Three turbo 3.6's for sale
02-28-2012, 01:09 PM
#16
Burning Brakes
In order:
Frank: Yes, we're ramping up to do customer detailing. Give us a few more cars to get it down and we'll have a lot better, and therefore it'll be cheaper
Media costs alone mean the process isn't for everyone--it takes around 500 POUNDS of dry ice to really clean a car!
E6: No, the black car is sold. The red car will be available soon, but those pictures of the engine and undercarriage were taken yesterday...some assembly required.
Slow: Part of the problem with listing prices is that you can turn off a customer who might otherwise call and be talked into the car. Obviously, if you're window shopping it's annoying, but it allows us to get to know our potential customers a lot better. Some even call and buy a completely different vehicle: It may seem like a "game" but it's a proven way to give us a chance to talk about the virtues of the car versus simply assigning it a number. New cars are the same, but used ones are all different, and we don't want to turn off a very interested customer over $1000.
The other reason we don't list the prices on these cars is that, while we have a known, fixed price for them when they come in, we often have buyers who are interested and put down deposits before we're even finished working on them, and we don't have a final tally until we're done. The black car, for instance, needed over 120 hours in detailing and mechanical work and well over $3000 in parts. We didn't know that before we started, and it could hurt us if we don't factor everything in before the car's done and ready.
Frank: Yes, we're ramping up to do customer detailing. Give us a few more cars to get it down and we'll have a lot better, and therefore it'll be cheaper
Media costs alone mean the process isn't for everyone--it takes around 500 POUNDS of dry ice to really clean a car!E6: No, the black car is sold. The red car will be available soon, but those pictures of the engine and undercarriage were taken yesterday...some assembly required.
Slow: Part of the problem with listing prices is that you can turn off a customer who might otherwise call and be talked into the car. Obviously, if you're window shopping it's annoying, but it allows us to get to know our potential customers a lot better. Some even call and buy a completely different vehicle: It may seem like a "game" but it's a proven way to give us a chance to talk about the virtues of the car versus simply assigning it a number. New cars are the same, but used ones are all different, and we don't want to turn off a very interested customer over $1000.
The other reason we don't list the prices on these cars is that, while we have a known, fixed price for them when they come in, we often have buyers who are interested and put down deposits before we're even finished working on them, and we don't have a final tally until we're done. The black car, for instance, needed over 120 hours in detailing and mechanical work and well over $3000 in parts. We didn't know that before we started, and it could hurt us if we don't factor everything in before the car's done and ready.
02-28-2012, 07:04 PM
#17
Rennlist Member
It's used mainly in industry for de-burring as well as cleaning (once had a demo done on the parts I was involved with manufacturing). It's really LOUD (you can see the operator in the picture wearing ear protection) but does a good job with only a fraction of waste water. Here's how the industrial version works: you put a film of water onto a rotating refrigerated drum, scrape off the ice and use a venturi nozzle to propel it onto the surface you want to clean so you are essentially "sand blasting" the part clean without the abrasion.
Cool process.
Cool process.
Last edited by Metal Guru; 02-28-2012 at 11:50 PM.
02-28-2012, 09:57 PM
#18
I find this place to be a very odd dealership. I tried contacting them 6 times or so to ask about a car and never got a call back with the price of the car in question. I felt like I was calling a golf range to ask about buying a car. They were clueless. Spoke to some guy name Larry most of the time but he never bothered to call back with the price of the car in question, the answer was always that they had no idea what the price would be. Quite strange experience I must say.
02-29-2012, 12:01 AM
#19
Burning Brakes
Again, if you were calling on a car we were working on (like the 3.6's) we didn't want to price them before we were finished. I apologize if it was off-putting.
Which car were you after?
Which car were you after?
02-29-2012, 03:02 AM
#20
I find this place to be a very odd dealership. I tried contacting them 6 times or so to ask about a car and never got a call back with the price of the car in question. I felt like I was calling a golf range to ask about buying a car. They were clueless. Spoke to some guy name Larry most of the time but he never bothered to call back with the price of the car in question, the answer was always that they had no idea what the price would be. Quite strange experience I must say.
02-29-2012, 09:05 AM
#21
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In order:
Frank: Yes, we're ramping up to do customer detailing. Give us a few more cars to get it down and we'll have a lot better, and therefore it'll be cheaper Media costs alone mean the process isn't for everyone--it takes around 500 POUNDS of dry ice to really clean a car!
E6: No, the black car is sold. The red car will be available soon, but those pictures of the engine and undercarriage were taken yesterday...some assembly required.
Slow: Part of the problem with listing prices is that you can turn off a customer who might otherwise call and be talked into the car. Obviously, if you're window shopping it's annoying, but it allows us to get to know our potential customers a lot better. Some even call and buy a completely different vehicle: It may seem like a "game" but it's a proven way to give us a chance to talk about the virtues of the car versus simply assigning it a number. New cars are the same, but used ones are all different, and we don't want to turn off a very interested customer over $1000.
The other reason we don't list the prices on these cars is that, while we have a known, fixed price for them when they come in, we often have buyers who are interested and put down deposits before we're even finished working on them, and we don't have a final tally until we're done. The black car, for instance, needed over 120 hours in detailing and mechanical work and well over $3000 in parts. We didn't know that before we started, and it could hurt us if we don't factor everything in before the car's done and ready.
Frank: Yes, we're ramping up to do customer detailing. Give us a few more cars to get it down and we'll have a lot better, and therefore it'll be cheaper
Media costs alone mean the process isn't for everyone--it takes around 500 POUNDS of dry ice to really clean a car!E6: No, the black car is sold. The red car will be available soon, but those pictures of the engine and undercarriage were taken yesterday...some assembly required.
Slow: Part of the problem with listing prices is that you can turn off a customer who might otherwise call and be talked into the car. Obviously, if you're window shopping it's annoying, but it allows us to get to know our potential customers a lot better. Some even call and buy a completely different vehicle: It may seem like a "game" but it's a proven way to give us a chance to talk about the virtues of the car versus simply assigning it a number. New cars are the same, but used ones are all different, and we don't want to turn off a very interested customer over $1000.
The other reason we don't list the prices on these cars is that, while we have a known, fixed price for them when they come in, we often have buyers who are interested and put down deposits before we're even finished working on them, and we don't have a final tally until we're done. The black car, for instance, needed over 120 hours in detailing and mechanical work and well over $3000 in parts. We didn't know that before we started, and it could hurt us if we don't factor everything in before the car's done and ready.
02-29-2012, 09:32 AM
#22
I was actually even ok with them waiting to give a price after they completed their work but almost 10 phone calls and never a return call from a sales person. That I found was shocking. To me it sounded like there is a large financial backer and they just like buying and looking at the cars but they did not act like they had much interest in selling any. with this particular car I was told I had first chance to buy it when the work was done only to find out it sold a couple weeks later with never a phone call ....Big turn off...
02-29-2012, 11:25 AM
#23
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I was actually even ok with them waiting to give a price after they completed their work but almost 10 phone calls and never a return call from a sales person. That I found was shocking. To me it sounded like there is a large financial backer and they just like buying and looking at the cars but they did not act like they had much interest in selling any. with this particular car I was told I had first chance to buy it when the work was done only to find out it sold a couple weeks later with never a phone call ....Big turn off...
02-29-2012, 01:15 PM
#24
Burning Brakes
Or... You price the car depending on the means of the potential buyer... Not a good marketing tactic in my opinion, which is why 99% of people HATE dealing with dealers and b/s dealer games! Take it as you will but its the truth. Have you ever gone out to eat dinner and ordered all your food for you and your family and then after you're all done you find out the price? nope... that's because the real world doesn't work like that. And car dealers (of all kinds) really wonder why they are disliked by so many and portrayed as they are. Somebody please correct me if you feel differently. By the way I am a member of the NIADA so I am semi well versed in dealer'isms...
I'm sure you mistyped the first part--pricing has nothing to do with the means of a buyer--an object has intrinsic value on its own. Just because I can't afford a million dollar mansion doesn't mean I should be able to buy it for the $27 I have in my wallet.
I understand what you're saying about the aggravation, though, and it could definitely apply to new cars. If you wanted a new Camry, you could go to different dealers and get quotes for the same car which would be built at the same plant, receive the same treatment, and arrive with the same result. You'd be buying an item of the same quality no matter the outlet. The same could be said for toasters, shingles, spray paint and hot dogs.
We feel what we sell, though, needs more explanation. Details matter when you're buying a used car. On your outing with the family to McDonald's for cheeseburgers, do you ask about the origin of the cheese, how many people handled the bun, or whether the cow was happy in the pasture? Does the provenance of the potato farm influence your purchase of french fries? Do you ask to have the lettuce tested for a specific crispness? And, when you see the price of a Big Mac on the board, do you ask the 17 year old behind the counter what is his best price, cash, today?
Unless you are selling the least expensive car on the market, a number can drive people away. A price on a car isn't the price--it's a line in the sand, and what's the first thing we all do as buyers? We try to figure out, mentally, how far we can cross it. And boy does that vary from person to person, and regionally! A $1500 discount might fly in Chicago, but someone from New Jersey wants 20%! Where do you price a car then? To be safe, you'd have to build in enough profit to stay afloat and taking haggling into consideration. That leaves you with a car that is now "way overpriced."
We get a lot of curious people calling on our cars, and I get a wide variety of responses when I tell people what we want. Some of them are not pleasant, but when someone wants something, and you can justify why you want a dollar more than the next guy, it's worth the time.
This is a debate which will never end. I personally don't like it when dealers don't post prices, because I enjoy window shopping and I like getting a feel for what cars are going for. I'm the guy who goes through auction results for fun. I'm disappointed when I see a "call for price" when I'm not in the market for anything. When I am, though, I certainly don't let it stop me from calling.
NYC, your experience is definitely atypical. I'm usually the one who answers the phone (85-90% of the time) and I honestly don't remember the same number coming up 10 times (or even 6, as you previously wrote) in one week...I'm not a savant but it seems like I'd remember that. Larry handles sales, among other things, so you were talking to the right person, and he certainly wouldn't have told you he would refer you to anyone. The pricing issue was discussed earlier--we listed the car before it was finished. I wasn't part of the conversation, so I don't have the specifics, though.
02-29-2012, 01:23 PM
#25
Burning Brakes
Another valid point, but we can use the deposit money for the next car. It's about turnover.
I'm also not disagreeing with many of your points, and I don't want to get into a pissing match over it. A lot of what we do, and how we do it, is dictated by human nature. People "know" they have to haggle for a car--ask Saturn how well that worked. I'm not trying to tell you we're right or wrong, and I hope you can appreciate the insight into what we're thinking!
02-29-2012, 01:57 PM
#26
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Another valid point, but we can use the deposit money for the next car. It's about turnover.
I'm also not disagreeing with many of your points, and I don't want to get into a pissing match over it. A lot of what we do, and how we do it, is dictated by human nature. People "know" they have to haggle for a car--ask Saturn how well that worked. I'm not trying to tell you we're right or wrong, and I hope you can appreciate the insight into what we're thinking!
I'm also not disagreeing with many of your points, and I don't want to get into a pissing match over it. A lot of what we do, and how we do it, is dictated by human nature. People "know" they have to haggle for a car--ask Saturn how well that worked. I'm not trying to tell you we're right or wrong, and I hope you can appreciate the insight into what we're thinking!
02-29-2012, 03:27 PM
#27
Burning Brakes
Again, I know where you're coming from. Flip it around, though--call a dealer who tells you that the price listed is the bottom line and there's no more discount, it's a learned response to think that the dealer is lying and he's "fleecing" you.
When you post a price, you're drawing that line in the sand. When you hand the customer the stick and tell him to draw it, it gives you insight into his thoughts and his level of interest, and it lets you build value. More often than not you arrive at the same place you would have going top-down, but it's a more engaging way to do business. Think of your bad experiences with dealers--you start at their price, and you dicker, hem and haw over $100 for six hours, and in the end you go away pissed. Come up with a lower number, have the price increase justified, and understand what why the car you're asking about needs to cost more, and you'll come away a lot happier. We really don't like the tit-for-tat over $50 any more than the customer does...everyone comes away feeling dirty.
Also, you're still talking about consumer commodities available from multiple vendors and locations. That might work if we were selling Model T's. Watch real estate shows and see how THEY play games when passion comes into play...car dealers look like saints!
When you post a price, you're drawing that line in the sand. When you hand the customer the stick and tell him to draw it, it gives you insight into his thoughts and his level of interest, and it lets you build value. More often than not you arrive at the same place you would have going top-down, but it's a more engaging way to do business. Think of your bad experiences with dealers--you start at their price, and you dicker, hem and haw over $100 for six hours, and in the end you go away pissed. Come up with a lower number, have the price increase justified, and understand what why the car you're asking about needs to cost more, and you'll come away a lot happier. We really don't like the tit-for-tat over $50 any more than the customer does...everyone comes away feeling dirty.
Also, you're still talking about consumer commodities available from multiple vendors and locations. That might work if we were selling Model T's. Watch real estate shows and see how THEY play games when passion comes into play...car dealers look like saints!
02-29-2012, 04:46 PM
#28
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Ok so I'm interested in the silver car? How much is it?
**I have a few Porsches and a few other cars. I'm single and own my own business. Height is 5'10" and I'm nearly 40 years old (balding)**
**I have a few Porsches and a few other cars. I'm single and own my own business. Height is 5'10" and I'm nearly 40 years old (balding)**
02-29-2012, 04:59 PM
#29
Burning Brakes
what color was your hair before, and what's your shoe size? Are you a decent dancer?
That car is sold to a customer in Chicago a couple weeks back. It's still here, though--we're doing some final touches with the blaster and he's thinking about ceramic coating the exhaust. The black car, also sold, is apart for the ceramic coating now.
That car is sold to a customer in Chicago a couple weeks back. It's still here, though--we're doing some final touches with the blaster and he's thinking about ceramic coating the exhaust. The black car, also sold, is apart for the ceramic coating now.
03-01-2012, 06:45 PM
#30
Your company obviously takes pride in presenting the best used car possible and goes over and above the call of duty with respects to investing in its equipment. Having said that, a true Porsche collector would prefer that it’s left in original condition, which includes the factor applied under coating that you’re removing with the dry ice plaster. I had taken my TTS to a private mechanic and he decided to do me a favor and remove this coating, which I wasn’t too happy about.
Just my two cents.
Todd
Just my two cents.
Todd