I'm sure most car sales people are decent people who earn their living in an honest way providing a service that people need. But there are a few bad apples that spoil the whole pie. Let me tell you about a recent experience I had with car salesmen.
Over the period of 6 months I got 4 letters from a particular car dealership saying that because I had done such a good job paying my bills on time, I qualified to either get my current car loan refinanced at a lower rate, or to trade it in on a newer car. Each time I got one of these mailings I called up the dealership, told them I was happy with my car, but that I would like to refinance at a lower rate. And each time they said, 'Well, we really can't refinance your car, but we can get you into a really good deal on a new car!'
Then about 2 months ago I got another mailing from this same car dealership. It said that I had positively won 2 of the following prizes: The first one was $10,000. I knew I wasn't going to get that one. I think the second one was a Hawaiian vacation. I knew that was not going to happen. I don't remember what the third one was, but the fourth one was a fishing pole. I thought maybe this is worth looking into. I was going to buy a fishing pole anyway.
So I went down to the car dealership. I told the salesman that I was happy with my car and I just came because the flyer said I had won two prizes. Well, first of all he told me I had to come back the next day. OK whatever. So I came back the next day and I sat quietly in my chair while this man badgered me with every sales technique known to man. I told him no at least 20 times. He just would not take no for an answer.
Finally, after another 90 minutes of hammering away at me, hoping to break down my sales resistance, he went and got his sales manager. I was expecting to be able to calmly tell the sales manager that I was not in the market for a new car, that I just came down to collect my free prize. But the sales manager was more pushy than the first salesman. The sales manager even tried to lay a guilt trip on me, suggesting that I was wasting their time coming in when I was not really serious about buying a car. Unbelievable!
And you know what the worst part of this was? I never did get my free fishing pole! I got a couple of scratch tickets which turned out to be worth zero, and I got a Wal Mart gift card for $10. It is sales people like these that give politicians a bad name. Or is it the other way around?
