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AVOID Scott Clark Toyota in south Charlotte at all cost.

Discussion in 'Dealers & Pricing' started by Rhizzlebop, Mar 24, 2012.

  1. Rhizzlebop

    Rhizzlebop Member

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    Concern with Scott Clark Toyota in south Charlotte....discussion with owner ongoing.

    I went there this morning with my gf to look at a C and a camry hybrid and compare directly to the v.

    We parked, got out, sales guy walked up. I said I don't wanna spend a bunch of time, but I'm here to see and drive a c, v and cam hybrid.

    Guy says, "well you're askin a lot for a saturday." I was stunned. No customers on the lot, had just stopped raining, and about 6 sales guys meandering around outside.

    So, I said if you're too busy we can get someone else. He goes, well, we want you to come in and do a need evaluation.

    I said my need is to see and drive and compare these three.

    Then after a couple more words a manager walks over and asks if theres a problem. I said yea,....i repeat my request.

    He says well, we take everyone in and do an evaluation.

    I said, well, we can either look at the cars or I can leave. He said well we have everyone do the evaluation.

    I turned, walked away and we left and went across town to town and country toyota where the guy was super duper nice and showed us the cam hyb and a v w ATP that they just got. They did not have a c though.

    Those guys are out of their dang minds, and i'll be filing a complaint with toyota corporate on monday morning!!
     
  2. dustoff003

    dustoff003 Blizzard Brigade #003

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  3. Yogi56

    Yogi56 New Member

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    You don't "wanna spend a bunch of time" but a sales person is supposed to spend at least an hour or more of their time test driving the entire hybrid line with you? Really? Sounds like you got the response you deserved.
     
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  4. Rhizzlebop

    Rhizzlebop Member

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    Yogi, you're clearly just not very sharp. Good luck to you if you think thats proper business practice for selling cars, or anything for that matter. Maybe thats the perfect sort of dealership for you and they can take you for a real financial "ride".
     
  5. NYPrius1

    NYPrius1 Active Member

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    Good For You! I Would Have Walked Also. :cheer2:
     
  6. Keiichi

    Keiichi Active Member

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    Not to defend the dealership or Yogi, as I perfectly understand where you are coming from. However, I think what that dealership was trying to do was mitigate putting milage on three cars. Depending on the stock, most people will want cars that haven't gotten a lot of milage on it before it is bought. If their stock is low and they are trying to sell off the lot, reducing the number of miles driven for a 1 car sale over three cars would be ideal for them.

    I know for the dealership I was with to get my car, I was actually up front about not wanting to tack on additional miles on another car after riding the Prius v 3 or wanting to take one home when I was leaving, as I wanted to think it over a bit before I jump in. Of course, they were trying to make a sale, and not sure what the other dealership was trying at all short of they probably wanted to do more of 'what's a good fit for you' instead of putting about 3 to 5 miles on each of the cars to get you to buy one particular one.

    Anyways, in this case, they should have at least explained beyond pushing you to 'evaluation'... It suggests to me they were probably doing a bit of profiling and they shouldn't have.
     
  7. Yogi56

    Yogi56 New Member

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    You treated the salesperson as if their time wasn't valuable but your time is. Let us know which dealership embraces your "don't wanna spend a bunch of time" but let's drive all of your cars approach.
     
  8. Rhizzlebop

    Rhizzlebop Member

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    keichi, You have a point, but a few miles on a few cars is the cost of doing business in my opinion.

    Its ot like I rolled in there and said let me drive a Tundra double cab, a prius c and a Land cruiser limited.

    All hybrids, all relatvely fit a similar need class and I havnt seen a c or a 2012 hycam (any hy cam for that matter in person) yet and wanted to compare.

    I'm 32, look 35. My gf is 32 and looks 30.
    I was in shorts and a tshirt. She was dressed nice. We were in her 2010 sonata. If they profile over that they are d&^n fools. I'm an engineer and gf is a teacher w masters and I can buy any car they have on that lot when I'm good and ready. They have really pi$$ed me off.

    As I walked off I informed him I'd spread the word as far as I could.

    Just unbelievable. I HATE being sold anyway. But een if I was up for an evaluation, no eval will tell me if my knee annoyingly lays against the center console in a c or hy cam where its free and clear in a v.

    I can see them attempting a standard procedure or practice. But when I made it clear my intentions, they should have been willing to support the customer. No less, there are lots of dealers and I have no prob oing elsewgere, I just culdnt see a c this weekend cause the other dealer didnt have one.

    The nerve.......I'l be calling corporate and the JM distributor on monday and I hope it gets back to someone that it was me.

    I'm still telling people about my crappy experience at a mitsubishi dealer in columbia from when I bought my trailblazer in 03'. No Jim Hudson Mitsubishi, or Jim Hudson Hyundai, or any other line Jim has!!! See, there I o again, letting word of mouth marketing throw its weight around.
     
  9. Keiichi

    Keiichi Active Member

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    You could also take it up with the manager as well as the head office. But right now, I am only hearing the one side so I am trying to play 'Devil's Advocate' on the whole thing. Right now you are coming from the situation of a really pissed off person and can understand the need to warn people off.

    The other thing is, while an eval won't tell you if your knee will lay against the center console, just sitting in the car, not driving it, would do the same thing as well (Sorry, devil's advocate kicking in once again).

    The only real benefit a 'test drive' will do is give you a feel of the car when it is in motion, the sound of car when it is on the road, limited to where you are driving at the time. Based on what you stated, one of the major deciding factors is done literally with stating, "Hi there, I am curious about the Prius c, v, and the Camry Hybrid. I don't have a lot of time, but can we have a look at them? Especially just being inside one for me?"

    If he wants to push an evaluation, then you state, "Sorry, as I have said, I have little time, but basically, I would like to see how I would sit in the cars..." Explaining what might be your deciding factor.

    It may coax them along to understanding, "Oh, well, you are focused on this as a decision."

    The thing I see here, is that you were in a rush, you wanted drive them. I found when I looked at the Volt and the Leaf... I actually backed away from wanting to drive them, which sort of coaxed them to offer a way to sell me. Of course, I was also fairly single minded in looking at one particular car instead of three and in my looking at the Prius... I voiced my curiosity with the v, and my apprehension with the standard Prius (like my feelings about the rear window).

    I think you could have been able to mitigate that evaluation with them with some quick small chat like that, even though you were under a time constraint. But then again, I wasn't there to see what happened and maybe that wouldn't have worked either... Just for now, going off from what you stated, I would think that maybe something more seemed to lean that way.
     
  10. Rhizzlebop

    Rhizzlebop Member

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    I will try to do that for you Yogi, but it wil be tough to keep track of the list.

    So far, in my 10 years of car ownership and purchasing it would be

    Love chevrolet in columbia sc
    Bob Bennet ford in columbia
    Dick dyer toyota columbia
    JTs kia, columbia
    Lexus of columbia
    Town and country ford in greenville sc
    Lynn cooper ford mercury sc
    Volvo of columbia
    Hona cars of columbia
    Town and country Toyota in charlotte nc
    Dick smith Nissan in spartanburg sc
    Herndon chevrolet in columbia sc
    Ford mercury dealer in spartanburg (cant recall the name)


    I'll add to the list for you as I think of more.
    Mind you these are not all from recent looking. This is my history with dealers, all have been fine except a couple. Scott clark is currently the worst!!!

    Yogi, I'm trying to help them out, because I know I'll never buy if I don't test drive. I know I wont buy if they try to "sit down and look at financing" or any other tactics. So I try to let them know, i'm a customer who wants to see the merchandise and if you treat me right I will remember that when I go back ready to buy somewhere.

    If I lead them on and say, well, I might buy today, then they waste twice the time sitting me down only to irriate me and leave zero chance of me buying from them because of their tactics.
     
  11. The Electric Me

    The Electric Me Go Speed Go!

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    Ughh...

    That story, while very unique...feels very familiar.

    I just think the growing evidence is that there needs to be a different way to purchase vehicles.

    I realize that for a dealership, and even a salesman to survive, they MUST sell vehicles. But the problem is people like to look, and browse and compare, sometimes leisurely...and that is counter to what most dealerships want you to do. Which creates tension, if you show up on a Saturday and admit you just want to look.

    I almost wish Toyota offered "Test Drive Centers" totally separate from dealerships, where models were available for comparison and long test drives, without the idea of selling the vehicle even attached.

    It's the reason purchasing a vehicle for me is a long and usually painful process. I hate the bleeding swimmer in the shark infested water feeling I almost immediately get the moment I park in a dealership and step outside my car.

    No...not always...but way too often. The whole dealership, salesman, haggle, model is broken or too easily corrupted IMO.
     
  12. Rhizzlebop

    Rhizzlebop Member

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    Keiichi, again you make reasonable points.

    First, sitting in a car will help, driving tells all. I eliminated the lexus ct when I drove it and the engine seemed very strained and it didnt glid on the highay. It felt like it slowed down really fast when you let off the gas.

    I eliminated the honda fit when I drove it and the ride was just too rough and bouncy.

    I eliminated the prius when I sat in it because ofthe console issue but I drove it anyway to A ensure it bothered me and B compare cabin noise to the v The v is in fact quieter but not as quiet as the hy cam.

    To your other point about talking to the manager, myself and the sales guy, after exchanging the first few sentences earlier, we stepped toward the building to locate a manager and two guys passed us. One turned back and said is there a problem, that he was one of the managers. Thats when I explained my request to him as stated above. He reiterated the evaluation jazz and thats when we left. I felt no need to go any higher there because I was too ticked off to think about ever buying from them at that point. It was best I leave before getting more angry and using bad words.

    I'll have my peace when I explain the [ractices with corporate and the supplier on monda. If they support their actions then so be it, but i'll make darn sure they know about these practices.
     
  13. Yogi56

    Yogi56 New Member

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    There was, it was called Saturn. No haggle, no commission, but it didn't work out too well. The cars and economy probably had something to do with it. I suppose some people don't like being "sold" but even fewer walk in and pay MSRP to avoid the sales dance.
     
  14. The Electric Me

    The Electric Me Go Speed Go!

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    Actually, my Dad bought a Saturn years ago. And I don't think Saturn failed because of the One Price approach.

    I just know, that like the OP, if I had drove on to the dealership lot, with the intention of wanting to simply compare and look at vehicles and was presented with a "You Must Come Fill Out a Form"? I wouldn't be happy.

    I think the fundamental problem is for most consumers, choosing and buying a vehicle is a process.

    However for most dealerships...selling the vehicle is the vital end to their own survival.

    Similarly to the OP, I left a Honda Dealership never to return, because during my buying "process" I dared to show up on a Sunday, with the primary goal of just wanting to compare models and access storage and hauling size.

    When I was "honest" with the salesman, and told him I wasn't there to buy, I was treated like a pariah.

    I was told I shouldn't of showed up on a Sunday, I shouldn't expect to be helped....because other people were buying...and the salesman actually told me I was taking food from his childrens mouths, because he could be helping somebody else that was closer to buying....

    I admit from HIS P.O.V. this all might be true. BUT it still is no way to treat a customer and potential buyer...even if that sale is months away.

    I eventually bought my Honda Fit from a totally different dealership. (Unfortunately also a poor experience, but for different reasons).

    The only way I think you fix this dynamic is to separate "Sales" from "Browsing and Looking".
     
  15. Yogi56

    Yogi56 New Member

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    Well, as someone in sales (not auto) I appreciate your frequent contributions to the economy! (seriously). You buy more cars than I do :). I can tell you that our Prius is the first Toyota we've purchased and it now has 7,000 miles with zero issues, not even a rattle or squeak.
     
  16. Rhizzlebop

    Rhizzlebop Member

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    Yogi, glad you're enjoying the v. To be clear, I did not buy from all those dealers. I looked at cars from all those dealers the few times I was in the market to buy over a 10 year span and all of those were pretty pleasant experiences when I politely set my expectations of the visit.

    That hy cam I drove today was really good. Super quiet cabin, roomy, plenty of power. The v is quiet but not quite as, and sits up higher which i like.
     
  17. Yogi56

    Yogi56 New Member

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    The New Camry Hybrid seems like a real value for a full size car. Might be worth the mileage penalty for the comfort. Still great mileage though.
     
  18. Rhizzlebop

    Rhizzlebop Member

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    I havn't done all my homework on the hy cam, but we drove an LE with cloth and no nav.

    I'd prefer both, but he didnt have one. I told him i preferred the xle right up front and he said fine hed look for one. He didnt have one and I said fine, I'll drive the LE as I want to get a feel for it.

    I was surprised that the ride was smoother than the v actually.

    As for mileage penalty, I do not know.

    its rated at 43/39. The sales guy said it had gone up quite a bit over the 2011 model due to something or other. The v is rated at 44/40. If those speak to real world numbers then its hardly a penalty at all.

    I see lots of v drivers exceeding eps. I think I need to find a hy cam forum and see what those guys are getting in the 2012 models.

    I have also heard complaints of no trunk room in the hy cam. To me it looked as big as my gf's 2010 sonata trunk.
     
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  19. Yogi56

    Yogi56 New Member

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    We've actually gone through the Internet dept. for our last 3 purchases. It seems like the California dealers have given them the freedom to get to the bottom line with a minimum of hassle. We ended up just under a $1000 back of invoice on our 2011 IV with a couple of emails. May have been more to get but we were happy with that and the dealer made some money with holdback and factory incentives.
     
  20. ScottClarkToyota

    ScottClarkToyota New Member

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    I want to take a quick moment to respond to the original poster.  I am actually the owner of Scott Clark Toyota.  

    I want to apologize personally for the experience you had at my dealership today.  I can assure you that I am completely mortified reading this and will work vigilantly to determine who you dealt with so that I can discipline them (in fact, please email me the name of the salesperson).  When you sign up for automotive retail sales, you sign up for assisting customers even if they make it perfectly clear from the onset that they will not be buying a car from you anytime soon.  And even if it means that you will likely miss sales and income on an extraordinarily busy Saturday.

    Having said that, I what to make clear that what you describe is a complete anomaly.  How do I know that?  Because you simply can't accomplish what we have accomplished by consistently treating customers like the way you were treated.  The marketplace is simply too efficient at rewarding good business practices and too ruthless at punishing poor business practices.  Today alone we delivered 47 cars (11 were Prius).  We have done service and/or sales business with over 55,000 unique customers in the last 36 months.  We are the number 18 volume dealer nationally for Toyota out of over 1300.  We are a President's Cabinet dealer which is Toyota's HIGHEST honor and distinction awarded to the very BEST 12 dealers in customer service among the highest 60 volume dealers.  We are literally number 1 in retention in Southeast Toyota which means our customers come back at a higher rate than any of the other 176 dealers in the Southeast. I could literally go on and on and on, but in the interest of everyone's time, I will respectfully refrain.  

    And so I am hopeful that you understand that just because one of my 218 employees was not customer friendly today, it does not NECESSARILY mean the other 217 are not customer friendly either (nor does it mean that the person you dealt with today is necessarily ALWAYS poor at customer service).

    Lastly, I would love to invite further dialogue with you offline.  In fact, I would be willing to make myself available for a meeting with you anytime you would wish to discuss this matter further.  Please let me know if you would have a mutual interest in doing so.  Have a terrific weekend and once again I respectfully and sincerely apologize for what happened today.

    Chris Cady
    Managing Partner
    Scott Clark Toyota
     
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