GM dealers offer Toyota test drives

[Ach]

http://www.cnn.com/2007/AUTOS/05/25/...mry/index.html

If you want to test drive a Toyota Camry or Honda Accord, starting next month you'll be able to do it at a Saturn dealership. General Motors is asking Saturn dealers to have one or more of the competing models in the showroom so customers can look at it, sit in it and drive it.

[unkillsam]

"I think we can stand up to the comparison," said Wade Hoyt, a Toyota spokesman.
Auto salespeople always research the competition, he said, and prepare advantageous comparisons to offer customers considering another product.
"They talk down the competition all the time," said Hoyt, "so this is just taking it one step further"

Yeah, like how Toyota talks down the competition with their Tundra ad's. Give me a break you little crybaby.

When I was helping my sister shop for a car, she was at the time comparing a Corolla and a Cobalt. I drove her into the dealership lot in my Cobalt SS/SC. The car salesman sall that, and still decided to tell my sister, right in front of me, that Cobalts in particular and all domestic cars in general are pieces of (and I quote) "crap"

What nerve.

[espo19047]

It is true some Honda and Toyota salesman are lazy. They just tell the customer American cars are crap and tell them how smart they are to be at the Toyota dealer.
Then get out the invoice and ask how far under it do they have to go...

[Bvonscott]

With the shady B.S. that goes on at Toyota dealers it amazes me they even sell cars. By far toyota has the WORST salespeople.

I seriously doubt the Saturn dealers will actually let people drive the Camry, most likely it will sit in the showroom floor, and there will be plenty of Aura's to drive.

[HoeyHimself]

I kinda want to go pick a fight with a Toyota/Honda sales guy..not physical..just start asking alot of questions they cant answer.

Anyways..thats a brilliant idea, it shows confidence and I think will really get people's attention.

[69Firebird400]

Here's what I don't get about this idea. LaNeve says that import buyers won't consider a GM product:

Part of the reason GM is willing to take this step, said LaNeve, is because the company has little to lose. Midsized sedan shoppers often don't even consider GM products, he said, instead going straight to Honda and Toyota dealers.The Toyota Camry and Honda Accord are now the two best-selling cars in America.

So he sticks the competition's products inside a GM showroom? What about this gets Honda buyers into the Saturn showroom? As is, I can see it making a Saturn buyer feel better about their purchase, or convincing someone who does give GM a fair shake that they have a product as good as the Camry or Accord.

I think it would be a better idea to have all three cars in places import intenders would be - such as inside a mall. Plenty of car dealers stick new cars in the mall - just put the competition's cars in there alongside yours if you have that much confidence in your product.

[eaton53]

Auto salespeople always research the competition, he said, and prepare advantageous comparisons to offer customers considering another product.

Bwwaaahhhahaha! Who's he tryin' to kid?
I've run into some that know what they're talking about, but a lot more that are fountains of misinformation.

[01cavalier]

Originally Posted by unkillsam

"I think we can stand up to the comparison," said Wade Hoyt, a Toyota spokesman.
Auto salespeople always research the competition, he said, and prepare advantageous comparisons to offer customers considering another product.
"They talk down the competition all the time," said Hoyt, "so this is just taking it one step further"

Yeah, like how Toyota talks down the competition with their Tundra ad's. Give me a break you little crybaby.

When I was helping my sister shop for a car, she was at the time comparing a Corolla and a Cobalt. I drove her into the dealership lot in my Cobalt SS/SC. The car salesman sall that, and still decided to tell my sister, right in front of me, that Cobalts in particular and all domestic cars in general are pieces of (and I quote) "crap"

What nerve.

If Toyota really wasn't worried, they they should be putting GM products in their dealers to compare.

I've seen such arrogance from import salespeople before, I tell them off, if I can, make sure their sales manager knows what happened and what I think and that they lost a sale. It probably doesn't make much difference, but at least it's said. I've done it a few times, even when I really did think imports were better.

[DiRF]

I sort of have to agree that Toyota dealers are the worst to deal with.

My mother wanted a RAV4. She has a Chevy Tracker.
My father wanted a Solara convertible. He has a VW Cabrio.
My oldest sister wanted a Camry. She has a Honda Accord.

Why? All of them got absolutely fed up with Toyota dealers treating them like crap and wasting their time.

My other sister has a Scion xB, but only because she was stubborn enough and absolutely HAD to have that car. She knew exactly what she wanted and had already test-driven one at another dealership before she walked through the doors... it took her 6 bloody hours to buy the flippin' thing. (By contrast, my oldest sister didn't know what kinda Accord she wanted [or that she even wanted an Accord], had never test-driven one... but biff-bam-boom, she was out of the dealership with the car in less than 3 hours)

[markusername]

Are they planning on doing an apple to apple comparison by having the comparable camry and accord? Or will they have the most base stripper model available only?

I can't see a saturn dealer having more than one camry at the most. So I would assume it would be the most stripped down 4 cyl version they can get.

Any Saturn dealers out there who could comment?

Also, it seems that if the people at the saturn dealership are ones who are NOT considering an import and are loyal to GM, isn't this backwards? Why would you want to show them the competition if they are into GM anyway??? I don't get it. Your not going to get a person who loves toyota into a saturn dealership anyway?

[TORRED1]

I think this is a great idea, and shows confidence in your product.

[AmericanRevolution]

Originally Posted by unkillsam

"I think we can stand up to the comparison," said Wade Hoyt, a Toyota spokesman.
Auto salespeople always research the competition, he said, and prepare advantageous comparisons to offer customers considering another product.
"They talk down the competition all the time," said Hoyt, "so this is just taking it one step further"

Yeah, like how Toyota talks down the competition with their Tundra ad's. Give me a break you little crybaby.

When I was helping my sister shop for a car, she was at the time comparing a Corolla and a Cobalt. I drove her into the dealership lot in my Cobalt SS/SC. The car salesman sall that, and still decided to tell my sister, right in front of me, that Cobalts in particular and all domestic cars in general are pieces of (and I quote) "crap"
What nerve.

lol us talking down the competition? If by that being that we say things like, "I can't dispute the fact (Toyota/Honda) make great products, but here's why Saturn has the better product..." and point out things such as the first major maintenance being at 100,000 miles, the car is quieter and rides better, handles better, and so forth - so much to point out that we gotta limit it to their major interest points - that means we talk down about their product, then I guess we do. But if we talk down about them, I don't even know how to begin to explain how they talk about us - "Those American pieces of crap" in many cases.

*rolls eyes*

Anyway, while my manager hasn't said anything about this - yet - to me, I'm gonna ask him if we got this memo yet.

[AmericanRevolution]

Also, might I add, there's absolutely NO validity to those saying "Import shoppers would never go to Saturn showrooms." Hell, 50% or more of those coming into our showrooms DAILY would NEVER be seen in anything but a new Saturn (excluding Ion or VUE in many of those cases) or imports. "Chevy? HA! Older Saturns? Are you kiddin' me, those plastic cars? Fords? Stop, stop I say, you're making me laugh out loud!"

Yip, that's right... conquest sales and looks (even THAT is a big step for GM and Saturn!), image-concious, import-only buyers who drive Honda's, Toyota's, Acura's, BMW's, Audi's, Lexus', and Mercedes'. Ya, right... those import-only shoppers NEVER come in here... uhh-uhh... *rolls eyes* lol

[SaabKing]

Hopefully they use low mileage trade in. Or if they are part of a dealer group that owns a Toyota dealer, use a demo. No need to buy a new one from Toyota, it kind of defeats the point.

[FStephenMasek]

It seems that this would be better done with the 2008 Malibu, as it appears(from photos) to be far nicer than the Aura.