Have any of you read any articles about GM dealers today?

[SDS]

So, I've read a few articles today about the 1,100 dealerships that will not be renewed with GM. It seems every single one has a quote from a dealer that sings a song such as, "All we do is buy their product and sell their product. It's not OUR fault. We are the victims here. This is so unfair." This goes unchallenged in the articles.

 

To that I say, "Really?". You, the dealers, the angels in all of this, had no part in driving away the consumer away from GM vehicles? You all ran good, honest businesses and treated your customers with respect and provided them with a superior buying experience compared to your competitors? Really? All those surveys about how people hated the car buying experience were all liars and you are all victims here?

 

It is unfortunate that a percentage of good people may lose their jobs, but as a whole - auto dealers aren't much more reputable than crack dealers.

[GG]

It is unfortunate that a percentage of good people may lose their jobs, but as a whole - auto dealers aren't much more reputable than crack dealers.

 

Which is obviously why the current administration believes that UAW employees are more important than auto dealer employees.

[erynthered]

So, I've read a few articles today about the 1,100 dealerships that will not be renewed with GM. It seems every single one has a quote from a dealer that sings a song such as, "All we do is buy their product and sell their product. It's not OUR fault. We are the victims here. This is so unfair." This goes unchallenged in the articles.

 

To that I say, "Really?". You, the dealers, the angels in all of this, had no part in driving away the consumer away from GM vehicles? You all ran good, honest businesses and treated your customers with respect and provided them with a superior buying experience compared to your competitors? Really? All those surveys about how people hated the car buying experience were all liars and you are all victims here?

 

It is unfortunate that a percentage of good people may lose their jobs, but as a whole - auto dealers aren't much more reputable than crack dealers.

 

I'd say it was more the product than the dealer. As far as the dealers whining, tough. They were in bed with a manufacture that was destined to crumble, they knew it.

[Alaska Darin]

So, I've read a few articles today about the 1,100 dealerships that will not be renewed with GM. It seems every single one has a quote from a dealer that sings a song such as, "All we do is buy their product and sell their product. It's not OUR fault. We are the victims here. This is so unfair." This goes unchallenged in the articles.

 

To that I say, "Really?". You, the dealers, the angels in all of this, had no part in driving away the consumer away from GM vehicles? You all ran good, honest businesses and treated your customers with respect and provided them with a superior buying experience compared to your competitors? Really? All those surveys about how people hated the car buying experience were all liars and you are all victims here?

 

It is unfortunate that a percentage of good people may lose their jobs, but as a whole - auto dealers aren't much more reputable than crack dealers.

It makes me laugh. I bought a Cobalt for my son - the only thing they really cared about was how I was going to fill out the survey when it was over. Yeah, because I owe you jackasses something.

[IDBillzFan]

Which is obviously why the current administration believes that UAW employees are more important than auto dealer employees.

This falls to the auto dealer employees. If they were smart, they'd have created a union that would have contributed to the Obama campaign, and then they wouldn't be facing these problems.

[pBills]

This falls to the auto dealer employees. If they were smart, they'd have created a union that would have contributed to the Obama campaign, and then they wouldn't be facing these problems.

 

 

nice shot. dumb but funny.

[DrFishfinder]

I believe the American Auto Industry decline began when it somehow became acceptable and "conformance to requirements" to put on 3 bolts where there was supposed to be 4. When the designs were flawed, the materials substandard, the testing a joke and the warranty all but useless. Let's not forget that Asian products were widely considered junk as well.

 

While the Asians worked hard to improve their products, and did, the American Automobile Manufacturers did not. American cars wouldn't last , fell apart, burned up and blew up.

 

Most of us felt that going to buy a new car was about the same as having your wisdom teeth extracted; but longer and more painful. At least if you didn't want your wisdom tooth, you went to one dentist, suffered the pain once and it was gone. If you didn't want a car from Dealer A, you had the hellish task of going to Dealer B, C and D.

 

Everyone shares the blame. Quality, which our fathers, grandfathers and great grandfathers built this country on, was replaced by unmitigated greed. "Quality" became a farce when the requirements were lowered so that junk was "Quality".

 

Sad to some degree, but from where I sit, entirely predictable.

[blzrul]

I believe the American Auto Industry decline began when it somehow became acceptable and "conformance to requirements" to put on 3 bolts where there was supposed to be 4. When the designs were flawed, the materials substandard, the testing a joke and the warranty all but useless. Let's not forget that Asian products were widely considered junk as well.

 

While the Asians worked hard to improve their products, and did, the American Automobile Manufacturers did not. American cars wouldn't last , fell apart, burned up and blew up.

 

Most of us felt that going to buy a new car was about the same as having your wisdom teeth extracted; but longer and more painful. At least if you didn't want your wisdom tooth, you went to one dentist, suffered the pain once and it was gone. If you didn't want a car from Dealer A, you had the hellish task of going to Dealer B, C and D.

 

Everyone shares the blame. Quality, which our fathers, grandfathers and great grandfathers built this country on, was replaced by unmitigated greed. "Quality" became a farce when the requirements were lowered so that junk was "Quality".

 

Sad to some degree, but from where I sit, entirely predictable.

And it could also have been when Ford decided that selling exploding Pintos and paying out wrongful death lawsuits would be cheaper than fixing the problem.

 

Of course Ford has come a long way since then.

 

I think that automakers should establish regional "test drive" centers where people can drive, kick tires, whatever, and then order their vehicle direct from the factory either via an on-site kiosk, or at home via the web. Pricing would be fixed. There would need to be after-market service centers, of course...which is probably where (aside from financing) the most profitable revenue comes from anyway.

[SDS]

I'd say it was more the product than the dealer. As far as the dealers whining, tough. They were in bed with a manufacture that was destined to crumble, they knew it.

 

It is the total end to end experience. Their dealers did them no favors in winning customers.

 

Long story short - I ordered a chevy malibu through the family employee plan. this discount was 14%. If I bought it off the lot the discount was 11%.

 

When I went to pick it up - they tried to give me the 11%. I called the sales person on it and he said there was no difference between the off the lot and factory order deals.

 

Really? I sat there thinking how unfortunate it is that it is illegal for me to jump across the desk and jam my foot down this POS's throat when he is *willfully* trying to steal money from a GM family member...

 

That ended my experience with GM. Forever.

[Chump Change]

It makes me laugh. I bought a Cobalt for my son - the only thing they really cared about was how I was going to fill out the survey when it was over. Yeah, because I owe you jackasses something.

 

I understand what you mean. I think that is a mixed bag. The manufactuers, in an attempt to make buying a better experience for their customers, tie dealer and salesperson bonuses to those damn surveys.

 

Unfortunately, the experience SDS had is very common. I would love to sell cars for a living but can't stand the slimy procedures (most) stealerships employ. There are some very good ones out there though. There is a Mercury dealer where I live that I bought three cars from. They were exceptional and the kind of business I wanted to reward with my loyalty because of my buying experience. But traditionally the turnover rate at many dealerships is so high that they employ many bottom feeders.

[kegtapr]

So, I've read a few articles today about the 1,100 dealerships that will not be renewed with GM. It seems every single one has a quote from a dealer that sings a song such as, "All we do is buy their product and sell their product. It's not OUR fault. We are the victims here. This is so unfair." This goes unchallenged in the articles.

 

To that I say, "Really?". You, the dealers, the angels in all of this, had no part in driving away the consumer away from GM vehicles? You all ran good, honest businesses and treated your customers with respect and provided them with a superior buying experience compared to your competitors? Really? All those surveys about how people hated the car buying experience were all liars and you are all victims here?

 

It is unfortunate that a percentage of good people may lose their jobs, but as a whole - auto dealers aren't much more reputable than crack dealers.

 

Did you say victim? In 3...2...1....

 

http://www.democratandchronicle.com/articl...rea+dealerships

 

Bullard also represents the National Association of Minority Auto Dealers, of which Henderson is a member. Bullard said minority auto dealers have been the last invited to own dealerships and the first invited to leave.

[erynthered]

It is the total end to end experience. Their dealers did them no favors in winning customers.

 

Long story short - I ordered a chevy malibu through the family employee plan. this discount was 14%. If I bought it off the lot the discount was 11%.

 

When I went to pick it up - they tried to give me the 11%. I called the sales person on it and he said there was no difference between the off the lot and factory order deals.

 

Really? I sat there thinking how unfortunate it is that it is illegal for me to jump across the desk and jam my foot down this POS's throat when he is *willfully* trying to steal money from a GM family member...

 

That ended my experience with GM. Forever.

 

Actually, by them doing that they could have lost their franchise. I've seen it happen both on domestic and on import side. As you may recall my family had a dealership in Hamburg, hell I even went to GMI in Flint back in the 70's. I'm out now, but almost thirty years in that business. I've seen your kind of stories happening up and down the eastern seaboard for alot of years. On the other side of that I've seen dealers go above and beyond the call of duty when it comes to abusive and rude customers. Goes both ways, man.

 

Ultimately, it was the product. They had the technology to produce economically cost effective cars and trucks for more than 30 years. They went for the greed, the high profit gas guzzlers, both manufacturer and dealer. But guess what? The customer was buying their shiit. The domino's started tumbling a while ago. Don't even get me started on the over paid union flunkies.

[DrFishfinder]

It is the total end to end experience. Their dealers did them no favors in winning customers.

 

Long story short - I ordered a chevy malibu through the family employee plan. this discount was 14%. If I bought it off the lot the discount was 11%.

 

When I went to pick it up - they tried to give me the 11%. I called the sales person on it and he said there was no difference between the off the lot and factory order deals.

 

Really? I sat there thinking how unfortunate it is that it is illegal for me to jump across the desk and jam my foot down this POS's throat when he is *willfully* trying to steal money from a GM family member...

 

That ended my experience with GM. Forever.

That could have happened at any manufacturer's dealer. But...in fact it happened at a GM dealer and left a very bad impression on you. That is simply putting greed in front of customer satisfaction, which has gotten to be an American trait more and more.

 

In my business, I want to make it easy for customers to do business with me. Satisfied customers come back for repeat business and they bring me more customers. Not rocket science.....very simple.

[erynthered]

That could have happened at any manufacturer's dealer. But...in fact it happened at a GM dealer and left a very bad impression on you. That is simply putting greed in front of customer satisfaction, which has gotten to be an American trait more and more.

 

In my business, I want to make it easy for customers to do business with me. Satisfied customers come back for repeat business and they bring me more customers. Not rocket science.....very simple.

 

 

What is your business?

[Chef Jim]

What is your business?

 

Crack sales.

[Booster4324]

Crack sales.

 

Dammit, I was just about to say crack dealer.

[erynthered]

Crack sales.

 

 

Bastard!!

 

The milquetoast response from him had me curious, you?

[Jim in Anchorage]

Actually, by them doing that they could have lost their franchise. I've seen it happen both on domestic and on import side. As you may recall my family had a dealership in Hamburg, hell I even went to GMI in Flint back in the 70's. I'm out now, but almost thirty years in that business. I've seen your kind of stories happening up and down the eastern seaboard for alot of years. On the other side of that I've seen dealers go above and beyond the call of duty when it comes to abusive and rude customers. Goes both ways, man.

 

Ultimately, it was the product. They had the technology to produce economically cost effective cars and trucks for more than 30 years. They went for the greed, the high profit gas guzzlers, both manufacturer and dealer. But guess what? The customer was buying their shiit. The domino's started tumbling a while ago. Don't even get me started on the over paid union flunkies.

Case?

[erynthered]

Case?

 

 

Meaning? What?

[Kelly the Dog]

Meaning? What?

 

Meaning are you on your first or second case right now.