What's in your dealership?

[nissangirl74]

a receptionist desk? a few of the most popular model cars? cubicles for the sales guys? Sounds about right. However, there are some dealerships who are going all out with restaurants, cafes, espresso bars, hair salons, boutiques, putting greens, a county clerk office, and A WEDDING CHAPEL???

I understand the whole concept of not wanting a potential customer to leave the facility for any reason wihtout making a deal but damn. Really?

Rick Case Honda

Another Honda dealership sporting a café on the premises is Rick Case Honda, a six-story operation in Davie, Florida with 1,500 cars under the showroom lights.

Besides the handy café, there’s also a barbershop, a County Clerk of Courts office that provides services such as marriage license applications, driver’s license reinstatement, traffic citations payments, and a Chapel for wedding ceremonies. Open daily, I-75 at Griffin Road, 15700 Rick Case Honda Way, Davie (877) 527-6510

[Jesda]

My Saab dealership is full of sadness and anxiety.

[OriginalWheelman]

Saab dealerships have suicide booths, but they're for employees only.

[Bubba1]

As compared to Nissan dealerships which have many dusty unsold Murano Cabriolets.

[Jesda]

The 180,000 square-foot facility -- built on the site of a former mall that's just down the street from an older Lexus dealership -- holds 700 vehicles, including 25 in the showroom. The repair shop has 67 service bays and is air conditioned, and the technicians' lounge has a flat screen TV -- perks than benefit the workers behind the scenes.

"That makes a big difference in the ability to draw talent," said Cliff Brush, the dealership's general manager.

Sales have increased due to the new facility, Brush said. In November, the new store sold 335 vehicles, up from the 199 vehicles sold at the older dealership in November 2006, Brush said.
...
He noted that some people will drive longer distances to check out the dealership, while others may not care about the added amenities, preferring to get their loaner and leave rather than sit in a massage chair while their car is being fixed.

"It's easy to sit back and think that Lexus buyers will pay," Denove said. "We find every day in our research that luxury buyers are the most aggressive, price-sensitive buyers on the market."

http://www.usatoday.com/money/economy/2 ... 4339_x.htm


There's some Cadillac, Infiniti, and Acura dealers that could use a few upgrades. Lexus offers the most luxurious sales and service experience anywhere.

[nissangirl74]

Too bad their cars aren't all that. I'd rather have a Cadillac any day. Sucky gas mileage and all.

[MinisterofDOOM]

Crummy hours are what's in my dealership.
Saturday everything's closed but parts, and they're only open 9-3. FAIL.

But it's not really a problem since I do most of my own work and rarely buy dealer parts. Still moronic to have everything closed on the one day your customers are most likely to have time to give you their money.

[Bubba1]

One of our local Toyota dealer made a similar giant expansion a few years ago. The facility is quite large, impressive looking and includes pickups/dropoffs are now under a roof, luxury waiting areas with massage chairs, internet cafe, etc etc. The problem I foresee is what this dealer has already begun doing. To help pay for all this crazy stuff, the dealer ended up dumping all of their experienced expensive mechanics and replaced them with inexpensive, cheap, fresh out of school kids, who barely know what they're doing. I know this because many of their experienced mechanics approached my friend, a GM for an independant repair shop, looking for jobs. I also noticed a big time jump in parts prices at this dealership. They also raised their labor rates.
I was caught off guard when I purchased a simple lighter/accessory base for the second time. (a friend burned mine out with his tire inflator that he had bypassed his fuse) First time, it was a $35 part before the expansion. Post expansion price was $85.

This trend is bad news for anyone who is silly enough to depend on a dealer to repair their cars. The quality of workmanship is going to drop, and you're gonna pay for it in other ways.

[bigbadberry3]

Not a single car I would buy....

[PapaSmurf2k3]

All my dealerships are filled with ***holes. I'd much rather have them save the money spent on making a Taj Mahal and actually treat their customers right, and hire knowledgeable people.

I shouldn't know more about every car on the lot than the salesman.

[Gold Digger]

Our Mazda dealership near our house doesn't have all that, but what they do have are two mid 90's FD3S's for the wonderfully low price of $23k and $26k. One blue, one white.

OOOH...they also have one FC3, non turbo, bone stock, 1987 model year for an incredibly mindboggling...wait for it...$28k.

Seriously...really?

Reminds me of the AE86 I saw while the wife and I were looking for a car last year before we bought our Mazda.
1985 AE86 GT Apex, bone stock, for $15K. WTF?

[4cefed]

There was a Buick dealership near Milinocket ME that had a brandy new 87 Grand National.... and a lot of security.

[nissangirl74]

I shouldn't know more about every car on the lot than the salesman.

Neither should I.

[PapaSmurf2k3]

Yeah, I could see myself knowing more about Titan, Armada, NV, and I guess Xterra/Frontier... possibly Altima, but hell, even going to Toyota dealerships (or any make for that model), I often find myself SCHOOLING the guy that is supposed to know all this. It's their effin JOB to know this stuff!

I just keep thinking "man, if I sucked at my job as much as you sucked at yours... either I would get fired, or people would die".

[AppleBonker]

This ^.

It's not like there are that many models. And they aren't even required to know anything about previous models (unless there happens to be a used one on the lot). Many times I'm floored that I know more about the products being sold than the salesman at car dealers, A/V stores and computer stores. This is a hobby of mine. It's a job for you. There is no excuse that with a part-time hobby I'm that much more knowledgeable than you at your full-time job.

And, for reference, I'm not saying I know a ton. That's what makes it scary.

[nissangirl74]

When I went to drive the 2012 Edge, I knew more about it than the sales guy did. All I did was look up the descriptions on the Ford website. How is this not required reading???

[BusyBadger]

How is this not required reading???

Operative word...READ. I've seen the calibre of the sales staff at my local place. Every time I pull up in my Z and get out I see one or two of them swoop my way like vultures towards roadkill until I say,"I"m just here for parts, guys" and then they scuttle back to their perches. Love the parts staff though, they're all knowledgeable and well read, I even heard one explaining to a kid what a helicoil was and how to use one to get out a broken spark plug - even though it wasn't going to net the dealership and money.

If the sales positions were knowledge based they would "promote": the parts guys to sales but they'd be far too smart to take the job.