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Acura of Columbus


Dr. Pomade

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i go into the dealer, ask them what they're willing to sell the car for, and make an offer very close to it. the time it takes me to haggle, bargain, come back 2 or 3 times just to bitch about the price makes me look like---well, a bitch. i live in a small enough town, that my business means quite a bit to the dealer, and i get my way easily if things aren't the way i want them. i can bring my car in literally anytime, to have it looked at, i got zero hassle getting a new rear end for my cts-v because it had a smidge of whine at 40mph, i got new wheels for the cts-v because the existing ones looked like shit after one year, etc etc. my wife gets free oil changes and tire rotations on her escalade.

 

the time it takes me to haggle like crazy, i can make more money doing my job, then i will save in looking like a bitch. at the same time, i'm not a sucker--my wife might be a bit of a sucker---she plopped down MSRP for my 3lz z06--you can pretty much guess how much a fully loaded, brand new zo6 is.

 

i don't fault the dealership for trying to make money--its a business. do your homework, make an offer, and move on---

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i go into the dealer, ask them what they're willing to sell the car for, and make an offer very close to it. the time it takes me to haggle, bargain, come back 2 or 3 times just to bitch about the price makes me look like---well, a bitch. i live in a small enough town, that my business means quite a bit to the dealer, and i get my way easily if things aren't the way i want them. i can bring my car in literally anytime, to have it looked at, i got zero hassle getting a new read end for my cts-v because it had a smidge of whine at 40mph, i got new wheels for the cts-v because the existing ones looked like shit after one year, etc etc. the time it takes me to haggle like crazy, i can make more money doing my job, then i will save in looking like a bitch. at the same time, i'm not a sucker--my wife might be a bit of a sucker---she plopped down MSRP for my 3lz z06--you can pretty much guess how much a fully loaded, brand new zo6 is.

 

i don't fault the dealership for trying to make money--its a business. do your homework, make an offer, and move on---

 

This guy gets it.

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I guess what I'm suggesting is that we need to do our part to make sure those crap dealers get squeezed out of the market. I work very hard at my job to not come across as a greasy car salesman. Yes, I offer people less than they'd like on their trades, and yes, I ask them to pay more than invoice on our cars. That's just part of the negotiation.

 

What I ask of you then, is to help us out in getting rid of scumbag dealers. If you do blanket emails and just give your business to the lowest bidder, you're indirectly feeding the system of greasy dealers taking advantage of consumers. You won't be sure if you're giving your business to a dealer that makes their living screwing people if you never walk in the showroom and deal with a salesperson.

 

I've got no problem calling out shitty dealers on their practices, but how are you sure which dealers are shitty because they simply cant afford to accept your deal, and which are shitty because they're legitimately trying to screw you? Spend half an hour to an hour in a dealership and the answer presents itself immediately. Make us EARN your business through good service and you'll not only get the best price but you'll also get a dedicated service team. You may get the best price a different way, which is good for you, but it may end up being bad for an ethical dealer.

 

How is shopping the market feeding greasy dealers? Going in and paying MSRP or whatever amount you feel is fair doesn't guarantee a GOOD buying experience. So what you are saying is if you pay invoice you aren't entitled to good service? But if you overpay then they are obligated to bend over backwords for you even though these crap dealers won't....

 

With that in mind, what exactly am I earning by paying you more? You are still making money by selling at invoice. At what point is enough enough to profit?

 

i go into the dealer, ask them what they're willing to sell the car for, and make an offer very close to it. the time it takes me to haggle, bargain, come back 2 or 3 times just to bitch about the price makes me look like---well, a bitch. i live in a small enough town, that my business means quite a bit to the dealer, and i get my way easily if things aren't the way i want them. i can bring my car in literally anytime, to have it looked at, i got zero hassle getting a new rear end for my cts-v because it had a smidge of whine at 40mph, i got new wheels for the cts-v because the existing ones looked like shit after one year, etc etc. my wife gets free oil changes and tire rotations on her escalade.

 

the time it takes me to haggle like crazy, i can make more money doing my job, then i will save in looking like a bitch. at the same time, i'm not a sucker--my wife might be a bit of a sucker---she plopped down MSRP for my 3lz z06--you can pretty much guess how much a fully loaded, brand new zo6 is.

 

i don't fault the dealership for trying to make money--its a business. do your homework, make an offer, and move on---

 

Exactly my point, I don't haggle like a bitch. I know what the car is worth and what I'm paying....PERIOD! Its there right to turn my offer down so I move on...

 

It's also a little different when you are buying an Escalade or Z06 which the dealer makes around $5k (Esca) and $8k (Z06) on each sale NOT including dealer hold back, rebates, incentives, etc. if you pay MSRP. For $13k I'd hope they take care of you. Then again, its a small town dealer and there reputation is all they have when they don't do the volume to make it up. Unless you make more than $200 a minute and don't really care, feel free to pay more...

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How is shopping the market feeding greasy dealers? Going in and paying MSRP or whatever amount you feel is fair doesn't guarantee a GOOD buying experience. So what you are saying is if you pay invoice you aren't entitled to good service? But if you overpay then they are obligated to bend over backwords for you even though these crap dealers won't....

 

With that in mind, what exactly am I earning by paying you more? You are still making money by selling at invoice. At what point is enough enough to profit?

 

I'm not saying you're absolutely feeding greasy dealers, but you'll never know whether you give your business to help keep a greasy dealer doing unethical things or whether you've given your business to a hard-working ethical dealer that actually takes care of its clientele. What you're saying is that whoevers internet sales department drops their pants the fastest is who gets your business.

 

What I'm saying is that with your attitude towards dealerships and salespeople, you'll never get the best service. You're entitled to good service, absolutely. What you're not entitled to is what I give my customers who keep in touch with me, who treat me with respect, and who understand the value of what I do. An example:

 

A few months ago a guy bought a car from me and left his garage door opener and sunglasses in his car. He worked night shift so if his wife wasn't able to make it in before we closed, he wouldn't have either of those things for his drive home early in the AM. Instead of having his wife drive from Westerville to Groveport, I just drove to Groveport 15 minutes out of my way when I left for the day. This is not an extraordinary nice gesture. Its just something I do for customers. Its good business. Ask any of the handful of salespeople we have on CR, they would absolutely go to that length to make a customer happy.

 

Now, if someone calls in and says "yeah, I only dealt with the new car manager but I forgot some stuff in my trade-in that I need, can someone bring it to me?" I can almost guarantee you won't see the manager, or salesperson, or whatever showing up at your convenience to make that delivery. At best you'll get a runner when its convenient for the runner to be sent or at worst, if you've bought from a greasy dealer because you spent 0 time getting to know who you're working with, you'll end up with a "sorry but you've got to come get it, I don't know who you are." Or even worse "sorry but we've already sent that car to the wholesaler" and you've lost whatever possessions were left behind. I've heard some horror stories in that vein before.

 

EDIT: Ask the few people who've come to drive FIAT and met me. I'm an ethical guy. I'll never be so vindictive as to go out of my way to screw with someone. I have MANY shitty customers, even one guy who called my manager to tell him I was a shitty salesman for trying to sell a car $500 over invoice. You know what my manager said? He told me to never change what I was doing because if I wasn't pissing some people off, I wasn't trying hard enough. I have no problem upsetting someone who can't be made happy.

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It's also a little different when you are buying an Escalade or Z06 which the dealer makes around $5k (Esca) and $8k (Z06) on each sale NOT including dealer hold back, rebates, incentives, etc. if you pay MSRP. For $13k I'd hope they take care of you. Then again, its a small town dealer and there reputation is all they have when they don't do the volume to make it up. Unless you make more than $200 a minute and don't really care, feel free to pay more...

 

the people at the dealer all know who i am and what i do for a living. i've taken care of several people at the dealership and many of their family members/friends. that adds up to a lot more than the profit they've made off me. i've literally had them mount drag radials for the vette--for free, and they offered to install an aftermarket catback on my cts-v for free when they were doing the rear end. there are not a ton of perks to living in a town of 35k people, but this is one of them.

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I'm not saying you're absolutely feeding greasy dealers, but you'll never know whether you give your business to help keep a greasy dealer doing unethical things or whether you've given your business to a hard-working ethical dealer that actually takes care of its clientele. What you're saying is that whoevers internet sales department drops their pants the fastest is who gets your business.

 

What I'm saying is that with your attitude towards dealerships and salespeople, you'll never get the best service. You're entitled to good service, absolutely. What you're not entitled to is what I give my customers who keep in touch with me, who treat me with respect, and who understand the value of what I do. An example:

 

.

 

I guess those perks just don't matter to me. I take care of my vehicles and 99% of the time, do my own maintenance and upkeep. I don't take the car to the dealer to check tire pressure, oil, whatever that some people do. About the only time I am at a dealer for service is if: a) it has a full service plan or b) its a warranty issue that I have no control over.

 

I'll go for the best price because 99.9% of the time I'll never see them again...EVER! When I was in the military I moved around a lot so a local dealer today won't be my local dealer tomorrow. Its not that I wouldn't return, I probably just won't be in the area again. I applaud you if you are a great salesman and take care of your customers. There are very few of them out there like that. Then again, I don't leave crap in cars or forget stuff that would require those services...lol. j/k :p

 

Don't be confused, I treat them with respect. I don't walk in and start barking orders and expect stuff for nothing, you've got me wrong if that’s what you think.

 

 

the people at the dealer all know who i am and what i do for a living. i've taken care of several people at the dealership and many of their family members/friends. that adds up to a lot more than the profit they've made off me. i've literally had them mount drag radials for the vette--for free, and they offered to install an aftermarket catback on my cts-v for free when they were doing the rear end. there are not a ton of perks to living in a town of 35k people, but this is one of them.

 

...and that's a completely different ball of wax. Truth is, would you still get treated that way if you worked at 7-Eleven? That's the difference between a good/bad dealer. It shouldn't matter WHO you are or how much you pay for them to give you good service. That was my entire point... ;)

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Feel free to correct me...

 

Most models have BASE, TECHNOLOGY(includes Nav) and ADVANCED as the three options. You are stuck with whatever comes in those packages and that's it. The only exception is the TL/RDX if you want FWD or AWD.

 

Originally Posted by Got-Busa?

It's an Acura, essentially the options are base, Nav or DVD players, that's it...

 

^^^ you just corrected yourself :p

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I went to Lindsay, was exceptionally close to buying a 2012 MDX, but then walked out after I grew tired of their sales tactics.

 

After Lindsay, went home, did a search, and 15 minutes later found exactly what I wanted: a 2011 MDX with 11k miles in Indianapolis. Worked out the deal over the phone on Friday and the wife and I picked it up yesterday. I'm exceptionally happy with the MDX and how the dealership there (Hubler Acura) handled things.

 

When the time comes, I will likely have the car serviced at Lindsay. When I'm there, I will be sure to talk with the sales manager who let me walk out of a $57k deal because he wanted to haggle me over $180 all-season floor mats.

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I walk into any negotiations for vehicles telling the seller they get one chance to give me their best offer. I hate car salesman and want to spend as little time as possible talking to them. My parents bought a new car 2 weeks ago and after they told me what price the dealer offered them and wouldnt go any lower, I called back told them I was interested in the same car and would pay cash but that they had one time to give me a price, the cost suddenly went down another $3500.
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I walk into any negotiations for vehicles telling the seller they get one chance to give me their best offer. I hate car salesman and want to spend as little time as possible talking to them. My parents bought a new car 2 weeks ago and after they told me what price the dealer offered them and wouldnt go any lower, I called back told them I was interested in the same car and would pay cash but that they had one time to give me a price, the cost suddenly went down another $3500.

 

Yeah, the whole process can be very frustrating.

 

I realize that selling cars is a business and the salesman are just trying to do their job. I'm not going to hate on someone for trying to make a profit. However, I think there's definitely a right way to be a good car salesman. Unfortunately, there's a ton of ways to be an annoying, slimy, haggling salesman.

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I went to Lindsay, was exceptionally close to buying a 2012 MDX, but then walked out after I grew tired of their sales tactics.

 

After Lindsay, went home, did a search, and 15 minutes later found exactly what I wanted: a 2011 MDX with 11k miles in Indianapolis. Worked out the deal over the phone on Friday and the wife and I picked it up yesterday. I'm exceptionally happy with the MDX and how the dealership there (Hubler Acura) handled things.

 

When the time comes, I will likely have the car serviced at Lindsay. When I'm there, I will be sure to talk with the sales manager who let me walk out of a $57k deal because he wanted to haggle me over $180 all-season floor mats.

 

See thats disappointing to me. Its even worse for the salesperson who worked hard to make you happy (that is, if they didn't use the same sales tactics as the manager). Very disappointed I recommended what turned out to be a slimy experience.

 

Moral of the story: don't buy Acuras in Columbus?

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See thats disappointing to me. Its even worse for the salesperson who worked hard to make you happy (that is, if they didn't use the same sales tactics as the manager). Very disappointed I recommended what turned out to be a slimy experience.

 

Moral of the story: don't buy Acuras in Columbus?

 

If it's any consolation, the salesperson I was working with wasn't the person you recommended. And, what's more, I place fault more with the sales manager as opposed to the salesperson. I think the salesman was doing fine.

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When the time comes, I will likely have the car serviced at Lindsay. When I'm there, I will be sure to talk with the sales manager who let me walk out of a $57k deal because he wanted to haggle me over $180 all-season floor mats.

 

Do it. In '07 I was looking for a GTO. They had several at haydocy, but refused to let me test drive one because the car "has the corvette motor in it". They had several with 30+k miles on them and wouldn't budge about the test drive. A few months later I brought my 11k mile GTO in for some minor bullshit warranty item--but mainly to let the sales manager know about the deal I got. Best part--i insisted on watching the tech pull the car into and out of the service bay--my reason? This car has the vette motor, and not just anyone can drive it. Lol

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Congrats and many happy miles for Ashley and the MDX! :thumbup:

 

:)

 

Also, drinks soon?

 

Sounds like you got a great deal and honestly, probably saved quite a bit of money too. Get glam shots of the wife with the new car in the background for all to enjoy :p

 

Yeah, I like how everything ended up, for sure. Sometimes I think things just happen for a reason. Regardless, I feel great about it.

 

Do it. In '07 I was looking for a GTO. They had several at haydocy, but refused to let me test drive one because the car "has the corvette motor in it". They had several with 30+k miles on them and wouldn't budge about the test drive. A few months later I brought my 11k mile GTO in for some minor bullshit warranty item--but mainly to let the sales manager know about the deal I got. Best part--i insisted on watching the tech pull the car into and out of the service bay--my reason? This car has the vette motor, and not just anyone can drive it. Lol

 

Ha, flawless double bind.

 

I employed one when they asked if I wanted to buy an extended warranty on the MDX. I said, "Well, I'm here buying this Acura because it's so highly rated for reliability and durability. So are you saying that all of that stuff is untrue and I really need the protection of an extended warranty to protect myself from a faulty car?" Guy was like, "Ummm..."

Edited by Dr. Pomade
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Originally Posted by Got-Busa?

It's an Acura, essentially the options are base, Nav or DVD players, that's it...

 

^^^ you just corrected yourself :p

 

Ya "essentially" there are THREE options like I originally posted but whatever... :dumb:

 

I went to Lindsay, was exceptionally close to buying a 2012 MDX, but then walked out after I grew tired of their sales tactics.

 

After Lindsay, went home, did a search, and 15 minutes later found exactly what I wanted: a 2011 MDX with 11k miles in Indianapolis. Worked out the deal over the phone on Friday and the wife and I picked it up yesterday. I'm exceptionally happy with the MDX and how the dealership there (Hubler Acura) handled things.

 

When the time comes, I will likely have the car serviced at Lindsay. When I'm there, I will be sure to talk with the sales manager who let me walk out of a $57k deal because he wanted to haggle me over $180 all-season floor mats.

 

Glad you found a deal and one that you were happy with. I'd be sure to pull up so the sales manager can see it. Nothing feels better than coming in with the car you tried to deal on and they wanted to act like idiots about... :D

 

Do it. In '07 I was looking for a GTO. They had several at haydocy, but refused to let me test drive one because the car "has the corvette motor in it". They had several with 30+k miles on them and wouldn't budge about the test drive. A few months later I brought my 11k mile GTO in for some minor bullshit warranty item--but mainly to let the sales manager know about the deal I got. Best part--i insisted on watching the tech pull the car into and out of the service bay--my reason? This car has the vette motor, and not just anyone can drive it. Lol

 

LOL...I've dealt with that many times.

 

Try buying a sportbike, its even worse...

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  • 4 weeks later...

JB,

 

Any updates/thoughts on your purchase?

 

We've been shopping for to long and need to pull the trigger. Seems they aren't coming out with a new one next year so now we are probably going to pick up an MDX this week. Just curious if you had any complaints about it after a month or time for a quick review?

 

Thanks... ;)

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JB,

 

Any updates/thoughts on your purchase?

 

We've been shopping for to long and need to pull the trigger. Seems they aren't coming out with a new one next year so now we are probably going to pick up an MDX this week. Just curious if you had any complaints about it after a month or time for a quick review?

 

Thanks... ;)

 

Could not be any more pleased with the MDX - absolutely and completely satisfied with the purchase.

 

It rides like a sedan. It's nimble and has plenty of HP/torque. I was actually pleasantly surprised by how quick it is. Performance wise, it would have destroyed my C230. (Not saying much, but we are talking about a car verus an SUV.)

 

It is one of - if not the most - comfortable car I have every driven. Long drives are easily doable. The interior is very nice, and controls are easy to learn and fairly intuitive.

 

We haven't had much inclement weather, but the little snow that we've had wasn't even close to be an issue for it. I leave the jury out on this one until we've actually had something that amounts to actual snowfall, though.

 

I could wholheartedly recommend one. The only regret is that I didn't make this purchase sooner.

 

Let me know if you have any specific questions and I'll try my best to answer them.

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Thanks for the response and info....

 

....well, we ended up buying one that same day! :D

 

One of the nicest buying experiences I've had. I sent out an email to five dealers asking for invoice, I had two respond accepting $500 over within minutes (they later settled on $300 over). He offered me the trade price I wanted for my TSX over the phone and the deal was done. We drove down and picked it up and have enjoyed it so far.

 

Now I need to order a hitch for it and get the front windows tinted... :thumbup:

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