TRD Dealers

[jps137]

Does anyone know who the TRD dealerships are for the TRD Aurion? I have been told that there will be 5 in NSW but no idea who they will be

[smileys]

ummm cant you just order one from any toyota dealer???

[jps137]

ummm cant you just order one from any toyota dealer???

No apparently they are to be sold only through nominated TRD dealers (like HSV and FPV). I have had one dealer confirm to me that he will not be a TRD dealer

Edited June 22, 2007 by jps137

[rthy]

trd dealers in australia? wat the

[akuma]

uncle works in production line in toyota, he told me they built the aurions and the send it off to a place near/in docklands where the supercharge them. they also do wrx's. i forgot the name of the place. :/

[SuperDave]

^ Is Prodrive the name of the company you're after?

[Northy]

id say that you will be able to buy the TRD versions of toyota cars at any dealership, but the TRD dealerships will be the only ones to stock the cars.

[MT]

^ Is Prodrive the name of the company you're after?

Yes.. yes it is.

Unlike the guy who told me the other day that 'Neal Bates' services his car personally, and he is about to upgrade to the 'Neal Bates' modified TRD Corolla

[CHA54]

only select dealerships will be able to service the TRD vehicles. The mechanics have to attend special training prior to working on the cars. One of my mates from Motorama is trying to get on the course for the Aurion down south, they went through the pre-release training the other week.

[melvinlau]

Hey guys,

Unfortunately your speculations are true, only specific Toyota Dealers will be able to stock and sell Toyota's new range of TRD vehicles. I know who have been nominated in WA but I am unable to tell who else is in the other states. But to give you an idea, WA has 14 metro dealers, 2 of which will stock TRD. The selection is based in the dealerships sales figures for Corolla Sportivo, Celica and MR2.

I regret to inform you that Prosser Toyota is NOT one of these dealers :(

Let me know if you have any questions guys.

Melvin

[xoom]

Hey guys,

Unfortunately your speculations are true, only specific Toyota Dealers will be able to stock and sell Toyota's new range of TRD vehicles. I know who have been nominated in WA but I am unable to tell who else is in the other states. But to give you an idea, WA has 14 metro dealers, 2 of which will stock TRD. The selection is based in the dealerships sales figures for Corolla Sportivo, Celica and MR2.

I regret to inform you that Prosser Toyota is NOT one of these dealers :(

Let me know if you have any questions guys.

Melvin

Well Melvin it looks like for you to continue serving your ATOC brothers and sisters you're going to have to re-locate ur employment :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol:

[jps137]

Hey guys,

Unfortunately your speculations are true, only specific Toyota Dealers will be able to stock and sell Toyota's new range of TRD vehicles. I know who have been nominated in WA but I am unable to tell who else is in the other states. But to give you an idea, WA has 14 metro dealers, 2 of which will stock TRD. The selection is based in the dealerships sales figures for Corolla Sportivo, Celica and MR2.

I regret to inform you that Prosser Toyota is NOT one of these dealers :(

Let me know if you have any questions guys.

Melvin

Thanks Melvin

Do we have any NSW or Vic dealers hiding amongst us who know the dealers in those respective states? All I know is Ryde Toyota is not one of them.

My biggest fear is that we end up with a couple of dealerships that sell alot of vehicles but have no interest or knowlege of the vehicles end up as TRD dealers. How many sales people selling Sportivo's really knew anything about them?

[selyaT]

How many sales people selling any particular car know anything about them?

How long is a piece of string...

[jps137]

How many sales people selling any particular car know anything about them?

How long is a piece of string...

Our man Melvin at least appears to be one who knows something of his product, so there is hope yet.

Seriously though I have had one dealer not even know that there was a sport springs option on the accessories list for the Corolla ZZE122 (and quite a few did not even know what that meant). I would hate to be forced to buy my TRD Aurion from someone who did not know what TRD meant, especially if there is any knid of half decent accessories/options list for them.

[melvinlau]

Thanks guys, I think I would make a fortune selling Toyota's if I relocated to NSW. Wouldn't need to do anything but sit on this forum all day.

I believe that there will be special training courses for the TRD dealerships, but that will only work for the first 6 months or so until the salespeople leave for other dealerships or leave the industry, motor vehicle sales people come and go very quickly. So the sales people will be all trained up and good to go until they leave and they are replaced by newbies, thats when us salespeople will start looking stupid when it comes to product knowledge

[perthcamry]

That is good as no one understood the Sportivo options on the Camry either. I think if they had some good performance parts many people would up spec their Toyota there and then. Many of my friends want a wing, sub, bigger alloys and so on.

People not too interested in cars would add a couple of performance extras such as towing gear, ipod dock and dash mat if they were given the option and a fair price.

Make the dealers know the product and at least as much as the customer (which is rare unfortunately thse days) and that goes with anything from HiFi to coffee makers.

if they do it well with a nice coffee machine and good prices Toyota will be a funky choice for people who want the little extras. I would love to manage one of these dealers as its not hard to see what they do not do at them.

Anyway Toyota when you read it have a think of all the potential you are missing out on. There are many on this forum that would do a much better job than the sales guys you have. Its not because of them we bought the product but despite them.

That is my 2c worth

[selyaT]

Seriously though I have had one dealer not even know that there was a sport springs option on the accessories list for the Corolla ZZE122 (and quite a few did not even know what that meant). I would hate to be forced to buy my TRD Aurion from someone who did not know what TRD meant, especially if there is any knid of half decent accessories/options list for them.

That's what I'm talking about.

No offence intended to the Melv-miester

[melvinlau]

Haha thanks guys, I do my best.

Eventhough I am in Perth I will try my best to answer any questions everyone has, so keep them coming. But it pains me to know that I'm doing the work for a know nothing salesman in another state.

Anyway keep the topics flowing.

Melv-miester

[akuma]

^ Is Prodrive the name of the company you're after?

yeh thats the one, but i wouldnt have a clue how to order the trd aurions, guess we gotta wait for a couple of months.

[akin]

^ Is Prodrive the name of the company you're after?

yeh thats the one, but i wouldnt have a clue how to order the trd aurions, guess we gotta wait for a couple of months.

First post so be gentle and Hiya all

But the whole sales people and product knowledge in a high staff turn over enviroment is never going to happen ( well not often ) ....Having sold technical equipment (not car related) I know that much.

Just means we as educated buyers need to educate the sales ppl which is a pain but its the only way I see em shapening up there skills and I would of thought anything a salesperson can add on means more cash to them so cant really understand why they dont have a good grasp of whats available. I mean you dont have to know every bloody add on but at least know how to find out...what can be done/added/optioned etc

Cheers

[akuma]

true, i agree with that. had to read it twice to understand what you where saying. but wouldnt there just be a brochure for the sellers to read and do some homework to make it easier?

[jps137]

but wouldnt there just be a brochure for the sellers to read and do some homework to make it easier?

Yes there usually is but unfortunately quite a few of them don't even do that

Edited July 1, 2007 by jps137

[SmellyTofu]

I mean you dont have to know every bloody add on but at least know how to find out...what can be done/added/optioned etc

This is the difference between a salesman and a person that is passionate about their products. Yes the product could be as boring as a loaf of bread but highlight the good points, sound passionate and excite the potential customer... then make it sound convincing but be at the same time tell the truth. That way, even though you might not get the sale, but at least you'll leave a good impression to the customer to refer their friends to you. My dad bought a car from a guy > 10 yrs ago yet he still refers people to go see this guy. Why? He got a good experience and knew his stuff.

Salesman need to add value to the sales process. That's why they are being paid to do. Not to shuffle paperwork. Any monkey can do that but to provide real customer service, expertise and intimate knowledge of the product they are selling is part of what their commissions is for. If all they did was shuffle paper, we might need to start a new currency of bananas because there's a zoo full of monkeys they could employ to do that for next to nothing.

A long time ago, I was at Terry Shields Toyota out at Parramatta with my parents looking for a 2nd hand Tarago (the first of the bubble shape) and the salesman there had the nerves to tell me the Tarago had a 2.2L and didn't believe me... I then dared him to go check the engine code to be a 2TZFE and 2.4L in capacity (and I was right). I was just an average punter that knows what I'm looking for and this so called "salesman" is making money on me?? For what? I might as well fill out my own sales contract form.

From what I've seen in sales training, a lot of the training involves pressure selling like signing on the line, locking in something etc. Most dealerships are concerned with pushing cars out the door but very little focus on selling options/accessories which adds value to the vehicle from a customer's point of view.

Anyway, I'll stop my rant here.

akuma, you order a TRD Aurion by going to a TRD dealer and buying it the same way you buy a STi at a STi dealer.

[jps137]

Most dealerships are concerned with pushing cars out the door but very little focus on selling options/accessories which adds value to the vehicle from a customer's point of view.

And lets face it the options/accessories are where they can make more margin from us because a lot of people get a few quotes on the base car (but not necessarily base level), decide on a dealer and then option up

[jps137]

oops we are getting off the track a little bit, back to the original question

Does anyone know who the TRD dealers are in NSW or Victoria?