Skytop

About 6 years ago I took my M-5 to the dealer for pulsating brakes. The service manager went out with me so I could demonstrate the problem. I brought the car up to about 50 mph and applied the brakes and the shuttering appeared on que. I told the manager I had heard that Beemers frequently suffered from warped rotors. He told me that warped rotors come from people using their brakes too hard. He then followed up by telling me that I too should NOT use my brakes so firmly. Yes, that is what a BMW service manager told me!!!!!!!

Ron

I have a buddy whose family owned a dealership in Riverside, California from about 1948 to the late 60's. The name of the dealership was Al Pernett Imports. They sold MG's, Auston Healy's, Jaguars and Porches. He told me a couple of funny stories about selling cars. He worked part time at the dealership while he was going to school.

His stepfather the owner of the dealership told him to never underestimate a potential customer's ability to buy a car. You never know who your dealing with.

First story involved a grungy and barefoot high school kid in blue jeans and a tee shirt. Well the kid wanted to look at Jaguars because he always thought they were cool. He found the car he liked and got the cash out of his pocket and bought the car on the spot. Well it turned out the kid had just graduated from high school, his name was Charley Bohling and he was using his signing bonus he received from the New York Yankees to purchase the car.

Second story was about a filty dirty guy who got out of his pickup truck and wanted to see an Austen Healy. Well he too pulled out the cash and bought the car. It turned out he was Harold Herres who was a general contractor and worth millions. He had just gotten back from Los Vegas where his company was building hunreds of new homes.

I'm sure there are still some sharp salespeople out there.

freeman

There are no comforting stories out there. I went into a dealership in 1992 prepared to pay cash for a new FULL-SIZE Audi that had just come out. None of the salespeople knew anything about it. I bought it from a broker.

My room-mate from school had just completed his Internal Medicine residency in Tacoma. He went to an MB dealership to pay cash. He is black. No one would speak with him even after he asked for help. He is very gentle. He merely walked up the street and bought a Jag from that dealer who stooped to talk with him.

I dealt with a local dealer for a Euro delivery 993. The dealer never placed the order. I was going to be in Eastern Europe on business.I had to plead and raise hell to get them to place the order on the 12 week timely basis. They did reluctantly. It was a very unpleasant experience. I love the car and the European delivery. I do not love the dealer.

993Widebody

[quote]Originally posted by PeterS:
<strong>They may be 1 in a 1000, but occasionally a car saleman is an enthusiast who can recognize the first signs of the disease we all willingly share.</strong><hr></blockquote>

You hit the nail on the head. My best salesman experience was with a guy named Evan at Manhattan motorcars. I was interested in a Boxster - the cheapest car they sell. Anyway, his sales pitch, which is definitely the best route to take when selling a Porsche, was to just be a car enthusiast. In other words, no pressure, no BS, just know your stuff and act enthused to be around such wonderful cars, the car will sell itself.

Too bad this point is lost on so many car salesman.

agent325

I bought a 3 Series about 10 Months ago. The first dealer I went to was Mckenna in Norwalk CA. I found the car I wanted and proceeded to negotiate off the sticker. I told the sales guy dont go back and forth with your sales manager, give me one bottom price, and i'll tell you if I want it or not. The sales man started give the story of how 3 series is the hottest car out there and they are limited. If you looked out at the lot, there were a sea of 3 series. He still went back and forth, took him 45 mins to tell me "the best we can can do is sticker and you will be lucky to find one". I felt like I was buying a 360 Modena. I figured he was full of ****. The next day I found the same car with the same options at a dealer in North hollywood. The sales lady was super nice and gave me $2,000 of sticker plus threw in floor mats!

DJF1

Appearance is the most common mistake sales people make. When the new style Vette came out I wanted to take a look and possibly drive it. I thought of getting it for my wife as she cannot drive a stick and she liked the body style of the Vette.
My 968 at the time was in at the dealer for a new AC compressor so i was driving my best friends old Suberban who was kind enough to loan it to me.
When I pulled into the dealership I remember all the salesmen who were out chatting checking me out.. In the Texas heat ofcourse I was dressed in shorts and a T/shirt..I was approached immediately but when I told them that I want to drive the new Vette they changed their story and told me that they would have to call the "guy" who was selling them! They went in I kind of followed and went straight to see the Vette they had in the showroom. I see the salesman talking to a manager type him shaking his head and coming over to talk to me... I introduced myself and asked if I could test drive the car.. He said oh no I'm sorry we only have one and we do not provide test drives! I asked when can I come back with my wife to test drive the car and he said that they are all sold out and I could order one but no test drives... I said at least can I have a brochure to give to my wife he said...ahh we have not received them yet...
On the way back I was thinking that If I was driving my 968 maybe he would give me the test drive, the brochure etc... So on purpose i waited a week... My best friend at the time he owned a Viper which I had at my disposal anytime. I thought what if I show up driving the Vip? So here I go a week later arriving with the black/silver Viper and I witnessed the same type of scene... The salespeople as usual catching flies outside the main door watching now in awe the loud rambling Viper pulling in... I parked rudely infront of them as if it was for a Vallet parking and the salestypes approached to admire...
I announced that I'm here to see the new Vette and possibly test drive it... One of them went inside and the same manager type came out to introduce himself. I think he recognized me but this time he had on his hands the keys for the Vette... At that point I thanked him and I pointed out the fact that last week the Vette was imposible to be driven now me, the Vip and all was my ticket to drive?.. I made sure he understood that he lost the sale because of his ignorance and lack of judgment...

Another story which was told by a friend of mine:
She is Belgian and she worked for a very wealthy guy in Monaco. She is a car nut and her boss new that, so he asked her for an advise of what to buy. He liked the TT but he wanted a touring car like a Merc but more exclusive. She suggested a Maranello and he asked her to get info. She found the Ferrari dealership in Monaco and got him brochures etc. He liked the car and he went to the dealer to buy it. he walked in dressed very casually and the two salemen checked him out and totally ignored him. 10 minutes later he was back in his office fuming and told the story to my friend. he asked her to find him an car anywhere in the world and buy it for him no matter where she had to get it from. He wanted a particular color combo and obvisouly he refused to buy it from the Monaco dealership... So my friend went on the Internet and she found the Ferrari USA site and called a dealer in NY. She explained what happened with her boss and the dealer told her that she would pass that info to the other closest dealer to Monaco.... half an hour later there was a phone call from Maranello, a guy apologizing profusly and wanting to make an appointment to come and see her boss! The next day 2 guys from the factory flew in, one with a big suitcase full of leather samples etc... Needless to say that his Maranello was delivered to his door and that probably the two salesloosers are now selling Renaults or washing dishes somewhere...

STLPCA

Danny
Unfortunately your story is all too true. When the Acura TL Type S was introduced I was in the market for a car for my wife. I drove alone in my 993 to the Acura store, parked in front, went in, & was immediately & warmly greeted by a salesman. At his insistence we talked Porsches for a while before I asked it I could take a Type S for a test drive. I was told, "if you'd like, why not leave your Porsche locked up here & take the Acura for the weekend so your wife can drive it." I did, but didn't buy the Acura & wondered how I would have been treated had I arrived in my old Volvo.

One of my most memorable dealer lines was back in "the day" when affordable sports cars all leaked rain & hydraulic fluid. I was shopping for a new Triumph TR6. I went to a dealer & was shown a new car. I noticed that the car was sagging on the passenger's side as if it had bad springs. I asked the salesman about it and his response was, "These cars are all built to be driven on the racetrack, & are designed to be higher on the driver's side so they'll level out when the driver gets in."

Phil

There is a way to avoid some of the "shenagins"
I do this for many many people, that don't want to go into dealerships
email me.....tell me what you want, where its at, I call the dealership tell them your my bro-in-law, sis-in-law etc....carpets roll out
Just be ready with the checkbook to buy!

for those who don't know, I run a new car dealership. So I kind of know my way around, and can use the Professional Courtesey treatment, that we all get in our respected busnines's

one word of warning..sometimes I am a bit slow on the email response But i will get back to you!

fwiw.I have bought a few cars outside of my franchise's.....and not told the salesperson what I did for a living...Yes it can be frustrating
but of course there are 3 sides to every encounter. customers story, salesperson's story, and somewhere in the middle the truth! ie....how many on this forum, have told a salesperson you would be back?.......don't lie....everyone of us!!...and never went back...its a tough job, long hours.....PLENTY OF GRIND....and I have a standing offer to anyone...If you wanna see how it really is....come to my dealership, spend a few hours, or a few days with me!! <img src="graemlins/beerchug.gif" border="0" alt="[cheers]" /> <img src="graemlins/drink.gif" border="0" alt="[cherrsagai]" />

Speedraser

In 1989 I went shopping for a new Corvette. The first dealership I visited was the one closest to my home. The salesman was probably in his early 60s. He reluctantly agreed to a test drive, and we went outside to the car. He took the magnetic dealer plate and attempted to stick it to the Corvette's body!! <img src="graemlins/c.gif" border="0" alt="[ouch]" /> The plate hit the ground, of course, and he tried it another time -- same result -- and finally a third time. He then gave up, muttered that the plate won't seem to stick to the car, and off we went for the test drive. Needless to say, I didn't buy it there.

Ray Calvo

Coupel of adders, service related:

a) Audi Coupe Quattro, in for regular warranty-paid service. This was a brake fluid change. Waited for the car, service "manager" finally said the car was ready. I signed the paperwork, went out to the car and decided to pop the hood. Well, the brake fluid was as black as when I brought it in! Brought the service numnut out, pointed at the fluid reservior and aske him "you mean to tell me that the fluid was changed?". He looked at it and said "Yes". We argued there for prob. a half hour. He insisted that since the paperwork said the work had been done, it had - was his only argument. Finally, on my insistence, he brought a mechanic out to look at the fluid. Mechanic took a look at it and said "Nope, it hasn't been changed". So, service numnut allowed me to watch the fluid replacement.

b) Audi Coupe Quattro again: ABS quit. Had to have the dealer check the ABS computer to toubleshoot it. Turned out to be a bad sensor. Well, the ABS computer was under the back seat. When I picked up the car and drove it home, discovered that the back seat had just been dropped in place; the bolts holding it down hand't been reinstalled and were still sitting on the carpet!

c) '84 Carrera: brought the car in for an alignment. Some time later I wanted to install a stut brace. Well the bolts holding the strut towers in place were loose!


d) 993: a few months after purchase, the crankshaft rear oil seal was blowing oil (one by the clutch). Replacement covered by warranty; required an engine pull. Well, a while after getting the car back I noticed soemthing sticking out from under the left rear of the car. On jacking it up I noticed that one of the lower control arms had never been bolted back in place! Obviously, the dealer got a few choice words from me the next day.

ZCAT3

My stupid dealer stories all relate to poor and/or incompetent service. Like the time it took 3 trips to one of our local Porsche dealers to fix a faulty high beam switch. The first time we picked it up all was good until I tried the high beams and they didn't work at all. The next time the high beams worked, but we could not get them to siwtch to low. The final time, the lights worked correctly but there was 2 hours of labor charged on the service order for diagnosing the power seats which stopped working while they were dealing with the headlights. It turns out they blew a fuse and it took them 2 hours to figure it out. Needless to see, I did not pay them for that.

Perhaps the worst service story I have heard is this one:

<a href="http://forums.rennlist.com/cgi-bin/rennforums/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=get_topic&f=3&t=004041&p=" target="_blank">Jeff's Story</a>

Keep in mind that the dealer had Jeff's car for over a month merely to replace what they thought were bad turbos. When he finally picked up the car, the turbos were smoking so badly he got pulled over. After all of this, Jeff solved the problem on his own by correctly tightening the oil filters.

In fairness I want to add a stupid buyer story. When my wife and I looked at our fist Porsche, a used 87 911 Coupe, we were straight with the salesman and told him we had never driven a 911. The 87 Coupe is not the easiest first Porsche to drive, so the salesman gave us a little driving lesson and then off we went (with 6'2" 200 lb me crammed in the back). After a half hour or so, the salesman offered to let us take the car by ourselves for a bit. Which we interpreted this to mean 3 plus hours. The dealer got a bit worried and started trying to reach us on our cell phone - which was off

The stupid buyer part came when we needed gas. We stopped at the station and took a few minutes to find the gas flap (where the hell is this thing - there is nothing back here). We finally located it up front and then could not figure out how to get it open. We started laughing pretty good at that time as we imagined we were going to have to call the dealer to ask how to put gas in the car (the manuals and records were at the dealer). I started pulling ***** and buttons and finally figured it out. We bought the car.

Robert Henriksen

[quote]Originally posted by Ray Calvo:
<strong>Coupel {sic} of adders, service related:</strong><hr></blockquote>

With all the horror stories on service, it's no wonder so many of us work on our own cars.

I built a motor for my old Camaro (OLD days), and dropped it in. Couldn't get the motor to start, though. (Turns out I had the distributor 180 degrees out; I *checked* that, dammit, but still got it wrong). Towed it to a shop to get them to finish the job, and they wound up replacing the starter as well.

Month or so later... the engine catches on fire! The 'numnuts' {TM-Calvo} had bolted the battery cable onto the solenoid such that it had edged over & shorted out against the engine block. Add a little oil & grease to battery cables whose insulation had completely melted off, and you have some real excitement.

chris walrod

I like the story my father told about when he was younger, he had a buddy take his car in for an oil (engine oil that is) change. Picked up the car and it was acting really wierd. Turns out the 'oil changer' drained the gearbox oil and filled the engine with 5 (more) quarts of oil!

Chris

Mike Lincoln

Hi,

I recently had to have my AC evaporator replaced (95 993 C4). The Salt Lake City dealer, which always returns my car dirty, with a crumpled paper on the floor, shamelessly quoted ca. $1250 for the part and $1300 for labor, plus a new receiver-dryer for $200 and assorted "unforseeable" expenses for o-rings and the like: a $3000 repair. This is the same dealer that charges $300 for an oil change.

I called around and found that the Las Vegas and Provo dealer charged about half of that. I decided to do nothing for a while. Then a few days after the wiring harness issue came out, the Provo dealer (whom I'd been to before) called me offering to schedule an immediate replacement. This got me going on the AC issue again. The very nice service manager promised that the part was ca. $750 (same new Porsche part) and the labor was half of Salt Lake's too. The Provo dealer (Ken Garff Porsche) also did my oil change for $180, threw in a free pollen filter and did a 75k service for that same price (!) and as promised the cost was half... Then my car came back detailed inside and out, cleaner than it had been in two months.

It pays to shop around if you can....

Mike Lincoln

fbfisher

Went to a used car lot that had a 356 rag top. Car was perfect. Guy gave me the keys and invited me and my lady friend to take it for a nice long drive . After about 20 minutes the car began to sputter and then died. Had to flat bed it back to the lot. When I got back there the sales guy started screaming <img src="graemlins/cussing.gif" border="0" alt="[grrrrrrr]" /> at me that I had broken his car. I left. He called me a couple of hours later and very apologetically told me that they found the source of the problem - the gas guage was broken and the car had run out of gas. It was a cool car but I passed.