235: Last Year’s Model

I love people like that and you’d be surprised how many of them there are about.  Loads and loads, with more money than sense as my Gran used to say.  There can’t be any other reason especially when they go for the same thing year after year after year.

I didn’t used to believe it myself until I saw it happen.  The guy was mid-fifties, smart looking, confident and walking around all the demos until someone went up to him.  The kind of guy who knows people like us want to serve him and they just wait until we flock round.  Gareth made the first move.

He’s after brand new, metallic black, minimum 1.8 engine, 5-door with full sound system and the top discount he can get.  Gareth shows him the models we have, he picks one then says he wants to part-ex his old car.  Sure says Gareth and goes outside to look it over whilst the guy stays inside.  He comes back in, they talk figures, shake on the deal and the guy’s off again, simple as that.

“His car was 11 months old,” said Gareth.  “He’d done just over 10,000 miles and I got him to accept nine grand less than he paid for it last year.  Nine grand.  I’ll mark it up for six grand more than that and even with a hardened negotiator cutting that in half, I’ll turn a good three grand profit I reckon.”  I’d never seen him look so damn smug, but then he’d done next to nothing for a huge turn round and a massive cut for himself.

So when I saw another guy pull up in a car just over a year old and head for the sales floor, I decided he would be mine.  If he was up for throwing his money away, who was I to stand in his way?  I gave him a minute or two to look around the range then headed over.

“Beauty isn’t she,” I said tapping the roof of the red sports car he was stood next to.  “Very popular model, one of our best.  Top speed of 140, superior road holding, 0-60 in 4.5 seconds and the best price you’ll find in its class.”  I went for super-cool.  “You looking for anything in particular today sir?”

And then he was mine, pretty much as Gareth described with his guy.  Some customers just can’t bear to drive a car that isn’t this year’s model.  So your average Joe salesman like me makes the best of it.  I gave him a great deal, knowing I’d more than make up for it reselling his “old” car.  And he said “See you next year?” as he left so maybe I’ll build up a ring of regulars.

Like Gran said, some people have more money than sense.