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How not to sell a Ford C-Max Energi

6K views 21 replies 21 participants last post by  stilcrazee 
#1 ·
#3 ·
I wish we could say that Chevy Dealers would have been better. Sadly, we have heard similar stories about them. It's really hit or miss with auto dealers. Some are good, many are not as this story shows.

Meanwhile, the national auto dealer association is suing Tesla for providing a superior buying experience by avoiding dealer networks.
 
#4 ·
#6 ·
My experience with even the most well regaurded Ford dealerships in Seattle was very similar. When asked questions about either the C-Max Plug in or the Focus electric a silent phone line is all I received back. In fact my knowledge always seemed to be the first for those representing these new products. Bizzar in a big green city like Seattle! Before I bought my Volt last month I had asked repeadedly for info or for a test drive when either of the above cars became available. To this date I have not heard a word back.
 
#7 · (Edited)
My salesman didn't know that much about the Volt either. However, he was helpful and helped me figure some of the features out. In the long run I knew I wanted one anyway, but he wasn't half as pushy as all the other salesman I had gone to look at cars from.

A salesman that is patient, and has a "can try this" attitude is way better than one that tells the buyer of fires in other vehicles to try to sell his own when I was mainly wanting to look around at other options. That one didn't realize I was already informed at how wrong he was (Yes it was the Toyota dealer)...

I'll admit, the partial charge on the Volt I test drove may have been a downer for some, but when I couldn't feel it switch to gas, and my wife liked the smooth ride as much as she did I was even more sold on the Volt.

Then again, as much as I liked my salesman, I'm not sure at all about my dealer's service department which let me schedule an appointment without a trained Volt tech on duty, and wasted my time. They made me come back later without fixing my car on the first appointment, even though they knew what it was in for and told me they could fix it. They then told me they have a shuttle service which was completely unsuitable because it wouldn't get me to work on time, and wouldn't be able to pick me up because I work too many hours..
So I had to drive with a check engine light on for 3 weeks until the trained Volt tech was on duty on a Saturday.

I do know now that in the future they should get me a rental so they can fix the car on a weekday, and I don't have the worry of something else being wrong with the check engine light, but that was a lack of knowldge I had before I started posting and reading here.

I was never contacted by Volt Advisors until I asked a question in email about whether my car had already had an update I read about here, and was told in a reply that it had gotten the update before delivery (which I'm happy about). It just seems if I hadn't found this site, I'd be way more in the dark.

So, I think in the long run, I know where "Mike" is coming from. Maybe the C-Max will do well, or maybe the others. I love my Volt, and hope GM wins out over them all, but I do agree that dealers should train people that are passionate about the cars and they will sell way more. I don't know what will make the service people more passionate. I showed up with less than 2500 miles with a scheduled appointment for a warranty repair, and they asked me if I needed an oil change. :/
I didn't understand why they would ask that for a 2013 Volt that I bought 2 months ago.. Maybe they don't realize I've only used 3.5 gallons of gas?
 
#9 ·
First Chevy dealer we went to was the same way, the salesman knew nothing about the Volt. Fortunately they did keep it charged and my wife loved how quiet it was. the second dealer was more knowledgeable but far from able to explain all the Volt's features.

The car pretty much sold itself.
 
#13 ·
A coworker sent this article to me yesterday hahaha. I've been trying to get one of these things since October of last year and It has been a very frustrating buying experience. :mad: Their inventory tracking is incredibly unreliable and the sales people, at least to me, didn't seem interested in selling them.

At this one dealer ...

Me: I hear you have a C-Max Energize
Them: Yeah its right here.
Me: That is a Hybrid .. not an Energon.
Them: Oh ... yeah. Sorry we don't have one of those then.

BAH HUMBUG.



One of the dealers in my area told me flat out that they didn't expect to sell many of the Ehrgeiz C-Max's. I doubt their comments were representative of Ford as a whole, but given my experience at many of the dealers in this area I think a lot of them are in the same boat.
 
#15 ·
LARRY HUDSONS CHEV~Drove 130kms to pick me up charged the battery filled the tank .hooked up the blue tooth,Explained the range moes and howto progrm the nav and radio,charging went through the whole car even how to boost it or another car.A knowledgeable sales team rare find!?
 
#17 ·
I called my local dealer (summer of 2011) to schedule a drive of the Volt. Salesman said he would be waiting. My wife and I arrived at the dealer on time. Salesman was busy on the phone. Waited 15 minutes and had him paged again. Salesman said he would be right there. Waited another 15 minutes. Checked the car out while waiting - it was open. Had the salesman paged again - same story - be right there. Waited another 10 minutes or so. Told my wife I was ready to leave. On the way back to my office to be dropped off by my wife, the salesman calls and apologizes. I told him there was no excuse for this behavior.

I have not gone back since or driven a Volt yet. I had the money ready to pay cash (still have it). Don't know if I will ever drive a Volt. Not at that dealership, I suspect. May purchase a Ford or Toyota plug-in. May not. Just don't know. I retired at the end of 2011 and don't really need it like I once did. But, hey, I do wish all you current and future Volt owners much luck with the Volt.
 
#19 ·
Re: Mike Kelly: I see they will sell Hyundais and Kias, but no American made Volts. Pathetic.

When I started looking for my Volt, I called one Chevy dealer in my area to ask if they had a Volt to test drive. I was told: "The owner is driving it. Call back Monday to see if it is available." (it was the weekend). I called the other dealer, their Volt was available to drive. Salesman and I drove it to my house, my wife took a ride. We bought from that salesman.
 
#21 ·
I'm in Volt Central (aka Southern California), and bought my Volt 3 months ago. I visited 4 dealerships, and not one salesperson that helped me knew anything about the car. Fortunately for the dealerships, I wasn't expecting them to know anything about it.
 
#22 ·
After the local Chevy dealer internet sales jerk called me I went to the dealership within 25 minutes. I asked for him and was handed off. when I asked about the three 2012 Volts I had JUST seen on their website I was informed that they only had one left, the othertwo had been dealer traded. I left and went back to my computer and found the Volt I eventually bought the next day. I called that dealership and verified they had the vehicle, the person on the phone told me the name of their Volt specialist, told me to ask for him by name. I went and asked for him. He was and is the type of employee anyone wold love to have...excited to tell me just about anything and everything about the Volt before we looked at the one I was interested in or before we talked price or trade at all.
I was happy to have made the 22 mile drive.
Brent Baker @ Bill Stasek Chevrolet, Wheeling, IL.
 
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