Thinking of changing S4 order color... maybe Meteor Gray???

[GreenFrog]

congrats, and damn! paying cash at 27, only to sell it back 2 years from now?! what do you do for a living, if you don't mind me asking?

 

[JayJay]

Originally Posted by pg600rr

Many ignored me when I would walk in, or make rude remarks. The SA in Nashua even had the gall, upon my second time in to test-drive, to ask if I had been saving my pennies.... needless to say I left immediately and took my business elsewhere.
It's good that you left immediately, they didn't deserve your business. I've had to walk out a couple of times myself due to rudeness.

 

[pg600rr]

Originally Posted by GreenFrog

congrats, and damn! paying cash at 27, only to sell it back 2 years from now?! what do you do for a living, if you don't mind me asking?

Thanks, I am an attorney.... however a chunk of the $$ used on the car was from inheritance that needed to be used on a vehicle for legal reasons.

 

[Blackhood]

I've found with "premium" brands the sales staff can be terrible.

I'm young (22) and when I went in to talk to them about an S5 on behalf of my dad they simply laughed and suggested that it would be too expensive. Naturally I left.

I then headed to the Aston Martin dealer, simply becuase it was there. I chatted to the SA for about 20 minutes about the merits of a used DB9 against a new S5 and he didn't once suggest that I might be too young/poor/stupid to own one.

There is something about the middle section of the market that makes the SAs believe that they are selling gold bricks rather than lumps of pig iron.

 

[Piobaire]

Originally Posted by Blackhood

I've found with "premium" brands the sales staff can be terrible.

I'm young (22) and when I went in to talk to them about an S5 on behalf of my dad they simply laughed and suggested that it would be too expensive. Naturally I left.

I then headed to the Aston Martin dealer, simply becuase it was there. I chatted to the SA for about 20 minutes about the merits of a used DB9 against a new S5 and he didn't once suggest that I might be too young/poor/stupid to own one.

There is something about the middle section of the market that makes the SAs believe that they are selling gold bricks rather than lumps of pig iron.

Lulz @ S5 and DB9 being "the middle section of the market."

Actually, LOL my farking arse off.

 

[Blackhood]

Whats wrong with that? (by "middle" I don't mean the cars that most people have, I mean cars that are about half way up the overall car-food-chain)

VW Golf: £15k
VW Passat: £25k
Audi S5: £50k
Used BD9: £65k
New DB9:£100k


Cheap car dealers don't act like tools, and high end ones don't either.

 

[Pezzaturra]

Originally Posted by Blackhood

I've found with "premium" brands the sales staff can be terrible. I'm young (22) and when I went in to talk to them about an S5 on behalf of my dad they simply laughed and suggested that it would be too expensive. Naturally I left. I then headed to the Aston Martin dealer, simply becuase it was there. I chatted to the SA for about 20 minutes about the merits of a used DB9 against a new S5 and he didn't once suggest that I might be too young/poor/stupid to own one. There is something about the middle section of the market that makes the SAs believe that they are selling gold bricks rather than lumps of pig iron.
I think you got it all wrong . You ARE indeed a customer for middle-class aspirational cars like Audi, however the salesman "prequalified" you pretty quickly and concluded that you are just an afternoon "stroker". At Aston the story is different, salesman is on a payroll and gets salary plus comission, so he is encouraged to chat around and socialise and would not care if you are for real or not. He simply gets paid for just being there in a showroom. His boss does not expect him to sell to every third customer who wallks through the doors unlike at Audi.

 

[Blackhood]

Im not arguing that I'm not the right customer. I'm simply saying that the brand representatives at these places don't seem to have any time for someone who isn't actively giving them money.

The Aston Martin guy recognised that I may not be a buyer right now, but in 5 years time I could well be. As far as Audi are concerned I wasn't worth even being nice to, despite the fact it meant that another dealer got a wad of cash when my dad got his car there. If the guy hadn't been a jerk then he'd have another £50k on his scorecard.

 

[Piobaire]

Originally Posted by Blackhood

Whats wrong with that? (by "middle" I don't mean the cars that most people have, I mean cars that are about half way up the overall car-food-chain)

VW Golf: £15k
VW Passat: £25k
Audi S5: £50k
Used BD9: £65k
New DB9:£100k


Cheap car dealers don't act like tools, and high end ones don't either.

Ah, you're talking median not the mode. I guess I sort of get that.

Btw, Pezzy is correct. When you're working on commission, you play the odds. You did not fit the statistical profile of who will buy so the thought is not to spend too much time with you, that you're basically a wasted "up," and get you broomed out before a better "up" comes in. Outliers happen but you don't bet your paycheque on them.

 

[pg600rr]

Originally Posted by Piobaire

Ah, you're talking median not the mode. I guess I sort of get that.

Btw, Pezzy is correct. When you're working on commission, you play the odds. You did not fit the statistical profile of who will buy so the thought is not to spend too much time with you, that you're basically a wasted "up," and get you broomed out before a better "up" comes in. Outliers happen but you don't bet your paycheque on them.

I would say that the statistical profile has prob. blurred a bit, it seems like nowadays many of those with the means to buy a $50k+ auto no longer fit any type of mold, whether it be race, appearance (i.e. clothes), what car they pull onto the lot with, etc.

I was even told so much by several SA's at different dealerships I went to in my car hunt.

I went to MB, BMW, Landrover, and Lexus when looking before deciding on the S4 (and multiple dealerships). There were multiple times I was treated with disrespect, ignored, given attitude, etc. I would say BMW Shrewbury was the worst, right after my experience there I went next door to MB dealer and the SA was great.

I mentioned my experience at their counterpart MB dealer and he said it happens quite a bit in the industry. He also said it was a practice he use to particpate in but had been burnt in the past, by simply not taking a buyer serious, based solely on their age, or clothes.

It is annoying as **** though.

 

[Piobaire]

Originally Posted by pg600rr

I would say that the statistical profile has prob. blurred a bit, it seems like nowadays many of those with the means to buy a $50k+ auto no longer fit any type of mold, whether it be race, appearance (i.e. clothes), what car they pull onto the lot with, etc.


What you have to remember though is that just because the facts have changed doesn't mean peoples expectations/assumptions have. Also, while we all know appearances can be deceiving, they are still used...and often quite valid...in making some assumptions. A well dressed, distinguished looking man of middle years drives up in a newer MB, regardless of race, and only an idiot would not go for him vs. a poorly dressed 22 y/o in a 15 year old VW Golf. Now, I know someone is going to come back and tell me the older guy might be a bum and the younger guy might be worth billions. Certainly this could be true...but that case would be such an outlier as to be meaningless.

I'm not making any value judgements on this situation, not saying if you're the on the receiving end it isn't annoying, just giving the calculus of the SAs and the fact people's perception do not always align with reality. I've gone into places dressed down and dressed in work clothes, and I can tell you unless the SA knows me, work clothes gets a better reception.

 

[pg600rr]

^true.

I am just glad I dont have to deal with any car SA's for a while... its never really enjoyable

 

[Piobaire]

Originally Posted by pg600rr

^true.

I am just glad I dont have to deal with any car SA's for a while... its never really enjoyable

Agreed.

So, have you got it yet, or later this week? Must have delivery pics posted.

 

[pg600rr]

Originally Posted by Piobaire

Agreed.

So, have you got it yet, or later this week? Must have delivery pics posted.

Not yet, in the process of figuring out which insurance to go with. Switching from Commerce cause they have sucked, and want to add the car and house together. Prob. going to pick it up thurs. or fri. so pics will be up by the weekend sometime, weather permitting. It was like -7 here this a.m. and getting more snow on Weds.!!!

 

[Piobaire]

Originally Posted by pg600rr

Not yet, in the process of figuring out which insurance to go with. Switching from Commerce cause they have sucked, and want to add the car and house together. Prob. going to pick it up thurs. or fri. so pics will be up by the weekend sometime, weather permitting. It was like -7 here this a.m. and getting more snow on Weds.!!!

If you are consolidating, try American Express. We've been very happy with them for years.