I hate used car salesmen

[Cool Texan]

Spoke with a salesman in Tacoma yesterday on a GS 300...car is exactly what we want. The discussion even went to the pricing ballparks...he said mid 29's, I said I'd do 28.5, blah blah blah.

Get a call from him today...$30,200, down from their asking price of $31,900. Not much of a drop. Tell him I want 28.5 and get the schpeel about how they cant do it, he'd go hungry, blah blah blah. He says he cant move on the price below that, and he's not even sure he can really do that price without getting in trouble.

I tell him its too bad, cuz at 28.5-29, its a no brainer, and the financing was already set up and we had planned on driving there this Saturday to get the car. We hang up.

I go to Lexus.com and do a full search for pre owned GS-300s that are from 2000 with comparable mileage. I find a slew of them...prices ranging from 26-29 and change. I send my sales rep guy that list, commenting that I'd make Lexus history apparently if I paid 30.2 for that car. I then forwarded that email to the dealership GM...stated it was NOT a negative email regarding my salesman, that he had been very polite and courteous. Just wanted to bring him in the loop on the situation, and pointed out the GS 400 (V8 version that hauls butt!!) on the PDX lot for $32.5, thus pointing out how stupid the GS 300 price really was.

No response yet...but the wifey is disappointed...she thought we'd have a car this weekend. We might...but its not looking good.

Its too bad you cant just have a normal used car buying experience. :depressed:

Such is life I guess. We have 9 months to find a good car for her to drive. :grin:

[outdoor.spec.ops]

I made an offer for our newest car, and then left. 3 weeks latter they called, and accepted the rediculous offer I made, so keep up hope. I never thought I would ever get the car for that price, but good things do happen. If they call back, tell them once agian your max, and then tell them to sell it for more if they can. Dont get to worked up over it, its only a car, and they arent "endangered species" as the dealer told me the car was. He was a classic salesman, Slick Rick was what I called him, a truely unique individual, all the way down to the gold necklace and phoney laugh.

[ 07-16-2003, 02:33 PM: Message edited by: outdoor.spec.ops ]

[HammondSeaRanger]

CT,

try searching for local dealers that will deal online.

email them listing your wants and base price your willing to pay and wait for the response.

We had GREAT luck buying a car this way. My folks bought a boat and car using this technique !

Good Luck !

[Cool Texan]

Blue,

We're looking to buy a pre-owned Lexus...so there is ONE dealership in the PDX area, and I think one in Eugene. Neither of them have a GS 300 on the lot. Tacoma was the only one in WA that I found that had one. We'll see what happens.

[lost_sailor]

I just turn my wife loose on those dirtballs, and when it's over they're sorry they ever took the job!

:grin:

[Tilla]

When we were looking for our last Pickup I was actually waiting a while to get another $1000 for our downpayment goal. I drove by the dealer and saw the truck in front of the dealership so I decided I would subtract the money I didn't have from what I thought I was going to pay. It took them a couple of hours, but they dropped the price with the usual "only if you buy it today" line.

[Killertraylor]

You can't find one that isn't at a dealership? If buying used, I'd much rather deal with a person than a car salesman. I've been fortunate enough to make some good friends who own dealerships and I'm glad I don't have to deal with that anymore. Good luck - sounds like a sweet car!

[outdoor.spec.ops]

You could try Cars Direct

They ship the car to the local dealer, you just pick it up if you buy it.

[Cool Texan]

The trick is, I want a Certified car....comes with a 3 year up to 100k total miles warranty.

[Mr. Carp]

Not all car salesmen are bad. You just have to shop around and after you find one you like, stick with him/her.

[Norski]

I was in the busniess for 14 years, never hade a proublem with what I said or done, but hade two complants on manerfactures defects. If you all want to buy a car, from Toyota to a Ford to a Chev or a GMC, for FREE, I well give you the name of who to talk to at a Dealership, just tell them I sent you, and you well get a deal of a life time, AND THIS IS NO-----B--S.

1. Ford--Landmark
2. Toyota- Tonkin.
3. Carr GMC-Chev-Sub.

Send me a e-mail, you have nothing to louse.
akersons@bendnet.com or here on IFISH
Tight Lines Leif.

[Cool Texan]

River Rat....you need a friend at Lexus! Then I'd be in luck!! :grin:

[BonkBonkBonk]

oooo, good choice in car! :grin:

[Straydog]

Originally posted by Cool Texan:
Its too bad you cant just have a normal used car buying experience. :depressed:
[/QB]

<font size="2" face="verdana,arial,helvetica">Actually and unfortunately, I think your experience is pretty much the norm.

If you can hang tough until the end of the month you will likely find him easier to deal with. Monthly quota time makes them hungrier.

[ 07-17-2003, 01:34 PM: Message edited by: Straydog ]

[Cool Texan]

That's what I figure. You cracked my master plan!!! :grin:

I'm also pointing out, thanks to the Lexus web site, that his prices are inconsistent with other cars across the country. Its been a humorous exchange.

He doesnt read the part of my email that says "Financial Planning Manager", which means I probably can work numbers in my head quickly, and retain them forever. He has painted himself into many, many corners already. I still have an Ace up my sleeve too...he'll freak when we "agree" on a price and I drop it on him. It will actually probably **** him off...but we'll see. Just using his own numbers against him. :grin:

[Cool Texan]

Classic....today I got the "we have this OTHER car..." not as much in terms of options "that we can get you into for the price you want to pay. It was driven by a 60 year old woman up till now". He stopped short of saying it was only to church or the grocery store though.

Then, an hour later, around 3:30 after a couple of emails to the tune of "stop thinking so much on it, just buy the car", etc, I got the "another salesman has an appointment to show the car to someone at 7:00 tonight". Oh no!! I better just agree to his price to get the car!! :shocked: Um, not. Either this guy is very new to the game, or he thinks I am. Either way, its gotten humorous. :grin:

[Lepper]

my town's mayor looks like a car salesman.. NEVER TRUEST EM!!

[1pump]

Found a Bronco I liked at Landmark a few years ago. Made the salesman an offer, which he scoffed at. So I walked, and a couple weeks later I found another one I liked better in Hillsboro. Prettier paint, same year, 10K fewer miles, and $2K less. Bought it (and still have it).
About a week later the Landmark salesman calls me to say that they're finally realistic on the price, and do I still want it?
I gotta tell ya, it was mighty satisfying to say "Nope, already bought one!"
I saw it advertised in the paper a few weeks later for just barely above my original offer. Too bad, so sad.

[TundraIII]

I dont think the way this salesperson is dealing with you is humorous at all. You can expect that same level of sales service from a typical used junker lot on 82nd. I would expect more from a Lexus dealership.
Personally I wouldnt spend another minute talking with that jerk.

[Cool Texan]

Tundra, yeah, we're pretty surprised by it from a Lexus place.

Here is part of our exchange yesterday so you can see the "humor" value I am dealing with:

Dealer guy: "Jeff- put some trust in ME and buy the car! You are allowing too much junk to get in the way I think. :smile: I raised 9 beautiful children and I in to bed every night knowing I’ve done the right thing"

My reply: "And I have one on the way and need to make sure I don’t spend too much money on the car, thus not being able to pay for his/her college tuition. :smile: "

His response: "Jeff- I’ve got 5 in college(one at Columbia V) and they had the desire to work and pay for it themselves. Find the reason to push aside these obstacles, not place them before you. Let’s put this together!"

Pretty funny...I should scrap the notion of saving for my unborn childs college education so that I can buy this car?!? My response to that one was "Tim, you're the only thing standing in the way of us closing this deal...move on the price and I'll drive it home."

That was followed up the classic "one of our salesmen has an appointment on the white one at 7pm."



"Oh ok. Well, let me know if it sells tonight so we know whether or not to scratch it off our list".

No word from him today yet other than to send up the JD Power and Associates comparisons of cars. He sent it to basically discredit the Infiniti...which is #2 on the list beneath Lexus. Uh, ok...looks like we cant go wrong either way. [img]graemlins/eek13.gif[/img]

What a frustrating process.

:grin:

[Ramstrong]

Texan,

I was going to email you, but I didn't see it in your profile. An Ifisher, and buddy of mine is the shop foreman at Lexus of Portland. Shoot me an email and I'll see if I can get you in touch with him. If they don't have a GS it might not be much help, but he'd be a good place to start.

[Spoiled Daddy]

Hate is such an ugly word!

One of my very best friends and fishing partners is a salesman and sales manager for a local dealership. He has to make a living, just like everyone else.

I have always found car buying stressful, mostly because of the great deal of money being spent.

I hope your deal comes out to your satisfaction.

SD

[Cool Texan]

Ram, you got mail.

[skrimmy]

Cool Texan, take a look at the Infiniti! You can't go wrong there and might even save some $$. I bought one last year and love it, great car!

[Cool Texan]

Skrimmy, we drove the G35 tonight. VERY nice car!!!! It was a tough call, but we're going with the pre owned Lexus instead. More room, more cushy comfort, and less money. I was impressed with the Infiniti though....even the back seat reclines!!! COOOOOOOL!!! :smile:

[Pyramid]

Originally posted by Lepper:
my town's mayor looks like a car salesman.. NEVER TRUST EM!!

<font size="2" face="verdana,arial,helvetica">Typical gov't official :whazzup:

[willametteriveroutlaw]

cool Texan,
Deal with a Car broker or a fleet manager, they will give you a no bs deal. Going witha factory pre owned vehicle is the best way to go though IMHO. Good choice with the lexus.