Denied a test drive at Honda???

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Originally Posted By: GiveMeAVowel
Originally Posted By: supton


Over in Munich at the BMW factory/showroom, they've instituted this exactly and gotten rid of this concept of "free" test drives. By saying they will let you take out any car; but as an hourly rental and with the corresponding prices.


I wonder if you buy the specific model you paid to test drive if they discount the rental fee into the price you pay for the vehicle, they should.
When customers become an irritation it's time to rethink being in retail.
 
Smh at all the people thinking this guy was somehow humiliated, berated or discriminsted against to the nth degree.

Is there some kinda feeling that one is entitled to a test drive?

Remember this situation didnt have to go this way with some smooth talking.
All the guy had to say when asked are you planning to buy today was to read between the lines and say "we will see" or leave some open endedness to his answer.

The guy gave the salesperson the blunt honest truth, and got a blunt honest response in return.
 
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In some sense, maybe the salesguy is running game and psyched out the OP.
It swaps the power structure and guy got negged. The salesperson no longer has to beg and plead for attention from this guy.

It worked as it bugged the OP enough to post here. If the guy really is interested in the car (and maybe the salesperson was able to read this) he'll come back in...
 
I just don't get the "Will you be buying today" or "What can we do to make you buy this car right now" before you even sit in it. It's not like you're grabbing a dollar out of your wallet to buy a Coke at the convenience store or something,we're talking about $20-$30,000. Me,I never "impulse buy",I like to think about it. Yes,I'm a proud admitted cheapskate :),but I'm very careful with my money when it comes to how,when,and where I'll spend it. Last two cars I bought the salesmen handed me the keys and told me to keep them over the weekend and see what I think.
 
Originally Posted By: KrisZ
Originally Posted By: raytseng
The guy gave the salesperson the blunt honest truth, and got a blunt honest response in return.


That what I got from this whole thread as well and don't understand why OP is so upset about it.


It does beg the question why bother with someone who isn't buying when you could be working with someone who plans to buy.

I probably would have tossed a plate on the car and let the OP and his father go for a short test drive. Got his name and handed him a card. I think anything more than that would have been a waste of time, and there's always the risk of missing an actual buyer while on the test drive with a person who was already qualified as not being a buyer.
 
because if you own a honda your smarter then everyone else, and how dare someone not treat them like royalty.
 
Originally Posted By: demarpaint
Originally Posted By: KrisZ
Originally Posted By: raytseng
The guy gave the salesperson the blunt honest truth, and got a blunt honest response in return.


That what I got from this whole thread as well and don't understand why OP is so upset about it.


It does beg the question why bother with someone who isn't buying when you could be working with someone who plans to buy.

I probably would have tossed a plate on the car and let the OP and his father go for a short test drive. Got his name and handed him a card. I think anything more than that would have been a waste of time, and there's always the risk of missing an actual buyer while on the test drive with a person who was already qualified as not being a buyer.

Every time I go for a test drive for future considerations, I let the salesperson know and they just photocopy my license, throw a plate on, and off I go. A few have come with me just because they were bored, which is fine too. I do my testing routine which isn't too crazy and take their card when we get back.
 
Originally Posted By: demarpaint


I probably would have tossed a plate on the car and let the OP and his father go for a short test drive. Got his name and handed him a card. I think anything more than that would have been a waste of time, and there's always the risk of missing an actual buyer while on the test drive with a person who was already qualified as not being a buyer.


A good salesmen never misses an opportunity to cultivate a sale, even if it might be in the future, also by blowing off a long time owner of the brand that ignorant salesjerk, just lost a lot of other potential sales because the OP will tell his family, friends, co-workers and others NEVER to set foot in that store! All the idiot had to do was copy the DL, throw a plate on the car and let them test drive it, how hard it that and how long does it take, heck he could have had a lot boy do it for him. That sales guy should be fired.
 
What a joke. I've test driven $50,000 cars with 450hp by myself for hours at a time. If I was denied a base model Honda Civic test drive I would have laughed at the [censored] salesman so hard I probably would have made him lose it right then and there.

Sounds like you already figured out how to handle this. Definitely go back with a pair of sunglasses on and get the name of the salesman, then write the general manager a nice letter detailing what happened. Yeah they work off of commission but they are also paid to be there and do a job. I hope he gets fired.
 
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Originally Posted By: xxch4osxx
When I was at the dealer where I bought my Ram, one of the first things the salesman asked was if I wanted to take it on a test drive. He took a copy of my license, put the dealer plate on and gave me the keys. He didn't even go with me.


This is what a salesman I know at one of the Ford dealerships around here did when I was looking at the new 2015 Mustang GT's. He knew I wasn't going to buy that day. I got to drive a new 2015 Mustang GT by myself. I was nice to it.

Wayne
 
Originally Posted By: oilpsi2high
What a joke. I've test driven $50,000 cars with 450hp by myself for hours at a time. If I was denied a base model Honda Civic test drive I would have laughed at the [censored] salesman so hard I probably would have made him lose it right then and there.

Sounds like you already figured out how to handle this. Definitely go back with a pair of sunglasses on and get the name of the salesman, then write the general manager a nice letter detailing what happened. Yeah they work off of commission but they are also paid to be there and do a job. I hope he gets fired.

This could be part of the problem. How many $50,000, 450hp cars have you bought??? It makes a HUGE difference on how you are treated at a dealer, when you are actually a buyer! When I decide on buying a certain car, then drove it, it usually followed me home. Just happened today. 2012 Camry SE, 34kmi, for $15900.
 
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I think the OP approached it wrong.

"Hi, we are not going to buy a car, can we just drive one?"

Seems like a strange line to say in a dealership.

When I buy my Toyotas I make the salesman work, we drive all the latest cars, and I end up getting the one that fits best.

Before I got the RAV4, we drove the Prius V, Prius Hatch, and Corolla.
 
Originally Posted By: Traction
Originally Posted By: oilpsi2high
What a joke. I've test driven $50,000 cars with 450hp by myself for hours at a time. If I was denied a base model Honda Civic test drive I would have laughed at the [censored] salesman so hard I probably would have made him lose it right then and there.

Sounds like you already figured out how to handle this. Definitely go back with a pair of sunglasses on and get the name of the salesman, then write the general manager a nice letter detailing what happened. Yeah they work off of commission but they are also paid to be there and do a job. I hope he gets fired.

This could be part of the problem. How many $50,000, 450hp cars have you bought??? It makes a HUGE difference on how you are treated at a dealer, when you are actually a buyer! When I decide on buying a certain car, then drove it, it usually followed me home. Just happened today. 2012 Camry SE, 34kmi, for $15900.


The problem is I wouldn't pay 50k or even sticker, but I will say that car sold for just shy of 40k. Have fun with your used Camry by the way.
 
Originally Posted By: JustinH
I think the OP approached it wrong.

"Hi, we are not going to buy a car, can we just drive one?"

Seems like a strange line to say in a dealership.

When I buy my Toyotas I make the salesman work, we drive all the latest cars, and I end up getting the one that fits best.

Before I got the RAV4, we drove the Prius V, Prius Hatch, and Corolla.


This is also a good point. Don't say you aren't buying the car. Just tell them you've always bought Hondas and the one you have is getting old and you want to check out the new model. Any salesman worth their weight will show you the car and let you drive it.
 
Originally Posted By: oilpsi2high
Originally Posted By: Traction
Originally Posted By: oilpsi2high
What a joke. I've test driven $50,000 cars with 450hp by myself for hours at a time. If I was denied a base model Honda Civic test drive I would have laughed at the [censored] salesman so hard I probably would have made him lose it right then and there.

Sounds like you already figured out how to handle this. Definitely go back with a pair of sunglasses on and get the name of the salesman, then write the general manager a nice letter detailing what happened. Yeah they work off of commission but they are also paid to be there and do a job. I hope he gets fired.

This could be part of the problem. How many $50,000, 450hp cars have you bought??? It makes a HUGE difference on how you are treated at a dealer, when you are actually a buyer! When I decide on buying a certain car, then drove it, it usually followed me home. Just happened today. 2012 Camry SE, 34kmi, for $15900.


The problem is I wouldn't pay 50k or even sticker, but I will say that car sold for just shy of 40k. Have fun with your used Camry by the way.

Well, that comment made zero sense. What Car? After 3 new Camry's this is the best one yet, for the money. I'm not the one driving it anyway. Bought too many new ones for my wife, only to be very used after a week. Gets driven 12/7 at 25kmiles per year. Thanks
 
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Originally Posted By: oilpsi2high
What a joke. I've test driven $50,000 cars with 450hp by myself for hours at a time. If I was denied a base model Honda Civic test drive I would have laughed at the [censored] salesman so hard I probably would have made him lose it right then and there.

Sounds like you already figured out how to handle this. Definitely go back with a pair of sunglasses on and get the name of the salesman, then write the general manager a nice letter detailing what happened. Yeah they work off of commission but they are also paid to be there and do a job. I hope he gets fired.



The issue is, given your personality from your post, you'd would never have responded in the same way as the OP so the situation wouldn't have happened to you.
When asked the question, you'd be telling the salesman the same stuff you're spouting here.
"I buy $50k 450hp cars every day, show me your honda, son, before i laugh in your face".

The salesman will pick up that you mean business and wouldn't have denied you the test drive.


OP doesn't need to go on yelp or passively-aggresively whine anonymously from behind his keyboard. He needs to just go in confidently like a boss, and ask for a test drive, act like he means to buy and he'll get a test drive.
 
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