alright, i put in an order for a g35c a week or so ago...today I go into westbury nissan to test drive a 350z to see how it compared to the g. much to my surprise, THEY WOULDNT LET ME!

heres how it all went down:
i pull in around 7 with my friend in my x5...as i step out, the sharks could smell money. first thing the guy asks me (usually they introduce themselves and ask for your name) is if im going to be trading in my bmw, im thinking to myself, are you [censored] serious? you have to give me money for that deal. but im like whatever, i want to test drive a z. he copies my license, and says he is getting the car pulled around. 10 minutes waiting around and looking at the showroom 350z, and he comes back and says to me, "im sorry, we dont have a z for u to test drive tonight" (meanwhile i saw him with the dealer plates in his hands), then the manager of the [censored] place comes out with some bullshit that "test drives are for committed buyers only".

she just kept saying "we have to work out the numbers, and write up contracts..blah blah...for you to test drive the vehicle". and then she tries to play me like im a [censored] idiot or something telling me that every dealership is like that. i just walk out as she tries to tell me the same thing over again.

meanwhile 10 minutes later, im at another dealership and im cruising in a z with my friend without a [censored] chaparone. then when i return the z and go out to dinner, we're discussing our adventure at westbury nissan, and i realize that they must really think im a [censored] idiot or something. i mean christ, the ****er thinks im going to trade in a brand new x5 for a 350z which is worth like 25 grand less, then they try to tell me that i cant test drive a car without being a committed buyer...

thank god i had no intention of actually getting the damn car, nor that i would ever have reason to step foot near that dealership again. what do you guys think? i mean, do you dealerships around u that would treat you like that just because your on the young side?

 

I think that some of the smaller dealers just don't have a demo car available for ppl to test drive. I can somewhat understand how they wouldn't want to put 100-200 miles on a new car from ppl test driving....i personally wouldn't buy a G35 with more than 50 miles on it.

With that said, dealers should realize that ppl will want to test drive the car and should keep a demo available.

CB G35 Coupe 6MT
19x8/20x10 Axis Se7en Mods

 

yup happens all the time. You should of drove up to that first dealership in that Z you were test driving. take the dealer plate off and tell them you just bought it [img]/w3timages/icons/smile.gif[/img]

BS G35C 6spd navi/aero/prem

 

the [censored] up thing is that the manager even said they had plenty of cars available, nor is it a small dealership. i mean its not glitzy like every other dealership i've ever been to, but it was decently sized. the woman told me with a straight face, "we have plenty of z's in stock, but we will not allow you to test drive a vehicle unless you are a committed driver" which in no subtle terms mean unless we draw up paperwork, you aren't touching the car.

 

Yea, that happened to me at a few infiniti dealers too. i just shopped around until i found a good dealer. some dealerships just don't know how to treat their potential customers.

check out the thread titled "pissed off buyer".

CB G35 Coupe 6MT
19x8/20x10 Axis Se7en Mods

 

I think it's ridiculous that some of these dealers are asking people to outright buy the car first just to get a test-drive. How do you know you'll even want to spend all that money if you don't even take a lap or two in the car? That's why it's called a TEST drive in the first f#@%!n place!!! [img]/w3timages/icons/mad.gif[/img]

It's like a realtor asking you to go make settlement on a house before they'll even take you over and show it off to you. Outrageous!

I don't buy that it's such a hardship to keep one measly driveable demo on hand. That is how it's done for most of the auto market. What are they, scared they'll get "stuck" with the car? The Infiniti dealer where I ordered mine usually allocates a lone unsold G35 coupe to keep on hand as a demo. They always manage to sell it later anyway, even with the extra miles on it.

Problem is, it's been so long since most of these Nissan dealers have had this big of a runaway smash-hit, that they've lost their minds. They don't have to work any more at actually "selling" this car, and have suddenly forgotten how to treat customers.

It's nothing short of arrogance, and there's NO excuse for it. People should stop trying to justify it, and grow a backbone. Don't let such dealers off the hook. Go shop for a dealer with a better service ethic and tell the others to shove it.

You wouldn't take it up the a$$ like that for a house. Stop putting up with it for a car - they'll make more.

<font color=blue>2003 G35 Coupe 6MT - diamond graphite / graphite leather - premium - nav</font color=blue>

 

How old are you? Cuz if you're as young and bratty as you sound, I wouldn't let you test drive a Z if I were them either.

 

I am with Burke on this one.

Yes they should have had a demo but for crying out loud you speak of yourself as god in your X5. So what they dont let you test drive, they probably didnt want to put miles on a car that they were going to sell. I mean i wouldnt want some guy who wanted a test drive, go driving around town in the car that i was going to buy. And the other dealership probably had a demo that you could drive, that is all.

you should work on your humbleness.

Dan O
Eaton Corporation

 

Hear ye, hear ye!!! I agree 100% with kojo62. I went to Folsom Nissan to look at the 350Z , this salesguy (must been atleast 13 yrs old) shows me the cars.....(3 silver cars and one in the showroom) I'm real upfront and tell him that I have narrowed my choice between the G35, RX-8 (not yet out) and the G35 coupe. And that I would be purchasing the vehicle around May or June OF THIS YEAR. He seems all cool and till I tell him I want to test drive the car......He tells me they must first run a credit check??? I'm like wtf........whatever, I turn around and walk away..... I felt very insulted. I will never go back to the dealership again, and best of all I will stear all my friends away from Folsom (People's) Nissan.......isn't ironic that it's called People's Nissan......more like Dealer's Nissan.

PS I never once copted an attitude, was dressed nicely, drove a nice car, was upfront about my decsion making process and was polite. IMHO, If it comes down to calling me a liar (Hence, running a credit check to see if I am a viable candidate to drive the "Ultimate" Nissan) then I will return the favor twofold by not buying their cars and bad mouthing them every chance I get.
Shhhhhhhhewwwwww, feel better now! [img]/w3timages/icons/smile.gif[/img]

Nuff said!

"Use the Forced Induction Luke!"
-Jedi

 

If the car is a hot seller, I can see where they may be in short supply, and would rather not let you test drive. That's just the way it goes.. supply & demand and all that. When I got my G35 sedan, they had a single demo model for everyone to test drive, and it did not have the sport suspension, so I did not get to test drive the sport suspension before buying.

However, never let them run a credit check just to test drive. Only let them run your credit after you've agreed on a price and you're ready to sign. It will ding your credit rating if you don't buy there and wind up having it run 2 or 3 times before you do go to buy, then you may not be able to get a loan. You can always show up with a copy of your credit report if they're real picky and you want to be nice.

2003.5 G35 Sedan Desert Platinum/Graphite Premium/Sport/Aero/Nav/Winter

 

young, yes; bratty, yes; but i also have the bankroll to back it up. and why shouldnt i feel my x5 is superior? it is! i was just commenting on how the sales manager thought i was an idiot and wanted me to trade in a 65000 x5 for a 35000 z.

and who knows, if i liked the 350z AFTER having a test drive, i just may have bought it. the point is, the 350z is not that hot of a seller any more, and they had plenty of z's lying around, there is no reason they should have tried to strongarm me into buying one of those cars just to test drive one. but after test driving one at another dealership who will most likely get my business should i ever find myself desiring a 350z convertible, im glad that i chose the g35c over the z in the first place.

p.s. im from long island, there is no such thing as a kid that isnt bratty :P

 

i am sorry but just because you have $ doesnt make you better than anyone esle.

So... what exactly have you done to 'earn' your money,?

Dan O
Eaton Corporation

 

lets see, i run a small telecommunications company, and i have a well maintained portfolio...thats where i "earn" my money.

and i dont believe im better than anyone else, but i do however refuse to show anyone who doesnt give it their all any respect.

oh, and by the way, what makes you think you're better than me? because the only vibe im getting out of you is bitterness. don't get all high and mighty with me because you lost your youth "laboring oh-so-gruesomely" at your 9-5. i have an attitude because i have EARNED the right to have an attitude. and no, i didnt get to where i was using daddy's trust fund money...i cant touch the trust until i'm 21 :P

 

I am not bitter, i am glad to see that you earned your money.

I just hate kids who act like they are gods gift to the world because they have money.

My youth??? i just turned 21...... I am also 'earning' my way. I am putting myself through college (a good education is worth more than all the money in the world), and i have an excellent job and i am a leader of a race team.

I just dislike people who flaunt their money, so what if you have money, so do i, big deal.

I am sure you are a really nice guy, but in this post you just came off as a cocky SOB, that is all. I have no ill will towards you, just learn to portray yourself in a better light that is all.

Dan O
Eaton Corporation