Dealership Moments- When You Know You Won't be Back!

A few years ago my married son was in the market for a new minivan so being an experienced car buyer dad, I went along to tutor him how to negotiate a good deal. Well the dealer we went to had an all female sales staff and it looked like the manager recruited all of the ladies from the local Hooters restaurant. My boy is tall and good looking so he got loads of sales attention. The new car show room was empty and so we had fun for a while. The demos and test rides were great. When I got the chance I told my son that these sales ladies were hired for a special reason and that he wasn't going to get any deals there. Last time I got that much female attention was in a bar in the Philippines. We left and he eventually got a sweet deal on a minivan elsewhere.

Once shopping for myself, I got suckered into leaving my potential trade at a dealer while took a test drive demo shopping. When I returned the sales mgr. didn't want to give me my car back. It is a trick to keep you from walking out before they give you the hard sell. I threatened to call the cops and my keys magically appeared.

I hate new car shopping. 🚗
Same issue with not returning keys, had the phone to ear dialing the police when my keys appeared.
 
Back in the 1984 I was looking for a Nissan pickup. A Nissan dealer in Nashville, TN had exactly what I was looking for. I asked the salesman what kind of deal he could give me just trying to get negotiations started. He quoted a price that was $650. lower than anywhere else I'd been looking so I told him I'd take it. When we got inside he started trying to increase his price. Pretty dumb sales move. I got up and walked out. Another dealer in Hopkinsville, KY agreed to find the truck I wanted, quoted me a price and we signed a contract. A few days later the salesman called and said they'd made a mistake and the truck was going to cost more than we'd agreed on and they wouldn't be able to honor the contract. I told him I wasn't going to pay more. A couple months later I ended up buying a Mazda instead of a Nissan.

In 2005 I negotiated a deal on a new Mercury Grand Marquis. They filled out the paperwork and I was ready to sign but when going over the numbers I noticed they'd added $300 to the price. I called them on it and they said it was additional dealer fees. I told them I'd already negotiated the price and I'd buy it at the negotiated price and not a penny more. I ended up walking out with the salesman right behind me trying to talk me into paying the extra $300.

I never play payment numbers games with them. I tell them I'm paying cash or will do my financing elsewhere. I also never have a trade in because in most cases with enough negotiation I can buy nearly as cheap or sometimes cheaper than with a trade in.

Best 2 deals on new cars I ever made were the Buick Regal I bought in 1977 and the Ford Escort wagon I bought in 1997. In '77 the salesman and I agreed on a price while still on the lot. In 1997 I'd already been to the dealer and looked but didn't do any negotiating. I called the salesman back on the phone and we agreed on a price over the phone. I went back signed the papers and drove the car home.
 
Last edited:
Remember relating this on some board. My apologies if it's a repeat here.

Traded a Renault R16 for a Toyota Corona (remember them?) at a one person used car lot in the mid seventies. The owner said "You're in luck, my father just died a few minutes ago, I'm in mourning and I'll give you a good deal. Come in before ten on Thursday so I can get to the funeral." The deal (and it turns out the car) really wasn't that bad for an eight year old beater so I bit. When I showed up I asked him "Hey, don't you have to catch your father's funeral?" "Nah, somebody called, guess I'll have to skip it."
I remember both of those cars. Another sailor on my ship had one and we'd sometimes ride to town in it. The ride was sumptuous next to other small cars. It had an odd wheel base port to starboard. The Toyota was an unimpressive vehicle and every one I ever saw had a bad tin worm infection.

Too bad you don't still have either.
 
I was shopping for my sister. Her saturn SL cracked its head. We agreed I'd buy a car up here in New England and drive it down to DFW. Parents scraped together a few-five grand and I set out trying to find a hyundai still under its 6/60 factory warranty.

Stopped at a dealer that advertised an Accent. Tell the guy I'd like to look at it. Wasn't detailed yet, was still full of trash, tapes, etc. Guy said ah, this may not be for sale after all, it was a trade in and the person's defaulting on the loan so they're going to get back in this car. But, hey, we have this (more expensive) Sonata if you want to go for a spin.

We go out and he's flapping his lips about their 83 point inspection process, their cars are cream of the crop. I roll the driver's window down for some reason. Rolling it up, it stops an inch from closed and the mechanism starts chattering. There was a tinny noise from the rear, guy claimed it was just the dealer license plate on loose. Nope, because it was wedged against the CHMSL in the rear window.

Hit up another dealer. Accent. Brake pedal sunk 2/3 to the floor and the brakes felt warped. Car had 40k miles on it. Dealer started arguing with me that I just had to take that car as it was $10 in gas to get to Boston. Told him to fix the brakes.

Finally found the car I wanted, at a dirt lot dealer in as-is New Hampshire. 3 years old, 52k miles. Base Accent with stick shift and AC. Obese salesman in the trailer-office rambled on about how he enjoyed Viet Nam and re-upped, twice! Upon completing the sale I got the title-- clean, but repossessed. Took this car to Walmart for some $29 13-inch tires, drove it to Dallas where it passed inspection no problem, and handed it off to my sister. Lived a long life in her clutzy hands.
 
Couple years ago got the whole work up at a local used lot. Salesman had to go check with his "manager " 2 or three times with his so called best we can do offer. Scribbling and circling all these convoluted ways to justify the trade in price minus the sticker price blahs blahs blah. Finally the silver haired guy in the three piece suit comes out of his little cubicle and said since we were a thousand dollars apart, just sign and buy today. Come back once a week for 52 weeks and he would hand me a $20 bill. Thought I was on Candid Camera.
 
The best time to buy a car is when you don’t need a car.

I’ve twice walked out after they tried to cheat me. I don’t argue with them. After their last offer, I just stand up, tell salesperson “Thank you”, shake hands, and tell them that “I’m no longer interested in the car”. (And I mean it). They normally can’t believe I’m walking out. I’ve had them phone my cell on my drive home, at home that night, next day, etc. I always tell them again, “I’m no longer interested in the car”. There are a lot of cars out there. If you don’t buy this one, you will find another that you like.

I had a friend who sold cars. A couple things he told me.

1. There’s an ass for every seat.

2. Dealers biggest fear is that you will walk out and go to another dealer down the street.

3. Dealers not only try to cheat customers, they also try to cheat salesperson. Had to watch and track each sale as dealers look for any excuse to not pay commission.

4. Salesperson never really has a day off. If a car has to be delivered that day, salesperson must come in (or else, commission must be split).

5. Would rather sell Used Cars. Every dealer has a new car exactly like the one he has, but with Used Cars, he is the only one who has that exact car.
 
My roommate and I went to go test drive a Grand Cherokee at a local Chrysler/RAM/Jeep dealership and pulled up in my Focus. When I talked to the salesman, he looked at me and said "you do realize how much more a month you'll have to pay on this?" After the test drive we walked out and said some explicit things about him.
 
Finally the silver haired guy in the three piece suit comes out of his little cubicle and said since we were a thousand dollars apart, just sign and buy today. Come back once a week for 52 weeks and he would hand me a $20 bill. Thought I was on Candid Camera.
You should have told him to put that in writing.
 
My dad didn't like to negotiate with car salesmen. When I got old enough I'd do it for him. I'll tell them exactly what I think if they don't like I don't care. I know it's no skin off my nose or food off my table if I don't buy the car. I think it was '84 dad saw a Buick on a lot that he liked so we talked it over decided on our price, drove it then sat down to negotiations. We got within $100. and walked out. When we got home the phone was ringing. They said they'd split the difference so dad bought it.

When I was looking at Grand Marquis in '05 I ask a salesman at one of the dealerships what he could do on one of the cars I was looking at and he pointed at the sticker price insinuating that was his best deal. Then he said how much would you give for it. I said I'll give you $10K and drive it home today. His response was "get realistic". I just looked at him and said "you get realistic". I thought my $10K offer was just as fair as him expecting me to pay sticker price. When they offer to come off a sticker price $1K or so my first offer is usually less than half of sticker. $1K off is 1977 discounts. The Buick Regal I bought in '77 when I was 17 listed at $7103. In a matter of about 10 minutes on the lot with the salesman we'd agreed on $6103. The salesman I bought it from was part of the family that owned the dealership so there was no BS to go through with a sales manager.
 
Last edited:
The constant touching would get annoying.

3B0F74DA-B6EA-400F-A870-F0327D8AC31E.jpeg
 
I didn't feel bad because he was a bozo............lol
Zee, 100% true or not, that's funny as heck!

I've dealt with so many different types of car sales people over the years I can't even recall all the antics. Generally speaking, the 'old dudes' were the slimiest with their sales tactics, but you never know. Honestly, the lady sales people I've dealt with always seem to be excellent.

One memorable one for me, was my most recent trade-in and purchase experience when I purchased my used 2019 Ram 1500 this past summer. It happened to be a ~90degF and crazy humid day in my area which is rare. The young lady sales person that happened to help me that day was a bit on the voluptuous side if you follow... She had such a hard time stepping out of the air conditioned office and into the heat to evaluate my trade that the evaluation process consisted of her barely getting into the driver's seat. Starting it, shutting it off and getting back into the office all within about 1 minute. She didn't look at the worn tires, dings, scratches, cracked bumper/fascia, etc. She printed out KBB "good" value, handed it to me, had to go re-powder her nose and we worked from there.
 
I like my dealer. They made me a great deal when I desperately needed wheels after losing my two vehicles in the Harvey flood. But they did goof up recently. Some used car guy there cold called me wanting to buy my 2.5 year old car back, I have less that 30K miles on it. He promised TOP DOLLAR for it over the phone. I politely told him I doubt he could really do that. He persuaded me to come in the next morning although I was very skeptical.

I arrive and he has a guy look it over. My car is probabaly in the top 5% condition. Asks me "so what do you want for it?" I tell him you called me, so make me an offer. He low balls me, offering about 30% less what I could sell it for on my own. I say, no way! He gets a little frustrated, telling me "we have to make profit on it, we have to put it through a costly inspection, blah, blah. None of that is my problem.

It took some gall to offer what he did. I kept my cool and left. I still like my dealer though. Otherwise they have been good.
 
Zee, 100% true or not, that's funny as heck!

I've dealt with so many different types of car sales people over the years I can't even recall all the antics. Generally speaking, the 'old dudes' were the slimiest with their sales tactics, but you never know. Honestly, the lady sales people I've dealt with always seem to be excellent.

One memorable one for me, was my most recent trade-in and purchase experience when I purchased my used 2019 Ram 1500 this past summer. It happened to be a ~90degF and crazy humid day in my area which is rare. The young lady sales person that happened to help me that day was a bit on the voluptuous side if you follow... She had such a hard time stepping out of the air conditioned office and into the heat to evaluate my trade that the evaluation process consisted of her barely getting into the driver's seat. Starting it, shutting it off and getting back into the office all within about 1 minute. She didn't look at the worn tires, dings, scratches, cracked bumper/fascia, etc. She printed out KBB "good" value, handed it to me, had to go re-powder her nose and we worked from there.

Voluptuous? :)
 
This is why Carvana is so popular. Last time I had a car priced at a dealer they had $199 fee for nitrogen tires and a $500 document fee tacked on. I walked out.
 
Every time that I walk into a dealership to buy it is always a game and I hate it. The one that irked me the most is the finance dealer who sold my son a car and than financed it at 2% more than was agreed upon. I read the contract that evening and spotted it. The next day we went to the dealer and knowing they got caught re-wrote the loan for the correct amount.
My very first car buying experience was great. I bought a brand new 73 Volkswagen Super Beetle.
They had not hit the docks yet and were about a month out. I put about 50% down and told the salesman that I was selling my current car the next day. I would have no vehicle and was there some old loaner they could give me. They gave me a one year old car which I drove for nearly five weeks. They were a great bunch. I sent many referrals to that dealership and salesman.
 
Back
Top