How do you decide upon what dealership to visit?

[buzz words]

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?

[Breadburner]

If they don't answer my email promptly I keep on looking....

[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.

[Aa5drvr]

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.

[jne]

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

[Wilbur]

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.

[tulsascoot]

I work at one, so I just go out to the lot and pick a car.

[Ibanez]

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.

[sgrizzle]

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.

[NellieBly]

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.

[restored2x]

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).

[safetyguy]

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.

[cannon_fodder]

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.

[TheTed]

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.

[breitee]

Everything about Brad Noe sucks. They might as well board up the windows.