What is this? The main reason I joined is because not even the dealer knew the answer

[HenryMac]

S-15 was a chevy, everyone knows that Chevy is a brand you can trust, "baseball, hot dogs, apple pie and Chevrolet" , so it makes sense they only have honest sales people.

Some years back I went into a John Elway dealership shopping for a car, sat down with the sales guy and discussed pricing - Johnnie Elway's price was substantially higher than other dealerships, so I said no thanks but before leaving I asked the sales guy if people pay more because John Elway owns the dealership. The sales guy broke out in the widest grin I've ever seen on a human and said you wouldn't believe if it I told you how many people do - this is the easiest sales job I've ever had.

I guess P.T. Barnum knew what he was talking about......

Actually S-15 is a GMC. This was at a GMC / Pontiac Dealership. Small town, the dealership only had a 3 bay shop. Awesome place.

I'm a #TheNFLSucks guy and a not a Colorado Native. I've never understood why anybody cares that Elway owns the dealership. Now if Chuck Yeager owned the dealership... and he agreed to take me for a flight in a P-51... then I'd buy from his dealership instead of somebody else

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[dtech]

Chuck Yeager - may he rest in peace. I read his auto biography yrs back and a great read, the guy was a one of a kind and an American icon.

 

[HenryMac]

If the P-51 ride was free with the purchase of a vehicle then yeah! Otherwise those rides are darn expensive. I've considered it many times, especially a ride in the nose of a B-17, but the cost is just so high I've never gone for it.

A friend of mine took a ride in a B-17, the one that later crashed and burned.

 

[Jon Olivier]

Personally, I don't care if the salesperson doesn't know everything, or even anything, about the vehicle. I do, and that's all that matters to me. I didn't go to the dealer to learn about the vehicle, I went there to test drive and decide. I DO care when they try and sell me their BS and make up stuff. I know what I want, just give it to me and I'll be on my way.

Honestly, for me the perfect purchase experience would involve no salesperson at all.

I was the same way when I bought my Ranger. I knew exactly the options I wanted, and found the truck online equipped with my wish list. I called the dealership and scheduled an appointment with a salesman to do a test drive. I told him this truck has what I want, and that's all I will be purchasing. When I arrived at the dealership, the truck was just-washed and ready to go cruising!

 

[dtech]

A friend of mine took a ride in a B-17, the one that later crashed and burned.

Ford built substantial numbers (~7k) of the b-24 Liberator, not sure how many of those are still flying. My father flew in the Liberator and survived the 2nd Ploesti raid in WWII .

 

[Gims04]

The scary part is I'm seeing this more and more since joining the Bronco forum. It seems dealers all over the country have not been trained at all on most of these vehicles. I mean Ford is basically a truck company since getting rid of almost all their cars. There's no reason they shouldn't have someone who specializes in each model. At least then the salesman could ask instead of looking like fool.

One guy said his dealer called him and said he could test drive a Bronco. He specifically asked a full size one? Dealer said yes and everyone on the forum told him he was in for a big let down as NO dealers have a full size one. Sure enough it was a Bronco Sport!

Went to look at a bronco sport the local dealership had and ended up showing and telling the salesman all kinds of info about the baby bronc. The one that jaw dropped me was that he didn't know what unibody was... how do you sell vehicles and not know what a unibody is!?? ?

P.s. not even close to considering trading my ranger in on the baby Bronco.

 

[viperwolf]

Its good you know more than your salesman, it gives you the upper hand in things. However when the techs know less than you, then you start to worry.

 

[gfitzge2]

This is a copy of one of my earlier posts. I don't expect my salesperson to know everything. Just don't try to BS me.


I have dealt with the same salesman for many years and multiple purchases. He is pretty knowledgeable but doesn't try to BS if he is not sure. He also knows I am kind of a tech Geek and I will have researched any vehicle in great detail before I come to see him. He is required to do a delivery check list as part of the purchase. On the ranger I had a few minutes in the truck before he got there. So it went something like this.
Him: I am supposed to help you pair your phone. Me already done. Him: and help you sign in to Ford Pass. Me, done. Him: show you all the features, here is a list. Me, got it. Me, did you know about the engineering screen and the Bezel diagnostics? Him, My work here is done. Enjoy your truck.

 

[jsphlynch]

Ford built substantial numbers (~7k) of the b-24 Liberator, not sure how many of those are still flying. My father flew in the Liberator and survived the 2nd Ploesti raid in WWII .

There are only two B-24s still flying,* and according to the internet neither of them were among the ones built by Ford. Looks like four of the Ford B-24s survive as ground displays.

*According to a friend of mine who is a member of the CAF, only one of the flying B-24s is a "real" B-24 (something to do with the configuration in which the CAF aircraft was built makes it not really a B-24, though I don't recall the details). The one remaining flying "real" B-24 is owned by the same group that owned the B-17 that crashed. I get the impression that, even before the crash, there was quite a bit of resentment in the warbird community over them owning the best surviving B-24 as it was felt that they don't give their aircraft the respect they deserve.

 

[NickTheEnforcer]

For the most part you're right but like anything in life if you apply yourself any career can be profitable. My salesman back east was the best I've ever had. He was very knowledgeable and wasn't pushy, we made several deals over the phone.

I had a realtor I worked with who made upper 6 figures when most were struggling to survive. Now that's a whores market! She was a go getter and very detail oriented and went above and beyond for her clients. To this day I still refer her name to friends who still live back there and they all love her. I guess it what you make of your life and it's obvious that so many are skating through on thin ice.

Agree, I've had decent folks over the years maybe a couple real 'stand-outs', and yes its what you make of it. By all means my opinion was not a dig on them, I started working very young and have been blue collar nearly my whole life. Its an honest living and there used to be times when good money could be had [pre-internet]. But its a revolving door job mostly that does not seem to be very long term or upwardly mobile... so my observations are my own as a guy like all of you who are not trust fund kids... just had to clarify b/c I got some hateful IM's. I think folks are a bit touchy these days.

 

[NickTheEnforcer]

In my 44 years, and over 10 vehicles bought at dealerships I've learned to only trust them to answer one question.

"How much?"

These are salesmen, not enthusiasts for the most part. Fords, refrigerators, RVs, solar panels, doesn't matter to them what they sell.


This, all day.

I stop them now if they try to talk to me about anything other than price.

Its like that movie glengary glen ross thats a good sales movie, most will sell their own mothers and not even include postage. I worked for a new home builder [that the VP of sales was a jerk and used to interview sales folk by saying in the interview, "here is a stapler, sell me this stapler..here is a half drunk cup of coffee, sell me this coffee." I dont get it. Made me thankful for being in construction management and not have to deal with that.

 

[P. A. Schilke]

Yeah, that's another reason to be wary of flying in the old birds. Obviously still a rarity, but they are finicky. I get to fly plenty, working for an aircraft manufacturer, so seeing things from above is covered. And I go to the Oshkosh airshow every year (largest airshow in the world) so I get the in person sights covered there. I think that's why I've never really done it.

Hi Matt,

ex USAF C130 pilot hired into Ford. He and wife bought a Grumman Tiger single engine plane. Tiger had a caster nose wheel. Nose wheel got stuck and he asked me to fix it. It appear not required to be a FAA cert mechanic on some stuff on the plane including the nose wheel. So took apart...cleaned up the dried chunked grease...lubed up, reinstalled, using a fish scale to set the torque per the manual, insert the cotter pin and all was working. Fellow said...how about a ride...not a fan of small planes, I said okay. So out of Metro Detroit we flew out over the Detroit River etc. Then turned around and I heard an "Oh Shit" from the pilot...not the correct words for someone like me. He said as we were heading back to Metro (no small planes anymore) I forgot to squawk and flipped on some switch. I guess we immediately popped on radar. Ground controller told us to watch for an Aerial in our path...I looked out the window to see this huge aerial looming ahead. I freaked out! Pilot banked left and told me....no biggie.... I told him to land now....I want out and never again to fly such light planes.... I autographed my underwear on that flight. Never again...

Best,
Phil Schilke
Ranger Vehicle Engineering
Ford Motor Co. Retired

 

[AzScorpion]

Agree, I've had decent folks over the years maybe a couple real 'stand-outs', and yes its what you make of it. By all means my opinion was not a dig on them, I started working very young and have been blue collar nearly my whole life. Its an honest living and there used to be times when good money could be had [pre-internet]. But its a revolving door job mostly that does not seem to be very long term or upwardly mobile... so my observations are my own as a guy like all of you who are not trust fund kids... just had to clarify b/c I got some hateful IM's. I think folks are a bit touchy these days.

I didn't take it that way at all. Like you I've been a blue collar slave all my life. Being in the trades isn't the most glorifying career especially when you're a painter. You're automatically labeled as a drunk and drug addict. I'm neither and made the best of my career and found a niche doing custom homes and was lucky landing several big builders. I was able to semi retire at 51, probably could fully retire if I stay off this site!?

It's terrible you're getting those IM's. I think sometimes misread others post and interpret it their own way kind of like in text messages. I've received some and was like wtf and questioned them and it wasn't at all what they meant, just how I read it wrong. But yes to many have thin skin today.

 

[Obijack]

Wtf does the title mean? Op go back and change it.

 

[RANGER_MARC]

Personally, I don't care if the salesperson doesn't know everything, or even anything, about the vehicle. I do, and that's all that matters to me. I didn't go to the dealer to learn about the vehicle, I went there to test drive and decide. I DO care when they try and sell me their BS and make up stuff. I know what I want, just give it to me and I'll be on my way.

Honestly, for me the perfect purchase experience would involve no salesperson at all.




The bigger problem here is that the system is setup to take advantage of people. The idea that you'll be punished for being nice and trusting, and have to work hard and be cold and calculating to not get swindled is just horrible.

Just my two cents on "sales advisors" (the beings formerly known as "salesmen"). I have dealt with four in purchasing my last two vehicles (my 2019 Ranger and 2014 Explorer), both from the same dealer. I do my own research through forums, advertising, reviews by the auto press, customers, friends and family, etc. before deciding what I want to buy, and so I do not need or expect the sales advisor to know more about the particular vehicle that I want, and usually, they do not. After all, they have to learn general knowledge about all of the vehicles in their shop and then some. But I do expect them to be straight with me, deliver what they promise, and follow through on any issues that come up after the sale. So far, all four have done exactly that, and so I am assuming that it has something to do with the owners and/or management hiring good people and insisting that they treat the customers correctly, which is not only ethical but smart business. That is why I keep going back to the same place with my business. Unfortunately, there are dealers and advisors who don't work that way, but that is what doors are for [meaning, for leaving]!

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