this time... this was last week. Walked away.

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[1984shovelhead]

Hey guys. I'm black. And I don't really know if thats influenced my experiences at dealerships but I certainly suspect it.
Everytime I've stepped into a Ford dealership, nobody has greeted me

The first time. The sales men actually hot potato'ed me between them on who would take me. That left quite the impression. It burned, can't lie. I was there to try and negotiate a deal with the new Bronco. This was at the Ford in Conshohocken Pennsylvania. And yes I will gladly call them out in the interest that they improve.

The second time was this past weekend. I went to koch ford in Bethlehem... straight to their counter. Nobody was at the counter but their sales people saw me for sure. Nobody came to greet me until I called their number and finally someone came over.

I'm so grateful that as we transition to an online world more and more, I can score awesome deals like I have with brewster Ford in long Island. They don't know me from Adam or Joseph and served me with respect. I hate to throw the race card but I can only imagine that with pale skin and straight hair, I'd get real customer service like I'm used to when I deal with online customer agents ??
Why are you obsessed with race sir??

 

[Gloff]

Dinosaur business model
Carvanna is a precursor, to the future

This is an offshoot, and I'm genuinely curious, what is the future? What would you like to see car dealerships do that Carvana is doing?

 

[1984shovelhead]

Most of the techs are slobs as well my son was working for a ford dealership they reward getting crap done not done correctly I know one thing I don’t want any dealer installing anything like lockers in a new truck that’s a dealbreaker don’t care if it’s under warrantee or not

 

[Vigor]

This is an offshoot, and I'm genuinely curious, what is the future? What would you like to see car dealerships do that Carvana is doing?

No BS pricing
No haggling
No sales tactics
Completely buy (or sell) a car online

We live in the age of information and can access what we need to know about purchases with a few clicks. Salesmen provided value by being the subject matter experts before the web. But now WE are the experts. No need for a middle man. Salesmen should be more like real estate agents. They put in the work to get you the best price and then get commission. But unfortunately the model is setup that its not in their best interest to get you your best price.

Of course that doesn't apply all across the board. There are good dealerships who train good salesmen. But its an anxious uncomfortable process for most people when it really shouldn't be

My fiance bought her latest vehicle with carvanna and it was the smoothest process I've seen.

 

[Vigor]

Went to a Ford dealership to check out colors that were on other Ford models. The salesman said the new Bronco colors were unknown at this time... this was last week. Walked away.

Lol, did he just make that up. To what end? Smh

 

[Gloff]

No BS pricing
No haggling
No sales tactics
Completely buy (or sell) a car online

We live in the age of information and can access what we need to know about purchases with a few clicks. Salesmen provided value by being the subject matter experts before the web. But now WE are the experts. No need for a middle man. Salesmen should be more like real estate agents. They put in the work to get you the best price and then get commission. But unfortunately the model is setup that its not in their best interest to get you your best price.

Of course that doesn't apply all across the board. There are good dealerships who train good salesmen. But its an anxious uncomfortable process for most people when it really shouldn't be

My fiance bought her latest vehicle with carvanna and it was the smoothest process I've seen.

Thank you for your thoughts.

 

[pan-y-cerveza]

No BS pricing
No haggling
No sales tactics
Completely buy (or sell) a car online

@Gloff

I think this needs to be the way too.

If you want to haggle and waste time at the dealership feel free to go in or email.

If you just want a vehicle with a clear price it should be as easy as a few clicks.

I imagine the majority of car buyers either hate haggling, or, think they haggled a good price when they really didn't. An online model would serve this well.

I also imagine tons of people buy a used car, or don't buy at all, because they don't want to deal with a dealership. An online model would ease this process for these people and likely increase sales. Makes an impulse buy much easier. Likely not as good for the consumer (but that's their problem if they're that impulsive) but would benefit the dealer.

With Covid I've seen a few dealers doing this. I thought many more would. A few in my area are doing complete online sales, with free in-province delivery. Seems like a no-brainer too me.

Same as this reservation process for the Bronco. It would be just as easy to do the whole reservation, order, and purchase process through the Ford website. Just have the dealer facilitate the rest of the deal.

My wife bought a 4Runner not long ago through a discount program with her professional organization. A couple emails, a no-haggle program with a set discount, with online signature and payment. When the truck finally arrived we picked it up and were out the door in 20 minutes. Painless. That's what I'm looking for.

You can click and buy literally anything on the internet these days. It's surprising that dealerships and manufactures aren't jumping on this as well. I get there are many more laws, red tape, and paperwork with vehicle purchases but it shouldn't be the hassle it is with some dealers.

This whole thread is on how some salesman don't know much. If I know more than him about the vehicle I'm buying why do I even need to deal with him?

 

[Gloff]

@Gloff

I think this needs to be the way too.

If you want to haggle and waste time at the dealership feel free to go in or email.

If you just want a vehicle with a clear price it should be as easy as a few clicks.

I imagine the majority of car buyers either hate haggling, or, think they haggled a good price when they really didn't. An online model would serve this well.

I also imagine tons of people buy a used car, or don't buy at all, because they don't want to deal with a dealership. An online model would ease this process for these people and likely increase sales. Makes an impulse buy much easier. Likely not as good for the consumer (but that's their problem if they're that impulsive) but would benefit the dealer.

With Covid I've seen a few dealers doing this. I thought many more would. A few in my area are doing complete online sales, with free in-province delivery. Seems like a no-brainer too me.

Same as this reservation process for the Bronco. It would be just as easy to do the whole reservation, order, and purchase process through the Ford website. Just have the dealer facilitate the rest of the deal.

My wife bought a 4Runner not long ago through a discount program with her professional organization. A couple emails, a no-haggle program with a set discount, with online signature and payment. When the truck finally arrived we picked it up and were out the door in 20 minutes. Painless. That's what I'm looking for.

You can click and buy literally anything on the internet these days. It's surprising that dealerships and manufactures aren't jumping on this as well. I get there are many more laws, red tape, and paperwork with vehicle purchases but it shouldn't be the hassle it is with some dealers.

With the internet, prices are no haggle, at least on pre-owned options. Just go and buy it, the price is advertised on the web. No haggle is an experience people pay for already, just look at who leads used car gross profit per unit: Carmax.

 

[Rednek]

Most of the techs are slobs as well my son was working for a ford dealership they reward getting crap done not done correctly I know one thing I don’t want any dealer installing anything like lockers in a new truck that’s a dealbreaker don’t care if it’s under warrantee or not

It really saddens me to hear people generalising dealer technicians,I've been in the trade for 37 yrs and 23yrs at my current dealer as a working shop foreman i can say "slobs"don't stay in my shop for long i make sure of it,and if you only knew the amount of training we have to do every year(for free) best thing is to ask your dealer how many fully trained techs they have and request for the most trained to work on your vehicle.

 

[BroncoAgain]

We all want to buy below invoice. The local dealers are down to almost no vehicles. One I called has 1 F150 and 3 mustangs. They are looking for the Bronco to be their pot of gold. If you are looking to buy a Bronco, you have money and they want it. Even used car prices are way up.
IMO, to be really wanting to buy a vehicle that everyone wants before they are even made is not a good plan. Your dealer messes with you when it does come in, what you going to do about it. There are no others. I once had a dealer tell me my ordered truck fell off the train. I know he sold it for more.

 

[Hoofnmouth]

Hey guys. I'm black. And I don't really know if thats influenced my experiences at dealerships but I certainly suspect it.
Everytime I've stepped into a Ford dealership, nobody has greeted me

The first time. The sales men actually hot potato'ed me between them on who would take me. That left quite the impression. It burned, can't lie. I was there to try and negotiate a deal with the new Bronco. This was at the Ford in Conshohocken Pennsylvania. And yes I will gladly call them out in the interest that they improve.

The second time was this past weekend. I went to koch ford in Bethlehem... straight to their counter. Nobody was at the counter but their sales people saw me for sure. Nobody came to greet me until I called their number and finally someone came over.

I'm so grateful that as we transition to an online world more and more, I can score awesome deals like I have with brewster Ford in long Island. They don't know me from Adam or Joseph and served me with respect. I hate to throw the race card but I can only imagine that with pale skin and straight hair, I'd get real customer service like I'm used to when I deal with online customer agents ??

Lol i went to the jeep dealer the other to see the back seat of the 4dr it was like a ghost town and i was a leper nobody came out no one around strange might have been my bloody overalls too.

 

[Carmaker1]

@Vigor, my brother that is so disappointing to hear, but not surprising.

I strongly commend the understanding many people have shown towards Vigor's experience (based on things they can't hide/change) and I am gravely disappointed at any rather insensitive remarks in response to what @Vigor went through.

Alternatively, I know that some people might simply mean well, but you cannot speak for others' experiences and presume why they experienced mistreatment as "oh, it's not because of...". It's disrespectful and dismissive, even if you're trying to lighten up the mood.

@Vigor and I cannot hide/change our ethnicity from people opposed to it, whether driving the most expensive ride to the showroom or wearing designer digs. To a select of amount of nasty folks in this world, none of that matters.

Only when they can guarantee they will get paid, will they overlook that and behave. At the end of day, my life is way more rewarding than theirs, therefore it's their own issue and not mine.

As a young engineer (BSME/MBA/PhD) with various engineering and design patents in my name and a successful engineer/automotive product planner, reared in a very wealthy West African family in both UK and USA, I have made it a game at times to see how I will be received at many given dealerships, on my impromptu/casual visits.

I have walked into numerous Ford and non-Ford dealerships, receiving questionable treatment at times, particularly in USA.

In UK, they generally do not play these games with me. Whether at the sole Bentley showroom for the Birmingham and Coventry metropolitan areas servicing my dad's often dormant Arnage saloon, Lexus & Toyota dealers for other family vehicles, Jaguar Land Rover (former HQ engineer), and Ford showrooms for my personal vehicles over there. Plus many others.

Only on occasion I met the dismissive, xenophobic Brit, that often got reprimanded or terminated for playing games with me.

In USA, despite having sizeable financial means for a young male, my skin color and non English surname, has dictated a lot of my treatment based on false perceptions. Even at Ford dealers as someone part of Ford corporate, until I lay down the law and enforce compliance with what I expect, I am hindered from getting a reasonable experience at dealerships.

It is only when I call in ahead and expressly point out what vehicle I am arriving in, set an appointment, and who I am, that I'm able to avoid any of these annoying micro aggressions.

My white fiance rarely if ever experiences this treatment, except if it's a matter of envy or being perceived as uppity on first sight. Both of us tend to drive (high) performance vehicles, whether luxury or mainstream. We at "worst" drive our older 20th century 4x4 toys on occasion.

American brand car dealerships are often used as stepping stones by less than ideal individuals for a paycheck and the ownerships' lack of concern often doesn't help with who they hire and train.

At Ford, I feel we suffer with some of our Ford Performance and high end sales at times, due to a litany of dealerships thinking they can lazily handle a cynical customer buying a Fiesta S or base Ecosport, the same as a loyal customer looking at Ford Icon or Performance products such as ST vehicles, Bronco, GT350, loaded 401A GT Premium or high end utilities.

And if not, ADM everything to death and drive folks away. Not all Ford dealers are like this, but it's typical. FCA isn't better either. I am certain this hurt ST and RS sales. I cringe at the idea this could repeat itself with Bronco.

I own many Fords FYI, alongside BMWs, Toyota and JLR vehicles globally (plus others). Yet, my loyalty can mean zilch, even as someone (starting next late year), being professionally responsible for some pricey 2022MY+ flagship product sold in Ford/Lincoln showrooms.

None of my Ford projects have hit the sales floor yet, but pre-exist in some well-regarded current nameplates.

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