Do people treat your MM bad?

[Vortech347]

I'm a Realtor. I work with prolly around 35-40 buyers a year. Out of that many I get 3 that truely respect the car other than going "oh wow whats this?"

People slam the doors like its a 67 ford truck with the doors hanging 2" low. Get in my car when they stink making the car stink for a few days. Don't EVEN get me started on smokers that have a smoke outside of the car then get in thinking its OK because they did it outside...:mad2:

My biggest pet peve is this.... When I drive the car it auto-locks the doors which is OK with me. But when you go to open the rear doors after the car is parked they don't open unless I manually unlock them. So clients/and or their stupid disrespectful children YANK on the damn handles to get out. This happened on my explorer too and I had 2 door handles broke on the inside. I wish there was a way to make the car auto-unlock when I put it in park other than trying to remember.

The other is people that "flick or flip" the door handles. Instead of gently lifting then releasing them down they yank em up and let em slap. I had 2 break in the explorer as well on the outside. I'm dreading when it happens on the Marauder. I'm gona go ballistic....

Another thing people do is put their **** on the roof of the car or trunk before getting in. Like a back pack or laptop case. Yea I really want your zipper fly dragging along my roof.:mad2:

I kinda miss having a car I don't give a crap about for business. The more I have this MM the more and more I love it. After all ever since they came out I dreamed of one.

If only we could have a drag car, auto-x car, road race car, cruiser, wheelin truck, and daily driver. Hell I need to sell more homes. :D

Rant done, thanks for listening...

[Motorhead350]

Well I'll tell you the sad truth is it's just a car. You and I may see it differently than others. Most see a car as just a car. Now if they slam the doors and put stuff on top of the roof I don't know why you are helping these people, but if they do something like that I would have them a warning. If they do it again, you have reason to get angry. As for me no one really treats mine bad sense I don't give a lotta people a ride, but for those who I do always say how nice and clean it is. The mistake most make with mine is not closing the door enough, because they are too careful with it.

There was one time I gave a few girls a ride and one opened my back left door on a yellow painted metal pole for shopping karts. I was ticked, but she didn't even say she was sorry. Black paint was chipped and yellow was put on. Neatless to say that was her last ride! :coolman:

[Vortech347]

Well of course I say something. But you can't be a huge ******* or you don't do business to put gas in the car and food on the table. :)

[Motorhead350]

Yea I hate to censor myself too. Been there myself. :censor:

[Black_Noise]

your like me, i almost traded my MM in cause i moved on gravel, and it was too nice to drive 4 miles a day on gravel, no matter how i look at it, (plus i love having clean vehicle, which doesnt happen) so i leave the MM at my mom's in town and drive my 91 blazer

my suggestion is to get yourself something cheap that runs/looks good for you to run your clients around in, it will get rid of 95% of your stress

[MarauderMark]

Every time my car goes somewhere for work to be done it always comes back with scratches , lil dents , hood sticks up or left outside with the windows down for more than half a year.Just can't find anyone who gives a s*** about it but me.

[snowbird]

Nitrous SSC,

The autolock can be disabled in a second or two at your local dealer. I had the same problem with the friends of my teens i would carry: They would panic trying to open doors at destination.

In your case, the gains would be tremendous if you carry customers.

[AstroVic]

I think you can disable the auto lock feature yourself. Check the owner's manual. I could swear I read something about that.

Also, you're dead on the money. I don't have your problems because I really don't give rides to many people. (I even balk when I have to put the kids in it. My wife gets pissed about that, but oh vey!) I don't use it as a daily driver and I don't use it for work. My Marauder sits in the garage and looks pretty until a sunny day comes along and begs me to take it out for a spin.

This is also why I drive my 2000 Crown Victoria as my daily driver. Living in Houston, it's not uncommon to have things such as ladders, wheelbarrows, couches, mattresses, etc. in the main lanes of the interstate. Furthermore, there's an endless supply of uninsured and unlicensed motorists on our roadways. And you can always find yourself stuck behind some big gravel truck or other contruction style vehicle, with gravel or dirt clods bouncing all over the hood of your car.

It doesn't hurt so bad in the Crown Vic, but I'd be flipping out if it was the Marauder!

My suggestion is to find a nice used Crown Vic or Grand Marquis to use for your work vehicle and daily "beater" car. You could pick up a really clean one for $4,000 to $8,000 depending on how new you want it, etc. Plus, the insurance is very cheap on them.

[Bluerauder]

I'm a Realtor. I work with prolly around 35-40 buyers a year. Out of that many I get 3 that truely respect the car other than going "oh wow whats this?" ...
Only one solution .... don't chauffer them around in the MM. Get a beater POS or a Corolla for them to disrespect. Its easier for you to change than to get them to modify their behavior. I suspect that some of your clients feel somewhat entitled to treat you and your property as they wish 'cause they are paying for your services. Sad but true. :(

[Shora]

Don't EVEN get me started on smokers that have a smoke outside of the car then get in thinking its OK because they did it outside...:mad2:

Are you serious? Now smokers have to quit smoking to buy a house from your company? Honestly, you cannot expect a smoker to be more considerate than smoke outside of the car.

Heck, most smokers smoke "inside" their own car and the fact they waited until they got out of the car to smoke is a sign of respect in my book. It shows that they are treating "your" car better than they treat even their own car.

Most people don't car about other people's stuff, so when you find a smoker treating your car better than they do their own, be thankful.

[Raudermaster]

Yea....one thing I hate the most, slamming of the doors! Hell, in my '95 CV, people used to freakin' put all their might into shutting the door, the car used to shake! I used to get so pissed about that! People that ride with me often now know better, but other people (distant friends, people at work) don't care about it. Although, not one person has said they hate my car, and people do treat it with a up most respect, which I'm grateful for. I can udnerstand where you're coming from about the smoke. I used to smoke, I quit, I have a butt every now and again at work, but do NOT smoke in the MM, never have, never will. My g/f smokes too (trying to quit) and I get so bull***** when she's like, "I have to have a cigarette." I flip out. The second we stop, she lights one up. I MAKE her walk off some of the scent, and do a quick spray of perfume.

[OneBADLsE]

Umm..slamming doors. I hate that the most. Oh, and leaning on the fenders is another annoying one.

[ckadiddle]

Very few people ever sit inside my Marauder. Even fewer children. Had a niece and nephew in the back seat a couple years ago, they were playing with one of those squishy hand exerciser ball thingies that are full of sand or something. It exploded in the nephew's hand, the little kid's face went completely white! Fine whitish gray powder everywhere. He thought he was gonna get killed. He wasn't doing anything wrong, it wasn't his fault, but he thought he was in big trouble. My guess is that his daddy has taught hi to respect the inside of vehicles. I didn't get mad, just had it vacuumed out at the car wash the next day. No biggie. What scares me are things that stain like coffee and brightly colored sno-cones.

[O's Fan Rich]

When mine was the Company car I always talked up the car before we got in. I stressed how much I enjoy it and how important is is for me ( I'd brag about no parking lot dings!)

If I knew I was gonna be using to take people out in, it would be immaculate and I'd tell them how hard I worked on it to get it cleaned up for them! ( since they are so important to me, right?).
Doing this I found they took more care with the car.

Now, I drive a different car for Company business....so don't mess with the Marauder!

[jimlam56]

[quote=Rich_Long;448028]When mine was the Company car I always talked up the car before we got in. I stressed how much I enjoy it and how important is is for me ( I'd brag about no parking lot dings!)

If I knew I was gonna be using to take people out in, it would be immaculate and I'd tell them how hard I worked on it to get it cleaned up for them! ( since they are so important to me, right?).
Doing this I found they took more care with the car.

There you go again with that subliminal salesmanship again Rich!
I'm keeping you away from the Zigster!:D

[O's Fan Rich]

[quote=Rich_Long;448028]When mine was the Company car I always talked up the car before we got in. I stressed how much I enjoy it and how important is is for me ( I'd brag about no parking lot dings!)

If I knew I was gonna be using to take people out in, it would be immaculate and I'd tell them how hard I worked on it to get it cleaned up for them! ( since they are so important to me, right?).
Doing this I found they took more care with the car.

There you go again with that subliminal salesmanship again Rich!
I'm keeping you away from the Zigster!:D

Hehehehehe...
for the Great Unwashed....http://ziglar.com/

[Vortech347]

Problem with smoking is I bought my MM and after its first day in the hot sun it smelled like smoke. I think the previous owner had the occational one in it. It took me about a month of constant cleaning to get the smell out. I'm also really sensitive to the smell of it. I get migraines if i'm around someone that smokes in close quarters. It sucks so its a hard spot. I will put my foot down and never let anyone smoke in my car but I can't really say much about them doing it outside. But the problem is when your car smells neutral and clean and you get someone that smokes 2 packs a day in it. It will stink just as bad as if they lit one up in the back.

I've turned the auto-lock feature off before (there are instructions in the manual like you guys have mentioned) but I like the feature. I just wish the rear doors would open like the fronts.

I'll tell ya what thou nothing gets a good reaction like a 30mph downshift in 1st to pass someone or romp up the freeway onramp. That usually gets a "WOE!" :)

[sailsmen]

My suggestion is to analyze your customer base.

Before I take on a customer I ask 2 questions which must be answered in the affirmative 1) does the customer need me and 2) will the relationship be profitable.

Every year I ask the same question for existing customers.

[RCSignals]

You need to get yourself a Beater with torn back seats for customers.


I don't give rides to anyone I don't know. No one sits in back, the seatbelts still have original elastic bands binding them

[Judith Garner]

I smoke in mine but leave the vents off and then use fabreze to get what little smell there is?? Since now can't smoke anywhere what other choice do I have....I am planning on quitting but a lot of family problems right now really hard. I don't smoke very often maybe once a day in the car!!! It is payed for and mine and I'm not planning on getting rid of it..So guess not hurting nothing..

[DEFYANT]

Lisa is good for slamming the doors. She's been doing that for years on several past and present vehicles.