OBleedingMe

I was at a party last night, and it was packed with many people of the "car enthusiast" persuasion. Obviously, there were a few workers from a few local dealerships in the house. Mechanics, preppers, people who move the cars in the lots, etc.

I was talking to a few of them, and I mentioned how I had ordered my car, checked the mileage when it came off the truck, and checked it before I purchased it. They told me that was a good move. I asked them why. You guys buying off the lots are going to be sorry I asked... here's what they said.

One guy from a local Ford dealership: "Yeah man, we tear those cars UP! I burned a 20 ft strip of rubber in a redfire GT. Me and the sales manager got our first GT in 4 months ago and the first thing we did was take it out down Rt. 70, rev it up to 5k, drop the hammer, and get her up to 120!!!"

It seemed a lot of the "lot movers", the guys who drive the cars in the lot, are the ones who really tear the cars up.

A guy from a Chevy dealership: "Those Vette bumpers sure can withstand a good bump! I like to park 'by sound' in the lots if my bosses are exquisite feeling release of liquid waste product me off. (shrugs) I get paid poop anyway, why should I care? They've got 5 MPH bumpers.

"I couldn't even begin to tell you how many time I or my buds have done Vette burnouts. Nothing really long for anyone to notice, but enough to have a good time. Me and my other lot mover took out a Vette, ran it down Clifton Ave. to Rt. 88 and got her up to 140, power-shifting all the way! Shaved the snychros a little, I think. Man, that thing f-ing moves!!"

I asked: "Have any of you guys ever ripped into a car and then saw a customer buy it?"

They all burst out laughing hysterically at this and nodded their heads.

One guy told me: "I took this auto Malibu once and neutral started it like 5 times in a row. It was hilarious. The whole car rattled. Then two weeks later I saw this poor sap pay full ticket for the thing! The guy kept coming in for tranny work and they kept blaming him! It was f-ing hilarious, man!"

I asked: "Couldn't you guys get fired for this sort of thing?"

"Nah, not unless we really f-up the car or they catch us doing some crazy stuff. Sometimes the managers even get in on it, but that depends what dealership you work at. Some managers are uptight and you have to watch when you can tear up the car."

I asked: "Don't you feel a little guilty that you're screwing up someone else's car?"

Most of them had the same answer: "I get paid poop. It's not my car, they can't prove I did it, and if I ever got fired, so what?? Who cares? I can just go to another competing dealership."

I think what really scared me was the process by which these lot movers got hired. They all said they got hired within an hour, no driver's test, not even asking about stick experience (a couple guys said they LEARNED stick from driving the cars at the dealerships!!!), that none of them were even asked for a valid driver's license!!!! They just pay these kids $6.00 an hour to move $30k and $70k cars! They toss 18 - 22 year old kids the keys to a 400+HP vehicle when the most they've driven is their 120 HP beaters... it's crazy.

This discussion I had last night has really opened my eyes to how much dealerships care about their new cars (at least here on the Jersey shore). I heard right from the horse's mouth. After my experience last night, I'll never buy a car off the lot. All lot-buyers beware! It only takes a half mile to drop the hammer and rip that car up! No one but the lot movers really know what that odometer originally read, and the difference between four miles and 9 nine miles is a five mile joyride that could KILL your car experience down the road.

All those who ordered, be there before they prep your car, check the mileage. Take a pic of it, write it down on your order form, have the salesman/GM sign, then check it again when you pick it up. If it has more than a couple tenths on it, someone took it out for a "break-in" ride! That's advice straight from the guys at the dealerships.

Man, am I glad I ordered.

bassinbc

Man that is a load of c!#p. Get real.

OBleedingMe

I know it's tough to swallow, but even if HALF of what they say is true, it's still scary as all heck. Especially the way these kids get hired.

I was at a party, so I didn't want to start trouble and start insulting the guys, but man they were weiners. I think part of the reason they had that attitude was because they were paid so little. Maybe if they were paid around $9/$10 an hour and their employment process was more stringent, things would improve.

Also, if you do a search I think there was another thread from a guy who works at a dealership that said "all your worst nightmares are true", that they tear into brand new cars all the time.

I don't doubt it all... most people won't care about a 5-10 mile difference on the odometer.

John SCB

I can entirely see this as really happening out there. In fact, it's happened to me while I was having work done my BMW several years ago. The lot monkey didn't realize I was scoping the shop out (in another car) to see how they were doing. The guy takes it out for a 'test run' and was thrashing it...i mean burnouts, hard turns and brutally-hard braking!! Boy was I pissed!! I followed him back to the shop, and ripped him a new one. The shop bays cleared (like a dugout bench) with guys coming out ready to take me down. The manager totally understood my position and sent the guy home...no questions asked. He then took 10% off my service ticket but the damage was done...never went back there again .

Legion681

I bought mine off the lot, had 5 miles on it when I got it, had no problem at all so far (3 months)...

Sure there might be some idi*ts out there playing with new cars and then selling them to some client, unfortunately. I hope and believe though that the majority of them are serious people that wouldn't ruin cars the way you described.
But why did you start this topic ? To try to make every person that bought it off the lot worry and/or be sorry ? I don't understand...

vwAirCooled

Not suprising. Sad, but not suprising at all...

I'm assuming he posted this to suggest people order there car, and keep track of the mileage.

OBleedingMe

I posted this thread for exactly that, VWCooled. To make people aware of what's going on so they can be more wary. Check your mileage. Buyer-beware and all that.

I suppose the shock of what I heard also prompted me to post this thread. I felt this really needed to be posted so that people know what's going on in the delaer lots and who they're trusting your $30,000 car to.

OBleedingMe

I would have brought a baseball bat back with me, get the bastards when they're separated and alone. Punks aren't tough when you catch them on their own.

SixtySix

Not surprised either, but what you makes you think ordering your car will eliminate this? It won't.

There are a lot of hands touching "your" car before it ever makes it to the dealership. In and out of holding lots, railcars...etc.

mustangshadow

i agree with sixty six, its not right but it does happen. I remember a post from a few days ago i believe it said" holding lots emptied "and the guy said that they were driving them kinda hard with the stereos blasting.

moc1976

Not surprised either, I've known a few people that worked at car dealerships myself and I wouldn't let them drive my car knowingly.

But, if you're not careful, or ****, or whatever, this could happen to your car even if you ordered it. Thx for the info, I for one told my dealer, don't touch it when it comes in, just call me!

topconbob

I'm sure some of it is true and some is just bragging after a few pints. I bought mine off the truck in November and know that no one else drove it from the dealership since I drove by and saw it being unloaded and went around the block and pulled in. I bought it that night, the damage done to mine was on the truck or rail car. A dent on the passenger side fender and a bullet hole through the wheelwell and out the bumper under the turn signal light. Spent 10 days in the body shop. When I got it back it had 46 more miles than when I dropped it off. There was some serious talking going on between the Service Manager the owner and myself. One young man is no longer employed at that dealship. But the car looks good and runs good.........

Turner

This stuff happens, there isn't much of a solution other than having managers watching them more closely. However, sounds like some of the managers are even in on it.

I called the dealership and told them NOBODY drives the car. The salesman said he would be taking it down the street to fill it with gas. I told him that he would have to wait for me to arrive, and then we would BOTH go down together to fill up the car.

I told this guy at least 4 times that nobody should be driving the car off the lot PERIOD. Well, when I got the car it had like 8 miles on it. I'm sure it got hot-rodded mainly cause I was so pushy about it. lol

Its just a car. If an idiot drove it and tried to tear it up then so be it. He is pathetic and his life will probably be miserable. You can't act like that and ever be successful in life. That gives me the satisfaction I need to be at peace. My car may have been mis-treated by the lot monkey, but I can always buy a new one. The idiot that may have tried to tear up my car will still remain an idiot and probably never amount to much.

SixtySix

I like that!

Stangrob

Charlie,

Whereabouts down the shore are you located? Just wondering if any of the guys you were talking about were from my area. :shock:

BTW, very cool '67. I was checking out your info on that puppy. 427 tunnel port engine, eh? If my memory is correct that's the engine with the pushrod tubes running directly through the intake ports on the intake manifold, right. I'll bet that carb must be REAL close to the hood since I seem to recall even the single four barrel intakes were pretty high. Must be an absolute blast with the top loader!

Lastly, I ordered mine and will check the mileage once I watch them unload it from the carrier

Rob

OBleedingMe

Yeah man, you're right about the 427 Tunnelport High-Rise. And yep, it's a BLAST to drive!!!!!!!

Back to topic, unfortunately, we cannot control what happens before the car gets to the dealerships, like Sixty-six said. But we can control what happens to the car once it's off the truck.

Stangrob, I'm located a little further south than you are, down by Pt. Pleasant, Jackson, Bricktown, Seaside, etc. I don't think the location really matters, though. Seems like from recent posts it happens everywhere. I wouldn't be surprised... these guys didn't sound like they were exaggerating to me when they told me. They sounded like they were reminiscing. But I'm sure SOME of it was blown a little out of proportion... still, it's wrong and the dealerships should really vet who they trust a $35k sports car to before they hand over the keys! Sheesh!

Lalo

Wow, I didnt know that stuff happened in the lots. thanks for sharing Charlie!
:angry: :flame2:

Ranger

This stuff happens. I remember reading in this forum a few months ago about one getting wrecked when a guy was "playing' with it and it was raining Sixty-Six is correct that it can happen to ordered vehicles also although IMO the odds are probably less if you know when the car is coming in, etc versus a stock one. Guess it gets back to the kinda of dealership it is and how well managed.

manystangs

I am glad mine only had 1.8 miles on it when I picked her up.
Michael

Horseowner

It's actually worse than you think in many cases. I was sales manager at a Ford store once upon a time when dinosaurs roamed the earth. We had cars that had been virtually "destroyed" on test drives by customers as well as the employee abuse. We sold cars that had gone through multiple transmissions, clutches, rear-ends, body panels... you name it.

I'll never forget a 4X4 pick-up that went for a "test drive" by a couple of 20-something yahoos. They brought it back with the engine overheated, the clutch burned out, and every single body panel except the roof bashed in from "offroading".... thousands and thousands and thousands of dollars in damage! Our insurance paid to have it all rebuilt. It showed something like 75 miles on the odometer. I'll never forget the guy who bought it (he LOVED that truck!)

Anyway... he came by one day and said: "Funny thing! I was up under the truck looking over the drive train and I noticed rocks and mud stuck up between the cab and bed and I've never taken the truck offroad. How do ya suppose THAT happened?"

We tried to explain that some, very special trucks are chosen at the factory to be test driven in simulated off-road situations. His must have passed with flying colors!

I felt bad for the poor guy... but the dealership got screwed over by the jerk test-drivers. The police said: "You let them drive the truck" so we just passed on the mess to the insurance company and the new owner.

But you know what? The guy LOVED that truck and never really had any problems with it. It turned out that what he didn't know never hurt him. Warranties are a wonderful thing.

You buy a car off the lot... you NEVER know what may have happened to it before you bought it. That's the truth.

Now ask me if I've ever bought a car off the lot! Answer.. always. Never ordered one yet... including my '05 Redfire GT which had 55 miles on it when I bought it.

Steve