What PREMIUM Car Brand Has The WORST Dealer Sales People

The worst dealership experience iv'e ever had would have to be this past year at a Mitsubishi dealership. I walked in and I guess business was so dead because 2 salesman began fighting over who was going to help me. I mean fighting like about to square off type fighting. The manager had to come out and break it up. After all that they still didn't throw something extra in the deal.Nevertheless I purchased a Evo because the next Mitsu dealership was far away and I dont have much time to shop around for the best deal.Besides the deal wasn't bad anyway.The best part is that a week after u purchased the car,they sent me a survey to fill out. Naturally due to my experience with them being terrible I didnt check excellent on everything,but i also didnt give them a terrible score. The salesman had the balls to call me and ask me why didnt i give him a perfect score and that thanks to me he didnt get a $1,000 bonus they get for achieving perfect scores. 2 weeks later that dealership closed. What a joke. Other than that I get the usual discrimination due to me looking younger than I am and not dressing in suits. I own 3 apartment buildings and my own construction company. I drive 4 cars and a yamaha r1 and I hate being judged by the fact i look young and dress comfortably.

— rxh8me9000 (View Profile)

Posted on 10/11/2009 12:21:53 AM | reply to this comment | Votes: -2   

For Me...

The Range/Land Rover dealers with which I've had the misfortune of dealing have been beyond sub-par - on every level.

Enough Said

— DaHarder (View Profile)

Posted on 10/11/2009 2:16:01 AM | reply to this comment | Votes: 7   

Hyundai is the Premium brand over Mitsubishi, DaHarder.

Its practically a third brand. Most of their engines are the Engines they outsource from us, and test them out for kinks so we can R&D them and make them reliable for our cars..

— HyundaiSmoke (View Profile)

Posted on 10/11/2009 2:33:11 AM | reply to this comment | Votes: -11   

Who lied to you rxh and said Mits. was a premium brand.

For me it was the BMW dealer. A bunch of thieves.

MBZ has the best service by far.

— BobbyJ (View Profile)

Posted on 10/11/2009 4:43:40 AM | reply to this comment | Votes: 1   

Nisan dealers, years ago my friend went in to buy the Pathfinder and the salesman just shewed us away and told us to come back when his boss wasn't around, an hour later he bought a Ford Ranger and drove up to show the salesman what he bought,lol. We were 19ish? But with cash.

— truckman (View Profile)

Posted on 10/11/2009 4:44:38 AM | reply to this comment | Votes: -6   

Both MB and BMW. They are still selling well in CA even with a bunch of arrogant sales men and technicians.

— TopGear (View Profile)

Posted on 10/11/2009 5:41:54 AM | reply to this comment | Votes: 5   

ACURA, the dealers are so pushy and at the same time they don't realize how ugly their cars are!

— chidoc (View Profile)

Posted on 10/11/2009 5:42:37 AM | reply to this comment | Votes: 4   

Earlier last month I went to my local BMW dealer to look at the M5. Mind you, I was dressed in a tuxedo because I had just left a party/fundraiser. I don't know if it was the fact I'm young or black or what, but I was ignored the whole time I was there and never once was asked if I needed help. I had money to buy too. A friend of mine not too far from the dealership has a Phantom, so I asked him if we could drive back over to the BMW dealer and see how they would serve us if we pulled up in that. Believe it or not, the bastards didn't even give a passing glance to us or the Phantom. No service in two visits, and I was only one of three people in the dealership. I will NEVER buy a BMW. Ever.

— egog (View Profile)

Posted on 10/11/2009 6:36:04 AM | reply to this comment | Votes: 2   

In Charlotte, BMW.

— 0to60 (View Profile)

Posted on 10/11/2009 7:17:58 AM | reply to this comment | Votes: 3   

By far BMW. I have a situation that happened to me, and I vowed never to return back to that dealership. Well, some years later, the dealership is no longer there. Goes to show you, the customer is your bread and butter. My family and I have had good experiences with the local (Southern California) Mercedes dealership. Cadillac here is one of the most professional and informative.

— inspirion7 (View Profile)

Posted on 10/11/2009 7:18:46 AM | reply to this comment | Votes: 5   

What annoys me about Lexus dealers is that they vary so much from time to time. Longo Lexus is my dealer - one of the biggest out there and probably is the biggest by their numbers of sales, so you'd expect them to be at their top notch service throughout the years, but no... when the economy took a bigger hit, their services went down hill - but at least their sales people were still rather nice. I just wish they weren't so obvious with "business is bad at the moment" - really frustrates a customer who knows about the economy but at least wants a car to enjoy - to stay happy.

— WorldofLuxury (View Profile)

Posted on 10/11/2009 7:46:57 AM | reply to this comment | Votes: 1   

In Chicago, I've had a MB, BMW, Audi, Acura and Lexus (I'm a car whore). In order of best to worst:
Lexus
BMW
MB
Acura
Audi.

I currently have an Audi A4, which I generally like. The dealer in Chicago (Fletcher Jones, however, shares its space with Honda and VW. The facilities are simply awful without even the slightest hint of being a premium brand. The sales guy was pretty smarmy and the whole buying process was about as high-end as buying a used car from CarMax. Since geographically, they are my only reasonable choice for service, I went with them.

— Argelius (View Profile)

Posted on 10/11/2009 8:49:28 AM | reply to this comment | Votes: 4   

A couple years back my wife and I went looking at convertibles and she wanted to look at the Lexus SC430 so we went into Lexus of Nashville. The sales guy there WAS SO OBNOXIOUS it was beyond funny. Assuming she loved the car, (which she didn't) we would have driven 50+ miles to the next closest dealer just to avoid dealing with this idiot.

-00J

— Agent00J (View Profile)

Posted on 10/11/2009 9:00:17 AM | reply to this comment | Votes: 1   

This has nothing to do with a brand and everything to do with an individual dealership, its management and the people who work there. I've had good and bad experiences across the range, regardless of price point or some "premium" perception.

— 204E60 (View Profile)

Posted on 10/11/2009 9:03:52 AM | reply to this comment | Votes: 4   

My family have had experince with Hyundai, Toyota, Nissan, Ford, Chevy.
They all were very similar.
Except Nissan. Terrible experince. never never NEVER nissan again.

— eddiedko (View Profile)

Posted on 10/11/2009 9:31:30 AM | reply to this comment | Votes: 1   

Cadillac - the entire premise of any GM interaction with a potential victim is one of constant manipulation. They actually train their sales staff to take advantage of a customer in any way possible - "customer last" should be their motto. They deserve to fail.

— abqhudson (View Profile)

Posted on 10/11/2009 9:37:21 AM | reply to this comment | Votes: 3   

It probably just depends on the dealership but from what others have told me and my experience I would say Lexus and Mercedes. There salesman seem to be a bit to pretentious for my liking while everytime Ive been with someone they seem to know little to nothing regarding the competition or their own cars in some cases. From stories ive heard while the Cadillac salesman seems to overeager to sell, these mercedes and lexus salesmen seem to attempt to qualify their customers to decide who they think is good enough to be sold to. Audi dealerships I've been to either with someone, or on my own to see a new car each time they've been very laidback, very knowledegable of their products and the competition, and overall its a very smooth pleasant experience. The same with BMW dealers for the most part except a couple bad salesman, they seem very passionate about the cars they sell and incredibly helpful without being pushy.

— bmwdrvr (View Profile)

Posted on 10/11/2009 9:57:10 AM | reply to this comment | Votes: 0   

You people need to learn how to shop for a car. You only use the dealership for test drives. Then when you know what car you want, you get on the internet, emailing dealerships within your area and tell them they are bidding for your business. Lowest bidder wins.

— Enforcement (View Profile)

Posted on 10/11/2009 10:13:44 AM | reply to this comment | Votes: 3   

Joe Bullard Cadillac on the I-65 Service Road in Mobile, AL has seem to function as a haven for douchebags. Joe Bullard Acura and Infiniti of the Gulf Coast are pretty bad too. Lexus of Mobile sales staff are pompous for absolutely no reason.

— LuxuryFan (View Profile)

Posted on 10/11/2009 10:14:00 AM | reply to this comment | Votes: 2   

I would have to say the local BMW dealership in Winston-Salem, NC. I walked in to buy a 3 series; dressed very casual. After about 40 mins of looking at the car, I had to walk up to a salesperson to ask for assistance. Once I began to talk about the car/options I wanted, the salesman looked at me only to say, "Are you sure you can afford this car". That pissed me off so much that I went over to Audi dealer, bought a new A4 then drove it back over to the BMW dealership. Don't judge a person just because they're in a T-shirt and ragged jeans. They won't ever get my business there.

— gkearns56 (View Profile)

Posted on 10/11/2009 10:40:16 AM | reply to this comment | Votes: 2   

In the past 30 days I test drove cars by Audi, BMW, Infiniti, Nissan, Toyota, Lexus, Mercedes-Benz, Honda, Acura, Cadillac, Jaguar and Hyundai.

By far the worst experience I had was at the Hyundai dealer.

I went to two different Hyundai dealers to drive the Genesis.

The first one I couldn't leave because of the high pressure salesman.

The second dealer the salesman told me the Genesis is as nice as a Bentley. He said the stereo is the exact same system that comes in a Bentley. I ask him if the speakers were of the exact same quality and he said yes. I then ask him if the watch he was wearing was a real Breitling for Bentley watch and he said it was a fake. (You see, fake people wear fake watches) He then told me if I got the V8 Genesis I would get the upgraded leather just like in a Bentley. He then told me if I take the car he will put on the Genesis logos that look just like those on the Bentley.

This is what will happen with Hyundai. Just as soon as the Equus comes out they will get Genesis dealers that are separate from Hyundai. You can't sell expensive cars next to economy cars.

All the rest of the dealers were pretty good with the exception of the Nissan dealer because the salesman two times would spit while he was talking to me. The Infiniti internet salesman told me stories how he lost sales because people shopped around. I didn’t like either of those sales people.

— EL34 (View Profile)

Posted on 10/11/2009 10:46:42 AM | reply to this comment | Votes: 0   

For me it was the Porsche dealership in Newport Beach, CA, near Fashion Island mall. I took my wife there to purchase a Porsche for her, and while we were walking around the outside and inside, no one came out to greet us. There was this one Eastern European guy (from Russia maybe) who finally came outside but just stood there with his arms folded and starred at us like we have no business being there. He didn't say hi or hello. Just starred at us even while we approached him for help. After I said hi to him, he responded sarcastically, "Soooo which one do you want?" And then before I could answer him, he started being a gentile salesman by saying, "Oh hi! How are you? Welcome?" but only to another couple (about middle ages like we were) who just arrived). I was so visibly upset that my wife said, "lets go somewhere else."

I felt embarrassed, upset, indignant. That Porsche dealership experience was by far the worst experience I have ever had in all my life of purchasing cars. And I have many, many cars.

— investor27 (View Profile)

Posted on 10/11/2009 12:33:53 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: 3   

All sales people are horrible.

— LexSucks (View Profile)

Posted on 10/11/2009 12:59:17 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: 1   

Everyone knows here what the answer is. Please stop fooling yourself. I guess you guys are to scared to say. BMW is by far the worst sales people here in the U.S.

— iLexus (View Profile)

Posted on 10/11/2009 1:09:44 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: 2   

Lexus - I wanted to see the new LS460 and I wasn't even allowed to sit in it (just because I was dressed in "normal Saturday clothes"). The whole showroom crew literally followed my every move and I figured they would scream or get really mad if I even touched the door handles of any car in the showroom.

— Wimmer (View Profile)

Posted on 10/11/2009 2:11:56 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: -2   

Hyundai, Mitsubishi, Kia, etc. do not qualify for Premium. Keep on subject, people.

My vote goes to Acura. My experience is that the sales staff and process is that of a high-volume Ford dealer - pushy, dishonest and intentionally drawn-out process.

— Patronus (View Profile)

Posted on 10/11/2009 2:38:35 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: 4   

From my experience BMW believe it or not. Walked in with slippers, shorts and a t-shirt no one bothered to speak with me. Told them I was shopping around for a 7 series they gave me a brochure and if I needed any help I can ask. I was offended obviously so I hopped in the R8 and revved the hell out of it and drove off while flipping the bird. I understand they judge people by the way they look and that's fine but if Bill Gates walked into a showroom and got no service he could literally buy out the dealership and fire everyone just for kicks. Their just salesmen no one special so I don't understand why they sit on their high horse.

— Agent63 (View Profile)

Posted on 10/11/2009 4:38:30 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: 1   

HOW MANY FUC-ING TIMES DO I HAVE TO TELL YOU IM NOT A CHICK, DUDE!!!!


Hyundai is well on is way to becoming a premium company, Patronus. SO SUCK IT UP!!!!!

— HyundaiSmoke (View Profile)

Posted on 10/11/2009 6:25:40 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: -6   

EL34, You probably goated him into saying that.

HOW MANY FUC-KING TIMES DO I HAVE TO TELL YOU GUYS THAT HYUNDAI IS THE DEVELOPING PREMIUM BRAND, AND THAT THERE WILL BE NO GENESIS BRAND OR ANY OTHER NEW LUXURY VENTURE OUTSIDE OF HYUNDAI????!!!!!

The Key Word is Developing that=

1. Kinks in Sales and Service.

2. No Respect from people who buy in this sector usually; well unless youre used to driving an American Luxury Product.

3. Controversial products

4. Salespersons not used to new Clientelle.


Its a fresh start for Hyundai, we are essentially starting from sractch. Its 1986 again for us all over.

— HyundaiSmoke (View Profile)

Posted on 10/11/2009 8:11:49 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: -10   

Its ok if you crack on us, becuae that only works to make us better. WE DID IT WITH ECONO CARS, WE'LL DO IT WITH LUXURY CARS TOO DAMMIT!!!!!!!!!!!!

— HyundaiSmoke (View Profile)

Posted on 10/12/2009 1:22:34 AM | reply to this comment | Votes: -9   

I don't think it's the brand. It's the dealer and sometimes the location of the dealer. Here in NY it's almost impossible to take a test drive alone in a corolla, but in MI they gave me an M3 convertible to drive it like I stole it without question.

— SHOWTIME (View Profile)

Posted on 10/12/2009 10:04:27 AM | reply to this comment | Votes: 1   

In general, it's not the brand but the dealer. HOWEVER, there are reasons why a brand can be lower on the scale in general. Audi: even with a good dealership owner group, Audi has not been as competitive, so the salespeople can become more pushy or not attract salespeople to stay long term. Acura: with few options on TL/TSX/RL, this brand gets cross shopped between dealers more than any I know because the customer just has to find tech/no tech package in an acceptable color. Much more likely for several dealers to have the exact same car and ends up cutting price down like it's a Chevy. It seems to attract people looking to move "up" to premium brand sales, and too many of them have bad habits dealing with clients.

— PPower (View Profile)

Posted on 10/12/2009 10:44:27 AM | reply to this comment | Votes: 1   

I would give a most sexist shout out to MB. My old boss and his wife drove MB's forever and then one day his wife went in and the usual salesman was not there they told her "when your husband is ready to pick out the car we are ready" she drove 300 yards and bought a BMW. I went into the same dealer with my wife and they acted like she was not even there. We test drove an E class afterwards I told the guy if he would have simply said hello to my wife we would have bought the car he said "don't worry someone will buy the car"

My favorite dealer expereince was the Audi dealer who told me he had no idea why people buy A3's when they could get the same car as a VW for thousands less.

— rigid (View Profile)

Posted on 10/12/2009 11:20:44 AM | reply to this comment | Votes: 2   

Being an Acura sales professional, I would like to ask some of you, what could I do, as a sales person, to better your experience? Know matter what brand I am representing, I would like to know what some of you would like to have happen when you are shopping for a new vehicle? I am very serious about this question.

V-10 NSX

— jsell (View Profile)

Posted on 10/12/2009 11:26:32 AM | reply to this comment | Votes: 1   

I had to leave Acura cause people who bought cars bothered me. I knew more off the top of my head about the actual car and its direct competitors at Acura than the rest of the entire sales group. But apparently people who buy Acura's are not interested in said items. They come in wanting tons of cash off the car thinking they are going to get a TL loaded for the cost of a Accord LX. I loved cross-shoppers who came in, looked at the MDX and said, why would I spend more on this when the Pilot is the EXACT same thing. I just looked at them and said (as nicely as possible).

Me: What else are you also considering?
Customer: Oh, we looked at the Lexus RX.

Me: Did you also go look at the Toyota Highlander?
Customer: No, why would we go look at the Highlander?

Me: You just said you looked at the Pilot right?
Customer: Yes.

Me: Then I just want you to be an informed buyer, the MDX as you stated is the exact same as the Pilot.
Customer: Right.

Me: Well the Highlander is the Lexus RX, so if your going to be fair in comparison shopping, you should see all the factors. And if your willing to pay the additional cost of a luxury version of these cars, then the others shouldn't be in your market.


I would never try to be rude, but people just never really got or took any knowledge I would lend them so I left that job pretty quick. I would have done better working in the service department.

As far as personal buying experiences. I would have to go with Mazda. I know it was not luxury but I was looking for a pre-owned hatch back a few years back. I was pretty set on the Matrix, but wanted to see the 3 hatch as it came loaded with lots of fun goodies (HIDs, good looks, 5 spd, more powerful engine). And in the same ballpark pricewise.

Well, they had it on the lot, 1 year old, dark grey a GT version. After 25 minutes of standing on the lot pacing around and standing next to the car not one person came out (dealer was not busy). I walked inside to see 3 guys sitting at their desks, two were talking so I waited and waited in the middle of the sales floor. Nothing. After 15 more minutes I walked up to a desk where a guy was writing something on paper, he looked up at me with a quick glance, went back to his paper and then got up and walked away. He had no customers with him, so I was fuming. I walked out and placed a call to the dealer next day enraged about my experience. The manager apologized and tried to get me to come back in with promises. But I made sure he knew that after wasting the time on the lot if I was ever or anyone I knew in the market for a Mazda, they would be the last dealer on my list to go see. And that I already made the call and purchased my Matrix as Toyota was more than happy to work with me right away. And that was over the phone with a dealer 2.5 hours away!

— Whelan (View Profile)

Posted on 10/12/2009 11:44:07 AM | reply to this comment | Votes: 1   

IMO, Infiniti have bad sales peple, may justin oklahoma city dealership... BobMoore. Also Acura, peple a Acura wanted to let us know their cars are better than Lexus, Infinit and BMW. Don't ask anything, just buy it, that is their attitude. In Infiniti for 10months, then turn it in. Thank you very much Ahole peoples at BobMoore at OKC, I went MBdealer, Benchmark at OKC< much better

— pchera01 (View Profile)

Posted on 10/12/2009 12:47:59 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: 1   

I can agree on Acura sales people, they sound similar to Infiniti. Hence I bailed. The whole dealership had the attitude of "We are Acura, buy us for the Honda-esque quality" And stuck their noses as BMW, Mercedes, Lexus etc. When they are more realistically in comparison with Buick and other not so luxury but premium brands.

— Whelan (View Profile)

Posted on 10/12/2009 2:28:16 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: 1   

I was treated like a god at a Hyundai dealership wehn driving the Genesis coupe, I was treated like a peace of crap at a Cadillac Dealer who wouldn't let me drive CTS, I was treated like a God at Princeton Porsche but as a peace of Dirt at Ray Catena Porsche When I was looking at a Boxster S. It varies, most dealers are average and some are good and some are bad with a lot of mediocrity in the middle.

— pennfootball (View Profile)

Posted on 10/12/2009 3:05:58 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: 0   

Maids these days cant afford Hyundais, they drive 20 year old Chevy Broughams with rusted out body panels. They go to Social Workers like myself for help, becuase their job pays them a socially irresponsible wage; in which some of you will pay a maid that little, and are probably her boss.

Get into the real world and stop living in your Ivory Tower Rich Boys.

— HyundaiSmoke (View Profile)

Posted on 10/12/2009 6:30:17 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: 0   

She Probably got it for a steal, as a lot of 01-06 Elantra Owners traded it in for the Current Gen Model. You probably dont pay her $8 an hour like most rich bosses would a maid either. I dont know. I do know that if she got it used she got a deal as the resale values on Elantras from that Era, especially with the Current Gen out are poop.

Also, the 01-06 Elantra compared to the Current Gen Model is like Comparing a Knights Sword to a Modern Day Soldier's RPG. In essence, thats a previous non aspirational luxury era Hyundai Model.

— HyundaiSmoke (View Profile)

Posted on 10/12/2009 7:46:07 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: 1   

My maid drives a early mid nineties Accord. It's her work car. She has another one at home for play and a van for her kids.

Hyundaismoke, I'm glad my tax dollars are paying for you to be on here all the time. My job that pays me all this BAD unearned undeserved money that you loathe so much doesn't give me the fortune of playing online all day. Some of us WORK for a living.

Don't you have some households to inspect or hookers to give home loans too.

— Whelan (View Profile)

Posted on 10/13/2009 11:40:20 AM | reply to this comment | Votes: 2   

Comments below only relate to local Vegas dealers. I usually end up looking out of state to get a better deal. I'm not sure why Vegas 'premium' car dealers seem to think they have a captive market.

Lexus: LoLV by far the worst of the 'premium' dealers in Las Vegas (from a sales standpoint). Aside from one internet salesmen, I've had nothing but condescending, arrogant, asshats when attempting to deal with LoLV sales staff. One even went so far as to say "If you want to bargain, perhaps a Lexus is not the car for you..." (Seriously?)

BMW (2 dealers both owned by same group): Mediocre sales service. In showroom sales staff at one of the outlets was not bad, even so far as to be called 'okay'. The one located in the automall I've had poor luck dealing with.

MB: No opportunity to explore the fun world of MB shopping in Vegas yet.

Infiniti: Both dealerships owned by one group (Towbin auto - the same folks that bring you kingofcars.com). Bad sales experience at the mid-town location. Just unwilling to deal and poor attitudes. Prestige Inifiniti had a much better experience when shopping for cars for two different friends. Sales staff much more friendly, courteous, relaxed, and willing to deal.

Luxury Motorcars: Stand-alone dealer that sells new and used from BMW, MB, Aston Martin, Rover and a others. On my one sales experience with this dealer I was VERY pleased with my treatment by the sales staff. When I walked into the showroom I wasn't sure how I was going to be treated given I was looking at a car very much on the lower end of what they sold (every car in the ‘lobby’ was $150k+). The sales coordinator quickly had me setup with a salesman who was very friendly, with no evidence of snobbery at all. Very helpful, willing to negotiate, straightforward. Very pleased in working with that business.

— Janizary (View Profile)

Posted on 10/13/2009 2:51:38 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: 1   

They all suck.

— thstone (View Profile)

Posted on 10/13/2009 4:32:56 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: 1   

Well You Scare me StarSearch with your avoidance strategy in the face of injustices as well.

— HyundaiSmoke (View Profile)

Posted on 10/13/2009 10:57:49 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: 1   

I got one. I was at a Toyota dealership with my father and a friend who was going to buy a car (she brought us along because we know about cars). We were asking, what i believe were, simple questions where he responded he didnt know. It was a while back I can't remember the specifics but what I do remember was that he said he doesn't know much about cars but he knows how to sell. Which I replied well you just lost one. Later on our friend bought a honda at the dealership across the street.

— vvelez (View Profile)

Posted on 10/15/2009 4:26:45 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: 1   

I'd say experience with a salesperson has NOTHING to do with the brand. It has to do with the owner and or GM. If the owner or GM wants customers treated well, it will happen. Problem is, most dealerships are now conglomerates and most conglomerates, no matter what their business is have poor customer service. Some bean counter CFO somewhere cares only about the bottom line mostly because his/her job depends on that. Family owned dealers which are disappearing daily usually treat customers much better all the way from sales to service.

— avanti64 (View Profile)

Posted on 10/15/2009 10:19:43 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: 1