This weekend my brother, father and I go car shopping and test driving. When we walked into the Lexus dealership, we were immediately greeted and dealt with. They gave us a salesman who tended to our every need. But the next day when we decide to check out some BMWs, we got a totally different experience. Please keep in mind that we are all black.
We first mistakedly walked into a used BMW dealership. My brother and I tried to sit inside of a few of the cars for fun, but they were all locked. One salesman even quietly laughed at me as I tried to open one of the locked cars. Once we realized our mistake we asked a salewoman where the new BMW dealership was. She replied that it was across the street. We thanked her and made our way to the door. I couldn't help but notice the same salesman sitting behind her giggling to himself and looking at us, as if to say "Like they can afford a new BMW." He then tended to a white man that came in after us, following him and us into the new BMW dealership across the street. That was the first sign.
We walked into the new BMW dealership. We got no service. There were plenty of salesman sitting around doing nothing, but for some reason none of them felt the need to ask if we needed help. As the three of us wandered around aimlessly, wondering when someone would greet us, my brother and I realized that my dad was no longer in the room. I then noticed the same salesman from the used BMW dealership smirking in our direction once again. My brother and I got the hint that we weren't wanted there, so we took our cue, found my dad, and left as quickly as possible.
As we walked towards the Lexus dealership a block away, my dad confirmed my brother and my assumption. "They didn't think I could afford a BMW. They obviously don't know me."
