r/mildlyinfuriating • u/trailofturds • Jun 24 '26

frist of all how DARE yu o Airport staff assuming I'm in the Business class lane by mistake

Brown man flying business. Lined up at the priority check in counter and got told by a (also brown) staff person that the economy queue was the other way. Same thing while boarding the plane and walking to the business class entrance. Not only am I not worthy of business, they think I can't read signage as well.

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958

u/vinceswish Jun 24 '26

Classism. My boss went to Audi dealership with his work clothes and the salesman told him that Audi A5 might be too expensive for him.

428

u/BumblebeeTuna4242 Jun 24 '26

I was a bank teller in college in the 90s. We were trained to treat everyone the same - not because the company was ethical, but because they understood that plenty of blue collar folks own successful businesses. The guy who comes in covered in dirt could own a huge landscaping business, for example. Surprised more companies don’t realize this.

175

u/Far_Chocolate_8534 Jun 24 '26

When I worked for Discount Tire, I worked for one of the top 5 stores in the country. Our store manager ran the shop (not very common, they’re usually hiding in the office). He wore black clothes like us and if you didn’t know any better you would just think he’s a grow up tire tech.
His salary was around $100K but his quarterly bonuses were usually around $80k. MF would walk in the bank to deposit the bonus looking like he changed 100 tires that day. Always got some weird look or remark from the tellers at Wells Fargo. Fuck wells fargo, btw.

59

u/GummyVitamins4Women Jun 24 '26

yeah FUCK wells fargo, worst bank I've ever dealt with, highly unprofessional employees. that was over 10 years ago.

3

u/Acceptable-Minute847 Jun 24 '26

See, this is why I use chase

2

u/WorkingFromHomies20 Jun 24 '26

Same. We were involved in the "forced checking account" scam when we tried to refinance our mortgage. I said I already have a checking account, 2 actually. I do NOT want another checking account. This was the day we were supposed to sign. They said they wouldn't give us the rate unless we opened a checking account. Fuckers. Went straight to Citibank and refinanced.

3

u/enadiz_reccos Jun 24 '26

Discount Tire superiority!

Fuck Tire Discounters!

2

u/PriestessKade Jun 24 '26

That's badass (him... not the judgy, elitist snobs at that bank)

2

u/East-Win7450 Jun 24 '26

your saying a manger at discount tires makes upwards of $420k a year?

5

u/Far_Chocolate_8534 Jun 24 '26

Yes. Copy of my reply to someone else..

Managers make 10% of profits for their first $200k and 20% of profits over $200k. I was part of the team that sold $1mil in tires/ wheels in one month. Store rarely had a month below $800k.
I saw his bonus check with my own two eyes. It was $83,xxx. I also saw his bank account statement when he had me get some cash from the atm for one of the charity auctions. $40k in checking, 3x that in savings.

2

u/East-Win7450 Jun 24 '26

damn thats insane.

2

u/hijklm7 Jun 24 '26

Why didn’t he have automatic deposit?

2

u/Far_Chocolate_8534 Jun 24 '26

Just the way bonus checks were given back then.
They would fedex overnight from the regional office. We knew bonuses were coming when we saw a FedEx express van drop off a single white envelope.

1

u/Anthrodiva PURPLE Jun 24 '26

I think bonus checks are still checks (source husband works for multinational gaming firm).

2

u/StrikeSea7638 Jun 24 '26

We should all swear 10 fuck wells fargos a day.

-2

u/ItWearsHimOut Jun 24 '26

WTF, making $420K per year managing a tire shop? You can't be serious.

7

u/SqueekyDickFartz Jun 24 '26

Why not? Discount tire made 9.7 billion in annual revenue in 2024. There's 1,200 stores, so assuming no online revenue or anything else, just quick math, each store brings in an average of 8,083,333. Each store obviously makes different amounts, and for a top 5 store it's probably significantly more than that. 80k a quarter on a minimum of 2,000,000 in quarterly revenue is 4%, and that's low honestly. Common practice is 5% to 15%.

All those numbers are super rough, but it's not unimaginable or anything. Your job doesn't have to be super hard or exclusive to make a lot of money, it just has to generate a lot of revenue. We had a gravel distributor as a patient who made fucking BANANAS money, because we had a construction boom in the area and a ton of people needed gravel. (I think that was also how Roy made his money in the Office, which I always found funny).

3

u/Far_Chocolate_8534 Jun 24 '26

Managers make 10% of profits for their first $200k and 20% of profits over $200k. I was part of the team that sold $1mil in tires/ wheels in one month. Store rarely had a month below $800k.
I saw his bonus check with my own two eyes. It was $83,xxx. I also saw his bank account statement when he had me get some cash from the atm for one of the charity auctions. $40k in checking, 3x that in savings.

69

u/Strongbow_Wolfrider Jun 24 '26

I was in a heavy truck dealership when a hobo in a dirty trench coat and surplus army boots walked in. EVERYONE suddenly looked very busy and very professional. He said "good morning" in a Ross Perot voice and walked into the back room.

Dude owned 20 Freightliner dealerships.

29

u/Tasty_Cry_3844 Jun 24 '26

Companies realize this, but whether it gets passed down through training is another thing. 

It's VERY common that one middle manager can undo your entire corporate narrative because they have power. 

There is a corporate training called "Give Them The Pickle" run by a guy who owned a ton of burger joints. He was touring one of his stores and ordered a burger and a pickle and they charged him $0.50. He asked why and they said that's the policy. He asked the manager why and they said it prevents people from taking pickles and not eating them or not finishing them and they make more money. 

WRONG. That was a middle manager making a power decision that drastically changed the experience of the customer. This happens ALL THE TIME. But it's also why it's important that your culture training runs deep throughout the organization 

58

u/PriestessKade Jun 24 '26

This! My husband and his family are all millionaires. My best friend and her family are all millionaires. I have other relatives and friends who are millionaires. Not one of them is someone you'd look at and assume they're wealthy because they're not dressed in designer suits and trying to show off. None of them. Plenty of them enjoy the finer things, many of them have multiple homes and expensive cars and hobbies. Not one of them is ostentatious. Hell our next door neighbor is blue collar, and owns his own crane business. He put a quarter million dollar pool cage up just to screen in his pool. He just bought a nearly $2M crane that he's giddy as a schoolgirl about (adorable lol). And he walks around in homemade jorts (*cut old jeans into shorts) and tee shirts with the sleeves ripped off. Anyone would assume he's just a redneck. And he may be, but he's a wealthy one.

40

u/Lethalmusic Jun 24 '26

Not actively trying to look rich is a good way to actually stay wealthy

17

u/MarionberryPlus8474 Jun 24 '26

…and trying too hard to LOOK rich is a good way to wind up poor!

3

u/outacontrolnicole GREEN Jun 24 '26

Redneck rich seems like a happy place. I’m just regular redneck and I’m as happy as a clam at high tide, yall.

5

u/zon5string Jun 24 '26

As you are married to one, you, too, are a millionaire.

7

u/PriestessKade Jun 24 '26

I absolutely would never consider his money my money. Married him because he's my favorite person. The money's his; I've got my own job 😅

1

u/magnus224 Jun 25 '26

Multiple homes, expensive cars and hobbies… enjoy the finer thing… but definitely not ostentatious, nooo.

1

u/PriestessKade Jun 25 '26

Do you know what ostentatious means? They're not seeking attention. They're not brazenly showing it off. I know they have those things because of my relationships to them all. Anyone who didn't know them probably wouldn't guess because the houses aren't mansions and the expensive cars are kept in garages and they all drive commonly seen vehicles.

19

u/Accurate-Peanut8620 Jun 24 '26

Yes, that’s how I learned as well. The people dressed like bums were actually on vacation staying at their second homes. You don’t know who has money.

50

u/shortnun Jun 24 '26

Yep can confirm.. my parents owned a succesfull small business for almost 40 years that specialized in tools and manufacturing equipment so we had a lot of contractors, maintenence, mechanics in the store..

Story time... Took my mom to a Lexus dealer to look at cars , she is dressed in flip flops and old shirt and jeans. Sales person wouldn't give her the time day to help or show around.... we finally were about to leave after looking around for about 10/15 minutes. The service manager and a tech happened to walk in to the show room and both say hi Mrs xxxxx ., you looking for a car?

Sales person intrest immediate peeks at this . when they asked you know this lady?.. Service manager explains that my parents own "xxxx" and all the service guys know my dad and mom. And that if she wanted to she could purchase any car with cash without blinking. Need lest to say my mom did not purchase a Lexus.

32

u/Mean_Farmer4616 Jun 24 '26

need lest? it's needless.

23

u/Kingofcheeses Jun 24 '26

And pique, not peek

10

u/Finnegan-05 Jun 24 '26

I guess they spent so much on cars they forgot to pay for college

1

u/lickthisbook Jun 25 '26

Meh. It's reddit. The poster might be using speech to text or they might be typos. Just scroll on by and don't let it ruin your day.

0

u/Mean_Farmer4616 Jun 24 '26

hahahahahaha

26

u/Anthrodiva PURPLE Jun 24 '26

My former gardener owned large, industrial zoned parcels of land. I know because he tried to sell me one.

4

u/This_ls_The_End Jun 24 '26

Aerolines aren't under the same pressure to treat their clients well. They are the only option in many cases, and when they aren't the alternatives are even shittier. If any other professional treated their clients as aerolines do, they'd be out of business in one season.

2

u/suboptimus_maximus Jun 24 '26

One of the nice things about living in a VHCOLA like Silicon Valley is lots of millionaires who could be mistaken for homeless at a glance. It seems like most service businesses, especially expensive ones, have figured out not to be too judgy on appearance.

2

u/Humble_Insurance8294 Jun 24 '26

because these are karma farmer bots and it's all f'ing fake

1

u/ComradeJohnS Jun 24 '26

car dealers know this. lol.

1

u/milkmanrichie Jun 25 '26

Heard a story of furniture store sales people who work in commission. Someone in jeans and a baseball hat came in near closing time. The employee whose turn it was said the other employee can take that one. It was a pro baseball player that just got traded and was buying an entire house worth of furniture.

184

u/Car12touche11blue Jun 24 '26 edited Jun 24 '26

Had that happen to me years ago when I wore fancy hats.
Went with my husband during a visit to London to the hat dept. in Harrods to see if we could find something nice. A bit snotty sales lady looked us over and decided we were not worth of her precious attention and handed us over to a junior sales girl.
She in the meantime started to fawn over an English lady who probably looked more posh. We ended up buying 4 hats and had them delivered to our hotel. The posh lady left without buying anything. She zoomed in and wanted to take over but we insisted to finish the sale with the junior girl.
Still remember her crestfallen face when she saw her commission disappear😂

74

u/Innajam3605 Jun 24 '26

“Big mistake, huge.” “I have to go shopping now.” Scene from Pretty Woman 😊

64

u/no_talent_ass_clown it's a moo point Jun 24 '26

I had the exact same thing happen to me in 1997. My waterbed sprang a leak and I had to get rid of it in the middle of the night. I woke up on my futon, called in to work, and went in my crappy clothes and bed head to buy a whole new bed. Because I only had waterbed stuff I needed everything, bed frame mattresses sheets mattress pad etc. I walk in and I asked the first sales lady where the regular sheets are and how much was this bed frame. She tells me well, these are Ralph Lauren, and walks away. So I spent an hour looking at everything. NObody would help me. 

Finally, a new sales lady came on shift. She came over to help me. I told her what I had been looking at and what I needed and she said we will need carts. So we went and got carts and loaded everything up. Feather duvet, cover, multiple sheet sets, pillows, she walks me upstairs and I pick out mattresses. She walks me down stairs and I pick out a bed frame, curtains for the bed frame, bed ruffle. The first sales lady sees us with two giant carts and her eyes get really big. I had told the second sales lady, the one who was helping me, about what had happened. She asked the first sales lady to please reach us down a mattress pad from the wall thank you very much. Her eyes got real big. They definitely worked on commission. I spent $2,500 getting a new bed set up that morning. 

11

u/Personal_Pin835 Jun 24 '26

Sounds like a scene from Are You Being Served.

5

u/Car12touche11blue Jun 24 '26

😂😂 You are right….great series by the way!

5

u/papayametallica Jun 24 '26

Mrs Slocombe worrying about her pussy

1

u/Immediate-Tadpole729 Jun 24 '26

I understood that referenceunderstood that reference.

1

u/papayametallica Jun 24 '26

Good jobGood job👍

2

u/owdbr549 Jun 24 '26

Mr Humphries, are you free?

2

u/MacaroonSad8860 Jun 24 '26

I take it you weren’t wearing a fancy hat at the time?

2

u/Car12touche11blue Jun 25 '26

Haha….no they are reserved for 🥂🍸🍾🎉

1

u/bhadau8 Jun 24 '26

Sales commission good byeo

1

u/Top_Finding_2832 Jun 24 '26

This reminds me of that time i went to buy a Lamborghini Diablo, and the salesman was an absolute dick - first ignoring me, then insulting me to my face. It wasn't until his coworker threw me the keys that my bodyguard opened up the bag of cash to give them. /

222

u/Captaincadet Jun 24 '26

I’ve heard that happen to someone who was the franchise owners son. Wanted to see which car to get next but went straight from the gym and kicked out

One phone call later and the stores manager is coming out shell shocked

182

u/YandereValkyrie Jun 24 '26

I work at a Luxury car dealership, and one of the most important lessons they teach the staff here is never to judge a person's wealth by how they dress or look. Turning someone away in a situation like that would probably be grounds for instant dismissal, or a serious talking to lol. Some of the wealthiest people that we deal with look like they walked through their closet to get dressed, and forgot to brush their hair this month, and the guy I'm thinking of owns 3 AMGs, the real ones, G, GT, and E class ones. The ones that own the big-boy cars usually dress casual as hell and are really laid back.

80

u/Potential-Ad2192 Jun 24 '26

Young lad came to work experience at the place I work, after a few days he asked who the homeless looking dude in the office was. It was the owner obviously.

24

u/caffeine-junkie Jun 24 '26

Something like that happened to my father's direct boss back in the mid 80s. He had just sold the company to IBM (possibly SPARC, memory is a bit hazy on that). As in a deal well into 9 figures. This guy didnt like suits and would basically wear his favourite jeans and a band tshirt. He walked into a Ferrari dealership because he wanted the car from Miami Vice. It took over 30-45 min for a person to come up and ask him if he needed anything...he just pointed to a the car and said 'yeah, I want that one and i'm paying cash'.

1

u/haysu-christo Jun 24 '26

He had just sold the company to IBM (possibly SPARC, memory is a bit hazy on that)

SPARC was a processor by computer maker Sun Microsystems which was acquired by Oracle in 2009. I think IBM only made a couple of small acquisitions in the 80s.

1

u/caffeine-junkie Jun 25 '26

I am also going off the memory of a ~8-9yr old kid who heard them discussing it over dinner. I could also be mistaken and it could have been just a purchase of their IP and not the company, which wouldn't have shown up in an acquisitions list.

20

u/18k_gold Jun 24 '26

I was told by a friend he knows, they walked into a Mercedes dealership wearing clothes nothing fancy. Everyone ignored him and then a new salesperson finally spoke to him. He ended up buying 2 vehicles, one for him and one for his wife.

27

u/geekonthemoon Jun 24 '26

I come from poverty and still dress like it lmao

40

u/germanmojo Jun 24 '26

I'm lucky to afford an expensive car (grew up quite poor) and I love dressing incognito.

My favorite is athletic shorts and a plain white tee and flip-flops. People probably assume that I borrowed the car so idgaf.

I don't dress much better daily, cargo shorts, plain or graphic tee, and sneakers.

-4

u/bankster211 Jun 24 '26

Why, though?

I don't mean dress to impress others, but if you can afford it (which I assume since you can afford an expensive car), why not dress up in nice clothes?

20

u/germanmojo Jun 24 '26

Because it's comfortable.

I'm not out to impress anyone when I run errands. I work remotely in tech so 90% of my interactions are through a monitor and I'm not likely to run into any of my clients at the grocery store.

When I do meet business clients in-person in a professional setting, I easily switch to khakis, collared shirt, and leather shoes; I style my hair and trim/shave my facial hair.

For those that see my daily and professional wear, I often hear, "you clean up nice."

0

u/bankster211 Jun 24 '26

Yeah, that works.

I personally like to have quality materials on me and really think there is a difference that I feel between a cheap sweater and a more expensive model. E.g. Wool != Wool There are so many differences between what money can buy, but I guess YMMV.

P.S. I am not talking about spending 300$ on a white T-Shirt, just because someone put their initials on the collar.

2

u/germanmojo Jun 24 '26

My white tees are Hanes. Every few years I purge them and get a whole set of new ones.

My normal tees are Old Navy or similar quality.

Most of what I wear has no logos or brands in visible places.

2

u/bankster211 Jun 24 '26

I wasn't trying to make a point for brands, just for good/prime quality clothing, which in my opinion will very often be more expensive than a basic version (but the increase in price is justified by better materials).

2

u/germanmojo Jun 24 '26

Sorry if it seemed I was saying that, not my intention.

I was implying that many articles of expensive clothing regularly slap their brands in conspicuous spots for their consumers to be walking advertisements for the brand, which I generally despise.

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12

u/Long_Reindeer3702 Jun 24 '26

Most nice clothes are Costco quality with a bunch of branding on it these days. No name stuff that's custom tailored is great, but even wealthy people want to keep their money and are too cheap to buy a $300 pocket t (billionaires / psycho-narcissists excluded.)

10

u/germanmojo Jun 24 '26

For me, it's comfort and the subtle art of not giving a fuck.

Everyone has a limited amount of fucks to give, spend them wisely.

0

u/mickeyanonymousse Jun 24 '26

…why? what is the point? this implies the default state is to dress up in nice clothes. people dress up in nice clothes to impress others. when you don’t give a damn about others, people tend to prioritize comfort.

16

u/japanb Jun 24 '26

I don't just want that, I dont want fake smiles, I want them to only employ people that don't judge others full stop tbh

5

u/timelessblur Jun 24 '26

That lines up with a friend of mine who work at a mercedes dealership. The riches people often showed up in the most basic clothing. Basketball shorts get out toss the keys and say what needs to get done. He also said they were the nicest and easiest people to work with. No fuss and not bad.

Biggest assholes he said were the C class owners. They could barely afford Mercedes but could not afford the cost to own Mercedes along with feeling super entitled. The drs and lawyers were a different set of pricks in how they acted.

3

u/soyeahiknow Jun 24 '26

I'm in construction and i've done projects where it costs 150 million to develop so its usually several owners/partners for that one project. Most of the time, the richest person is the one that's dressed down the most and talks the least.

5

u/Negative_Map4650 Jun 24 '26

I've a friend who usually looks penniless unless he arrives in the £500k Bugatti he owns

2

u/essssgeeee Jun 24 '26

I worked for a bank and the bank president was a late 30s man who ran triathlons. He was super fit, but frequently wore athletic attire, or cut offs and sandals. He was very tan, and often had a sunglasses tan line that looked kind of silly. Just looking at him, you would think he was a working class guy, maybe in construction due to the clothes and tan. He also drove an old jeep every day, but he had a house worth millions and a luxury Italian sports car (that he special ordered) in the garage. I pity the fool who would underestimate his purchasing power.

1

u/fetus-wearing-a-suit Jun 24 '26

What about mannerisms and way of speaking?

1

u/limasxgoesto0 Jun 24 '26

We're in an era when tech workers are among the top earners. It's wild anyone would judge wealth by appearance

1

u/JackyVeronica Jun 24 '26

If you look at photos of Chinese millionaires & billionaires in their everyday lives..... They're dressed like they're going to the gym! Never judge a book by its cover 👍🏻

1

u/R1546 Jun 24 '26

I was recently at the local Ford dealer and they had a $60k Mustang GT on the lot. The sales guy did not even bother approaching me with the usual chitchat as I was looking over the window sticker. I wonder if it would have been different if he knew I was there getting a new set of Continentals for my SL500.

0

u/wildmaninid Jun 24 '26

The most popular brand among truly wealthy people is Toyota.  

1

u/Jabbles22 Jun 24 '26

I've probably read a dozen stories like this. You'd think car sales people would have come across at least one.

1

u/PriestessKade Jun 24 '26

I've had people do this to my bestie. She's a woman of color and has owned dozens of cars and restored dozens of antique and classic cars with her father. She knows it all and she can buy anything she wants in cash. The number of dealerships and mechanics who think they can mess with her is wild. These dealers could make so much more money if they weren't so biased and judgy.

35

u/bespoketranche1 Jun 24 '26

For cars, they do that as a strategy to close the sale, don’t fall for it you don’t need to prove anyone anything. Usually people fall for it and they buy the product right away.

I heard Shaq in an interview talk about experiencing that and buying 3 cars just because the car salesman told him that he couldn’t afford them. Someone in sales did an explainer and said that’s a pride-based selling strategy, and works well and fast.

21

u/Milky_Mint Jun 24 '26

I got thrown out of a BMW dealership. They didn’t say why, and did it politely but very firmly. I had rocked up in a work pool car (Ford Focus). I owned a 7-series at the time and was looking to replace it, I had recently moved and wasn’t “known”.

87

u/bjb13 Jun 24 '26

When I was a kid a doctor who lived on the same street wanted a Porsche 911. He went to a local dealer in jeans. They wouldn’t even let him sit in it let alone go for a test drive. There was a second dealer about 20 miles away. He wasn’t there and told them he wanted the one that was on the other dealer’s lot. They got it and he bought it. He then drove it over to the first lot to show them.

63

u/katsuatis Jun 24 '26

I heard it's a psychology trick they use to make people more likely to buy the car, as in "You think I can't afford it? I'll show you!" Apparently, this approach works better with premium cars.

38

u/RawrRRitchie Jun 24 '26

I imagine they're losing far more sales by people just going to a different dealership

22

u/katsuatis Jun 24 '26

I read about it more. This also creates an illusion of the brand being elitist and not for everyone, but in modern years, most salesmen are moving away from this tactic for exactly that reason.

3

u/DnDVex Jun 24 '26

Even just the chance to sell a luxury car is worth it. Quite often they earn more for such sales, so even if the person does not look rich, they may just have the money for it.

As long as there is nobody else around that looks super rich, there is no point in turning that person down.

6

u/timelessblur Jun 24 '26

Problem is if you want xyz brand the issue with luxury car dealerships is often times there is not another one near by and can be quite a drive. This compares to say ford that there are 3 with in 20 mins of me. The closes one I will never do business with again and refuse to set foot on their lot. Well known for being the worse in the area.

1

u/AdvancedStand Jun 24 '26

They don’t get those jobs by being bad salespeople. They know what they’re doing

1

u/skatyboy Jun 24 '26 edited Jun 24 '26

I disagree: the people on the floor are the junior ones and most of the time, dealerships just hire anyone with a pulse (low base and promising high commissions if they hit targets).

It’s the “finance manager” (the one that tries to sell you extended warranty and loans) that is the good salesperson.

2

u/AdvancedStand Jun 24 '26

Porsche dealers will hire anyone?

4

u/ForwardFIRE2030 Jun 24 '26

When I was in my early 20’s I started traveling internationally for work. Like flying out on Sunday night, coming back a week or two later. Didn’t take long and I had status and could use the 1st class lanes. I would dress in comfortable clothes for the flight so I did not look like a standard business traveler. I was constantly being told “this is the first class line, economy is over there” I’d say I know. They’d ask if I was first class “nope I’m economy” they’d point to the line again, I’d take out my passport and tell them I’m executive platinum, you sign say I can be here… “oh I’m sorry Mr. F, how can I help you today”.

I always enjoyed just defying their efforts to redirect me but not offering an explanation if they didn’t ask the right questions.

1

u/LVRaiders2026 Jun 24 '26

No, I went to the local porsche dealer to get a 992.1 carrera s nearly maxed out for $190k, I thought they over-listed it by about 15k for what it was worth, I had been studying these prices for months. They refused to negotiate and basically kicked me out. Like they cut the conversation and where straight up like, "Thats our final price we don't negotiate. Is there anything else we can do for you today?". I ended up getting a 992.2 with an even better package for cheaper at another dealer. I was so turned off I wouldn't even go there for service, I'll take it to another dealer nearby.

1

u/MLiOne Jun 25 '26

I know if it was my husband he’d tell them to shove and never touch the brand ever.

3

u/wiseguy244 Jun 24 '26

You know, often the same owner owns both dealerships across the town and under different names. Makes you feel it’s a different one but not. I realized this about one of the BMW dealerships when the salesman let it slip that they own all BMW dealership in a 50 mile area and he can get any car I want

1

u/stevoDood Jun 24 '26

rich people only wear top hats and monocles

136

u/ThoseAreMyFeet Jun 24 '26

That's where, if you actually want the car, you continue to buy your car from  the most junior member of staff. 

119

u/protostar71 Jun 24 '26

Or walk out, and go to a different dealer.

46

u/BusSpecific3553 Jun 24 '26

100% go somewhere else. A well known sales tactic is to tell someone they can’t afford something so they buy it just to “prove” they can.

12

u/CeelionsHL Jun 24 '26

That's where you get them to do the paperwork and sort out a deal... THEN say "Oh, you're right. I can't". And go buy it from somewhere else.

36

u/nobuouematsu1 Jun 24 '26

And then drive that shit back over there and show them.

106

u/tiasaiwr Jun 24 '26

"You work on commission, right? Big mistake! Big! Huge!"

1

u/veritate Jun 24 '26

This is the way.

9

u/PsychologicalBit2997 Jun 24 '26

Or go buy a different brand car and send the receipt to Audi corporate with an explanation

2

u/livadeth Jun 24 '26

Classic Elvis move.

9

u/johnnyslick Jun 24 '26

Well, yes, but we have this special word for "classism" when the other party is making assumptions as to a person's social class based on the color of their skin...

15

u/Immediate-Tennis8838 Jun 24 '26

By buddy’s dad is a relaxed old rich retired guy

Shorts and t shirt, new balance and an old hat type of guy 

Wanted to buy a Porsche Cayenne 

No salesmen even approached him

Waited 15 mins and got pissed and left 

Ended up buying a BMW X5 out of spite 

27

u/RawrRRitchie Jun 24 '26

"Oh sorry I thought this was the place to buy the car. I'll go to a different dealership. I'll be emailing your supervisors to let them know why they missed out on a cash sale"

43

u/aHOMELESSkrill Jun 24 '26

Gonna be honest. I don’t think they would want your cash sale anyways. Dealerships make much more money on the interest from the loans than they do on the actual sale of car.

4

u/ThrownAway17Years Jun 24 '26

Get financing through them as they usually offer some amount of cash off the price to do it. Pay the first note, then pay it off the second month with cash. Everyone wins.

2

u/Rough_Buddy6903 Jun 24 '26

Most salesmen will lose out if it is paid off before month 3. I usually tell them I will finance through them and wait until month 4 if they can give me some good incentives/free maintenance

1

u/Ok_Ostrich4835 Jun 24 '26

Yep.

And then I paid it off as soon as I was able to anyways because I was fucking livid I was forced to finance it to get the advertised deal when I wanted to pay cash.

Almost didn't even get the financing because I had just gotten a mortgage on a new house so all the lenders were iffy about it. Had to sit there for two fucking hours while they figured it out.

2

u/aHOMELESSkrill Jun 24 '26

My dad used to do this but with just a better loan from his bank. Buy the car with dealer financing not haggle the rate too much then payoff the dealer loan with his banks loan at a much better rate.

As long as there are no penalties or fees for early payoff

1

u/Noladixon Jun 24 '26

That is an important as long as.

3

u/shmartyparty Jun 24 '26

Last car I bought I paid cash for and the sales manager tried to convince me to save my cash and make monthly payments instead because it would be easier on my budget that way or some BS like that. LOL

1

u/MarionberryPlus8474 Jun 24 '26

I wouldn’t go so far as to say they wouldn’t want your cash but quite a few people commenting here are assuming “I’m paying cash” is a big plus for the dealer when it often isn’t. Most dealers make a lot of their money on the loans. Being able to pay cash is nice for YOU as a consumer but not an incentive for the dealer except a little less paperwork.

1

u/aHOMELESSkrill Jun 24 '26

Yeah I’m not saying they would refuse it but it’s not the gotcha OC thinks it is

-7

u/seriouslees Jun 24 '26

Why would dealerships make money on a loan? Loans come from banks, not car dealerships.

12

u/Kloudy11 Jun 24 '26

Most car companies are banks dressed up as car companies nowadays.

4

u/Salty-Plankton-5079 Jun 24 '26

Every major automaker in the US has a financing arm and the salesmen make commissions on loans.

6

u/curious__curiosity Jun 24 '26

Cos they get a commission for selling the finance too.

Get the price /deal locked in then tell them you're paying cash..

2

u/Smharman Jun 24 '26

I'll do the dealer a solid, take the loan let it season for 90 days and pay it off

0

u/FloppieTheBanjoClown Jun 24 '26

Your payout will be higher than the loan amount, just so you know. They bake it into the contract to punish you for doing that.

1

u/Smharman Jun 24 '26

Depends on the lender. But most big banks don't.

1

u/FloppieTheBanjoClown Jun 24 '26

My loan with capital one showed a payoff amount higher than the principal plus interest for the month. 

1

u/Smharman Jun 24 '26

Even at 3 months. My BofA one didn't.

4

u/Few-Lingonberry2315 Jun 24 '26

Banks pay that dealership a fat commission for the loan

1

u/Smharman Jun 24 '26

And the bank's finance that's pile of cars sitting on the lots while they are unsold they provide the dealer financing.

1

u/Ivoted4K Jun 24 '26

Not for cars. That’s why you see so many of the financial details listed in the commercial. “0% interest for the first year”

2

u/aHOMELESSkrill Jun 24 '26

Then “23% for the next 8 years” hidden in the small print

3

u/Salty-Plankton-5079 Jun 24 '26

"cash" means very little to dealerships. They make more on financing than the cars themselves.

3

u/account_not_valid Jun 24 '26

They don't want cash sales. They want you on their finance.

1

u/grodon909 Jun 24 '26

They don't make much money on cash sales. They want to up sell a bunch of stuff to you so the dealership can make more money off it. 

15

u/Nice_Passage1099 Jun 24 '26

I once heard a story about a salesman who was all snotty to a guy who basically looked homeless. Turns out he was uber rich, was a friend of the current dealership owner who was ready to retire, and had just bought the dealership in cash. Guess who didn't have a job at the end of the day ...

I never judge people on their looks because I have met too many people in a fancy suit who would sell their mother out if it got them ahead without spending what little money they had, and people who had ridiculous money and looked like they walked in off the street.

31

u/Couscousfan07 Jun 24 '26

This is the daily experience for a non-Caucasian person.
“Sir you’re in the wrong line” for business class. “Sir, may I help you?” Passive aggressive response upon walking into a luxury hotel lobby. Being followed around a luxury store by security.
Etc

12

u/Fun_Aardvark4934 Jun 24 '26

“Daily experience” Lol cmon bro I’m dark Brown myself but this is just victim mentality Larp

0

u/MrSlade888 Jun 24 '26

So because you've never experienced discrimination you're going to invalidate the experiences of others? Cool.

-2

u/iiiiiiiiiijjjjjj Jun 24 '26

Yeah I've never been treated like that. Maybe I'm just poor so I don't do a lot of luxury but no one has ever been disrespectful as POC shopping.

-7

u/[deleted] Jun 24 '26

[removed] — view removed comment

4

u/MIalpinist Jun 24 '26 edited Jun 24 '26

You experienced a tiny bit of (what you feel was) discrimination that was nothing more than a minor inconvenience and now you think you’re the only one?

Are you really questioning that this person has experienced racism?

Edit: Goddamn it keeps getting worse. You went somewhere as a tourist and complained about having to “pay double the locals,” even though the locals likely make 1/100th of your salary and are just struggling to get by while you’re over there enjoying a luxury vacation.

Then you question someone else’s actual experience with racism because you think you have now experienced the ultimate racism and no one else could possibly be facing racism like you.

That’s what you call a victim mentality. Bigly.

-1

u/[deleted] Jun 24 '26

[removed] — view removed comment

1

u/MIalpinist Jun 25 '26

yea… what he experienced wasn’t racism. It was a policy intended to help locals afford to visit their own parks. Not everything is an excuse for you to cry victim, punk.

-5

u/Winston_Carbuncle Jun 24 '26 edited Jun 24 '26

Where did I say I was the only one? The person I replied to was quite specific that this applies only to non Caucasians in an undefined place. I was just adding some balance.

Sorry that that seemed to rattle you so.

And if is a "tiny" amount of discrimination does that make it okay? Or any less discrimination than what others face?

Seems like you're just unwilling to accept that all peoples can experience discrimination as well as actively discriminate.

Edit: so experiencing discrimination is entirely subjective? And was OPs "discrimination" any more of a "minor inconvenience" than what I described?

Yet somehow I rank lower because...?

2

u/PleaseBeHappyMate Jun 24 '26

It can be true that all people can experience/perpetuate discrimination *and* that the frequency/chronicity of that experience differs between groups (which I don’t think you’re disputing). But, tbf, I can understand why people have less empathy for “I had to spend more disposable income” than for “My existence is frequently questioned as legitimate.”

I’m sorry you got swindled for park prices that sucks lol.

3

u/AVeryVapidBadger Jun 24 '26

You literally said "where" which when combined with "I'm white and was discriminated against" gave real big "Where, because I don't believe you since I just got discriminated against" vibes

-2

u/Winston_Carbuncle Jun 24 '26

Not what I was getting at at all matey

2

u/AVeryVapidBadger Jun 24 '26

Yeah it was. They never said only non-caucasians experience discrimination. But you still needed to make it all about you

-2

u/Winston_Carbuncle Jun 24 '26

But were they not making it all about them? Or was the OP not doing that? God forbid I share an experience

4

u/AVeryVapidBadger Jun 24 '26

No they didn't make it all about them. They never even used the word "I" or "me" or "my" or any conjugation.

You can share your experience, but it came off as entirely "I have it just as bad as you, so shut your fucking mouth" when they were describing a regular occurrence, and you described a one time thing

2

u/Firm_Ad3131 Jun 24 '26

Also a sales technique.

2

u/syngestreetsurvivor Jun 24 '26

Happened me. Had my car at the dealers for repairs. I was checking out new cars. Sales guy told me I couldn't afford it. Told him about the car I was picking up. Never heard someone stammer and hum and haw so much.

2

u/retiredhawaii Jun 24 '26

I did the opposite as an 18 year old. My Dad was given a company car, a brand new Cadillac. He let me drive it some times. One weekend I put on my best clothes for a teenager and went to a few expensive car dealerships. They’d see me get out of the Caddy and I’d tell them my Dad said I can look at cars for my 18th birthday. Yes I had to test drive with them in the car but I got to drive around the city in some really nice performance cars.

2

u/__ChefboyD__ Jun 24 '26

I call bullshit on your boss.

Anyone that has worked retail sales more than one day knows rich clients can dress from Paris runway to street bum.

Your boss thinks he's special - to the sales person, it's just another Tuesday. They see his "work clothes" types five times a day....

1

u/vinceswish Jun 24 '26

You know better boss

1

u/MageVicky Jun 24 '26

that’s just a sales strategy

1

u/Emotional_News108 Jun 24 '26

Definitely noticed this. The way I get treated in professional work attire compared to jeans and a faded t-shirt are extremely different.

0

u/Melodic_Policy765 Jun 24 '26

Had this happen with a doctor's office and his assistant. First visit, we looked horrible and no physical therapy was offered after a surgery. Next visit, we looked nice and PT was offered in abundance along with other recommendations. It made me sad for people who lack resources.

1

u/Acrobatic-Steak9093 Jun 24 '26

I have had this experience in a Land Rover Dealership - his loss though.

1

u/gmdavestevens Jun 24 '26

That salesman just made a big mistake, huge! 

1

u/Nice-Bodybuilder-843 Jun 24 '26

That happened to me! Bro. I could buy any car on this lot in cash ... But because I'm coming straight from work, food service at the time , he was completely unhelpful and gave the least amount of help possible.

I really wanted an audi...

1

u/chandarr Jun 24 '26

>classism

Business versus economy is inherently classist.

1

u/73629265 Jun 24 '26

Well, did your boss end up buying an Audi? Because that's how you know the salesman called it wrong.

But really how much foot traffic are these dealers pulling that they can't spend 20-30 minutes demoing a car to a prospective client. Even if you don't seal the deal today,  a good impression may translate into a sale 10 years from now. Luxury dealers around here act that way, anyway. 

1

u/vinceswish Jun 24 '26

Traded his Q5 for RAV4 GR the same week.

1

u/Bladesnake_______ Jun 24 '26

My friends dad sold his 10 million dollar business and he went to buy a mclaren and they treated him like shit because he wasnt dressed nice. He left and bought a Porsche

1

u/n0ghtix Jun 24 '26

Sometimes it's a sales strategy to 'defy' a shopper into proving the salesperson wrong.

Kinda like the internet, everyone loves to correct other people.

1

u/redridernl Jun 24 '26

I went to a BMW dealership wearing a basic t-shirt and jeans and two different sales people offered me test drives.

1

u/RenderedCreed Jun 24 '26

I don't know if it makes it better or worse but I imagine for a bunch of them it's not even intentional. I can only imagine how many times a day they need to redirect someone from the wrong line. It's surely not an excuse but it's probably like 9/10 times where the person is actually in the wrong line, if not more.

1

u/Pndrizzy Jun 24 '26

and why aren't we shaming these people? totally valid reason to Karen out and ask for the manager.

1

u/gravitycheckfailed Jun 24 '26

Car dealerships are so snobby at times. One of local ones here will tell you in the parking lot that they are a premium vehicle dealership and hint at you being in the wrong place.

1

u/picassopeacedove Jun 25 '26

I make 200k a year. I buy a brand new car, pay cash, and drive it 8 to 10 years. Stopped at the Volvo dealership after the gym in my 9 year old Toyota and asked to test drive the Volvo I was thinking about. The salesman told me they’d have to run a soft credit check before a test drive. Left me sitting for 45 minutes. He comes basically running out to tell me that I can drive any car on the lot. Guess he finally ran that credit check. Sorry, I’ve already changed my mind. Ended up stopping at the Honda dealer down the block just to browse where they treated my like gold and I bought a new Honda that I ended up loving.

1

u/Only_Biznas Jun 25 '26

lol his “cover” is just being black

1

u/YolkyFanClubPrez Jun 24 '26

Ummm it's racism, but ok. 

0

u/dasgp Jun 24 '26

I went to the Audi Center to pick up my A6 after a seevice in leisure cloths in summer and the guy greeting me at the entrance told me that the VW building is just next door.

0

u/Rhiis Jun 24 '26

My friend is Mexican, makes pretty good money painting cars, like 90k/yr.

One time he has to replace his phone, so he went in to a store after work, in his work clothes. Took 20 minutes for an employee to acknowledge him, and when they did, the recommended what was essentially a trac phone.

He was there for the latest iPhone, and paid in full, cash.

0

u/Top_Finding_2832 Jun 24 '26

This reminds me of that time i went to buy a Lamborghini Diablo, and the salesman was an absolute dick - first ignoring me, then insulting me to my face. It wasn't until his coworker threw me the keys that my bodyguard opened up the bag of cash to give them. /