Most people don't enjoy buying a new car because of the hassle that comes from dealing with the salespeople. After spending about an hour and a half at Marketplace Mazda, it's clear that this is the kind of place that adds to that feeling. I was walking on the lot and, as usual, someone comes walking up to me asking what I'm interested in. From the get-go, the salesperson was a bit on the pushy side, trying to get me to answer all his questions about what I wanted when I told him multiple times I was just looking at the options. When I noticed they had a model of the vehicle I was interested in, he asked if I wanted to take it for a test drive so I took him up on the offer.
While driving around, I recognized something right away: I knew more about the vehicle we were in than he did. Engine, add-ons, available transmissions... I was asking questions and I was getting responses like "uhhhh...", "ummmmm...", and "I think...., but we can check on that when we get back." It wasn't a drive that inspired much confidence.
When we were back at the dealership, he kept trying to get me to price out my current vehicle for trade-in (I told him multiple times I was not interested in trading it in). This was the typical dealership where the salesman says something and then walks to the dark glass room to confer with the managers. Meanwhile, he left me at a table with a brochure on the vehicle and told me to look at it.
I wasn't sold on the car (not that it was a bad vehicle, but it wasn't the vehicle for me), I wasn't sold on the salesman, and the nail in the coffin came when I was sitting at my little table waiting for the salesman to come back and I overheard other salesman talking. One guy told another that he would give him $5.00 to steal a sign from Wendy's. The potential thief was iffy so the instigator said he'll go as high as $7.00. And car salesman wonder why people aren't fond of them.
Even after I left the dealership, I was still haunted by them as they sent me text messages, phone calls and emails asking where I was with my decision. I replied to an email thanking them for their time, and if I decided to go with a vehicle from them, I would let them know. Despite that, I still received calls and messages. Obnoxious!
Overall, there wasn't much about this place that I can say was positive, I was there to buy a vehicle but there's a people experience as well, and that was totally blown for me. Even if I loved the car, I would have gone elsewhere because I don't want to give them the business. read more