Made the decision to lease the 2.3 MKC (fully loaded, Tech Pkg, Climate Pkg, 20" wheels, THX) this coming November and am starting my search for a Lincoln dealer in the South Florida area. I have visited four dealerships and am appalled at the stale and morgue like welcome from all four. Coming from recent visits to Audi, MB, BMW, Infiniti, Lexus, and Acura for my wife's new lease it is obvious that Lincoln is trying to sell a $50k vehicle via a 5 cent experience. (She got the BMW 428i).
Here are the sad details.
Both the Pines and Doral dealerships are dedicated Lincoln dealerships and are fairly well appointed but absolutely NO ONE took an interest in my presence. While the sales reps from the foreign car dealerships called with vigor, after leaving my contact info at Pines and Doral I never got a call back.
On the first trip to Pines Lincoln we found the receptionist could not be interrupted while watching her mobile movie, so we left. A second trip to Pines Lincoln I got to test drive the MKC with the back office bookkeeper. In neither case could we find a sales rep.
Doral Lincoln was surreal. The special MKC reveal turned into some kind of non-auto related award for someone at the dealership, the Lincoln marketing MadMen were standing around in their black suits in shock. Amid the women in gala dresses and blaring music, after an hour I finally stepped over the roped off section to the MKC and sat inside. Aside from me and another guy, not a single person expressed an interest in looking at, buying, or selling the MKC.
The Pompano Lincoln dealership is very old and smelly. Of the four cars in the cramped showroom floor, one spot is occupied by a 1930's Ford. My first impression, "Are they trying to sell yesterday's heap to a tech savvy generation?" The elderly salesman wore a very old, but pressed shirt, smelled horribly of cheap cologne, and was about as lethargic as the old Ford. Nothing wrong with old (I am 55), but if someone is trying to sell the latest tech / modern vehicle at least dress and act the part.
The Delray Lincoln dealership is shared with Ford; a tiny space is made for Lincoln. Maybe that works for Hyundai, but they make no attempt to segment the Genesis as a separate brand (as in the new Genesis Motor Company). This would be like finding a combo VW-Audi dealership or selling the Mercedes commercial van next to the S sedan.
Bottom line, I'll probably do what I did last time with my Ford Edge. Ordered from the Alabama AutoNation with a substantial discount. They drove it from Mobile to Ft Lauderdale for free and in 15 minutes I completed the paperwork from my kitchen table. After one bad experience while Ford shopping, I decided not to step inside a Ford dealership. Same goes for Lincoln now.
So... is my South Florida Lincoln dealership experience unique?
Here are the sad details.
Both the Pines and Doral dealerships are dedicated Lincoln dealerships and are fairly well appointed but absolutely NO ONE took an interest in my presence. While the sales reps from the foreign car dealerships called with vigor, after leaving my contact info at Pines and Doral I never got a call back.
On the first trip to Pines Lincoln we found the receptionist could not be interrupted while watching her mobile movie, so we left. A second trip to Pines Lincoln I got to test drive the MKC with the back office bookkeeper. In neither case could we find a sales rep.
Doral Lincoln was surreal. The special MKC reveal turned into some kind of non-auto related award for someone at the dealership, the Lincoln marketing MadMen were standing around in their black suits in shock. Amid the women in gala dresses and blaring music, after an hour I finally stepped over the roped off section to the MKC and sat inside. Aside from me and another guy, not a single person expressed an interest in looking at, buying, or selling the MKC.
The Pompano Lincoln dealership is very old and smelly. Of the four cars in the cramped showroom floor, one spot is occupied by a 1930's Ford. My first impression, "Are they trying to sell yesterday's heap to a tech savvy generation?" The elderly salesman wore a very old, but pressed shirt, smelled horribly of cheap cologne, and was about as lethargic as the old Ford. Nothing wrong with old (I am 55), but if someone is trying to sell the latest tech / modern vehicle at least dress and act the part.
The Delray Lincoln dealership is shared with Ford; a tiny space is made for Lincoln. Maybe that works for Hyundai, but they make no attempt to segment the Genesis as a separate brand (as in the new Genesis Motor Company). This would be like finding a combo VW-Audi dealership or selling the Mercedes commercial van next to the S sedan.
Bottom line, I'll probably do what I did last time with my Ford Edge. Ordered from the Alabama AutoNation with a substantial discount. They drove it from Mobile to Ft Lauderdale for free and in 15 minutes I completed the paperwork from my kitchen table. After one bad experience while Ford shopping, I decided not to step inside a Ford dealership. Same goes for Lincoln now.
So... is my South Florida Lincoln dealership experience unique?