Mike the Rookie

For a short time I was a salesman at a car dealership and I can't tell you how many times someone would come in with ratty old clothes on and buy the most expensive car on the lot with cash! Usually the newest salesman would get the deal because they didn't pick up any bad habits yet like prejudging customers. My experience with Porsche dealers so far has been good but I haven't asked to test drive a new boxster yet.

Ryan Z

yeah, Riff, INSKIP sux.....BMW there has horrid service too. we're not gonna get another bimmer lease there again...may try Foreign Motors West instead.
BTW, are u going to any autocrosses this wknd. I dont have a car to run right now, but I may go to the 944 gathering and hit up Devens on Sunday.

951sickness

Amazing how some people just "don't get it" Sizing up customers by appearances happens even for a VW. A few years ago I went to a VW dealer about twenty five miles from my home to find a replacement for my wife's GTI. We had a Jetta in mind and wanted to test drive a VR6 and a four banger to see which one we would like better (taking price into consideration). It was Sunday about 3:30 and the salesman told us to comeback on Monday because they were closed. Now both my wife and I look very young for our ages and I can almost hear the guy thinking that we weren't serious as we were looking at two very different extremes of the model line. My wife was pissed! We figured that even though we could have asked for another salesman...we did not want the dealership to get the business. The next week we drove down to another dealer fifty miles away and bought a new Jetta. First thing I did on the following Monday was to drive into the first dealers lot with my new car. The look on the sales managers face when I told him the story was priceless as he saw my new VW with another dealers placard. It gets better...the salesman was in the room and denied the whole thing even saying that they are open till five on Sundays. He even asked who the salesman was! The sales manager pulled me over and said that the guy was getting fired in the next day anyway. Well, the experience did leave a lasting impression...my next new VW was purchased at the dealership I bought my other Jetta two years earlier.

89magic98

I notice that Pioneer Centres in San Diego seems to need to "special order" a lot of parts, even some things that I consider basic.

I had mentioned this in passing, and was told, "well, we're up to the Cayenne now".

I get the idea that if you're not in there to buy a cup holder or a sweater, or to pay major bucks for simple maintenance for your near-new car, you may not be an ideal customer.

They also seemed less than willing to look up part numbers (especially when it gets hard to find a part in the picture, they give up easily), so now I come prepared with my binder containing a printout of the microfiche.

On the other hand, maybe if the dealers were better, we would not have all of these great independent efforts like Rennlist, etc. to share information, advice, and parts!

Brian Wilson

Sorry, but if you're 19, then you're still a kid. I'm just a little older and i'm still a kid... although i'm losing my hair!?!?

Just to not make you feel so bad, but that secretary probably doesn't drive a Porsche... i doubt she can afford it.

On a good note, Porsche Kaiserslautern and the factory have great people there. They are really nice... I think because I'm in there quite a bit and spend a lot of money there. Also, just so you know, the men and women that build our cars are regular joe's. They are middle class drinkers and smokers just like the rest of us. There's even a chance one of them ashed in your car on accident... jk.

I'm really baffled... German's by far have the WORST customer service that i have ever seen, but the Porsche people are the exact opposite.

mrmunky

lol, i'm heading out to Porsche of Barrington tomorrow for some cage nuts, let's see how it goes, eh?

Good thread, enjoying the stories.

Dan Gallagher

Anyone local who has seen me in person knows that not only am i young (18) but i look nothing like the type of person who should drive a porsche. (long hair, pierced, always wearing dark colors etc.)

Until i worked at RPM i never called the dealer for anything except for one time when i was in PA, i spotted a porsche dealer with a sweet porsche race car parked nexto a sweet ferrari race car. When i walked in with 2 of my friends to drool on the cars i told the salesman i was a pca member and i drove a 944 and i wanted to check out their cars. The guy was very cool and started telling me about his 944 while we played with the ferrari ... he even reccomended some shops local to me (in ny) that could service my car since i wasnt going to a dealer and i didnt know much about the car yet

Also since i work at a porsche shop now, i call porsche & bmw dealers and get treated very nice <img border="0" title="" alt="[Wink]" src="wink.gif" />

Somewhat on topic, At the end of the summer i will probably be looking to sell my 95 bmw and get a new c-class mercedes or 3 series bmw, i wonder if the mercedes salesman will mind letting me test drive one of his $30,000+ cars without me dragging my mother along (she is getting tired of listening to me ramble about buying cars!)

Dan Gallagher

</font><blockquote><font size="1" face="Verdana,Tahoma,Helvetica">quote:</font><hr /><font size="2" face="Verdana,Tahoma,Helvetica">Originally posted by 89magic98:
<strong>I notice that Pioneer Centres in San Diego seems to need to "special order" a lot of parts, even some things that I consider basic.

I had mentioned this in passing, and was told, "well, we're up to the Cayenne now".

I get the idea that if you're not in there to buy a cup holder or a sweater, or to pay major bucks for simple maintenance for your near-new car, you may not be an ideal customer.

They also seemed less than willing to look up part numbers (especially when it gets hard to find a part in the picture, they give up easily), so now I come prepared with my binder containing a printout of the microfiche.

On the other hand, maybe if the dealers were better, we would not have all of these great independent efforts like Rennlist, etc. to share information, advice, and parts!</strong></font><hr /></blockquote><font size="2" face="Verdana,Tahoma,Helvetica">i would show up with my laptop and the newest version of PET and say "here this is the part I want, do you need me to show you how to look it up?" just to be an a**hole <img border="0" title="" alt="[Wink]" src="wink.gif" />

Predator

Don't feel bad guys, our local dealer treats me the same way whenever I drive up in the 944, and I'm an 'ol fart compared to most of you. But when I drive up in the H2, they damn near kill each other to greet me!

awilson40

My son was treated the same way at the local Mitub.dealer. He has the cash to buy what he wants and was looking at an Eclipse. The sales mgr wouldnt let him test drive...said 'he wasnt there to give joy rides' Pat just smiled and walked. I went in later in my 951 and was looking at the same Eclipse and spoke up about how my son was in earlier and what was said to him. I had 3 sales men and a couple of mgrs apologizing about how my son must have 'misunderstood' I let them know later that Pat bought a car in Virginia.
Jerks.

ColinM

Although I'm not "young" anymore, I have to add a couple remarks about a couple good experiences I have had at Porsche dealers. Soon after I purchased my 86 951 I drove from Winnipeg home to Newfoundland.

I went to Autohaus Porsche in Winnipeg and purchased some parts and had a service done. The Service Dept. representative, Andy Schramm was very helpful and the service was great.

In Toronto I stopped at H.J. Pfaff Motors in Newmarket and had the timing belt re-tensioned after its 1500 km interval from new. What really got me was that I dropped the car off with a friend in his mini van. When we each pulled in they had valet parking for both of us and were very hospitable. Truly an awesome experience to be treated that way at a car dealership.

ColinM
86 951
Stone Gray Metallic

Tadi

Hell, it even extends to FORD dealerships here in VA. When I was 19 I decided I wanted a new Explorer so I could get around during the winter. I was doing on-site network consulting and installation - it's not polite to tell the customer they'll have to wait until the snow melts Anyway, I went into the local dealership to test drive the new models ('99) and was greeted by a "good ole boy" salesman. When I mentioned I wanted to test drive an Eddie Bauer, a Limited, and a plain XLT to understand the differences of the models, he looked at me funny and said something like "You know all of those cars retail over $25k". I looked back somewhat confused and said, "I didn't know you guys required a pay check stub from the person interested in giving you money." He kind of nervously laughed and apologized and asked if I wanted the keys to any particular car. I told him I'd just ask the dealership across the street for a test drive.

Luckily for me, it all ended well. He got his manager to come out and explained the situation. I told the manager that I was half expecting this type of reaction to my shopping request but that it didn't excuse it. The first salesman ended up being the guy that sold me my truck, but I royally screwed him on the price since it suddenly became a buyer's market there. I'll never forget his face when we finally settled on a price and he tried to add those bull**** "delivery fees" and stuff to the bill. I told him we had already settled on a price and that I could see the vehicle out of his office window, so why exactly would I agree to pay for the delivery? Here's hoping he learned a lesson from that purchase and doesn't make assumptions about customers.

Anyway, thats my little story. I just have never understood why people would do anything to upset or offend someone who's desire is most likely to give them money. When it's a car, it REALLY doesn't make much sense as the amount of money in question is so much higher.

Matt 944S

brian wilson, you live in k-town?

Chris_924s

At the age of 42, and slightly greying I might add- The Porsche dealers in Chicago's 'burbs ARE snooty. Luckily at the dealer here down in Springfield they treat everyone with courtesy and respect. I bet their sales are better too.
As a former business owner i pay close heed to customer service. You cant afford to lose 1 customer, let alone insult a prospect by being rude. Its a car. period. regardless of what you spend. Its Funny, the sales people at Kia are as nice as pie. and they sell an awful lot of 9000$ new cars to people with poor credit..

definition- MY money spends anywhere- and bad customer service once will often leave me looking for another dealer. You cant blame the manufacturer for a poor attitude on the dealer's behalf.
The fix- Call service or the Parts dept first and establish a contact and deal with only that person. They are making money off of you. A good business relationship will transcend the hourly employees only working there until they can find a "better" job that isn't customer or service related.
Or find another dealer, then explain to the former supplier WHY you went somewhere else. A person's age or experience doesnt impress these people. your dollars do.

SidViscous

Slightly?

Well with that amount of hair I geuss any kind of coloring is slight when compared to the whole head.