One of the perks that my wife receives for her work is that she can earn the use of a company car or take the cash. At the end of June we qualified for our 3rd car… YAY! We have been enjoying a nice, sporty platinum 2006 Pontiac Grand Prix for the past two years and now we get to choose another one.
Actually, they are phasing out the Grand Prix and replacing it with 2 vehicle choices, the Saturn Aura and Saturn Vue. We were at a loss this time. Which one to choose. When it’s between the Car and Cash, it’s a little easier to decide but when it’s Car, Car or Cash…
So we scheduled a trip to our Saturn Dealer to check out the different vehicles. The sales guy that responded to my email didn’t quite catch on that we weren’t buying a vehicle… the company was delivering one to us and we wanted to see the different features.
My reply to him before our arrival was this:
“We don’t get to chose the color and options of the car, whatever deal Mary Kay and Saturn has worked out will be what we get. We do know that the Vue and Aura will be Black. Knowing Mary Kay and based on the options of our current Pontiac Grand Prix, Mary Kay probably won’t stick us with the barebones options but it won’t be fully loaded either. They save those for the Cadillacs they offer.
If there is anything else, please let me know. Else we will see you tomorrow, probably closer to 6pm.”
But yet, when we arrived he believed we were buying a car. Perhaps thinking that we would get the cash and then work the deal ourselves.
After ranting talking to his manager, he realizes that he’s not going to make a penny off of us, he’s not quite as enthusiatic, but still very nice. He didn’t have any 2008 Auras in the showroom, as they haven’t been delivered yet, but we saw a 2007 Aura. We also scoped out the 2008 Vue.
Both were pretty sweet rides, but the one thing that Aura has going for it is a sealed trunk for security and protection.
So, as we are looking at the Vue, he drives his truck up, so he can leave ASAP. He finishes answering our questions while throwing in that “he’s usually off at 5pm” as if I am supposed to be upset that it’s after 6 and he is still at work. He could have easily seen if we could have rescheduled or even had someone else help us… perhaps we should have “just showed up” and might have been able to test drive one… maybe.
That was Friday night and we didn’t really know which one to get. Both were great cars. Then Saturday we get the paperwork in and My Lovely and Talented Wife has to decide which one by this coming Friday! Come on people… this is stressful enough to pick out which car, much less do it right before our big trip to Dallas. Granted, the cars will be there in Dallas to oh-and-ah over, so that might make it a little better.
Not really. Still she had to chose between:
and
Later on… while I was at the Company Headquarters, I received a text from My Lovely, Talented and Decisive Wife that she “chose the Aura”. After all, she doesn’t plan on having it too long before earning her Pink Cadillac SRX. So the Aura will do for now.
PLANET3RRY 
We like the VUE and hope to get one someday. I had a used Saturn the I really liked. And I was always pleased with the service department.
So I decided to buy my current car (a used Ford Focus) from Saturn — but that turned out to be a nightmare. So if we ever get another Saturn, it won’t be from Saturn of Albany.
Bottom line: Saturn service…good. Saturn sales (at least the salesman I got stuck with)…awful.
I would say “lucky Lovely and Talented Wife” but I know with MK you have to be a lot more than lucky to earn one of those babies…much less 3. Your wife seems much nicer than the ones I was unfortunate enough to have dealings with.
[quote comment=”6161″]We like the VUE and hope to get one someday. I had a used Saturn the I really liked. And I was always pleased with the service department.
So I decided to buy my current car (a used Ford Focus) from Saturn — but that turned out to be a nightmare. So if we ever get another Saturn, it won’t be from Saturn of Albany.
Bottom line: Saturn service…good. Saturn sales (at least the salesman I got stuck with)…awful.[/quote]
The VUE was definitely the “cooler” car but this one has a few practical features that override the cool factor.
Both had some nice features and can wait for it to arrive!
[quote comment=”6163″]I would say “lucky Lovely and Talented Wife” but I know with MK you have to be a lot more than lucky to earn one of those babies…much less 3. Your wife seems much nicer than the ones I was unfortunate enough to have dealings with.[/quote]
Sorry to hear that you didn’t have a good experience because there are some truly amazing people out there. But like with everything in life, there are some people who ruin it for others.
I think because she truly cares about her consultants in her and what is best for their situation is one reason she is successful.
WOW! Excellent! She is a supreme MK woman! Go go go!
You shouldn’t be wasting the time of salespeople you aren’t buying from. It’s nothing more than predatory. If I go to your business and spend several hours of your day draining your information and time that would offend YOU. I think salespeople should be within thier right to tell you to go online or there is the car go look at it.
Niiiice wheels, T! And what a moron that guy was… Gee, don’t let me inconvenience you!
M~
[quote comment=”6171″]You shouldn’t be wasting the time of salespeople you aren’t buying from. It’s nothing more than predatory. If I go to your business and spend several hours of your day draining your information and time that would offend YOU. I think salespeople should be within thier right to tell you to go online or there is the car go look at it.[/quote]
The email that I quoted was not the only email correspondence, and so that was not the only time that I told him that we were receiving a free car. My intentions were clear, I can’t control him not comprehending that concept.
And if he is truly behind his product, why would he not welcome a new client? Even if I am not buying a car, I could chose to use the Saturn Dealership over other qualified mechanics for maintenance. I chose to take my Civic to the Honda Dealership even though it was bought from there… which resulted in me building our Odyssey from them.
WOW, new car fever is hitting the family. I just got a new car, I went back to my roots and got a ’07 Xterra. Both the cars you had to choose from are highly rated from what I have heard. COOL FOR YOU GUYS!!!!
[quote post=”1164″]You shouldnt be wasting the time of salespeople you arent buying from. Its nothing more than predatory…[/quote]
And this is why I say the service industry is dead in America. With the exception of a recent wonderful experience with salespeople, most of my experiences have been awful.
I live in Mexico where you can still call the grocery store and have someone come by your house to pick up your shopping list and then deliver the groceries to you after they have done the shopping for you.
As a salesman you should be interested in selling your company and your product. If my only experience with the dealership were with a salesman that was more concerned about his time than honoring an appointment with a potential long term customer, then I think I would take my future business elsewhere. Salesmen should think about their company as a whole and not only their own pocketbooks.
Well done your wife – and not so well done that silly salesman! I have a severe allergy to poor service!