Yesterday my wife went to lunch with her mother and on the way home she passed the Porsche dealership and noticed that they had her dream car on the lot (911 Turbo). I've been keeping my eye out for the guards red with the tan interior, but haven't come across one in the past two years. Well she immediately calls me and tells me that the unicorn is there and that if I wanted to buy it she would gladly accept it. Seeing that our 20th anniversary is coming up, I said what the heck and emailed them last night. I received a response from the internet manager this morning at 9:30 that said "Mr. Florane, thank you for your inquiry on the 911 Turbo. Mr. Short has your information and will be contacting you by 10:00am to discuss the automobile and answer any questions you may have." I'll add that I told them that I was looking to buying the car today. Well guess what? It's 8:00pm here and no call. I called the dealership around 2:15 and asked for Mr. Short and was told that he was at lunch and he would return my call as soon as he got back. I guess a commission on a 911 Turbo isn't worth his/their time. Apparently, the economy is a lot better around here than I realize. I'll continue to keep my eyes out, because I will NEVER buy from that dealership.
So why not go in? I would think they probobly get a lot of Internet and phone "interest" and very little follow through. And like always nothing talks like cash.
there is a lot of mis-communcation in the dealership. If the internet sales manager didn't relate your message to Mr. Short, then Mr. short won't call you in a timely manner.
You should go in. Tell Mr. Short what happened and that your not feeling too good about it. Then go on to say that you would afford them the opportunity to win back your confidence.
make sure you use the buzz phrases "you can earn my business" or "TO DAY" and make sure you separate and enunciate the word TO DAY........in that business, and my many many dealings with cars salesmen they like to say that alot. And FYI, I have no issue with the sales people, its the managers that make the sales people look like tools at many of the places Ive been, so no offence to you guys who are honest, hard working sales men who play by the rules, don't lie, embellish or fabricate half truths to make a commission.
You have a very lucky wife!! I can't believe they didn't call you back. Whatever the reason, frack em. Look somewhere else.
I don't go in, because my time is valuable and I don't like sitting around for two hours dealing with car salesmen. My last three cars I've purchased via the internet and email (Lamborghini Gallardo, Corvette ZR1 and Mercedes GL450). I would agree that maybe there was a miscommunication at first, but then when I call you and leave you a message that I want to buy the car today and to give me a call and you don't, you and your dealership loose my business forever.
Fair enough. I understand. Besides I'm sure there's plenty of Porsche dealers that will treat you much better than what you experienced. Hope it all works out for you.
I agree, I never (or atleast try not to go into a dealership) they want to just tie your day up, trying to corner you into a decision, or basically waste your time when all you are looking for is answers. too bad everything turns into a negotiation or sales pitch......... I've been using Autobrokers for the last couple of "new cars" ive bought,or Carmax for pre owned, totally removes the BS out of the deal.......
Wow i had zero problems at my vw dealer. Very friendly, answered all my questions. If i could buy my groceries there i would!. I guess i got lucky
Kyle, American car sales people are not the same as Canadian ones. It's a completely different process down there than up here.
Exactly, which is why it drives me up the wall when I email them with a specific question and get the "We look forward to talking with you and discussing your needs" answer rather than 'here's the information you asked for'. I was recently shopping for a new car and found the exact one I wanted 2 hours away. I emailed asking for their price. Mostly to make sure they weren't tacking on extra "added market value" or "protection package" onto it and the guy just kept dancing around the answer with 'when can you come take a look at it' and when I said I needed a price before I'd drive 4 hours round trip he still didn't give me a price he just said that he could probably get me a better price when he had the leverage of me being there. I figured he's have more leverage against me not walking on the deal after driving that far. I then emailed a local dealer for a price on the next trim level up model and he got back to me within an hour with what I thought was a fair price. So we went and bought the better one that evening. The other guy emailed back a couple days later asking when I could come down and I explained to him that I'd already bought a more expensive one. Making it clear that I wasn't looking for him to give away the car. I just wanted to know the price upfront to avoid all the headaches at the dealership and that I knew there is very little profit for most dealers on most cars now days. (Most times Sears makes more profit on a TV than a dealership makes on a family sedan) I know I could have driven down there and seen what they could do but it seemed like such a waste of time and I didn't want to give my money to a place that was into games like the good old "let me go try to talk my sales manager into this price" And in the end I got a car with more bells and whistles at what I felt was a great price and dealt with people I liked dealing with.
I'll take the contrarian view and plead the old advantage of "There's at least two sides to every story and the truth lies somewhere between them." There could have been so much that transpired on their side (e.g. Mr. Stone could be dealing with a devastating situation his life, or another longstanding customer has verbally said to hold it until they get to see it and Mr. Stone might have told that customer, "Okay, buy if someone else comes in and wants to buy it before you do I’ll have to sell it."). You really do not know, and I am not defending the Porsche dealership. All I know is that life is too short and if your wife's dream automobile waits her I would go in. There are so many opportunities in life I've passed by because I felt wronged or waited too long; I kick myself for some of them. You will have to establish a rapport with the dealership for service purposes so you might as well may a visit and see whether you get along with the Service Manager. This one was easy for me: wife jubilant and happy or my feeling slighted? No contest, happy wife! My wife knows what she wants and if she told me that she has found the automobile that suits her versus me telling her I found her automobile—it's win/win.
This is one of my favorite write-ups: http://www.edmunds.com/car-buying/confessions-of-a-car-salesman.html I've worked at a couple dealerships but never in the sales department and this was a nice look into that world.
