I walked in @ Metro Honda in Montclair to test drive a 2003 Honda Odyssey with leather, "priced to sell" 21,900. I liked the vehicle and sat down with Dan to talk about a trade. I didn't bring my car because it was a sure way I wouldn't get pressured into a car. But, if it was good enough I would come back the next day and follow through.
Shortly after Dan takes my personal information, some sales manager named Gil sits down and takes over to "close the deal." I have a 660 Fico with a lease to trade... 2003 Honda Accord Coupe, Black w/black leather, 18,000 miles over my lease agreement[. 15 cents per mile], payoff 20,518 [kelly blue book trade 14,600].
First it was like he was testing my stupidity and suggests that I keep my lease AND buy the Odyssey? So since we didn't go for it he tells me put 2,500 down and $592 for 72 months and the interest rate would be in the "single digits".
Hmmmm. He wants me to pay $42,624 by the end of my term for a 21,900 priced vehicle. He insists this because i'm upside down. Oh yea before I forget, he said he was going to make this deal WITHOUT appraising my vehicle, like he was doing me a favor. He tells me "late at night is when you get the best deals." I told him I didn't want 72 months and he said that it was impossible to do 60 months in this situation. Then he says 490 for 72 months, charging me now ONLY 13,380 for my trade.
He said my interest rate would be 8.9 with a 660 fico. I told him that there would be another dealer that would get me into an oddyssey at a fair trade.
By this time he's not as nice anymore and says in a annoyed tone " Well, how do you know there's gonna be another dealer that would do that?!" I replied, I'm sure there is but I won't know until I leave there to find out." He gets up and walks away and yells in the sales office [this is at 11 pm now so it's just us] "She doesn't know! She doesn't know!
I walked out saying "what I do know is that you just lost a sale!"
THE NEXT DAY that first salesman Dan calls me and asked me what it would take to mke it work. I said 440 monthly for 60 months. He said the 60 months was impossible. I told him i was sorry he felt that way and he said it was a fact. He said that if I do get a dealer to do 60 months to call him because he's very interested on exactly HOW they could do it.
My boyfriend took me to Norm Reeves because his friend got a good deal there years ago. So we go in and the salesman [Bruce] begins to show us all the odysseys on the lot. After test driving a couple I found one that I liked. 2003 Odyssey with a red sale tag for 21,949. We go in and begin to talk about the deal.
We go through some numbers and SURPRISINGLY he makes sure I am following him [even explaining things 3 times]. Most of the time the salesman are trying to throw so much at you so you become overwhelmed. Well the numbers looked good and I went back to pick up my car so they could appraise it.
To make a long story short, Norm Reeves offered me 592 for 60 months and 2,000 down [7.9]. I told them 550 and I would do it. The sales manager came back and said he has EVEN a better deal than 550...$524 for 60 months and the rate would be 4.9%!
All I was looking for was a fair trade out of my lease! We made the deal and drove off!
Norm Reeves Honda was the ONLY place I NEVER felt pressured into anything. They actually treated me like a VALUED customer, not someone they could rip off. I am in the loan business and understand everyone has to make a profit but the customer has to get a good deal too. I was never trying to get a car under invoice or expected them to roll in an absurd amount into the loan.
Looks like Dan & Gil should go to Norm Reeves Honda and learn a few things about making a sale.
Kristin
Pico Rivera, California
U.S.A.
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