ScottBMS

I went down to a local Mazda dealership in Central Florida (I won't name names) with the consideration of trading my Mazdaspeed in for an RX-8.

Well, let's just say that the salesman talked me out of the deal. Right off the bat, I knew he was dim. I told him how I miss driving my friend's RX-7 and how I'd love to get a rotary of my own. He then proceeds to tell me this. And yes, this is EXACTLY what he said...

"This is NOTHING like the old RX-7. They have a completely new style of engine called a rotary, they changed the whole body style, and they even made them into RWD!"

Now correct me if I'm wrong, but I don't ever recall there being a FWD or AWD Mazda RX car. Don't worry, it gets worse.

Then we go for a test drive. I tell myself that as long as the car drives like I think it should, all will be well. He let's me pull it out of the lot and onto the main road. The car drives very smooth, yet feels very responsive. I'm impressed by the comfort level of it. The 6-speed seems very tight and smooth also. I don't want to really push the car because it still only has about 35 miles on it and it wasn't even warmed up yet. After about 3 miles of driving, he says we should switch up so "he can show me how the car should be driven".

He then guns it to about 8000 RPM's in every gear until he's doing about 15 over the speed limit. Taking turns unsafely (considering it isn't his car), and just overall abusing the car.

So I asked him to bring me back to the dealer and park the car. As soon as he got it back in it's space, I quickly got out of the car, walked off, and didn't say a word. Then, as I drove off, I saw him saying something to me, but with the windows up, had no way of hearing him.

So, unfortunately, I have a bad taste in my mouth already. It's a shame too. The car WAS very fun to drive, But if he's been abusing all these cars, I want nothing to do with him or that dealership.

nosubstitutec4s

ive got a worse story than that, and ive already been flamed for sharing. The mazda dealer in my area let me drive an 8. I was 15 years old. i redlined 2nd. The salesman then proceded to rip the **** out of the car.

Meowloud

Sorry Scott
Try a different dealership! This guy is talking out of his ****! :p

Don't let one bad apple spoil the car!

ScottBMS

Yeah, I know not all dealerships are like that. The one I bought my Protege from was very friendly. But it's still kinda sad that 2 out of 3 Mazda dealerships have left me feeling sour (Another Mazda dealer wouldn't even unlock the door to the Mazdaspeed Protege for me until I could prove I was ready to buy the car then and there. Acting like it's a Lamborghini and not a FWD sedan).

I haven't given up on the car yet. Just a mild setback.

Also, thanks for moving my thread to the correct section Mr. or Ms. Moderator. Didn't even see this subsection when I made the post.

Meowloud

At least that's better than leaving you feeling 'not so fresh' :D

I contacted (3) dealerships when we bought. We contacted a volume dealership to get a L O W price.. then we shopped closer, and got another dealership to match the price! May want to try that. Oh... and when the guys start acting like *****, just remind them it isn't an exotic!

shigginsrx8

Worst Rx-8 salesmen i had, laughed when i walked in and told him i wanted one, then asked me how old I was, then what I do for a living. Once i responded he was SUPER helpful, but, i would have none of it!

TonyC

i'd qualify as 'worst rx-8 salesman' ever. older late 60s gent walks by: is the rx8 quick? me (thinking dude, it's too fast n too fast furious for you gramps): "it's "balanced", have you considered the auto? it's got a lil less horse power." ex-military gentleman's retort: "i asked if it's quick, SON."

nice going MORON! :D

as far as asking you how old you are and what you do for a living... hey man, these sales guys get JACKED by freeloading types ALL the time. you have to blame the other idiots for establishing the pre-conceived notion that all young buyers are punkasses... they gotta pre-qualify you somehow.

Bankotsu

Thats why you should get a 8 with as low as milege as possible. Those people abusing the car. When I got my car 2 weeks ago almost, it only had 5 miles on it.

mysql101

the worse dealership i went to had a sales person who was bragging how the dealership let the sales people borrow any car on the lot to get 'aquainted' with the cars.

needless to say, the though of my new car being flogged by sales people wasn't appealing. Most of their cars had 50-70+ miles on them.

I didn't bother buying from that dealership.

TheColonel

I went to test drive cars (a number of months ago) as I thought I would be buying my 8 within 2 weeks. I went and drove a Porsche Boxster S which was great. The guy offered the 911 but I declined. (Yes... I know... I should have gone... I'm stupid and have since corrected my mistake ) I then drove a $43 350z drop top. I then went to a Honda dealer, my last trip for the day, asking to drive the S2000. He gave me all this BS about how it was an expensive sports car, and they can't let anyone test drive them, because of mileage, etc etc. Well, whilst he spewed the mindless, rehersed reasons why I couldn't drive it, a 40-55 year old guy pulled up in an s2k w/ a saleman, who then parked the car. I asked "What was he doing?" "Oh, I believe he already signed the papers and put a deposit down. If you want to sign for one I can let... where are you going?" My salesman was puzzled.

Out the door I went...

"Excuse me sir, did you just test drive that car?"
"Yeah, why?"
"I'm thinking about buying one, what'd you think of it?"

We then chatted about the car and other cars, including the 8 which the guy said he would go try along with the 350z now that I told him all about them and what I thought.

I said "So, you're not set on this car yet, are you?"

"Well, no, I mean I like it, it's a (and I quote) 'b$*#! of a ride' but I've got to get approval from the wife first..."

I laughed, and shot a look over at my salesmen who was sweating and pretending not to hear.

I wished him luck with his shopping and he returned the favor.

I went back to my salesman who knew he was caught in his bs and asked if I could schedule a test drive. He began to explain when I interuppted and said, "well would it make a difference if I scheduled it for say, 2020? you know, when I'm older, like that guy, who just took a test drive, and doesn't seem to have signed any papers?"

He paused, looked at me and said "Be honest, you don't even have enough money for a down payment, you're not going to buy this car..."

I laughed and said "Not now, not from you at least..."

I turned and walked out as he said something to me, though I don't know what.

I can't wait to pull up in a $30k RX-8 and ask to see him again about an S2k, just to let him know I'm not in the market anymore...

(Wow that was long)

TheColonel

Another quick story my father told me now. He went to buy a Cadillac back in the 70's when he was young. Got a similar reaction and was asked "How much do you have in your bank account?" He responded "None of your business" and left. A few weeks later he returned in a shiny new El Dorado that he bought from another dealership. The sales manager was not pleased when my father relayed his story to him...

Guess where I got the inspiration to go back to the Honda guy with my new 8?

(That is, if he's even working there still considering the way he treats customers and loses sales...)

AMRAAM4

Aside from his cluelessness on the RX7/RX8 design, I really don't uderstand what the problem was fo ryou to get all huffy. They are SUPPOSE to show you how the car performs, that's part of the cars selling points.

boothguy

Really enjoyable posts from TonyC and The Colonel. While I sympathize with car salesmen to the extent that it has to be really frustrating spending time getting a prospect to the stage of buying the car, only to discover they can't be financed, there have to be more tactful ways of pre-qualifying people.

While hardly a "worst salesman" candidate, my guy's professed knowledge of the 8 took about three hits on delivery day, when I corrected him on general knowledge of the car, and finished up with, "..and of course, spark plug changes only take two plugs..". Me: "um, no.. it's four plugs". Him: "no, it's two..". Me, looking confident: ".. it's definitely four". Him, remembering I told him I have two other rotaries at home: "..four huh? I'll have to talk to Service about that".

Squidward

In my experience, most car salesman know very little about the cars they sell and care only about making the sale. They'll say whatever they can to get the person excited enough to buy the car. This usually includes lots of exaggerations, assumptions, and downright misleading information.

And if they're found out, they could care less about the implications. They have no shame in this sales tactic, after all it's just sales to them.

I found that the younger or informal you appear, the less respect and more bullshit they give you, thinking you'll buy it.. These guys will size a person up in 2 seconds. They're sharks.

gusmahler

I have mixed feelings about Colonel's story. On the one hand, I can understand how the dealers feel. They want serious customers, not people who just like test driving cars.

OTOH, $25-30k really isn't that much for a car these days. An Accord or a minivan costs that much these days. I could see someone refusing to let you drive a $50k or more car, but an S2000?

(I once saw a segment on dealers on a news magazine show. They had two people come up to a BMW dealer to see if they could get a test drive. One drove a Hyundai to the dealer. Another drove an MB. Guess which one got the test drive?)

neofreak

iTrader: (1)

Back in the day.. 1997ish I was shopping for a car -- I think I was 19 or 20.

I was at an Acura dealership looking at the then new Type-R. At that time they wern't giving anyone test drives, and I understood that, it was new, rare, whatever. So a salesperson comes up to me and says "if you buy it and you crash and die you won't have to finish paying for it".

What kind of dumbass remark is that? Too bad for them I bought a new Prelude instead, cost the same and they didn't give me attitude.

Infiniti was bad too, they wouldn't even let me test drive a G20.

Lexus was ok, but then again this was a few years later and I pulled up in a FD.

TheColonel

Here's the problem gusmahler. The S2000 was an option to me. Though I was and still am (I'm never getting my car at this rate ...) leaning heavily RX-8, I wanted to drive the S2000 to see if it's greater performance would outweigh the severe loss of practically, vs. the RX-8. I doubt that it would, but still, I don't buy before I check out all my options. Also, I pulled up in a shiny black '02 $28k Z28, so it's certainly not as if my current car suggest that a $32k S2k was out of my price range. I think my age was the real factor.

Coop '04

That's funny Colonel, I am trading an '02 Z28 also and have received similar responses...

Kinda mad that GM hasn't come through, never imagined getting an RX-8. (until it was one of few options in that segment)