[MKSixer]

Originally Posted by Jbe0324

Actually a representative from the dealership must accompany the prospective customer on the test drive. It is due to insurance reasons in the event of an accident or collision.

Salespeople tend to be lazy and not care about these issues. But it is a must and can lead to legal problems in the event of an accident.

Not quite accurate.

I was tossed the keys to a $110,000 M5 and the only thing said was, wait a moment...we need to put a temp plate in the rear window.

[Bbb34]

Originally Posted by MKSixer

Not quite accurate.

I was tossed the keys to a $110,000 M5 and the only thing said was, wait a moment...we need to put a temp plate in the rear window.

Maybe in US, I made that comment in my post earlier, as I have talked to my friends south of the border. They mentioned that it's pretty common going for a test drive by yourself.

It's extremely rare for this to happen in Canada, different (insurance) laws apply maybe, not sure. So far, I was given the keys to the car only once, and I did my share of car shopping.

[MKSixer]

Originally Posted by Bbb34

Maybe in US, I made that comment in my post earlier, as I have talked to my friends south of the border. They mentioned that it's pretty common going for a test drive by yourself.

It's extremely rare for this to happen in Canada, different (insurance) laws apply maybe, not sure. So far, I was given the keys to the car only once, and I did my share of car shopping.

Maybe so, but I have friends on the M5/M6 board who have been tossed the keys, as well.

Perhaps it is on how they are feeling that day. It's a car dealership so all bets on rational behavior are typically off.

Cheers-mk

[MightyMouseTech]

Originally Posted by Bbb34

Maybe in US, I made that comment in my post earlier, as I have talked to my friends south of the border. They mentioned that it's pretty common going for a test drive by yourself.

It's extremely rare for this to happen in Canada, different (insurance) laws apply maybe, not sure. So far, I was given the keys to the car only once, and I did my share of car shopping.

It all comes down to what the dealership practice is. There are no laws about it. If they tell you there is, they are full of shit. Only once have I had a salesman go with me on a test drive, and I think he regretted it after.

[Bbb34]

Originally Posted by MightyMouseTech

It all comes down to what the dealership practice is. There are no laws about it. If they tell you there is, they are full of shit. Only once have I had a salesman go with me on a test drive, and I think he regretted it after.

That sounds like my wife, lots of days

To be honest, no clue what the laws/rules are.
I've never really asked to go out on my own, never really felt the need for it.

Most of the time, I just give them "heads up", kinda "don't freak out, I'd like to push the car's limit a bit now" before I drive it aggressively, and haven't had any complaints yet. It's admirable if you think about it, as they don't know potential customer's tolerance for risk.

[MKSixer]

Originally Posted by Bbb34

That sounds like my wife, lots of days

To be honest, no clue what the laws/rules are.
I've never really asked to go out on my own, never really felt the need for it.

Most of the time, I just give them "heads up", kinda "don't freak out, I'd like to push the car's limit a bit now" before I drive it aggressively, and haven't had any complaints yet. It's admirable if you think about it, as they don't know potential customer's tolerance for risk.

Lol!

I tell my passengers, "I'm going to use the car a bit now", and they know to grab hold on tightly because something is about to happen!

[MightyMouseTech]

Originally Posted by MKSixer

Lol!

I tell my passengers, "I'm going to use the car a bit now", and they know to grab hold on tightly because something is about to happen!

When passengers complain, I tell them; it is a car, not your living room.

[Abax335]

Originally Posted by MKSixer

Maybe so, but I have friends on the M5/M6 board who have been tossed the keys, as well.

Perhaps it is on how they are feeling that day. It's a car dealership so all bets on rational behavior are typically off.

Cheers-mk

Been two situations that I know where an m5 was wrecked on the first turn out of the dealership.

[MKSixer]

Originally Posted by Abax335

Been two situations that I know where an m5 was wrecked on the first turn out of the dealership.

Indeed.

This is the reason I never let anyone drive my M6 and tell the SA that only a 3 mile journey is authorized in situations that the car has to be driven at all. Which is almost never.

If a real, 'installation lap" is necessary, I will perform it. The technician may ride!

[city1991]

Originally Posted by catchm3ifyoucann

Who cares they work on commission? If they do their job, provide quality customer service, and understand / are knowledgable about the product they sell then they shouldn't have a problem selling a vehicle.

Age and how a customer is dressed should not be the indicators you use on whether or not you want to help the customer. I know plenty of people in their 20s to early 30s that could EASILY afford an M4, M3, S5, etc (they are all business owners).

I will not dress up to go to a dealership, not happening. I will go in with whatever attire I have on, and if they don't provide customer service, no problem they lost a sale. I have worked at a high end automotive dealership and trust me most people who are billionaires / millionaires don't go around everywhere in a suit.

I always tell my friends who work sales that "kid" in his 20s could be an entrepreneur whom could easily buy the car, or that gentleman who walks in looking like he's homeless could be making well over a 7+ digit income.

I usually go in sweats and flip flops. Had one sales manager actually tell me not everyone can afford a BMW. That I should look at a Ford instead. I told him to go fuck himself since I was already approved by BMW finance. I went to a different BMW dealership bought a BMW, drove it back to the first dealership to rub it in they lost my business as well as a few others.

[Killramos]

Originally Posted by Bbb34

Maybe in US, I made that comment in my post earlier, as I have talked to my friends south of the border. They mentioned that it's pretty common going for a test drive by yourself.

It's extremely rare for this to happen in Canada, different (insurance) laws apply maybe, not sure. So far, I was given the keys to the car only once, and I did my share of car shopping.

When i bought my 2 series my SA drove it around the block to warm it up ( first time driven) and show me where all the buttons and controls were. Pulled back into the lot then gave me the keys and told me to bring it back when I was done and to watch the super sport tires because it was about 5 degrees out.

A few weeks later when i was looking at an Audi S4 they tossed me the keys as well with a photocopy of my license but told me to "keep it to 15 minutes".

When i drove a new mustang GT a couple weeks ago they went with me, though its not like they insisted. It was hilarious trying to watch the 260lb salesman squeeze into the back of a rag top mustang while me and my wife were in the front haha.

In short, it has nothing to do with Canada and everything to do with dealership preference.

[atomic]

Originally Posted by snaimpally

I was talking to a lady in the lounge at the dealership who was waiting for her car to be serviced and she mentioned how she preferred the BMW dealership to Mercedes. She was probably mid-40s, a little overweight, and had sweats on. She mentioned that the sales people at Mercedes ignored her and her husband when they went to the dealership whereas their BMW salesperson paid attention to them. "And we pay cash for our vehicles" she concluded.

There is a story that Jay Leno doesn't own a Ferrari because he went into a dealership dressed, as he normally dresses, in jeans, and the salespeople ignored him. Salespeople should be courteous no matter what your appearance.

They work on commission. If they don't sell enough cars they get fired. If they waste their time trying to sell a car to someone who can't afford a car they could miss out on a sale. My nephew says guys in their early 20s come in all day long wanting to test drive AMG cars or G class. He says he laughs at them. Also said he has learned that if someone is making a big deal about themselves they can't afford the car. If he didn't make assumptions he could spend hours with someone and then they get declined for financing.

[atomic]

Originally Posted by city1991

I usually go in sweats and flip flops. Had one sales manager actually tell me not everyone can afford a BMW. That I should look at a Ford instead. I told him to go fuck himself since I was already approved by BMW finance. I went to a different BMW dealership bought a BMW, drove it back to the first dealership to rub it in they lost my business as well as a few others.

You tell someone to go fuck themselves and then you come back with a new BMW to taunt them. I am calling BS. Either that or you are a psychopath.

[e36mmm]

I can come up with so many.. i have been attending to a dealer for the last 5 years since day 1 of the car. reason being for the service history stamp, the car is over 50k miles now and have gone in to the same dealer for every single service required to date and I have never received a loaner car on request. Asked probably 3 times and excuse was the same every time: theres none left, they are all booked! Another hilarious moment was when I was considering a 320d e90 with m sport pack. I had a e46 325i. The salesman began comparing the new e90 to my e46 in a say that my car is too old and slower. Mind you this guy is a salesman! I walked out after telling him to check the performance times on both vehicles and to never get in to a verbal debate with a customer. I gave bmw australia a call and three days later never saw the same salesman again. Bmw dealerships are retarded and if i had ran half of them, there would be 50% less negative comments here.

[phil_]

Originally Posted by Jbe0324

Actually a representative from the dealership must accompany the prospective customer on the test drive. It is due to insurance reasons in the event of an accident or collision.

Salespeople tend to be lazy and not care about these issues. But it is a must and can lead to legal problems in the event of an accident.

I guess it depends on your relationship with the dealer. While doing an oil change on my E60 M5 and chatting with a salesman about the new (at the time) F10 M5 manual he grabbed the keys to a brand new manual M5 and told me to have fun .

Out of respect for the dealer and whoever bought this car, I kept it below 5000rpm.

[Fast.asleep]

Originally Posted by snaimpally

When I got my car back after getting it serviced, I found the dealer had put a license plate holder with the dealer's name on it.

+1

They even took off the licence plate holder I had to put theirs on. Some of these people act like they are the only game in town and I can't go somewhere else.

[Hopkins58]

I have too many. For one, when I bought my recent car from Braman BMW North Miami, they attempted to sell me the same car for $8,000 over what we had discussed. When I questioned the price they proposed on the "four-square" they wanted to use, they claimed it was a "computer glitch." I almost choked laughing, because I knew that was complete b.s. My salesman continuously said "I am on your side, we are all about transparency here." Apparently not! Another thing that angered me was going to my local dealership and being treated differently, due to being younger. I would walk in and be ignored by the sales staff, but had someone chase after me once I walked out the doors towards the parking lot and unlocked my M6, lol. Profiling and assumptions at their best!

[TAL2GK]

I used to work at a Ford store right after college and hated it. Having said that, the increase in the dealership administration fees since then is egregious. I have no idea how they get away with it.

So, when you are negotiating an invoice + deal, you're really negotiating an invoice +, + admin fees. It doesn't cost $599 to go to the DMV!

Has anyone had luck negotiating that OUT of their deal? Does it change when you're doing PCD?

[ka24682468]

Dude, it's great that your dealer call you, my dealer NEVER call me, BARELY pick up my phone

[aerostar]

The only thing that bothered me was when one salesman told me I would have to lose some money on my trade-in (Subaru WRX) b/c that's what it takes when coming from such a lesser brand to a BMW.

I was in awe.

[MKSixer]

Originally Posted by aerostar

The only thing that bothered me was when one salesman told me I would have to lose some money on my trade-in (Subaru WRX) b/c that's what it takes when coming from such a lesser brand to a BMW.

I was in awe.

Lol!


My fav was the salesman who took me to the storage lot to se the "M" car they had out back when I was in the market for my M6 a long time ago.

It was an Infinity something or another.

I turned around and walked off without saying a word. He was no longer employed by the dealership when I went back a couple of months later.

Unreal.

[pbjjj]

To add to what people have stated so far. I experienced this: the first thing out of the sales person's mouth before even self introduction: "are you here to compare prices with another dealership?"

On the same visit, I almost got run over by a car driven by a sales person who just started to back out a car in the showroom without checking the surrounding...

I expect more from luxury car sales than what I have experienced and seen at BMW sales. If I am asked what the one thing that will make me not buy BMW ever again is, it would be BMW sales.