Uncle Carsalesman? Mini-Rant

Okay, so auto lenders have found a new twist. Offer us the 'employee discount.' The announcer on the Ford commercial stated, "Welcome to the family!"

Maybe I don't want to be related to my car salesman.

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Update: Shelley (see comments) let me know this is the discount the manufacturers get... the ones building the cars. I'm okay being related to those folks. That's hard work. - PW

Comments

[Shelley]

The employee discount they're referring to is the discount that employees of the car manufacturer enjoy - not the salesman.

[johnmoore (from Brand Autopsy)]

I would hope the employees at the dealership would also get the 'Employee Discount.' After all, they are are the TRUE customer touch-points.

I can't 'touch' the marketing manager at corporate but I can 'touch' the Service Advisor at the dealership. The Service Advisor at the dealership has more impact on whether or not I buy a car from the dealer than does a corporate marketing manager.

[Michael]

I find it amazing that the public believes there is such a thing as an employee discount. It is another fiction created by the auto industry. You can still buy at the employee discount only to come home and find your next door neighbor has bought the same vehicle for less. If I was buying a car today and was offered the employee discount, I would still counter by asking, "is THAT the best you can do for me?"

[Jason Wheeler]

Price cutting should be a last resort. I think for most of these car companies it was their last resort. How sad when some of the most admired companies of the last century are dying. General Motors use to be the pride of American industry. It use to be a true blue chip that people were proud to have in their portfolio.

Do you think Durant and Ford are spinning in their graves? It is now a global economy (which I think is a good thing). Goodbye United States dominance. It use to be Eat all of your food, children in China are starving. Now they are just starving for our jobs. But hey, I am not against outsourcing. I think it will benefit us in the long run. Sorry for the rant.