Passing thought...... do you like to be called a mooch, roach, jerk-off, stroke, mullet, pipe smoker
11-30-2006, 01:15 PM
#11
AudiWorld Uber User
Thread Starter
Are you saying that dealers who have had old stock taking up room on their shelves for years
should sell those parts at rates that directly reflect how cheaply those Ur-q folks bought their cars? ;-)
11-30-2006, 01:47 PM
#15
AudiWorld Uber User
Thread Starter
Management often sets the tone. Staff often reads AW, but management does not.
You can still find good people in bad dealers.
It's important to not just note what dealers are good or bad, but which individuals you should seek out or avoid. Yes, it's a pain, but it's to your advantage in the end. It's also well worth writing a short note of thanks or annoyance when you encounter an extreme. Send it to the general manager. For something really bad, send it to the dealer principle and AoA/AoC.
If you work the other side of the desk for a while, you'll encounter every flavour of shady cheap shysters who try to paint themselves as the poor put-upon owner.
It's important to not just note what dealers are good or bad, but which individuals you should seek out or avoid. Yes, it's a pain, but it's to your advantage in the end. It's also well worth writing a short note of thanks or annoyance when you encounter an extreme. Send it to the general manager. For something really bad, send it to the dealer principle and AoA/AoC.
If you work the other side of the desk for a while, you'll encounter every flavour of shady cheap shysters who try to paint themselves as the poor put-upon owner.
11-30-2006, 02:06 PM
#17
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Meh, sorry but I don't buy it.
The term "stealer" is not personal (and not nearly as offensive) as mooch, roach, jerk-off, stroke, mullet, pipe smoker, tire kicker, grinder, etc. obviously are.
All dealerships qualify as "stealers" based on their prices for parts and labor. The practise of reaplacing failed units wholesale vs. reparing them for a lower cost also has not won the dealers much goodwill, especially among the enthusiasts.
Sure, some dealers are better than others, but I guarantee you I can always find a better deal elsewhere.
"Stealer" refers to the general customer dissatisfaction with dealer prices, not the people who work at the dealership. The dealers would be wise to take note rather than get insulted.
So don't take it personally, because it isn't.
All dealerships qualify as "stealers" based on their prices for parts and labor. The practise of reaplacing failed units wholesale vs. reparing them for a lower cost also has not won the dealers much goodwill, especially among the enthusiasts.
Sure, some dealers are better than others, but I guarantee you I can always find a better deal elsewhere.
"Stealer" refers to the general customer dissatisfaction with dealer prices, not the people who work at the dealership. The dealers would be wise to take note rather than get insulted.
So don't take it personally, because it isn't.
11-30-2006, 02:34 PM
#19
AudiWorld Uber User
Thread Starter
Dealers are held to a different standard than a cheaper independent. When they fix something,
it's supposed to be right and stay fixed. That's why they replace an entire unit, rather than spend (expensive) time dismantling stuff and fixing only one portion of a unit. Not that they always get the diagnosis right, but that's the core reason for not hacking things apart and fixing select parts. Try being under the gun to get good CSI scores or missing out on a bonus that could mean some serious cash in your pocket (both employees and dealerships). You want to fix things once and have them stay fixed. Cheapest isn't always best.
Yes, the techs with the most initiative often start their own shops rather than work at dealers, but that isn't to say good they didn't start out at a dealer and that they won't burn out dealing with mooches at their own shop;-)
And what is a deal? A full service facility has it's own overhead. I don't know about you, but dealerships usually treat women more respectfully than independents. Being a female car nut, I have had some horror stories when dealing with independents. Downright insulting. On the other hand, the dealers often charge a high tarrif, but they don't talk down to me, or try to rail-road me into doing something. Of course there are exceptions.
To anybody working at a dealer, it is personal. I don't know what line of work you do, but say if it was in the tech industry and everybody called you a dork, dweeb, or propeller head, instead of calling you something more respectful. The joke wears thin after you've heard it a billion times and it's not even remotely applicable. You learn that everybody thinks they are the good guy, and everybody feels scamming a dealer is a badge of honour. Well, everybody pays - not just with money, but by dealers becoming less sensitive to helping out the real hard luck cases.
I know a lot of people who have worked at dealers who started out as car nuts who wanted to help the average Joe. Only they quickly learned the average Joe was more than willing to rob them blind if they let them. Makes you jaded. I'll admit to ripping off the heads of people who were jerks or thought they were hot-shots at negotiating. But I also gave up virtually all my commissions on people I felt deserved it. Maybe not the average Joe, but students buying used cars or people needing basic transportation. It's take and give.
Yes, the techs with the most initiative often start their own shops rather than work at dealers, but that isn't to say good they didn't start out at a dealer and that they won't burn out dealing with mooches at their own shop;-)
And what is a deal? A full service facility has it's own overhead. I don't know about you, but dealerships usually treat women more respectfully than independents. Being a female car nut, I have had some horror stories when dealing with independents. Downright insulting. On the other hand, the dealers often charge a high tarrif, but they don't talk down to me, or try to rail-road me into doing something. Of course there are exceptions.
To anybody working at a dealer, it is personal. I don't know what line of work you do, but say if it was in the tech industry and everybody called you a dork, dweeb, or propeller head, instead of calling you something more respectful. The joke wears thin after you've heard it a billion times and it's not even remotely applicable. You learn that everybody thinks they are the good guy, and everybody feels scamming a dealer is a badge of honour. Well, everybody pays - not just with money, but by dealers becoming less sensitive to helping out the real hard luck cases.
I know a lot of people who have worked at dealers who started out as car nuts who wanted to help the average Joe. Only they quickly learned the average Joe was more than willing to rob them blind if they let them. Makes you jaded. I'll admit to ripping off the heads of people who were jerks or thought they were hot-shots at negotiating. But I also gave up virtually all my commissions on people I felt deserved it. Maybe not the average Joe, but students buying used cars or people needing basic transportation. It's take and give.
11-30-2006, 02:36 PM
#20
AudiWorld Uber User
Thread Starter
Do they? We had one tech who knew the older cars well, and nobody else. If he was busy, or
the customer terminally cheap, we sent them to an independent.
So few older Audis in SoCal, it wasn't worth our chasing that market.
So few older Audis in SoCal, it wasn't worth our chasing that market.
