An Asian guy with white T-shirt, Tan shorts(w/some greas stains), and sandles. ohh yea, and $10k in pocket. Thats what one of my friends Uncle wear to a Porsche/Mercedes Dealer Shop. He was outside for 45mins and no one came out and talk to him. So he went inside, talked to somebody. They told him, "oh, we thought you're just --looking-- at our cars". BS.....but anyways he did end up getting something(along with an apoligy).
when my dad was looking for his midlife crisis car, we pulled in in his '76 Mercedes 300D.....we wondered around for an hour or so. he had his checkbook in his pocket, and could have made a bit more than a down payment on any one of them, and was ready to buy the nice 944 they had.....but nobody talked to us. so, we went to Hopkins Honda and bought his 300ZX instead. they're loss same reaction I always get at subaru dealers.
Its all about the money to salesman. They want to find the easiest sale without struggling or taking a long time to sell it. (financing)
The Audi/Porsche dealership right by my de la casa in SLP is just as bad. Some schlocky salesman with no bank judging buyers on looks.... The guys with the coin are often the ones not flaunting it.
its all about what you drive in with. if you show up in some rusted out 80 accord to the porsche dealership or maserati dealership you prolly wont get talked to, even if you are weairing a suit. however if you roll up in some sort of Mercedes AMG, or BMW, Aston, Ferrari ect... and are wearing a speedo and a Dr. Suess hat i bet someone will talk to you.
In the end, money talks. But there's nothing wrong with getting in someones business (even though they're trying to ignore you) and make yourself know. "Hey, are you going to sell me a car today or just sit there on your fatass?"
just like any interview...dress the part I'd rather help out a beat up car/old that needs to get replaced than a brand new car with the 21 day temp permit that comes in the dealership...Chances are the brand new car is just kick'in tires because he already bought a car, compared to the beater that rolls in...looking for new or used
I understand the frustration with people who get ignored when they don't dress up. Or those that show up in a non-baller car and get ignored. However, think about this: The sales guy has to deal with real tire-kickers/joy-riders often enough that he takes an evolutionary approach to dealing with prospective buyers: If they look the part, they probably are the part. When I go to shop for any big-name car, I either take my wife's car (Audi A6) or my M5 and put on some dress-casual clothes. I'm not out to see if the salesman can see the true-nature of my heart through my flannel and ripped jeans. I don't expect him to. He's a ****ing salesman, not a pastor. I expect him to know his **** about the cars and get me out test-driving. My $0.02.
I think if you're serious about buying a $60k+ car, you can dress any damn way you please. like I said, I don't think theres any need for subtlety. Tell the man you're buying a car today, is it going to be a porche or bmw?
^ Complete BS (at Etchy)... If they don't take the time to feel a potential customer out before judging them, they are LAZY. I don't care if they have a lot of "tire kickers" that waste their time, selling cars is their job and there is no excuse for being prejudice. When I go to spend MY money on a new car, there are no requirements that I dress up to do it. I wear t-shirts to my Engineering job every day, I am not going to go out of my way to dress up in order to buy a car. Ray, dressing the part for an interview is about getting someone to hire you, going to buy a car is pretty much the opposite. It is like the "interviewer" not wearing that nice suit, versus the "interviewee" When I interview, I make no attempt to pretty myself up. Sorry, but this kind of crap just rattles my cage. I grew up a skateboarder and snowboarder and delt with this all my life. I have learned how to deal with it and it usually involves making an ass out of the person judging me... Anyway, off the soapbox now...
Chin, Have fun getting ignored at most dealerships. Eventually you'll find your salesman with a heart of gold and you'll have a great object lesson in 'Don' judge a book by it's cover.' You counter-culture rebel, you. Oh, a side note: I've never been ignored by a salesman or told to **** off, regardless of my attire, once I've stopped waiting for someone to notice me. Every time I've found a salesman/woman and said, "I'm looking to buy *this* car and would like for you to tell me about it and let me test-drive it," I've gotten the attention I've wanted. I guess being pro-active and assertive has it's place during high-dollar monetary negotiations.
I went to White Bear Subaru (before I bought my WRX) and no one came to help me I expected this bald headed guy to come out, but I guess it was his day off Anyway, I walked up to the guy to show me some cars, he told me to get the info from the stand over there So I went to Brooklyn Subaru and got my WRX instead...
lol..I hear ya Chin...I was jk BTW when I said dress the part on my end, I can care less what u wear just don't be naked...But other dealership/salespeople may not agree...I do agree with ya on go'in in, wear what u are comfortable with. It's the dealership and sales people that have to impress u...I don't judge until I have talked to my customer what the outcome will be...But again if I had a choice of a beater car or a brand new car with fresh temp plates...I'd go for the beater I've experience my fair share and know not to prejudge....I've sold to VP, Execs, directors, etc that don't really care about the status of a german car...just want something reliable and reasonably priced... my .02
i guess, u meant me as the bald guy, but pete is blading too...lol sorry nuke wouldn't have happened if me or pete was there...
The original post describes someone knowingly going to the "fancy" dealership dressed as a bum then whining about being treated like one. I don't get it. FYI-I'm not saying that I agree with it though. But really who needs salesmen when shopping for a car? I thought they just handled the paperwork.
This post is too funnay! He came to me in BP and Uncle Norly( this really really old dude that worked there) uped Nuke. I waited till Uncle Norly was done and went to talk to Nuke when he was leaving the store and also went to check out his civic. (which by the way was a nice clean eg hatch with the famous JDM B16!!!) Yes sales people do tend to judge a book by its covers most of the time. Well try being the new guy. If they see someone looking at the STi or wrx's, "Ray, Peter you've got a customer." Thats the stuff that I hate. I'm still new to the store and when we get people the same age as us they push those buyers to me. Don't get me wrong I don't mind working with the younger folks because I can relate with them. But I would say 1 out of 10 usually buys or even has credit compared to people in there 30's, 40's, and so on. Not all sales people are a like. Just remember that. If your sales guy gets too pushy or if you don't even like him/her, just ask for a different sales person.
lol, no it was an example. solution: know all about the car you want before you go to buy it. then go to dealership and go to someone and say I want that one. lets talk $. pretty much what it will be like if i ever get a new suby.
Yeah, or go buy something else and show up with it just so they can go cry to themselves that they lost that commission. I did that to the stupid Mitsu dealership after I got my LGT since they didn't want to deal with me on an Evo RS. Sticker on the LGT was like $3k more than the sticker on the Evo RS but they didn't think I could afford either after taking one passing glance at my "riced out" turbo RS (they didn't believe me that it was turbocharged). I was even dressed biz casual as I was coming from work when I stopped at the stealership. I think the Huggybear outfit is really the way to draw attention (and salesman) towards you when checking out a nice car. I agree they're just being lazy not checking on people who don't appear to be able to afford a new car. But then they just lose the commission when they don't so it really only hurts them and their dealership. We can always go elsewhere for our cars.
When i went to look at the subie i bought, we rolled up in my buddys Lexus is300. Also i think i dress very good for a white male. Parked the car and got out and there were 4 guys standing outside having a "smoke break". The only thing they said to us was " Hi " and " How are you doing today". I said good, just looking for a new car. So we headed over to the car to take a look and to make a long story short we sat there looking at it for a good 20 minutes before a salesman arrived. It was a 1.5hr trip one way for me so i was leaving with a car! And when i told him i have a large cash down payment he was very helpful. So i agree money talks, and as far as us rolling up in a nice car they probably thought he was one spoiled kid. But i am happy now!!
Agreed When I'm just kicking tires...I do get ignored. But when I'm buying, I make myself known. The Audi and Lotus dealership in SLP ignore with the best of them. I know we all want to feel like we're special and that the salesperson is coming out to talk to us and only us...but if you want to assure yourself a salesperson...get inside and make them do work. Otherwise, deal with it.
one day when im rich, i would love to dress craspy and go into a big brand named dealership and see if they will talk to me or not lol ....it happened on me before, when i was driving a 95 camry, i pulled into a dealership, and no one came talk to me. they are mean. my meaning is u cant judge by the cloths he wears tho
But I bet you can tell how educated he is by the way he speaks and posts. Someday, when you get an education, maybe you'll stop trying to make life difficult for the salesman by playing games, and walk in and buy a car without being a douchebag. I pray for the future of America.
Get ready to hate me in December when I roll up in my huffy looking for an 07 STI. Maybe its just me but when yr at any other store and need help that yr not getting... don't you go ask someone? OP's story is kinda funny. It's how I imagine what went down when my father bought his midlife crisis car.
Yes, with all that said... I actually would take the effort to make it known I am there looking for a car. Like I said, though, it just rattles my cage that people have to deal with this sort of crap.
