REVscene - Vancouver Automotive Forum

fsy82 · 03-05-2012, 10:04 AM

My wife and I have been looking on and off for a family sized 4 door vehicle as both us had two doors car. We are expecting our first child in the end of June and decided to actually go out and purchase a vehicle now than later. My wife is from New Zealand and she loves Holdens and the Acura TL reminded her of that a lot (Not the ugly new TL's).

Pan Pacific Nissan had a 2006 TL with navigation on sale. They had dropped their price from 24,000 to $18,999. We test drove the vehicle and did our research and wanted to buy it. It was late Saturday and finance department was closed and they demanded a deposit. I told them I don't believe in giving a deposit because I intend to buy the vehicle once our finance has been approved and if they car sells to someone else then so be it. They were very pushy and wouldn't let us leave. I finally got really pissed and just said were done and walked out.

The following day they called us to see if we were still interest and my wife said yes she was. So we decided to go back and haggle down the price some more since they were the ones to call us back. We knocked it down to around $17,000 with a trade in. The finance department took our info and told us everything should be finalized on Monday which was fine with me. At this point the sales guy had taken the keys to our car to get it checked out. After we fill out the paperwork for the finance we waited in the sales guys office. His manager comes by and gives me a whole lecture about good faith and how the sales guy shouldn't have taken us to the finance department without a deposit. My face was like this

After the manager leaves the sales guy comes back and sits down. At this point I'm like okay give me the keys to my car so we can go. Again he starts telling me a whole story about good faith and how someone might buy the car. He just wouldn't leave us alone about the deposit. I told him that there is no way your getting a deposit from me because I am buying the car tomorrow!

At the end of the day we did get the car but my experience from them will definitely hold me back from going there ever again. The car was sitting on the lot for at least couple of months and we were the only interested buyers in a long time. If any of you guys decide to go back there just be wary of Sal the sales guy.

Thanks for reading

ruthless · 03-05-2012, 10:47 AM

Which location was this? The Richmond Pan Pacific or Surrey?

We went to the Surrey one to buy a used 08ish Nissan Altima, took it for a test drive, and went to sit down to negotiate the price. In doing so the salesman showed us the carproof report and told us the car had been a rental car in the past. He was a rookie and I think it kind of slipped out, but yeah once we found out it was an ex-rental car, the deal was over. Also they were not willing to negotiate the price at all, the price on the sticker was the price we had to pay, salesman said we cannot reduce it by even a penny...

Gridlock · 03-05-2012, 11:52 AM

I get their struggle. They sit there and spend their time and show all their cards on the table in terms of final price, financing and whatever. Now, I know, a car salesman is never going to put everything he knows on the table, especially with a used car, but you know what I mean.

So, mr. customer stands up and says, I'll be back tomorrow. Goes to another dealership and says, "here's what I got at another nissan dealership, want the sale?" And you have nissan competing against nissan. That has to be the worst situation that you could have. Especially with new cars where everything can effectively be equal.

My sister was looking at a car and they wouldn't let her even test drive it without signing a paper that said she was intending to complete the sale for a Hyundai with whatever dealership it was.

She walked.

I get the pain, I really do. I'm in sales, somewhat and I sit down with people and go through their project and give them ideas on how to do stuff, and then end up competing against some guy that wants to execute my plan.

But that's car sales!

Everything is up in the air until someone drops a deposit. Even then, and we've seen it on rs.net before, some guy wanting to go and get his deposit back because he changed his mind.

Their problem is the margins aren't big enough that you can "afford" to fuck around with some guy that is wasting your time that its made up when you make your next sale, such as when you were selling a house in 2008.

So you get dweebs pushing you into contracts to lock you up.

Spoon · 03-05-2012, 12:19 PM

You have to think on their perspectives as well. These guys survive on commissions. To have the car be "open season" for the rest of the sales staff albeit for a day might not mean anything for you, but is a risk for them especially since the bottom price has been established (your price).

While I absolutely understand that the customer's always right. Was it seriously worth spoiling your own purchase experience by making something out of nothing?

Gridlock · 03-05-2012, 12:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Spoon

You have to think on their perspectives as well. These guys survive on commissions. To have the car be "open season" for the rest of the sales staff albeit for a day might not mean anything for you, but is a risk for them especially since the bottom price has been established (your price).

While I absolutely understand that the customer's always right. Was it seriously worth spoiling your own purchase experience by making something out of nothing?

I totally agree. At that point, they have: greeted you. Talked to you. Test drove you. Gave you a coffee. Let you check out the receptionists ass. Sat down and discussed price, trade and financing. Checked your trade. Let you talk down the commission. Made it so they are just a hair away, financially from not even wanting you as a customer. Got you back! and let you take ANOTHER 2k off the price.

And you are mad because they wanted some type of deposit to know that you are actually going to come back and buy the fucking thing?

As I said in my other post, I certainly understand a customer's right to walk and I have a HATE on for some guy that is waving a piece of paper in my face to even say hello to me, but in thinking a little more, I think I can understand that it is time to put some money on the table so that everybody knows that this is progressing to the point where the car is actually going to leave the property, and you aren't going to come back the next day saying, "if you can do 17, you can do 16.5.

kwy · 03-05-2012, 12:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ruthless

Which location was this? The Richmond Pan Pacific or Surrey?

We went to the Surrey one to buy a used 08ish Nissan Altima, took it for a test drive, and went to sit down to negotiate the price. In doing so the salesman showed us the carproof report and told us the car had been a rental car in the past. He was a rookie and I think it kind of slipped out, but yeah once we found out it was an ex-rental car, the deal was over. Also they were not willing to negotiate the price at all, the price on the sticker was the price we had to pay, salesman said we cannot reduce it by even a penny...

lol. I used to work at a major dealership like this..a good 80% of the used cars on the lot are ex-fleet/rentals from auction. The rest are trade-ins. If you're buying a used Nissan at a Nissan dealer, odds are its from auction. Automatically assume it was a rental car. The vast majority of them are.

Another thing..the cars that were in the worst shape there were the ones that were from auction that weren't from the dealer's main manufacturer. For example, a Chrysler at a Nissan dealer. These are picked up from auction for peanuts then cleaned up and put on the lot. Lots of sketchy stuff surrounding these ones.

Keep that bit in mind about the ex-fleet and rental cars.

fsy82 · 03-05-2012, 01:20 PM

See from my point of view I told them straight were very interested but don't see the point of putting a deposit to hold the vehicle. Reason is because I was coming the next day when the finance department was open to buy the vehicle, which I stated to the sales Rep and his manager countless number of times.

AVS_Racing · 03-05-2012, 01:30 PM

Hm I've never had pushy sales men like this, they were always willing to give me test drives. My only bad experience was at fiat where after spending a few days in and out at the dealer they tried to make us sign for a monthly amount that multiplied out to be a couple grand more than the agreed total finance amount with all fees, tax etc.
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fsy82 · 03-05-2012, 01:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gridlock

I totally agree. At that point, they have: greeted you. Talked to you. Test drove you. Gave you a coffee. Let you check out the receptionists ass. Sat down and discussed price, trade and financing. Checked your trade. Let you talk down the commission. Made it so they are just a hair away, financially from not even wanting you as a customer. Got you back! and let you take ANOTHER 2k off the price.

And you are mad because they wanted some type of deposit to know that you are actually going to come back and buy the fucking thing?

As I said in my other post, I certainly understand a customer's right to walk and I have a HATE on for some guy that is waving a piece of paper in my face to even say hello to me, but in thinking a little more, I think I can understand that it is time to put some money on the table so that everybody knows that this is progressing to the point where the car is actually going to leave the property, and you aren't going to come back the next day saying, "if you can do 17, you can do 16.5.

I was mad that they were trying to force us to give a deposit when I said no to them several times. And the same day we went to Mercedes in Surrey and their sales reps were very nice and didn't even bring up the issue of putting a deposit. They had class and respect towards us. We test drove a vehicle and sat down to crunch out some numbers but it didn't work out.

I even went to Ford that day to check out the Cruze (piece of crap..lol) and they never asked for a deposit as well. Their sales rep were very courteous.

kwy · 03-05-2012, 01:48 PM

Cruze is a Chevy, you mean a GM dealer?

Cman333 · 03-05-2012, 02:19 PM

Paying a deposit is standard protocol. As long as you ensure it's a refundable deposit. Pay by credit card in case you need to dispute it.

If you're sure you wanted the car, why wouldn't you leave a deposit.

I understand as a buyer you felt like you were being pushed too far, but understand in retail ALOT of customers lie about everything to try and save pennies. I've trusted RS members to come by and pay us later.... then they disappear and never pay. Don't answer their phone calls, etc etc. Sometimes a deposit is required to hold a car/product, to ensure no one is wasting anyones time.

Although in your case it was a little different and you made more effort and it was their finance dept that was closed. But still, think about how many tire kickers say they'll buy something but come back tomorrow but actually don't have any intention of coming back. You can't blame them for wanting a deposit.

fsy82 · 03-05-2012, 02:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Cman333

Paying a deposit is standard protocol. As long as you ensure it's a refundable deposit. Pay by credit card in case you need to dispute it.

If you're sure you wanted the car, why wouldn't you leave a deposit.

I understand as a buyer you felt like you were being pushed too far, but understand in retail ALOT of customers lie about everything to try and save pennies. I've trusted RS members to come by and pay us later.... then they disappear and never pay. Don't answer their phone calls, etc etc. Sometimes a deposit is required to hold a car/product, to ensure no one is wasting anyones time.

Although in your case it was a little different and you made more effort and it was their finance dept that was closed. But still, think about how many tire kickers say they'll buy something but come back tomorrow but actually don't have any intention of coming back. You can't blame them for wanting a deposit.

Totally I don't blame them for asking but I do blame them for the way they asked and treated us after I said no to giving the deposit. I told him I knew the risks of not putting a deposit to hold the vehicle and accept the consequence if someone else buys it. But I told him in good faith that I will be back tomorrow to buy the vehicle once the finance department is open.

Again I did not experience this with any other dealership I went to visit that weekend.

fsy82 · 03-05-2012, 02:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kwy

Cruze is a Chevy, you mean a GM dealer?

Sorry yes GM

accordpoop · 03-05-2012, 02:29 PM

I had the same awful experience with pan pacific in the Richmond automall. We were looking at a brand new xterra. We weren't even allowed to test drive unless we put a deposit down. I'm like...no! I don't want to put a deposit down, the mofo of a salesman gets up and tells me I'm wasting his time and left us in the room. I marched right to the receptionist and demanded to see the manager. The manager tried smoothing things over but it wa too late. The dealership left a sour taste in my mouth. Next day we went up to regency in north van and we test drove an xterra and drove it home the same day.