My local ceramic coating snake oil operation
- Thread starter Eric7810
- Start date
Here's the package you HAVE to purchase at a northern Iowa dealer.
Just spray and wipe crap.
Sent from my SM-S901U using Tapatalk
Silly Rabbit
Active member
- Apr 29, 2021
- 669
- 95
Here's the package you HAVE to purchase at a northern Iowa dealer.
Just spray and wipe crap.
Sent from my SM-S901U using Tapatalk
$1600 for what costs them probably less than $4 in materials and less then an hour labor for the staff lot attendant
Desertnate
Well-known member
- Aug 5, 2013
- 6,236
- 291
Here's the package you HAVE to purchase at a northern Iowa dealer.
Just spray and wipe crap.
Sent from my SM-S901U using Tapatalk
While you might HAVE to pay that from that dealership, fortunately no one HAS to buy from them. It's like they are asking for savvy buyers to buy vehicles from their competition.
Silly Rabbit
Active member
- Apr 29, 2021
- 669
- 95
If they are a brand dealer, not a random car dealership, don't they have to follow some of the 'franchise' type rules??? If you called tje head office of the brand and said you wanted to buy an "X" but are being pushed a fee, so are being pushed to other brands... wonder if they would step in??
This was from a ford dealer in decohra iowa,they had a vehicle on its way my wife wanted.
I asked if they could not put it on at arrival,big NO.
We went and looked at it,poorly applied and overspray everywhere.
We walked.
Sent from my SM-S901U using Tapatalk
Desertnate
Well-known member
- Aug 5, 2013
- 6,236
- 291
Doubtful from what I understand of the franchise agreements. That's how dealerships get away with a lot of the nonsense they pull in both the sales and service departments; especially as it applies to mark-ups.
Some of the automakers have stepped up and tried to apply pressure by limiting/denying allocations due to mark-ups on certain models or forbiding mark-ups on orders of new models. However, I think those actions only apply to "market adjustments". I don't think they can do anything about massively overcharging for add-ons, or slapping every accessory on a car and then massively overcharging for those. Most just watch from the sidelines.
Based on the laws in most states, the automakers actually have very little control over how a dealership conducts business, even when it harms the automaker's brand image. As long as direct sales from an automaker is banned for the most part, these types of things will continue with little/nothing the automaker can do.
Optimus Grime
Well-known member
- Feb 25, 2023
- 722
- 570
I can’t post links so just go on YouTube and search for How Is Diamond Ceramic Paint Protection Applied? That’s what my local Honda dealership where I bought my car uses.
After I did my coating I got an oil change there and told them not to wash my car which is exactly what they did and then they dried it off with the same dirty towels from the previous 50 cars. They put some lovely scratches on my car and the coating had not fully cured. They offered to compensate me by applying their lovely “ceramic” coating.
After I did my coating I got an oil change there and told them not to wash my car which is exactly what they did and then they dried it off with the same dirty towels from the previous 50 cars. They put some lovely scratches on my car and the coating had not fully cured. They offered to compensate me by applying their lovely “ceramic” coating.
dlc95
Well-known member
- May 18, 2013
- 6,062
- 26
The bassist from one of my bands bought a brand new BMW M3 last summer that the person who ordered it did end up buying.
They told him that it was ceramic coated to the tune of $3,000.00.
There was no ceramic coating applied. While it was in our parking lot a bird took a dump on it and between the time he left with his other care that we worked on the bird dump had etched the paint.
So while it there I polished it, the guys put Xpel ppf on it, and I applied Optimum Gloss Coat. He's really happy with the performance of the Gloss Coat in contrast to whatever was on there previously. It was weird to share a client with my employer though! I was paid to correct and coat, and they were paid to install the ppf...
They told him that it was ceramic coated to the tune of $3,000.00.
There was no ceramic coating applied. While it was in our parking lot a bird took a dump on it and between the time he left with his other care that we worked on the bird dump had etched the paint.
So while it there I polished it, the guys put Xpel ppf on it, and I applied Optimum Gloss Coat. He's really happy with the performance of the Gloss Coat in contrast to whatever was on there previously. It was weird to share a client with my employer though! I was paid to correct and coat, and they were paid to install the ppf...
DFB
Well-known member
- Aug 12, 2019
- 4,878
- 2,933
So, they are applying spray and rinse sealant that is sold at considerable expense to the customer as a "ceramic coating"?
Optimus Grime
Well-known member
- Feb 25, 2023
- 722
- 570
I was at a training with a group of detailers last weekend. One of them does coatings for a local dealership. He charges the same that he would a customer that comes into his shop but the dealership charges the buyer 3x what the dealership paid. I don’t know which scenario is worse; charging for what is essentially a spray on sealant or charging an exorbitant price (sometimes up to 6K) for a professionally done 5 year coating. A wise man once told me that every third word out of a car salesman’s mouth is a lie and it has yet to be disproven.
Optimus Grime
Well-known member
- Feb 25, 2023
- 722
- 570
Coatingsarecrack
Well-known member
- Dec 9, 2018
- 7,879
- 564
I was a car salesman and I can tell you that every third word out of my mouth wasn’t a lie…. Not even close. I can also say a majority of the people I worked with were genuinely good people just supporting their family like all of us.
Yes there a few that were bad humans but you will find that in all walks of life
Also people blame the salesman but Salesmen don’t make the deal the manager does. The going back and forth… not their choice
The overcharging you are talking about add ons? Has nothing to do with the salesman. The finance manager is the one selling that.
The car buying process is flawed but it’s usually not the sales guy your dealing with fault.
Most of them are on the buyers side because if you don’t buy they don’t make money.
Ju
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk on
Game
New member
- Jun 16, 2013
- 79
- 0
As someone that works at a dealer, I can attest this is all true. Most sales guys hate pitching these products but that’s where the dealer makes its money.
John U
Active member
- Mar 3, 2006
- 735
- 58
For fans of the movie Fargo. You’ll all remember “TruCoat”. William H Macy was always pushing.
Fargo (1996) - TruCoat Scene (2/12) | Movieclips - YouTube
Fargo (1996) - TruCoat Scene (2/12) | Movieclips - YouTube
Optimus Grime
Well-known member
- Feb 25, 2023
- 722
- 570
It's not just dealerships. A guy in my neighborhood tried to apply Adam's spray coating and completely botched the job. He scratched his hood and his car was basically one giant high spot. He was going to come to me to have his coating redone but last week as I was going to get dinner for my kids I saw someone coating his car in his garage. No problem. His money and his car so he can do whatever he wants with it. I asked what coating he had applied and he didn't know. I told him to ask the detailer just so that I could show him which products he should use to maintain his coating. He inquired but the detailer wouldn't tell him. Red Flag #1. I was trying to give him general tips on what to get just to be a good neighbor and help him out and he explained that he went with that detailer over me because he was applying 7 year coatings for $600. Red flag #2. If something is too good to be true then it probably is. I tried to tell him indirectly that there's a 99% chance he didn't get a 7 year coating but he couldn't take a hint. I don't think this detailer is necessarily a bad person but when people overpromise and under deliver it gives ceramic coatings a bad name. In a year there are going to be a posse of people in my neighborhood wondering why their coatings are "dead".
Eric7810
Member
- Mar 3, 2019
- 349
- 10
- Thread starter
- #40
That is such a vivid picture of what goes on.
Offering ceramic coating forced me to become a salesman. The profits are there but it often requires a one on one consultation on their property.
So many over-promised benefits and people who spray ‘ceramic’ products on and call it a coating. The customers who commit to my service though always see the difference in the end.
I describe it to folks this way often times…
What the dealer offered you is a chef boyardee pizza for the price of a Vitale’s (top notch local pizza joint here). I’m offering you the real deal.
I bring the product I use with me and explain the benefit, even leave them with the product name and challenge them to look it up online for reviews to see for themselves. Often times I don’t have to though, and I can book fairly quickly with a house visit.
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Offering ceramic coating forced me to become a salesman. The profits are there but it often requires a one on one consultation on their property.
So many over-promised benefits and people who spray ‘ceramic’ products on and call it a coating. The customers who commit to my service though always see the difference in the end.
I describe it to folks this way often times…
What the dealer offered you is a chef boyardee pizza for the price of a Vitale’s (top notch local pizza joint here). I’m offering you the real deal.
I bring the product I use with me and explain the benefit, even leave them with the product name and challenge them to look it up online for reviews to see for themselves. Often times I don’t have to though, and I can book fairly quickly with a house visit.
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk