The other day I was searching the net to make a new vehicle purchase and in my searching I found a good deal on a low mileage, pre-owned, Mercedes-Benz diesel SUV. I called the dealership up and asked about making a deal. His response was basically that he didn't have to lower the price one dollar because he had lots of interest in the vehicle. Naturally, I could understand supply and demand, but his lack of interest in working with me seemed very short sighted. At that point I let all interest in that vehicle, that salesman and even the whole dealership and any potential, future sales just die in my head.
That moment triggered a memory, that I had long ago forgotten, but which is fodder for this blog today. Perhaps you have come across this in your experience of car buying and service at a dealership. My hunch is that this scenario is more often true than not. I know it is true in my vast experience of dealer negations and transactions.
I was once sitting in a Volkswagen dealer's (service) waiting area a few years ago, having our previously leased 2014 Jetta TDi sedan serviced. There was a man sitting across from us, also having his VW serviced. He mentioned that this dealership was good at vehicle service, but he would never buy a car from them, as he learned to always go elsewhere to buy his VW's. I couldn't argue, as I also tried to buy from the very dealership as well, but also went elsewhere.
I've encountered this phenomenon with Chevy dealers, Ford dealers,Toyota dealers, Subaru dealers, Lexus dealers, you name it, no brand makes a difference .
So, when I spoke with the Mercedes-Benz salesman on the prospective used car purchase it reminded me that I had tried to make a deal on a new vehicle purchase from the very dealership a couple years before. I eventually went elsewhere to make my purchase, because the dealership sales team just stunk at selling, in every way. However, this dealership, like the VW dealer, was very good at servicing my vehicles at a fair price.
Unfortunately, it really is a shame that car dealerships that truly shine in the service center are almost without exception, just horrible in offering vehicle sales. There is so much lost opportunity and dollars when a dealership can't even sell to it's own, existing service customers.
That moment triggered a memory, that I had long ago forgotten, but which is fodder for this blog today. Perhaps you have come across this in your experience of car buying and service at a dealership. My hunch is that this scenario is more often true than not. I know it is true in my vast experience of dealer negations and transactions.
I was once sitting in a Volkswagen dealer's (service) waiting area a few years ago, having our previously leased 2014 Jetta TDi sedan serviced. There was a man sitting across from us, also having his VW serviced. He mentioned that this dealership was good at vehicle service, but he would never buy a car from them, as he learned to always go elsewhere to buy his VW's. I couldn't argue, as I also tried to buy from the very dealership as well, but also went elsewhere.
I've encountered this phenomenon with Chevy dealers, Ford dealers,Toyota dealers, Subaru dealers, Lexus dealers, you name it, no brand makes a difference .
So, when I spoke with the Mercedes-Benz salesman on the prospective used car purchase it reminded me that I had tried to make a deal on a new vehicle purchase from the very dealership a couple years before. I eventually went elsewhere to make my purchase, because the dealership sales team just stunk at selling, in every way. However, this dealership, like the VW dealer, was very good at servicing my vehicles at a fair price.
Unfortunately, it really is a shame that car dealerships that truly shine in the service center are almost without exception, just horrible in offering vehicle sales. There is so much lost opportunity and dollars when a dealership can't even sell to it's own, existing service customers.
RSS Feed
