I've been overseas for the past two years and haven't had a chance to see the '05 or '06 Z in person. So I decided to stop by a dealership while I was down in Salem Oregon.

The first guy that talked to me said there were almost no changes between the '04 and '05 Z.

Okay, I think to myself, this guy is totally clueless. So I mention the upgraded horsepower to him. He immedeatly realizes that I know more about the car than he does so he "turns" me to the "resident expert" on Z's.

This guy claims that the Horsepower went up and the torque stayed the same. Okay, so he's a bit clueless too. I show him (in the brochoure) that torque indeed went down and yet again I was "Turned". This time it was to the Sales Manager.

Now this guy knew the changes. Every single one of them. He showed me the nice seats they put in the '06 and I have to say I really like them.

I was running out of time (had an appointment) and as I was getting ready to leave he says to me, "Yeah, it's a shame but Nissan has cancelled production on the Z-car. There won't be an '07." I asked him where he had heard that and he replied from Nissan. He said the GTR was going to replace the Z and they were going to stop production on the Z for the states.

I have not seen anything about this at all and I really think the guy was full of it. However, I have been overseas and out of the loop. He seemed pretty sure of what he was saying. It doesn't make sense to me since the GTR is going to be in another price range entirely.

Did I miss something somewhere?

 

It's like they just hire people right off the street. The least you can do is train them to be at least competent about their products if they are going to sell them.

There's no way they're going to discontinue the Z with how popular this car has been. It's like saying "Wow, the Z sells well, let's just discontinue it and kick ourselves in the nuts!"

That sales manager was probably pulling your chain to create a sense of urgency so you can come back and buy one.

All the rumors keep pointing to new GTR as an Infiniti. But we'll see i guess.

 

Just sounds like he was trying to keep you from walking off the lot. I haven't heard anything about this!

 

He knew I wasn't there to buy. Told him quite a few times. He saw my '04 track edition and commented on how nice it was. Asked me what model it was (as if it's not evident by the wheels and spoiler...).

 

I heard they were going to put wings on the 07's so they really fly off the dealer lots. lol Some salesman are truely clueless. And here I thought they were supposed to review their information to keep the customers informed.

 

There are a few exceptions but the auto sales industry has a fairly high employee turnover rate. There is one guy at my local Nissan dealership who has been selling for over ten years, but the rest are younger guys who don't really know the product. The older guy actually seems to take the time to read up on the models. When I took my car in for service, I went to get a look at the new 06s. He knew everything that had changed including the smaller interior things like the nav cubby door being gone and the arm rest changes. Unfortunately this is the exception to the rule.

 

same here in Houston...it sucks having to buy a car from a salesperson who is clueless...one guy I went to had to pull out somekind of manual to answer the question I asked him. At least he tried to tell me the truth instead of giving me a total lie. I went back to one dealership three times b/f I found a guy who was really cool. Just have to keep trying.

 

dont trust the salesmen.....do your own research....let there be no questions you need him to answer about the car....theyll lie and screw you over...

 

Not to hijack the thread, but is there any prelim info on the '07 floating around?

 

most salesmen I've seen are cashiers with some personal selling skills, not experts in the product they sell.

 

Yeah, I heard it will be TT with 450HP and the base price will be $26K. I don't know how they got the price lower. I think it has something to do with using Sentra wheels instead of the 35th anniversary wheels.

 

They hire anyone to be Salesmen as long as they have good people skills. They figure only like 1 out of 8 or 9 people buying a car actually know everything there is to know about a car. I had same problem when I bought my '03 Touring. I had some jackass "ARGUE" with me for what seemed like hours. He was insisting that the Touring and Track models where the same except for the wheels. I was like OMG what an ***! How can Nissan hire someone like that. I guess it goes around that way though. Oh well!

 

hees probably telling you theres not going to be an 07 so you will buy an 06 soon before its too late

 

They also cross-hire and transfer guys from different car dealer lots. Some work under the same employer but at different lots so they forget what cars they are trying to sell.

I was at a Ford dealership once and the guy didn't know jack about the new Fords. "I use to work for a Honda lot and refused to go to Ford until they got their act together and built road-worthy cars."

Theres no real loyalty or specific knowledge. Just the incentive to sell. But kudos to the actual salesguys that do their homework.

 

They do just hire people right off the street, . I worked at a dealership and everyone else that worked there just walked through the door and said "I need a job." No training whatsoever. The only reason I knew anything is because I am a car guy. No one I worked with knew **** about the cars.

 

I guess I expect more. In my early 20's I worked for a motorcycle dealership and had to wear many hats. I worked the parts counter, sold bikes, turned wrenches and was a salesman for a while.

When I was selling, I knew everything about our bikes and everything about the competitions bikes. I could quote you horsepower, weight and power to weight ratio of every performance bike there was. I guess it's too much to ask that a sales manager actually know about his product.

 

Maybe. Its not necessary for a salesperson to memorize specifications. Few buyers are looking for numbers nor are they impressed with someone who is a technical geek.

 

But it is their job to know about their products. It never failed for me to go to a car dealer and know more about the car I was looking at than the salesperson. I was recently at a Mitsubishi dealer looking at an Evo with a friend, he was interested. The salesperson asked me if Id be interested in a new Eclipse b/c its faster than my 350Z. I looked at him in awe and responded you're out of your mind.

 

I went in knowing enough about the car already and my older bro has an 03, so ive been around it...But the salesman knew his stuff, and my buddy also bought a used g35c off of him, and was his friend...but the guy owns an sentra se-r spec v and part of a car club so he actually knows what he is dealing with...others before him didn't know a single thing...they are there to have a job and try to make some money...

 

I just picked up my 350Z this past weekend. When I first went to the dealership I was looking at an 04 the sales guy walks and and starts trying to rattle off numbers to me. Only one problem here the numbers he rattled off where for an 06 and completely wrong for the 04, not only that he was talking other parts that where for an 06 and not an 04. I ended up leaving and coming back the next morning to drive the 04 (had a dinner to go to the night before) and when I got there I got a new sales guy. The new guy knew the difference and was very nice to deal with. In the end after driving the 04 and an 06 and seeing some problems with the 04 I bought an 06 PPW.

I would rather have someone who doesn't know everything but at least can admit it then someone who tries to act like they know and end up looking like a fool. I see the same thing with people in my field all the time and I laugh,