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I thought that this subject needed it's own thread.

No offense to dealers here, just would like you to hear the REAL: STORY that is completely unfiltered.


MSRP.....they play games now that creates ill will and bites them in the ass later.

The best way to sell an SL for Mercedes is to screw with a customer coming in the doors of Cadillac.

Dealers should do THEIR JOB by taking orders on the xlr's and stop looking for the big score.

They are SCHMUCKS and I'll tell you EXACTLY why.

Think of all the people Cadillac dealers are pissing off playing games with the xlr. Let's say each dealer pisses off 3 people a day this year. That is 1000 customers these MORON dealers pissed off trying to make an extra $5k or $10k. Multiply that by all the caddy dealers pulling this crap and GM should be the one that stops it.

I got news for the MORON DEALERS....those 1000 guys you pissed off have a lot more buying power than you trying to make a FAST $5k on a single unit. THAT is what makes you morons by not understanding that part of the equation.

Just PROVES the shortsightedness of MOST dealers.

 

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XLR....could not agree more!

DFXLR.....My POINT is "Make hay when the sun shines"

Why a dealer would be PROUD to have no hay is beyond me.

I don't disagree that they have the right to raise the price. My POINT is while they THINK they can make an extra $10k on ONE LOUSY CAR, their ATTITUDE costs them so much MORE.

As far as the "Car buying public telling the truth"

A. That ain't their job. It is the job of a PROFESSIONAL salesmen to draw them out and THAT is a tough thing to find at MOST dealers.

B. The BIGGEST lie a customer tells is "I am not buying today I am just looking"

If a salesmen can't see thru that then he should work at something else.

The #1 failure as I see it comes down to the following:

"When you see John Jones thru John Jones eyes, you will sell John Jones what John Jones buys"

Which brings me to a VERY funny story.

In 2001 I went to buy a new Rolls Royce. I expected to find a first rate sales pro on their floor. What I got was a very distinguished 65 year old KNOW NOTHING.

He told me how the RR seats have EVERY possible adjustmment.

When I went to move the bottom seat to make it longer he says...."Yes, that is a nice feature that Mercedes has but it is not on the Rolls.

THEN he asked me if I golf. I said no I didn't.

His response was to show me the trunk and tell me 4 sets of clubs would fit.

So now I know I am dealing with a rookie moron who does not even listen. How they could put someone like that out on the floor of a Rolls Royce/Bentley dealer is beyond me.

Salesmen need to listen FIRST.

10 minutes later I went and bought the Mercedes. Was not my intention as I put the funds in my checking account for the Rolls the day before.

btw, the Rolls has the WORST front seats in ANY car I have ever been in. They really are bad. I only hope that new Bentley they just came out with has better ones.

 

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This is partially because of my 18 years at the same Cadillac dealership.
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Interesting.

The FIRST thing I always ask a salesmen is how long they have been working there. You can tell a LOT about a dealer from that ONE question.

 

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Maybe I shouldn't use morons so much but I have had this belief about dealers since 1976 when I tried to buy my first Cadillac.

I was 23 and looked 16. I started in Miami TRYING to buy a new '77 which was the first year they downsized.

I was on my way to Houston from Miami. I stopped at EVERY caddy dealer on the way TRYING to buy a new car.

To make a LONG story short.....it took mke all the way to NEW ORLEANS and Ponchtrain Cadillac before a SINGLE dealer took me seriously. They sold me the car loaded with every single option offered. And in those days.....EVERYTHING was an option.

Way too much PRE-JUDGING when you walk into a dealer.

 

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And now we know who the dealers are....lol

Don't be so thin skinned. Maybe something I say has merit.

If you are as dealer and you think MOST dealers treat customers well.....THINK AGAIN!

NOBODY wants to be taken care of by your 90 day wonders. Give me the guy with 18 years and you'll see a pro.

 

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Lastly.....

I know you don't want to hear "Moron"

Fair enough.

But don't let my word have you ignore the FACT that MANY if not MOST people hate car dealers.

I am just giving some reasons.

Like 2 years ago when the t-bird came out.

My wife wanted one and so I told her to call the local Ford dealer and make an appointment for the following morning and we'll go buy one.

11am the next day we went to the dealer.

The salesmen was not there and said he would be in in 20 minutes. I said I don't have the time and I need to order this car.

So they get me another salemen and the receptionist says "This is Fabian's customer can you help them"

I corrected her and told him I am no longer Fabians customer and that HE was now my salesmen.

I proceeded to say I need a yellow tbird for my wife and a blue one for me. He almost hit the floor. AND all the other sales people saw this.

So Fabian lost 2 sales cuz he can't show up on time. True story. You hear about such stuff and wonder if it is true.

Well it's true. Do you have a better word for MORON given my experience?

So fabian became the laughing stock of the delaer cuz EVERYONE knew he blew it!

I have more stories.

Why?

Cuz I have NEVER walked into a dealer without expecting to buy. Whether I did or did not has ALWAYS been soley up to the dealer.

 

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I just don't have the time to deal with such an attitude.
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Guess what????

Most consumers would agree with me.

So why IGNORE the MAJORITY???

See THAT is the problem.

If I were in your shoes I would want to know why folks feel this way so I could fix it and SELL MORE CARS.

I am not the one with anything to gain.....YOU ARE.

Just giving HONEST feedback from a guy that buys a lot of cars.

I won't call you a moron....but you would be foolish to ignore my thoughts because I can give you example after example.

 

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Mercedes dealer vs Cadillac

The #1 difference is APPROACH.

Caddy approaches me like I am buying one car in my lifetime and that is it. They can't see further than that cuz MOST salesmen are there for short terms so there is NEVER any real follow up.

On the otherhand Mercedes has always approached it like you were going to buy cars on a periodic basis for a lifetime and they treat you like that.

The result....Brand loyalty and more sales.

Obviously some caddy dealers employ the better startegy as well. But that is NOT THE STANDARD and it should be.

Even Caddy dealers must be able to see the HUGE variation in how some caddy dealers do business.

Just food for thought guys so please don't get defensive.

It's an observation.

 

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MR XLR....

KUDOS!!

That was the right way to address my posts.

I guess a dealer is only as good as the sales person that takes care of you.

It's a pleasure to deal with pros and equally upsetting when dealing with rookies.

 

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The car buying experience is not what it use to be for Cadillac. This is one of the many reasons brands such as Lexus and Mercedes-Benz have been able to move into the territory that Cadillac laid foundation for. Not all of them are bad and there are salesmen that I absolutely adore. Hats off to them! Hades for the others!
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Dealers....are you listening?

We are SHARING our experience.

And we are not talking out of our rear ends because we ARE customers.

Sorry if some think that it is a waste of time.

You will NEVER get such HONEST feedback from auctual customers that have purchased YOUR product.

I would re-read lady_phoenix post MANY times cuz she is DEAD ON!!

 

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Well let me ask this.....

Is a dealer better off selling ONE xlr and making an extra $5K or $10k or is he smarter to keep that one on the floor and take orders for others?

Now I am sure the first thing you will hit me with is a limited production, but does that mean you can't take orders for 2005?

Obviously even dealers themselves have mixed emotions. Some dealers would NEVER go above sticker as indicated in this forum.

And as a CONSUMER who do you think we should respect more?

As a CONSUMER when you KNOW some dealers are selling for MSRP what does it say about those that don't?

I paid over sticker and I have no regrets and I would do it again. I decided I wanted it and a few grand wasn't that important to me.....but that is just me. However that is not the point of the post.

The point is are dealers shooting themselves in the foot in the long run for a few grand in the short term??

 

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Slander????

GIVE ME A BREAK!!

Did I mention a SINGLE NAME??

You are no attorney so STOP acting like one!

If you don't like what I am saying....don't read it.

If the post was so over the top, it would be pulled.

YOU can't seem to get past my initial "Provocotive" post.....but have you even read my respnoses or do you just want to shut me up?

btw....are YOU a dealer??

 

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DFXLR

It is interesting that instead of debating a single POINT I have made all you want to do is get personal with ME.

The thread starter was provocative and GENERAL in nature. It pointed the finger at nobody specific. It is an OPINION. Maybe where you come from OPINIONS are not allowed.

Are you going to tell me that there are NO dealers out there that are morons.....and MUCH worse??

Moron....."a very stupid person"

In this case....stupid DEALERS.

But this is the first post I have used moron in since my initial one....

SO GET OVER IT ALREAEDY!

You want to defend a specific dealer.....fine and dandy......but I did not point at a single one. I used the word "MOST". Maybe I should have used the word "MANY".

Meanwhile I was talking NUMBERS and whether doing what they do is actually in their best interest. Let's stay on THAT pointy and move on. ;-)

 

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I find the treatment you have report unconscionable. If a customer was treated that way by an employee of our dealership, the door would be shown to them. I am not trying to trash you personally.
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Hi Sheri,

I have not taken your posts personally at all and I thank you for your comments.

The REASON I buy my cars now over the phone and the internet is DIRECTLY RELATED to the level of service I get when I walk into the door of ANY DEALER and ANY BRAND.

The car buying experience is about the WORST one can have. That's too bad cuz I really used to get excited about going into a dealer and buy a new car. Now I would rather go to the dentist.

Thanks for recognizing that there are different levels of dealers out there. Dealers that don't recognize that ARE the ones I am talking to and about.

Before the net we were basically STUCK with whoever the local dealer was. Now you can actually CHOOSE and for the first time a consumer can compare dealers.

One thing is for sure, the next car I buy I will find a forum FIRST and then locate GREAT dealers like the one you work for.

Thanks for taking your time to respond!

 

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My main point was that a dealer would end up making more PROFIT and have more CUSTOMERS without trying to add to the MSRP.

Let me see how I can word this....

Sheri, did your dealer make more than $10k selling many xlr's at MSRP and getting several new customers as opposed to trying to make the quick buck on a single unit?

My belief is the answer is YES and that would be the point I was making.

 

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the orger???

So who is the name caller now??

DFXLR....seems you just keep reading my first post over and over and over and have not read anything else I have posted.

You have not answered a SINGLE point I have made nor others. Wish I was PERFECT just like you.

You think dealers are all angels? That makes you a FOOL.

You think someone can't share their actual dealer experinces in a forum? That makes you a FOOL.

You think that you can't express an opinion. THAT makes you a BIG FOOL.

And I am NOT calling you a moron. I am calling you a FOOL and below is the definition so you don't get your panties all tied in knots like you have the last few days.

Some fools can't READ and make it personal.

Fool....."one lacking in common powers of understanding"

Now you'll probably want to sue me???

What an unfortunate waste of time and energy!

Can't you just GET OVER YOURSELF ALREADY and DROP IT and MOVE ON????? Really sir....what is the point of YOUR ranting against ME?????

I apologize to everyone here for this. Not my intention. My original post was GENERAL in nature and to hear other experiences from consumers and dealers. I NEVER thought there would be a personal attack for trying to discuss an issue.

How VERY sad that is happening in THIS forum.

 

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That would be fine with me.

arty

 

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Sheri,

I started this thread just for the reason you stated.

Once dealers hear REALITY......Maybe.....just maybe THEY will learn about THEIR customers and just as importantly the ones they FORCED to go to another dealer or product.

This thread will become the #1 all time thread here because it is true and so widespread. It won't go away and the stories will be told over and over again each with a slightly different slant.

My stories are mild compared to what goes on out there based on what others are posting.

Do dealers expect you to put on a tuxedo to buy their car. Is THAT what it takes to be taken seriously?? I just don't know another word in the english language to describe that type behavior.

 

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The reason dealers across the country should ALL be reading this is we have NO AGENDA.

We are CURRENT Cadillac customers just sharing experiences we have had. Good, bad, and ugly.

If they want to improve the way they handle customers and close more sales they will take the time to understand what is being posted.

I don't care either way. It does not affect my income. Does not affect my livelyhood.

But dealers....we are doing you a favor by giving you feedback you would otherwise not get. What you do with the info is solely up to you.

And believe me, the stories are FAR from over.