Study Reveals Mini, Lexus And BMW Tops In Converting Potential Buyers Into Owners

Not here. Local BMW dealership really turned me away. A lot of used car salesman tactics that did not work on me. Last straw was when I called out that a 528i does not have 2 turbos and the dealer continued to advise it did. I know it's BMW's tactic to fool people into thinking twinscroll is 2 turbos, but it was not working here.

I despise incompetent, bullshitting salespeople. I expect salespeople to not only know the particulars of the cars they sell but also the particulars of competitive cars. I also do not tolerate them badmouthing another brand to the customer. The customer may prefer that other brand and is looking at your product to rule it out, for example. You have to win the sale on the merits of your product not by bashing all others.

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MDarringer: +1!

It saddens me to report that by the time I walk into a store, be that big box or auto dealership, I've done sufficient product research to realize that I know more about the product than the salesman. As much as I'd LOVE salespeople to be a big value add, they are salespeople because they know how to close the deal. That has little to do with product knowledge. The people who excel at product knowledge are usually in the support area, be that a good mechanic or a good computer techie (e.g., a technical account manager).

The BMW dealer knew I had an Audi coming up on lease and towards the end made a negative comment on the brand.

Or worse, the sales people sort of know what they know. A salesman at the Mercedes dealer told my wife and me that the vehicle had seatbelt "potentioners" and that all Mercedes products were made in Germany unlike BMW that makes most of its cars in the USA.

As a conservative Republican, I really do prefer to buy American. He didn't know my political persuasion, but his statement that I could buy an American made BMW could have sent me to the competition.

I was about to blow my stack when my wife told him--her voice dripping with disdain--what word he was searching for when he said "potentioners" then proved to him that the Mercedes she was interested in was built in the USA.

She then gave him a look of disgust and went inside the dealer and demanded someone who wasn't unintelligent...in those words.

It takes her longer to get pissed off than it does me, but when she goes there, she goes there.

Hard to believe that anyone would walk away from a car based on what a sales person says or doesn't say. With all the info now available online - and an ability to test drive a vehicle, why would you even need to listen to a sales pitch?

@Hawk the salesperson is vital to the sale but not because s/he is selling the car. The salesperson is vital because s/he forms the customer's impression of the store and also the brand. Research into disgruntled customers of dealerships often can be traced to the salesperson and the transaction.

Thus, engaging and informed salespeople and a quick purchase process creates a happy customer who will then tend to see his/her interactions with the dealer through that lens.

If the customer feels screwed over by the sales process, that feeling tends to perpetuate itself.

Thus, the salesperson is vitally important for the relationship the customer has with the business MUCH more than the transaction.

In fact, a surprising number of our transactions are done via email.

...it's not that most of us (willingly) listen to these sorry sales-pitches, it's that we're basically subjected to them b/c we must visit the dealership to get a 1st-hand look & test drive before working out the financing.

@dumpsty Then you have a dealer that is not up on the current trend of customer interaction. The current trend is to ask the customer what s/he would like to know about the vehicle. Customers tire of the "no wait I gotta whole lotta presentation ta give ya" routine.

Because many customers come in well versed on what it is that interests them about the vehicle, it's best for the salesperson to listen first.

I personally prefer for salespeople to say--after introductions are made--"What would you like to drive?" because having a discussion about the car and THEN driving wastes the customer's time. Both can be done simultaneously.

Moreover, the test drive amps up that new car euphoria and that for me is a good thing.

As much as I dislike Lexus's current styling, I recognize they're doing a lot right, and it's showing up in respectable sales numbers and high owner satisfaction. I'd likely be driving a Lexus today if only the created vehicles that looked beautiful (to me).

I would love to have a stake in a Mini store. The secret to their success is the dealer experience where they treat customers as if each one is driving a $100K vehicle not a $25-35K product.

The nearest Mini dealer is 60 miles away and a friend of mine took hers down for some routine service and the dealer dropped her off at a movie of her choice and paid her ticket. When the movie was over they delivered her car to her and she left.

Having a great product is a good thing, but how the dealer treats customers is how you sustain your business. I was appalled when I first saw how VW treats its customers. Porsche and Audi owners are coddled, but VW owners are treated as enemies.

@MDarringer not here in North East Florida, the service personnel at the local MINI dealer are incompetent. I hate having to take my daughter's MINI there but its the only choice. The sad thing is that the MINI is the 3rd vehicle we have purchased from Tom Bush.

Funny because according to the survey VW scored much higher than FORD. But we all know you always have something bad to say about VW. LoL!

Have you conveyed to Mini, your experiences at your Mini dealer? I have PTSD from what I saw at the VW store.

Thats is why you do not deal with sales people on the floor. You always do your research, get a few quotes online first from at least two dealers (preferably three if you live in a large metro area) Then you know what you should be paying and then deal with the internet manager, a manager or a referral only. I lease my past three cars via two phone calls, a few emails back and forth and a few texts. I never went to the dealer (was 1 hour from my house, 2 other dealers were closer), car was delivered to our door! the only way to know you get a good deal, save time and no stress.

it's MINI not Mini, just look at the pic you posted autospies, come on!!!!

I sell MINI and know the cars inside and out and the competition.