Bad Attitude From Salesman Today.

[Grandpa Munster]

I called a dealer in Nottingham today to discuss a Clio RS200 they have for sale.

Car in question is here,
http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classif...ch-target=usedcars&fuel-type=petrol&logcode=p

Before travelling the 110-120 mile round trip I thought I would phone and ask a few questions first.

So I gave them a call and asked the following questions.
"What is the condition of the paintwork like" answer, "clean".
"Do the wheels have any scuffs" answer, "no".
"Does the car have the cup suspension" answer, "yes, I think so".
"Has the cam belt been changed" answer, "does not need doing until 75000 miles".

At this point I merely pointed out it was 72000 miles or 5 years, whichever is sooner.

To which the salesman suggested, "I go and buy a new car" and hung up on me.

So if any one fancies discussing cambelts and intervals at which they are changed with a charming individual you can find their phone number on their web site.

Respect, Gramps.

 

[leeds_182]

I feel for sales persons sometimes. He's probably had loads of calls like this all week and nobody turned up.

Still terrible customer service though!

 

[Jamie]

That's their job though. No matter how bad my week was, or how bad my direct reports were, I wouldn't expect them to be that rude to colleagues or customers. But people can have bad days.

There is however two sides to every story, salesman's story may be different...

Internet is a powerful place and a few bad reviews can ruin someone, especially if there are a number of people with similar stories to tell.

 

[Gus]

Nice house youve got, you left your postcode on the link lol.
This one is really nice, low mileage. Saw it when i was at clioturbo ages ago. It hasnt sold for months as it is overpriced. They would probably take 9.5 for it
http://www.petermcgough.co.uk/used-...naultsport-3dr-low-willington-201507074976678

 

[172_Tom]

I've had similar experiences with dealers.

One only had a few photos of the car up and couldn't be arsed to send me some more. Dealer had the car up for sale for months and dropped the price a couple of times!

Another one was selling a 10 year old car but reckons the first cambelt isn't due yet just because it's low mileage.

 

[icebergclio]

from what ive experienced with selling clios the 'cambelt scenario' is a very touchy subject (and with good cause)

hes probably had a million calls all asking about the belt and just cant be ar5ed answering the same question over and over, however in that case they shouldve listed the belt info especially at that price.
in defense even when ive listed the belt info on the last 3 rs clios ive sold the first message i always get is 'has the belt been done'.... lol.

its pretty annoying in my case especially when its written in the ad!

 

[R-Sport.]

6 years on a clio 200

 

[smac4494]

Gets on my tits this. A salesman who could be killing it on commission with 7-8k cars that almost sell themselves being complacent because he's got to answer the same question more than once. Probably gets a tidy wage as well.

2million unemployed, millions more on minimum wage and we have this guy taking the piss.

 

[R3k1355]

I feel for sales persons sometimes. He's probably had loads of calls like this all week and nobody turned up.

Still terrible customer service though!

Yea but thats his job tho, you get it all day everyday.
If you can't manage that, and still give good customer service then you're probably in the wrong job.

 

[Goodj]

Who is to say he hasn't had his missues leave / dog die / Boiler explode / Mother diagnosed with cancer that day?

Also, god protect the retailer, for every person they screw over, at least 50 others will walk through asking benign b****cks and try to get an 80% discount

 

[R3k1355]

Who is to say he hasn't had his missues leave / dog die / Boiler explode / Mother diagnosed with cancer that day?

or he could just be a knob, you have no idea.

 

[Goodj]

or he could just be a knob, you have no idea.

Absolutely.
But then, so is anyone if they upset another person, rightfully or otherwise, if you believe everything on the internet.

 

[Marc.]

Who is to say he hasn't had his missues leave / dog die / Boiler explode / Mother diagnosed with cancer that day?

Also, god protect the retailer, for every person they screw over, at least 50 others will walk through asking benign b****cks and try to get an 80% discount

Yeah, but you do know that a customer should be immediately compensated if something happens that doesn't suit them, right?

 

[Goodj]

Yeah, but you do know that a customer should be immediately compensated if something happens that doesn't suit them, right?

Especially if they haven't even bought anything.
Free everything all round, because somebody got upset

 

[banther]

I was told that I needed to place a deposit before being allowed to test drive a 200. Lol.

I do look dodgy though.

 

[Grandpa Munster]

Who is to say he hasn't had his missues leave / dog die / Boiler explode / Mother diagnosed with cancer that day?

Also, god protect the retailer, for every person they screw over, at least 50 others will walk through asking benign b****cks and try to get an 80% discount

I have had all of the above happen to me and worse, at no point did I take it out on someone else, not that I think that was the case yesterday.

 

[Grandpa Munster]

6 years on a clio 200 :wink:

Yip, I know this, I gave the chap opportunity to respond, he chose to hang up.

 

[Chrisgti6]

Yip, I know this, I gave the chap opportunity to respond, he chose to hang up.

Your original post says you said 5 years on the phone. I'd get annoyed too if I had a 'know it all' type of person on the phone, especially when they are wrong!

 

[imprezaworks]

Had a chap in just before I left.

Car was £8995

Best cash price, obs. £8500.
Him. I was thinking 7500-8000.

Goodnight sir

 

[Brett]

It's difficult to buy a decent cer because somebody will probably come along and buy it without a thought for the cambelt.

 

[Jamie]

Had a chap in just before I left.

Car was £8995

Best cash price, obs. £8500.
Him. I was thinking 7500-8000.

Goodnight sir

I think it was Daniel on here, he said "if your first offer doesn't insult, you didn't go low enough" - I think that's sound advice. Let's the seller know, in the vast majority of cases, although they're on crack, you're not, and the pricing is wild. Esp with dealers. One of those; 60% of 100%, works every time.

 

[imprezaworks]

Mate if I had said £8000 he would have said £7000.

 

[smac4494]

he said "if your first offer doesn't insult, you didn't go low enough"

If you're insulting someone with offers, you're taking the piss. With dealers the price goes down 5% lower or you go find another car.

 

[Jamie]

Commercially, depending on the date, time and monthly figures, dealers may take a big hit to get a car sold. So it's always worth starting out at as low a position/offer as you can. Why pay more than you need to? Personally I wouldn't offer 7,500-8,000 for a car up for 9,000, it's wasting everyone's time. But, I'd certainly go in around 8,250 which I think is sensible, but a lot lower than 95% of list.

 

[imprezaworks]

Depending on the price of said car against others £750 off is alot. How much do you think second hand dealers have accross a car? Im curious.

Not a dig btw mate

 

[Jamie]

No worries,

What do you mean across a car though?

 

[imprezaworks]

Will re phrase that. mark up.

 

[Jamie]

Using the above (purely hypothetical scenario) pricing (200 listed at £9k), I would think they're aiming to make £500-£1,000 on that car, inclusive of internal overheads. Or £750 - £1,250 on a true cash basis.

Trading in a 200 that's listed for £9,000 I cannot see them offering any more than £7,500 - book/aka make up some internal cost to apply to the car and it's "cost" to the dealer will be £7,800 ish - apply standard uplift price to "cost" and list for £9,000. Probably realistically looking to sell for £8,500 to £8,750 dependant on buyers circumstances. True cash profit probably a grand or £750 inc overheads on a £8,500 best case (buyers) price.

I think there is merit in initially offering £8,250. You disagree?

 

[imprezaworks]

For arguments sake lets say the car stands £7500 and is up for £9000. if you were to take £8250 for the car that would leave £750 in the deal. Before you start second hand dealers pay 20% vat on any profit shown. So in that case £150, leaving £600. Minus getting the car prepped, paying overheads, staff, warranty, products etc. So i for one wouldnt knock off £750 unless desperate to sell or the car obviously stood less to make the deal worthwhile.

The vat in the deals is the ass

 

[Jamie]

I would expect to pay £8,500 as said above. Which means there is £1,000 in the deal and £800 post vat. £800 on a £7,500 car is an 11% return which maybe on reflection isn't that great, but that position depends on their car turnover and costs. If they're doing vastly more cars than their fixed and variable costs (exc acq cost) an 11% net profit is ok. but 11% gross profit (on an individual or limited number of car sales) will probably be loss making. 20% is likely to be your average ceiling profit though (per vehicle), as rationale buyer unlikely to pay more and unlikey for a dealer to get that level of bargain purchase. In fairness, business model should rely on relatively large turnover of cars.

 

[imprezaworks]

Agreed. I was going go into detail a bit more mate, but had a feeling we were on the same page

 

[D1CKY]

The lad you go on the phone sounds an arse.
If he does that do a few folk he could lose many sales when word spreads.

I dread to think what these salesman are on salary wise and how many cars they have to sell to live comfortably.
A few sales guys in Aberdeen are on 18k basic which is shocking, and with oil and gas on its arse up here they could be finding it hard.
I don't envy the sales lads with the balls to pile in the hours and weekends just to make a decent wage.

It must be depressing at time as so many people want things for next to f**k all nowadays and most likely have done homework prior to viewing a vehicle which could trip you up.

 

[Mr Plums]

You should have smashed a teapot over his head, then hidden his toaster in the boot of the 200, sprayed the wheels blue exploding into amphasite and put these private plates on 'UR A G1MP'

 

[Bluebeard]

The lad you go on the phone sounds an arse.
If he does that do a few folk he could lose many sales when word spreads.

I dread to think what these salesman are on salary wise and how many cars they have to sell to live comfortably.
A few sales guys in Aberdeen are on 18k basic which is shocking, and with oil and gas on its arse up here they could be finding it hard.
I don't envy the sales lads with the balls to pile in the hours and weekends just to make a decent wage.

It must be depressing at time as so many people want things for next to f**k all nowadays and most likely have done homework prior to viewing a vehicle which could trip you up.

All of that is true if you're a s**t salesman or you work for someone crap like Dacia or fiat.

Some of the quality guys at my place clear £10,000 a month. Not bad for 42 hours a week and 25 days holiday a year.

 

[D1CKY]

All of that is true if you're a s**t salesman or you work for someone crap like Dacia or fiat.

Some of the quality guys at my place clear £10,000 a month. Not bad for 42 hours a week and 25 days holiday a year.

I wander how much shite you've to spinoff to clear 10k !

You should have smashed a teapot over his head, then hidden his toaster in the boot of the 200, sprayed the wheels blue exploding into amphasite and put these private plates on 'UR A G1MP'

 

[Bluebeard]

I wander how much shite you've to spinoff to clear 10k !

That's the point, you don't. The ones that pedal bullshit are the crap ones. They usually hop from dealership to dealership an are happy earning £25,000 a year with a car.

A 'good' salesman can manage customers and their managers and they are the ones that earn the big bucks. Because customers will come back to them because they haven't been lied to, they haven't been fed bullshit and they've received a fair deal.

 

[R3k1355]

I dread to think what these salesman are on salary wise and how many cars they have to sell to live comfortably.
A few sales guys in Aberdeen are on 18k basic which is shocking, and with oil and gas on its arse up here they could be finding it hard.

It's not uncommon for a new starter in a main dealer to be on minimum wage basic and everything on top is commission.
Obviously you'd work your way up, or switch to a more prestige brand to increase wages from there.