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Saturday, May 23, 2015
How to Ruin Your New Car Experience...
Recently we have had several customers, once happy with their new vehicles, turn into major heat. Why? They all took their used cars recently purchased to the Franchised Dealers for a "complete once over".
When I worked at the New Car Dealership, the owners would hold meetings and instruct the service departments to UP SELL, UP SELL, UP SELL! Not a customer was allowed to get out of the service dept without a $1500 bill. The owners didn't care how they got to it.
Most consumers don't understand that the profit is no longer in the actual sale of the car, but in the services ie.; warranties, after market products and service dept. repairs and parts. When you don't buy your new car from them and take your newly purchased, beautifully reconditioned car to them, they see dollar signs. 70% of all brake jobs are BS and they charge you an exorbitant amount for a job that may cost as little as $25 in parts and an hour of labor. Also note that a franchised dealer will point out every "suggested" maintenance item they can to drive up that cost of repair, even if the items have already been serviced.
The thing that strikes me as most odd is when my customer texts or calls me complaining that I sold them a car with ALL these problems and they are going to have to spend $2000+/- to FIX their new car. The whole enjoyable experience turns sour and now they hate us and think we are selling junk.
Most recently a young man bought a beautiful SC430 from us and he was tickled pink with the whole experience, until he took it to the dealer. Of course LHM Lexus did their job and let him out thinking his car needed $3000 in work to be "safe". The car had been thru several mechanical repairs before we even offered the car for sale. I showed him how the parts they were charging him $1400 for was only actually costing $300 and the labor would be 1-2 hours at a cost of $200. He was once again happy but I bet he won't go to the dealer and ask them why they were taking advantage of him like he did to us.
Salt Lake Imports is proud to sell ALL of our cars. We do stringent testing, repairs and offer extensive service contracts for all our vehicles. We give all our cars a 3 month/3,000 mile warranty FREE. I wish that our customers would go to the dealers and call them crooks and cheats and leave them bad feedback. I hurts to have our integrity called on the carpet by customers that would believe the BIG dealers over us. When's the last time TD, LHM, MM, or JS gave you their personal cell phone # to call, text or harass at any time of the day or night?
Think about this next time you take your car to a franchised dealer for service. If a Dr told you you needed a $150,000 heart transplant and you were an avid athlete with no symptoms, wouldn't you get a second opinion?
The thing that strikes me as most odd is when my customer texts or calls me complaining that I sold them a car with ALL these problems and they are going to have to spend $2000+/- to FIX their new car. The whole enjoyable experience turns sour and now they hate us and think we are selling junk.
Most recently a young man bought a beautiful SC430 from us and he was tickled pink with the whole experience, until he took it to the dealer. Of course LHM Lexus did their job and let him out thinking his car needed $3000 in work to be "safe". The car had been thru several mechanical repairs before we even offered the car for sale. I showed him how the parts they were charging him $1400 for was only actually costing $300 and the labor would be 1-2 hours at a cost of $200. He was once again happy but I bet he won't go to the dealer and ask them why they were taking advantage of him like he did to us.
Salt Lake Imports is proud to sell ALL of our cars. We do stringent testing, repairs and offer extensive service contracts for all our vehicles. We give all our cars a 3 month/3,000 mile warranty FREE. I wish that our customers would go to the dealers and call them crooks and cheats and leave them bad feedback. I hurts to have our integrity called on the carpet by customers that would believe the BIG dealers over us. When's the last time TD, LHM, MM, or JS gave you their personal cell phone # to call, text or harass at any time of the day or night?
Think about this next time you take your car to a franchised dealer for service. If a Dr told you you needed a $150,000 heart transplant and you were an avid athlete with no symptoms, wouldn't you get a second opinion?
To Negotiate or Not to Negotiate?
In this day and age most all consumers have access to a computer. There is no more reading Car-n-Driver, Motor Trend, Consumer Digest. We now "Google", surf, browse or whatever you want to call it to find out the latest news and reviews on our next car purchase.
It is a fact that most buyers spend 18 hours online before they ever set foot in a Dealership, IF they do at all. It is this new buying technique that has driven dealers to post their... best, rock bottom price on the web. There is a constant war amongst the dealers to keep the lowest price out there, thus taking away the need, or in a lot of cases, the ability of the consumer to negotiate.
We find that the buyers are much more relaxed when they find out the don't have to spend hours back-n-forth trying to get the best deal they can. Instead of fists up and a round by round boxing match, the fists go down, customers relax and can find the process much more enjoyable.
Of course all that said, there are still the customers that want it the "old fashion way" and still try to negotiate and already best price out there just because. It has forced dealers to not recondition their cars as well as they used to so there is a little something left at the end of the deal.
Last night I had a customer come in with his wife. They were all over a Honda Pilot I have. They ranted about how clean it was, how lovely the leather was compared to the others out there with car seat indentations, food and crayons mashed into the carpets, etc. As we walked towards the building the first thing out of his mouth was, "how much better can you do on the price?" I asked him why I needed to do better? He said, "well it is a bit beat up..."
Believe it or not there is very little profit left in the price of a car anymore because of the internet. Profit is eeked out from the financing, warranties and other products that can protect your investment.
Of course all that said, there are still the customers that want it the "old fashion way" and still try to negotiate and already best price out there just because. It has forced dealers to not recondition their cars as well as they used to so there is a little something left at the end of the deal.
Last night I had a customer come in with his wife. They were all over a Honda Pilot I have. They ranted about how clean it was, how lovely the leather was compared to the others out there with car seat indentations, food and crayons mashed into the carpets, etc. As we walked towards the building the first thing out of his mouth was, "how much better can you do on the price?" I asked him why I needed to do better? He said, "well it is a bit beat up..."
Believe it or not there is very little profit left in the price of a car anymore because of the internet. Profit is eeked out from the financing, warranties and other products that can protect your investment.
Friday, April 11, 2014
Tuesday, October 8, 2013
Facebook Likes Surpass 5,000!
Salt Lake Imports Facebook page just surpassed 5,000 likes! We have been posting on Facebook since 2009 and finally today we have reached a long term goal we set.
Facebook has really broken through the land barrier in allowing us to reach far past the boundaries of the US! Our followers reach all ends of the globe and over 20 different languages. How fun.
Specializing, as we do, in imports of all kinds from BMW to Porsche, Mercedes and Audi to Lexus, we enjoy sharing our expertise in a large range of years and models. Our followers enjoy our professional photographs and many have taken advantage of our excellent pricing and hand-picked inventory.
Come join us on Facebook ans save our web page in your favorites...www.saltlakeimports.com
Facebook has really broken through the land barrier in allowing us to reach far past the boundaries of the US! Our followers reach all ends of the globe and over 20 different languages. How fun.
Specializing, as we do, in imports of all kinds from BMW to Porsche, Mercedes and Audi to Lexus, we enjoy sharing our expertise in a large range of years and models. Our followers enjoy our professional photographs and many have taken advantage of our excellent pricing and hand-picked inventory.
Come join us on Facebook ans save our web page in your favorites...www.saltlakeimports.com
Monday, October 7, 2013
Inspiration for the day
Peace and happiness are available in every moment.
Peace is every step. We shall walk hand in hand.
There are no political solutions to spiritual problems.
Remember: If the Creator put it there, it is in the right place.
The soul would have no rainbow if the eyes had no tears.
...
Peace is every step. We shall walk hand in hand.
There are no political solutions to spiritual problems.
Remember: If the Creator put it there, it is in the right place.
The soul would have no rainbow if the eyes had no tears.
...
Native American Indian Saying
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