What is it with car dealers....?

[IanA2]

I spotted a newer GS430 which on the face of it looks like a straight car. Also it uses the same engine as my current (MY 01) GS430 which is a peach.

Although I'm very happy with my GS I was thinking that it might be an idea to chop mine in for a slightly newer model, I emailed the dealer through his website.

Two days, no reply. I email again through a well known car site. He replies that day saying he has received no email, how can he help me.

I reply and repeat my original enquiry which relates to service history and cam belt change. Another day, no reply, so I write asking if he has received it, again no reply.

I then write saying that I interpret his lack of responses to indicate that the vehicle is no longer for sale. Again no reply.

Thinking he's unwilling to put anything in writing (which my experience in dealing with dealers has taught me is a very good idea), I decide there's nothing to be lost by calling him.

So today, I call him, he's vague, he doesn't know anything, he'll have to check, it's terrible line, he'll call me back.

Guess what....no call back. How on earth do these guys stay in business?

 

[Rory]

You're asking awkward questions so you sound like trouble.

Just ask "ow much a month is it, mate?"

 

[IanA2]

You're asking awkward questions so you sound like trouble.

Just ask "ow much a month is it, mate?"

Yes that occurred to me, but then if he feels basic questions about servicing are "awkward" then he's done me a favour...

There's always another one.

 

[Deleted member 37751]

I'd mostly put it down to 'the path of least resistance'; they're possibly surmising that someone that keeps emailing isn't that bothered about the car and if they were then they'd ring up.

When I was buying and selling commercial vehicles to trade only, I've probably sold 50+ vans that we took in part exchange on eBay/Van Trader and out of say 50 vans, I'd comfortably say 45 were sold to people that rang up first and then sent emails. The problem I always had was that spending hours of your evening replying to emails, you couldn't get a sense of whether they were genuinely interested or whether they were professional time-wasters.

Every single personal vehicle I've ever bought has been bought through phone calls with the odd email/message.

 

[merc85]

Ive generally found most car dealer's useless

 

[IanA2]

I'd mostly put it down to 'the path of least resistance'; they're possibly surmising that someone that keeps emailing isn't that bothered about the car and if they were then they'd ring up.

When I was buying and selling commercial vehicles to trade only, I've probably sold 50+ vans that we took in part exchange on eBay/Van Trader and out of say 50 vans, I'd comfortably say 45 were sold to people that rang up first and then sent emails. The problem I always had was that spending hours of your evening replying to emails, you couldn't get a sense of whether they were genuinely interested or whether they were professional time-wasters.

Every single personal vehicle I've ever bought has been bought through phone calls with the odd email/message.

Hm... maybe, but I did ring him. I'm afraid I tend to think he didn't want to put anything in writing. And as I said, he didn't call me back.

ETA: Here are the three questions I put:

1. Has the cam belt been done? If so when, and was it done by a Lexus main dealer?

2. Is there a full ie at least annual service history on paper?

3. Were all/some/any of the services done at main Lexus dealers?

Fairly basic I'd have thought.

 

[Deleted member 37751]

Hm... maybe, but I did ring him. I'm afraid I tend to think he didn't want to put anything in writing. And as I said, he didn't call me back.

ETA: Here are the three questions I put:

1. Has the cam belt been done? If so when, and was it done by a Lexus main dealer?

2. Is there a full ie at least annual service history on paper?

3. Were all/some/any of the services done at main Lexus dealers?

Fairly basic I'd have thought.

My post wasn't really aimed at you Ian, it was just to give you an idea from the other side of the fence.

 

[IanA2]

My post wasn't really aimed at you Ian, it was just to give you an idea from the other side of the fence.

No offence take, I promise

Basically I think it is for whatever reason, not quite the car it seems to be, no problems, there is another somewhere

 

[bob6600]

They stay in business by selling vehicles to members of the public who have no idea what to look for. The minute a valid question comes in, they hide because either they do not know the answer, or it will lose them the sale.

 

[IanA2]

They stay in business by selling vehicles to members of the public who have no idea what to look for. The minute a valid question comes in, they hide because either they do not know the answer, or it will lose them the sale.

The latter rather than the former methinks.

 

[Harrythedog]

Send him an email saying that'll you'll be in on Saturday and pay the full asking price for the car and can he email you back to confirm. Of course you'll never receive the confirmation email so couldn't possibly attend!

 

[IanA2]

send him an email saying that'll you'll be in on saturday and pay the full asking price for the car and can he email you back to confirm. Of course you'll never receive the confirmation email so couldn't possibly attend!

 

[John Jones Jr]

The best action most dealers can take is delete their email address and that goes for a lot of other businesses too. Rule of thumb for me is, if a business is on the ball with replying to emails it's on the ball generally.

 

[automaniaman]

Dealer's refer to buyer's as punters, they have a nose for agro... and confronted with pertinent questions, usually retort with something along the lines of. This car is not the one for you sir..

 

[John]

I started emailing the dealer I bought my E55 from and ended up buying it.

They responded every time which gave me confidence they weren't shyte and they turned out to be excellent.

 

[IanA2]

I started emailing the dealer I bought my E55 from and ended up buying it.

They responded every time which gave me confidence they weren't shyte and they turned out to be excellent.

Quite, had the guy had given straight (and satisfactory) answers to my (pretty simple) questions, the car would be sitting outside now.

 

[boxbrownie]

They stay in business by selling vehicles to members of the public who have no idea what to look for. The minute a valid question comes in, they hide because either they do not know the answer, or it will lose them the sale.

And recently I believe in this very forum (or was it the other side?) an MB main dealer Salesman when asked said the B Class diesel didn't have a turbo charger!

Hopeless...........but in your case its more likely he thought you know what your looking at and selling it to you would be more trouble than its worth, probably something dodgy with it somewhere.

 

[IanA2]

And recently I believe in this very forum (or was it the other side?) an MB main dealer Salesman when asked said the B Class diesel didn't have a turbo charger!

Hopeless...........but in your case its more likely he thought you know what your looking at and selling it to you would be more trouble than its worth, probably something dodgy with it somewhere.

That's my feeling, I'm guessing he just ignores anyone who asks about the cam belt.

I bought mine from a main dealer, the second thing he told me about the car was that the cam belt had been changed, date & mileage.

 

[ringway]

Answering an email commits a seller to what they say, that's the main reason some don't respond IMHO.

I'd say the trick to getting a response is to open with a quickie - "Hi, is the car still for sale? I'll be passing tomorrow afternoon and I'm keen to view."

Once you have a reply the emails can continue.


There is of course the facility to record any conversations on a mobile phone.


I spent almost 3 months looking for a vehicle recently and you wouldn't believe the standard of some of the stuff I viewed that was advertised as "Stunning" - That one was in good nick and what I was after and if it wasn't for the O/S inner wing and half of the bulkhead being a different shade of blue, I would have had it at the screen price if necessary. I emailed that seller but didn't get a reply, so called him instead.

 

[IanA2]

Answering an email commits a seller to what they say, that's the main reason some don't respond IMHO.

Agreed, but of course the obverse of that is that if you get a swift and straight respond, they're more likely to be selling straight cars.

I'd say the trick to getting a response is to open with a quickie - "Hi, is the car still for sale? I'll be passing tomorrow afternoon and I'm keen to view."

Once you have a reply the emails can continue.

Perhaps I'll try that.

There is of course the facility to record any conversations on a mobile phone.

Afraid I don't think my prehistoric 3GS can do that, in any case the written word is, I think, always better.