Car shopping can be an exciting and nerve-wracking experience, with potential buyers expecting knowledgeable and attentive service from dealership employees. However, there are times when a dealership employee’s actions can completely derail a sale.
In this collection of stories, we delve into the experiences of car shoppers who share how a dealership employee blew a sale with them. From pushy tactics to lack of transparency and disrespectful behavior, these accounts shed light on the moments when a dealership employee’s actions left a lasting negative impression and ultimately cost them a sale. Join us as we navigate the world of car shopping and explore the tales that remind us of the importance of professionalism, honesty, and customer service in the automotive industry.
Get ready to cringe, empathize, and perhaps gain insights into how dealerships can improve their approach to ensure a positive car-buying experience for all customers.
All content has been edited for clarity.
Do They Think Women Don’t Have Money?
“When I needed a new car, I went back to the dealership where I had bought the last one.
I went on a weekday so it wouldn’t be crowded. I walked around. I was ignored. I am a woman in my early 60’s. I did not bring my husband. As a woman in my 60’s, I am pretty much invisible. I started fanning the sheaf of printouts I’d brought, where I’d done comparison shopping, to indicate that I was not just tire-kicking. If there were any other customers, there weren’t many. Finally, I went looking for someone, and a very young salesman reluctantly showed me two of the models I’d been interested in.
I’d been completely turned off, picked up some brochures, and went home. I told my husband.
He said, ‘Let me see what happens when I go in.’
He did, and the sales staff fell over themselves trying to sell him a car. They thought he was about to sign, and went for the manager. Instead, he told them that after the way they’d treated his wife disrespectfully yesterday, this dealership had lost our family’s business forever.
I went to a distant dealership to buy my new car. When my husband needed a new car the following year, he sent me to shop for him: to pre-shop for the features he wants. Where I’m treated well, he’ll go and buy the car. He won’t patronize a s*xist establishment. We’ve done this 3 times so far.”
Never Let Someone Treat You Like That
“I wanted to buy my first Harley and had cash with which to do it. I went to a well-known dealership and started looking at bikes. I’m not a very tall person, so I couldn’t get just any bike, so I was focused on those with lower seats.
I was there alone and was pretty much ignored by all staff. I finally went to one and asked for help. He came over to the bike I was interested in (after eye rolls to and from his co-workers) and told me that I’d ‘never be able to handle it.’ It was a Softtail Standard. He pulled the bike out of the crowd and said, ‘Okay let’s see if you can get on this.’
I got on the bike and lifted it off the stand with no problem.
He asked what I currently rode (a Honda) and again, he told me that I’d never be able to handle the particular bike I liked and tried to steer me to a ‘girls’ bike.’ Just looking at it, I knew my feet wouldn’t hit the ground!
I told him that I wanted to purchase the Standard. He brought his manager over to complete the deal. They were drawing up the papers and everything was ready to be signed. I took the pen, looked at both of these guys (who had been laughing at me from the beginning), and said, ‘You know what? I really, really want this bike, but you guys are such condescending sh*ts that I think I’ll go elsewhere,’ and walked out.
I bought my bike at another dealership whose staff didn’t look down at me.”
Why Do They Play Games Like That?
“I’m 80 and my wife and I went to the local Honda dealer to buy a new Honda CRV.
We had done our research and decided on the Honda. We already had a Honda Accord V6 six-speed manual coupe, that we had purchased at this same dealership about 10 years before. It was a good experience.
This time after test-driving the car I told the salesman that I was ready to buy and to give me a real price because I didn’t want to mess around.
He gave me the, got to talk to the manager bit, and a few minutes later came back to say the manager was busy, and asked if he could email me the quote.
We reluctantly agreed and went home.
The next morning we got a quote for a little over $35,000, the full list price of the car with taxes, etc.
I called the salesman to haggle and said that I’d pay $30,000 out the door.
He gave me the talk-to-the-manager thing again.
Shortly after the manager called, he said the price he quoted was the best he could do. He said he could sell me a cheaper version for around 30 grand.
I said I’d think it over.
I got on my computer and emailed 3 other Honda dealers in our area. I told them exactly what had happened and that if they didn’t send me a real quote they wouldn’t hear from me again.
One of the dealerships called me within 15 minutes. I told them the story again and they said we will send you a firm price. As I said we had done our research and knew what a fair price was.
About 20 minutes later I received an email saying they would sell it to us for $30,300 delivered, both of the other dealers responded with slightly higher prices but still under $31,000.
We drove over there the next morning picked out the car we wanted and then told them what we wanted to trade in. Never talk about trade-ins until you have a firm price for the car.
They gave us 1,500 over the blue book price.
It was a very clean and desirable low-mileage performance car even though it was over 10 years old.
I could have sold it for more myself but I didn’t want the hassle.
Someone in the dealership took the car, and it never went on the market.
We gave them a check and drove it home.
The best part was the next day when the first dealership called and asked if we were still interested.
I enjoyed telling him I had purchased exactly what we wanted from his competitor the day before for the price we offered and it was sitting in our garage.”
The Best Way She Could Have Handled It
“I was looking at a 2001 Toyota Celica GTS in a used car dealership. I had brought my boyfriend with me. Mainly because my car was dead and I was shopping for another. I was the one with the credit, money, and insurance, the one making the purchase. I was also the one with more car knowledge.
I ask the dealer to pop the hood. He starts talking about the shiny paint job. I point out the bad Bondo job and said to mark that on the sheet because it needed to be fixed.
Then he turned to my boyfriend and started talking to him about the engine and new brakes.
I told him to talk to me as my boyfriend had no say in the purchase and asked him to pop the hood.
He gave my guy the condescending ‘aww isn’t she cute?’ look.
The hood finally got popped and I looked inside. I told him X, Y, and Z needed to be fixed to pass inspection in the state and to mark that down too. He marked it down.
I got in the car and he started yammering about the ‘lipstick mirror’ and special lights, I could go on and on.
I got pretty mad about the second time I asked for the hood popped and decided I wasn’t going to buy that car off such an a*shole. But I was annoyed at the time I had wasted so far so wasted some more. I went over that car with a fine-toothed comb and noted all the repairs that would have to happen before it would pass inspection.
Then we went into the office and had all the paperwork drawn up to sign. I made sure he didn’t miss a single thing that needed to be fixed. Then I dropped the hammer.
‘Here is my problem. I want to buy this car and sign those papers. I just cannot give my business to someone who not only cannot listen to their customer but treats their customer like an idiot. Next time a woman asks you to pop the f*cking hood do it and ignore the paint job. Your attitude lost your sale.’
I also made sure my voice carried across the office. I laughed as both he and his boss tried to bully me into signing for that car. Nope, I didn’t buy it.”
