AVOID Scott Clark Toyota in south Charlotte at all cost.

Along with a complaint to TMS USA, you might want to bark up this tree also, http://www.jmfamily.com/Business/SoutheastToyota.aspx



Posted from my iPhone via the Tapatalk app.

 

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.

 

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

 

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.

 

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.

 

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.

 

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.

 

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.

 

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".

 

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.

 

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.

 

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.

 

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