Saturnize sales and service. I bought a number of Saturns, the sales and service dept worked for the customer. When I wanted to buy a Solstice two Pontiac dealers made me walk away. I bought my Solstice used from a Saturn store when it was traded in on a SKY.

I bought my Camaro on TrueCar/ZAG and was guaranteed a price that was invoice minus holdback. I've bought more than 10 cars in my life already, most of the without the internet. I know I was screwed over those times but not when ZAG got involved. Why do I have to go to a third party to give me all the details? Why can't the dealer lay it out in front of me in a simple fashion: heres the MSRP, here's invoice, here's how much we're making on the deal. I'm all for a profitable relationship, but not when I'm getting owned.

As Cartman would say, "I like to get wined and dined before I get fu&3ed." Same here. Just give me the info straight up instead of the wining and dining.

My in-laws recanted the contrast in GM and Toyota service departments. They're fellow GM enthusiasts but wound up with a Camry gifted to them by an employer. A number of complaints by friends with bad GM shopping experiences were brought up as well.

I read that back when Ford started to try to make a come back, their Chief Exec drove a different foreign car every day to find out what the competition had in which they were lacking. In my opinion, the same still applies. GM does not have to start from scratch, they're a number of examples they could learn from if they sought to provide a better shopping and service experience. Just pose as a customer and go down to your local competitor's dealership and compare.

Be assured that at Wally Edgar at least we do shop the other dealers, and we've improved where we could on them.

Regarding car dealers, let me share my personal experience with you. I wanted an auto that was easy to drive. I wanted an SUV too. I was still hoping to have a lot of room in the vehicle. That was when I found the Chevrolet Equinox. This SUV is large enough to fit anything I need and small enough to have simple driving. The car is good for everyday driving and backpacking trips. I recommend individuals use [link-baiting link omitted] to find a Chevy Equinox near them.

"What can dealers do to make car buying better?"

Is the subject of the post, not where to find a car.

As I recently told a Chevy Manager: "If I am ever lonely in the future and need to talk to someone I will be sure to fill out a free quote form for a new car."

I have gotten repeat emails, some every other day, unsolicited text messages, and my voicemail filled up to cap 3 times in the last 2 weeks since I filled out 5 free quotes on various makes and models for 2012.

After the first week I stopped answering my phone. I will respond to emails, tho. However, upon being truthful about my situation on why I needed a new car (my wonderful 2005 Pontiac Vibe was a victim of a Hit n Run while parked in front of the house one quiet night 2 weeks before Christmas) - I was told by a salesperson in reply, "You're funny."

Um...what?

Look, it is simple really. I want to be treated like the intelligent, kind, sincere, over 35 yrs of age adult that I am with extensive life experiences and not like a walking bank account nor a clueless simpleton.

Don't send me the youngest, good-looking salesperson that could be my kid just because I am a woman to be flattered or because I walk in with my husband and it might spur some parental urges. That backfires on me. I get just as conniving, manipulative and begin to lie thru my teeth. Equally offensive is when I am actually treated well by a salesperson throughout my questions and the test-drive, only to have someone else swoop down with a blank sheet of paper and a marker and starts writing down numbers in a flourish when it comes time for the financial discussion.

You know what would impress me? When I ask, "How much is the car?" and I am told out right. I have yet to encounter this. Answering my question with the question, "Will you be financing or leasing?" is a sure-fire way to make me want to walk out the door. The price of the vehicle is not and should not be tied to how I will be paying for it. But I stay because I want to test-drive these overpriced PlaySkool inspired automobiles that seem to grace the lots these days. When I ask for a higher model to test-drive and there is none available, don't tell me to test the base model because, and I quote, "It is the same car anyway."

If that is true, then sell it to me at the same price.

The dealers need to re-assess how they train their sales people. Buying a new item, as we all know, is most often a fun exciting venture - has almost a Christmas feel to it. Car salespeople have drained that experience completely out of buying a new car.

@intrimazz Couldn't have put it better myself. It's the same way when guys are given female salespeople... as if that will have some kind of effect on the vehicle I buy or the amount of negotiating I do.

I sometimes wonder if eventually independent dealers will go away and make room for manufacturer-owned dealers.

I am suprised at all of this, I know dealers are conniving snakes sometimes but all the ones I've encountered have been nice. If we ask to drive a top of the line car we can just as long as we convince the salesperson that we might buy it. They still just want a sale but they know that they need to be nice about it in order to get it. thats just my experiance which isn't very significant but still enough.

Make customers feel special. When customers come in to see a vehicle, don't just sitting there like you didnt see customers are there. When customers come in, you go out and help them. If they don't need the help just kinda leave them alone. If they do they will just ask. And always be nice