Mlsstl reminded me that it's not just audio dealers who act this way. I'm in sales for a living, and had a unique experience buying my wife a car.
One Saturday, I drove my P.O.S. company car (it's free- new one every year or so) to the Lexus dealership to buy a Lexus for my wife. I had on jeans, tennis shoes, and a Santana T-Shirt. My plan was to make the purchase with $15k down, leave the company car on the lot, and come back with my wife on Sunday to pick up the POS.
Well, the 20 something salesman refused to let me test drive a car. I could not believe it. His excuse was that since I was buying it for my wife, I should bring her up there for the test drive with me. I pointed out to the guy that my wife hates dealing with car dealers, and that I would make the decision and the transaction.
Even after my explanations, the kid told me to come back with my wife and he would "let me drive a car". He obviously took me for a middle aged underfunded chump who had no business on a Lexus lot.
Unbeknownst to the little shit, my wifes's second choice was an Acura she really liked- and the Acura dealership was directly across the street.
I went across the street and dealt with a guy in his 50's- great transaction.
I bought the new Acura and drove it over to the Lexus dealership. I asked to speak with the kid who had dissed me, and gently explained that one thing you must learn in sales is that appearances can be deceiving, and that every customer should be treated with respect. He did not apologize, or say anything other than I had made a mistake and bought an inferior car.
So basically the kid learned nothing and still treated me like shit. I'm sure he's doing very well in the current economic downturn.
One Saturday, I drove my P.O.S. company car (it's free- new one every year or so) to the Lexus dealership to buy a Lexus for my wife. I had on jeans, tennis shoes, and a Santana T-Shirt. My plan was to make the purchase with $15k down, leave the company car on the lot, and come back with my wife on Sunday to pick up the POS.
Well, the 20 something salesman refused to let me test drive a car. I could not believe it. His excuse was that since I was buying it for my wife, I should bring her up there for the test drive with me. I pointed out to the guy that my wife hates dealing with car dealers, and that I would make the decision and the transaction.
Even after my explanations, the kid told me to come back with my wife and he would "let me drive a car". He obviously took me for a middle aged underfunded chump who had no business on a Lexus lot.
Unbeknownst to the little shit, my wifes's second choice was an Acura she really liked- and the Acura dealership was directly across the street.
I went across the street and dealt with a guy in his 50's- great transaction.
I bought the new Acura and drove it over to the Lexus dealership. I asked to speak with the kid who had dissed me, and gently explained that one thing you must learn in sales is that appearances can be deceiving, and that every customer should be treated with respect. He did not apologize, or say anything other than I had made a mistake and bought an inferior car.
So basically the kid learned nothing and still treated me like shit. I'm sure he's doing very well in the current economic downturn.