Lots of people have noted that many car salespeople are less than totally "up to speed" on hybrid tech. Here's an idea - suggest that they check out GH! I mentioned GH to the guy who sold me my Prius (not to say he wasn't knowledgeable, actually I hardly let him get a word in edgewise about the car itself, so I don't really know...), and he has informed me that he DID check it out, and he thinks GH is great (as far as I know he's lurking now... Hi, Dan!)!

If we can get all the salespeople to just read what's available HERE about the cars they're selling (and competing against), it would help a lot, no?

I suggested to the salesperson who sold me my HCH (at Toyota) to inform all the Hybrid buyers of this site, and in the long run would make them happier with thier purchases. It isn't just Hybrids though, I usually know 10x more about any car than nearly anyone in the dealership ... especially if you put me at a Mazda dealership and talk rotary whether it be RX-8 or RX-7. It is thier business (for most around here) to drown you to death on pointless information and constantly repeat themselves and say the same things over and over and be redundant hehe . They fill the void of silence but I wish they would be quiet if they don't know anything ... I end up tuning them out anyway. I am visiting the dealer that sold me the car today or tomorrow so I will re-emphasize, and stop by the Honda dealer to inform them as well. I feel they can always call up the past customers and suggest it. I would welcome a purely non-sales call from a dealership. I would be suprised at them wanting to be helpful for no other reason than that itself (and in turn would win my future business). I think personally spreading the word to owners we see and getting our local dealers involved is an easy act that has great benefits imho. The side benefit is the salespeople will know more, and in turn sell more ... but having more people of various driving situations and attitudes, giving us more datasets, more ideas, more everything ... is the goal I am working on.

As I mentioned elsewhere on this forum, I visited three dealerships before I found a sales rep that I felt comfortable with. He was not particularly hybrid-wise, but he impressed me with his willingness to listen and to get answers to questions I had.

After my purchase, I did mention GH to him. He wrote it down. I haven't seen him since, so I don't know if he ever lurked.

Incidentally, his name is Myron Kar. Isn't that a great name for an automotive salesperson: My Kar?

'06 FEH 2WD "Sainte Marie"

My salesman's name was Sherlock

My salesman is a good guy. He knows me fairly well and admitted to me right up front that I probably knew more about hybrids than he did. He was right

This statement is nearly 100% true.
The two most important factors encouraging a person to decide on a specific vehicle at a specific location are:
1) the salesperson - pro or con
2) emotion at that specific time.

That being said knowledge of the product is part of factor #1 which can encourage an increase in factor #2.

Noone, other than an existing owner, has ever come into our dealership and been more familiar with the Prius than I.

Lifetime fuel usage: 2.1 GPC ( 1.99 recent )

These approaches, and others, are the reason I have walked out on some salespersons. Perhaps it is just because I am a *hard read* and get misjudged. But I suspect that most of us in GH and a growing number of consumers in the general population find such *sales* statements a real turn-off.

'06 FEH 2WD "Sainte Marie"