Re: Audi loses a sale to BMW

[Lee Levitt <wheelman@shore.net>]

ejfluhr@austin.ibm.com (Fluhr) writes:

>
>I am saddened by the attitude that Audi dealers apparently have these
>days.  The success of the A4 seems to have gone to their head.
>
>A good friend of mine recently decided to buy a new car to replace his
>1987 Volvo 240DL.

stuff snipped

>He was completely put off by the sales rep's attitude
>and the run-around that he was being given, and he stayed at the
>dealership for a couple of hours trying to work something out.  
>He left in frustration, and went to a local BMW dealer that his
>boss at work had recommended.  3 hours later he walked out with
>a 1998 BMW 318, satisfied that he had gotten a fair deal.
>
>The big downside is that now he trashes Audi whenever he talks
>about his experience with his friends, family, and coworkers.  He
>feels the Audi sales personnel have no sense of customer relations,
>they just give you a price, say "take it or leave it", and aren't
>interested in discussing the situation at all.  Since they snubbed
>him, he will now recommend to anyone that asks that they forget
>Audi and get a BMW instead.
>

I understand that people will do this...but I find it rather curious
anyway. If I were totally ambivalent between two rather different vehicles,
I guess the sales process could influence me...but, personally, I spend so
much time researching, weighing options, test driving, etc, I would deal
with the devil herself to get the car I wanted. Then of course, I'd enjoy
the negotiations...and given the above described sales attitude, I'm sure
I'd walk out on the deal...

...and come back to buy the car I wanted, from a different sales rep.

Lee