STUPID lexus salesman insulted my Celica

[mickey513]

Me, my gf, and her dad today went to a Lexus dealership. My gf's dad is buying my gf a 2002 lexus IS300. So I drove, taking my Celica to the lexus dealership. So a stupid old guy walks up to me and offers us help. He then goes on bla bla bla about how hot the IS300 was and how "rare" it was.....I was like uh.....ok ..... rare? He then says this stupid remark, he said "the IS300 is made in Japan, unlike your Toyota(refering to my Celica) there which is made in America. *looking down on my Toyota like it was a POS* I was like excuse you, you obviously don't know your cars. All Celicas are built in Japan you old fool. This is not the right way to get a sale, offending your customer right off the bat.

So he then ask me who was the car far, I said it was for my gf(she is 23), and then he insults her and say.....Wow, you are getting a Lexus IS300 at the age of 18. I was like dude, you better get those eyes check. She does not look like she is 18 you old fool.

Pushy old guy and pressure sales tatic from the way he talk and acted. He even offered us a test drove but we refused seeing how ignorant and rude he was. He just lost a $35000+ sales because we are getting it at another Lexus dealership.

I must say though, my Celica pales in comparison the the IS300.
Sitting in the IS300 makes you feel like you are in a whole different world. Can't wait for my chick to get it.

[platnm]

by the sounds of things he was trying to put u down cause u drive a toyota. it goes to show how much the salesman knows his product not to realise that toyota and lexus are the same company. what a d*ck! good on ya man, i would've taken that crap either.

[MfS]

What a propper twat! I hate people like that. Normally Toyota and Lexus dealers are very friendly.

[miklo2411]

Yeah only it that f****r knew that they are the same company in japan. I would like to see what the hell he is driving.

[VGTS01]

Yea I've seen those sales peole before, thinkin they know all this
sh*t about cars, in reality they don't know crap. Some people are jus plain stupid. Damn old fool

[CelicaNamja79]

yeah i hate a$$holes like dat... they think they r the shiet juss cuz they r lexus salesman..but u kno wat is funny, when u ask them any kind of mechanically inclined questions... they try to ignore it or make up stupid answers.. oh most of them fools dont even kno half of features of cars they are sellings... :mad:
correct me if i am wrong... i believe celicas are made in TOYOTA N. America Factory at Torrance, Southern California..... :D

[yakkosmurf]

Did I miss something? How did he insult your car? The IS300 is not as common as the Celica on the road. He got that one right. But I wouldn't consider the IS300 rare. What does it matter where the car was made? Even if he had incorrect info about the country the Celica is made in, I still don't see how that's an insult. I would have preferred if my car was made in the US. It would have taken less time to get here.

I can say that I have been through the same situation. Sorry for the long post!

My family needed another car to make things easier so I had to go out and get another car. Before I had my eyes on the Celica GTS I was looking at the Camry Solara SLE V6 fully loaded model. What a sweet ride, I really fell in love with it after the test drive I almost didn't return it. :)

Anyhow, being an Asian chic, the Caucasian salesman thought I didn't know anything about the Solara. Little did he know I knew my ****. I mean I knew everything that was to come in the car including upcoming additions/updates, modifications, etc.

I had my Caucasian boyfriend with me, and of course thinking that he would be cool with that too he wasn't. My boyfriend thought it was really funny that he didn't know a thing and that I made him look really stupid with all my knowledge about the car! I should have been the car saleswoman!

With all that said and done, I certainly didn't purchase my Celica GTS from that dealer (Kay Jennings Toyota in Springfield, VA). I never do any business with them. There were two other instances that they pissed me off. I ended up buying my car from Koons Tysons Toyota in McLean.

[ringthree]

Originally posted by yakkosmurf
Did I miss something? How did he insult your car? The IS300 is not as common as the Celica on the road. He got that one right. But I wouldn't consider the IS300 rare. What does it matter where the car was made? Even if he had incorrect info about the country the Celica is made in, I still don't see how that's an insult. I would have preferred if my car was made in the US. It would have taken less time to get here.

Yakko, are you trying to pick a fight? The guy had a bad experience with a dealer, and nobody likes to be treated like they are stupid. The dealer made some bad assumptions about the buyers and lost a sale because of it, thats pretty plain and clear. The "sales by insult" approach doesnt work for many people any more, this used to be the way to sell expensive cars to idiots but it doesnt work well for youger shoppers.

[yakkosmurf]

I agree the salesman was a bit of a prick. I just didn't see how he insulted this guy's car.

[oldster]

Unless there was a lot more that went on than was noted, it does appear to be a lot to do about nothing. IMHO

[Jesse IL]

People need to just accept the fact that most car salesmen are not very informed about cars because most of them aren't car enthusiasts. I just say "oh yeah?" and let all that crap roll off of me. What I want to know is how cheap are you going to give me the car. Also, if you have a friendly way of pointing out the salesman's mistakes, he may drop his price more because he feels he has made a mistake and been caught.

[rocket celica]

most toyota/lexus dealerships as a whole are bunch of cocky pricks.

They think they know so much but they don't know jack. You would think they would educate themselves the least but don't.

They also think any of their 6 cylinders will whoop my GTS.
I wish I was a sales person so i could correctly tell the customers which 6 cylinder are not worth getting because they are slower than 4 cylnders.
you know the last year model

AUDI A4

I4 1.4 had 170hp
V6 2.8 195hp.


most people would have spent the extra money to get the 2.8 because it's a V6 little did they know that the I4 is faster.

[phaqgm]

All Celicas are made in Japan, not in the U.S. The Celica was designed at the CALTY center in Cali. CALTY = California Toyota.

Yakko, no you wouldn't want to get a car that was built in the U.S. over one that was built in Japan. My father is a Service writer for a Toyota dealership and he told me that the build quality is much better on the cars that are built in Japan opposed to the one built here in the U.S. He has seen it before with the Camry's .

They just have a better quality control, and are much more detail oriented in the far east.

[kuno]

Hey yakko, if my car was built in the US, then why did I get charaged for an import tax? I dont remember the exact percentage, but me'thinks the sticker said that 90% of the Celica parts came from japan, the other ten elsewhere..probably here in the US.

[yakkosmurf]

Originally posted by kuno
Hey yakko, if my car was built in the US, then why did I get charaged for an import tax?
Hey moron, I never said your car was made in the US. I didn't know where the Celicas were made. I just asked how suggesting it was counted as an insult.

[DJ_GLITCH_OS]

Mine was built right here in the good-ol USA.
Most of them are.

[XYRCNCP]

Well, I've heard of some Lexus salesmen being pricks, but hey $hit happens at a dealership.....some of my peeps know that I really want the IS 300, BUT, now that I looked into the 350Z a little more, I think its a better value than the IS. Toyota should seriously start putting more power into their cars, I mean you can get a loaded Acura CL Type-S w/260hp for like 32K-34K, but a loaded IS300 rings up to 36K at 215hp.....something's wrong there. Toyota's US most powerful engine is the Tundra's 245hp, and 300hp in the GS/SC 430 in the Lexus line. I'm happy with my celi, but the 350Z is in the horizon that's all I gotta say.

[WillyK]

I have been to my local Lexus dealership twice to look at cars and both times the sales people were extremely knowledgeable. The first time was with my friend and he drove his SI. The woman salesperson came out, not only did she know everything about his car but then gave us the lowdown on the IS300 and even let us test drive it (auto). I went back again and a different salesperson complimented me on my GTS and knew quite a bit about it and was also extremly knowledgeable of the IS300 and let me drive it (manual this time). I guess the one near me just has people who try to learn about the cars.

[oldster]

Originally posted by DJ_GLITCH_OS
Mine was built right here in the good-ol USA.
Most of them are.

Please check the bottom of the little white tag on the drivers side door jamb. Get back with us and tell us if it says Made in USA.

[phaqgm]

Check your VIN if you are curious where your car was built. If it begins with a "J" it was built in Japan. As far as I know all GT-S's are made in Japan, I don't know if this holds true with the GT though.

[GeeTeeEss]

My Celica was made in Portland OR. ;)

[torisup27]

Mickey, to shut the **** up once and for all anyone who questions whether your Celica is made in Japan like Oldster said look at driver side rail there's a sticker that says "Manufactured by Toyota Motor Corporation 10/01...etc", at the bottom of the sticker it says "Made in Japan" - At least this is the case for my 2002 GTS 6-spd. No none of that 90% US 10% Japan...etc crap.

hey some of you guys just need to calm down about this thing... this was not a post intended for drama and arguements.

The guy had a bad experience... and i don't blame him for being mad. I don't think he meant that it was an insult to his car by the guy saying it was made in the US when in fact it isn't... i think it was more of an insult because the guy was trying to make his car look bad by saying Lexus is better then Toyota despite them being the same company. Its like he's saying the Celica is a pinto compaired to the IS300 or something.

Then the guy goes on to make a comment about the girls age.. thats not right. I know the feeling cause i got some crap from salesmen when i was buying my GTS because of my age. I was 18 and paying for my own car... and i was treated as if i didn't know anything about cars and i was just some daddy's girl.. when in fact i knew more then they did and i only brought my father along to be assertive to the salesmen cause i've never bought a car before. I ended buying my GTS from a nice grandma :P

As for Lexus salesman... i've had my own bad experience. I had gone there once with my celica to check stuff out... the guy saw my bf and i pull up in my celica and because of that actually talked to us and he wasn't totally rude or anything. But the second time i went there because i wanted to test drive an IS300 at the same dealer.. the salesmen didn't see me and my bf drive up and park in the celica because we had to park on the side by the service building. We walked around the dealership for about 20 minutes and spend about 10 of that in the show room looking at brochures and such. There were 2 salesman in the showroom just chatting and watching for customers.. despite them seeing us they never even came over and offered any assitance because we weren't older. Then an older couple pulled up and started walking around and immediatly a salesman approached them and asked them if they'd like assistance. Talk about age discrimination. I haven't been there since... yet i would really really like to test drive the new IS with 5speed because i plan on purchasing one once i graduate this year and start into my career.

oh and i just read the few comments about where it was manufactured above my post.

All of the Celica's were made in Japan.. the warehouse they are made in is called Kanto... i bet if you pop your hood there is a Kanto sticker on the right side towards the bottom.

[MikeM380]

Going with J2K on this...<B>"...We walked around the dealership for about 20 minutes and spend about 10 of that in the show room looking at brochures and such. There were 2 salesman in the showroom just chatting and watching for customers.. despite them seeing us they never even came over and offered any assitance because we weren't older. Then an older couple pulled up and started walking around and immediatly a salesman approached them and asked them if they'd like assistance. Talk about age discrimination. "<B>

This always happens. I've been to a ton of dealerships when I was looking for "my first" car that I was going to buy by myself, without the assistance of my parents. Its tough trying to find somebody that's going to help you at that age. I'm 21 now, but I can remember a ton of instances like that. I belive they think that if an 18 year-old is in a Lexus dealership, the probability of them being able to get approved for a full or partial car loan is VERY SLIM, and buying one out right is even SLIMMMER. So they wouldn't even want to waste their time. That kinda justifies how they think, even though I don't condone it.

MIke

[FriedRice]

i was looking around on a mazda dealership, and i look like im 15. 2 salespeople approached me and asked if they could help. i guess if business is going well, sales people dont ask kids... and if business is slow is mazda obviously was.... then they'd be more likely to ask everyone who walks onto the lot.

as for how salespeople dont seem to know everything about the cars.... think, if u had to work, would u come home and research on ur work related stuff? i wouldnt, and im sure many of u wouldnt either. can we really blame car salespeople?

if i was a car sales person i would do research on the cars i'm selling.. the more you know about your product the more your going to sell. Its their job to know what their selling and half of them can't insure that they do.

I'm almost 20 now.. 2 months away. I bought my celi right after i turned 18 and paid cash for it... even when i told the sales people that some of them were jerks to me trying to get me to buy something that didn't work right or wasn't the right color.. one dealer tried selling me a GTS for $26k even no lower with a sunroof that wouldn't even open all the way. Another dealer tried to get me to buy a white GTS when i clearly told them i wanted a blue one and wasn't going to change my mind.

I even had one experience kind of like the one at Lexus at my local Toyota dealer. The service guys know me and so does one of the sales guys.... but they had a used blue MR2 Spyder on the lot.. and since it was used i wanted to test drive it. So i asked on lady if i could and she claims "oh i don't think they will let you cause they don't want to put more miles on it"... and i said "i have that blue GTS over there" and she says "OH OH well in that case let me see what i can do".... becuase i had a Celica let me and my bf take the MR2 Spyder out alone.. and then one of them proceeded to try and get me to trade my paid off Celica for the Spyder.. i told them it was tempting but no thanks.

I still want to test drive an IS300.. i love those cars... but i'm gonna have to dress up and make sure they see what i'm driving up in.. hopefully i'll get a little more respect.. and if i get the same responce mickey up above did.. i'm gonna say "you just lost a potential buyer, you can shove your comments, i'm outta here" :p

[Ridin13]

With the experiences I've had with me and my younger brother, its seems that the salespeople come right out to you if your in the younger age group like 16-25 or so. It seems like any dealership that sells any sort of sport compact car knows the target market. Especially if your out lookin at a celica or MR2, cause they know there is a good chance you want to buy the car.

I went to the acura dealership with my brother, he was lookin to get an RSX. I drove my celica there. A sales person came out right away when we went over to the RSX, he even complemented on my car. The same thing happened at the Toyota Dealership when we were lookin at the Celicas, right away they came out and we all nice.

J2KGTS6 - Do you have any pics of your car. I'd love to the RMM kit on spec blue
Thanks

[Drix]

weird, Toyota makes Lexus, tell him to eat that.

[afghan]

When I get the nirve to stepping on dealer concrete, I tape my eye pupils from the bottom so when I start to hear the crap fly my eyes won't roll up into my eye lids never to be found again.

I wouldn't listen to positive comments(they seemed to like my rusted out chevette 1972) because that is a ploy.

Okay, I know they are not all bad and I know some good people and I worked at a Dealer for a few months(It really sucked) in Durham years ago(I needed the money in-between jobs!)(better than a male stripper courting male clients, I DIDN'T NEED THE MONEY THAT BAD, THANK GOD!!)

I would look for Honesty, like,"Hey could you park that Chuvette across the street, your leaking tranny fluid on our new parking lot!!"

The second thing to look for (desirable quality) is INTEGRITY! You can find your own example for this one. Use your imagination.:rolleyes:

[kuno]

Originally posted by yakkosmurf

Hey moron, I never said your car was made in the US. I didn't know where the Celicas were made. I just asked how suggesting it was counted as an insult.


Yakko, take some prozak, don't be so sensitive. No need to be calling names-I was in no way insulting you or flaming you. I got confused with who was posting that comment about Celicas being built here. I think it was DJ_GLITCH_OS who posted right after you.

Originally posted by Ridin13
With the experiences I've had with me and my younger brother, its seems that the salespeople come right out to you if your in the younger age group like 16-25 or so. It seems like any dealership that sells any sort of sport compact car knows the target market. Especially if your out lookin at a celica or MR2, cause they know there is a good chance you want to buy the car.

I went to the acura dealership with my brother, he was lookin to get an RSX. I drove my celica there. A sales person came out right away when we went over to the RSX, he even complemented on my car. The same thing happened at the Toyota Dealership when we were lookin at the Celicas, right away they came out and we all nice.

J2KGTS6 - Do you have any pics of your car. I'd love to the RMM kit on spec blue
Thanks

not to venture off topic but since you asked.. here is a couple pics...

http://photos.yahoo.com/bc/tmsguy/vwp?.dir=/ThunderHill+DEC2001&.dnm=Yawn....jpg&.src=ph&.view=t&.hires=t

http://216.101.238.122/images/Thunderhill_Dec_16/PC160036.JPG

[2001RED]

To clear this up once and for all. ALL, repeat, ALL CELICAS are made in Japan. There is no such thing as a Celica made in the US. Just look at your vin#, any car, not just celicas, that has a J for a starting vin# is made in Japan. That goes the same for Hondas, Mazda, Nissan, Mitsubushi, etc.,

If you have a number in the front of your vin, then your car is not made in Japan.

[trncelica]

Hey Yakko, most of the thing I have read from your replies had been either to insult or show your dislike for the people in here or the Toyota Celica. You are a true Idiot. I will make a deal with you, if you would stop insulting or have negative comments made on this board, I will stop replying every time you post something stupid, agree?!!

[trncelica]

I have considered this site to be throughoutly intelligent and informational, but I am fed up with the things Yakkosmurf had been posting from day one, althought I have Just registered with the board, I have been following the progress of the site for a long time. Sorry if I offended you all, but I had to voice my opinion.

[booohahaha]

dude if i were u, i would have gone to the GM and gotten this old fart fired and i would have called lexus and done him in. and i would have gotten them to apologize to me for such a crap service!
i hate it when people do that to me and im sure so do u!

[DaksGT]

made in japan

[Diesel949X]

Originally posted by DJ_GLITCH_OS
Mine was built right here in the good-ol USA.
Most of them are.

Last time I checked, all Celicas are made in Japan as already noted and beaten to death in here.


Uhh Larry, one for the FAQ???

(EDIT: Deleted witty comments referring to above quote)

[yakkosmurf]

Originally posted by trncelica
I have considered this site to be throughoutly intelligent and informational, but I am fed up with the things Yakkosmurf had been posting from day one, althought I have Just registered with the board, I have been following the progress of the site for a long time. Sorry if I offended you all, but I had to voice my opinion.
Lucky for me, your opinion is in the minority. I get about a dozen emails a week from Celica owners on this board asking me questions and thanking me for the info. Sorry if I'm not the fanboy you want me to be.