AsianGirl007

iTrader: (1)

My old neighbors and 3 Lexus customers called me to get a car for their son who just got accepted to UCLA for pre-med school. Obviously they are very proud and want to reward their only son. The dad wanted to get a IS350, but the son really wanted the G35 coupe in stick shift and asked me to talk the dad into the Infiniti.
They got prices already so I call the salesperson to find out cap cost and money factor. He was so rude and wouldn't give it to me. He kept telling me to "just come in" and said he needed to verify with my friend to give me any "personal" information. Yeah, WTF.
Finally I get the info, did some research and it was a good deal, but being who I am I try to get an extra $200. He promised me over the phone to just come in and he would get it somehow.
We go in and I find out that a spoiler that was discussed by them yesterday is now missing out of the deal and they won't honor their word from my phone call. I asked for one or the other, spoiler or $200. We go back and forth for awhile then.....the sales manager comes out and gives $50 and a spoiler at cost which I know doesn't cost them much in payment because it's residualized. He also said for "this kind of little deal I wouldn't bother to come out of my office and I'd let you walk" and "these cars usually sell for MSRP". Yeah, another WTF.
I stuck my ground but they could see my friends really wanted the car so they didn't budge. Afterward they kept apologizing but I was pissed they lied. I wanted to walk out. Nothing new I guess but my friend is gullible with money.
The end deal was a 12 month lease, G35 coupe stick shift with premium package and spoiler for $3,000 drive off and $340 incl tax.
So glad I'm out of the car business.

bruce van

My brother bought a G35 coupe and his experiences were very different depending on the dealership he went to. I don't know which dealership you went to but he ended up getting his at Mission Viejo Inifiniti.

I guess it really doesn't matter now since your friend already agreed to the lease.

encore888

Thx for sharing, I am very disappointed in how this dealer acted. The minute they play the "I'm doing you a favor" card for something that really is nothing, I will leave. That behavior has no place in any dealership, let alone a luxury dealership.

GSteg

iTrader: (15)

only a 12 month lease?

PureDrifter

iTrader: (10)

i have helped quite a few people purchase cars and the one thing i tell them before i even start is that once we'r at a dealer, if i say Walk out, we walk out, no questions asked.

i have been to the point where i will have a deal worked out (w/tax+reg) before going to the dealer, walk in, and as soon as they realize im the one the talked to (17 but doing this since 14-15 for lil extra $$) they try to change the deal. at this point il rip them apart on things such as professional courtesy, honesty, and demand to see their GM. (a few of which i know now).

but by far, the worst experience i ever had was a Mercedes dealership in SF by Stevens Creek Lexus. the salesman was rude, didnt know squat about the car (02 E320) which is somewhat excusable, and flat out REFUSED to get me the carfax without a DEPOSIT!!!! all he would say is that it was "clean". That was the last straw for my uncle (who i was helping buy a car) and turned him over to Lexus for good. we eventually found him a nice ES at ~$300 over invoice (new).

Ice350

iTrader: (1)

Fortunately, I got a good salesman, it makes all the difference. Plus, my first visit to the shop was excellent. I went in for an alignment after lowering the car and they gave it to me for free. That's usually what I get from Lexus. So far so good with my Infiniti dealer experience.

baddis es

iTrader: (3)

bad deal IMO...its 7200 for one yr, avg of 600/month--if it were a long period lease it would be worth it

Lexmex

I have generally found with Infiniti dealers they seem to lack a lot of information about their own vehicles.

Lil4X

Management has a lot to do with the way customers are treated at the dealership. GM was at one time the worst, but recently Honda's sales force doesn't seem to give a hoot about the customer. They're selling everything as fast as it can be trucked in, and if you don't buy that car at their price, someone else will be along in an hour or so to snap it up.

Lexus takes pride in offering the "Lexus Experience" to its customers. They engineer and manufacture a fine automobile - at considerable expense. This is backed by a development program second to none in the industry. It's a shame that as wonderful as all that expense and effort might be, it's all dependent on the dealer to deliver that experience. Some take it seriously, some . . . well . . .

When I got my first Lexus back in early '00, the first lot I visited was one of the oldest Toyota dealers in the area that had just opened a new Lexus dealership next door. A friend had just bought a new Lexus there and gave me the name of his salesman. I had met him at a the Auto Show the previous month, and he seemed to be a really nice guy. Naturally, he was "out" at the time of my visit, and I should have been suspicious when I was hustled into the showroom. The next guy up in the rotation was a caricature of a car salesman. I swear he came equipped with a loud seersucker suit, white belt, white shoes, and a well-chewed cigar. Do I just attract these guys, or what?

He knew nothing about the vehicle, but was generous enough to let me drive it around the block, while he regaled me with his automotive ignorance. When we returned to the lot after maybe five minutes' of "test drive", he hitched up his trousers and administered the salesman's coup de grace . . ."Wadd'll it take to put you into one of these babies today?", he growled while rubbing his hands in anticipation. I left without a word.

A week later I took delivery of a similar RX from another dealer whose salesperson was the exact opposite. Now Houston, like many cities has several Lexus dealerships, but all are owned by only one or two companies. After a little research, I went to one of the "other" company's dealerships. The difference was incredible.

I had been referred to a sales "team" - two ladies, one the salesperson, the other her assistant. My salesperson was very knowledgeable, helpful, and forthcoming. She gave me a good deal, and threw in extras that were not even hinted at by the other dealer - 30K free maintenance, free washes with service, free loaners, free towing, an introduction to my own service writer who would handle my account after the sale . . . nothing spectacular, but thoughtful touches. Before I drove out with my purchase she placed a small white sticker inside the driver's door frame, just below the manufacturer's data plate. It was her business card, phone number and cell - in case I ever had a problem, she wanted to be called first, 24/7.

I was impressed. I bought my next Lexus from her too - and took a couple of friends over to her for their new Lexus as well. She's become a family friend, and always keeps up with her customers. That's a professional. It's no wonder that team accounts for nearly half the sales out of that showroom. If she ever moves to the Ford dealer down the street, I'm afraid I’m going to be driving something with a blue oval on it . . . and I'm going to have a lot of company.

Lexmex

I found that the best car salesperson I ever encountered was the one who sold me my RX300. I bought it at a Saturn dealer in their used car department. Now, if you could put a Saturn salesperson into a Lexus dealership, that would be a match made in heaven.

ShadyJC

iTrader: (2)

Generally speaking, Infiniti dealers have a long way to go, for both sales and service.

AsianGirl007

iTrader: (1)

The deal itself isn't too bad. I shopped another dealer and they confirmed it. The residual is a whopping 82%, unheard of, and the money factor is .0149, about 3.5% interest, and cap cost is about $300-$500 over invoice. The son told me his friend got exact same deal and car 3 months prior, but payment was about $370 so $340 is good.
I would've walked out instantly but the whole family was there, it was late at night and they are "lay downs" in terms of easy customers who don't like to haggle. The dad's a doctor with plenty of money, he bought a new G35 for his 18 year old son after all.
I looked at manager straight in the face and said "I'm upset you won't stand behind your employee and honor what he told us".
Him: "I don't believe he did. You want me to bring him over and ask in front of you?"
Me: "If he admits it, will you honor it?"
Him: "No"
Me: "Then whats the point?"
Him: "I'm very sorry"
Me: "yeah, whatever"

Service isn't as good as Lexus, no snacks, just bottled water and we were starving that late at night. Also no free car washes, one free oil change but oil changes are every 3,750 miles, not 5,000.
For the record it was Sage Infiniti in Glendale.

mmarshall

Why, Liz? I agree that these people sound like a bunch of jerks, but I highly doubt that you ever treated customers like this....at least not on a regular basis.

AsianGirl007

iTrader: (1)

I'm just glad I'm not associated with that whole industry anymore. Sure it's fun to practice my skills for friends once in awhile and they're always impressed with my tenacity but I'd hate to work at a dealer and have those guys be my boss/coworker. Unfortunately it's pretty much like that everywhere, there's always good people and bad people mixed together.
In any job it's hard to have upper management be uncaring and biased, I had a few at a large un-named dealer I worked for years who now have a 8 page bashing thread about crappy service in SoCal forum. Having bosses who aren't strong leaders make employees stop caring as they aren't setting a proper example.

LexFather

My GS purchase was
1. Look at cars at Hennessy Lexus of Gwinnett for months
2. Found one online finally
3. Call my sales guy, negotiate terms
4. Fax over credit app that night
5. Get called the next morning "Mike pick up your GS 430"

I can't see myself ever buying a Lexus from another dealer unless I get xtra EXTRA 1SICK perks