George from MD

I send specs/bid requests out to multiple dealers when buying. I follow up with phone calls to the sales manager or whoever in sales is available if he or she isn't. Last year one notable BMW/Porsche/Audi etc. dealer in the area responded by saying we don't sell at less than MSRP; I said thank you won't waste your time and hung up. They later called back and e-mailed frantically (the information was on the spec) saying please call us we have a deal for you- but not providing their price.

Some dealers just learn the hard way I guess. I'll be damned if I ever dicker over what is a high priced fast depreciating commodity again- one shot is all you get. The dealer who won has won the past three times- and has received hundreds of thousands in our purchase and service dollars.

If you want to buy a Panamera at a discount there are dozens of high volume dealers who will discount greatly- more than enough to cover the cost of shipping the car to you if you don't live nearby. And your local service department isn't going to care where you bought it- no matter what your local salesman might say.

ricster

Edited by John D.

John D.

Hi Ricster,

If you'd like to sell cars off of Rennlist - please become a Sponsor, OK???

I edited your post. If you'd like to discuss it in private - please PM me..

Many thanks,

John

Trader220

The dealer where I sell is one of the top dealers in the country by volume. Our service department is also ranked in the top 10 in the country for IQS. We will give you a Porsche loaner car even if you didn’t buy your Porsche here.

As I said before anyone with a pulse can walk into ANY dealership and get a discount on ANY Panamera. No one is whoring anything and there is absolutely no reason and no glory at all in paying MSRP. I would go further and say you’d be a fool to pay MSRP from any dealer in the country for any model Panamera. Learning to be a “big boy or girl” has nothing to do with being foolish with your money and over paying for anything.

I find it laughable that you’re implying that you sell only at MSRP. I look at the Porsche national numbers and I constantly speak with the PCNA reps, NO ONE is only selling at MSRP and its few and very far between to sell one at that price. Also, implying that somehow people are foolish for taking five minutes to pick up a phone or drop and email to get a reasonable discount on any product is childish and just stupid. Grow up.

Bob Rouleau

Ricster, Rich and Trader - just a reminder that you cannot promote your business here unless you are a site sponsor. The only dealer who is a sponsor is Alfie. Note, I am not suggesting you are selling cars in this thread, but I can see it evolving

Providing info is fine but it stops there. No mention of cars you have in stock nor "call me for a price" or similar action.

Thanks,

Trader220

George you wont find a single dealer who wont dicscount one these days. Some dealers are sloppy at the way they get back to inquires and some are better at it. I would not say that "hundreds of thousands" go to the dealer, just about all other than a couple of percentage points in the sale goes to PCNA.

malmasri

ricster:
1-Most here work very hard to earn their money.
2- Competition is what keeps this nation ticking.
3- History shows that every attempt at subsidising a business has been a huge dissappointment.
So please do not imply that we need to grow up and thow money at your emplyer, regardless of the large sums that are paid for a Porsche..it is a matter of principals and respect, as a client as soon as I sense your kind I am miles a way.

pole position

LOL, whats front and back end gross on average.....................ballpark will do....will also show if you got any F&I guys worth a lick or just spineless paperclerks............and that will tell me on the spot that your "large volumne dealer" lolx2 is nothing more than a give a way artist...or not....it does not take any skill to sell price and the hard reality is that once every one ****** them out the price sellers ain't got no more aces and just fade away........the vast majority of Porsche salespeople are nothing but ordertakers with no talent at all.....and that includes those so called "Forum sponsors" lol, they are the worst of the bunch. Meeting those clowns at the mandatory PCNA new vehicle introductions is like a permanent hangover times ten.

Alfie

Pole Position, have we met? I'm not sure who I would have met at a PCNA new vehicle intro that I would have offended so much to be considered at permanent hangover times ten.

Trader220

Pole, take all the shots you like, you don’t know me, you don’t know the people whom I work for and despite your claim you don’t know the “vast majority of Porsche sales people”. I am sure the statistical sample size you used to make that silly generalization is large enough to be an accurate representation of the entire set. Nothing makes me laugh more than an anonymous person who hides behind their computer and lobs bombs at people he has never met.

We’re not a rennlist sponsor and I don’t solicit business on this forum. Based on your cowardly post I am sure you know the inner workings of every single dealer in the country and every sales person in the country. Since you already have a very accurate idea of how many units I sold in 2009 and what my net gross is perhaps you could evaluate my situation for me? You know, give me some pointers out of your vast knowledge of all the sales people and management in the Porsche world. While you’re doing that perhaps you could give our management some tips too since we actually increased the number of units sold in 2009 over 2008 and moved up into the top 10 of the national ranking of Porsche dealers. I realize that’s no big deal in a year like 2009 and if we had you here we’d surely be number one in units and probably double the average gross per unit.

I eagerly await your sage advice

Bob Rouleau

Poleposition - I am puzzled by your post. There is one sponsor on here and we have had nothing but praise for his fair dealings and assistance to the Rennlist community. Trader is not a sponsor but he provides useful and timely info which is much appreciated.

While I won't argue that some sales people working in Porsche stores are not as good as they should be - product knowledge is sometimes lacking, the vast majority are excellent.

Since I have a really bad Porsche habit, I get invited to the new intros frequently. Everyone I met there was outstanding. So while there may be exceptions, your generalizations seem "over the top" don't you think?

Regards,

George from MD

FWIW the last BMW salesperson I dealt with was extremely knowledgable- a pleasure to deal with, he responded to our request for quote within a few hours and we ordered the car over the phone with a credit card. When the car arrived, we were in and out of the dealership in less than 30 minutes; he had everything written up- correctly- before we arrived and the car was faultless. He even took our picture with the new car and followed up a month later with a bottle of wine and asked how the car was doing.

A model for car salesmen everywhere. I've never met a Porsche one (or any make for that matter) that good. In fact, the Porsche guys across the street haven't a clue......

Trader220

Geo, that’s a very nice story. Again... as in every profession in the world there are some people who are better than others and some people who are fantastic and some who stink. Believe it or not... not every client wants to be in and out of the dealership in 30 minutes nor would they want to cut the deal over the phone. Sounds like that sort of situation works for you, but there are a heck of a lot of people who need more than that. I don’t think I have ever done a delivery on a new car where the client was in and out in 30 minutes unless they specifically asked to be. I would generally encourage them to spend some detailed time in the car with me allowing me to go over some of the systems in strict detail and pair their phone along with some other personalization items.

Before deciding to get into the Porsche business I bought over 20 911’s, not all of them new from Porsche Franchises, in addition to about a dozen other high line European imports. I had some excellent sales people and I had some lousy ones, I would never write off an entire dealership based on dealing with a sales person, what’s the point?

Simply because a dealer across the street has a sales person or maybe even two whom you didn’t like does not mean the whole dealership hasn't a clue. I suspect there are issues with giving out bottles of wine, but that’s a whole different conversation.

ricster

yawn

Maxsar

You appear to be clueless.

People who want to save a measly 5 percent on a $100,000+ car are bad?

It is interesting in Cincinnati there are a couple dealers. One grew out of a high pressure Japanese dealership. It shows. They called me for six months after I took a test drive. I asked them not to call, but to use email to contact me. Not only did they not do that, they looked up my home number when I didn't give it to them. I got 10 to 12 calls, and the calls didn't stop no matter how many times I told them I bought a car and to LEAVE ME ALONE. They also sell their cars at very high prices.

The other dealer, a long time Porsche Dealership, is very low key. They don't offer the best price, but it is always a good price. I don't have to haggle. I am treated with respect, and I save that same $5,000 which ricster seems to think I am not entitled to.