Toyota Exec Admits Buyers Loathe Dealerships

A Toyota executive spoke to a group of industry leaders today and addressed something we’ve known for years: Car buyers dread going to the dealership. Jim Lentz, one of Toyota’s top sales execs in the U.S., said, “We have to improve, streamline and put the fun back into buying a car.”

We’re not sure about the fun part, but making the buying process less painful is always welcome. It’s also interesting to note that internet word-of-mouth about Toyota dealers has never been stellar. Perhaps the folks at Toyota are reading internet message boards and getting the hint because — as Lentz pointed out — one buyer said she’d rather attend a funeral than do business at a dealership.

What would you change about the dealer experience to make it something everyone could look forward to?

Toyota’s Lentz: Consumers Dread Car Shopping (The Detroit News)