So, this lawyer walks into a car dealership....

My family was in the car business for a loooooonnnggggg time. In fact, we owned the largest Buick dealership in the world for many years. Due to a few very bad circumstances we had to close the doors in the early 90's. But I still have a of family and many contacts in the car business.

So my wife and I, newly married, both really loved the Jeep Grand Cherokee. We head to the local dealer and drive the one we want. I make a quick call to my uncle and ask what a "fair" price would be. He gives it to me and we sit down at the sales guy's desk. I tell him the number and of course he has to "go ask his sales manager". Coming down in $200 increments, it took 3 hours to get to our price ...yes three hours. I was young and dumb...and would not allow that to happen again. But we did get our truck at OUR price...and in fact still own it to this day.

Lawyers don't offer free advice like used car salesman do.

There are just too many crooked car dealers with bad comb overs out there to NOT stereotype them. There are some good ones too, but it seems less and less these days.

The guy I bought my first Harley was the owner of the Harley dealership. This was when and still is, the MSRP was the price, no dickering. He needed to buy a new truck so he goes down to the dealer and gets his truck and paid the sticker price to one of the sales guys. Sometime soon after, the owner of the truck dealer called and said "we need to negotiate the truck price because you can't pay full price for that truck". The Harley dealer said, "why not?, you come to my dealership for a Harley and you will be paying the sticker price". I do not know if the he got a discount on the truck or not but I respect that man for this and for the many other good things he has done in the community.

If ya'll wanna stereotype car dealers, of which I am proud to be one, and I don't screw with my customers, then let's see what ya'll do on and we'll see how legit you are. Doctors covering up for other's botched operations, police not talking about bad cops, lawyers suing for hot coffee, fireman who double as arsonists, carpenters using substandard materials, etc etc etc. I know that's rare, and you guys would never do that, but I ain't the car guy you all are describing. If you come across a jerk then don't do business with them, they don't lock you in, go where you are comfortable. If you bought a car from someone you didn't like it is your fault.

Yeah, they should make a sitcom out of the antics that go on in a car dealership...

Unfortunately, if it was based on reality, it would be considered a drama...

After I retired (the first time) from LE, I got into the car business. Two of the salespeople were thugs that I had arrested in the past. One of them for burglary and rape! Drug use was out of control, and even while working (sales and techs). Internal theft was happening on a regular basis. Salesmen were occassionally caught driving new inventory on trips or out on a date to impress the ladies (ever wonder why your "new" car has a few hundred miles on it?). Aftermarket items on trade-ins mysteriously "disappeared" while they were in the bone-yard awaiting clear title. Alcohol and drugs (as already mentioned) were consumed on the property on a regular basis. We had to lock up the file room (my idea) to keep the salespeople from rifling through them for credit/personal info (can you REALLY trust the guy across the desk from you with your personal info?). And so on...

I once caught a salesguy faxing an invoice over to a potential customer that he cut and pasted false numbers on in order to give the guy an "invoice" deal. The "invoice" deal was turned into about a thousand dollar gross deal. Thank goodness I squashed the deal before it went down (and fired the crook, I mean salesguy).

Yes, there are PLENTY of VERY reputable folks in the car business. They are usually the ones that stick around a while and make a career out of it. The rest are working at "down the road motors" next month...

Hopefully you will find one the next time that you want to buy a car.

And sadly, the situation is similar in the marine business. And pretty much EVERY other industry.

Yep, as I said, the car business would make a great sitcom!

Unfortunately...

Wise words!

If you read the Ben Stein article I linked, you would know that his car dealer experience was just one of several different examples he presented.

His complaint was lack of customer service, not necessarily something that was unique to any one area.

Sounds like a class-act!

I am aware of a mom and pop dealership that works a similar way. No one pays sticker at their dealership. They don't advertise, it's by word of mouth only, and they get plenty of repeat business. Funny thing, while other "big" dealers are going belly-up right now, they are doing just fine. Good for them!

Sure, they stil make some money, but folks leave there VERY happy that they didn't have to play "the grind" to get a fair deal.

There's hope yet...

* Is there a GOOD comb-over?
* Does anyone where you work wear a comb-over?
* Does that make him "crooked"?

Let's see ... What other industry is above these "dishonest" practises? Banking, Mortgage, Investments, Speculators, Real Estate, Politics, Public Service, yawn.

If it's dishonest to try to make a few bucks when you sell a car then count me in. Dayam, it's not like we are charging over sticker or charging you 21% interest (unless that's what you qualify for).

People complain when they say, "the dealer stole my trade" but they never hear about the $1000's of bucks that dealers frequently lose at auction on some of the stuff that people did not disclose when they traded it...

Whosoever wants to step up and make a living with the buying public, ON COMMISSION, raise your hand.

.... yeh, that's what I thought . . . .

yup.
So what if a dealer makes good money on a sale. All it does is make up for the one where they took it in the shorts, which does happen more than you would think.

The fleet guy that I bought my truck from at Fritts Ford is still there. He's a career guy and if I buy another Ford, he'll probably be the guy that sells it to me. The problem is, I'll probably keep this truck for a long time and just buy a car (diesel Jetta?).