For me, it was the opposite. I love the driving experience, and totally felt the difference between cars. After I put together my list of potential vehicles, it came down to looks and feel. I subscribed to Motor Trend for 15 years and love the details about cars. And then I had salespeople talking to me about, “what’s your favorite color?” and trying to minimize my knowledge. I had one guy tell me that I didn’t seem to like buying cars because I kept getting irritated, and I had to break it to him that I actually love cars and trying out different ones, it was the sales process (meaning his condescending attitude) that I didn’t like. I also had a woman sales person who also assumed that I wasn’t into cars, which was pretty ironic. Pay attention to your customer, no matter what gender they are, and don’t ever assume.
Hello Cathy friends! Happy Wednesday! Have a great day, all!
Cars all look and drive pretty much alike to me, and I don’t care about performance or style. I have even attempted to get into cars the same color and shape as mine (before I added a ton of stickers to differentiate it). The salesperson’s spiel would be lost on me.
That said, having driven a crossover SUV for a while, I can now tell the difference between a hard and soft suspension, and definitely prefer a softer one than my current vehicle. I also have preferences about how cars brake (neither grabby nor squishy). I live in the mountains, so I do have to care about whether a car can accelerate uphill. Seat comfort matters. Beyond that, it’s all about the gas mileage and Consumer Reports safety and reliability ratings.
I had a friend who is my heroine of used car shopping. She went in with a carefully calculated fair price for the model she wanted. Negotiations at the dealership started at 2 p.m. The salesman would have a fake meeting with the manager; she would go outside with her husband and have a fake meeting. He tried to interest her in other cars. No way. He tried to negotiate with her husband. Bad move! At 10 p.m., she had exactly the deal she wanted. She told me the salesman was almost in tears when he found out he had signed an agreement to move the seat covers from her old car to the new purchase and discovered the seats would have to be removed to do so. Man, I wish I could take her car shopping with me.
I took a great class several years ago with a guy who had been a mechanic and owned a shop for many years. He then worked for the state government on uncovering and legislating scams that mechanics and car salesmen pull on unsuspecting people. In one class, we looked at car sales advertisements and how they were so full of baloney.
I was looking at cars in a lot (just looking as mine was in for service) and watched a young girl I knew was way more into cars that I was talking to the salesman. When he showed her the flip down mirrors for doing her makeup she responded “Do I look like I am wearing makeup? How much torque is generated at x rpm?” That shut the salesman up. He treated her a whole lot better after that.
I am with jbarnes – first stop when car shopping is Consumer Reports to look at their survey results.
Another fine summer day today – with a quick thundershower so I don’t have to water the lawn. I hope your day is fine too.
That analogy in the last panel is pretty spot-on, isn’t it?
Interesting to read all your car stories/info. Personally, I’m a big auto aficionado, and I can definitely tell the difference between a lot of stuff on vehicles … though it seems like most are looking a lot more generic/blah these days. Ehh—can’t win ’em all, I suppose.
hruskafrances50 over 1 year ago
Yup…..it’s all in the details
lightenup Premium Member over 1 year ago
For me, it was the opposite. I love the driving experience, and totally felt the difference between cars. After I put together my list of potential vehicles, it came down to looks and feel. I subscribed to Motor Trend for 15 years and love the details about cars. And then I had salespeople talking to me about, “what’s your favorite color?” and trying to minimize my knowledge. I had one guy tell me that I didn’t seem to like buying cars because I kept getting irritated, and I had to break it to him that I actually love cars and trying out different ones, it was the sales process (meaning his condescending attitude) that I didn’t like. I also had a woman sales person who also assumed that I wasn’t into cars, which was pretty ironic. Pay attention to your customer, no matter what gender they are, and don’t ever assume.
Hello Cathy friends! Happy Wednesday! Have a great day, all!
jbarnes over 1 year ago
Cars all look and drive pretty much alike to me, and I don’t care about performance or style. I have even attempted to get into cars the same color and shape as mine (before I added a ton of stickers to differentiate it). The salesperson’s spiel would be lost on me.
That said, having driven a crossover SUV for a while, I can now tell the difference between a hard and soft suspension, and definitely prefer a softer one than my current vehicle. I also have preferences about how cars brake (neither grabby nor squishy). I live in the mountains, so I do have to care about whether a car can accelerate uphill. Seat comfort matters. Beyond that, it’s all about the gas mileage and Consumer Reports safety and reliability ratings.
mistercatworks over 1 year ago
I had a friend who is my heroine of used car shopping. She went in with a carefully calculated fair price for the model she wanted. Negotiations at the dealership started at 2 p.m. The salesman would have a fake meeting with the manager; she would go outside with her husband and have a fake meeting. He tried to interest her in other cars. No way. He tried to negotiate with her husband. Bad move! At 10 p.m., she had exactly the deal she wanted. She told me the salesman was almost in tears when he found out he had signed an agreement to move the seat covers from her old car to the new purchase and discovered the seats would have to be removed to do so. Man, I wish I could take her car shopping with me.
JLChi over 1 year ago
I took a great class several years ago with a guy who had been a mechanic and owned a shop for many years. He then worked for the state government on uncovering and legislating scams that mechanics and car salesmen pull on unsuspecting people. In one class, we looked at car sales advertisements and how they were so full of baloney.
hendelca Premium Member over 1 year ago
I was looking at cars in a lot (just looking as mine was in for service) and watched a young girl I knew was way more into cars that I was talking to the salesman. When he showed her the flip down mirrors for doing her makeup she responded “Do I look like I am wearing makeup? How much torque is generated at x rpm?” That shut the salesman up. He treated her a whole lot better after that.
I am with jbarnes – first stop when car shopping is Consumer Reports to look at their survey results.
Another fine summer day today – with a quick thundershower so I don’t have to water the lawn. I hope your day is fine too.
lindz.coop Premium Member over 1 year ago
She’s probably right…
rgcviper over 1 year ago
That analogy in the last panel is pretty spot-on, isn’t it?
Interesting to read all your car stories/info. Personally, I’m a big auto aficionado, and I can definitely tell the difference between a lot of stuff on vehicles … though it seems like most are looking a lot more generic/blah these days. Ehh—can’t win ’em all, I suppose.
HI, MOM. Hello, “Cathy” Clan.