Once again, I really hate dealing with dealers

I've been half-heartedly looking for a used Ford Ranger and while there are quite a few to be found, finding one that is in decent condition and in my budget has not been easy. That said, this morning I found a '99 at a Ford dealer about 90 miles away, thanks to FordDirect.com. So what's the beef? I almost instantly got a STANDARD reply to my e-mail asking if this truck was still in stock. The STANDARD answer was that basically, we appreciate your inquiry and that someone will get back to you "in less than 2 hours with a PERSONALIZED E-MAIL" in response to your question". It's already been 4 hours, and I'm neither holding my breathe or at this point even expecting an answer.

Phone call? That would probably work.

cwh wrote: Phone call? That would probably work.

In liew of a text, tweet, or facebook posting....

Not the entire world does instant web or e-mail requests. They may be selling cars in the mean time.

Call them.

I try to avoid sending anyone my phone number....why? It sometimes results in your getting a call every time the dealer THINKS they have a car/truck that fits your description come in. Besides, why promise me they will get back to me via e-mail within a certain time, when they won't? If they had just said "someone will e-mail an answer ASAP", without mentioning a time, I would have been okay.

Ironically, I hate dealing over the internet, but when salespeople "take the first step" I feel they should follow through. Besides the online ad, they included an e-mail address for sending questions.

I work at a Ford dealership, and I know my internet sales guy is by far the busiest guy here. Where are you located? I may be able to help a little if you're near. I don't sell them, I'm a Service Advisor. LOL I'm in Central Texas.

I can second that. Last fall I went to the local Hyundai dealer to test drive the new Genesis Coupe, and the salesman I saw began calling me weekly for the next few months. It was such a hassle that I saved his number to my phone under the name DO NOT ANSWER to ignore his calls.

Don't you have a work phone?

Seriously though, I have found calling to be about 100% more effective than text/email/internet when it comes to car dealers.

Seriously, complaining after a 2 hour than promised wait?

I've sent email inquiries to dealerships at 1 in the morning with the same sort of promise. I didn't get all uppity when they didn't have an email back to me by 3.

Don't trust what an automated system says, ever.

integraguy wrote: I try to avoid sending anyone my phone number....

Then you should call them.

stuart in mn wrote:

integraguy wrote: I try to avoid sending anyone my phone number....

Then you should call them.

Certainly what I meant.

If they are too busy to talk to you, that's a different problem.

Ever call a dealership? Every time I've ever called, even when I say EXACTLY which "department" I want, I get my call shuttled around to at least 2 or 3 different people.

As far as complaining....I e-mailed these folks at 8:30 a.m. this morning, I started this topic at about 1:30 p.m. or 4 hours after their automated system said I would hear from them. In my experience using FordDirect.com 99 times out of 100 NO ONE at any dealership ever gets back to you on a potential sale by e-mail.

And to sort of drive home my point again...DON'T give me your e-mail address, DON'T ask me to e-mail you with questions when you are going to ignore my inquiries/you are too busy to e-mail a reply. To me, it's like when someone gives you their phone number or e-mail address...when they don't care?/never check? their incoming e-mail FordDirect, for some reason, DOESN'T include the phone numbers of dealers whose used vehicles they list.

I guess to sum it all up, I should have gone "cryin' " to FordDirect about their stupid system.

I'd try calling, but do not leave your phone number under any circumstances.

The best is the dealerships that advertise "we have the ability to make a service appointment with this website form!"

Every single dealership I've contacted (several brands), ALL of them e-mail me back with "...please call if you want to make an appointment."

With the thing being, they took the time to e-mail me back, but they just couldn't write down my info and actually create an appointment, or even call the phone number I left in the form.

I STILL get emails from a Subaru dealership in Austin when I inquired to a friend of mine on a WRX probably 5 years ago. LOL

As I said earlier, if you're in the Texas area, I can do all the legwork for you and keep the hastle to a minimum.

Call them, on your cell phone, with the out-going number's caller ID blocked (that's your number). That's what I do, and when they want my number, I ask when is a "time to call WHEN you KNOW I can talk" to such and such. I might have to call a cople of times, but, no call backs. And I have the option of turning the cell phone off.

integraguy wrote: Ever call a dealership? Every time I've ever called, even when I say EXACTLY which "department" I want, I get my call shuttled around to at least 2 or 3 different people.

Yes, and there must be something that I do, since I've never gotten the run around. I call, and either give the specific name of the person I would like to talk to OR I speak specifically about what vehicle I want to talk about. I let them forward to the correct person.

But if that doesn't work out....

BTW, what's with the fear of giving a phone number? I mean you are planning on spending thousands of dollars on a car- why would anyone want to hide anything? I surely don't get phone spam from them, and when I tell them the truth that I am or am not interested, things either progress or not.

I sometimes wonder about the "horror" dealer stories if they are partially self inflicted....

Sounds like a lot of fuss for not much. After helping my mother this weekend, I've been involved in the purchase of 4 different vehicles from 3 different dealers in 3 different cities in OK in the last 11 months.

Each transaction has gone very smoothly.

Perhaps you're entering with unrealistic expectations about what kind of service you should be offered? But then again, I usually don't get miffed until my call back doesn't come by noon the next day..........not a few hours.

Last time i was car shopping at a dealer seriously was about... 3.5 years ago. I was looking at a Miata. We couldn't come to a deal (they were asking MORE for a Mazdaspeed Miata when used, then they MSRP'd for NEW), and they called me weekly for another 6 months.

"Hey! We've got this awesome V6 Accord in on trade, come and take a look!"
"Accord? I'm not familiar with that Miata trim, tell me more?"

If the dealer advertises a web presence, then they better make it part of their core service model. I emailed about a Mustang GT with the track pack to a Ford Motorsports dealer -- and never got a response, even though their website clearly touted the ability to communicate via email.

That's just dumb. You are either on the web, or not. There is no "in-between".

However, if I am looking for a particular used vehicle, and a dealership has one in stock, I won't hesitate to make a telephone call.

And on other thing -- if you leave a number, tell them you don't want to be called about anything else. Ever. I've never had a salesperson ignore that request.

Finally got an e-mail response from the dealership....more than 48 hours after I sent my 1st inquiry to them. The reply didn't include a "toll-free" number, either. The salesperson that responded didn't actually say "yes, that truck is still here" but hinted that he would be more than happy to help with the sale of any vehicle they have in stock.