I think I'm done with the auto dealership shops. They are way too time consuming. Not even just the visit itself but then the reports are just too time consuming. I completed a auto shop today and the only reason I did it was because it was a bonus shop and I hadn't completed one in a long time. I remember now why I hadn't. They just take way too much time. I was in the dealership for over an hour and a half talking about a car that I don't want and now I'm writing this stupid report. To recall everything that was said in an hour and half presentation from a car salesman is similar to getting a root canal. This is the last one I'm doing for sure. Thank goodness the guy did a good job. Does anyone else hate dealership shops? $25 for an hour and a half of my life that I'll never see again? And now another 30 minutes completing this report? Yeah this is why I stopped doing them in 2008! Okay I'm done venting

Oh they're not so bad. But I wouldn't take one for less than $25.

I agree Dagosto. Bestmark is offering shops for $18 and I told them to keep them.

Tactrueblue Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> I think I'm done with the auto dealership shops.
> They are way too time consuming. Not even just
> the visit itself but then the reports are just too
> time consuming. I completed a auto shop today and
> the only reason I did it was because it was a
> bonus shop and I hadn't completed one in a long
> time. I remember now why I hadn't. They just
> take way too much time. I was in the dealership
> for over an hour and a half talking about a car
> that I don't want and now I'm writing this stupid
> report. To recall everything that was said in an
> hour and half presentation from a car salesman is
> similar to getting a root canal. This is the last
> one I'm doing for sure. Thank goodness the guy
> did a good job. Does anyone else hate dealership
> shops? $25 for an hour and a half of my life that
> I'll never see again? And now another 30 minutes
> completing this report? Yeah this is why I
> stopped doing them in 2008! Okay I'm done venting
>

research services group is paying $75 for car dealership shops.

Whaaat?!!! I'd do it for $75...maybe.

Tactrueblue Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Whaaat?!!! I'd do it for $75...maybe.

you have to make two visits to the same location, and get written quotes each time. the report is very detailed and involved, and takes a while to learn the first time that you do it. however, if you do multiple shops over time, it is well worth it in my opinion. the first visit will last 45 minutes and the second visit will last 15 minutes. you might want to check with the company to see what is available in your area. and the pay is extremely prompt also.

Those are tough, I'd rather do two smaller one visit shops in a day and make 50.00.

I took a dealership shop thinking it was in another, more populated area of that town only to find it way out in the middle of I had NO idea the town went that far out. The salesman was really impressive and since I'm in the market for a new vehicle, without thinking, I gave him my real phone number. Duh! After the shop, he called and left a voicemail, saying if I had any complaints, I should've told him.

Excuse me? Dude, you got a near perfect score. The only things the report didn't score perfect on is being offered a test drive and the building was old and worn down. I was so ticked that he called me and then was upset over his glowing report. Don't think I'll be shopping there for my next vehicle. Ugh!

At least the report wasn't difficult and ddin't require a ton of narrative.

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 03/07/2012 01:02AM by AlwaysAngie.

I am with you Tractrueblue did my first and probably my last dealership job. I was at the place for almost 2 hrs and it took me about the same for the report. Doing that report is like watching paint dry. Definitely not worth $25.

Car dealerships can be tough. Like a lot of other shops they always seem to take longer in the beginning. Being decisive can help a lot. There's nothing worse than a salesman who wants to drag you all over the lot looking at dozens of cars and take you on long test drives. I've had salesmen take me on a test drive and then want me to drive the exact same model in a different color! Hello, is that going to make a difference, LOL! A good average for shops without a test drive is around 30 and with a drive 45 minutes to an hour. Those are just averages and work out the more shops you do.

Same thing with the reports. Some aren't too bad, but then there are those where they want you to write a damn book, yikes!

Tactrueblue Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> I think I'm done with the auto dealership shops.
> They are way too time consuming. Not even just
> the visit itself but then the reports are just too
> time consuming. I completed a auto shop today and
> the only reason I did it was because it was a
> bonus shop and I hadn't completed one in a long
> time. I remember now why I hadn't. They just
> take way too much time. I was in the dealership
> for over an hour and a half talking about a car
> that I don't want and now I'm writing this stupid
> report. To recall everything that was said in an
> hour and half presentation from a car salesman is
> similar to getting a root canal. This is the last
> one I'm doing for sure. Thank goodness the guy
> did a good job. Does anyone else hate dealership
> shops? $25 for an hour and a half of my life that
> I'll never see again? And now another 30 minutes
> completing this report? Yeah this is why I
> stopped doing them in 2008! Okay I'm done venting
>

Tactrueblue, I know how you feel. I have mixed feelings about new auto dealerships. I think that it depends on the msc you are working for. My first one I did was for IntelliShop, after being a mystery shopper for less than 3 months. It took me 40 minutes to do a round trip drive to the dealer (from my house), it took 2 hours at the dealer (which included a test drive), and it took about 3 hours to do the report . . . all for $20 (or 5 hours and 40 minutes of work to get $20). The only fault the editor found in my report, was a question in regards to if the salesperson ever left me alone in their office and they wanted to know how many minutes and seconds they had left me alone. So I relied that they were gone for 43 seconds. So in return, the editor wrote a snippy comment that I was only suppose to comment if the salesperson left me alone for longer than one minute, and the editor gave me a "9" rating. GRRRRR!!! I said to myself, never again will I do another auto shop for Intellishop.

Yet on the flipside, I did an easy and great auto dealership shop for Bestmark. Though this one did not require me to take a test drive, however I figure it took me about 3 1/2 hours total (which included doing the online inquiry part, the round trip drive to the dealership, the dealership visit, and writing the report). Though it only paid $18, it was very easy and I got paid in less than 2 weeks. I would not hesitate to do another one for Bestmark, however since I live in Los Angeles, those Bestmark auto dealerships go quick! Yet overall, I will admit I don't think that auto dealerships are worth it in the long run (time to do the entire shop vs. pay). I think the Bestmark shop was easily worth $25, but the Intellishop, that one should have paid at least $35 to $40. Yet one thing for sure, I will never do another Intellishop auto dealership UNLESS they keep the same report and drastically raise the shop fee to $35+. LOL!!!

Wilson

vince Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Tactrueblue Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > Whaaat?!!! I'd do it for $75...maybe.
>
> you have to make two visits to the same location,
> and get written quotes each time. the report is
> very detailed and involved, and takes a while to
> learn the first time that you do it. however, if
> you do multiple shops over time, it is well worth
> it in my opinion. the first visit will last 45
> minutes and the second visit will last 15 minutes.
> you might want to check with the company to see
> what is available in your area. and the pay is
> extremely prompt also.

Vince, I tried to do one of the $75 shops in September of last year, but I could not do it. I did the required telephone conference/training session with the customer. However they gave me a 2012 model to get the quote on. When I got to the dealership, they did not have a brand new select 2012 model, because it was still somewhat early to get a 2012 model in September of last year. As part of the guidelines, I could get the quote on a select 2011 model, however they did not have the 2011 model I had to shop. Then I reported my findings to the customer, and they gave me a hard time (via an email) telling me that in the guidelines (which was a small book if you ask me) they had provided to me, that I was suppose to still get a “real time” quote even if the dealer did not have the select car on the lot. When I read that in their email, I said to myself that this was a bunch of hog wash! Whoever has gone shopping for a brand new car, sight unseen, and haggle over getting the dealer to provide a written quote on it (which included certain required options as part of the shop) . . . yet having to go back a few days later and haggle over trying to get the price down from the original quote . . . again haggling over a car that does not exist, a car that is not ordered, a car that does not have a deposit or down payment on it. This would have been so much easier (I think) if I could have done this with a "real" car on the lot. However, since I missed the first part of my deadline by the time the customer addressed my issues of a 2012 and 2011 model not being on the lot, the msc itself then ended up putting me down that I was a flake in my shopper log. Then I had a nice fight with the msc for 2 days (telling them all what had happened) and they removed that “flake” remark from my shopper log, they apologized, and they even sent me $25 check for my troubles. Which I thought was very nice of the msc, however I don’t think I will be trying one of those shops again soon, because though the report seems to be on the long and detailed side, I do feel comfortable with it, since I am used to writing detailed narratives, however I don’t want to sit and haggle with the dealer for 45 minutes or whatever it takes to have him provide me with a written quote of his best offer on a select car to shop . . . and then I would have to turn around and haggle on another day for a second time. “Check please!” No thanks! Yet that is just me.

Yet one other part of this shop that I did not like is, if you are assigned a "lease only" quote instead of a "purchase only" quote, it seemed like the requirements to get a "lease quote" was far more involved and convoluted, due to the specific figures the customer wanted in the "lease only" quote. So that is another reason why I have not applied for another one of these shops, because as far as I know, there is no way you can apply for a "purchase only" shop with the msc. It seem that the customer randomly assigns "purchase only" and "lease only" quote requirements for these shops. So when I attended the the required telephone conference/training session and hearing how (I thought) difficult getting all of the required figures for a "lease only" quote, I sure was glad that I did not get saddled with that kind of quote requirement . . . because the "purchase only" quote with all of the figures the customer wanted would have been easy to get . . . as long as the salesperson would give you a written quote.

Yet overall, looking at how long and detailed the report is for the $75 shop, I am not sure by doing a string of them would be any easier "for myself". It seems like a lot of hard work to go through to get $75 . . . due to the 2 times you have to go to the dealership and haggle over the price and the long and detailed report you have to crank-out for each of these shops . . . and I'm sure that no 2 dealership experiences will be alike or similar.

Wilson

Irene_L.A. Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Those are tough, I'd rather do two smaller one
> visit shops in a day and make 50.00.


Irene, I agree with you. I would rather do maybe 2 or 3 other (non-auto dealership) shops for $50 and not spend as much time or go through the trouble required for this $75 shop.

Wilson

LisaSTL Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Car dealerships can be tough. Like a lot of other
> shops they always seem to take longer in the
> beginning. Being decisive can help a lot. There's
> nothing worse than a salesman who wants to drag
> you all over the lot looking at dozens of cars and
> take you on long test drives. I've had salesmen
> take me on a test drive and then want me to drive
> the exact same model in a different color! Hello,
> is that going to make a difference, LOL! A good
> average for shops without a test drive is around
> 30 and with a drive 45 minutes to an hour. Those
> are just averages and work out the more shops you
> do.
>
> Same thing with the reports. Some aren't too bad,
> but then there are those where they want you to
> write a damn book, yikes!

LisaSTL, LOL!!! You are so right! For me, the Bestmark report was easy peasy / like a walk in the park. The IntelliShop report was a frigging book! GRRRRR!!! Though I did not do the $75 shop's report, yet by scanning over it, it looked like a book as well.

Wilson

LisaSTL Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> I've had salesmen
> take me on a test drive and then want me to drive
> the exact same model in a different color! Hello,
> is that going to make a difference, LOL!

ROFL! I don't know if he underestimated you because you're a woman or if he was really that dense but that's hilarious!

Wilson, the one I did above was for Bestmark and I found the report to be pretty simple with not a ton of narrative needed. The only other downside to me forgetting to give a fake phone number was it wasn't where I thought it was. Instead of 10 minutes to get to that part of town, it was about a half an hour and not a populated area. So it would've been obvious after the fact that I was the shopper. Next time I'll be careful when I see that town's name pop up on any job board.

I did the $75 shop and did not enjoy the paperwork aspect, however, I did not mind the dealership and all that went into it..(salesman)

Getting a quote was like extracting a decayed tooth....I repeatedly asked the Sales Manager for a quote and he kept saying' It's right on the car window."

I said I needed a written quote, maybe he figured me out, I dunno....

Why don't you just ask for a printout? Whenever I ask for anything like a written quote I tell them while comparison shopping I want to be sure I'm comparing apples to apples. That is assuming you can tell them you will be shopping around.

LisaSTL Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Why don't you just ask for a printout? Whenever I
> ask for anything like a written quote I tell them
> while comparison shopping I want to be sure I'm
> comparing apples to apples. That is assuming you
> can tell them you will be shopping around.

I did. I asked 3 times. He would basically stall and not give me one. I thought that was strange. But eventually, I got one from him but it was not "easy."

In the conference call they warned us that the salesman would try to delay or stall giving us a written quote.

That is very interesting. For mine they seemed to jump on it and I figured they didn't want me to find a car cheaper and not realize that it didn't have all the same features. The salesman for one manufacturer in particular were pretty dang confident about their car. That may have been why they were so accommodating

Tactrueblue Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> I think I'm done with the auto dealership shops.
> They are way too time consuming. Not even just
> the visit itself but then the reports are just too
> time consuming. I completed a auto shop today and
> the only reason I did it was because it was a
> bonus shop and I hadn't completed one in a long
> time. I remember now why I hadn't. They just
> take way too much time. I was in the dealership
> for over an hour and a half talking about a car
> that I don't want and now I'm writing this stupid
> report. To recall everything that was said in an
> hour and half presentation from a car salesman is
> similar to getting a root canal. This is the last
> one I'm doing for sure. Thank goodness the guy
> did a good job. Does anyone else hate dealership
> shops? $25 for an hour and a half of my life that
> I'll never see again? And now another 30 minutes
> completing this report? Yeah this is why I
> stopped doing them in 2008! Okay I'm done venting
>


I stopped doing auto dealerships after the 3rd shop. I did a post last week asking if I was the only one who felt guilty doing them. I feel like I'm wasting the salesperson's time. But, a few experienced shoppers shared their perspective as to why they don't feel guilty and how shopping dealerships can be useful feedback for the salesperson. Nevertheless, $25 didn't seem worth the discomfort.

However, for $75 I'd learn to live with it! Please let me find a dealership shop for $75. Guilt would go straight out the window!

AlwaysAngie Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> LisaSTL Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > I've had salesmen
> > take me on a test drive and then want me to
> drive
> > the exact same model in a different color!
> Hello,
> > is that going to make a difference, LOL!
>
> ROFL! I don't know if he underestimated you
> because you're a woman or if he was really that
> dense but that's hilarious!
>
> Wilson, the one I did above was for Bestmark and I
> found the report to be pretty simple with not a
> ton of narrative needed. The only other downside
> to me forgetting to give a fake phone number was
> it wasn't where I thought it was. Instead of 10
> minutes to get to that part of town, it was about
> a half an hour and not a populated area. So it
> would've been obvious after the fact that I was
> the shopper. Next time I'll be careful when I see
> that town's name pop up on any job board.

LisaSTL, I’m still laughing in regards to the salesmen wanting you to take a test drive in the same model but a different color. LOL!!!

AlwaysAngie, for sure, I think the Bestmark report was pretty simple without a lot of narrative, that is why I would gladly do another one, plus the fact that all of the Bestmark new auto dealership shops “I have seen in my area” do not require a test drive, even if the salesperson invites you to take one. If I had to do a test drive (required or invited), then I would skip doing the Bestmark new auto dealership shops, since that would really make getting $18 for the shop not worth it. In my case, I gave the salesperson my Google telephone number which I never answer anyway, however they did call me about 4 times within 6 weeks before they stopped calling. I would love to give shops a fake number (for those shops where they will ask for a phone number, i.e. car dealerships, financial investment shops), yet I would feel bad by them honestly trying to make a sale only to end up calling a fake number and realizing that they had been scammed. So at least with the Google phone number, there is nobody to tell them that they got the wrong number and nor should they feel slighted with the Google voicemail. In regard to a shop's location, I made a fatal mistake last year when I accepted a shop in Los Angeles, thinking that it was somewhat near my house. But when I actually got ready to do the shop, I realized that it would take at least 45 minutes (one way) to get to that shop’s location, due to the bad Los Angeles traffic I would have to drive through to get to the shop. So after that mistake, I always check a shop’s location more closely, when it is listed in Los Angeles (before applying for it), since Los Angeles is so large and spread-out. So I know how you felt about driving that half hour to get to the other part of town.

Wilson

SunnyDays2 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> I did the $75 shop and did not enjoy the paperwork
> aspect, however, I did not mind the dealership and
> all that went into it..(salesman)
>
> Getting a quote was like extracting a decayed
> tooth....I repeatedly asked the Sales Manager for
> a quote and he kept saying' It's right on the car
> window."
>
> I said I needed a written quote, maybe he figured
> me out, I dunno....


SunnyDays2, that is one thing I remember when I did the required telephone conference/training session with the customer. The customer said that in most cases, it would be very hard to get the dealer to provide a written quote. Yet in your case, I know that must have been very maddening for you, since NOBODY pays the sticker price on a vehicle. So for $75, this is the main reason I don't think I will ever do one of these shops, because of all of the haggling you have to do on the price of the car AND then trying to fight with the salesperson to actually provide you with the required written quote with the required figures in the quote. "Check please!, I'm out of here!" LOL!!!

Wilson

HaveARayDay Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Tactrueblue Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > I think I'm done with the auto dealership shops.
>
> > They are way too time consuming. Not even just
> > the visit itself but then the reports are just
> too
> > time consuming. I completed a auto shop today
> and
> > the only reason I did it was because it was a
> > bonus shop and I hadn't completed one in a long
> > time. I remember now why I hadn't. They just
> > take way too much time. I was in the
> dealership
> > for over an hour and a half talking about a car
> > that I don't want and now I'm writing this
> stupid
> > report. To recall everything that was said in
> an
> > hour and half presentation from a car salesman
> is
> > similar to getting a root canal. This is the
> last
> > one I'm doing for sure. Thank goodness the guy
> > did a good job. Does anyone else hate
> dealership
> > shops? $25 for an hour and a half of my life
> that
> > I'll never see again? And now another 30
> minutes
> > completing this report? Yeah this is why I
> > stopped doing them in 2008! Okay I'm done
> venting
> >
>
>
> I stopped doing auto dealerships after the 3rd
> shop. I did a post last week asking if I was the
> only one who felt guilty doing them. I feel like
> I'm wasting the salesperson's time. But, a few
> experienced shoppers shared their perspective as
> to why they don't feel guilty and how shopping
> dealerships can be useful feedback for the
> salesperson. Nevertheless, $25 didn't seem worth
> the discomfort.
>
> However, for $75 I'd learn to live with it!
> Please let me find a dealership shop for $75.
> Guilt would go straight out the window!

HaveARayDay, just remember that "some of us members" find that this is a very long and hard shop to do. The time that you have to invest at the dealership (since this shop requires 2 visits), and the long and detailed narrative required to complete the shop. So this shop is by no means equal to the $18 to $25 shops. So I would say unless you know some shortcuts to get this shop done without investing the time to do one, I think you are going to have to earn "every penny" of that $75. Yet I know that for other forums, some members find this shop as easy as falling off of a log. Yet when I applied for the shop and got accepted, it was then when I saw the long and extensive guidelines for this shop. "For me", had I seen all of the guidelines before applying for the shop, I would not have applied for it. Yet since I applied for it and felt I could do it (as long as the car was on the lot), I tried to do the shop. Yet I really felt like returning the shop when I saw all of the guidelines, however I have never returned a shop before in my history of being a mystery shopper and I decided that it would be a good learning experience to learn how to do a high-end car shop and to see if I should further apply for these types of shops or to never do another one again. On a side note, when I first got into mystery shopping, I sure was tempted by the high pay of an Ikea shop ($70 at the time), yet when I read the horror stories (posted by members on another online forum) of the purchase and return part and the long and extensive detailed narratives required for the report, I knew that I would never want to do an Ikea shop. Thus far for now, I think (just for myself) I'm going to put this $75 auto dealership shop in the category of "Don't touch this shop with a ten foot pole". LOL!!!

Wilson

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 03/09/2012 05:37PM by WestCoastWilson.

This will really drive you nuts - many, many years ago I sold cars (late 70's and one of the first women).

I cannot in good conscience do an auto dealership shop. They waste not only MY time, but the salesperson's time. I find it grossly unfair.

So, no matter what the amount is offered, I always decline.

Lainerz Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> This will really drive you nuts - many, many years
> ago I sold cars (late 70's and one of the first
> women).
>
> I cannot in good conscience do an auto dealership
> shop. They waste not only MY time, but the
> salesperson's time. I find it grossly unfair.
>
> So, no matter what the amount is offered, I always
> decline.

Let's see...can't your logic be applied to most shops we do? Do we waste a Banker's time when we do a platform shop? Do we waste the time of a clerk when we do a retail shop? Or, or we making them better at their craft so they can earn more money.

It wastes you time? Then why do you shop at all? I was under the impression we got compensated for successfully completing shops.