Wow...I'm really a bastard when I want to be.

Local Hummer dealer has a new H3 in stock. Pretty red, dealer add on grille guard and running boards. Those are on a second window sticker, along with a $1,500 "Northeast Adjustment." I pulled in with my Grand Prix, in a suit after a day at the bank. Out comes salesperson. Ooooh, this is going to be FUN I say to myself.

I = Idiot selling car
M = Moi

I = "Can I help you?"
M = "Is this the new H3?"
I = "Yes it is...its one of our first"
M = "Really...its very nice. I like the running boards and grille guards you added on too...very tough looking."
I = "Yeah, those are GM Dealer Accessories"
M = "So, that sticker that adds the price of those to the window also says there's a $1,500 Northeast Adjustment. What's that?"
I = "Uh, uhm, that's a market adjustment."
M = "Oh, what's that?"
I = "Well, this is one of the first H3's in the Northeast"
M = "I don't get it...the window says $32,500, and the extras here add up to $1,200 or so. So what's the extra $1,500 for?"
I = "Well, its a market adjustment."
M = "What are you adjusting for? Does it cost more to ship this to the Northeast versus the Southwest? The destination charge is built in the price."
I = "Uhm, uh..."
M = "They didn't ship it by air freight, right?"
I = "Why would they do that?"
M = "Well, a $2,200 total destination charge seems a little high..."
I = "Oh sir, that's not a destination charge."
M = "But it says "Northeast Adjustment!"
I = "Well yes..."
M = "So what does that mean?"
I = "Well, we might be able to work on that."
M = "OHHHH, I get it now..."
I = "You do?"
M = "Yeah, I get it. You want to bend me over the grille guard and stick me up the a** on this new vehicle."
I = "Oh sir, I wouldn't say that..."
M = "Does General Motors condone such behavior?"
I = "Well, no, the MSRPs are suggested..."
M = "So you feel you can charge whatever the hell you feel like?"
I = "Well, uh,..."
M = "Didn't Pontiac dealers ruin the GTO launch with stunts like this? How do you guys sleep at night..."
I = "Uhm, uh..."
M = "You know, I work for a Pontiac dealer part-time. We never asked over MSRP on a GTO, and actually discounted every one because THEY SAT. I have news for you...this 220hp, 4,800 lb SUV WILL SIT TOO with tactics like that."
I = "It only makes 220hp??" (No, I AM NOT KIDDING )
M = "It was really great to meet you. I'll make sure when I'm ready, I don't come back here..."

A**clowns. Its places and people like that that give us all a bad rep. Greedy, good-for-nothing SOBs...

 

That was beautiful.

If everyone asked those kinds of questions, instead of pathetically whining "Can't I get it at sticker?" or, worse, just paying the inflated price, gouging would quickly become a thing of the past.

 

Why thank you It was one of my better performances in my attempts to keep New England dealers honest I've had many...it helped I looked professional and showed up in a clean car with shiny wheels too

 

 

Well, that was certainly entertaining, and with out question he could have handled some of your questions a little better. His lack of product knowledge is pretty pitiful. However, I know you know that the guy you ridiculed has no control whatsoever over what the dealership asks for that vehicle. This would have been a great conversation with the GSM or dealer principle...

 

Am I missing something here? Last time I checked, dealers were independent businesses, not a subsidiary of GM. Technically they can set their prices to whatever the market will bear. Looks like the thread starter has appointed himself "Chief of the Profit Police"

As for market adjustments 'killing the GTO'. Baloney. It was a combination of factors which resulted in the lukewarm initial GTO sales, and the sporadic overpricing was likely a smaller factor overall than many think it was.

 

I liked that!

 

Whatever makes you sleep better at night, buddy Fact is the GTO would have sold a lot better initially with NO MARKET ADJUSTMENTS. The problem with GM dealers is that they ARE independent businessmen, and every new "gotta have" product GM brings to market is **** rapage material for the consumer that wants it. Or, they can wait 9 months, the car will be there with a $2,000 rebate because GM thought they needed it to help it sell due to slow sales. In reality, if the dealer asked a realistic price in the first place (aka "MSRP"), the cars would have long been sold and GM wouldn't feel compelled to help them move.

Good to know you're ok with consumers getting raked over the coals at a time GM needs every sale it can get. But hey, I doubt many here will agree with you anyway. Look buddy, I SELL CARS. A fair profit is fine. Taking advantage of the public and hurting GM is where I draw the line.

Get it?

 

Of course I know that...remember, I sell for a living (well, partial living) too. I believe its unethical to sell something for more than MSRP, contrary to what others in the marketplace apparently believe. I refused to sell a Firehawk for over MSRP in 2002, and actually had a shouting match with my sales manager over it when the first one came in. He wanted to add $1,000 to the sticker of every Hawk. I told him I ordered the damn things, and if he wanted me to continue to do so he'd knock it off. He backed down, and we sold 10 Hawks that year. How many would we have sold if we asked $1,000 over sticker like every other dealer????

Maybe the goofball went inside and was asked why the guy in the suit handed him his a** in a paper bag. My problem with other dealers is that I get too mad to ever get to the GSM

I've sold for 5 years now, and when I was full time I made a VERY good living at it. I actually took a pay cut of almost $15,000 a year to go to my bank job, but knew in the long run it would pay off. I don't screw people, and I get people who've bought from me in years past coming back all the time now for another car, and another. I'm not the best, nor do I claim to be. But I've never scalped a car in my life, and I'm proud of that...especially in an industry that condones and profits from such behavior.

 

I don't think the salesperson had anything to do with the set pricing.

 

Did I say anywhere that he did? Can I be any clearer? I SELL CARS. I KNOW HOW IT WORKS. The point is, if enough people got mad, like centric said, dealers would knock it off.

 

Question: How did GM get its dealers to do the Employee thing? I have not seen one that is not endorsing the program even though it's optional. (I guess I do remember them getting a special bonus for each vehicle or something if they did it.)

Now, why can't they go no haggle pricing across the board? If they gave each dealer a small incentive, wouldn't it be worth it for them? Then GM could just advertise their whole no haggle pricing across the board which might help from a sales collapse when the Employee program ends.

 

Answer: Every GM dealer knew if they didn't sign up for it, they'd be screwed because their cars would cost more than at other dealers. So while its optional, it simply made no sense NOT to sign up. Buickman would call that "communism."

I call it "ka-ching." No haggle pricing is the greatest idea since sliced bread. Too bad GM dealers will never go for it. They'd get less profit per car, but they don't realize...

THEY'D SELL MORE CARS.

 

Well, that's what I'm saying. In the end, it would only increase profits overall. I don't know, I need a job at GM.

 

Until people adjust their minds to GM cars being less expensive, then they'd want another discount. In other words, you'd spoil them.