I’ve been working some GM trucks all month. Dealers are loosening up a bit. When a dealer ask you send the other dealer worksheets how do you reply? I’m definitely cheap, frugal, etc but I’m not a total d… head, I’m not gonna send copies of sheets back and forth to 10 dealers or have them question my word. I pretty much just said “here’s their price configured same way you have your quote, only difference is in dealer discount off msrp. This is the dealers name and if you want to know then call them”. I’m not lying to dealer #3 about #5’s price hoping #3 will beat a fictional price. Although I am cheap I feel an ethical business responsibility not to hand docs back and forth. So, how do you respond or think is the best way when asked??
Here is a dealership perspective - everyone please do feel free to get triggered:
The dealership has determined you are taking up a lot of time and if you become a deal it will be of little to no profit. They want to focus on other potential customers. Dealerships get lied to be customers all the time. You should either go take the deal elsewhere where it is being offered or show this dealership the deal structure.
I realize customers think their business is worth a lot and needs to be earned however we get bombarded with internet leads and phone calls. We have to triage. This is especially true during holiday weekends like Presidents’ Day.
I encourage you to shop however you’d like - simply understand every dealership will conduct business how they’d like.
4 Likes
Understood. Would you want offers you provided sent out to everyone? My email to all was that here is what I’m offered, you have a vehicle on your lot that matches at least 95% of my wants. This is the stock # and here is the amount sales price I’m offered your vehicle is $X + or - this msrp. If you can match or beat I would be happy to get a quote from you. This is all written in the nicest tone and very polite. I even say “if not I understand and thank you for your time” Well then I get some that say no way, some say sure, some reply back with a better number. It’s the ones that say no and I thank them and then they call the next day, and the next. Replies with “yes but send us the quotes”. No I’m not going to. Sure the profit is going to be less but it would require tons less time and zero effort to deal with an informed and ready buyer. “Ok we will do it, X offer, you know residual, acq, rebates,etc. this is our admin fee and here is your cost” paperwork would be ready because by that point if they haven’t figured it out yet then I will tell them in a nice way that I do not want anything else(yes I know the F&I guy is gonna be pissed). Easy movement of inventory and make a little beer money on top.
Usually I just call with the offer to provide it verbally. If someone is really obnoxious and I don’t really want to do business with them then I will send the quote in full and encourage them to shop it to see that it is competitive.
I send them the competitors sheet if they ask for it, or if I am emailing a dealership to see if they can beat a quote I let them know what the current offer is and either include the sheet or let them know that I can send them a copy of the sheet if requested. from my experience the dealerships will tell you that they will not beat or can not beat your current offer, or they will say yes we can match or beat it. I try and spend as little of my time and theirs negotiating.
I normally don’t ask for the breakdown; I normally ask for dealer name. Some customers are afraid to provide it as if I’m going to call and kill their deal or something. In reality I’m just checking if it’s a competitive store. Some dealer are known for bait and switch and when I hear their name I know it’s not a legit offer
This reminds me of the Honda Dearlership in the area that adds 3k of “Marked Adjustment” on the window sticker.
Ya there’s a toyota store that will tell you anything to come in. Then 4K addendum. “At least you’re getting something for the money. You got the discount and then accessories”
I agree. Like I said I’ll tell them a name and one deal 5 years ago it saved me 200 mile drive each way. Dealer 2 said “well you need to call dealer #1 back but do not speak to #3 again. I don’t care if they have a supermodel deliver it to your door, do not sign it. If for some miraculous reason everything looks right when you do get papers They will call that night or the next day and tell you about “their mistake” that will create a small change in cost. And if you refuse to sign new then they will say that the lease has not been submitted to US Bank yet and you have to return truck.” I did not go with them after reading reviews and thanked the salesman that advised me and went with him even though he was about $10 more than another good offer. My gratitude for straight talk. 2 weeks later a coworker loved my truck and asked. I told him to go see xxxx at dealer 2. Well just like me he ends up on Edmunds, gurus, autotrader and sees dealer #3’s great ads. Against my advice he ate it up and for the next 3 days after signing was fighting with dealership hourly to the point where they had an attorney say he was in fact driving a stolen car for his refusal to sign new paperwork. They offered to send someone to bring new papers the 2 hour drive each way or they would be there with police to pick it up. He canceled his insurance after 30 minutes of wearing it out in a muddy field near his house and left it in a parking lot with all keys and stuff inside. He had talked with local police prior and explained it all and showed them the emails. Removed all papers and anything personal and sent the addresss to dealer where they could find it. He had parked it next to a local bar where we sat and enjoyed many beers while we waited. It was priceless watching these 2 guys pull up and spend 30 minutes walking around looking at it and calling back to dealer. He never heard from dealer again and had an attorney take copies of their emails invalidating original contract and send them a certified letter. His Salesman send him a text a few hours later that said “ touché, it is what they desearved. Hate this place and starting new job next week”. And no vehicle was not damaged in anyway, had close to 900 miles on it by this time. But it was covered in mud so thick they had go use bottled water to clean windshield enough to verify vin.
2 Likes
Side note, best experience ever was on a 2013(I think) Tacoma Trd from a salesman named Cody! Tiny dealership in SC and only had 3, 1 like I wanted. Returned call a said I’ll email in next 30 minutes. It was exactly what he said and then he asked what I was doing with Explorer? I told him I always buy out and sale to make some more and it was on craigslist and a few other sites. I had already sat up with a local dealer to take my check and do the buyout from Ford the moment I had a buyer. He called back 30 minutes later and said “We looked it up and we will want it, take off the $300 - $500 Dealer will charge to facilitate and another $500 so you don’t have to deal with it. I said of course since I had it priced near retail. Drove 90 miles and I promise it was 15 minutes from walking in till the time he was helping me adjust the seat to leave. They had paperwork 100% complete and ready. My tag transfered and mounted to a spit shined new Tacoma with a full tank of gas waiting at the door.
Holy shit that is insane.