[harrington]

I just took a cruise through the lot checking out the inventory and I get in to a spirited discussion with a salesman. He tries to tell me that the 335i all wheel drive is available with the same sport suspension available on the 335i. Then he tells me the ground clearance and wheel well gap is no different on either vehicles. He said it is impossible to tell the difference from RWD or AWD. It seems to me that most of the posters here are more informed then the people selling these cars.

[BMWI6]

fo sho

[jewishcubbiesfan]

I have found this the case each time my parent's have bought a new car or my fiancee and I did. Each time, my dad or I always seemed to know more then the salesman. But then again, if you do your homework, read several reviews on the car, you can know the trimlines, engines, and dimensions fairly quickly. But sounds like that salesman is a douche.

[harrington]

Originally Posted by jewishcubbiesfan

I have found this the case each time my parent's have bought a new car or my fiancee and I did. Each time, my dad or I always seemed to know more then the salesman. But then again, if you do your homework, read several reviews on the car, you can know the trimlines, engines, and dimensions fairly quickly. But sounds like that salesman is a douche.

I just can't figure for the life of me why you would not make sure all the salesman are completely knowledgeable about every aspect of every model. I mean it is there job.

[Aurora Bearialis]

Originally Posted by harrington

I just can't figure for the life of me why you would not make sure all the salesman are completely knowledgeable about every aspect of every model. I mean it is there job.

seriously, if I owned a dealership I would make all my sales personnel join forums from the make of the car, so that they would get insight into the cars that would not be available from the manufacturer website.

[Neutrino45]

They don't have to know about the car. They just need to know how to sell. Do you think the Dell, HP, and Apple sales person know every detail about the computers they're selling? No. They are mainly trained on sales technique. You just need to know basic information about the product.

[jewishcubbiesfan]

Originally Posted by Neutrino45

They don't have to know about the car. They just need to know how to sell. Do you think the Dell, HP, and Apple sales person know every detail about the computers they're selling? No. They are mainly trained on sales technique. You just need to know basic information about the product.

yeah but you are comparing apples to oranges. You can't compare car buying/shopping to that of a computer. For most people, cars are their 2nd biggest "investment" and I use that term loosely. I want my salesman to be able to handle every single question I can throw at him about the car that I am seemingly interested in. Not some sales tactic that he will dance around if he does not know the answer.

I would be much more willing to spend a couple hundred bucks or a grand on a computer from a salesman that could not answer all my questions vs buying a 40K car from a salesman who couldnt answer some questions. Absolutely can't compare the two.

If you are selling cars, you should know the product inside and out. And if you don't know the answer, you better go and find out really quickly and do not give some BS answer and try to skate by. Just my .02

[BMW335icDDS]

Salespeople are idiots. Thats why they are salespeople.

[BzsBimmer]

The fact is most people are not enthusiast therefore most people will just sit in and take the salesperson's spiel with a spoon.

It's all about the art of closing the deal.
Sad but true. Very few salespeople will know more than what's available on the internet. Their job is to sell a car, not to describe every detail to the t.

I on the other hand would get to know my product inside and out and use comparisons to upsell my product vs the other products that they may be cross shopping.

[Neutrino45]

Most people are generally focused on the look, how safe it is, is it fast when I test drive it, how's the price, and do I have good warranty? They don't care about every little detail about the car.

I mentioned the computer industry because I know for a fact that the sales people there don't know sh!t. Or at lease not as much as they should. LOL

[JackMac]

Originally Posted by Neutrino45

They don't have to know about the car. They just need to know how to sell. Do you think the Dell, HP, and Apple sales person know every detail about the computers they're selling? No. They are mainly trained on sales technique. You just need to know basic information about the product.

You took the words right out of my mouth.

Most of the people on this forum are enthusiasts and are focused on the details of the E9x. For many of the sales associates, it is their day job.

That said, there are definately many knowledgeable BMW sales people out there, and also several on this forum.

[shaddai]

You think that's bad.. I had a shop foreman tell me my 335i has two different sized turbos. That's bad.

[E90ice]

Originally Posted by BMW335icDDS

Salespeople are idiots. Thats why they are salespeople.

+1

[choopy]

Originally Posted by rameal999

seriously, if I owned a dealership I would make all my sales personnel join forums from the make of the car, so that they would get insight into the cars that would not be available from the manufacturer website.

GOOD CALL!! Im with him ^^^

[Icy J]

http://www.e90post.com/forums/showthread.php?t=128234

Check that for dealership stupidity, lol

[PaulBailey@ltbmw]

Dude that is nothing uncommon. . .
I find it very very rare that a salesman knows more about any type of car than i do.
Most BMW salesmen i've talked to don't know shit.
Most used salesmen line every
"Oh. . . hmm. . . I'll have to look into that and get back to you."
"Hmm. . . Never heard of that, i'll have to check and see."
"Hey Pete, every heard of turbo lag?"

[bsamoul]

While I hate being a salesman in general, if you genuinely care about the products your selling and are passionate about them, you will know what you need to know about what you're selling. Lying to get a sale is not something I do for instance. You just have to tell it like it is. Be honest with people, that's all they want.

[AV9]

Originally Posted by shaddai

You think that's bad.. I had a shop foreman tell me my 335i has two different sized turbos. That's bad.

[barbados]

Originally Posted by BMW335icDDS

Salespeople are idiots. Thats why they are salespeople.

Always do your own research, in every purchase - never, ever trust a salesperson for information.

[John 070]

I've found that BMW salespeople are more knowledgeable than most car salesman. If I'm not mistaken, they're required to be trained on the products. But at the end of the day, they are salespeople, i.e. they must sell regardless if what they offer isn't the best fit for the customer.

It's not uncommon to say that people who research on the web can know more than salespeople for any product. Remember, salespersons are not PhD folks who are researchers, they are salespeople. The OP's observation would be true for just about anything, from mortgages, to equities, to time shares, to just about everything under the sun. It's not uncommon for someone surfing the web to know more about a product than the person selling said product.

[martyp]

Originally Posted by skibbs

Always do your own research, in every purchase - never, ever trust a salesperson for information.

My EXACT thoughts! Everything I buy, I research first. I don't ever go thru a salesperson unless that's the only way I can purchase the item I want.

[Deda]

its nothing new...salesmans use to hate you because you are buying car that he will never own..