mrb321us

About 3 or 4 months ago I started filling in the blanks requesting sales literature for the '03 Ram 2500 advertised at the Ram website. I did this 3 times with no luck. Then I called customer service about 6 weeks ago. I just received an 8-page brochure which looks computer generated, because my name is on the 2nd page. It lacks a lot of basic info such as dimensions of various models and interior photos, etc. For comic relief, they show the same picture twice of a truck loaded with hay bales that look like they are about to fall out of the bed. The tailgate is down and there is a little cow dog perched on the first bale that would fall off if the driver wasn't driving under 5 mph. The caption reads" Remember to properly secure all cargo." Why the hell don't they follow their own advice? Frustrated, I visited my dealership and the sales manager said they hadn't received any brochures either for the '03 2500 models yet either. He apologized and said that he would call me when they arrived. I then talked to a couple of salesman on the floor. After five minutes it was obvious I knew more about the features of these trucks than they did. DC seems to be asleep at the switch. I call this lousy marketing for a new product that's been on the market more than two months. Why didn't they get the sales literature out to the dealers in advance of the first rig hitting the showroom? And why aren't salesmen properly trained to intelligently discuss various features and benefits of the new model? Are you listening Deiter? I can't imagine Mercedes Benz handling a new product launch in such an unprofessional manner. One can only hope that the engineering and manufacturing behind the new Ram HD are of higher quality than the promotion. One more gripe: Ever notice that they airbrush out the antennas in new truck literature? So much for truth in advertising.

BRDIESEL

I have one. Picked it up at the ******* in early Nov. ???

Buzz

I think it's fairly common to find that salespeople know little or nothing of the product they are trying to sell. The two women who sold me my truck knew nothing about them. There's male salesmen with the same problem. Their attitude is; here's the truck...if you like it buy it. That's why you should be an informed buyer and do the research first. With the help of this site, I feel I made a good purchase when I bought my truck. It had the equipment I was looking for and I didn't merely buy because I liked the looks of it. Buyer beware! ;D

Casey Balvert

While the sales brochures have not been available, the information has been there. The fact that the sales staff know nothing about the truck merely indicates laziness and poor attitude on their part. I was lucky enough to get a sales guy that actually knew what he was talking about.<br><br>You then have to ask yourself; if the sales people don't care do the service people care and do I really want to buy a truck here?<br><br>In reality however, most people are not the fanatics about their vehicles that we are. We tend to research everything. The average person looking for a new vehicle trusts the sales staff will know what they are talking about. Like lambs to the slaughter.<br><br>I would keep looking for a dealer that has enough interest to insist that his sales staff know something about what they are selling. My two cents.<br><br>Casey

dealseeker

I talked to salesmen at 2 or 3 dealerships and I knew far more than they did and I am a very unmechanically inclined individual. No one had any pamphlets to give out but I had received several in the mail as a result of filling out D-C online contest ballots. One dealer couldn't believe it when I told him I had thrown out 3 or 4 brochures. Also, until lately all the adds for the HD trucks have had accompanying pics of 1500s.

mrb321us

Years ago my uncle owned a Pontiac/Buick/GMC dealership, and everytime GM came out with a new model, the salesmen and mechanics had to attend seminars (separate) so they would be familiar with the products. GM had what they called a &quot;walk around&quot; concept whereby the salesman was taught to walk around the vehicle with the customer and point out all new features and benefits. Of course in those days, sales personnal were middle aged men who stayed at the dealership for a long time, if they were any good, because they got a new demo to drive as their personal vehicle. Today there are far too many dealerships -- especially the big ones which call themselves &quot;stores&quot; -- hiring a bunch of 20 somethings who have little product knowledge and don't learn, because of the high turnover. Today good automotive salesmen are as rare as full service filling stations.

cp

What is happening to this country? It seems like every car dealer or retailer only wants young punks with good hair and look good in a tie to sell anything. Product knowledge be damned--if the buyer can't or won't figure it out himself, let the sale slip through your hands.<br><br>Another example: Real estate ads with the ugly mug of the listing agent instead of a picture of the property for sale. HOw in the world does that help sell anything?<br><br>There is something soooooooooooooo wrong with what they're teaching in business school these days.

danlit

Most people who purchase the CTD , I hope know more than the salesmen. Don`t you do your homework before you buy?<br>Ask people who own them or find sites like this.I don`t even ask salesmen questions other than WHEN &amp; HOW MUCH. Its not worth testing them it doesn`t change the product, its up to you.Or find a salesmen that OWNS not just drives a CTD.<br>.02<br> Danny

mrb321us

Re Danlit's comments and some of the others above: I get the impression that people not concerned about the lack of professional salesmen are probably under 50 and don't remember a time when salesmen had to know their stuff. As for sites like this that provide info, it's very difficult to know how accurate much of it is, because we know nothing about the source. I have learned one thing, however. I would never buy a used diesel pickup, unless the owner was an over the road trucker or someone who had considerable experience with diesel engines after reading posts from guys boasting they laid rubber during a test drive or flew down the Interstate at 80 mph pulling a trailer. The later sounds like a good organ donor candidate. Granted the Internet is very helpful in researching a new truck (which I am doing), but the salesman should know more about the product than the customer, especially when they cost more than $25,000. Vist a Ford truck dealership where they only sell trucks. Those guys still know their product, because they sell a lot of commercial rigs that are much bigger than a pickup. I for one am sick and tired of Wal-Mart type stores where all the help turn over frequently and is minimum wage and ill-informed about the merchandise. Our country seems to be dumbing down, and I don't like it. I recently read that we're one or two generations away from losing skilled machinists, because we've allowed so much manufacturing to go off shore. Then what are we going going to do if there was ever another war (God forbid) like WW II? Import everything from the enemy? I'm glad I'm 63 and not 25.

iron peddler

My dealer(bought 3 Dodge CTDs from them), a non-5 star, is in a small town and they sell to the farmers and ranchers. The sales people wear boots and blue jeans and know something about their product. Rodeo photos hang in their offices..no high pressure here, talk rodeo, horses, cows, etc. Their business depends on trucks..cars are a necessary evil.

The dealership operation is completely different from the big city type places. The general manager, sales manager, and service manager know me by my first name. Take your truck in for service and they don't hide it....you can even go back in the shop and talk to the mechanic while he is working on your truck!!

I'd rather walk than buy from a big city type(store) dealership....

iron peddler

FireNhole

Very True Indeed : There aren't any MIT graduates selling new or used trucks or autos out there in the good ole U.S. of A. &gt;Buyer Beware!! Because in the end if you accept your vehicle and you are not satisfied, face it you're F#*%ed!!! &gt; It's all about profits, not good ole business practice, and customer satisfaction.The only way to show your frustration is to fill out the DC questionaire with your comments. I'm sure @ DC no one even looks at it anyway, or even gives a Sh%t!! it probably goes to the shredder :

mrb321us

Re the MIT comment above -- when I lived in Europe in the '60's I was astonished to learn that many of the Mercedes Benz car salesmen were engineers, because German customers asked so many technical questions about the cars. These days many Americans buy a new car (maybe not a truck, but I'll bet a Suburban or Durango) without even poping the hood. They are more concerned with the impression it's going to make on their peers. I think that's why there are so few well-informed salesmen at the larger urban dealerships.

Jonesey

I also picked up one of the sales brochures when I began the shopping process in October, but not from the dealer from whom I purchased my truck. When I showed it to my salesperson, she was amazed. She did not even know they existed. I haven't seen any brochures since I got mine in October. ???

alabat

Having been in sales since 1968. I was amazed when I took a 3 month job in a Ford dealership, during a oilfield slow down.<br>I am use to selling from a very strong technical point.<br><br>I did not find that anyone that I sold to gave a damm about how the Ford was made or anything technical. The main thing was if it was the right color and could they afford it.<br>I waited alomost two years for DC to introduce this truck. When I walked in to the dealership I knew what I wanted and why I wanted it and ordered it the first week you could do it. <br>Let face it if we are on this forum chances are you are a gear head and will be very hard to satisfy.