First, let it be known that my father has been in the car business for something close to 30 years, so I'm generally VERY prone to be sympathetic towards any salesman or dealer I deal with.
As noted in my previous message, I won't be actually picking up #1934 until next week, and I'm truly going crazy waiting. (The car is 7 hours away, ready to go, waiting for my day off next week. I haven't driven it or even laid eyes on it.) I'll admit that the anticipation has a certain enjoyable quality, but I've still been trying to get whatever exposure to these cars I can, live or online.
So yesterday I notice that the dealer down the street (about 2 miles from my house) has one, but they are closed. Today I go there and explain to the first salesman who greets me that I'm lined up on one, but that I can't get it until next week, and that I'd love it if he could fire it up for me, and maybe let me drive it. Now, in retrospect, I shouldn't be shocked that they are trying to keep the miles down on the car, but the reaction I got from him was offensive and dented the joy of this experience on a number of levels.
He wasn't going to make any money off of me that day, so even though he was literally doing NOTHING when I walked in, it was clear that I was a horrible pain in his ass to be wasting his precious time with my silliness.
I think he didn't really believe I was buying one. He must have thought I was just bs'ing to get a chance to sit in one or drive one. Ironically, he struck me as the kind of guy who would be unlikely to appreciate the aura that goes with such a car. And I certainly don't mean that to sound elitist or snotty. I'm sure there are people who will feel they appreciate theirs more than I will mine. But these cars clearly come with loads more soul than a garden variety GT or Cobra (no offense intended, if the Bullitt didn't exist I'd be THRILLED with a GT), and he just didn't seem the type to get it. All he saw were dollar signs. (or the lack thereof) He questioned me relentlessly about why I was getting one from Virginia, and when I mentioned I was prior military I don't think he believed that either.
With a demeanor similar to that of placating a small child, he agreed to fire up the car for me, which he did for about 15 seconds, so I could hear the exhaust. (Sweet!) He then shut the engine off and reluctantly allowed me to sit in it for about 15 more seconds, all the while as if I was going to somehow run off with it if he blinked.
I guess I just thought I'd get someone who was truly excited about the car and who would be happy to share the joy. I brought my girlfriend with me, and she REALLY likes the Ford Escape (and makes enough to buy one, though I think she’s pretty happy with her 2K Jetta anyway). She definitely won't be buying one there, as she was more put off by his attitude than I even was. And I'm torn about whether I want to patronize their service department with my own needs after the reception this afternoon. I certainly will never buy a car there. What's more, after explaining to me that it's a very special car (duh) and that they need to keep the miles down, he tells me the owner's son drives the other one around town all the time as a demo. That made me cringe. Somehow I'm doubting that the owner's son takes particularly good care of it, or respects it, but perhaps I show my own bias regarding the children of the wealthy with that assumption.
Please understand that there are a multitude of ways he could have NOT let me drive this car that would NOT have resulted in me leaving pissed off. This was totally a result of the crass and rude manner of the individual in question.
So that dealer has lost my business forever, and thanks to the service department at 2 other dealers in the area at different points in the life of my Thunderbird, that now makes 3 area Ford dealers that I'd rather die than patronize. I'm not going to name them, because honestly, I could have had 3 isolated poor experiences at 3 otherwise good establishments. However, I'm curious if anyone has FIRST HAND good things to say about any particular dealers in this area. Sooner or later I'm going to want dealer service, and I'd like to feel good about where I'm going.
Sorry for the rant, and thanks for letting me get it off my chest.
Joe
<font size=-1>[ This Message was edited by: DHG-1934 on 2001-07-15 09:29 ]</font>
As noted in my previous message, I won't be actually picking up #1934 until next week, and I'm truly going crazy waiting. (The car is 7 hours away, ready to go, waiting for my day off next week. I haven't driven it or even laid eyes on it.) I'll admit that the anticipation has a certain enjoyable quality, but I've still been trying to get whatever exposure to these cars I can, live or online.
So yesterday I notice that the dealer down the street (about 2 miles from my house) has one, but they are closed. Today I go there and explain to the first salesman who greets me that I'm lined up on one, but that I can't get it until next week, and that I'd love it if he could fire it up for me, and maybe let me drive it. Now, in retrospect, I shouldn't be shocked that they are trying to keep the miles down on the car, but the reaction I got from him was offensive and dented the joy of this experience on a number of levels.
He wasn't going to make any money off of me that day, so even though he was literally doing NOTHING when I walked in, it was clear that I was a horrible pain in his ass to be wasting his precious time with my silliness.
I think he didn't really believe I was buying one. He must have thought I was just bs'ing to get a chance to sit in one or drive one. Ironically, he struck me as the kind of guy who would be unlikely to appreciate the aura that goes with such a car. And I certainly don't mean that to sound elitist or snotty. I'm sure there are people who will feel they appreciate theirs more than I will mine. But these cars clearly come with loads more soul than a garden variety GT or Cobra (no offense intended, if the Bullitt didn't exist I'd be THRILLED with a GT), and he just didn't seem the type to get it. All he saw were dollar signs. (or the lack thereof) He questioned me relentlessly about why I was getting one from Virginia, and when I mentioned I was prior military I don't think he believed that either.
With a demeanor similar to that of placating a small child, he agreed to fire up the car for me, which he did for about 15 seconds, so I could hear the exhaust. (Sweet!) He then shut the engine off and reluctantly allowed me to sit in it for about 15 more seconds, all the while as if I was going to somehow run off with it if he blinked.
I guess I just thought I'd get someone who was truly excited about the car and who would be happy to share the joy. I brought my girlfriend with me, and she REALLY likes the Ford Escape (and makes enough to buy one, though I think she’s pretty happy with her 2K Jetta anyway). She definitely won't be buying one there, as she was more put off by his attitude than I even was. And I'm torn about whether I want to patronize their service department with my own needs after the reception this afternoon. I certainly will never buy a car there. What's more, after explaining to me that it's a very special car (duh) and that they need to keep the miles down, he tells me the owner's son drives the other one around town all the time as a demo. That made me cringe. Somehow I'm doubting that the owner's son takes particularly good care of it, or respects it, but perhaps I show my own bias regarding the children of the wealthy with that assumption.
Please understand that there are a multitude of ways he could have NOT let me drive this car that would NOT have resulted in me leaving pissed off. This was totally a result of the crass and rude manner of the individual in question.
So that dealer has lost my business forever, and thanks to the service department at 2 other dealers in the area at different points in the life of my Thunderbird, that now makes 3 area Ford dealers that I'd rather die than patronize. I'm not going to name them, because honestly, I could have had 3 isolated poor experiences at 3 otherwise good establishments. However, I'm curious if anyone has FIRST HAND good things to say about any particular dealers in this area. Sooner or later I'm going to want dealer service, and I'd like to feel good about where I'm going.
Sorry for the rant, and thanks for letting me get it off my chest.
Joe
<font size=-1>[ This Message was edited by: DHG-1934 on 2001-07-15 09:29 ]</font>
