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Dealer's Tricks - bait & switch, etc.

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Comments

  • carnivalsccarnivalsc Member Posts: 21
    First of all, I have learned that when you sit in a salespersons office, keep your mouth shut, don't talk when he/she leaves, about anything. I have a brother who is a GM employee, and I would like to get a new vehicle because of a handicap I have, and I did my homework on my present vehicle, a '99 Grand Voyager, which yesterday reached 100000 miles. I wanted to trade for another vehicle, because my disability makes it hard for ME to sell privately. My husband and I were jokingly talking about a bet I have with my brother about finally buying a GM vehicle, while the salesman was out looking at our van. He came back in, and said he could not find one single thing wrong with the van, it is in pristine condition, even excellent in his opinion, he wished more could come in that way, on and on, then he offered me $2500.00, because I would be buying a vehicle "wholesale",(per GM's "great" deals now, therefore I could only get "wholesale" for my van. Trade in via KBB on my van, is $4775.00, at my mileage, in GOOD condition. But, what really got me, was when I was waiting for this guy to come back to the office, I went to the bathroom, and on my way past an office full of salespeople, I could hear my husband coughing, over an intercom. The creep had his phone intercom on, and we were listened to, while we were alone.... This is the last straw. When we left, another one of the guys said, well, looks like her brother owes her dinner, she didn't buy, which was the bet I had with my brother, which the salespeople could only have heard from their spying. :mad: :mad:
  • thenebeanthenebean Member Posts: 1,124
    i work at a dealer, and we don't pull that kind of stuff - way too sketchy! unfortunately, you will still find some dealers like that (stupid if you ask me) but you will also find a lot of dealers who are fair, respectable, and willing to do business honestly and fairly. hopefully you find one of them so you can have a good shopping experience (as opposed to a crummy one that this place would have given you!)

    good luck!

    -thene
  • carnivalsccarnivalsc Member Posts: 21
    As of this point, I quit. It is sad, because I have money to spend, but, the lack of respect we got from 2 dealers in this area, has made me decide they don't need my business, and they won't get it, and no one else will either. I went in, after learning to educate myself about being an "up", and "buyers are liars", you name it, and the "four swuare deal sheet', I even knew more about the vehicle I wanted than the salesman did, but, the more you know as a consumer, the less they want to deal with you, period. It has been proven to me, that dealers like people dumb. So, if there was any way I could convince this whole country, to not buy a single car for a whole month, I would. A dealer in this area just had a big spread in the Sunday newspaper, about his new 15,000 square foot house, and pool house, and tennis court and infinity pool, and how he traveled the world to furnish it, :P then I go to other dealers, and hear how hard they have it, :cry: give me a break.
  • geo9geo9 Member Posts: 735
    SHAME on that dealer !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

    But $2500 was a GOOD trade price for a 6 yo. van with 100k plus miles!

    Before you go shopping it around again stop over at the Smart Shopper thread
    and post your van under the "Real world trade values" heading.

    The guys over there will tell ya what its REALLY worth !
    Remember BOOKS don't buy cars............................
  • steine13steine13 Member Posts: 2,825
    You know, it's not THAT bad.
    I mean, compared to malaria, say. Or West Nile.

    You found a bad dealer. Before you bought -- good for you. Go elsewhere.
    It's not that big a deal.

    Plenty of good dealerships out there... you give your location as the "frozen North", that's where I am... :-)
    I could steer you to some decent dealerships around here.

    And no, I'm not in the business.
    For one thing, I'm not sure I could handle the customers.

    -Mathias
  • isellhondasisellhondas Member Posts: 20,342
    You've been reading too much. I'm not a lawyer either but I thinks it's VERY WRONG, if a dealer listens to private conversations. Still, after reading your last post I think you are probably too bitter to buy a car from anyone.

    Your trouble prone 100,000 mile Chrysler Van is a car few people would be interested in at any price. They do NOT bring "book" values as others here have told you.
  • carnivalsccarnivalsc Member Posts: 21
    Hi,

    I can't say I am bitter, I am ticked off. I don't think there is an honest car salesman in the world, if they feel they need to resort to bugging, and I don't think bugging private conversations is legal. If they want to bug conversations, be up front about, just like when you call a business, and get some pre-recorded message saying you may be recorded. Let the customer know the transaction is being recorded. Why does anyone think "spying" is good, it is underhanded, and sickening.
    Does anyone here expect privacy in a store dressing room, or a restroom? How about if you are being taped, just in case......feel any better about that? Also, I have studied about 6 different vehicles on this site, in the last month, trying to figure out the best one to buy, and every single vehicle has problems.....Toyota with sludge, GM with engines that destroy themselves, etc..., not just Chrysler. And, I have not had one thing go wrong with my van, except the AC, at 80K miles. Everything else has been maintenance. There is no perfect car out there, never will be, if there is, then there will be massive unemployment of car mechanics. Yeah, I am ticked off....
  • mark156mark156 Member Posts: 1,915
    I'm not sure if Bobst responded to this scenario about the "listening devices" in the sales cubical.... but, I'm sure he would say that you can't change people, you just have to adjust yourself to fit.

    I would always assume that they are listening to me if I'm with someone. I usually buy my cars alone but I would assume the worst and expect the best.

    About the Motorhome.... I rented one recently.. a 38 ft. diesel pusher with 3 slides (MSRP of about $180,000). I can see the attraction of purchasing but you have to "use" it and not let them sit. Motorhoming is not a cheaper way of traveling, it's a "different" way of traveling. I averaged 7.75 mpg's on a 2,000 mile trip with a couple of days of strong wind. I think I would have gotten better mileage on a calm day.

    My goal is to win one... :P Habitat for Humanity in Redding California has been giving a nice Motorhome away the last couple of years for supporting their cause. 7,500 tickets are sold at $100 each... maybe I'll win!!! It's a 36 Alpha See Ya (actual length is 37'9") valued at $198,000. Hopefully the stars will line up in my favor!! :blush:

    Mark
    2010 Land Rover LR4, 2013 Honda CR-V, 2009 Bentley GTC, 1990 MB 500SL, 2001 MB S500, 2007 Lincoln TC, 1964 RR Silver Cloud III, 1995 MB E320 Cab., 2015 Prevost Liberty Coach
  • graphicguygraphicguy Member Posts: 14,120
    carnival.....truthfully, I think you need to take a deep breath and spend a week or two cooling down. I certainly understand not wanting your private conversations being "overheard". So, you go to a different dealership.

    I do think you've had your minivan "pride and joy" dinged a little since it's not worth what you thought it was worth. But, now that you've got a good idea about what a fair trade-in amount is for it, you can now go to any other dealer with more reasonable expectations.

    Personally, I think today's cars/trucks are the most well built vehicles that any manufacturer has put on the road....regardless of some of the posts you read here (including my own posts).

    First and foremost, if you want more money out of your minivan, detail it, put a "for sale" sign in the window, run a newspaper ad and see if anyone bites on it. If you don't want to go that route, take the trade info you've received here and be ready to pull the trigger on a deal with your new found info.

    Decide what it is you want to buy to replace your minivan. Shop a couple of dealers that carry the model you're interested in. Get some TMV prices here at Edmunds and see if you can match those prices.

    If resale is a big criteria, then stick to the Toyota or Honda models as they traditionally have had higher resale values, in general.

    Most importantly, go into the dealership with a pleasant demeanor (not "the dealership is out to get me") and I'd say your purchasing decision will go much smoother.

    You can use a couple of strategies that most have read about here. There's the method commonly referred to around here as the "bobst" method. That is, you go to dealerships with a purchase number in mind. Make the offer once and if the dealership refuses the offer, take it to another dealership to see if they accept it. Do that until you find a dealership that accepts it. If none do, you have to up your offer and start all over again.

    Or, more traditionally, research the prices via your local newspaper, TMV at Edmunds, etc. Be ready to make an offer based on what you've researched. If the dealership gets close (within a hundred or two). Offer to split the difference if it's close (that's my preferred method). You should be able to close a deal within about 15 minutes.

    Either way, it's a "no muss...no fuss" transaction.
    2024 Kia EV6 GT-Line AWD Long Range
  • mikefm58mikefm58 Member Posts: 2,882
    " There's the method commonly referred to around here as the "bobst" method. "

    I too use the "bobst" method, that is after doing my homework. It worked out well for my last two Toyotas and I'm getting ready to pull the trigger on a Colorado for my son. I much prefer the "GM employee discount" method though.
  • isellhondasisellhondas Member Posts: 20,342
    Well, you have every right to be ticked off but I think you need to relax a bit and come to grips with the fact life is short and it's time to cool off and move on.

    My advise would be to ask your freinds and neighbors for a REFERRAL. Have them send you to someone who treated them right. You can buy a Toyota without worrying about "sludge" too. Problems get greatly overblown in these forums. As far as your Chrysler, I'm sure it HAS been a good car. It's the FUTURE people are going to worry about and a 100K Chrysler isn't as smart of a risk as some other cars.

    Years ago, I remember a Chevy(I think) dealer in So. Calif getting busted bor bugging offices with hidden microphones and that was all over the news...a GOOD thing. I find it hard to believe a dealer would be dumb enough to do such a thing.

    I know I would go postal if that happened to me. I wouldn't STAY postal, however. I would get over it in a hurry.
  • alfoxalfox Member Posts: 708
    If nobody in America bought a car for one month it would do more than punish car dealers, it would bring our economy to its knees, and give a hard poke to the World's economy. It would be devastating to the auto plants. But consider more than the automakers, think about the steel mills, the OEM parts suppliers, paint manufacturers, energy suppliers (to the idled plants), etc.

    Fortunately there's no way to cause such a thing to happen, especially not in support of someone who felt mistreated at a car dealership. You're hardly unique - just learn and go on.

    Personally I always had assumed that dealer conference rooms were bugged. It can work to your benefit as well if you know it ahead of time.
  • carnivalsccarnivalsc Member Posts: 21
    Give me a way it can work to my benefit, so I can try it out.....I think it is underhanded, but, if they can play dirty, I think I would like to play dirty too.
  • isellhondasisellhondas Member Posts: 20,342
    Have you checked your blood pressure lately?

    I would hate to see how you would cope with a MAJOR problem in your life!

    ONE dealer does something deplorable to you and you think you should punish the entire U.S.??
  • carnivalsccarnivalsc Member Posts: 21
    OK, explain this one. I have been looking at an ad for a Chev Trailblazer EXT, in my local Saturday paper, and this is the deal....MSRP $30.875.00. minus the following, $900.00 rebate discount, , $1500, dealer discount, $3461.00 Employee discount, $2500.00 Rebate, and $100.00 for driving long distance, for a total of $22.413.98. The dealer website did not have a window sticker so to speak, so I went to Chevrolet, did a search for the vehicle, got the VERY SAME CAR AT THE VERY SAME DEALERSHIP, and the MSRP, is listed as $$28, :P 475.00. I have called this dealership, and emailed them 3 times, because they have a Trailblazer EXT that I want to look at, and I have asked if that extra $2500.00 for the 3 discounts they offer for the advertised vehicle is for every vehicle on the lot, and they won't answer,,,,,,but, look at their advertised MSRP ($30,875) and the real MSRP, $28,475, and I bet even a first grader can subtract and find that they have added the "discount" on to the real MSRP, so their is no discount. Why do a trick like this? Do they think that people won't catch on, with the internet so readily available for research????/ Just how dumb do they think we are??? Fortunately, the sticker for the EXT I want to look at lists the same MSRP as the Chevrolet website sticker, but, now I know, without having to drive 75 miles, there is no discount!!! They "made it up!!!" Yes, it is the same VIN, I have checked, same color. And you all wonder why I am so mad,,,,what dealer can you believe now????????????
  • rroyce10rroyce10 Member Posts: 9,332
    ........ tick tick tick .... feel those little blood vessels ticking on your forehead..?

    Slow down, your speeding ..... relax and take a deep breath in --- aaaah ... deep breath out --- aaaaaah .. another one, deep breath in - aaaaah, deep breath out -- aaaaah ........... feeling better.?!?

    Instead of dialing 911, why don't you sit comfortably in your chair and tell us what your looking for (quietly) and I'm sure we can help .... take a deep breath, and start .......



    Terry.
  • steine13steine13 Member Posts: 2,825
    I agree with the older boys here... you would be better off not taking this so seriously. It's not that I disagree, the stuff you describe isn't right, but there isn't much you or I can do about it.

    You have to take the car buying process like the stock market, or the weather. It just "is", and you have to deal with it. I once bought from a dealer where the sales manager flat out lied to me... I knew it, he knew it, the salesman knew it... I pondered for a while and took the "twin" to the car I wanted... everything the same, but 20 more miles... sales mgr said the one you want is sold, take the other one or leave.

    Today, I'd leave. Eight years ago, and with a good deal on the table, I caved and took the twin. The car served us well for 5 years, gave no trouble, and the resale was good. What price glory?

    You want things to worry about, watch the evening news. This car buying stuff is piddly by comparison.

    Figure out what you want to buy, then find a good dealer. They are out there. And don't buy without asking the pros in our little club!

    Good luck,
    -Mathias
  • carnivalsccarnivalsc Member Posts: 21
    I'm glad this is mildly amusing to you.
  • user777user777 Member Posts: 3,341
    excuse the stupid questions...

    when a dealership is advertising cars in the paper with a stock number and model, with "X at this price + Tags, Title and Tax", and then there's nothing but "bumped vechicles" available for purchase, -or- they advertise in the paper various discounts off MSRP, and the MSRP is inflated such that there is no discount....why don't other dealerships call them on the practice?

    same thing with the easedropping... don't you think other dealerships should call these guys up and "thank" them for lowering the image of the profession?

    where's the self monitoring?

    i don't understand why the business is allowed to advertise merchandise for a price which isn't what you can purchase the vehicle for.
  • isellhondasisellhondas Member Posts: 20,342
    Let me repeat the advise I gave you earlier...

    Are you listening...?

    Instead of trying to outsmart a game playing dealer....

    ASK PEOPLE YOU KNOW FOR A REFERRAL !

    You are responding to "screamer" ads, looking for a "deal"!
  • 530ir1150r530ir1150r Member Posts: 263
    Buying a car does not have to be a nightmare.

    1. Prearrange financing if necessary. You can always use dealer financing. Prearranging lets you know how much you can borrow at what rate. More games go on financing cars than buying cars.

    2. If you cannot afford to buy it, you cannot afford to lease it.

    3. Know what you want and a fair price range. You can look at cars without buying or driving. Do not waste salesman time when just looking. Every manufacturer's web site has "build it" information.

    4. Tell the salesman what you want and ask for their best price. I believe it is their car and they should price it before you make an offer. If you are ordering, give them an hour from the time you walk in; if in stock 30 minutes. If they cannot give you a price by then, leave, make them phone you an offer good enough to get you in the showroom again.

    5. Someone here a few days ago stated to get ALL fees listed first before getting a price. I've never done this, but fees here are always under $100. I think it is a good idea if fees bother you.

    6. If their price is acceptable, act like you are thinking, say nothing till they lower it a little. Do not say a thing. Let them negotiate with themselves.

    7. Do not go with a spouse when negotiating. Tell them you like the price you have gotten them to, but you have to get your spouses approval. Make sure they have your phone number. Make sure your spouse knows the price you are at before they call. He/she should be able to get the fees back if nothing else.

    8. Do not do 6 or 7 if you are not happy with the offered price. If you are prepared to buy, you can save a little more. If the offer is not within 2%, leave. Do not make a counter offer. All that does is allow the salesman to use the higher authority gambit on you and you will be there all afternoon. Whenever they call, get there price and tell them you will think about it. Do not go back or call back till their offer is within the range of consideration.

    8. Do not be anal about getting the lowest possible price. Why spend time driving all over town to save $10. A good deal is when you know you would pay more than you are and they would take less. I've never seen a car dealer sell a car at any price without smiling afterwards. You should too after buying.

    9. If spending less than $30,000, get a Honda; if more get a BMW.

    10. Say as little as possible, let the salesman talk as much as possible, the more you say the longer you sit in their office.
  • carnivalsccarnivalsc Member Posts: 21
    Thanks, I see there is someone else just as confused as I am. And, there are no stupid questions, but there ARE stupid answers.
  • mikefm58mikefm58 Member Posts: 2,882
    " I'm glad this is mildly amusing to you "

    LOL.....Terry's been around the block a few times......

    Sorry this is really bothering you, I do agree with most things you've said, but I've learned to just "walk away" from the dealers you're experiencing. Even if they had EXACTLY what I was looking for I wouldn't give them my business.
  • mikefm58mikefm58 Member Posts: 2,882
    You mentioned in an earlier post about a Chevy Trailblazer. Have you looked in to "GM Employee Pricing"? No muss, no fuss, and a GREAT price.
  • imidazol97imidazol97 Member Posts: 27,675
    I was with you until you got to #9. There _are_ other cars worth buying. In fact those may be more problematic in total cost of ownership due to the dealers involved and built in problems than are some other vehicles. If they're your preference that's good, but it doesn't have to be others' preferences.

    2014 Malibu 2LT, 2015 Cruze 2LT,

  • carnivalsccarnivalsc Member Posts: 21
    Yes, I have, and you would think there is no muss no fuss. Why does a dealer have to bump up a price in an ad, thus creating a lie in the beginning, before you ever set foot in the door. Why not just say the MSRP, and get to the price advertised, why mislead a consumer into thinking there is another $2400.00 worth of rebates, when it is a lie. the dealer bumped up the price, and I caught him.
  • mikefm58mikefm58 Member Posts: 2,882
    Buying a vehicle can be as hard as you make it. And you are turning it in to an excruciating experience.
    .
    There are all kinds of dealers you're experiencing......Move on.
  • toyotakentoyotaken Member Posts: 897
    The self monitoring happens. However, there isn't any way to enforce the issue. For example, the dealership I'm at hasn't advertised in our local paper for almost 3yrs in protest for unfair/untruthful ads run by other local dealers. We have on occasion also pulled advertising from local television stations for the same reason. This is coming from the largest dealer group in New York State. We also file complaints with the Manufacturer when it happens. What is the result? NOTHING. Supposedly, the offending dealer gets a slap on the wrist the first time. After that, they're supposed to be "docked" vehicles from their allocation. In real-life, however, it never happens. As long as they're growing they're sales numbers, they continue to get away with whatever they want to. Even the largest volume franchise for a particular manufacturer as part of the largest dealer group in the state complaining doesn't make a difference.

    Just so that some of you customers know what the more honest dealers/sales consultants have to deal with on top of customers coming in with the ads from these other dealers. "But mister customer, see here in the fine print this price is utilizing $5,000 trade or cash equity down?" answer.... "Well can you do this price clean deal or not? Otherwise I'm just going there to buy the vehicle!"

    Just my experiences.

    Toyota Ken
  • rroyce10rroyce10 Member Posts: 9,332
    ... ** If you cannot afford to buy it, you cannot afford to lease it** .....

    Oh, greeeeeat point ...................................!



    Terry.
  • graphicguygraphicguy Member Posts: 14,120
    Let's see if we can make this easier for you.

    Since you're interested in a TrailBlazer, go here.....http://www.chevrolet.com/trailblazer/

    Option one up any way you like. Or, use the "search dealer inventory" function and see if anyone local has something you'd like. Click on the "GM EMPLOYEE PRICE" button and, voila, you've got the price you can buy the vehicle for....eazy-peazy.

    No negotiations since the price is already the lowest any dealer can sell any GM vehicle for.

    Call the dealership that has the vehicle you're interested in. Set up an appointment to take a look at it. Have them assess your trade (somewhere in the $2K-$2,5K range). Sign the paperwork and you've got yourself a new vehicle at a very good price.
    2024 Kia EV6 GT-Line AWD Long Range
  • lhesslhess Member Posts: 379
    dealing with salespeople and car dealers can be stressful, so you have to make it fun. If I had been the one to realize that the room we were in was bugged and the salesslugs were listening in, here's what I would have done:

    "Honey, do you think our sales guy has a rug or what?"
    "Did you notice that the manager's fly was unzipped? Course, I don't think there would have been much to see there!"
    "If we could just bottle the salesman's breath, we could use it to strip the finish off granny's sideboard."
    "Wonder what they'll do when they find out we haven't made the house payment for 3 months?"

    And, of course, get up, make up some excuse to leave, and exit. Never to return!!

    Now the sticker on the trailblazer is interesting. I went with the boyfriend to take the duramax in for some work and we took a stroll on the lot because of the GM Employee thing. You could fly a jet fighter over my boyfriend's head and he'd miss it - get my picture? Anyway, he pointed out to me that some of the cars had what looked to be, new stickers. When you compared the MSRP sticker to the other paperwork on the windows, they were crisp and white while the other stuff was yellowed, bent on the corners....Plus, you could see the "goop lines" where the old stickers were removed and the new ones not lined up perfectly. I really started wondering if they hadn't bumped the MSRP's to allow for the GM Employee discount?
  • user777user777 Member Posts: 3,341
    wouldn't that be blatent fraud punishable by legal action?

    silly me...I thought the MSRP sticker was supposed to be installed by the manufacturer and only removed by the dealer in the presence of or after consulting the customer.
  • imidazol97imidazol97 Member Posts: 27,675
    The MSRP is public knowledge. Compare one with the items and totals here on Edmunds.com new car prices.

    It is possible the stickers were replaced for some other reason. Another possibility is that price increases occurred since a vehicle was built so the dealer printed new stickers with a new, higher price that was a manufacturer's price increase after the build date. I didn't think they did that, however.

    The MSRP sticker is a federally-mandated item. If it's being tampered with, the government might enforce it as well as.... illegal immigration, CEOs defrauding stockholders, congressment lying, etc.

    2014 Malibu 2LT, 2015 Cruze 2LT,

  • graphicguygraphicguy Member Posts: 14,120
    MSRP has to be displayed on new vehicles. Some GM dealers are prominently displaying the "Employee Purchase Price" addendum to the MSRP sticker.

    Price is easy enough to find out if you're looking at GM vehicles (except for Corvettes and Hummer H3s) if you go to GMBUYPOWER.com and hit the proper icon next to the vehicle you're interested in.

    Having just bought two new vehicles over the last 6 months, I wandered over to some GM dealers to look at what they offered more than a few times. Although, I didn't buy anything from them, most were more than willing to show me the invoice. When GM started offering the employee pricing to everyone, they were more than willing to show me what that price was with no effort at all.

    If "carnival" is going the GM route, getting a good price with no negotiations (well in back of invoice) should be a piece of cake. Find a vehicle that appeals, ask for the price with all rebates deducted....that's what you'll pay.
    2024 Kia EV6 GT-Line AWD Long Range
  • mirthmirth Member Posts: 1,212
    Why not just say the MSRP, and get to the price advertised, why mislead a consumer into thinking there is another $2400.00 worth of rebates, when it is a lie. the dealer bumped up the price, and I caught him.

    So find another dealer. It's not worth trying to get them to admit a lie (which they won't do) and work with them. If that's what they're like in the first place, they'll just try and trip you up another way. One thing they won't do is sell you the car for $2000 less than that screamer ad, lol. With the employee pricing at GM right now, you can to go to any other GM dealer and get the employee discount plus the rebates.

    Playing devil's advocate - is it possible that GM's website got it wrong? Did you go down to the dealer and look at the physical sticker?
  • wlbrown9wlbrown9 Member Posts: 867
    Did the ad really specify MSRP or did it show a discount from List? I found that one at a Toyota dealer in Memphis years ago. They showed really great discounts but when you went there you found they had bumped the MSRP maybe $1500 and called it LIST. They they applied $4000 discount, but when you really looked at it, it was only $2500 discount off MSRP and $1500 discount in ''added dealer profit" or whatever they called it.

    I have also seen fabric protection and exterior finish protection packages (mop & glow) added to an extra sticker that might have included floor mats, pin stripes or something else minor with the extra sticker being referred to as LIST or maybe even MSRP with the appropriate $$$$ bump in price. You can usually refuse to pay for the mop & glow and get that discounted, but it would be easy for them to refer to that as an extra discount off MSRP or LIST.

    I hate using dealers that use these tactics and if at all possible do business elsewhere.

    Bill
  • mikefm58mikefm58 Member Posts: 2,882
    " No negotiations since the price is already the lowest any dealer can sell any GM vehicle for.

    Call the dealership that has the vehicle you're interested in. Set up an appointment to take a look at it. Have them assess your trade (somewhere in the $2K-$2,5K range). Sign the paperwork and you've got yourself a new vehicle at a very good price. "

    One thing I might add is to make sure you know any dealer fees beforehand since the GM Employee Price doesn;t include any dealer fees. That's listed right on gmbuypower.com.

    I'm getting ready to start calling on a Chevy Colorado, so it should be interesting.
  • carnivalsccarnivalsc Member Posts: 21
    I have the ad right here, and if anyone wants a scan of it, let me know, it says MSRP, $30,875, but the MSRP sticker I printed off from Chevrolet.com, for the same dealership, says $28, 475.00 And yes, the VIN is the same. If you want to see the sticker from the Chevrolet website, listing MSRP, search for Link Chevrolet in Waynesboro GA, and it is the Superior Blue Metallic one, Trailblazer. If it is legal to post the ad here, I will.
  • audia8qaudia8q Member Posts: 3,138
    Your letting all the stuff that doesnt matter cloud your brain, I agree that the Bobst method is for you....go in, make an Out The Door offer....if they don't take your offer leave and go to the next dealer.
  • cticti Member Posts: 131
    The posts by the eternally patient (or those with too much time on their hands :P ) are not just for the person to whom the post is directed. They are a great help to the (mostly) silent readers out here in edmunds.com-land.
  • 530ir1150r530ir1150r Member Posts: 263
    I was too brief. I mean if you do not want to research before buying; get a Honda if spending less than $30,000, a BMW if more.
  • black_tulipblack_tulip Member Posts: 435
    I mean if you do not want to research before buying; get a Honda if spending less than $30,000, a BMW if more.

    Still, too sweeping a statement to be of any value. Those may be your personal preferences, but by no means universally applicable.
  • manamalmanamal Member Posts: 426
    I agree that it is too sweeping. I could just as easily say:
    Get a subaru of you want to spend less than 35K. I can not comment on the over 35K.

    Actually, I would say (for under 35K):
    If you want an applience car (don't care about driving): get a Toyota
    If line in the north (i.e, snow): get a subaru
    If you live in the south: get a honda
    If you like to see your money go away quickly: get a ford or GM
    If you like to see the service departments: get a kia.
  • black_tulipblack_tulip Member Posts: 435
    Recently when I was buying a Toyota, the Finance person told me this :
    "Would you be interested in our prepaid oil change value plan? It is a great value at $650 and we cover all oil changes upto 75K miles at 5K intervals."

    I know that the price at that same dealership for an oil change is $29.95, which comes to about $450 for the same number of oil changes as covered in the so called value plan.
    I think they are targeting ignorance about the actual price and the arithmetic-challenged.

    I think in this case, the extra profit of $200 is (gasp) dirty!
  • jayhjayh Member Posts: 5
    I'm having trouble getting a firm delivery date from my salesman. He said the Acura TSX would be in on a certain day and now he keeps telling me its been pushed back;its been two weeks since first promised. He keeps saying its on a truck that still hasn't arrived. How do I know where the car actually is and when it will be in? I would think the dealership knows where their cars are. Thanks.
  • mikefm58mikefm58 Member Posts: 2,882
    You are right on the money.....That extra $200 will go towards his next boat payment. And $29.95 is a high price for an oil & filter change. The Honda and Toyota dealers here in central Florida charge 20 - 25 bucks.
  • sidlehuthsidlehuth Member Posts: 2
    Was given a quote on the internet from a dealership on a specific vehicle on a Monday. I called the salesperson to confirm and was told to come into the dealership on Wed. to talk about the deal and test drive a similar vehicle. At that time, I was told the specific vehicle I wanted was available. I OK'd the terms of the deal; no papers were signed. We decided to pick the vehicle up and sign the papers on Sat. Salesperson called on Fri. morning asking if
    we could conclude the deal that evening. When we got to the dealership, the vehicle I wanted was unavailable and another one almost exactly like the one I wanted was there instead. I Ok'd the switch, signed the papers and took the vehicle home. After a couple days, I was going through the paperwork and noticed that the VIN on the contract and finance papers was different than the VIN that I actually took off the lot. I thought the financing was in place while I was at the dealership, but noticed a document that I signed called a "On The Spot Delivery" stated that the financing had not been arranged and that I may not get the interest rate that I was quoted originally. Still waiting to find out the outcome on the financing, being a holiday and all. I believe that from the time that I verbally agreed to the deal on Wed. and picked up the vehicle on Fri., the financing should have been already taken care of. I know I should have paid more attention to the documents I signed, but who would bother to look at the contract to make sure the VIN was correct?
  • manamalmanamal Member Posts: 426
    The first thing to do is to contact your insurance company -- they insure a car identified by the VIN, so your car is not insured. NExt, contact the dealer, and find out what you need to do to fix the problem. The same thing happened to me once.
  • mikefm58mikefm58 Member Posts: 2,882
    I gotta believe that was just a mistake and that there are strict state regulations regarding VIN numbers matching. Just think what would happen if you didn't catch this and got pulled over by the police later on.
    .
    I'd just go back to the dealer and have them correct this.
    .
    In regards to the "On the Spot Delivery" finance document, I would never have signed it, but then I always have my financing pre-arranged. If I were you, I'd go to my local bank or credit union and apply for a loan, just in case they try to "bump up" the interest rate. That document sounds like a blank check for the dealer to charge any interest rate they want.
    .
    Good luck, and let us know how things turn out.
  • cadillacmikecadillacmike Member Posts: 543
    "It is possible the stickers were replaced for some other reason. Another possibility is that price increases occurred since a vehicle was built so the dealer printed new stickers with a new, higher price that was a manufacturer's price increase after the build date. I didn't think they did that, however.

    The MSRP sticker is a federally-mandated item. If it's being tampered with, the government might enforce it as well as.... illegal immigration, CEOs defrauding stockholders, congressment lying, etc. "

    I think that this is illegal. If there's a price increase, fine, it applies ONLY to cars made after the price increase.

    Most stickers are easy to remove, no more goo to wash off anymore.
This discussion has been closed.