Dealers, Salespeople and the games they play when buying.
sterlinghawk
Member Posts: 4
Well this is what happened. Went to test drive again at a Hyundai closer to home, we had stopped by there last weekend. My husband felt he had a connection to the car salesperson.
I had test drove everything except for the Santa Fe Limited so we drove up to this dealer about 30 minutes away and I wanted to test drive the Santa Fe Sport 2.0T. I had narrowed it down to that or the Santa Fe Limited Decked out with tech pkg.
We test drove the 2.0T, peppy little car and I said do you have anything Limited here and he said yes so we test drove that. Then he said if we decided we could put our name down and he had “just checked” and guess what there is one coming in off the boat in Portland Oregon and that it would be up here in a couple of weeks. I heard that, my husband heard that but we would need to put $1000.00 down and then when it came if we did not like it we would get our money back.
I was not feeling well and was not in the mood to negotiate but I decided ok after going back and forth with my husband and me telling spouse that I had read on Edmunds about some of the people putting money down and waiting for months.
We walk in there and then again twice the kid tells us sure you can get the money back. Then he said well there would be a discount of 750 and started going through the list. I said I believe I told you that I did not want to negotiate today. I talked to spouse and we agreed to put 1000.00 down. The salesperson went into the manager’s office and the dude came out and said I would have to sign a contract to buy and btw, it was at MSRP price. I said that is not what we discussed and walked away. I sat back down with the salesperson and said my husband said to come here because he had felt from last week there was a working relationship. Now you come back and tell us something completely different than what we discussed in the parking lot. So then I proceeded to throw some numbers out like roof racks, hitch, free car wash for life etc and then I said you have a dealer holdback of 1250 plus 750.00 and you throw in the above then we have a deal. (Fully expecting them not to go for it) But they came back and said no to the 1250 and we can give you roof rack, hitch at cost (we had not discussed install).
During all of this happening before it blew up, the conversation went from yes it would be here in two weeks then it was three weeks, month etc. I don’t believe there ever was a car and it was a ruse to get us to sign the contract and put money down.
I said we are done, let me know when it comes off the boat. I get that this seems to be a in demand car however for 41K (inc plus tech pkg but not the add ons) and of course tax and license which would have brought it up to around 45K, I can get something else better.
Bottom line is we do not need this car
Comments
Being able to walk away puts you in the driver's seat. Sometimes you can't do that because of circumstances (your car is broken down, etc.). And sometimes a car is in high enough demand that the dealer feels like they can just wait for the next buyer. I think the Santa Fe is one of those, but if you wait a month or two, who knows?
By taking a deposit (which should always be refundable imo), the dealer can "take you out of the market". You have a car coming in "soon" so why mess with more car shopping?
Feel free to write up a Dealer Review too.
Sounds like...an uncommitted "buyer" and a typical dealership.