This Edmonds.com article, Confessions of a Car Salesman, reminds me of my first (and only) car salesmen and their tactics.
The initial salesmen was obvioiusly new to the job, like the author. But unlike the author he had already been shopping with his co-workers, and dressed in tacky clothes to the hilt, including the cheap gold tie chain/clip. The one that looks like a golden rope, like a ladies necklace. I distinctly remember his pseudo black leather jacket (Only the sleeves were fake leather - it looked more like a high school letter jacket.), with embroidered neon palms aglow on the back, advertising a Vegas casino. I wished he won it in a cheesy raffle, rather than spending his hard earned money on it. I hoped the money he made from my sale went to a replacement. I actually felt bad for him.
I then dealt with his boss, who treated me, my Bronco, and my first unborn child like dirt and offered that much for my trade-in. I did not feel bad for him. He had more gold on his fingers and neck than any overweight, white, pushy car salesman deserved, and carried himself as such. The rookie respected him with fear of becoming his next lunch. An entirely possible feat given his girth. I haggled the price up to three times the original offer (remember kids, three times zero is still zero), made the deal as quickly as possible and got out of there, glad to be out of there before they offered fashion tips. I hated the experience, and vowed to learn more before returning. With this inside look, I vow to work the net and never set a foot inside a dealership again.
