| MightyMo |
Had a very amusing chain of emails with the "Resale Manager" over here at Stevens Creek Nissan in San Jose CA, where I purchased my Murano about 1.5 years ago:
From: stevenscreeknissan@eleadtrack.net
Sent: Tuesday, August 02, 2005 2:39 AM
To: Carl Merritt
August 02, 2005
Dear Carl,
My name is Doc Whitmore, I'm the Resale Manager at Stevens Creek Nissan.
Due to a recent expansion of our Resale Department, we have an immediate need for your 2003 Nissan Murano and will pay full Kelly Blue Book value (less any necessary reconditioning costs) for your car!
If you are thinking of selling your vehicle, or are considering trading it in for one of our fabulous new vehicles, please contact me right away!
No gimmicks! We really need your Murano! Don't miss this great opportunity! Call me at 408-983-5900 to set up an appointment to have your vehicle inspected. We must inspect it in person.
Sincerely,
Doc Whitmore
Stevens Creek Nissan
4855 Stevens Creek Blvd
Santa Clara, Ca 95051
408-983-5900
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From: Carl Merritt
Sent: Tuesday, August 02, 2005 10:09 AM
To: 'stevenscreeknissan@eleadtrack.net'
Is that full KBB "Trade In" or "Retail" value?
-Carl
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From: stevenscreeknissan@eleadtrack.net
Sent: Tuesday, August 09, 2005 3:47 PM
To: Carl Merritt
Now carl. If I paid you retail.. How could I turn around and sell it for a profit?? I would offer the trade in value for your murano. Thanks and I hope it works for you.
Doc.
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From: Carl Merritt
Sent: Tuesday, August 09, 2005 4:38 PM
To: 'stevenscreeknissan@eleadtrack.net'
Now Doc, you and I both know "Trade In" KBB already cuts several K off the value for dealer reconditioning. To offer me "Trade In" KBB "less any necessary reconditioning costs" because you "really need" my Murano is at best a humorously bad deal and at worst a very disingenuous proposition. Thanks, but no thanks.
-Carl
:rolleyes: :D |
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| Corin |
| Beautiful. Perfect way to put them in their place. |
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| lawbroker |
| I wouldn't have been ANYWHERE near that PC . . I would have told him where I plan to put my MO!! |
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| elliotgb |
This gimmick is as old as the hills. I got a letter from my dealership stating that they needed my Murano because they were short on used vehicles for their inventory.
Someone over in the FA forums had a Mazda and received the same sort of letter. All that was needed was to substitute Murano for Mazda and the letters were identical.
I printed off the Mazda letter and took that and my Nissan letter in to the dealership and made them squirm a bit. After a short while, the salesman said I hadn't paid enough off on my lease to make it worthwhile for either of us. It's just a ruse to lock you in to a longer leasing period or buying another MO and keeping you locked in to Nissan. |
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| Eric L. |
| I got a similar letter about a year ago. Avoid Stevens Creek Nissan - that place is run by crooks. |
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| zebelkhan |
quote:
Originally posted by Eric L.
Avoid Stevens Creek Nissan - that place is run by crooks.
:2: |
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| MightyMo |
| Well, if by "crooks" you mean car salesmen, then yes, you're right. I wouldn't see them in any worse light than any other average dealer. I mean, I did get my 2003 from them for a few hundred under invoice which was very nice, but it did take several hours of haggling to do it :D . |
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| Eric L. |
quote:
Originally posted by MightyMo
Well, if by "crooks" you mean car salesmen, then yes, you're right. I wouldn't see them in any worse light than any other average dealer. I mean, I did get my 2003 from them for a few hundred under invoice which was very nice, but it did take several hours of haggling to do it :D .
I purchased my Maxima from Stevens Creek, and got a decent price. However, when I returned for service, I had to wait nearly 30 minutes before a service advisor spoke with me (while people behind me in line were attended to). The second time I returned for a warranty related issue (water in headlights, and HVAC fan started ticking) they said it was "normal" and refused to fix it. While they might have decent prices, they sure made my ownership experience awful. |
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| MightyMo |
From: stevenscreeknissan@eleadtrack.net [mailto:stevenscreeknissan@eleadtrack.net]
Sent: Thursday, August 11, 2005 7:16 AM
To: Carl Merritt
Subject: RE:Doc at Nissan.
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Carl;
I beg to differ with you. I just pay the market value through both KBB and Manhime auto auction. I just paid 1k over wholesale book for a Altima because it needed almost nothing and the car was almost showroom condition. The maintaince book was perfect and all I had to do was detail and smog the car. Click, and it was on my front line. Yep I asked all the money for the car and got it. Who knows what the real money is till is see it. Hey, lets face it. Today's market changes like the stock market. Its up and down... Well right now I need Nissans like I need air to breath... No worries. If its not your cup of tea. Then lets move on. Just thought you might like to move up or out of the Nissan. Thanks anyways. If you should choose a diff model other then the Nissan, give me a shot at the Nissan. Thanks again.
Doc. |
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| Eric L. |
quote:
Originally posted by MightyMo
From: stevenscreeknissan@eleadtrack.net [mailto:stevenscreeknissan@eleadtrack.net]
Sent: Thursday, August 11, 2005 7:16 AM
To: Carl Merritt
Subject: RE:Doc at Nissan.
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Carl;
I beg to differ with you. I just pay the market value through both KBB and Manhime auto auction. I just paid 1k over wholesale book for a Altima because it needed almost nothing and the car was almost showroom condition. The maintaince book was perfect and all I had to do was detail and smog the car. Click, and it was on my front line. Yep I asked all the money for the car and got it. Who knows what the real money is till is see it. Hey, lets face it. Today's market changes like the stock market. Its up and down... Well right now I need Nissans like I need air to breath... No worries. If its not your cup of tea. Then lets move on. Just thought you might like to move up or out of the Nissan. Thanks anyways. If you should choose a diff model other then the Nissan, give me a shot at the Nissan. Thanks again.
Doc.
Wow thats a first time. I've never heard of a Nissan salesman try to convince a customer to move away from Nissan. LOL!!! :D
Thats Stevens Creek Nissan for ya. |
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| Murano_driver |
| That just nuts! :ucrazy: Forward this email to executive in Nissan North America, he should be fired! |
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| big_daddy_mpd |
Folks,
What I find MOST disingenuous about this salesperson, is the fact that he says he NEEDS used Nissans. I mean, today's used car prices are falling like my own arches, because of lease returns and the big 3 employee pricing discounts. BTW, the "sad" thing about these kinds of deceptive marketing ploys, is that they only do the because the work!
There's no accounting for the lack of reason that the "majority" of car buyers exert out there.
Regards,
Big |
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| MightyMo |
Just got a letter yesterday from Steven's Creek Nissan. It says they will pay %10 over trade-in KBB value for my Mo (minus reconditioning costs of course), plus give employee pricing on a new Nissan, plus %1 financing (with good credit), plus $3K back on select models.
Sounds like they are desperate to have Mos to sell and desperate to sell everything else on the lot. Not a good sign for Titan/Armada/Pathfinder/XTerra/Frontieer sales numbers this quarter me thinks... |
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| njjoe |
They probably had a bad April and May and are looking to salvage the fiscal quarter with a strong June. They are hoping this gimmick will bring people in. The sad thing is it will probably work.
I am glad you resurrected this thread because I enjoyed reading your email exchange with your dealer last year. Very entertaining.
-njjoe |
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| MightyMo |
| I must admit I am occationally tempted by a Pathfinder...more seating, more off roading, more towing...but way less fun factor to drive. |
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| zebelkhan |
quote:
Originally posted by MightyMo
I must admit I am occationally tempted by a Pathfinder...more seating, more off roading, more towing...but way less fun factor to drive.
Hey Carl, if you ever decide to go that route, dibs on your MO's armor platings......:D |
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| MightyMo |
| Hahahhahaah...btw, they go WITH the rocker bars and front nudge bar, the skid plates borrow mounting points from those to work right. Plus you need the custom mid-pipe for the exhaust, I don't think the stock pipe will fit unless you cut away the skid plate some more. |
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| MightyMo |
Spent a couple hours at the dealer during lunch. On closer inspection the letter says $3K back OR %1 financing, and it must be a new Nissan on their lot, but besides that there was no gimick. %110 KBB on the Mo, plus VPP pricing, plus %1 financing, really really hard to beat that with a stick.
From talking with the sales guy it sounds like sales are way down on the mid-sized SUVs, and they can barely give away the Armadas and Titans. Plus Steven's Creek Nissan has a huge construction/rennovation going on so they are WAY behind on their quarter's sales numbers.
Sorry guys, love my Mo, but I drove a beautiful red Pathfinder SE and am seriously tempted...we'll see where my heart leeds me next week. |
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| Eric L. |
quote:
Originally posted by MightyMo
Spent a couple hours at the dealer during lunch. On closer inspection the letter says $3K back OR %1 financing, and it must be a new Nissan on their lot, but besides that there was no gimick. %110 KBB on the Mo, plus VPP pricing, plus %1 financing, really really hard to beat that with a stick.
From talking with the sales guy it sounds like sales are way down on the mid-sized SUVs, and they can barely give away the Armadas and Titans. Plus Steven's Creek Nissan has a huge construction/rennovation going on so they are WAY behind on their quarter's sales numbers.
Sorry guys, love my Mo, but I drove a beautiful red Pathfinder SE and am seriously tempted...we'll see where my heart leeds me next week.
Well you gotta follow your heart in the end. If you do get the Pathy, I'm sure all of us here will look forward to some serious offroad pics from your travels. :) |
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| Enforcer |
| Thats interesting seeing that the Murano made record sales...again. Good luck with your choice. |
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| MightyMo |
Today their story changed yet again, the %1 is only on 'select' models, which now doesn't include the Pathfinder.
Same for the $3K off, that's for the Armada and Sentra, Pathy only gets $500 off.
And then the kicker, they appraised my Murano, which is totaly flawless, a detail job and a couple bits of touch up paint and they could roll it onto the show room floor. They tried to tell me it was "fair" condition value, not good, not even close to excellent. WTF? Then I tried to clarify, it would be "fair" plus %10? Dumb looks. The letter said %110! Oh, no, $14.5K is all they can offer, which pretty much put their apraisal down at POOR. At that point I told them it wasn't even worth negotiating over and walked out.
Bloody wankers, I'm seriously tempted to write a nasty gram to the SM, GM, and Nisan Corporate about how badly their sales team screws around with repeat customers, signed of course with my press credientials for Sport Z Mag in bold :D
I had the kids with me, we were going to test drive the Pathy together, but as the deal collapsed and I told them it was time to go because Nissan wasn't willing to deal, they both ran outside and hugged the Mo. Good kids... :4: |
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| dborla01 |
Hi, Carl. I grew up in that area of SJ in the late 60's. There is so much auto glut out there, particularly in dense areas such as the Bay Area.
I bought a magazine while in Reno a couple of weeks ago called: "Buying and Leasing", from editors of Automoble magazine. I have had the hots to replace my 03 Si with a Subie wrx or STI. After much reading and talking on phone, I have come to the conclusion that there is NO FREE LUNCH! Even if I lease, the money factor is so high that I had mite as well buy the thing as to lease it., even as I own a business and can write off a portion. Guess we will hang on to the Si and MO since they are paid for and see what comes out in next 3 years. Darrell. |
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| njjoe |
MightyMo-
I believe car dealers deserve the reputations they have earned over the years. They are some of the most deceptive and conniving people in the sales arena. I loathe having to deal with them every couple of years.
-njjoe |
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| Eric L. |
quote:
Originally posted by MightyMo
Today their story changed yet again, the %1 is only on 'select' models, which now doesn't include the Pathfinder.
Same for the $3K off, that's for the Armada and Sentra, Pathy only gets $500 off.
And then the kicker, they appraised my Murano, which is totaly flawless, a detail job and a couple bits of touch up paint and they could roll it onto the show room floor. They tried to tell me it was "fair" condition value, not good, not even close to excellent. WTF? Then I tried to clarify, it would be "fair" plus %10? Dumb looks. The letter said %110! Oh, no, $14.5K is all they can offer, which pretty much put their apraisal down at POOR. At that point I told them it wasn't even worth negotiating over and walked out.
Bloody wankers, I'm seriously tempted to write a nasty gram to the SM, GM, and Nisan Corporate about how badly their sales team screws around with repeat customers, signed of course with my press credientials for Sport Z Mag in bold :D
I had the kids with me, we were going to test drive the Pathy together, but as the deal collapsed and I told them it was time to go because Nissan wasn't willing to deal, they both ran outside and hugged the Mo. Good kids... :4:
Yep that sounds like Stevens Creek Nissan to me. I bought my Maxima there and I was satisfied with the price, but the way they treat their customers is appalling. When I was shopping for a Murano, I purposely did not even consider Stevens Creek. Your experience today confirms that once a crook, always a crook. |
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| Halo |
This is nothing specific to Steven's Creek or any Nissan dealer or even any car dealer specifically. The 'we need your car' gimmick is just that, a sales tactic to get you into the showroom so they can unleash all their OTHER sales tactics. The ad copy they send to you is probably outsourced to a marketing firm, I wouldn't be surprised if the dealers don't even know about these so-called 'emergency' needs for used cars half the time.
Who walks into a dealership and says "I must have a used Murano, I'm willing to pay top dollar for it, but it must be USED. No way I'm going to look at a new one for only a couple of thousand more." :D
I must say though, it is a decent marketing trick because it appeals to people on so many levels. It makes you feel good about your purchase because your used car is 'in demand' while simultaneously making you think you're going to get a bag of money for it in trade. |
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| MightyMo |
| They just called me, offering another $2K to sweeten the deal. I pushed back asking for another $2K... |
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| MightyMo |
| I got the Pathfinder, but didn't bite on their poor trade in offer. One silver 2003 SE AWD for sale... I'm going to miss you guys! :( |
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| njjoe |
MightyMo-
What possessed you to go for the Pathfinder and give up the MO?
-njjoe |
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| njjoe |
quote:
Originally posted by MightyMo
Better towing, better off-road, 3rd row, and...uh...Independent Suspension :D
MightyMo-
I don't tow, I don't go off-road, I don't need a 3rd row, I don't need... independent suspension?...Oh Yeah, Gotta' have it. I'll be trading mine in soon. :4:
-njjoe |
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| hfelknor |
"independent suspension?...Oh Yeah, Gotta' have it. I'll be trading mine in soon"
You've already got it.
Homer |
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| njjoe |
quote:
Originally posted by hfelknor
"independent suspension?...Oh Yeah, Gotta' have it. I'll be trading mine in soon"
You've already got it.
Homer
Homer-
You need to watch MightyMo's "Independent Suspension" video to appreciate my comments.
-njjoe |
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| hfelknor |
Sorry. I'm not going to "log in" or "sign up".
This computer is how I make my living. I don't go around begging for, worst case virus, best case spam.
I can assume it was humorous?
Homer |
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| njjoe |
quote:
Originally posted by hfelknor
I can assume it was humorous?
Homer
Bodaciously funny. ;)
-njjoe |
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| Eric L. |
quote:
Originally posted by hfelknor
Sorry. I'm not going to "log in" or "sign up".
This computer is how I make my living. I don't go around begging for, worst case virus, best case spam.
I can assume it was humorous?
Homer
Think Grip's former obsession with Tiger Wood's wife. Clue enough? |
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| Zooropa |
I have been receiving those sales pitches since 1991 when I got on their customer list. Ignored them like all other junk mail.
I bought a Pathfinder from Stevens Creek Nissan about 15 years ago and probably got ripped off because I was young and dumb. I did my research when I bought the Murano and Stevens Creek gave me the best deal. I even drove 70 miles to purchase from them.
Bottom line is ALL car dealerships are there to make the most money they can. You have to be willing to walk away if the deal doesn't meet your price point. |
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