Dealer Attitudes

I can very easily see that actually happening several times more, Ken. Dealers think they have some so unbelievably special that people should bow down & blow them just to get the opportunity to buy the car.

-Mike

-- A happy kid behind the wheel of a 98 Mustang GT Cold air intake FRPP 3.73 gears Steeda Tri-Ax Shifter Full Boar turbo mufflers Hi-speed fan switch

I can appreciate your frustration but I don't think you can call the dealers a bunch of bad actors on this one. If the dealer is wary of allowing road tests in the flashy units, could it be that the dealer has been stung by folks taking road tests in the flashy units?

Years ago, I had no qualms about lending tools.... finally, enough "honest" people neglected to return them that nobody gets to borrow tools. I always get "I'm no thief.... I'll bring it back....". S'funny... that's the same thing that the last tool thief said... I'm not saying that you're gonna beat their car up, but you need to understand they don't want to take the chance..... and you wouldn't want a brand new car that someone else has had their way with, either.

Age and apparent respectability aside, if ya wanna talk the talk, ya gotta walk the walk. I'll bet that there is no such problem with road testing a Focus wagon....

opined in news:oTbjd.9421$ snipped-for-privacy@newssvr11.news.prodigy.com:

Uh...Mike... I'm with Warman on this. I've dealt with plenty of pissy dealers but I agree with that

This is the result of very high interest in and perceived demand for the new model. Just wait a year or so for the novelty to wear off and the dealers will come back to Earth.

Dana

Ken, I agree with you in many ways. I have run into this attitude before when the

One thing I would like you to keep in mind though. Let's just suppose that you are the guy that walks in next week, to buy that Mustang on the lot. By this time, say 50 people have taken it for a test drive and of course all of the sales personnel, the owner has had it for a demo for a week and so on.

The car has already gotten (just for argument's sake) 500-700 miles on it.

Now, you come in and want to buy a NEW Mustang, you have your money in your hand and the only one available is the one on the lot. It's exactly what you wanted EXCEPT for the mileage.

You would either take your business elsewhere, or beat them up on the price as compensation. You would also worry about how hard she was ridden before you took her home.

So I can plainly see why they are trying to keep people from running the wheels off of them at this time. When the inventory grows a bit I am sure that they will loosen up because all of the miles will not be put on just one or two vehicles.

My haypenny's worth.

Kate

| > That said, the dealer took my information, and proceeded to tell me that | > they should have enough in about three months that they'll be able to let | > people take test drives. He also mentioned that, when they do, they'll only | > be giving test drives to those who are "really serious about buying, because | > we don't want anyone running these into the ground", and then asked if I | > was interested in placing an order. The tone of his voice made it very | > clear that I can only get a test ride if I'm already prepared to buy. | | This is the result of very high interest in and perceived demand | for the new model. Just wait a year or so for the novelty to wear | off and the dealers will come back to Earth. | | Dana

Ken,

Just out of curiousity, where is this dealer located?

Thanks,

-Dave

'72 mach 1

I'm sure you're not interested in a joyride, and I agree with a lot of your post.

On the other hand, I will be in the market for an '05 GT pretty soon, and I sure don't want to buy one that's been beat on before I even saw it.

It's a big problem for dealers letting folks take test drives in performance cars like Mustangs. Let's face it - many folks who come in to a dealer for a Mustang GT test drive want to wring the car out and see what it's got, but obviously, that's not the best treatment for a car that's only got 25 miles on it.

I have a friend with a Nissan 350Z who test drive a Mustang GT last weekend. He was reasonable and respectful with the car, and didn't bury the throttle at any point in his test drive, even though he was dying to. The salesman thanked him afterward for taking it easy, and my buddy just pointed out that if he was buying the car himself, he definitely wouldn't want to find out that people had thrashed the car during test drives. But I have a feeling that my buddy is in the minority when it comes to the behavior of the average guy coming in the dealer for a Mustang GT test drive.

All I can say is it's a tricky situation.

-Bill J.

I took one for a test drive last week. Just walked in and asked to take it for a test drive. They said sure thing and the sales lady and I took it for a spin. It was the only one they had on the lot. It wasnt the best color but it was sure fun to drive and it sure got a lot of looks.

James

Bill J>

Oh yeah, I'm not saying that a lot of dealers are going to say "no" when folks come in for test drives. I'm just saying test drives in general are tricky with performance cars, because many of the test drives are going to involve the throttle pressed to the floor, and who wants to buy a new car that's had that kind of treatment? Would you?

-Bill J.

Yeah, but even so you should give SOME slack before you start pulling s*it like that. At least talk with the guy a couple times & see if he's really interested in the car or not without flat out saying "you can't drive it unless you are ready to buy it". That's a load of s*it to me. I can see both sides... but *still*, if they want to keep customers coming back & happy.. they need to change their attitude a bit.

-Mike

-- A happy kid behind the wheel of a 98 Mustang GT Cold air intake FRPP 3.73 gears Steeda Tri-Ax Shifter Full Boar turbo mufflers Hi-speed fan switch

Did you go to the dealership in your 03 Cobra? I wouldn't have any problems either if I was the dealership ;).

-Mike

-- A happy kid behind the wheel of a 98 Mustang GT Cold air intake FRPP 3.73 gears Steeda Tri-Ax Shifter Full Boar turbo mufflers Hi-speed fan switch

Agreed. I went to a dealership for parts recently. The dealer is SVT and Saleen certified. I pulled up in my shiny, clean, low(er) mileage '97 Cobra. I walked in to get the parts and talk to the guy at the parts counter (known him most of my life), and by the time I came back out, three salesmen were drooling over my car. They were actually asking me to trade it in and to take another car out for a ride. They said that they have a list of people looking for used SVT products. As I looked over an '04 anniversary edition Cobra, they were going through numbers in their head, I'm sure.

Those who pull in with toys get preferrential treatment it seems. Just a shame I'm not in the market for a new car.

JS

I understand what you're saying, but I'm not going to be 100% sure that I want to buy a car until I test drive it. When I told the dealer this, his response was that they weren't just going to let anyone test drive these cars. Fine, but I'm 100% sure that I won't buy the car before test driving it. And, if he wants me to be 100% sure that I want the car in order to be able to test drive it, then:

The thing is, he was talking about my test driving it three months from now, when the inventory has grown a bit. They only had one in stock right now, and aren't letting anyone drive it - and I can fully understand that.

My point was, he was pushing for a commitment from me right now, which I won't give. And, maybe I'm standing on principle too much, but if the salesperson has that attitude now, I won't ever deal with that person again - regardless of how the ratio of supply and demand has changed. I'm optimistic enough that I'll find another salesperson with a better attitude. And, if I don't, then I just won't get the car. I'm very happy with my 2000 now, and I'm in no rush.

Arlington Heights Ford, Arlington Heights, IL

As I said before, I can totally understand not currently being able to test drive the car, what with only one in stock. However, the salesman was talking about when I come back in three months or so, after they do have a healthy amount of the '05's in stock. At that point, if they'll let me test drive a Grand Prix, why not the Mustang?

When I went to buy my '97 Cobra (used), I was told that I wouldn't be allowed to test drive it until I was quite sure that I wanted the car.

I wanted the car, and so I told them that the final straw would be the test drive. I had to like it on the drive or I wasn't picking it up. I'd gone through probably three days worth of contacting the dealer, checking the car out, haggling, securing the financing on my own, etc. When it finally came down to purchasing the car, I was allowed to take it for a half hour's worth of test drive.

I didn't really like the circumstances, but all things considered, it was ok. They finally let me take it out for a ride, just my friend and I. The salesman didn't even go with us. Scary - I was 24 at the time, my friend was 17-18, and I drove to the dealer in a beat up '90 5.0 convertible.

Since the car was used and already broken in, and I was 100% sure that if it didn't do anything stupid, I was buying it, I decided that I could drive it as hard as I wanted. I didn't abuse the car, but in the minds of some, I was beyond what a normal test drive should be.

I wanted to see if it would handle, so I took it on a back road and put it through its paces. It performed satisfactorily, though not quite as good as I'd hoped. I wanted to see its acceleration power, so I hit a highway onramp. Skidding the back end sideways from intentionally too much throttle rounding the left turn to get on the onramp, I corrected and wound the first three gears to redline. I found the car easy to control through the slide.

I took it back with a grin on my face and bought the car.

Would I test drive a new car in this manner? No. Would I test drive a new car if I had no intention to buy? Probably not, though if someone offered me a ride in an '05 GT, I'd take 'em up on it. I'd be easy though, and more concerned with ergonomics and chassis/suspension than engine. I think what your dealer wanted to see was that you were very interested in the car, and the test drive would make or break, not something else. I'd never sign on the dotted line until I had at least some seat time, especially in a new car.

JS

I had the opposite treatment. The salesman was very young, probably early

Well Ken, in the case of a dealer "pushing for a commitment right now" I'd tell him to stick it in his ass.

But then again that's me, and we ALL know how *I* can get LOL

I do have to agree with you in that if I were treated like a hoy rider on request for a test drive, I would go elsewhere. You are on the right track in my book.

Kate

| > One thing I would like you to keep in mind though. | > Let's just suppose that you are the guy that walks in next week, to buy | that | > Mustang on the lot. | > By this time, say 50 people have taken it for a test drive and of course | all | > of the sales personnel, the owner has had it for a demo for a week and so | > on. | >

| > The car has already gotten (just for argument's sake) 500-700 miles on it. | >

| > Now, you come in and want to buy a NEW Mustang, you have your money in | your | > hand and the only one available is the one on the lot. It's exactly what | you | > wanted EXCEPT for the mileage. | >

| > You would either take your business elsewhere, or beat them up on the | price | > as compensation. | > You would also worry about how hard she was ridden before you took her | home. | >

| > So I can plainly see why they are trying to keep people from running the | > wheels off of them at this time. When the inventory grows a bit I am sure | > that they will loosen up because all of the miles will not be put on just | > one or two vehicles. | >

| > My haypenny's worth. | >

| > Kate | > 98 Cobra Drop Top | > At the end Lord please let me take just one more ride... with the top | down. | >

| >

| > | > That said, the dealer took my information, and proceeded to tell me | that | > | > they should have enough in about three months that they'll be able to | > let | > | > people take test drives. He also mentioned that, when they do, | they'll | > only | > | > be giving test drives to those who are "really serious about buying, | > because | > | > we don't want anyone running these into the ground", and then asked | if | > I | > | > was interested in placing an order. The tone of his voice made it | very | > | > clear that I can only get a test ride if I'm already prepared to buy. | > | | > | This is the result of very high interest in and perceived demand | > | for the new model. Just wait a year or so for the novelty to wear | > | off and the dealers will come back to Earth. | > | | > | Dana | >

| >

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