I was talking with a Honda salesman while my Ridgeline was having a recall done, old fashioned things like engines and transmissions. Like "what Civics are available with a manual transmission"? He says "just the bottom line versions, LX and Sport, why....nobody wants a manual anymore?"

I said "that Type R over there with the $5,000 market adjustment has one."

"Oh yeah that one does.... but to be honest we don't even talk about engines and transmissions anymore, in fact at Honda sales training they instructed us to not even open the hood unless a customer insists".

How times have changed, I'm feeling old now.

This message has been edited. Last edited by: ridewv,

A couple years back, I was buying a new GMC pickup.
I wanted my sales dude to run me through the features of the truck.
He said "I cant. I have never even sat in one".
And he was a 20+ year GM salesman. Said so on a plaque on his desk.
I should have bailed right then, but I had already signed.
Your Honda experience does not surprise me.

But they can tell you everything you want to know about connectivity.

99.9% of everyone out there wouldn't even know what they are looking at under the hood of a modern vehicle anyway so I don't see it as a negative for the dealer.
What are you looking for anyway? IAC motor, MAP sensor?

quote:

Originally posted by GaryBF:
But they can tell you everything you want to know about connectivity.

This. I have no desire to own a new vehicle. Thousands of dollars invested in gadgets, not on getting you down the road. Car designers these days are more interested in ugly rims and how many phone OSs the stereo can sync with than performance or drivability.

When my wife picked up her 2008 Accord the salesman went over all the features. How to pair her phone, etc.

When I picked up my 2017 Pilot the salesperson didn't do squat.

I'm used to knowing more about car features and options than any salesman I meet at a dealership.

Cars/SUV's/Truck's are becoming appliances.

It's now your job to read the 500+ page owner's manual cover to cover and retain 100% of the information contained therein.

We purchased a new Toyota Highlander last summer. The salesman sat in the car with us for a half hour walking us through everything from setting up the garage door opener to working the microphone for talking to passengers in the rear most seats.

I still text him from time to time to ask about one feature or another on the vehicle. All this technology is great but I’m use to the technology in my 2003 F150 - like the cigarette lighter and power mirrors.

I am sorry to admit that I do not know a great deal about whats under the hood of my truck. I can tell you almost every part in an AR-15 or AK-47, but I am pretty clueless as to the function of every part of my vehicle. Bad for me, especially when my truck needs a repair.

My experience with Ford and Honda salespeople is they don't know much about what they are selling. The Toyota salespeople seem to be really into Toyotas, at least around here.

quote:

Originally posted by Jelly:
The Toyota salespeople seem to be really into Toyotas, at least around here.

Not the one my wife and I visited a few months ago when we were interested in buying a new 4Runner. Every single question I asked the salesman, whether about trim or options or engine or leather seats, he didn't know or wasn't sure. And the answers he did give me were wrong. I knew they were wrong because I obviously researched the truck a little bit before we went there and knew the answers but just wanted some confirmation. When he walked away to talk to his "options guy," my wife turned to me and said this is a waste of our freaking time.

Anyway, ended up buying a Tahoe instead.

Rule of thumb when car shopping. Never rely on sales people for information. Do your own homework before even heading to the dealership. When I get to the dealership, all I need from the sales staff is...

1 - Where is the vehicle I want to look at?
2 - Bring a tag and the keys with you.
3 - Please keep the opinions and feedback to answers to my questions only.

Makes life so much easier. And yes, I'm most sales peoples nightmare customer because I always know more about their products than they do.

People who show up uninformed are a reason there are still car salesmen.

The Mrs. was looking at a new Highlander.

"Where is the GPS?"
"This model doesn't have it"
"Says on line it does"
"Maybe it does, I don't know"

We left.

quote:

Originally posted by 92fstech:
I have no desire to own a new vehicle. Thousands of dollars invested in gadgets, not on getting you down the road. Car designers these days are more interested in ugly rims and how many phone OSs the stereo can sync with than performance or drivability.

I'm with you. I usually don't buy a new car. I prefer to by a used car with a reputation for reliability.

quote:

Originally posted by RHINOWSO:
People who show up uninformed are a reason there are still car salesmen.

Until car sales are automated, the reason there are still salesman are to sell cars and guide the transaction through the different steps. Them being there has nothing to do with the customers level of information. I know about engines, transmissions, differentials, gear ratios etc and when I go to the dealer I know exactly what vehicle I want but I’ve yet to be able to buy a vehicle without using a salesman. My last three new cars I’ve done completely over the innerwebs (picked out car, negotiated price, arranged financing) and drove 4 hours to pick it up yet I still dealt with the salesman.

quote:

Originally posted by bigdeal:
Rule of thumb when car shopping. Never rely on sales people for information. Do your own homework before even heading to the dealership. When I get to the dealership, all I need from the sales staff is...

1 - Where is the vehicle I want to look at?
2 - Bring a tag and the keys with you.
3 - Please keep the opinions and feedback to answers to my questions only.

Makes life so much easier. And yes, I'm most sales peoples nightmare customer because I always know more about their products than they do.

I ALWAYS know more about the vehicles I'm looking at than the salesman. And that was just by me reading the brochure.

They do know all the slick sales techniques and how to manipulate people - they don't know jack about the actual vehicles, in my experience. . .

quote:

Originally posted by Hound Dog:

quote:

Originally posted by bigdeal:
Rule of thumb when car shopping. Never rely on sales people for information. Do your own homework before even heading to the dealership. When I get to the dealership, all I need from the sales staff is...

1 - Where is the vehicle I want to look at?
2 - Bring a tag and the keys with you.
3 - Please keep the opinions and feedback to answers to my questions only.

Makes life so much easier. And yes, I'm most sales peoples nightmare customer because I always know more about their products than they do.

They do know all the slick sales techniques and how to manipulate people - they don't know jack about the actual vehicles, in my experience. . .

Hence the reason I posted #3 above. I neither need or want their opinions / feedback on anything.

My Toyota dealer knows me well enough that when I ask to put a particular car on a lift so I can look at the underside, they do.

They know my primary purchase criteria are repairable by me and no obvious bad engineering.

The Yaris I just helped my child buy is the fourth Toyota we bought there. Its a perfect car for a new graduate, manual windows, door locks, a simple 4 banger 1.5L engine. She can work on it herself when the need arises.

Bought an old Dodge truck recently and there isn't a cupholder or USB port in sight.

Couldn't be happier.