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Any members of Car Lounge go to dealerships when they're closed?

2K views 35 replies 34 participants last post by  Pushrods 
#1 ·
Over the past 10 years, I've had a habit of doing this. I guess it goes hand in hand with my addiction of automobiles. It's hard to explain to a non-enthusiast. If there are any here... Imagine someone in the dealership parking lot as you drive by, waving a $100 bill. It's yours for the taking, if you just pull into the dealership.
Sometimes, you don't have to be driving by. Maybe you're outside taking out the trash one day, when some car you like drives by. Then, BAM... You fall into a deep trance and your brain has one mission. To drive to the nearest dealership and tease yourself with their new offerings. You might be in the market for a new car, but sometimes you're not. Thing is, it doesn't matter either way.
I drove to one of the local Pontiac dealerships an hour or so ago. If you've been keeping up with my GTO thread, you already know of my upcoming road trip to pickup a 2006 GTO. Well, I decided to go have a second look at one before I take the trip. The car at this dealership is the same color combo (Black exterior/Red interior).
So, I pull into the parking lot and have a look around. Ah, there is it, right next to one of those new 4 door Jeep Wrangler (Which was very nice). I look at the exterior/interior, roughly 20 times at all different angles. Now keep in mind, nothing has really changed. I mean, after looking at the back seats 5 times, they didn't change shape, color or disappear. It's all part of the sickness.
Anyway, after 5 minutes of looking at a black turbo Solstice, I notice this old guy (in his 60's) walk up to the GTO. So, I walk up the guy and ask him if he is in the market for a GTO. "Yes, I see this one is a standard. I'd like a automatic, you know I'm getting old". I start talking to him about the rebates, and everything I know about the GTO. How I had one in the past, etc... He is from MI and I might be driving up to MI to pickup the GTO. Turns out he used to work for GM. he told me about his 1965 Corvette and how cool it was when he first saw a car go through the wind tunnel.
It turns out this guy knows a thing or two about cars. His wife (just passed away) had a blue 1965 GTO conv. with a white top. He told me some stories about it, etc... Once he and I realized we both knew cars, we couldn't stop talking. I stood there with him for an hour talking about cars, it was great. The man is a real genuine car guy.
Has anyone here had similar experiences or do you find yourself a dealerships after they are closed?
 
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#3 ·
Re: Any members of Car Lounge go to dealerships when they're closed? (330R)

Quote, originally posted by 330R »
I pretty much only go when they're closed!
http://****************.com/smile/emthup.gif
Unless I need to buy oil filters or flux capacitor liquid gasket.

what, no blinker fluid? you gotta get those from the dealer man! only they have the viscosity that your blinkers sorely need.
 
#5 ·
Re: Any members of Car Lounge go to dealerships when they're closed? (mAdD INDIAN)

Quote, originally posted by mAdD INDIAN »
what, no blinker fluid? you gotta get those from the dealer man! only they have the viscosity that your blinkers sorely need.

No leaks yet
I'm an OEM parts whore, though.

I'm just more relaxed going to check out cars without the hassles experienced when they're open. Rarely are there really other people to talk with, although one Sunday a few years back I had a 40 minute or so conversation with a nice fella about S2000s and flying helicopters.
He was an instructor.


Modified by 330R at 5:01 PM 11-26-2006
 
#8 ·
Re: Any members of Car Lounge go to dealerships when they're closed? (fortysomething)

Quote, originally posted by fortysomething »
I particularly like to go and check prices on new and used cars when a salesman won't pounce on you like a vulture. On Sundays, I usually do this.

I used to be in the car business. Its SUPER common for people to check out the lot on sunday and come back during the week for a test drive. We always had our new cars set up nicely and good "drop tag" prices in the windows on our used cars for this reason. Dealers that gate off their parking lot on weekends dont make sense to me for this reason. We would just "park in" our inventory (block the inventory lot off with svc. loaner cars) but leave the customer lot accessible so that people could take a look on sunday.
 
#9 ·
Re: Any members of Car Lounge go to dealerships when they're closed? (fortysomething)

My bud and I were driving though a local dodge dealership lot, when we notice a crown vic in the back. Would you know it was a damn cop hanging out in the dark. So we think nothing of it and turn to the next isle of cars, and this cop car flies up behind us(were doing no more than 1-2mph ),almost rear ending my bud's GTi, and throws on the cherry's pulling us over... In a dealer lot...
Gives us the normal BS how he can get us for trespassing etc. After running his stuff we were free to go.
Still doesn't stop us from visiting car lots after hours...
Anytime i don't have to deal with salesmen... http://****************.com/smile/emthup.gif
 
#10 ·
Re: Any members of Car Lounge go to dealerships when they're closed? (TurboJewUrS4)

I'm guilty as hell about this. I ALWAYS drive through closed dealerships. One time I couldnt...a local dealership (Oasis in Old Bridge NJ) apparently decided that they should block off every entrance to their dealership with B9 Tribecas..... All i wanted was to look at the Mustang inventory!!!!!
 
#11 ·
Re: Any members of Car Lounge go to dealerships when they're closed? (Michael K)

When a dealer is closed, it is the best time! You can just look at the cars without hassle. On more than one occasion, I have found a car unlocked and sat in it.
One time, there was a Buick with the keys in the door (Buick and VW are in one dealer by me). It was after hours, but the salesman was inside. I took the keys and was knocking on the glass and he was waving me off. I kept shaking the keys and he finally opened the door and realized what I was doing.
If the key was in a GTI, I would've been gone
 
#12 ·
Re: Any members of Car Lounge go to dealerships when they're closed? (Ross06TouaregV8)

Today (Sunday) - We just got back from looking at cars. I love the no hassle.
Car salesmen scare me. We drove through the dealerships during the week and I never stopped the car from rolling or dared to get out the car. The vultures were in full effect (I used to sell cars so I know what they are thinking as I roll by in my old VW).

We looked at civics - expensive. Subarus - more expensive. VW Rabbit - sweet but 2 on the entire lot and not the base model we are looking for. Went to the Toyota lot.
The XB's are nice. They leave them unlocked! I know there are camera everywhere and I figure I could get in trouble for trespassing but $ and sales would probably put that in the back of the dealerships mind.
We sat in the XB. Nice. Big and comfortable and most importantly a good deal around $14, $15K. I even popped the hood and checked out the engine.
Sorry, but not to thread jack, just wondering what people think of the Scion XB?
Thanks.
 
#13 ·
Re: Any members of Car Lounge go to dealerships when they're closed? (330R)

Quote, originally posted by 330R »
I pretty much only go when they're closed!
http://****************.com/smile/emthup.gif
Unless I need to buy oil filters or flux capacitor liquid gasket.

Same here....I think it has something to do with the desire for control. we all know that the dealerships snakes never like to give it up.
Anyone else here get the feeling they are being stalked like prey when you go near a dealership that is open?
 
#14 ·
Re: Any members of Car Lounge go to dealerships when they're closed? (ritninja)

Not anymore. They have some ****** rent-a-cop security guards at most of the dealerships here who are more of a pain in the ass than just telling a salesman "yeah, I'm only looking"
 
#15 ·
Re: Any members of Car Lounge go to dealerships when they're closed? (ATL_Av8r)

If I need more indepth info I go during the day, buy I will sometimes drop by at night. I last went to a BMW dealership here to check out the new 335i as it was right out front as well as an S2k. Nice to just look around with no distractions unless you want to get inside the car or take it out for a test drive.
 
#16 ·
Re: Any members of Car Lounge go to dealerships when they're closed? (Michael K)

I was hand-cuffed and put in the back of a patrol car when I dropped my moms RR off at the Land Rover dealer for its 10,000 mile routine service...we're friends with the manager and he said just drop it off at night, leave it towards the back of the building and drop the keys in the slot...low and behold at 1am I guess it was kinda weird for a 21yo to be dropping a 100k RR late at night...my friend was with me in his FX and they were giving him crap saying he was planning on stealing a new vehicle...blah blah blah...so rude woodbridge cops!!! BOOOO http://****************.com/smile/emthdown.gif However I do stop in at Reydel VW every now and then to check the new GTI's/T-regs out and the cops are very nice http://****************.com/smile/emthup.gif
 
#18 ·
Re: Any members of Car Lounge go to dealerships when they're closed? (Michael K)

I go when closed to look at the vehicles - because I just want to look at the vehicles without hassle. No interesting conversations with strangers though- except that homeless guy wanting to know how fast my car could get to Phoenix
 
#19 ·
Re: Any members of Car Lounge go to dealerships when they're closed? (Hufeisen)

Quote, originally posted by Hufeisen »
One time, there was a Buick with the keys in the door (Buick and VW are in one dealer by me). It was after hours, but the salesman was inside. I took the keys and was knocking on the glass and he was waving me off. I kept shaking the keys and he finally opened the door and realized what I was doing.
If the key was in a GTI, I would've been gone

If this is the one in Ramsey, NJ, that is where I got my first Dub
It was a weird combo, Buick with VW, but the sales people there were nice, this was almost 10 years ago though. I like to check out the inventory when I take my car in for service. I did this a couple of weeks ago, the vultures did try and attack, but I told them I was just watiting on my car to be serviced and they left me alone.
 
#20 ·
Re: Any members of Car Lounge go to dealerships when they're closed? (BRealistic)

Yeah I definitely do this, especially when checking out pricier brands. I hate the look I get when I roll through the lot when they are open in a cheap car and their looks so blatantly say "I know you can't afford any of these"
 
#21 ·
Of course, that's the only time one can go without being molested by the pesky salesman, although a local Toyota dealership had paid a kid to ride around in a golf cart and take names/numbers and give coupons to coax the Sunday "just lookers" to come in during business hours. Is nothing sacred?
 
#24 ·
Re: Any members of Car Lounge go to dealerships when they're closed? (Michael K)

I haven't gone on my own (except when I was like 13 to stare at the Viper at the local Chrysler dealer thru the glass at like 2 in the morning.... then a man came over a loudspeaker on the side of the building and asked us what we were doing, we told him we just wanted to look at the car and didn't intend to do any damage... he said "alright, but please be aware we can see everything you are doing" - me and my friend never did have any intetion of casuing vandelism, we just wanted to see the Viper - the dealership has camera's everywhere... it was funny because my friends dad worked at the dealer and said "we saw you guys on the camera" - any time the monitoring company gets involved it flags the tapes
he then said "if you wanted to see the Viper, I'm allowed to take you guys for a test drive eh"
he never did tho
).
I do go with my dad tho; we'll take a walk down dealership row in town and go over all the different cars... he likes going after hours because he just wants to look and not be bothered.
I go into the local dealerships during business hours quite often... Some of the salsepeople know my by name and are quite helpful, others don't remember me at all and don't seem very helpful (seems the two go hand in hand when it comes to sales)... I tell them im just looking for information/browsing and not looking to replace my car unless something really special strikes me... They've been cool with that, in fact most OFFER to let me test drive the car when I say that.


Modified by Live-Wire at 10:58 PM 11-26-2006
 
#25 ·
Re: Any members of Car Lounge go to dealerships when they're closed? (Michael K)

I go after hours all the time. Its nice to be able to just browse the inventory without having to fend salesmen off. I can take my time looking on Sunday and then go back during the week if there's something I'm really interested in.
 
#26 ·
Last time I went to a dealership after hours was about a month ago when I went to the Acura dealership with a friend who sells cars at the Audi dealership. They had actually left the only MDX on the lot unlocked, so we had a look. We were both VERY impressed by the interior. When we left, we decided that it probably should be locked up, so we locked it and away we went...surprisingly, the locks do not have the lock-out feature on my Civic (that you can't lock the doors with the button on the drivers door if that door is open).
 
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