There has been a 1998 Mark VIII, Green color but not the Med. Willow with 58k on the odo, on the local (Oxnard, CA ) dealer's lot for the last couple of months. The asking price had been $16K. My wife thinks I should sell my 95 with 61k and get the newer one. (I don't think so.) anyway , I did notice last week that the price was down to $10,900.00. She called today to ask why the big drop, and what was wrong with the car. They told her it had been there too long (120 days) and they just couldn't sell it because nobody wants a front wheel drive. When she told me that I said to call them back and say that if they would guarantee it to be FWD I would buy it as it was -One of a Kind- He said that his boss, who had been selling Lincolns for 8 years was absolutly sure that it was, but he would check it out and call back. He did call back and say that everyone there was really suprised to find it was RWD. http://www.venturalink.net/~rlking/smiley-no.gif
Dealer knowledge
- Thread starter rlking
- Start date
GRAND_LS 400
Registered
RE: Dealer knowledge
Don’t you just hate it when people mix up the continentals with the Marks? I mean they look nothing alike.
Don’t you just hate it when people mix up the continentals with the Marks? I mean they look nothing alike.
RE: Dealer knowledge
When Mike and I were considering a Marauder (meaning, when they still were saying the price would be 29,500 and such), our litmus test for finding the appropriate Lincoln/Merc dealership was to pull in in his 79 Capri. If they knew what the Capri was, they'd be the one we'd deal with. Took us a while to find one.
One of them had a few older guys sitting on what seemed to be a huge "porch" of the dealership. They all came over eventually and said, "We can't figure out what this is...what kind of car is it?!!?!" How sad. Hehe.
I find the lack of intelligence/knowledge at dealerships overwhelming.
When Mike and I were considering a Marauder (meaning, when they still were saying the price would be 29,500 and such), our litmus test for finding the appropriate Lincoln/Merc dealership was to pull in in his 79 Capri. If they knew what the Capri was, they'd be the one we'd deal with. Took us a while to find one.
One of them had a few older guys sitting on what seemed to be a huge "porch" of the dealership. They all came over eventually and said, "We can't figure out what this is...what kind of car is it?!!?!" How sad. Hehe.
I find the lack of intelligence/knowledge at dealerships overwhelming.
RE: Dealer knowledge
Having been in the car business as a salesman for 27 years, I can attempt to shed some light on this. Mind you, I am not endorsing it, just explaining it. By the way, my "nickname" on the showroom floor was "Kid-Catalog" due to my vast product knowledge.
When I started in 1968, it was a totally differnt arena. Customers were very interested in learning about the different series, the different models within the series, options, colors, interiors, standard engines, optional engines, warrantees and so on......
In order to not appear dumb, it was essential that you attend regular product training meetings (I coulda {shoulda} run them!)~ Anyhow, there were even tests, and "Mystery Shoppers" running lose, reporting back to your dealer principle written reports as to your performance.
Enter the 80s. The Foreign car sales explode! How? Remember PRICE? They were little and cheap and their TV ads screamed PRICE PRICE PRICE! After all, what else did they have? They were cheap to buy & cheap to keep. This gave birth to a new breed of buyer. The price buyer. Soon, the majority of shoppers (excepting the luxury car shopper, and even them more than before) were only interested in price! So, the selling process switched from SELLING the CAR - to SELLING the PRICE! Out the window went the buyer's interest in the product, except to say it was a NEW CAR. They lost interest in the fine points of the automobile and concentrated only on the money.
Then, because of the unique bookeeping involved in the automobile business (unlike any other in the world) the "underworld" took a marked interest in buying up car dealerships. It was a safe haven for "laundered" monies. They made mega million dollar investments in dealerships taking them to the highway, and stocking 500 cars, and selling these cars at dead invoice if necessary. They, in effect sold ONLY price. Service was terrible, and they really didn't want you BACK for service, as they over-sold their ability to service the cars they sold.
So, again - more reinforcement to sell price, price, price. As older salesmen got out of the rat-race & went into other lines of work, the younger generation entered, and they were trained only to sell price, switch & bait, low ball, high ball, and shot on delivery and all the other crap that the older more professional men would not do.
That, in a nutshell is why today you have "What will it take to sell you a car NOW NOW NOW NOW TODAY TODAY SIGN HERE & NO MONEY DOWN FOR THIS TOYOTATHON", and blah blah blah.
Notice, that you do not see these tactics at the dealerships frequented by older monied buyers, such as Mercedes; Infinity; BMW, Jaguar, Audi, Cadillac, Volvo, Lexus & Saab, because a large percent of their buyers remember HOW it used to be in the 60's and prior, and would (rightfully) never stand for that crap.
Yes you can getthis crap at Lincoln, becuse of Ford's stupidity in keeping Lincoln with Mercury. Lincoln should have been seperated back in 1970, and run today like Lexus is. (and) THAT is the reason Ford booted Lincoln out of its PREMIER AUTO GROUP that includes Volvo, Aston Martin and Jaguar. The reason? MERCURY! The Mercury buyer is a price buyer, and is not in the same league as the aforementioned 9 brands above and Lincoln will never have the same or equal prestige until Ford gets it out of the Mercury showroom for good. Also, the Lincoln-Mrcury pay plan plain stinks. No Lexus, M-B or Jaguar salesman worth a crap is gonna go sell L-M at a 1991 pay plan.
Having been in the car business as a salesman for 27 years, I can attempt to shed some light on this. Mind you, I am not endorsing it, just explaining it. By the way, my "nickname" on the showroom floor was "Kid-Catalog" due to my vast product knowledge.
When I started in 1968, it was a totally differnt arena. Customers were very interested in learning about the different series, the different models within the series, options, colors, interiors, standard engines, optional engines, warrantees and so on......
In order to not appear dumb, it was essential that you attend regular product training meetings (I coulda {shoulda} run them!)~ Anyhow, there were even tests, and "Mystery Shoppers" running lose, reporting back to your dealer principle written reports as to your performance.
Enter the 80s. The Foreign car sales explode! How? Remember PRICE? They were little and cheap and their TV ads screamed PRICE PRICE PRICE! After all, what else did they have? They were cheap to buy & cheap to keep. This gave birth to a new breed of buyer. The price buyer. Soon, the majority of shoppers (excepting the luxury car shopper, and even them more than before) were only interested in price! So, the selling process switched from SELLING the CAR - to SELLING the PRICE! Out the window went the buyer's interest in the product, except to say it was a NEW CAR. They lost interest in the fine points of the automobile and concentrated only on the money.
Then, because of the unique bookeeping involved in the automobile business (unlike any other in the world) the "underworld" took a marked interest in buying up car dealerships. It was a safe haven for "laundered" monies. They made mega million dollar investments in dealerships taking them to the highway, and stocking 500 cars, and selling these cars at dead invoice if necessary. They, in effect sold ONLY price. Service was terrible, and they really didn't want you BACK for service, as they over-sold their ability to service the cars they sold.
So, again - more reinforcement to sell price, price, price. As older salesmen got out of the rat-race & went into other lines of work, the younger generation entered, and they were trained only to sell price, switch & bait, low ball, high ball, and shot on delivery and all the other crap that the older more professional men would not do.
That, in a nutshell is why today you have "What will it take to sell you a car NOW NOW NOW NOW TODAY TODAY SIGN HERE & NO MONEY DOWN FOR THIS TOYOTATHON", and blah blah blah.
Notice, that you do not see these tactics at the dealerships frequented by older monied buyers, such as Mercedes; Infinity; BMW, Jaguar, Audi, Cadillac, Volvo, Lexus & Saab, because a large percent of their buyers remember HOW it used to be in the 60's and prior, and would (rightfully) never stand for that crap.
Yes you can getthis crap at Lincoln, becuse of Ford's stupidity in keeping Lincoln with Mercury. Lincoln should have been seperated back in 1970, and run today like Lexus is. (and) THAT is the reason Ford booted Lincoln out of its PREMIER AUTO GROUP that includes Volvo, Aston Martin and Jaguar. The reason? MERCURY! The Mercury buyer is a price buyer, and is not in the same league as the aforementioned 9 brands above and Lincoln will never have the same or equal prestige until Ford gets it out of the Mercury showroom for good. Also, the Lincoln-Mrcury pay plan plain stinks. No Lexus, M-B or Jaguar salesman worth a crap is gonna go sell L-M at a 1991 pay plan.