[FourWinns]

My wife is looking to buy a Chrysler Town and Country, she has test drove, knows what she wants, now we just have to find a dealer who wants to sell a car and will return our calls. The dealer in Rochester Hills where she did the test drive is not calling back after 6 calls, last time my wife spoke to her she said she was just too busy.

We are not doing cash for clunkers, we don't even have a trade, this deal shouldn't be that hard. We had the same problem at Ford, that is why we are dealing with Chrysler now. I guess the news is wrong, these car companies are doing better than we think.

Send me a PM if you want to sell a car, we are buying one this week. I may visit a Toyota dealer next.

 

[PhatCat]

From what I heard, all the dealers are beyond swamped with CFC. They are not even calling around to check for inventory that they don't have, let alone returning calls. I would wait a week and then try again, or just go in. People sitting in the dealership cannot even get a salesman. I'm sure phone calls are not on the top fo the list this week.

 

[3crabs]

You must know the cash for clunkers disaster has Chrysler dealers starting waiting list for people interested in cashing in. On the local TV news they were reporting most dealers have sold their inventory, and because of the recent take over disaster by the government, production has been shut down for months now and has just started reshipping inventory...but they are not going to be able to meet production demands....many I spoke to the work for Chrysler are now working OT.

 

[SEMIJim]

The dealer experience you're having is the same kind of thing that resulted in me buying my first foreign-made car, 25-30 years ago. It happened again, several years later, being one of the reasons I bought my second "import." For the next car: I didn't even consider any of the Steadily-Shrinking-Three.

Being in the automotive business, myself, and being a consumer: I've seen first-hand what's resulted in the current state of the Not-So-Big-Any-Longer-Three from both sides. From what I've been seeing, I'm not at all certain they've learned anything from recent history.

Pretty sad.

Now that we have a small power-boat that needs towing, we're in the market for a small-ish tow vehicle. I've insisted that it be an "American" brand, but I'm doing that with great trepidation. If whatever we end-up buying (leaning toward a Chevy TrailBlazer or Blazer) lets us down, it'll be the last Detroit-3 vehicle I ever buy.

Jim

 

[FourWinns]

We are not trying to do cash for clunkers, we don't even have a trade in. We are pre-approved, we just need the car.

 

[KMC]

" I didn't even consider any of the Steadily-Shrinking-Three."

So you punish the whole company and all those engineers, designers, assembly workers, cafe workers, lunchwagon workers and all their suppliers because of the independent dealer(s)?

Those companies (unfortunately) don't have a LOT of control over the small-business dealer owner. Those small businesses WOULD go out of business and cease to exist if they gave that service to all their customers and competing dealerships would fall into fill the gap. Taking your business to a different BRAND, tell the world (investors, pundits, etc) you didn't like the BRAND, not the DEALER(s).

Not ALL dealers treat their customers that way!!! You HAVE options!

 

[3crabs]

QUOTE(FourWinns @ Aug 2 2009, 12:06 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>We are not trying to do cash for clunkers, we don't even have a trade in. We are pre-approved, we just need the car.

I guess its just bad timing. Most dealers are running skelton crews. GM Saleman I spoke to at a birthday party a 2 weeks ago said his dealer sold "6" cars last month.

 

[Powerboat1]

QUOTE(KMC @ Aug 2 2009, 11:22 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>" I didn't even consider any of the Steadily-Shrinking-Three."

So you punish the whole company and all those engineers, designers, assembly workers, cafe workers, lunchwagon workers and all their suppliers because of the independent dealer(s)?

Those companies (unfortunately) don't have a LOT of control over the small-business dealer owner. Those small businesses WOULD go out of business and cease to exist if they gave that service to all their customers and competing dealerships would fall into fill the gap. Taking your business to a different BRAND, tell the world (investors, pundits, etc) you didn't like the BRAND, not the DEALER(s).

Not ALL dealers treat their customers that way!!! You HAVE options!

I bought a 07 Grand Cherokee fully loaded with a Hemi,
1. Stitching in the driver leather seat came apart first 6 months.
2. Air Bag System needed repair first 6 months.
3. Never had a flat tire in 30 years of driving, 4 flat tires in 2 years.
4. The headlight bezel inside the lamp area melted on both headlights 2 weeks ago. I realize it is 104 here in Texas, but I would think engineers and suppliers would have that worked out.
5. Wipers lasted less then 10 months.
It was a cheap product, period.

So, looking to buy a new vehicle, what are the options? Not interested in supporting socialism so GM and Chrysler are out. I also lost on the GM bond issue.
I guess Ford is the only choice.

 

[SEMIJim]

QUOTE(KMC @ Aug 2 2009, 12:22 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>" I didn't even consider any of the Steadily-Shrinking-Three."

So you punish the whole company and all those engineers, designers, assembly workers, cafe workers, lunchwagon workers and all their suppliers because of the independent dealer(s)?
There was more to the choices I made than just the poor dealer experiences. (Yes, there was more than one.) I just didn't want to haul the thread off-topic. (The topic being dealerships.) As for company control of those dealerships: Those dealerships sign contracts with the car companies in order to get product and represent those car companies. If the Detroit-3 really wanted to, they could enforce performance criteria on those dealerships. Honda does it. In the 22 years I've driven Hondas (all two of them, btw), never once have I had a bad dealer experience, either in buying or having had my vehicles serviced. That's because Honda won't tolerate poor performance on the part of their dealerships.

That being said: I'm going to try a Detroit-3 product again.

This will be their last chance, with me, to get it right.

Jim

 

[Jason R]

QUOTE(Powerboat1 @ Aug 2 2009, 12:56 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>I realize it is 104 here in Texas
Holy crap,
Michigan, Florida, Bahamas, Dubai, Texas.
Is there anywhere you don't live Mike?
Hope things are well for you.

 

[Powerboat1]

Hey Jason,
I am down in The Lone Star State, worst drought in 50 years, hottest July since they started keeping records in the 1800's. Over 40 days of triple digit temps. Forcast to be 102 all next week.
I am heading over to Europe in a couple weeks to hopefully cool down.

I followed Comerica and Ted Nugent to Texas. Smartest thing I have ever done, other then get married the second time.
Hope you are having a great summer on the lake.
Your Old Amigo,
Mike

 

[FourWinns]

QUOTE(KMC @ Aug 2 2009, 12:22 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>\

So you punish the whole company and all those engineers, designers, assembly workers, cafe workers, lunchwagon workers and all their suppliers because of the independent dealer(s)?

Those companies (unfortunately) don't have a LOT of control over the small-business dealer owner.

From what I recall the companies do have control over the dealers. The Chrysler dealer that I have dealt with in the past was the 1st call that I made, but guess what, he doesn't sell them anymore. Seems that Chrysler yanked their franchise. Always had good service in the past, but one of those people with no control deemed them not capable of selling cars. Last time I bought a car from them he brought me the car for the test drive and we did the paperwork at my house, I guess the service was not what those poor lunch wagon workers approved of.

At this point I think we may just buy used, that should help the economy.

PS - I was one of those engineers 6 months ago, so don't look here for sympathy.