Ignored at car dealerships

LeMson

LeMson

LeMson

Soldato
Joined
21 Mar 2012
Posts
4,346
Been to 6 different dealers these last few weeks, at the first I was approached, guy offered to pull the car out of garage it was in to give me a better look and offered a test drive, great :D

The following 5 visits to other dealers I have been ignored, I've wore pretty much the same things when I visit them, I don't think I look homeless and I can certainly afford to buy the cars I am looking at (looking to spend up to 8K). I'm also a guy aged 26. I've wandered about looking at all the cars, focused and spent more time on the ones I like, but nothing, 10-15 mins looking at a car and nothing.

Do I need to go speak to the salespeople, I've always been under the impression that they are meant to jump on you, the first guy made me feel like he wanted to sell me the car. I've had 2 cars in my life both bought private so not experienced car dealers before. The first dealer was selling an RX-8, the rest of his stock was (and is) 4x4 and MPV's, I ruled out buying an RX-8 and have instead been looking at subaru WRX or STI's and focus ST's.

Do I need to go in a suit, or take someone older with me (Mum or Dad)?

Anyone else experienced being ignored at a car dealers?
 
Some people like to be approached, some (like me) like to browse undisturbed and only speak to a salesperson when ready.

You cant please everyone all the time and in this case they misjudged how you would like to be treated, imo.

Cheers
 
I don't like to be bothered but when I want attention I just look about to make eye contact with a sales person.
If I'm ignored after this I walk out & go elsewhere, ****'em.
 
My mistake it was indoors, not garage, was a nice sunny day, made sense to view it in better light.

But really 10 mins looking at a car and no one comes to speak to me, it just isn't the impression I had, if this isn't how it works then ok :)
 
The Darkness said:
Some people like to be approached, some (like me) like to browse undisturbed and only speak to a salesperson when ready.

You cant please everyone all the time and in this case they misjudged how you would like to be treated, imo.

Cheers
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This.

In a shop I think the best way is for the salesman to make eye contact and acknowledge you as soon as you walk in then let you browse in peace - you will approach him when needed.

If I were a salesman at a car dealership I'd simply walk over 2 minutes after you get to the car, open it, let you sit in then tell you that you're free to look as much as you'd like and that I'd be waiting in the office when you're ready to talk to me.

That way you cover both people - I for one would like to spend a few minutes on my own and look at everything, while others would simply ask the salesman to stay from the beginning.
 
I've was looking for a few months recently, and went to quite a few dealerships. Generally, of all the dealerships I went to only 1 came up to me and asked me if I was ok all the rest left me to it. A few of them I wandered around for over 10 minutes looking for someone before I gave up and left.

Also, during this time I must have emailed at least a dozen garages around the country asking about specific cars they had listed, and probably 10 of them never got back to me.

I've found it better to call up a dealer before going to look at a car, and tell them you'll be coming to look at something. Turn up look at it, and if you want to speak to the dealer they will already be expecting you so will give you the time of day.

Having spent most of this year looking for a car, it's my opinion that most dealers are stuck in the last century and wouldn't know an internet from a vacuum. Quite a few cars I've looked at have been downright filthy inside and out. You ask the dealer how long he's had it and he replied "Oh not long only 8 weeks". No ****, clean the thing and you might shift it!


/rant
 
I find it varies dealership to dealership, and even visit to visit.

I've been totally hounded before, and totally ignored looking at similar cars at the same dealership.

Sometimes you get amazing service, sometimes you don't.
 
[TW]Fox;21765562 said:
Why do you expect them to approach you?

If you want help, why not go and ask somebody :confused:
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This is true, but sometimes they're nowhere to be seen. Last dealers I was at, was sat in the office with the door closed on facebook drinking a beer.
 
I guess you sound like a pretty shy person so you probably have the body language of someone that doesn't really want to be approached so either make eye contact with the salesperson or just walk up for help, there's no other simple solution.
 
Car dealers are a pain anyway, the less input they have the better. Far better to find out everything yourself. You only need a salesman once you wish to take a test drive, buy the car or find out something only they would know.
 
Only place we've ever been properly ignored was at a flagship Audi showroom and even on approaching them got pretty much dismissed after mentioning we were seriously considering almost new rather than new. Cost them a cash sale and we haven't been back.

In general I guess salesfolk cant win - they approach people quickly and get told to leave them alone - or they wait and get accused of ignoring folk :) Personally if you are showing an interest in a car I'd expect someone to come over and check whether you want any assistance unless its very busy and everyone is busy. If not approached then go and find someone to ask for assistance. IF you then dont get any attention then head somewhere else.
 
[TW]Fox;21765780 said:
Car dealers are a pain anyway, the less input they have the better. Far better to find out everything yourself. You only need a salesman once you wish to take a test drive, buy the car or find out something only they would know.
Click to expand...

To be fair you end up knowing more than the salesman most of the time. I got a lot of hum'ing and arr'ing when looking at Clio 197's and Focus ST's and asking them questions about the vehicle.

Im a face to face kind of guy. I like to let them know i am a serious buyer looking for a new car and i will ask them if i need them. I would certainly tell them to leave me alone if they was bugging me. Im not shy when it comes to dealing with money.

Can imagine you in a BMW dealership, nightmare for a salesman trying to sell you more than you need.
 
I've had this before with a honda and ford dealer. The honda was the worst, was looking at a new (then) FN2 type R and after about 5 minutes of me looking around it he came upto me and told me to get out of it incase i scratch it :confused: and that it was sold anyway. It had a price on the roof and was in the middle of the show room. He was just really arsey with me for no good reason.

Had the same experience when i went to the same dealer to look at a Jazz for my grandmother, we were ignored then as a sales man walked past i caught his eye and he said something about 'well if your interested theres some brochures in a room over there' as he walked off...

Not been back there since and never will...
 
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