taking the car home without buying it is called spotting a car. It’s just another sales method.
If they’re at all on the ball, they are absolutely following a script. “ABC”: Always Be Closing. Normally, most things a salesman says to you are anything but random. Some dealerships send their sales people to training that emphasizes scripting and tells you exactly how to phrase things and in what order to trot them out. I know this because I went to such training. That said, the old “what can I do to put you in this car today” (or any version of “if I could…would you?” is trite and ineffective. Everybody knows it’s coming, so most everybody ignores it. My response to that is always: “Really? That’s the best you’ve got? If I hear any more of that sort of thing, I’ll be looking for another salesman.”
As to the turnip truck thing: I always tell sales people that I have sold vehicles in the past and know the drill. Invariably, they still try to run their games. I don’t think they can help themselves. The best tact is to do your homework online, bring the paperwork with you for reference, and then hold your ground on a fair offer.
I was once approached by a female salesperson at an Acura dealership. She treated me like I had a brain in my head, listened to my laundry list of wants (I had a very specific model in mind with a very specific set of bells & whistles) and told me she’d look for such a vehicle and call me. I gave her my info and took hers and never heard from her again.
If she’d called me, she’d have gotten me into the dealership and if the car was right, she’d have made the sale.
I’ve often wondered why dealerships seem to stick to this old-school business model from the 50s. Why not hire 50% female sales staff and have them target the female buyers? I think most women would be more responsive to a female sales person (I certainly was) because you’re not automatically on your guard for patriarchal, condescending bullshit, e.g., “You can turn the mirror here to check your lipstick!” or “That car is a stick shift; let me find an automatic for you.” I am a woman who happens to be a bit of a gearhead so patronizing crap like that drives me into the arms of another dealership.
You’d think, what with the socioeconomic landscape changing to include women as major purchase decisionmakers (and often, women are the higher earners in a couple), the dealerships would sell more cars by exploiting that market. And I’m not saying that all women know about cars like I do. What I’m saying is women know when we’re being talked down to. Or completely ignored in favor of our SO when we are the ones carrying the checkbook. Why do they do that; talk to the men when it’s been made clear that the woman is making the purchase? It’s why I won’t let men go with me when I’m shopping for a car.
My wife, for a book project, drove an RV around the country with our kids. That meant she had to buy one. She went to several dealers in the Eastern Philly suburbs and never got the time of day from them. I, who had zero interest in the damn thing, had to go with her to actually get a salesman’s attention. And then I had to keep repeating that she was his customer, not me.
Malcolm Gladwell in “Blink” has a section about how car salesman size up customers immediately, and how this often results in them ignoring wealthy customers who they somehow think are not good enough. The example he gave was a farmer who visited dealers not dressed in his Sunday finest. Most of them thought he was riff-raff. One actually talked to him, and it turned out this guy had a big farm and bought vehicles all the time.
I find it difficult to believe that no salesperson, sales manager, or dealership has ever gotten negative feedback about “you know patronizing and ignoring women is probably hurting sales, right?”
That’s the part that boggles my mind. Surely, someone, somewhere, who has the authority to make things different, is aware of this phenomenon. I’m wondering if there’s some market study that proves treating women like shit actually results in higher sales. If there isn’t, then these people are stupider than I thought.
My, isn’t cute how all of the women complain about this? :eek:
I’d like to believe that times have changed, for the most part - my anecdote about getting ignored was 25 years ago. Of course, since that time we’ve never car-shopped as a couple, so I haven’t seen any salespeople working with that situation since then.
Typo just (mentally) rolled his eyes at the guy who tried the macho/man-of-the-house crap.
In hindsight, that one was particularly hysterical. He was shopping for a HONDA CIVIC. Not exactly the kind of car a person who wants to break loose from spousal input would be buying. That Civic is a great car, but ranks an absolute ZERO on the cool/macho scale.
Are you kidding? My first (of two) Honda Civic was a 1988 Si, so that’s just a little less than than 25 model years ago. What were the alternatives in that price range? A Ford Escort? No, thank you. Owning two of those pieces of junk were why I was looking at the Civic. I can’t remember the specs, but I think it was 125 hp, 16-valve engine, five-speed, moon roof. My god, it was a fast, fun car versus anything else (that size, that price) on the road back then.
These day I’m saddened. The Civic’s become a boring, “me too” mom-mobile. There are a lot of moms, so their boringness still nets a lot of sales.
It sure is, Balthisar! They don’t mean any harm, but…well, you know how it is! Pretty soon, they’ll want to be the ones that wear the pants! 
Best wishes,
hh
While shopping for the last truck, I was approached by a saleslady who was frankly, one of the most drop-dead gorgeous women I’ve ever seen. She acted exactly like the male sales staff, with the exception of her distractingly tight blouse. I actually stopped going to that dealership, because I was afraid my distraction would keep me from pushing for the best deal. I guess I still have a little old-school reluctance to get pushy with a lady.
I wonder if her looks worked in her favor most of the time? Or does it cause old farts like me to nervously clutch their wallets and leave?
Six or so years ago a set of circumstances arose that made it more or less necessary (well prudent anyway) to go buy big pickup, and do it in a week. So Mr. saje and I did the rounds of the dealers. I knew pretty much what I wanted I just needed to sit in a few different brands/models. The truck was/is mostly for me to haul a horse trailer and to do all the horse farm associated things - it’s a work truck. I also wanted a manual shift, which was kind of limiting for what was on the lots, but it’s not like it’s some odd request.
The dealer we finally bought from was the ONLY one who understood that the check was going to have Mr saje’s signature on it, and it would be in his name (since he was the one with the larger income), but it was MY truck, and it was MY opinion that counted. I can’t tell you how many dealers tried to tell me that I meant auto transmission, not manual, and that I really ought to get the plush interior with cloth or leather seats and carpets.
No, I want a manual, 5 or 6 speed, with the clutch, stickshift, whole nine yards.
No, this is a work truck, I’m a slob, I have muddy boots and muddy dogs and spend a fair amount of time covered in hay chaff. I want the plastic floor, plastic/vinyl seats.
Yes, I need the tow package. Yes, I know the ride is stiffer, I don’t care.
Yes, I need the extended cab AND the long bed. I know it will be hard to park - IT’S A TRUCK!
Yeesh.
My sainted husband would get questions and comments directed to him, he’d either just point at me while shaking his head, or turn to me and repeat it, verbatim. It went from irritating to pretty funny actually, it was so predictable!
saje to be fair (under the circumstances, you understand!) they’re trying to upsell. Plastic floor are base model!
On a serious, note, though, I don’t think there’s a single manufacturer that doesn’t recommend the automatic transmission for frequent trailer towing, though.
I know a salesman’s job s to sell, but when I specifically say I WANT the base model, I do NOT want bells and whistles, then please at least acknowledge that and don’t blow me off with a pat on the head and a wink at my husband.
As to the auto. vs manual thing, I guess auto transmissions have gotten smoother shifting under load. But I learned to drive on a stick, learned to tow w/ a stick, and found that mostly I can shift more smoothly than the auto does. I also like being in charge of the gear when it comes to getting in and out of sticky situations. I prefer the control I have. I admit that traffic jams and toll booths suck, but hey, can’t have it all my way!