"dizzy" > wrote in message
...
> On Fri, 04 Feb 2005 15:32:21 -0500, daytripper
> > wrote:
>
> >On 4 Feb 2005 07:10:12 -0500, Bob > wrote:
> >
> >>Seems kinda strange that both salesperson and service guy would tell me
> >>2005 325xi and X3/X5 AWD was the same... Makes me wonder what else they
> >>said wasn't true...
> >
> >Everything you heard when his mouth was moving ;-)
>
> Heh. I can seem quite aloof to the average car salesman, but I can't
> help feeling annoyed, while examine the car, that I invariably know
> more about it than he does.
>
> Then there's the inevitable jackass questions: "What are you driving
> today"? "What do you do for a living?" Umm... What the HELL does
> any of that have to do with this car that I'm thinking about driving?
> Do you think we might talk about the CAR?

Not do ignore your point, there are ulterior motives for both those
questions. But the legitimate content is there too. Examples:

What you are driving today tells him
a) your frame of reference in evaluating a car
b) what you may or may not like in a car since you picked this other car
previously
c) what particular things about this car that he can show you to contrast
from your current car and influence your buying decision.
d) some things that he can point out about your previous car that you might
not like to draw out a discussion that helps him meet your previously unmet
needs.

What you do for a living tells him
e) some of the potential uses the car will be put to
f) what sort of diving habits your job might require of you
g) if you have special domain knowledge about cars due to your job
h) how a car may relate to your visibility or social status in the
community or at your workplace
i) how the experience of other existing customers is, that do the same job
and have selected his products in the past.

It also helps build rapport with a potential customer to understand what he
does for a living, what he does for fun, and what his family status is, so
that you can speak to him on his terms or at least be interested in him and
begin to learn what sorts of things might be important to him, so that the
dealer can figure out if he is able to provide you with a product that helps
meet those needs.

Or, you could just consider him a jackass and move on to someone that cares
nothing about you, and just talks about the car.

-Russ.