I have noticed that recently many dealerships have began to turn to the internet for another avenue to advertise to the consumer's. What does the site have to show in order for you to decide if driving to the dealership to see the car is worth your time or not? Do you prefer to see the car's online?
If they don't answer my email promptly I keep on looking....
Show me an up-to-date inventory and don't hide the prices. Also, the ability to search said inventory is nice and alludes many dealers.
I bought a new VW from Park Cities VW in Dallas recently. I looked at their web site and they confirmed within an hour that the car I looked at was in stock and told me price.
I jumped on Southwest, they met me at Love Field and we had the deal done in less than an hour.
Interesting thing. In their finance/business office, everything is videotaped.
Oh yeah, Brad Noe answered my email about 2 weeks after I sent it from their web site. I dont understand how they stay in business.
quote:
Originally posted by sgrizzle
Show me an up-to-date inventory and don't hide the prices. Also, the ability to search said inventory is nice and alludes many dealers.
Exactly.
1 price listed
2 Up-to-date
3 good description/a few good pics
I actually bought my last truck at a dealership in Checotah because of an internet search through Auto Trader. Found the truck, drove there once to drive it, then when back and bought.
The dealer there was way less then anyone around here.
I work at one, so I just go out to the lot and pick a car.
I don't bother looking on the Internet. I've purchased 3 vehicles now from Jim Norton Toyota and deal with the same salesman every time.
I have also dealt with the same "service consultant" since my very first purchase there.
No problem with either. Excellent dealership from top to bottom from my experiences there.
Melton is the only major dealer I can rave about. Had very good dealings with them.
Too much bait & switch at the other guys. I saw a vehicle online I wanted, I called and they said it was on the lot, I went to the lot and couldn't find it so I went inside. They said they would take me too it but I needed to fill out a "test drive form" with which they ran my credit report unbeknownst to me. Once we headed out to the lot I was told the car was sold a week ago. They had a similar car, but not the same. When I told them I wasn't interested, they tried to get me to drive a POS car. When I refused they told me that what car I ended up with wasn't really up to me and "you can't always get what you want."
The above experience could've bee avoided altogether if their website was up to date and their salespeople weren't giant <plural noun>.
Bob Howard's Southpointe Chevy, GMC, Chrysler, Jeep, Dodge, Taco Bell, KFC, PizzaHut, Starbucks is horrible about their website. I called them on multiple cars that had been sold so long ago they didn't even believe they ever had some of those vehicles.
I went to the Brad Noe Volkswagon place prepared to buy a jetta right then and there. They had several online I was interested in and was ready to buy when I showed up. I walked around the lot looking for the right color, etc. The only problem was that not one single salesperson approached me. Weird. It was the only dealership in town that someone wasn't there to sell me a car immediately. I left and bought a Jeep from Bob Howard. I have been happy with the car and very happy with there service. I emailed Noe to tell them they missed a sale and never even got a reply. Since then I have heard a lot of bad things about Brad Noe from friends and others who bought a car there.
I bought several cars from Chris Nikels. I stopped buying from them because they always jacked up the interest rates, and I had to fight to get them down.
I now buy from Connor at Nelson Mazda. He gets the job done, ain't pushy, and actually listens to what I want. He gives you his cell phone number, so you actually speak to him.
I started with Connor because their website is usually well-maintained (up to date).
I thought that you were supposed to buy a car based on how hot the chick was on tv selling the car??[8D] Or at least that's what the dealerships want you to believe!! I think I am in the mood for a Honda from Don Carlton...[:X]
I actually bought our last vehicle from Melton in Claremore thanks to their website inventory. I called to make sure that they still had it before driving up and they did. We bought it the same night.
quote:
Originally posted by sgrizzle
Show me an up-to-date inventory and don't hide the prices. Also, the ability to search said inventory is nice and alludes many dealers.
I avoid dealerships if buying a used car (I'm amazingly cheap), but when I shop at dealerships the above is what I would need if you want me to bother looking at your website. I don't shop cars that don't include prices on the window (I REFUSE to ask over and over how much is this one, and this one, and this one?).
The whole car buying ritual kind of pisses me off. Dealerships generally hate me anyway, as I know how much the car is worth in the market, how much THEY paid for it, and even have an idea of how long it has been on the lot. A well informed consumer is many salesmen's worst nightmare.
That said, I love a cars salesmen who really knows cars and doesn't screw around. Tell me what's good, what's bad, problems the model has had, etc. and I will reward your honesty. Screw around and I"m off. Bought 3 of my last 5 cars from the same guy back in Iowa. He treated me well on the first 2, so I just bought my last vehicle there.
I fail to understand how so many businesses (car dealers and otherwise) can justify not having an up to date website.
The Internet's not a fad. I'm pretty sure a car dealer's investment in a full-time web guy would pay off. And a restaurant's minimal investment in a web site with hours/location/menu would pay off in increased business.
If I'm looking for something online and your business has no internet presence, there's a pretty good chance I'm gonna skip over it and go to the next one.
Everything about Brad Noe sucks. They might as well board up the windows.
It irks me at ANY dealership to ask the price of a vehicle (if it's not posted on the windshield or sticker), and then be asked, "What monthly payment are you looking at?"
I don't want ANY monthly payment!! I will probably have to have one, but I want to know the price, and I will decide if that is within my budget or not. I certainly don't want them steering me into a higher priced vehicle than I care to purchase.
Nick
How do I pick a dealership? Simple, a blindfold, a dart and a dartboard with the car ads on it.
Actually the most recent car we purchased was for me. I knew the car I wanted so I started looking on line, found one that was under Kelly by about $600.00, had a no haggle internet price, did the finance setup on line, went to lunch, drove out to the dealer, looked at and drove the car, discussed finace signed the paper work got a free tank of gas and a detail job, and was out the door in two hours.
I had a good experience buying used with Nelson. Started on-line and saw a few reasonable values. Got myself a laid back sales guy who backed off the internet price to as low as he said he could do. After a look from my mechanic, and a visit to TTCU, I drove off with a car that I've been happy with for about 5 years now and stayed right side up the whole time. Now when I go back, I expect the same treatment. If they screw around, like every other large dealer I've visited, then they'll probably never see me again.
I think our family has purchased something like 10 cars from Nelson Nissan and Mazda and always had a good experience.
We never hesitate to recommend them.
We did drop by Jackie Cooper Nissan on Memorial to look at the new Nissan Rogue. We got the fifth degree from some idiot salesman who was filling out all kinds of paperwork just to "let" us look it. How are you going to finance it? What color do you want? What are you going to be trading in?
Jeesus, we just stopped in to LOOK at it and maybe get a brochure
My wife was so mad she about blew a gasket. When the sales manager came over he wasnt any better.
These guys werent even slick, they were full-blown slimy.
I usually drive up and jump out and start kicking tires. When a salesman approaches, I ask how much five different cars cost.
What happens next determines if they get my business. If they hurry back with information I can use, we talk. If they disappear for too long, I walk.
Whatever price they give me, I go home and do internet research. I then go back the next day and offer just a few dollars less than I can find elsewhere.
Amazingly, they often take it.
I have bought four vehicles in four years this way.
Bought from Nelson - excellent sales and service after the sale. Service department is absolutely top notch!
Bought from Don Carlton - OK, but had to work them over on the price a bit.
Shopped Brad Noe - Sales people were pushy, inflated prices, then acted like @holes when I wanted to shop around. Never again!
Bought from Joe Cooper - Great if you want a high-end vehicle. Will give you one to drive for a week or so.
quote:
Originally posted by spoonbill
Bought from Nelson - excellent sales and service after the sale. Service department is absolutely top notch!
Bought from Don Carlton - OK, but had to work them over on the price a bit.
Shopped Brad Noe - Sales people were pushy, inflated prices, then acted like @holes when I wanted to shop around. Never again!
Bought from Joe Cooper - Great if you want a high-end vehicle. Will give you one to drive for a week or so.
I'll second the service. I had a goofy MAF sensor (a recall) that I identified with some internet research. I told them what I thought was wrong and they actually wrote it down (I was expecting a yeah, sure. sure.) I had my car back in a matter of hours. They also checked out a remote lock that was sticking and let me know what the problem was and gave me a reasonable quote. Of course I'm cheap, so I didn't fix that. I left without paying a dime.
My dealership is only 90 miles away! (http://www.mysmiley.net/imgs/smile/characters/character0182.gif) But I enjoy the drive. Most of the time...(http://www.mysmiley.net/imgs/smile/characters/character0229.gif)
quote:
Originally posted by TulsaMINI
My dealership is only 90 miles away! (http://www.mysmiley.net/imgs/smile/characters/character0182.gif) But I enjoy the drive. Most of the time...(http://www.mysmiley.net/imgs/smile/characters/character0229.gif)
we purchased our 2007 BMW from Tulsa BMW. I have never had better customer service anywhere, whether it be a restaurant, hotel, etc. We negotiated a price, finalized the details and picked the car up the next day. We have had the car in the service dept twice. Once because my fiancee failed to tighten the gas cap tight enough causing a check engine light. Second time for a bad tire. Brandon in the service dept takes care of his customers, loaner car available on time. Love the service after the sale. They called several times over the course of 3 months making sure we liked the car, didnt have any problems, or questions, etc. Great service.
I have been in Tulsa 3 years now... I have bought 5 cars...
All from Don Carlton Honda... Great sales man, Mo and the service is awesome... Plus they have they have a movie theater and if your getting a oil change, 20 mins and includes a car wash and 10 point car check up...
Dunn Ford In Stigler!
Ewwww Ford.... [V]
quote:
Originally posted by Rage
I have been in Tulsa 3 years now... I have bought 5 cars...
All from Don Carlton Honda... Great sales man, Mo and the service is awesome... Plus they have they have a movie theater and if your getting a oil change, 20 mins and includes a car wash and 10 point car check up...
A movie theater would just make me think they spend too much money on BS and are probably ripping me off to recoup the money.
This dealer here has it all. This is their customer service page:
http://bigtwotoyota.site.webmakerx.net//Guest-Services.aspx (//%22http://%22)
I rely on a particular saleman. Someone I know and trust.
I refuse to shop at a dealership with annoying broadcast media ads:
"Hurry, market test survey sale ends Saturday!!! Bring your wife and your title and we'll dicker!!!!"
Screaming announcers and cheesy gimmicks don't appeal to me.
Once I narrow the field that far, there's usually a particular manufacturer and model I have in mind.