Well, the topic is okay, so I'll bite.
Many years ago I discovered that the cheapest way to own a car when you're driving 100K-km's or more a year was to buy a used Mercedes, drive it to 300-400K and sell it.
Then in 1997, I was driving a great deal less, and also decided to treat myself to a new car. I went to Weber Motors in Edmonton, where I'd been having my older 190E serviced, and met a salesperson. This was on Tuesday. It was September, and I was driving my 911 turbo. I explained to the salesperson that I wished to come in on Thursday evening to test drive the "new" (updated) C-Class, and if I liked it, would make a purchase that evening. I arranged for my wife and I to be at the dealer at 5:30 sharp.
Well, Thursday came and 5:30 found us at the dealer. Our salesperson was busy with another customer. We waited. And then we waited some more. After 6:00, he finally joined us. I re-explained that I wished to test drive a 1998 C230, and we would take it from there. He (salesguy) explained that he would get a car for use to test.
It was nearly 7:30 before he had me sitting in a car, about to drive off the lot. By this time, I was not the happiest customer, being tired and hungry. I explained that I would consider trading my 190E, and could they appriase it while I was testing the new car. Yes, came the reply.
We arrived back at the dealer at about 8:00. I liked the C230, and decided to buy one. Unfortunately, arriving back at Weber, they had not appraised my car. We waited some more. By 8:30, we were ready to talk deal. I was also frustrated and angry.
I made them an offer. The salesperson, Roland (who still works there, I think) explained that they did not have the exact car I wanted in stock, and we'd have to order it. I said that would be fine. He explained that they would require a deposit. I thought that would be fine, since I was special ordereding a car. He asked for $1500.
At this point, I thought that he had accepted my first offer, and we needed to leave a deposit to order the car. To clarify, I went through it step by step, and then learned to my dismay that he wanted $1500 to CONSIDER the offer I had made. Huh? Pay to negotitate? Not on your life.
Closing in on 9:00, I had wasted an entire evening with this ass-clown, and suddenly there was no way in hell I was going to buy a car from him. I left the dealer angry.
A few days later I visited David Morris Mercedes. Ken Lust, the salesmanager, came to "greet" me. I was driving the old 626 (which I guess wasn't that old then...) and he immediately huffed at me when I explained that I was interested in a new C-Class. He tossed a credit app at me, told me to go home and fill it out, and come back to talk about a new car.
Cripes. No one was going to sell me a car.
I called Mike Edgar in Calgary. He's one of the owners of Hyatt Auto Gallery, and I had met him some time before, and knew him casually. I explained my problem, and he laughed. I asked him if he would sell me a car, and he said yes! I made an offer over the phone, and he interrupted me, explaining that they don't do much dickering, and quoted me a price nearly $250 below the offer I had made. I accepted his offer, and we figured out when my car would arrive, having to be special ordered. I asked if he required a deposit to order the car. "Of course not."
It was December of 1997, and the weather was incredible. It was about +10C and sunny, so I declined having the car shipped, and instead picked up it to drive home. When the car came in, Hyatt flew me to Calgary, picked me up at the airport, and had my car waiting. It was filled with gas and there was a box lunch on the seat. Unknown to me, at my home, a service was busy delivering a gift basket filled with goodies and a thank-you card.
Since that day, my Dad bought a new C-class at Hyatt, my aunt bought a new C-Class from them, my cousin bought a late-model used car from them, my friend Abe bought TWO ML430's and my friend Len bought a new S430. My Dentist traveled to Calgary to buy a new E-Class, and my Dad's doctor bought a new E-Class 4-matic. None of those folks live in Calgary.
Today, I would stick a poker in my eye rather than buy a car at Weber or David Morris.
What's the problem? Why the arrogance? I was in my 30's, and on my first visit to Weber I was driving an expensive German car. I was an existing Mercedes customer as well. Heck, I was wearing a $1500 suit. Where did I go wrong? No Where! The problem lies in the carny-atmosphere that is car sales. Salespeople are treated a disposable dirt by the dealer. Dealers encourage practices designed to pressure "ups" (you, the customer) and it's not restricted to buying a Neon. Even Mercedes dealer's do it.
Now, as to our poster and his Acura dealer problem, it's caused by both sides. I have owned a retail store, and I know about young tire-kicking time-robbing non-buyers. However, it is possible to deal with them politely and possibly they will turn into buyers some day. I had one young "gangsta" white black-wannabe that had been ogling high end in-car DVD gear. I explained that once he was ready to go, to come back and we'd get rolling. I explained about deposits on large systems, and gave him my card. It took all of five minutes, maybe less. Three months later he came in with his riche-rich Momma and dropped nearly $25K.
