It so happens that my employer owns a large car fleet and novated leasing company. They claim that, because of their purchasing power and volumes every year, they can get cars at prices that dealers cannot beat. There's a catch, naturally. No shop front.
As my current Astra is coming out of lease later this year, it is only natural that I have started to look for a new car. I have gone as far as obtaining some quotes for some cars we're interested in. Looks attractive, no complaints so far. But it's also only natural that one has to see, feel and test drive a car.
So we head off to our local motorcar dealer and are greeted by the smiling vulture - are we buying or are we leasing. My hunch: neither. We're here to perve (excuse the spelling), to squeeze information out of the vulture and to ultimately score (sorry, demand) a test drive. So I reply that we're leasing, because ultimately we are - although technically not through Vultures Inc.
Chatting creatures that we are, we get talking, I'm asked who I work for and once the honest reply hits his ears, the realisation is causing his eyebrows to shift closer together: "aaaah, so you lease through XYZfleet...". Shit - do vultures have to know everything?
But I share my bit of knowledge, that we are not commited to buy through XYZfleet and we are free to seek a better quote, should a sales-driven (number of, as opposed to commission) vulture exist. Does he believe me? Didn't look like. So he asks me to double check! Because he knows everythig about XYZfleet and my employer! What cheek...
And as he painfully takes us through a couple of cars, I ask him kindly that in a month's time I'd like to come back for a test drive or two. A quick nod probably means "whatever" or "I'm not listening" or "we should start charging time-wasters for test drives".
Not impressed. And what's worse, I can see his point. He's an employer of a franchisee, he doesn't give a rat's arse about Mr Motorcar's wealth. He's working his ass off in a market where many are tempted by cheaper novated leases as a result of purchasing power. I do understand.
But the nature of the vulture is well known. Selfish, ruthless, cold... I'm left feeling guilty and he's off to the next couple of customers, off to another sale.
How the hell am I supposed to test drive the car I want and buy it where I want from? Because, after all, it's about ME!
2 comments:
Easy, do what we did:
Go in, tell them you have the cash and that you're about to buy a car but you're contemplating between several models, and watch them lick certain intimate parts of your body and practically beg you to test drive their superior car.
Worked for us, but then again we were telling the truth.
I do have to say that the sales person at the Honda dealership we got the Canyonero from was just great! Obviously, he was working hard to make the sale, but he was definitely quite good at it. We had lots of problems with that dealership, but this guy was (and still is) quite helpful. Shocking, yet nice.
Having to lie is one thing... but a sales guy salivating around my most protected body parts, absolutely out of the question! Shocking and not nice.
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