The Gallery Of Fine Cars... Worst Experience Ever...

[hurrdurr]

I was curious about a vehicle there.

Went to check it out, was told that it just sold.

Tried to rope me into a more expensive vehicle that i didn't want.

Wouldn't talk price until i put a credit app in, low balled me on my trade in and wouldn't let me drive the car.

Weeks later they're still placing the same ad for the vehicle that "sold" that day i was there every day.

Fuck these guys

[J-hop]

So I've heard a lot of people mentioning being told they need to sign a credit app before talking price. But what if you want to pay cash for the car, do they still pull the same bs and try to upsell you based on your credit somehow?

[relyt92]

Originally posted by J-hop
So I've heard a lot of people mentioning being told they need to sign a credit app before talking price. But what if you want to pay cash for the car, do they still pull the same bs and try to upsell you based on your credit somehow?

When I was looking for a first car with my dad in 2008 and went to some dealership I don't remember, and was looking at a Ford Fusion they had for something like $6000. They wouldn't even sell me the car for cash, would only discuss anything through financing with them. Wouldn't even let us drive the car without having my dad put in a pre-approval for financing on the car.

[Xtrema]

Originally posted by J-hop
So I've heard a lot of people mentioning being told they need to sign a credit app before talking price. But what if you want to pay cash for the car, do they still pull the same bs and try to upsell you based on your credit somehow?

There is a commission. They really don't care if you apply for loans and pay it off right the way. There is more $$ going to them.

[ExtraSlow]

Many of the lower end used car dealerships make more money off the loans than they do for the cars.
Actually had this conversation with a guy who runs one of the well known ones in town with I think four locations. He basically told me he's in the financing business, and the cars are just a method to get people into financing deals. He'd finance hamburgers if he could make the same margins.

[J-hop]

Good to know. That is super shady.

I've always thought about opening a used car lot. I bet I'd soon find without at least semi shady business practices it would be hard to make money. But at the same time it sucks to think this same experience gets repeated so often it just feels like there should be room for improvement

[94boosted]

Such as shady place, but business must be good because it looks like they're opening up a third location (1739 - 51 Street SE)

http://www.galleryoffinecarscalgary....cars-south.htm

[n1zm0]

Originally posted by 94boosted
Such as shady place, but business must be good because it looks like they're opening up a third location (1739 - 51 Street SE)

http://www.galleryoffinecarscalgary....cars-south.htm

That's already in full swing, I remember seeing it this summer after the Chasing Summer catastrophe and we went to get Pho Dau Bo.

It was literally a lot with an ATCO trailer for an office

[bourge73]

"Of course, nobody wants to be forgotten after the purchase of a used RAM, Ford, Chevrolet, Nissan or Toyota. That's why we staff a state-of-the-art auto repair centre is highly trained and equipped with the latest with the latest tools"

Right from getting hit by a train to our showroom.....

[Rocket1k78]

Originally posted by n1zm0


That's already in full swing, I remember seeing it this summer after the Chasing Summer catastrophe and we went to get Pho Dau Bo.

It was literally a lot with an ATCO trailer for an office

In their defense that area is probably the best for them lol. 17 ave SE is prime pickings for the clientele they want.

[roll_over]

Originally posted by J-hop
Good to know. That is super shady.

I've always thought about opening a used car lot. I bet I'd soon find without at least semi shady business practices it would be hard to make money. But at the same time it sucks to think this same experience gets repeated so often it just feels like there should be room for improvement

Not true at all.

You can buy clean stock, detail it properly, repair any wear and tear items that need addressing, partner with a variety of lenders (for customers with both good and bad credit). If garbage comes in that you’re stuck with just be completely forthcoming when selling (and price accordingly) or if it’s too shitty to fire sale just ship it to the auction.

It’s actually quite easy to run a used lot that’s not shady, the hard part is convincing people your used lot is not shady.

[J-hop]

Originally posted by roll_over


Not true at all.

You can buy clean stock, detail it properly, repair any wear and tear items that need addressing, partner with a variety of lenders (for customers with both good and bad credit). If garbage comes in that you’re stuck with just be completely forthcoming when selling (and price accordingly) or if it’s too shitty to fire sale just ship it to the auction.

It’s actually quite easy to run a used lot that’s not shady, the hard part is convincing people your used lot is not shady.

I thought that until a buddy of mine started working as a used car salesman and started telling me about how the business he worked for is run and the profit margins (lack there of). Opex seems quite large unless you're in the middle of no where. Buying clean stock doesn't sound easy because to make any money you're buying auction vehicles with often unknown pasts. So many surprises when you get the vehicle back to the lot and give it a thorough Workover.

When it gets right down to it I don't think running a used car lot is easy which is why most of them fail.

By the sounds of it your experience is different though and you run a decently successful car lot. Would you mind meeting with me to discuss the ins and outs of your business? I've been considering doing something like this if I were to lose my job but know very little other than a friend working at one.

[roll_over]

Originally posted by J-hop


I thought that until a buddy of mine started working as a used car salesman and started telling me about how the business he worked for is run and the profit margins (lack there of). Opex seems quite large unless you're in the middle of no where. Buying clean stock doesn't sound easy because to make any money you're buying auction vehicles with often unknown pasts. So many surprises when you get the vehicle back to the lot and give it a thorough Workover.

When it gets right down to it I don't think running a used car lot is easy which is why most of them fail.

By the sounds of it your experience is different though and you run a decently successful car lot. Would you mind meeting with me to discuss the ins and outs of your business? I've been considering doing something like this if I were to lose my job but know very little other than a friend working at one.

Yeah, send me a PM and we can definitely sit down and talk a bit about how it works. The biggest issue that most people don’t understand is the overhead, having the available cashflow to purchase a large amount of stock, potentially carry it for long periods of time and pay for repairs and/or reconditioning that may arise.

As for your other comments, it all depends on where you get your stock. I for one do not purchase anything from auctions , that’s for two reasons:
1. they’re usually shit units, there’s a reason why someone didn’t want to sell the vehicle and chose to sell it at auction. There are exceptions like fleet vehicles that are meticulously maintained.
2. they’re full of idiots willing to pay retail (or damn near) for everything that comes across the block. Leaving no room for potential issues that may arise.

The majority of the stuff we get is trade in from a handful of luxury franchises that come with a list of issues (if any) or from private sellers that get sniped the second their ads come active. If something comes in on trade that’s shit it initially gets offered to one of the lower end lots we deal with, then the Lebanese curbers and if both of them don’t want it then it goes to auction.

Shit, sorry for the long post.

[J-hop]

No that is great. To be honest I expected the usual beyond response "well I've never done it but theoretically this should work". I would definitely like to chat about it.

[acedia]

Originally posted by hurrdurr
I was curious about a vehicle there.

Went to check it out, was told that it just sold.

Tried to rope me into a more expensive vehicle that i didn't want.

Wouldn't talk price until i put a credit app in, low balled me on my trade in and wouldn't let me drive the car.

Weeks later they're still placing the same ad for the vehicle that "sold" that day i was there every day.

Fuck these guys

That's shady AF. I'm the type of person that rarely complains when I'm treated shitty, I'll just leave and buy somewhere else. But this would almost certainly make be drop a big F**k You Sandwich on their ass on my way out the door. That's terrible.

[zhao]

Originally posted by roll_over


Not true at all.

You can buy clean stock, detail it properly, repair any wear and tear items that need addressing, partner with a variety of lenders (for customers with both good and bad credit). If garbage comes in that you’re stuck with just be completely forthcoming when selling (and price accordingly) or if it’s too shitty to fire sale just ship it to the auction.

It’s actually quite easy to run a used lot that’s not shady, the hard part is convincing people your used lot is not shady.

Have you owned a car dealership before or just work at one? I have and tried doing what you're suggesting.

It does not work. Your profit isn't there because every idiot thinks your mint car you fixed everything with should cost the same as the cheapest glued together turd at another lot. It also costs a lot to fix anything wrong with cars, so you're basically stuck dealing with only almost new cars if you want to go that route. That may work but your plan definitely doesn't work on anything older.

People are shady and try to screw dealerships over all the time. With their trades and trying to get free shit afterwards. The more you help someone out the more they'll screw you in the end is my experience.

Here is the other thing, amvic goes after the little guys with great fury because they know you can't afford to fight them. They never go after the big guys. I have a few stories on both sides of the law about their shady practices.

Your definition of fixing cars right could be skewed too.

Clean stock isn't numerous at auctions either. It's pretty rare as far as my definition of clean stock is. When I worked for Audi even with them sticking to buying largely 1-3 year old cars, most of that stuff was turdtastic. Every 30g a4 pretty much had a 2-4g shop bill to certify it, and was usually a pile of shit for body/interior conditionunless it was one of audi Canada's already certified pre owneds.

You can't afford to fix body/interior damage properly as a dealership and expect to make money.

[roll_over]

Originally posted by zhao


Have you owned a car dealership before or just work at one? I have and tried doing what you're suggesting.

It does not work. Your profit isn't there because every idiot thinks your mint car you fixed everything with should cost the same as the cheapest glued together turd at another lot. It also costs a lot to fix anything wrong with cars, so you're basically stuck dealing with only almost new cars if you want to go that route. That may work but your plan definitely doesn't work on anything older.

People are shady and try to screw dealerships over all the time. With their trades and trying to get free shit afterwards. The more you help someone out the more they'll screw you in the end is my experience.

Here is the other thing, amvic goes after the little guys with great fury because they know you can't afford to fight them. They never go after the big guys. I have a few stories on both sides of the law about their shady practices.

Your definition of fixing cars right could be skewed too.

Clean stock isn't numerous at auctions either. It's pretty rare as far as my definition of clean stock is. When I worked for Audi even with them sticking to buying largely 1-3 year old cars, most of that stuff was turdtastic. Every 30g a4 pretty much had a 2-4g shop bill to certify it, and was usually a pile of shit for body/interior conditionunless it was one of audi Canada's already certified pre owneds.

You can't afford to fix body/interior damage properly as a dealership and expect to make money.

Currently own (part of).

I think the biggest issue you may have had is the type of vehicles you were selling. We mainly deal with high end and niche. We only buy/sell clean units and charge a premium. We don’t mind sitting on something for a year or more if that’s what it takes, eventually the right buyer does come around.

I do know what you mean though, it’s nearly impossible selling cheaper units. Margins are so tight and everyone comes in thinking they can get huge discounts and you’re making a fortune.

[Rocket1k78]

Originally posted by roll_over


Currently own (part of).

I think the biggest issue you may have had is the type of vehicles you were selling. We mainly deal with high end and niche. We only buy/sell clean units and charge a premium. We don’t mind sitting on something for a year or more if that’s what it takes, eventually the right buyer does come around.

Everyone is so righteous until you read the fine print lol Of course you can say you dont buy from auctions and only buy clean stock when you're selling high end vehicles and willing to sit on them for more than a year. This motto would bankrupt most regular places im sure.

[btimbit]

I actually didn't mind House of Cars. I was in there a few weeks ago. Didn't end up buying from them so I can't comment on the whole experience, but they seemed just like a normal used car dealer to me, like automaxx. Looked at an SUV and a truck, both 2016's with under 50k km. Neither were damage repaired, one was a former rental and the truck was a fleet lease. They were honest about that when I asked about the vehicles history and had the carproof's to back up their claims later on. They just weren't very competitive on their prices, at least with what I was looking at, and I got a similar SUV from Country Hills Hyundai for almost $1000 less. Only thing I didn't like about House of Cars was how pushy they were with the third party warranty and other add-ons.

Gallery of Fine Cars on the other hand, I went in even after reading this thread just to see what it'd be like. Was told I had to do a finance application to even go on a test drive. When I asked why I would do that if I wasn't sure whether or not I wanted to buy, the salesman just replied that that was how they did things. Left after that. Their coffee sucked too.

[roopi]

1. So I'm assuming there is some clause in the finance application that gets you locked in or have to pay a fee?

2. Do they not sell vehicles to cash buyers?