Test your salesman

Stevie Dakota

If you are thinking of buying a new BMW 3 Series the saleperson will highlight the Edition models with some nice extra kit for a few hundred extra.

Don’t forget to ask them “Why the special offer?”, then await with interest for the answer.

If the answer is because the new 3 series is due later this year, early next year then you have an honest salesperson on your hand.

If the answer is anything else it is waffle/ignorance at best and dishonesty at worse.

Obviously not exclusive to BMW but if there is a good offer on a car you are considering, always ask when the replacement model is due and do your research carefully.

keithclancy

Stevie Dakota wrote: »

If you are thinking of buying a new BMW 3 Series the saleperson will highlight the Edition models with some nice extra kit for a few hundred extra.

Don’t forget to ask them “Why the special offer?”, then await with interest for the answer.

If the answer is because the new 3 series is due later this year, early next year then you have an honest salesperson on your hand.

If the answer is anything else it is waffle/ignorance at best and dishonesty at worse.

Obviously not exclusive to BMW but if there is a good offer on a car you are considering, always ask when the replacement model is due and do your research carefully.

Used to hate customers who asked a question when they already knew the answer

MagicMarker

If you're willing to drop that kind of money on a new BMW then you should be smart enough to do your research before hand. So you really shouldn't need to ask the question in the first place, if you do then there's something wrong.

johnos1984

MagicMarker wrote: »

If you're willing to drop that kind of money on a new BMW then you should be smart enough to do your research before hand. So you really shouldn't need to ask the question in the first place, if you do then there's something wrong.

I'd imagine most people who buy a BMW are buying it to impress the neighbours and haven't a clue about the car which explains the amount of basic models in Ireland

OldGuysRule

Great pic, but took a second.

mickdw

Reminds me of a local guy here who bought a new A4 in 2008 just before the current model came out. A month later when he realised his mistake, he started bad mouthing the dealer accusing them of all sorts when the fault was with himself and noone else.

Of course the bmw salesman is going to waffle on about the great spec etc. Even if directly questioned about the new model, they will still talk around it. Usual bull like the old one has much better spec and that it will cost another 5k to get this spec on the new and also that the old model bmw dont really suffer any additional depreciation bla bla bla

Del2005

mickdw wrote: »

Of course the bmw salesman is going to waffle on about the great spec etc. Even if directly questioned about the new model, they will still talk around it. Usual bull like the old one has much better spec and that it will cost another 5k to get this spec on the new and also that the old model bmw dont really suffer any additional depreciation bla bla bla

They could always use the "sure the new model will be full of faults" line.

Seth Brundle

If the salesman is any good, he would be easily able to describe how the buyer would really be better getting an end of the line model with a high spec over a new model which undoubtly will have a number of flaws and be a crap spec.

Wheelnut

The knowledgeable shopper will know that the last cars of an old model are far better value than the first of a new model. The development costs have been recovered years ago, the performance has not suddenly switched off because there is a new model coming and the old model will be tarted up with all sorts of extras so as to compete with younger competiters.

coylemj

It's not false selling if the sales guy takes an order for the old model one day before the new model is announced.

As an earlier poster said, it's up to the buyer to do the research. I worked not in the motor business but in IT hardware and the rule was that we could not speculate on unannounced products. That gave us plausible deniability which meant that up to the day of the successor product announcement, we could still sell the old model.