What's considered a bad customer at a dealership?

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I'm planning on buying the hatchback either this weekend or next.

People talk about shady car dealerships and terrible salesmen, but I'd like your thoughts as to what makes for a terrible customer?
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Going in, demanding $6000 off MSRP, getting a very good quote, and then walking out to go to the dealership across town.

Essentially, if you're wasting the salesman's time, you're a shitty customer. Never be afraid to walk away, but you have to be reasonable.
 

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I'm planning on buying the hatchback either this weekend or next.

People talk about shady car dealerships and terrible salesmen, but I'd like your thoughts as to what makes for a terrible customer?
Acting like total douche and remember to ask questions in a civil way, you get more with honey than you do vinegar...Always works for me
 

Irocnrol

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Going in, demanding $6000 off MSRP, getting a very good quote, and then walking out to go to the dealership across town.

Essentially, if you're wasting the salesman's time, you're a shitty customer. Never be afraid to walk away, but you have to be reasonable.
 

Irocnrol

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My insight seems to be that dealers generally make bad customers throught their deceit and unsavory sales practices. I only enagage a dealer after they respond cogently to an e-mail request for a specific model, year, color. accesories, etc. If they fail to deliver an OTD price in an email, I am out the door.
 


mno86

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I spent a good nine hours on Thursday helping my parents buy a new car. I know my Honda's and had armed myself with TrueCar pricing and solid quotes from the dealer I bought my car from (which was an hour away).

The salesman we worked wit was nice, but hasty (which doesn't work for me).

I'm not gonna lie- I made him and his team work. Several times I stepped out to call my dealer which I know made them sweat as they ultimately offered. 0% financing on a 2016 CR-V Touring.

We went to a Jeep dealer and they wouldn't budge on Cherokee pricing and I didn't like their tactics/attitude, so we walked out. By then, the Honda dealer was sweating and after driving the 2016 I refused it- the interior was absolutely terrible and for a similar price I could've gotten my mom a 2017 EX-L.

It was close to closing time and they weren't budging in a 2017, so I called my dealer up and walked away on the showroom. The manager came over and knocked 800 off MSRP (which is unheard of on the new CR-V around here), gave 2.5% financing and a ridiculously good monthly payment.

They weren't happy but they knew if I walked I'd go to my dealer in Chicago, and they weren't willing to lose a sale.

Ultimately, I'm sure they were annoyed with me going back and forth and holding them to the fire, but it's a big purchase and I feel no remorse about being discerning- you have to be in order to get them to work with you when they are resistant.
 

BDCivic

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I spent a good nine hours on Thursday helping my parents buy a new car. I know my Honda's and had armed myself with TrueCar pricing and solid quotes from the dealer I bought my car from (which was an hour away).
This wasn't at Schlossman's was it? See your from Milwaukee and this sounds similar to the long, drawn out purchase they tried putting me through.
 

mno86

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This wasn't at Schlossman's was it? See your from Milwaukee and this sounds similar to the long, drawn out purchase they tried putting me through.
Wilde Honda. Everyone was very polite and pleasant. The manager was extremely professional for such a young age.

I didn't like the heavy pushing of the third party warranty. We went round and round saying no and I told them I wasn't interested in a third party warranty in the least, but they were trying that tactic of exhausting you til you say yes.

Muller Honda in Gurnee is my go to. David K. was literally a joy to work with. Can't recommend him highly enough. For service, I've been very happy with Russ Darrow Honda, personally.
 

BDCivic

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Wilde Honda. Everyone was very polite and pleasant. The manager was extremely professional for such a young age.

I didn't like the heavy pushing of the third party warranty. We went round and round saying no and I told them I wasn't interested in a third party warranty in the least, but they were trying that tactic of exhausting you til you say yes.

Muller Honda in Gurnee is my go to. David K. was literally a joy to work with. Can't recommend him highly enough. For service, I've been very happy with Russ Darrow Honda, personally.
That's so strange. Maybe it's because I came in later in the evening but Wilde only asked me once during the paperwork process if I wanted any of the warranty garbage. I told them "no" and we moved on.

We went to Honda City three separate times (test drive, initial negotiation, final). On the third time, I came with a text message from the salesperson on a final number we all agreed to. We show up and, all the sudden, that price is unattainable. Manager comes over and starts hard-balling us saying we are beating him up over a couple hundred dollars (meanwhile I have the written message from the salesperson saying "my manager agreed to sell you the car for $x") and how they are going to lose money on the deal. Maybe the rudest person I've ever dealt with in my life. When I told him I'm not buying his story and an agreement is an agreement, he got very agitated, claimed I was calling him a liar, and said he didn't really want to do business with us.... but would sell us the car anyways for the original agreed upon price just to make us happy. We got up, drove across town to Wilde, and they sold me the exact car I wanted at the price Honda City was losing their minds about and, everything including the financing through HFS, took maybe 90 minutes, max. Because of that experience, we will be going back to Wilde in the near future for a CR-V.

My only experience with Russ Darrow was several years back when I went in to buy a used Civic. All I remember is the salesman telling me he wasn't negotiating with me because he could tell a "real buyer vs. a fake buyer". They lost my business too.

I actually included Muller Honda when I was bouncing prices around different dealers. I must have gotten the wrong salesperson because they were coming in near the high end and weren't budging.
 

mno86

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That's so strange. Maybe it's because I came in later in the evening but Wilde only asked me once during the paperwork process if I wanted any of the warranty garbage. I told them "no" and we moved on.

We went to Honda City three separate times (test drive, initial negotiation, final). On the third time, I came with a text message from the salesperson on a final number we all agreed to. We show up and, all the sudden, that price is unattainable. Manager comes over and starts hard-balling us saying we are beating him up over a couple hundred dollars (meanwhile I have the written message from the salesperson saying "my manager agreed to sell you the car for $x") and how they are going to lose money on the deal. Maybe the rudest person I've ever dealt with in my life. When I told him I'm not buying his story and an agreement is an agreement, he got very agitated, claimed I was calling him a liar, and said he didn't really want to do business with us.... but would sell us the car anyways for the original agreed upon price just to make us happy. We got up, drove across town to Wilde, and they sold me the exact car I wanted at the price Honda City was losing their minds about and, everything including the financing through HFS, took maybe 90 minutes, max. Because of that experience, we will be going back to Wilde in the near future for a CR-V.

My only experience with Russ Darrow was several years back when I went in to buy a used Civic. All I remember is the salesman telling me he wasn't negotiating with me because he could tell a "real buyer vs. a fake buyer". They lost my business too.

I actually included Muller Honda when I was bouncing prices around different dealers. I must have gotten the wrong salesperson because they were coming in near the high end and weren't budging.
The salesman at Wilde was great about not pushing protection packages after we said no- the finance guy pushed hard, which I know to expect.

Overall I was happy with Wilde. They were willing to talk price and weren't overly fussy when I pitted them against another dealer and played hard to get.

Russ Darrow I've only ever had service done so I can't speak to their sales floor but man- I'd have walked out too.

Honestly- call David Krochmal (sp) at Muller Honda I need Gurnee before you do anything. He's no nonsense, extremely friendly and very professional. He goes so far above and beyond what I've come to expect with a dealer. He helped me figure out a good price on s CR-V. When we were looking at the 2016 Touring Wilde offered at 0% financing for five years, he said that was an amazing deal and they'd never be able to touch it.

On the 2017, he gave me a great price, which Wilde (after some teeth chattering) matched. I'd have preferred to buy from David but Wilde had the White Orchid with Black interior.

Give David a call and see what he can quote you- tell him Mike O. with the Blue Civic Touring sent you. I just talked to him last week. I can tell you they aren't moving down much on the 2017, but still should be able to get $800-1500 off MSRP.
 


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I went into one dealer to drive an LX and EX-T, was very upfront that I was not making a purchase that day. My rep was doing his job to convince me to sign paper work; I did not. After visiting a dealer once, I shopped aggressively online for about 2 weeks getting competitive OTD quotes from around 10 dealers and made my decision. I found the tips here extremely helpful: http://www.realcartips.com/guide/newcars.shtml
TL;DR- Don't shop around by physically going dealer to dealer, be patient and professional, secure out the door quotes online/via phone, be direct with your non-negotiables.
 


 


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